Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition [Survival Today

Jac Smit (1929-2009) - Father of Urban Agriculture

Jac Smit,
often referred to as “the father of urban agriculture”, passed away on
Sunday November 15th at his Washington, DC home, a few days after his
80th birthday. After working initially in the US (notably Chicago), Jac
had a long career as a planner around the world, with assignments in
Egypt, Iraq, Tanzania, and across South Asia, among others.

Jac was a
pioneer in advocating for the cause of urban agriculture, first
publishing on it in the 1960s. He was the lead author on the seminal
book on the subject: Urban Agriculture: Food, Jobs and Sustainable
Cities (1996).

Story of Vancouver’s Olympic Village features urban agriculture

Located west of Parcel 4, the community demonstration garden will be designed and
constructed after the Olympics. “The idea isn’t to have little plots for people
to garden, but rather a space that is programmed with the school, community centre
and neighbourhood for all to use and to learn about urban agriculture,” says Robin
Petri from the City of Vancouver. Specific designs and programming have not yet
been determined. Because of the site’s historic industrial use, the City has begun
investigating how to handle nearby contaminated soils. The garden will be separated
by a membrane from the contaminated industrial soil that underlies Hinge Park.

Growing Home - Chicago - providing job training through urban agriculture

“Englewood, where our Wood Street Urban Farm is located, was once a flourishing
Chicago neighborhood. It has suffered from decades of neglect and the flight of
about 50% of its population since the early 1960’s. This dismal cycle of decline
in Englewood can be seen in the vacant buildings and sparse population that have
allowed drug trafficking and other criminal activity to grow.

As gangs protected
their territories, violence increased and youth became at risk of either gang assaults
or gang recruitment.

Urban Slum Transformed into Urban Farm

“The Kibera Youth Reform Organic Farm began on a 3 meter deep garbage dump in Africa’s
largest slum. The transformation started in April 2008 and took three and a half
months, prooving anything is possible. Claire Niala asked Su Kahumbu, Director
of Green Dreams (the first locally certified organic farm in Kenya) to assist the
Kibera Youth Reform Group comprising 70 young men and women who had decided to change
their ways of crime. They wished to transform a garbage site into a farm, growing
crops for their own consumption as well as for sale if possible.

Mexico City poor plant vegetables to lower food costs

Galdino Gonzalez, 56, shows an urban vegetable garden to Reuters journalists in
the Iztapalapa district, Mexico City, July 31, 2008. Over 20 urban vegetable patches
have been planted since last year, some in areas formerly used to dump trash, and
the city government wants to build at least 20 more. REUTERS/Henry Romero
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All these stories here:
City Farmer News [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102834746199&s=1304&e=001IYOZSQS6F8uQsTYUTBSlwr41Kah8tj-cuJfKUq4lV5RF5M9JyTfFApi15QVavSm1WPQMWxmIf3G5um2Ln6L7seArBlSVddQHKJP9w92MfPiqmSEAJHFdjA==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture

Weekly Harvest Newsletter

Sustainable Agriculture News Briefs - November 18, 2009

Weekly sustainable agriculture news and resources gleaned from the Internet by NCAT staff for the ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Web site. The Weekly Harvest Newsletter is also available online (http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html#wh).

Share The Harvest: Please forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues who might be interested in the latest sustainable agriculture news, funding opportunities, and events.

News & Resources
* Researchers to Develop Crop Varieties for Organic Production
* On-Farm Energy Use Publication Available
* National Ag Library and Farm Bureau to Create Beginning Farmer Clearinghouse
* Slideshow Highlights White House Beekeeper
* Organic Seed Alliance Seeks Input from Organic Growers
* Leafy Spurge Controlled By Grazing Sheep

Funding Opportunities
* EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
* Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award
* Grass-based Livestock Working Group Grant

Coming Events
* ‘Making Organic Small Grains Work on Your Farm’ Webinar
* Bioeconomy eConference
* Midwest Integrated Crop Management Conference
* Acres U.S.A Conference and Trade Show

News & Resources

Researchers to Develop Crop Varieties for Organic Production
http://www.extension.org/pages/Plant_Breeders_Focus_on_Organic_Crops
Growers of organic crops in North Carolina and across the Southeast will get some much needed help as plant breeders at North Carolina State University launch an effort to develop corn, peanut, soybean and wheat varieties adapted to being grown organically. A $1.2 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant will be used to develop corn, soybean, peanut and wheat varieties with traits identified by farmers as necessary for organic production.

On-Farm Energy Use Publication Available
http://www.iowaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1089&yr=2009
How much energy is being used by Iowa’s agricultural producers? A new Iowa State University Extension publication answers that question. ‘Farm Energy: How Much Energy Is Being Used on Your Farm?’ (https://www.extension.iastate.edu/store/ItemDetail.aspx?ProductID=13243&SeriesCode=&CategoryID=&Keyword=energy) offers initial steps that help farmers analyze their farm energy use. This publication is part of a series of farm energy conservation and efficiency educational materials being developed through the Farm Energy Conservation and Efficiency educational initiative.

National Ag Library and Farm Bureau to Create Beginning Farmer Clearinghouse
http://www.fb.org/index.php?fuseaction=newsroom.newsfocus&year=2009&file=nr1105.html
The American Farm Bureau Federation is partnering with the Agriculture Department’s National Agricultural Library to create the National Curriculum and Training Clearinghouse for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. The new information-sharing program will help those who have decided to pursue a career in agriculture and will help support Farm Bureau’s commitment to rural development. The clearinghouse is a component of the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, a competitive grant initiative that is part of the 2008 farm bill. The clearinghouse will be supported by a five-year, $1.5 million grant from USDA.

Slideshow Highlights White House Beekeeper
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/04/us/politics/20091104_BEES_SS1/index.html
In addition to the White House garden, there’s a White House beehive (the first in history). This audio slideshow follows Charlie Brandt, who has the title of First Beekeeper, or The Honeymaker of the United States.
Related ATTRA Publication: Beekeeping/Apiculture
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/beekeeping.html

Organic Seed Alliance Seeks Input from Organic Growers
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=rfd4SvksMOTPLCe9aj0Edg_3d_3d
Organic Seed Alliance would also like input from growers in a brief questionnaire (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=rfd4SvksMOTPLCe9aj0Edg_3d_3d) that will help better assess certified organic growers’ attitudes and perceptions regarding organic seed and categorize obstacles that restrict their usage of organic seed. Organic Seed Alliance is a nonprofit organization that is working with organic farmers, processors, seed companies, advocacy groups and others to create a ‘State of Organic Seed Report’ that captures a snapshot of the successes, obstacles, opportunities, and risks in organic seed systems. This report will be public, and used as a discussion document, to create an organic seed action plan Feb. 25, 2010, at the State of Organic Seed Symposium (http://www.seedalliance.org/Advocacy/) in La Crosse, Wis.

Leafy Spurge Controlled By Grazing Sheep
http://www.northdakotaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=947&yr=2009
Using sheep to control leafy spurge works best if it’s done in the spring every year, according to an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study. After a few years of grazing sheep on a pasture during the spring, desirable forage grasses gain the upper hand as leafy spurge declines. Compared to applying herbicides and replanting pastures, prescribed grazing with sheep is inexpensive, according to researchers at the ARS Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory in Miles City, Mont., and cooperators. Rangeland ecologist Matt Rinella at Fort Keogh, along with graduate student Ben Hileman from Montana State University, found that even a little grazing in the spring for a few years can trigger positive plant community changes in leafy spurge-infested areas.

More Breaking News (http://attra.ncat.org/news/)

Funding Opportunities

EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants Program
http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/environmentaljustice/grants/ej-smgrants.html
The Environmental Justice Small Grants Program (EJSG), supports and empowers communities working on solutions to local environmental and public health issues. The Program assists recipients in building collaborative partnerships to help them understand and address environmental and public health issues in their communities. Successful collaborative partnerships involve not only well-designed strategic plans to build, maintain and sustain the partnerships, but also to work towards addressing the local environmental and public health issues.
Proposals are due January 8, 2010.

Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award
http://www.kidsgardening.org/grants/heinz.asp
Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award will help families grow memories together. Recognizing the power of gardens to connect individuals of all ages socially, culturally, and emotionally, the H. J. Heinz Company is proud to sponsor the Heinz Wholesome Memories Intergenerational Garden Award, designed to foster family-focused garden efforts in communities across the country. The award will provide 57 families with the tools needed to embark on a successful gardening adventure that will foster lasting intergenerational memories while growing wholesome food.
Proposals are due January 10, 2010.

Grass-based Livestock Working Group Grant
http://www.valuechains.org/livestock/grants.htm
The Grass-Based Livestock Working Group (GBLWG) has $21,000 from the Leopold Center for Research and Demonstration (R&D) grants in 2009. Proposals should have direct relevance to at least one of our four focus areas: 1) profitable grazing management; 2) grazing, wildlife, and the environment; 3) grass-based branding and supply chains; and 4) grazing policy and education.
Proposals are due December 3, 2009.

More Funding Opportunities (http://attra.ncat.org/funding/)

Coming Events

Making Organic Small Grains Work on Your Farm Webinar
http://www.attra.ncat.org/webinars2009/organicsmallgrains
December 3, 2009
Webinar
Attend ATTRA’s FREE webinar, ‘Making Organic Small Grains Work on Your Farm,’ on Thursday, Dec. 3 to find out how to grow organic small grains, including wheat, barley, rye and oats. The webinar will cover:
- The economics and marketing of crops
- The importance of soil health and minimal tillage
- Fertility management and acceptable organic nutrient sources
- Weed and pest management
- Transition tips
- Rotation design
There will also be time to have your questions answered.

Bioeconomy eConference
http://www.bioeconomyconference.org/
December 1, 2009
Online Conference
The 2009 Bio eConference — “Growing the Bioeconomy: Solutions for Sustainability” — is a 12-state alliance of simultaneous state conferences. These co-host sites will be sharing content through high-speed communication systems to promote agriculturally-based sustainable solutions to global climate change and energy supply.

Midwest Integrated Crop Management Conference
http://www.extension.org/pages/Midwest_Integrated_Crop_Management_Conference_Set_for_Dec._2-3
December 2-3, 2009
Ames, Iowa
Conference attendees can choose from 34 workshops that offer the latest information on crop production and protection technology in Iowa and surrounding states. Workshops are offered by ISU faculty and staff and invited speakers from around the Midwest. The conference is hosted by ISU Extension, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the departments of Agronomy, Entomology, Plant Pathology and Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.

Acres U.S.A Conference and Trade Show
http://www.acresusa.com/events/events.htm
December 3-5, 2009
St. Paul, Minnesota
The annual Acres U.S.A. conference sets the standards for innovation and learning. It is where you find farmers and consultants from every side of eco-farming who come together to share their experience and expertise. Attend the non-stop event, learn the latest in cutting-edge technology and methods, and return home ready to make your farming operation the best it can be.

More Events (http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/)

ATTRA Biodiesel Webinar Now Available
An hour-long webinar (http://www.attra.ncat.org/video/#biodiesel), produced by staff working on the ATTRA project, is now available for viewing on the ATTRA website. Highlights of the webinar include the basics of biodiesel production
and equipment, oilseed production and processing, the advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel, the chemistry of biodiesel and step-by-step instructions to make your own fuel.

New & Updated Publications

Building Sustainable Places
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/11/11/building_sustainable_places

Small-Scale Egg Handling
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/10/06/small_scale_egg_handling

Biodiesel: Do-it-yourself Production Basics
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/new_pubs.php/2009/08/27/biodiesel_do_it_yourself_production_basi_1

Question of the Week

What can you tell me about controlling black knot in peach and plum trees?
http://attra.ncat.org/calendar/question.php/2009/11/16/what_can_you_tell_me_about_controlling_b

Website of the Week

The Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network (NMPAN)
http://attra.ncat.org/wow/

Ask a Sustainable Agriculture Expert

Submit questions to our professional staff online
http://attra.ncat.org/ask.php

ATTRA Spanish Newsletter

Subscribe to Cosecha Mensual (http://attra.ncat.org/espanol/boletin.php)
(Monthly Harvest), ATTRA’s Spanish-language e-newsletter

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(http://visitor.roving.com/optin.jsp?m=1011223551022&ea=)

Comments? Questions? Go to http://www.attra.ncat.org/management/contact.html.

Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews Archives Available Online
(http://attra.ncat.org/newsletter/archives.html)
Digital versions of recent Weekly Harvest and ATTRAnews newsletters are available online. ATTRAnews is the newsletter of ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service.
(http://attra.ncat.org/)

ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/index.html). Visit the NCAT Web site (http://www.ncat.org/sarc_current.php) for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.

Welcome to the thread, we are an on-going thread so check us out anytime.

There are 2 threads before this one, the first post has the links.

NOtE: we are less that 500 posts from the next archive of thread 3.. ( part 2 ) ..<<<

Thank you for the information on cooking grits, something that I have not tried, other than to fry cornmeal mush.

Thank you for keeping the archive of the thread, that is a lot of work for you and Delawhere.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/11/gluten-free-or-other-allergen-free.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AYearOfCrockPotting+(A+Year+of+Slow+Cooking)&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail

Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A Gluten Free (or other allergen-free!) Thanksgiving

A few weeks ago, my friend Diane at The W.H.O.L.E. (whole healthy organic living everyday) Gang had the brilliant idea to host a Gluten Free Progressive Dinner, with Thanksgiving as the theme.

I’m pleased to be a stop on the journey, with my Corn Bread Slow Cooker Stuffing. It’s absolutely delicious, and I look forward to bringing it along to my mom’s house on the 26th for our family Thanksgiving dinner.

snipped....

This is my contribution to the Gluten Free Progressive Dinner:

Slow Cooker Corn Bread Stuffing.
originally posted November 13, 2008

The Ingredients.

—8 x 8 pan of baked cornbread (I used the Whole Foods 365 brand of GF cornbread mix)
—4 slices of toasted bread (I used the GF Food For Life brand in the pink bag)
—2 cups celery, chopped
—1 large yellow onion, diced
—3 beaten eggs
—1/4 cup butter, melted
—1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
—1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
—1/2 teaspoon black pepper
—2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable!) —and another 1/4 cup if desired, later

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. If you only have a 4 quart, toss the stuffing together in a huge mixing bowl, and then transfer to your 4 quart.

Bake the cornbread according to package directions (or by all means, make it by scratch!)

If you have a few days to let it go stale, do that. Other wise, cut into slices and bake at 300 degrees until toasty (along with your bread slices). It took about 30 minutes in my oven.

While the cornbread is toasting, chop up the onion and celery. Put the pieces into your slow cooker. Add the seasoning.

Melt butter in the microwave, and mix together with 3 beaten eggs. Stir well into the veggies and seasonings in the slow cooker.

Cut the cornbread and toasted bread into cubes, about 1/2 inch square.

Toss the cubes of bread and cornbread well with the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Pour in 2 cups of broth. Stir gingerly to combine. The cornbread will break up more than the bread did in the other stuffing, but try to keep a few pieces whole for texture.

Cook on high for 2 hours. This can be on warm successfully for up to 2 hours.

If you’d like a more moist dressing, add another 1/4 cup of broth before serving.

The Verdict.

Tasty. Delicious.
I think we have a new member at our dinner table this Thanksgiving!

Other Gluten Free Progressive Dinner Participants:

Beverages:

(Sugar Free!) Cranberry Orange Punch, at Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Hot Ginger Lemon Cider, Gluten Free Organics

Appetizers:

Spicy Olives and Almond Nibbles, Gluten Free Organics
Pumpkin Kabocha Soup (allergen-free, casein-free), Book of Yum
Goat Cheese with Cumin and Mint, Cook 4 Seasons

Main Course:

Orange Pepper Salmon with Cranberry Sauce, Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Special Turkey Breast, gfe—gluten free easily (Shirley used her slow cooker for this recipe! yay!)

Sides:

Pancetta and Sage Sausage Stuffing, The W.H.O.L.E. Gang
Pear Pomegranate Salad, Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Wild Rice, Gluten Free Girl (Shauna has included a wonderful round-up of her past posts in this entry, and has an article entitled: How to cook for the gluten free

Desserts:
these won’t be posted until Friday, November 20th

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Almond Tart, Nourishing Meals
Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake, Cook 4 Seasons
mystery dessert, Gluten Free Organics

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetables

Jalapeno Corn Pudding CrockPot Recipe

Day 241.

I’ve never had corn pudding before. There are a lot of things I’ve never had before. I don’t seem to get out much. I’m working on it.

The kids and I went to the library with my mom last week and I checked out a bunch of cooking books and magazines. One of the books was on Southern Cooking, and I xeroxed a corn pudding with chiles recipe. When I went to make it yesterday, I realized I didn’t have a few of the listed ingredients, and wasn’t in the mood for heavy cream and a bunch of butter.

So I tweaked. The finished result is sweet and velvety with a tangy-spicy kick. If I wasn’t badly sunburned, I’d give myself a pat on the back.

The Ingredients.

—2 cups of frozen or fresh corn kernels (I used frozen, 1 cup regular corn, and 1 cup roasted)
—2 T unsalted butter, melted
—1 cup milk (2% or lower)
—2 eggs
—2 T white sugar
—2 T flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
—1 tsp baking powder (I omitted this because Bob’s has it in there already)
—1/2 tsp Kosher salt
—2 T jalapeno pepper slices, chopped
—1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart round crockpot for this recipe. It was a good size.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray. Melt the butter in the microwave and put it in. Add milk, eggs, salt, sugar, flour, and baking powder. Whisk the ingredients together. Stir in the corn kernels, cheese, and chopped jalapenos.

Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours. This is cooked through when the edges brown and begin to pull from the sides and the center is set. Take the lid off for 20-30 minutes when set and continue to cook on low to get rid of the added condensation.

I cooked our pudding for exactly 4 hours on low, then let it cook for another 20 with the lid off.

The Verdict.

Adam and I loved this. The kids had plenty of leftover food in the house to munch on-—but did try a spoonful or two with the jalapenos removed. Adam and I had this alongside a spinach salad.
This would be a welcome addition to a holiday dinner or potluck supper.

CrockPot Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

Day 243.

More tomatoes! Tomatoes are good for you. They have stuff in them that is good. Vitamins.

I had more tomatoes on the counter, and decided to stuff them with some leftover cheese I had in the fridge. I had a little baggy with some goat cheese, some feta, and a little block of cream cheese that I must have picked up on sale.

I have stuffed jalapeno peppers and bell pepper with success, and assumed that the tomatoes would work the same way.

The Ingredients.

—5 or more largish vine-ripened tomatoes
—creamy cheese. You’ll need about 2 T per tomato. I used a mixture of cream cheese, goat, and feta. Ricotta and maybe even cottage cheese would work, too.
—one garlic clove, chopped
—2 T fresh chopped basil

The Directions.

Cut the core out of each tomato. This is much more difficult that I thought it would be. I got slimy and gross and made one of my new back-to-school tops polka-dotty. Wear an apron.

In a bowl, cream together the cheese that you are going to use with the chopped garlic and basil. Stuff the cheese mixture into the cored tomatoes.

Pour 1/4 cup of water into the crockpot you are going to use. I used a 4 quart with 5 tomatoes, and easily could have put another 5 in there.

Nestle the tomatoes into the bottom of your crockpot.

Cover and cook on low for 2-4 hours. These will not take long at all. If you overcook, it’s not the end of the world, they will just begin to lose their shape and you’ll get a stewy tomato covered with yummy cheese.

The Verdict.

I ate them all. We were going out to dinner, and were meeting Adam. The kids already had on nice(ish) clothes and I didn’t want tomato juice on them.

So I took one for the team and ate them all myself.

Then I went out and ate an entire platter of Flautas.

I’m going to go for a run today.

Indian Spinach and Tofu CrockPot Recipe

Day 234.

I can’t seem to get enough Indian food lately. Palak tofu is one of my favorite things to order as a side dish when we get take-out, and although it’s not my favorite, I get the little foil packets at Trader Joe’s for lunch about once a month. The problem (for me!) is that both the restaurant and the Trader Joe’s version is hot and spicy-—much too hot and spicy for me and my sensitive tongue. And, if I go digging around on the Internet, I find that many times the spinach is simmered in ghee (clarified butter), and that can’t be good for my thighs.

This dish did the trick. It has a bit of a kick, but didn’t leave me gasping for air and reaching for bottle after bottle of water. I had it for lunch and dinner yesterday, and am looking forward to today’s lunch.

The Ingredients.

There are a lot of spices. Don’t get nervous. If you are gluten free, make sure to pick a spice company that doesn’t hide gluten. McCormick is GF.

—2 boxes of frozen spinach, drained (I used one chopped, and one whole leaf)
—1 lb of extra firm tofu
—1 yellow onion, diced
—3 smashed and chopped garlic cloves
—1 can garbanzo beans, drained
—2 inches of ginger, peeled and grated
—1/2 tsp kosher salt (and then more later to taste)
—1 tsp cumin
—1 tsp curry
—1 Tbl coriander
—1/2 tsp chile powder
—1/2 tsp garam masala
—1/2 cup water

—cornstarch (to coat the tofu)
—butter (to fry the tofu)

The Directions.

Use a 3 or 4 quart crockpot.

Drain your tofu. Squeeze it in between some paper towels or a clean dish cloth if need-be to get as much of the liquid out as you can.

Cut it into 1-inch cubes and toss it with corn starch. Fry in butter until golden brown—resist the urge to flip; tofu takes a while to brown. I made some here, and there are pictures.

While the tofu is browning, squeeze out all of the moisture from the spinach and dump it into your crockpot. Dice up the onion, and mince the garlic. Add that, too. Drain your garbanzo beans, and pour them in. Add all of the spices.

Stir in 1/2 cup of water.

Add the tofu to the very top of the spinach.

Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. This doesn’t take very long to cook. Serve over white rice, and scoop up with naan, pitas, or corn tortillas.

The Verdict.

I loved this. Adam did, too. The kids each picked out a few pieces of tofu, but mostly they ate the tofu after it was fried in the butter, and ate rice with Parmesan cheese.

I will make this again. It’s a very satisfying lunch, or flavorful side dish.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/06/crockpot-tomato-curried-potatoes.html

CrockPot Tomato Curried Potatoes

Day 179.

I found a new-to-me blog yesterday when I was following link after link after link. I immediately wrote down all the ingredients for Julie’s Tomato Curried Potatoes, and shut down the blog. When the potatoes were done I spent forty-five minutes finding the blog in order to give proper credit.

I live an exciting life.

Jan 09: I have re-made and edited this post. The ingredients listed reflect my changes.

The Ingredients.
Adapted from Dinner with Julie

—7 red potatoes
—1 T olive oil
—1 can diced tomatoes, drained
—2 t paprika
—2 t curry powder
—2 t chili powder
—2 t sugar
—1/2 t kosher salt

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart crockpot. The night before cooking, wash and chop the potatoes in 1-inch chunks and put into a zippered freezer bag. Add olive oil, paprika, curry, chili powder, sugar, and salt. Shake well. Add drained tomatoes, and toss again. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, pour bag into crockpot, and turn on. Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for about 4. The potatoes are done when they are fork-tender.

The Verdict.

These smelled delicious while they were cooking, and transferred nicely to the crock. The potatoes were tender and had a nice browning of the skin. The first time I made these, I didn’t add enough spices. This is the right combination, and if you have time to do so, marinating overnight in the refrigerator is really the way to go.

Thank you so much to Julie!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetables?updated-max=2008-06-09T05%3A35%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=20

Creamy CrockPot Vegetables Recipe

Day 124.

I was playing around with ingredients-on-hand last week and attempted to make a creamy vegetable side dish that didn’t involve making a roux on the stove. This worked! Since I didn’t put in any flour I didn’t get any weird dots all over the food, and the cheese and spices worked nicely together to make a creamy, smokey flavor.

The Ingredients.
—12 oz fresh broccoli
—16 oz fresh green beans
—1/4 cup sour cream
—1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
—1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
—2 T butter
—1/2 t black pepper
—1/2 t garam masala (my new favorite spice!)
—2 whole jalapeno peppers (don’t chop them up, just lay them nicely on top)
—2 T water

The Directions.

Wash and trim your vegetables, put into crockpot.

cover them with the sour cream, cheeses, butter, spices, and add your touch of water.

I didn’t stir any of this-—I was rushing to get it on and out the door and I was a bit worried about breaking up the broccoli florets.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours. This cooked for 4.5, and the vegetables still held shape and weren’t overly-soggy. If I was home, I probably would have stopped cooking time right at 4 hours, though.

The Verdict.

I brought this over to a friends house, and we enjoyed the flavors. I wasn’t paying attention to the kids, so I don’t think they ate any of it. I was concerned a bit about the lack of moisture in the pot, but they did cook and the peppers plumped up nicely and added just a touch of smokey-spice to the other vegetables.

CrockPot Creamed Corn Recipe

Day 112.

I adore creamed corn. I’ve only had it at a few restaurants here and there, and have never tried to make it on my own (before yesterday). I assumed it was corn mixed with heavy cream and some butter and sugar. I spent a few minutes digging around on websites and found that many of the recipes I dug up called for using an entire block of cream cheese to get the creamy consistency, or to simmer fresh corn cobs in cream and then cut the kernels off.
It’s almost tank top season.
I can’t bring myself to knowingly eat my daily allotment of calories in a 1/2 cup serving. I’m just weird that way. Yet I’ll eat an entire pan of this. Or eat all of this. Oh, and remember when I ate all of this? I’m nothing without contradictions.
So anyhow, I played around in the kitchen and came up with a creamy and delicious creamed corn that won’t make you (me) want to jump off a bridge if/when you (me) eat the whole pot.

The Ingredients.

—1 bag frozen white corn
—1 can corn
—1 T butter
—1 T cream cheese
—2 T flour (I used Pamela’s baking mix.)
—3 T fat free milk
—1/4 t black pepper

The Directions.

—in a small saucepan, melt your butter and cream cheese over low heat on the stove top and make a rue, adding your flour slowly and wisking until there aren’t any lumps. Add your milk and the liquid from the can of corns to the mix and wisk some more. The cream cheese is pretty thick, and you may need the liquid in the saucepan before the flour will melt nicely for you. Mix in the black pepper.

I’ve learned a lot about rouxs since the sea food alfredo debacle! Yay for helpful bloggers!

—empty the contents of the frozen bag of corn and the rest from the can of corn into your crockpot.
—cover with the sauce.
—cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 3-4.

This is done when everything is hot and melty.

The Verdict.

Wowsers, this was amazing. I thought we’d simmer it on low throughout the day and have it alongside dinner, but we got too excited after our 3hr taste test and ate it all for lunch instead.

The kids each ate 2 bowls and couldn’t stop talking about how good it was and how I should tell the Internet that it’s the “best thing ever.”

I would definitely put this on a holiday meal table. Mom? Sign me up for bringing this on Thanksgiving.

Adam guesstimated this would serve 6 adults as a side-dish.

CrockPot Honey and Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Day 89.

mmmm. These taste like candy. Eleisia posted this recipe a few weeks ago during Slow Cooker Thursday and I knew right away that I needed to try it. I added cinnamon and omitted much of the ginger because the last time I used ginger, I ended up having to eat the whole dish myself.

The Ingredients.
—4 cups of baby carrots
—1/2 cup of orange juice
—2 T honey
—1 T butter
—1/4 t ginger
—1/2 t cinnamon
—1/4 t each of salt and pepper

The Directions.

I threw everything in together and cooked on high for 4 hours. When the time was up, I stirred to distribute the spices.

Very easy. If you have a longer slot of time to fill, cook on low—checking at about 6 hours. I like my carrots al dente, without any mush-—but I know a lot of people like them softer.

The Verdict.

These were perfectly cooked and the flavor was fantastic. There was a hint of sweetness without being too sicky sweet.

The kids gobbled them up eagerly.

This would be a great take-a-long to a family dinner, or to serve with a holiday meal.

Roasted Cabbage and Potatoes in the CrockPot

Day 76.

Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day! Have some green soup, eat some corned beef, and cozy up to a big plate full of roasted cabbage, potatoes, and garlic.

Made lovingly in the appliance that takes a licking and keeps on ticking: The CrockPot.

It’s no secret to my family that I don’t like corned beef. I really, really, really, really don’t like it. I’ll tolerate it out of respect to whomever made it, but other than that time I made it in January, I haven’t ever cooked it just to cook it.

And I married an Irish Man.

And I don’t like boiled vegetables. I don’t like the texture, the smell, the color... AND! the thought of eating vegetables that were cooked with a meat that I don’t like so then the vegetables taste like that meat...

ick.
ugh.

I should probably stop here, but trust me in that I could seriously go on forever.

So, I will be eating these yummy veggies tomorrow.
probably out in the backyard by myself now that I have insulted my whole family...

The Ingredients.
—1 small head of cabbage
—12-14 colorful baby potatoes
—10-12 whole cloves of garlic
—1/4 cup olive oil
—2 T balsamic vinegar
—1 t kosher salt
—1/2 t black pepper

The Directions.

—wash vegetables
—cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks (I didn’t peel them)
—cut cabbage into wedges—don’t worry about separating the leaves
—throw veggies into the crockpot with the whole garlic cloves
—add olive oil, salt, pepper, and balsamic vigegar

—toss with hands to coat thouroughly.

DO NOT ADD WATER.

cook on high for 3 hours, low for 4-6.

the vegetables are done when the potatoes reach desired tenderness.

the cabbage will get a little carmelized and crispy around the edges where they touch the crock walls. That’s okay—it tastes good!

The Verdict.
I loved the combination of the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic. Adam loved it, and one kid attempted a potato bite for me.

Roasted Vegetables in the CrockPot

Day 36.

Dude. I’m begining to think there isn’t anything you can’t cook in the crockpot. If you need to roast a bunch of veggies to bring to a potluck, or if you like to use roasted vegetables in other dishes and would like an entire pot full-—you can save yourself the trouble of manning the oven. Roast them in your handy dandy crockpot.

The Ingredients:

—Vegetables. I happened to use brussel sprouts, green beans, baby carrots and some mushrooms because that’s what I had in the crisper drawer. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that any vegetable can be cooked this way. If you find something that can’t (like I’m thinking maybe artichokes, but I also have two lovely artichokes in the fridge, so maybe I’ll try to prove myself wrong proving myself wrong sometime this week) please let me know.
—olive oil
—kosher salt
—pepper

The Directions:

—wash and trim veggies
—put into the crockpot still moist
—drizzle olive oil over the top (1T? 2T? I didn’t measure)
—healthy pinch of salt and pepper
—toss with hands to coat vegetables evenly with oil and spices
—yell across the house for someone to come turn on the faucet so you can wash your hands

cover and cook on low for 4 hours, high for 2-3. Stir every hour or so and check vegetable tenderness.
The ones pictured above are a bit over-cooked. We brought them over to my mom’s for the Super Bowl and ate them about 2 hours later than we should have. I turned them to warm when they were “finished”-—but they changed consistency even on the warm setting. The crispy al dente-ness was still there, but the color drained more than I would have liked.

Slow Cooker Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Day 10.

It is not Thanksgiving. But I promised the kids that I would make something yummy tonight. They chose “those really good potato things that grandma makes with marshmallows.”

I am pretty sure that my mom makes them from a can. Which is totally fine—but I did happen to have a bag of sweet potatoes in the crisper drawer. (new ones. not the bag from here.)

After opening and closing cabinet doors way too many times, I settled on the following:

The Ingredients:

—12 oz bag of peeled and sliced sweet potatoes (or 3-4 peeled and chopped real ones)
—1 t vanilla
—1/4 cup brown sugar
—1/2 t cinnamon
— a teeny tiny pinch of Kosher salt
—pat of butter (not a lot, it’s just to grease the crock)
— 1/4 cup of orange juice
—enough mini marshmallows to dot on top
after I took the photo I realized I didn’t account for any liquid. Luckily, we had these little guys:
The Directions:

Butter the inside bottom and sides of your stoneware. Dump in the chopped sweet potatoes and all ingredients. Toss with your hands (or spoons if you are feeling dainty). Dot enough marshmallows on top to satisfy young children. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hrs or 2-3 on high.

See how the marshmallows are all clumpy and weird looking? That is apparently what happens when you buy marshmallows 18 months ago and then forget all about them.

The Verdict:

I’d make this again, but I think next time I’ll use the small 1.5 qt crock or double it. This was plenty of food for a side dish for one meal for us four, but there weren’t any leftovers.

It tasted amazing. I could have gotten away with 1/2 of the sugar amount. The taste was exactly like the canned stuff. But this cooked for 5 1/2 hours—so it has to be better, right?

right?

The marshmallows completely disappear while cooking. Warn small children.

Trust me.

updated 12/08: I made these for our Thanksgiving dinner, and they were amazing. I doubled the recipe and didn’t add the marshmallows until the very end. Instead, I scooped the finished sweet potatoes out of the crock, and put in a round corningware dish. I added the marshmallows, and broiled in the oven for 3-5 minutes until the marshmallows were browned nicely. We had 10 adults and 5 kids for dinner, and everyone loved them. It seems the secret to feeding kids is to starve them beforehand... ;-)

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/11/crockpot-corn-risotto-recipe.html

CrockPot Corn Risotto Recipe

Day 310.

I got this recipe from Terri (who gave use the awesome 3-packet roast) and she got it from the Dallas Morning News.

I made risotto earlier in the year, and was quite impressed with the results. Usually making risotto is quite a pain (I’ve been told. I haven’t actually made any on the stove top because after reading the directions, I need a nap.), but it’s quite easy in the crockpot. You plug it in and turn it on.

The Ingredients.

—1 1/4 cup arborio rice
—1 T olive oil
—1 T butter
—1 tsp onion flakes
—4 chopped cloves of garlic
—4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
—package of frozen corn (16 oz)
—1 tsp salt
—1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, depending on taste

to add later:
—1/4 cup heavy cream (I used fat free half and half)
—1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot.

Put the tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of the crockpot, and swirl the rice and the onion flakes in it.

Chop the garlic and add, along with the salt and cayenne pepper. Add the frozen corn and the broth. Stir well. Drop in a pat of butter.

Cover and cook on high for about 2 hours, checking every 45 minutes or so. This is done when the liquid has absorbed and the rice is tender.

Unplug, and add the cream and parmesan cheese. Cover for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts completely.

Serve.

The Verdict.

Creamy and delicious. I didn’t serve this right away and my rice sort of disintegrated, but it still tasted wonderful. The kids said it was like corn oatmeal, and they’re right-—it kind of is. The first risotto I made came out with a better texture, but this was fun to try and had a neat creamed corn flavor.

Thank you, Terri!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/crockpot

Pineapple Pork Tenderloin CrockPot Recipe

Oh this is good. I made 3 pounds, and packed it up to give away to 2 different families last week.
I followed Shirley’s recipe that she posted on the original pork post——this is a winner. My friend Georgia has 4 children, and she said they all loved it.

The Ingredients.

3 pound pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce
1/2 cup apple juice
16 ounces frozen pineapple

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot. Combine meat, sugar, spices, and cornstarch in a plastic zipper bag. Seal and shake well to coat. Pour contents of bag into crockpot. Add garlic and peppers. Pour in soy sauce, apple juice, and an entire bag of frozen pineapple.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. I cooked ours on high for 2 hours, then on low for another 6. When I took it out of the pot it was slimy, but still held much of it’s shape.
Serve with rice or pasta. Georgia served it with pasta.

The Verdict.

Boy this smelled amazing while it was cooking. The original recipe called for canned pineapple, but I already had frozen in the freezer. I think using the frozen worked well, and didn’t provide too much extra moisture, which would have caused the pineapple to disappear. The peppers retained their color and shape-—the key with softer veggies like peppers are to put them on top of the meat so they aren’t simmering in liquid all day.

This was a huge hit. Thank you to Shirley!

Peking Pork Chops
I made these pork chops the same day that I made the Apricot-Orange chops, and packed them off to send off to my friend Stephanie, and family.

That was weeks ago.

I just heard yesterday that they liked them. Since I handed off so much food, she froze these chops and reheated them for dinner the other day. I love it that these pork chops not only tasted good, they withstood being slow-cooked, frozen, and reheated. And I’m thrilled that I was able to contribute to a freezer-stash, yay!

I tweaked Margo’s “Peking Chops,” she posted in the comments of the original Pork Post to include 5-spice powder, because I love that stuff. I also upped the garlic. Because that stuff is golden.

The Ingredients.

6 pork chops
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon 5 Spice Powder
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
4 cloves garlic, chopped
(there is a box of salt pictured, but I didn’t use any; the soy sauce was plenty)

The Directions.

gosh it’s so cold in this house it’s hard to type.

I used a 4 quart crockpot. Put chops into the stoneware. In a small bowl, combine sugar, spices, soy sauce, ketchup, and garlic. Pour evenly over the top of chops. No need to add any other liquid. If you had an onion in the house, it might be a nice addition, but not necessary for flavor.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for about 4. If your chops are frozen they will take longer to cook. The longer you cook the meat, the more tender it will, but it might fall off the bone (which is fine in my mind, but some people really like intact meat).

Serve with rice and veggies; ladle sauce on top.

The Verdict.

Stephanie said her kids (9 and 13) really liked their dinner, and made yummy noises at the table. She also said her husband ate too much. I did sneak a bite and liked the flavor an awful lot—it was tangy with a slight ginger aftertaste. Thank you Margo!

This is the cook book written by the poster of all these wonderful crockpot recipes......granny

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow at Amazon
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow

by Stephanie O’Dea

* Amazon
* Borders
* Barnes & Noble
* IndieBound
* Powell’s

Asian Peanut Butter Pork CrockPot Recipe

Happy February! I am slowly emerging from my piles of paper, and I can see the light at the end of the recipe-editing tunnel. Thank you for hanging in there. Something weird happens when you are only reading your own writing for weeks on end-—your self-esteem goes on a crazy roller coaster ride. One minute you’re high-fiving yourself, and in the next you think you completely suck. Over and over and over again. It’s rather exhausting.

But! This peanut butter pork tenderloin doesn’t suck. So I’ve been told. It came from an anonymous commenter back in the original pork post. Anon shares that she makes it every month for an ongoing potluck dinner and if she doesn’t make it her friends get mad-—it’s that good.

The Ingredients
serves 4

1.5-2lbs pork tenderloin
1 onion, sliced in rings
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used La Choy; it’s gluten free)
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (garnish; optional)
1 lime, cut in wedges (garnish; optional)

The Directions.

Use a 4-6 quart crockpot. Put onion slices into the bottom of your crockpot. Put the pork on top. Add brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, water, garlic, and peanut butter. No need to stir—the peanut butter needs to melt before you can do so. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-6. The pork will be more tender the longer you cook it. 1 hour before serving, flip the meat over in the crockpot to allow the other side to soak up the peanutbuttery goodness. Garnish with chopped peanuts, and serve with lime wedges. The lime juice mixed with the peanut butter is delicious.

The Verdict.

I snuck a taste. sshhh. Don’t tell my mom. It was good; quite tender. I made some more of the sauce to spoon over some already-cooked chicken I had in the fridge-—it was fantastic. I packed the meat up for my friend Stephanie and family. When I asked what she thought, she told me that she had a problem. Her husband, Bill, was home from work and ate it all. She and the kids didn’t get to try any of it. I’m thinking that means he liked it.

Thank you anon, for sharing your dish with us!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/03/dulce-de-leche-crockpot-recipe.html

Dulce de Leche CrockPot Recipe

Day 71.

I read this post last week on the Not Derby Pie website. I knew instantly that this was something I needed to make in the crockpot. A hundred million years ago when I first met Jenny, she told me about sweetened condensed milk and how amazing it was when you boiled it. I was pretty sure that she was nuts, but decided to try it anyway. I’m so glad that I did. Waiting the three hours for the cans to boil and then another hour or so for them to cool was a bit difficult for me.

Maybe I was pregnant?

I don’t know. I remember being impatient.

I slept through my impatience this time. This is my first overnight dish that didn’t suck. This rocks.

And Jenny shared with me this morning that the calories escape when you open the can. Who am I to argue with such logic?

DISCLAIMER: Eagle does NOT RECOMMEND heating their product in the can. I therefore don’t recommend it either. So don’t do it.

I have nothing to do with you eating delicious caramel pudding out of a can.

The Ingredients.
—2 cans (or more!) sweetened condensed milk
—lots o’ water

The Directions.

—take label off cans
—put cans in the bottom of your crockpot
—add enough water to completely cover the can

—cover and cook on low for 8 hours

eat NOT out of the can.

The Verdict.

The kids adored this (duh). I was pretty much a kitchen rock star. I did give them some apple slices though—I learned that from McDonalds.

The first time I made this I read everything I could about it for a week because I was so scared about it blowing up.

Basically as long as you start the can in cold/warm water and slowly heat it up, and MAKE SURE the can is constantly covered in water, you will be fine. All the explosion stories I’ve read have been from people who set it to boil and then walked away and the water boiled off and the can was exposed to air (affecting the surrounding pressure or something).

I have made the caramel with sweetened condensed milk, only I boiled the can for 3 hours on
the stove top. I can’t wait until I can try the crock pot method!!!

My grandmother made caramel pie: 1 can boiled sweetened condensed milk
put into graham cracker crust and top with cool whip or meringue
We so enjoyed her special pie!!

I’ve also done this in the crockpot, but the recipe I learned about it from in a book said to open the can and cover the top with foil to stop drips going in, and then just chuck it in the pot with a cup of water.
No chance of anything exploding and it worked just fine :-)

I too blew up a can in college...this sounds much safer. I do suggest holes in your can, just to be safe...believe me 4 hours scrubbing anything in a 10ft. radius and you will be happy to put holes in the can. I also make the pie with a graham cracker crust, but then line the crust with sliced bananas before adding the Dulce de Leche and top with whipping cream!

So I went home this weekend and my Mom was talking to me about how she was going to make cookies sandwiched with dulce de leche but she couldn’t find it in the store, so she decided to make another cookie instead. Me (being the nerd that I am) have been reading your blog since February and I remembered that you can make it in the crock pot! So I convinved my Mom to try it because we had sweetened condensed milk and guess what??

It was a HUGE hit! We added some cinnimon when we took it out of the cans and dusted the cookie sandwiches (a basic sugar cookie for anyone interested) with powdered sugar, and the entire trayful was gone in minutes!

Thanks for saving the day and making me a hero!!!!

Anyway, a work acquaintance used to make what was called Banana Split Pie with this type of dolce de leche:

~ 1 Graham Cracker Crust (pre-made for ease)
~ 1 Can of Dolce de Leche (I call it caramel)
~ 1 Medium Banana, sliced
~ 1 Small can of crushed pineapple, drained very well
~ 1 Small container of Cool-Whip or the real stuff if one is so inclined.
~ Chopped Pecans for garnish.
~ Maraschino Cherries (optional, well drained) to complete that ‘banana split’ look.

Spread the Dolce de Leche over the crust. Top with the sliced banana in one layer. Spread the crushed pineapple on top of the bananas. Top with whipped topping. Sprinkle with pecans. Optional: Garnish with several cherries. Chill for several hours.

If it fails to become firm enough to slice (too impatient to chill or didn’t drain the pineapple or the caramel is too soft), scoop into small bowls and use a spoon.

It’s all good! and still very yummy.

This makes a great cake icing too. My grandmother used to boil the cans on the stove for 3 hours. Let them cool for another hour or two and then pour it in a bowl and fluff it up and it makes wonderful icing. Top the cake with pecans and it looks pretty too.

I finally went ahead and did this last night, except I put it in a canning jar (like La Rêveuse suggested). It cooked for 10 hours, so it was much firmer, not as creamy, but it was still good. The advantage of cooking it in the jar is that I could “see” it being done.

I have made dulce de leche starting from milk and sugar in the crockpot before, except it is much grainier than this kind (which is still acceptable to me).

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetarian

End of Summer Harvest Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

This is a great soup to put on in the early morning, and let it simmer all day long-—it took 9 hours on low for my beans to get tender, and I liked it even more 3 hours later when the beans finally split and the zucchini turned translucent.

The flavors are hearty and rich, but this is still light enough to eat with a beautiful garden salad out in the yard.

The Ingredients.
serves 8

4 cups chicken broth (vegetable stock is fine!)
1 cup prepared pasta sauce
1 cup water
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 zucchini, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 yellow summer squash, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup dry white Cannellini beans (this doesn’t sound like a lot, but they swell!)
1/2 cup pasta (to add 20 minutes before serving)
salt and pepper to taste
garnish with Parmesan and Romano cheeses

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker. Wash squashes well, and slice in rounds. Place into slow cooker, with diced onion and tomato wedges. Rinse your beans in hot water, and add to cooker. Add broth, pasta sauce, and water. Stir in Italian seasoning.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans have reached desired tenderness. 20 minutes before serving, stir in raw pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan and Romano cheese.

The Verdict.

Delicious. I loved how the tomatoes burst completely while slow cooked, and how the squash practically disappeared, so there was no need to chew it-—the squash provided an awesome texture and flavor, and since it was so translucent, the kids ate it without fuss. I liked how the prepared pasta sauce gave the broth an oomph sometimes missing in homemade soups, and provided a rich color.
We had salad and homemade garlic bread sticks with our meal (bread sticks made from Pamela’s Amazing Wheat-Free bread mix).

Sweet Potato Chili (vegan!) Slow Cooker Recipe

I made a *darn* good chili last week, if I do say so myself (and I do. So does the rest of the family, including my parents). I had a few sweet potatoes left in the house and I desperately wanted to make up for the absolute fiasco that took place when I threw together that icky chicken and sweet potato I-don’t-know-what-I-was-thinking dish.

This was much better. So much better, I demonstrated it on BlogHer’s new webShow, The Juice. You can see the video by clicking here.

This is a cheap, vegan meal that doesn’t leave you hungry 15 minutes later. I promise.

The Ingredients.

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and in 2-inch chunks
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 2/3 cup dried beans, soaked overnight and boiled briskly for 10 minutes because of the freaky red bean toxin thing)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can tomatoes (whatever’s on sale, mine had oregano and roasted garlic)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice (not pictured. If you don’t have any in the house, use water)
The Directions.

Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker. This is enough food to feed a family of 4 regular-sized, or 6 smallish people. Peel and chunk the sweet potato and add to the pot. Add diced onion. Follow with the red bell pepper, can of tomatoes, the beans, garlic, and seasonings. Pour in OJ and water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the onion is translucent and the sweet potato is fork-tender (if you want the sweet potato to get really squishy and disappear when stirred, cook longer).

The Verdict.

Super tasty. I loved the sweet smoky flavor this had, and was thrilled at the depth of flavor that came from this spice combination. The sweet potato and beans were plenty filling, and Adam didn’t once mumble that he’d really like a steak. My kids ate it, but un-veganized it by adding shredded cheese and sour cream.
I will definitely make this again.

Slow Cooker Baked Bean Soup Recipe

Oh I loved this soup. It tastes just like you’d imagine a can of blended pork and beans to taste, except better.
The soup was a bit spicy for the kids, although they did eat it. Read “the verdict” below to see how I would adjust for next time.

The Ingredients.
serves 6
1 (15-ounce) can white kidney beans, or pinto beans (if you are going to use dry, pre-soak 2/3 cup overnight, and then cook until beans are soft)—no need to drain canned beans
1 cup finely diced onion (I used 2 minis)
1 cup diced carrot
3 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons unsulphured molasses
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes (and juice!)
2 cups water
salt to taste before serving

The Directions.

Use a 5-6 quart slow cooker. Put beans into pot, and top with onion and carrot. Add all seasonings and spices. Pour in the entire can of tomatoes, and add water. Stir.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. If your beans were dry, you might need to go as long as 10 hours, depending on altitude and humidity.
Before serving, pulse a bit with a hand-held stick blender to blend some of the beans. This will thicken your broth and provide a richer flavor. If you don’t have a stick blender, scoop out about 1 cup of liquid and pulse CAREFULLY! in a traditional blender, and stir back into the crock.

The Verdict.
I really, really liked this soup. Adam thought it could use some bacon.
There’s a slight kick from the chili powder, but it’s not overpowering. If I was making it again for my kids, I’d cut back on the onion and the chili powder. My kids ate it, but they would have eaten more if it was a bit milder. I served it with Pamela’s drop biscuits. The leftovers freeze well, but you will probably need to add a bit of broth or water to thin it out again.

Poor Man’s Chili Slow Cooker Recipe

Happy Friday!

I made the very best “free” dinner the other night. I planned on going out to get some fresh chicken for the crock, but my little one climbed into her bed at 9:45 am and fell asleep. Until 12:30. No fever or anything, I guess she was just tired.
So I had to use what I had on hand to make dinner——the afternoon was packed full of activities, including a dance class that ends at 5:30pm. I had to get the slow cooker plugged in or we were going to end up eating lovely bowls of Rice Chex for dinner.

not that there’s anything wrong with that.

This chili is similar to the Clean Out the Pantry Chili I made last July, because I just started opening cans and tossing stuff in.
But this is different.
The biggest difference is the spices I used and that my kids ate it this time. I also tried using jarred pasta sauce for the base, since I didn’t have any canned tomatoes in the house. It worked!

The Ingredients.
serves 6.

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (24-ounce) jar prepared pasta sauce
1 cup baby tomatoes (optional, they pop after slow cooking!)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon corriander
1 teaspoon tumeric (not really a “poor” spice, it’s a substitute for saffron, but I had it in the cupboard. If you don’t have any, you can try a mixture of curry and cardamom, or just omit it all together)
1 cinnamon stick

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart slow cooker. Drain the beans and corn, and put the can contents into your crock. Top with tomatoes, if using, and the pasta sauce. Stir in spices, and add cinnamon stick. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for about 4. If the tomatoes haven’t popped on their own, gently poke them with a wooden spoon to pop before serving.

The Verdict.

This was a very filling, and lovely chili without a hint of spice——just a great medley of flavor. The cinnamon provided enough of a “sweet” component to convince the kids that I had put brown sugar in their servings. I didn’t correct them.
I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day over a baked potato.

Slow Cooker Rice Pudding Recipe

The last time I attempted a rice pudding it didn’t go over very well. I tried too hard to “fancy it up”——this is a basic recipe, that is darn near perfect.

and it makes a LOT.

The Ingredients.

8 cups milk (I used half soy milk, and half fat free cow’s)
1 cup long grain white rice
1 cup sugar

then:
1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart slow cooker. Spray the stoneware insert with cooking spray, then combine the milk, rice, and sugar. Stir well and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or high for about 4. It took longer than I expected for my rice to become bite-tender-—I did low for 3 hours, then high for another 2.

When the rice is tender, mix in a large mixing bowl, the eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Scoop a 1/2 cup of the hot rice mixture into the mixing bowl and whisk. Keep adding 1/2 cup at a time of the rice and milk mixture into the egg bowl until about half of the milk and rice mixture is gone from the slow cooker. Then pour everything back into the pot. Stir well. This is called “tempering your eggs”-—you have to do this step, or your eggs will scramble on you when you add them to the crock.

Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Stir well, then take the lid off of the cooker and unplug it. When the rice pudding is room temperature, you can refrigerate it. Some people like their pudding hot or warm, and some prefer it chilled——it’s completely up to you.

The Verdict.

Delicious! So way better than the last time...
I’d guess that this would serve 14 people as a dessert. We had it for dessert and for an afternoon snack for a bit under a week. Super good.
Trust me.

Slow Cooker Mexican Breakfast Casserole

We went to a museum opening last weekend, and my brother’s mother-in-law, Shari (hi Shari!) told me that she had a breakfast casserole with green chiles that I should really make. She said she’d email me the recipe.
This isn’t her recipe. She hasn’t had the opportunity to email hers, and I didn’t have the patience to wait, or the perseverance to bug her.
so I made this up.

I think she’d like it.

The Ingredients.
serves 8, easily.

corn tortillas (I didn’t count them. Maybe I used 8? 7?)
8 eggs
2 cups fat free milk
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 (7-ounce) can green chiles, drained
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tiny onion, diced
1 cup corn (I had leftover fresh corn from the weekend, but frozen would totally work)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart round slow cooker. Butter or Pam the inside of your stoneware. Put a layer of corn tortillas on the bottom-—you may have to tear some to make them fit nicely.
In a very large mixing bowl, combine all of the other ingredients, and whisk together. Pour about 1/2 of the mixture into the slow cooker, on top of the tortillas. Put in another layer of tortillas, and top with the remaining egg/milk/cheese/other stuff mixture. Top with another layer of corn tortillas.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. If your cooker seals well (my 4-quart has a plastic lid, and a lot of condensation builds up), uncover 15-20 minutes before serving and cook on high to release condensation and to firm up the top a bit. You know your breakfast is done when the eggs are fully cooked and the edges have begun to brown and the cheese gets a bit crispy on the sides.
Adam really likes crispy cheese-—the kids do not.

The Verdict.

I loved this. LOVED it. The chiles were not spicy in the slightest, and Adam added salsa to his bowl. The kids picked out the “green stuff” but ate the rest just fine. I served this for dinner a few days ago, and have been eating leftovers for breakfast and lunch the past 2 days.

If you don’t have corn tortillas in the house, or would prefer to go another way, you can pour the egg mixture on top of a bag of frozen hashbrowns, just like I did in this recipe.

If you have sausage or other meat you’d like to add, go for it, but take out the salt, and season to taste at the table.

CrockPot Horseradish Scalloped Potatoes

Day 355.

This has cream in it. mmm. It’s okay, though. You’ve got 12 days until your diet begins. These potatoes pair wonderfully with roast beef.

and pancakes and coffee.

The Ingredients.

3 pound red potatoes, washed and sliced (no need to peel, yay!)
2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (not the cream kind, the regular; I went with extra hot)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot. Scrub your potatoes well and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Layer into a crockpot you’ve sprayed with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, horseradish, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour over the top of the potatoes. Stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, high for 4 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender. I cooked ours on high for 2 hours, then low for another 4. Garnish with shredded Parmesan.

The Verdict.

Delicious. The kids each had two bowls. The horseradish provides a bit of a fun flavor that is not spicy as much as it is different and interesting. The kids didn’t think it was spicy, just tasty. These are heavy-—I’d say that this could serve 6 grownups as a side dish, yet Adam and I ate them as a main course.

we’re going for a run today.

CrockPot Honey Lentils Recipe

Day 337.

I can not figure out what to call this. It’s a lentil dish with honey and soy sauce—two condiments I would never ever ever in a million years think to put in a lentil dish. The combination is sweet and tangy and different. I liked the flavor, but couldn’t really pinpoint what I liked about it. There were a few times that I got an overwhelming earthy flavor (read: dirt) but I was assured that my taste buds were wigging out because this most definitely did not taste like dirt to the others at the table.

They liked it.

I was chatting with Mir yesterday (thanking her for the awesome Internet shopping deals), and she sent me her newly-vegetarian daughter’s favorite lentil recipe. She got it from MaryP. at It’s Not All Mary Poppins. I had to change some things so I wouldn’t have to put on real clothes and stop cyber-shopping, but this is most definitely Mary’s recipe. Thank you!

The Ingredients.

—1 1/2 cups lentils (I used brown)
—3 cups water
—1/2 red onion, diced
—1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
—1/2 cup shredded carrot
—1 tsp salt
—1 tsp dried mustard
—1/4 tsp ground ginger (fresh is shown in the picture, but it was all black and nasty when I peeled it)
—2 T soy sauce (La Choy or Tamari Wheat Free are GF)
—1/3 cup honey (and maybe another 1 T later to taste)
—1 dried bay leaf or 2 fresh

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot.

The awesome thing about lentils (actually, there are a few awesome things) is that they are cheap, full of fiber, and you don’t have to pre-soak them. You really should rinse them off, though.

Put the lentils into your crockpot. Add the water. Chop up the onion, and add along with the carrots (I cheated and used a bag of shredded carrots leftover from the chicken adobo). Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans and add. Stir in the dried mustard, salt, and ginger. Add the soy sauce and honey. Stir to combine. Float the bay leaf (ves) on top.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-5. I started ours on low for 3 hours, then switched it to high for another 3 when I realized that I added wrong in my head (that actually happens a lot with me.)

Taste. If desired, stir in an extra tablespoon of honey.

Serve with white or brown rice if you’re a vegetarian, or a rib-eye if you’re not.

The Verdict.

I liked these! The flavor was really quite different, and I don’t know how else to describe it. The kids had some bites along with a box of mac-n-cheese (the Annie’s gluten free kind), and Adam and I had a bowl with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Lentils are quite filling; this made enough for quite a few lunches this week. I really appreciated that this recipe called for water instead of broth, and that I had everything in the house already.

Thank you Mir and Mary!

CrockPot Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Day 301.

Hey! You can roast pumpkin seeds in the crockpot!

but that doesn’t mean that you should.

They take a really long time and are kind of a pain, and the end result is the same as it always has been for me when I make them in the oven: mixed. Some are good, some are burnt, and some are squishy.

But, if you have 6 hours on your hands, and want to fool around with this, by all means-—go for it.

The Ingredients.

—fresh pumpkin seeds
—1 1/2 T olive oil
—1 tsp salt (I really like Kosher salt, but table salt is fine. Sea Salt might be fun, too.)

The Directions.

I cut and gutted two pumpkins yesterday and they yielded about 2 1/2 cups of seeds.

I tried Elise’s method of boiling the seeds first, and then simmering for 10 minutes. The idea is that the inner seed separates a bit from the outer shell resulting in a nice pop when you crunch them. I have issues with using the stove correctly (hence this crockpot thing) and probably over-cooked the seeds. They turned color.

After draining, I tossed the seeds into the crockpot ——I used a 6 quart——and added the olive oil and salt. I stirred well and turned it to high.

For six hours, stirring every hour or so.

And they probably could have gone on for longer, but I got annoyed.

The Verdict.

The kids like these. They munched on them all evening, and have requested a baggie packed in their lunches.

I like about every third seed.
Adam is being polite.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/crockpot?updated-max=2009-01-12T04%3A58%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=20

CrockPot Baked Beans with Apples and Jalapeño

Day 363.

mmmm. beans.
I really like baked beans, and am excited to have a few cups of these left in the refrigerator. I’m going to have some more with my pancakes this morning.

Again. I’m eating pancakes again.

We’ve had pancakes every. single. day. since school let out, and it doesn’t look like that will be stopping. I’m glad I bought the big bags of Pamela’s.

this has nothing to do with beans.

or the crockpot.

sorry.

The Ingredients.
—1 lb bacon, divided (I used turkey)
—2 cans white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
—1/2 yellow onion, diced
—2 granny smith apples, cored and diced (no need to peel)
—1 or 2 canned jalapeños, diced
—3 cloves garlic, minced
—1 tsp dry mustard
—1/2 tsp kosher salt
—1/4 cup ketchup
—1/3 cup apple juice
—2 T molasses
—1 T brown sugar (I did not add this, see verdict below)

The Directions.

Use a 3-4 quart crockpot. Put 2 pieces of bacon into the bottom of your crockpot. Layer in the
beans, jalapeño, onion, and apples. Sprinkle dry spices on the beans. Add the ketchup, molasses, and apple juice. Stir gingerly to combine.
Add 2 more pieces of bacon to the top of the beans. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-8. This is finished when the onions and apples are translucent and the flavors have fully melded.

Cook the remaining slices of bacon on the stove top and crumble over the top.

The Verdict.

I really liked these beans, but I missed the sweetness of traditional baked beans. Next time I will add a tablespoon of brown sugar with the dry spices. I needed to add some more chopped jalapeño to my bowl, but everyone else ate it plain. It wasn’t spicy (to me) and the kids were okay with it. They didn’t eat very much, and filled up on cornbread.

CrockPot Gingerbread Latte Recipe

Day 359.

Santa doesn’t want milk this year with his cookies. He’d like a gingerbread latte.

I think this might be my favorite coffee drink I’ve made. It really hit the spot yesterday around 3pm when I really, really wanted to climb into bed for a nap, but didn’t have the time. After 4 or 5 sugar cookies and a latte, I was wide awake until 1am. With any luck, you too can have the same experience.

The Ingredients.

—4 cups milk (2% or lower is best to not worry about curdling)
—1/2 cup white sugar (I like Baker’s sugar because it dissolves nicely)
—2 tsp ground ginger
—2 tsp vanilla extract
—1 tsp ground cinnamon
—1/4 tsp cloves
—1/4 tsp nutmeg
—cinnamon stick, whipped cream for garnish (optional)

—1/2 cup strong black coffee, or a freshly-brewed shot of espresso

The Directions.

This could serve 4, especially if you are adding the milk on top of coffee. Otherwise it serves 2 with a bit of milk left for kid cups.

I used a 4 quart crockpot, you could get away with going as small as a 1.5 to 2 quart.

Put the milk into your crockpot, and whisk in the dried spices. Don’t add the coffee.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or high for 1-2. The milk should be quite hot, but if your crockpot tends to get hot enough to boil, keep an eye on it. Don’t let the milk boil.

Pour over hot coffee or espresso.

Garnish with whipped cream, a sprinkle of nutmeg, and a cinnamon stick.

The Verdict.

These are wonderful. Very, very tasty. The kids each had a cup of the warm milk mixture with whipped cream and were delighted. Adam didn’t get to try any, but I did save my mug for him to smell.

I’m thoughtful that way.

CrockPot Mole Recipe

Day 358.

Mole is pronounced Mol-AY. That did not stop the “holy moly” jokes.

You can use any meat you’d like: chicken, beef, or pork. I followed this recipe and Jim has even tried tofu.

The Ingredients.
adapted from Jim, who adapted from Sunset Crockery Cookbook 2 pounds meat (I used frozen tri-tip)
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds (I used sunflower seeds)
1/2 cup raw slivered almonds
1 dry California chili pod
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup raisins
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp anise seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 (14-oz) can diced tomatoes (and juice)
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup tequilla (or white wine, or apple juice)
1-2 oz unsweetened chocolate (I used 2 and liked it, but some commenters found it too bitter)
1 cup water
salt to taste

The Directions.

Use a 5-6 quart crockpot. In a small pan, brown the raw sesame seeds and almonds on the stove. You could also toast them in the toaster oven (we need one of those). Set aside to cool.

Put the meat your going to use into the crockpot. Cover with everything else. I threw the entire dry chili pod into the pot; I didn’t soak it in water first. I also just threw in the 2 squares of baking chocolate (after unwrapping!)—no need to melt it first.

Add the toasted nuts and seeds, and cover up. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Shred meat with forks, and serve over rice and with corn tortillas. Salt to taste.

The meat I had was half-frozen, and it took 6 hours on low, then I cut the meat up and added it back in for another 2 hours on high. It was fully shredded by then.

The Verdict.

This is such a satisfying meal. The kids weren’t interested in trying the “chocolate meat” and mostly ate corn tortillas and butter. I will make this again. Soon. I need to serve this to company-—the flavor is so rich and full-bodied-—you get a bit of a crunch from a nut here, and a sweet burst from a raisin there.

It’s incredible.

How to Make Tamales in the CrockPot

Day 353.

I don’t think I’ve been this excited to share a post since the crockpot falafels.
I was pretty sure when I began this project that tamales would work in the crock, but wanted to wait until closer to the holidays so I could tie them together with one of my favorite children’s books, Too Many Tamales, by Gary Soto. They did work, and I brought them to my daughter’s class yesterday to share. So these have been kid-tested not only by my own two, but by 18 second-graders.

They liked them.

The Ingredients.
adapted from the master recipe from All Recipes

Filling (quite mild, since I was feeding children):

1 (3.5-pound) store-bought rotisserie chicken
1 tsp cumin
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies, mild
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

Tamale Dough:

4 cups masa harina
2 1/2 cups beef broth
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening (I used crisco)
1 (6-ounce) package dried corn husks (I needed to go to a Mexican grocer)

The Directions.

There are a few parts here. I “cheated” and used a fully-cooked chicken as the meat in my tamale filling. If you’d like, you can cook a hunk of beef or pork overnight with spices and chili pods in your crockpot. The meat should shred easily with forks before it is ready to go inside the tamales.

If you’re going to use the rotisserie chicken, combine the meat with the onion, garlic, can of green chilies, cumin, salt, and drained corn in a 4 quart (or so) crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6. The onions need to be translucent before going into the tamales. If you don’t have time for this step, skip the garlic and onion, and combine the chicken with the chiles, cumin, salt, and drained corn in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Soften the corn husks by soaking them in very hot water until they are quite pliable.

To make the masa, combine all dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium-to-high speed until everything is mixed well and the dough is spongy. Check the dough by dropping a little ball of it into a glass of water. It should float. If it doesn’t float, this source says to continue to beat the dough.

Take a bit larger than a golf-ball size piece of masa dough, and spread it into a wet corn husk. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick—you do not want to see the corn husk through the dough. Add a bit of filling, and some cheese. Fold the corn husk over to join the edges of the masa. If you need to add more dough, do so-—no filling should peek through. Fold all corn husk edges into the center and place into the bottom of an empty crockpot, seam side down (I used a 6.5 quart, and fit 19 inside).

Repeat. Many, many, many times. It took me about 2 hours to make all of the tamales. If you find that your corn husks are unraveling, you can add another the other way to secure it, and tear off a long piece to tie around. I had to do this a few times. I also needed to add more hot water to the soaking husks to keep them pliable. If you need to step away from the tamale-making-process for a bit, put the lid on your crockpot to keep moisture inside.

When the crockpot is full, put the lid on and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or until a tester tamale looks and tastes done. The tamales on the edges will cook a bit faster. Once your tester looks good (I used the same one, and kept re-wrapping it and adding it back when it wasn’t ready), unplug the crockpot and keep the lid off. Don’t unwrap any others until they’ve set for about 15 minutes. My tamales were cooked at 6 hours, but I began checking every 45 minutes at 4 hours.

The Verdict.

I was thrilled that these worked so well! They are definitely labor-intensive, but pack such an impressive presentation. Now that I know how to do them, I’ll make them again——but not for a while.

Holiday Punch CrockPot Recipe (non-alcoholic)
Day 352.

This is the easiest hot drink I’ve ever made, and the kids liked it the most. Tristen, who is going through finals right now (good luck, Tristen!), found it in the Taste of Home magazine.

The Ingredients.

4 cups cranberry juice
4 cups pineapple juice
1/3 cup hot tamales or red hots candy (hot tamales are on the GF candy list)
1 cinnamon stick

that’s it!

The Directions.

This serves 6. Combine juices in your crockpot, and add hot tamales or red hots. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for 4-5. Stir. The candy will pretty much dissolve, leaving just a hint of cinnamony-flavor.

Ladle into mugs, garnishing with an extra cinnamon stick if desired.

The Verdict.

My kids loved this. They each drank 2 mug-fulls after school, and another after dinner. I really liked it a lot, too, and had 2 mug-fulls while watching Oprah. Adam only got a taste; he should have come home earlier!

[LOL at last one of th erecipes I was hunting for!!!
My Nephew brought me extra apples that will need cooking, pears, the same and cabbage and a spaghetti squash.

granny]

CrockPot Applesauce Recipe

Day 260.

I made simple and tasty applesauce yesterday for an after-school-snack.

In the crockpot.

The kids each ate two bowls-—it was a complete success.

The Ingredients.

This makes enough for 4 people. If you would like to freeze or can, use more apples.

—4 large apples, skinned ,cored, and cut in quarters
—juice from 1 lemon
—1/2 tsp cinnamon
—1 tsp vanilla
—1 T brown sugar
—1/4 cup H20

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot for the applesauce.

Skin, core, and cut your apples into quarters. Plop the pieces into your crockpot. Add the juice from the lemon, and the water. Pour in the vanilla (I used imitation—we were out of the good stuff), and add the cinnamon and brown sugar.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. When the apples are super tender, mash with a potato masher or large fork. My apples were very tender after 6 hours, and I used a fork.

The Verdict.

The kids ate it all. It was delicious, super easy, and I will be making this again. It was a great snack on a foggy day.

Vegetarian No Noodle Lasagna CrockPot Recipe

Day 215.

I got a lovely email from Lynda, who is a mother of 6, a grandmother of 4, and a first-grade teacher. She wrote to tell me about one of her favorite crockpot dishes: no-noodle lasagna. I bought the ingredients, plopped everything into the crock, and went about my day. 8 hours later, the house smelled wonderful and we had a fantastic vegetarian dinner. Thank you, Lynda!

The Ingredients.

—1 26 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce
—1 small container of ricotta cheese (I recycled the plastic already. 10 oz? 12 oz?)
—8 slices of mozzarella cheese
—2 cups shredded Italian cheese mix
—1 large eggplant
—3 summer squash
—1 pound of slices mushrooms
—bag of baby spinach
—2 T warm water

The Directions.

I used a 6 quart Smart Pot for this dish, it was the correct size pot to use. If you have a smaller crock-pot, you will need to scale back a bit.

Wash all of the vegetables. Slice the squash and the eggplant in long, slices, about 1/4 inch thick. These are going to be your noodles! I did not peel the squash or the eggplant. In the bottom of your crockpot, pour about 1/4 cup of pasta sauce. Layer in a few pieces of squash and eggplant. Smear some ricotta cheese on top. Add a handful of baby spinach and mushrooms, and a few slices of mozzarella cheese. Pour in some more pasta sauce. Continue layering the ingredients until your crockpot is full, and you have run out of ingredients. Top with the end of the pasta sauce and the shredded cheese. Put 2 tablespoons of warm water into the empty pasta sauce jar, cover, and shake. Pour the remaining sauce on top of everything.

Cover your crockpot and cook on low for 5-8 hours. This is done when the vegetables have reached their desired tenderness and the cheese is melty.

Serve with some garlic bread sticks, yum.

The Verdict.

Delicious! I tested our veggies at 6 hours, and the squash wasn’t quite done enough for me, but at 8 hours it was cooked perfectly. I love eggplant, and love the way it performs in the crockpot, it takes on all the flavors of the marinara and cheese. If I make this again, I may use another eggplant and scale back on the squash.

The kids picked a bit and mostly ate cheese and spinach. One of my kids really likes mushrooms, so she ate quite a bit of those.

This is a keeper! Thanks so much, Lynda, for sharing

Clean Out the Pantry CrockPot Chili

Day 212.

Some of the recipes I’ve done this year have been a bit out of the norm for me. One of the reasons I love crockpot cooking so much is that you don’t really need to follow a recipe-—many times I can just start opening cans and clean out the fridge and create a delicious meal without trying.

This is one of those meals.

We had too much food in the house for me to feel comfortable buying more, so I dug through what we had on hand, threw it in the pot, held my breath, and hoped for the best.

I was quite happy with the results.

I urge you to do the same in your house. Just play. Dig through the cubbard and see if what you already have on hand can be combined to become a new family favorite.

Cooking should be fun. When preparing dinner becomes a chore —and it’s no longer fun— that’s when you reach for the phone to call for pizza.

The reason the crockpot has become such an invaluable tool in our house, is because I can make-do (usually. this year has turned a tad bit nutty) with pantry staples, or with meat I buy on clearance.

You can, too.

The Ingredients.

2 cans (6oz) tomato paste
3 cans of beans, drained and rinsed (I used garbanzo, white kidney, black beans)
1 T Italian seasoning
1 chopped yellow onion
2 cloves chopped or minced garlic
2 cups broth (I used chicken. vegetable would work great)
2 T (heaping) sliced jalapenos from a jar or can

The Directions.

Open cans. Rinse the beans, and dump them into the crockpot. Add all the rest of the stuff-—there aren’t any rules, here.

Except to recycle the cans.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

The Verdict.

This was too spicy for the kids, but Adam and I really liked it a lot, and each had two bowls. We had it with cornbread, that you could make in the crockpot, if you wanted to.

I liked this. I needed to get back to my crockpot cooking “roots”-—and it felt nice for me to make things up as I go along again.

CrockPot Corn Bread Recipe

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/01/crockpot-corn-bread-recipe.html

Day 24.

Who would have thought that you could make cornbread in the crockpot? Not me until the other day. And now I might do it this way more often. It tastes just like oven-baked cornbread, but cooking it in the crock allowed me to pick up my daughter from school, return library books, mail letters and pick up a few groceries.

And the smell when I walked in the door?

Awesome.

The Ingredients.

I used the recipe on the back of the Quaker Cornmeal carton, although I substituted Pamela’s for the flour and omitted the baking powder (because pamela’s has baking powder in it already).

And I used butter instead of vegetable oil because I like the flavor of butter better. And I used soy milk instead of cow’s.

It seems as if I have a problem with following directions.

The Directions.

Mix batter together according to recipe instructions.

Coat the inside of your crock with cooking spray.

Dump batter in and close up.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

I cooked this for exactly 3.5 and it was perfect.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/vegetarian?updated-max=2008-07-07T04%3A15%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=20

CrockPot African Peanut Soup

Day 149.

I was looking through All Recipes the other day and stumbled on African Peanut Soup. The ingredients were simple, and we happened to have everything on hand. I was excited to give it a go, as there were 111 positive reviews.

The result was delicious—a thick, hearty soup with a bit of spice and a beautiful peanut flavor.

The Ingredients.
—1 yellow onion, diced
—2 green onions, chopped
—2 red bell peppers, chopped
—4 cloves minced garlic
—1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes, with liquid
—8 cups vegetable broth
—1/4 t black pepper
—1/4 - 1/2 t chili powder
—1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
—1 cup peanut butter (to add later)
—dollop of sour cream and a bit of tabasco sauce (optional)

The Directions.

—wash and chop all of the vegetables, and put into the crock. Add the entire can of tomatoes, the uncooked rice, and the spices.
—pour in the vegetable broth.

—cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for about 4. The soup is done when the onions are fully cooked and are translucent.

—stir in peanut butter, and cook on high for 20-30 minutes, or until fully heated through.

add a dollop of sour cream and a touch of tobasco sauce

The Verdict.

I really liked this! I REALLY liked it the next day for lunch. It had thickened overnight, and the peanut butter flavor was much more pronounced. The original recipe asked for 2/3 of a cup of crunchy peanut butter, but I used a whole cup of creamy all-natural. I don’t like the little pieces of peanut in crunchy peanut butter in a sandwich, so I was pretty sure the texture in soup would weird me out. The rice kind of disappeared, and just added to the thickness, which was okay with me, but is something to note.

My kids refused to try this. I tried, but they were pretty stubborn in their decision that peanut butter shouldn’t be cooked unless it’s in cookies or brownies.

CrockPot Baked Spinach and Cheese Noodles
Day 117.

I took like twelve pictures of this and none of them look very appetizing-—I don’t see myself with a career as a food stylist any time soon.

But!
It tasted good!
Michelle’s Slow Cooking Thursday post a month ago or so popped into my head while I was at the store last week. I couldn’t remember everything that went in it at the time, but remembered enough to sort of recreate it for an easy weeknight dinner. This is a wonderful, creamy dish, and if you use low or fat free ingredients, the creaminess stays without unnecessary calories.

The Ingredients.

—2 T butter
—1/3 cup flour (I used Pamela’s again. And I’m almost out. We need to hit up Whole Foods this weekend.)
—2 1/2 cups milk
—1/2 t pepper
—1 t kosher salt
—3 T dijon mustard
—15 oz ricotta cheese
—1/4 cup parmesan cheese
—10 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
—1 chopped red pepper
—16 oz package of un-cooked noodles

The Directions.

I made a roux (and this time I spelled it right!) with the butter and flour, and then added the milk, the container of ricotta cheese and stirred in the spinach, red pepper, and spices. Oh! Use a big pot, so you don’t have to transfer halfway through the way that I might have needed to do. And then you won’t drop slimy spinach on the floor...

Spray the inside of your slowcooker with cooking spray and dump in a package of uncooked pasta noodles. Turn on your crockpot so you won’t “shock it” when you stir your cheese and spinach mixture into the noodles. Crockpot stoneware shouldn’t change temperatures rapidly.

Top with 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.

Cook on high for 5-7 hours, or until the noodles are tender. The noodles on the top will be a bit crunchy, but this seemed to have more liquid than the ziti I made, and every noodles could be eaten.

Ours took 6 hours to cook on high.

The Verdict.

I initially had to give the starving children speech, but once my kids tasted this they gobbled it down. Adam and I had ours with a great big salad. I would definitely make this again.

I wonder what it would be like if I added nutmeg? I felt like I wanted a dash of nutmeg..

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1. Grand World Recalls “Bobby Chupete” Pacifiers Due to Choking Hazard
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3. Gorilla Inc. Recalls EXO-Tech Safety Harness Due to Fall Hazard
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Topics in this digest:

1. The solar porch
From: solarman

2. Solar system price update!
From: solarman

Messages
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1. The solar porch
Posted by: “solarman”

This is the guys plans that inspired me to design a solar porch:

http://www.builditsolar.com/Experimental/ShurcliffPart1/PolySpace.htm

Only I simplified it to make the porch usable all year, doesn’t require any air pump and built for a lot less money.

The porch on my cabin faces south. In summer it provides a cool place to hang out and cools the breeze that enters the house and shades windows from sun.

In winter the sun is much lower in the sky and that porch is converted to a solarium to catch the heat for the house.

One layer of plastic goes outside the house and one layer goes inside to create a dead air space that acts as insulation to hold the heat in.

I use an old storm door attached to 2x4s that fits perfectly on the porch and goes up in a few minutes.

When the sun shines in winter the porch will get into mid 70-80 degrees and I just open the front door and let the heat in to warm the house.

The porch also acts as an airlock to prevent cold winds from entering the cabin and that saves heat.

The porch gets very cozy on winter days and thats where I hang out to get some sun without cold breezes blowing down my neck and I work on projects on the porch.

I can put the solar porch up in 2 hours and take it down and store it in spring.

This idea could be used in any house that has a south wall with a door or windows to help heat the home in winter.

LaMar
http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com

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________________________________________________________________________
2. Solar system price update!
Posted by: “solarman”

I recently updated my solar system with a new 120 watt panel, power controller, batteries, and small wind turbine. Total system is 470 watts plus 125 watt wind turbine.

With the extra panel I am now completely charging two Trojan t105s and two MD80 batteries in 3 hours of sunshine.

In winter about three hours of good sunshine is all I can expect and that will give me reserve power for 4 days or even longer if I conserve power.

In summer I could easily add 4 more batteries but I designed my system to handle winter needs because I am rarely home to use power in the summer.

At today’s prices you could get a system like mine for:

four 120 watt panels at $300 = $1200

4 deep cycle batteries at $170 = $680

Mppt power controller $130

1000 watt inverter $150

Total cost $2160

And that does not include the 30% fed tax rebate or any state rebate.

Price of system $2160 price of freedom from a lifetime of utility bills- priceless!

If you are looking for solar panels or other alternative energy equipment please contact me off-line and I can direct you to the best prices from reputable dealers. I do not sell equipment but I know where to get good stuff cheap!

LaMar
http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com

Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hillbillyherbalism/

http://bohemianrevolution.com/how-to-wax-leaves/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BohemianRevolution+(Bohemian+Revolution)&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail

How to wax leaves
by Jen

1237410_autumn_leaves_1Waxed fall leaves are a great for fall decorating. You can scatter some artfully on a dining table, mantle or bookshelf. They’re beautiful added to flower arrangements. There are several different ways to make them, but the least “chemical” way is the liquid wax method.
Liquid wax leaves

1. Lay some newspaper out on a table or counter and put wax paper over it.
2. Melt some beeswax or paraffin in a double boiler over low heat. Instead of using an inner pot, you might want to use an old coffee can (or similar) that you can recycle, just in case things get messy. You can use old candle stubs or buy wax at a store.
3. Once the wax becomes liquid, you can start dipping the leaves in it. Hold them by the stems, dip them for a second or two and hold them above the wax and allow any excess wax drip off into the liquid.
4. Lay each leaf on the wax paper you put out on a table or counter in Step 1 and allow them to dry.

The leaves come out looking very natural this way, with a matte finish. If you want them glossy, you could brush them with a glossy sealer from an art store.