Crockpot, Teach Me Your Ways

Here I go again with another crockpot recipe. I've tried several and I always end up with a unicolored stew; it tastes alright the first night but once it goes in a Tupperware the party is over. Some of my past failures have been:

Image courtesy of flickr

Feijoada
Black beans and rice
Cheese and ale soup
Pot roast

Etc.

But this time is going to be different, I say as I go to the store, load up on unlikely ingredients and cast them all into my cauldron. Maybe that's the problem - probably I need to dress up as Hermione and find Bezoars and junk like that. Or I need to Snape to oversee the process. Yes, that's it; I need Snape as a sort of magical Gordon Ramsey to yell at me while I brown the meats. 

Because, you see, I love the idea of crockpots. Everything goes in, like the Sneetches, to the pot around 9 am. Six hours later, the house smells heavenly and Accio Dinner. Take that, Polar Vortex!

Not how it turns out, however. The Feijoada was a pain to put together, and during the process there was a strange smell as the ingredients combined. With enough wine we were able to eat the stuff, but the leftovers (and there were plenty) went into the trash.

No, my crockpot is more of a warming device than a cooking device, as anyone who has had my sausage and peppers can tell you. Roast those sausages, sauté the onions and peppers, and throw it all in with plenty of EVOO and Frank's Hot Sauce. Add rolls from a real Italian bakery and some football = culinary heaven.

Image courtesy of flickr

But see, that's not really cooking. It's more cut and paste or combining some ingredients. I want to have casseroles! Soups! Other warm stuff I can't think of right now!

Okay, I'm going to try it again this weekend with this chicken recipe, courtesy of southernfood.com. I like it because it's all fresh ingredients without processed stuff. Cross your fingers it makes it past the Tupperware stage.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole Recipe, Slow Cooker

By Diana Rattray

 This chicken and broccoli casserole is easy to prepare and cook in the slow cooker. A homemade creamy sauce completes this tasty casserole. It makes a terrific meal with rice or noodles.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

· 4 c. cubed cooked chicken or turkey

· 1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained, or use fresh mushrooms

· 1 (5 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts (I'm going to leave those out, but that's just me.)

· 1 (10 to 12 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups

· 1/2 cup chopped onion

· 1 cup Sauce (below)

· Paprika

· .

· Sauce:

· 1/4 c. butter

· 1/4 c. flour

· 1/2 tsp. salt

· 1/4 tsp. pepper

· 1 c. chicken broth

· 1/2 cup evaporated milk

· 2 tbsp. cooking sherry

Preparation:

Spread half the chicken in the slow cooker or Crock Pot. Top with the mushrooms, water chestnuts, onion and broccoli. Arrange remaining chicken on top. Cover with sauce (directions below). Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Sauce Instructions: Melt butter in medium saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in wine. Makes about 2 cups.

I'll let you know how this turns out; meanwhile, if any lovely readers have great crockpot recipes to share, please let me know and I'll put them up as well. 

Quick, Yummy, Healthy Food to Make

I got two requests from friends for some recipes. The First is an appetizer, and it is So Totally Healthy that Health will shine out of your fingertips when you make and eat it. 

Healthy Person!!!!!!

GRAPE AND AVOCADO SALSA

1 1/2 cups seedless red grapes, chopped
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced (I add it last so it won't brown or go mushy)
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped yellow bell pepper (I chop both peppers and freeze what I don't use for later)
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 clove chopped fresh garlic
ground black pepper
salt to taste
dash of Frank's Hot Sauce if you want

All of the above measurements really aren't necessary. I just quartered a lime and squeezed the hell out of that sucker over the chopped up junk. Mix it all up, refrigerate for 30 minutes, and serve with Baked Scoops chips, or regular Scoop chips if you want, but the regular ones will stop the Health Shining Out of Your Fingertips deal a bit.

And now for the entree:

I don't really use my crockpot a lot because many crock recipes taste the same - of creamed chicken soup. But this one had loads of fresh herbs, and it made the house smell yummy all day, and my husband gave it the thumbs up. Plus - easy! And cheap!

Plus cholesterol doesn't pop out of your chest like a Baby Alien* when you eat it! So, there's that.

BEEF STROGANOFF

1 lb top round steak
1 cup chopped onion
2 tbls chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp fresh dill (adjust for taste. Dill really packs a punch.)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (you can scale back on this if you want. 2 TBLS really does make it very Dijon-ish.)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup flour
1 cup beef broth (I like my own Stop n Shop's organic brand, but Rachael Ray's is good too.)
1 8 oz carton reduced-fat sour cream
2 cups cooked medium egg noodles

Cut steak into 1/4 inch slices. I made mine about an inch long.
Place steak, onion, and all ingredients through the garlic into an electric crock pot. Stir it all up.
Measure flour carefully and put in bowl. Gradually whisk in the beef broth, getting those lumps out of there.

Pour broth mix all over the stuff in the crock pot and turn on to High. Cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. 
Turn heat down to Low and cook for 7 - 8 more hours, until beef is tender. Turn off crock pot and remove lid; let sit for ten minutes.

Stir in entire container of sour cream. (If you didn't do the last step the cream can curdle.)

Serve over noodles.

*Did you notice how I didn't include an image of that? You're welcome.