Tag: slow cooker

Slow Cooker Provencal-Style Chicken Stew

Posted on by elltee

Cooking time 4-5 hours on low

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups chipped onions

1 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, rinsed and chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence

4 cups chicken broth

1 14oz can chickpeas, rinsed

3 tablespoons instant tapoica

4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

Salt and pepper

1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or basil

 

Directions:

  1. Microwave onions, tomatoes, garlic, oil, and herbes de Provence in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes, transfer to slow cooker.
  2. Stir in broth, chickpeas, and tapioca.
  3. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 5 hours on low.
  4. Using a large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of stew.  Break chicken into about 1″ pieces with tongs, or remove and shred.
  5. Stir in olives and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Adjust stew consistency with extra hot broth as needed.
  6. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

 

Note: I used two large boneless chicken breasts (probably around 1 1/2 pounds) and two cans of chickpeas instead of the book recipes.  Also I didn’t have fresh basil so I added 3 large spoonfuls of basil pesto to the stew at the end instead.  If you don’t have herbs de Provence you can make up a replacement with common herbs.  Google the mixture and get as close as you can with what you have.

In the microwave step I put all the items in a bowl and microwave covered for 2 minutes, 1:30, 1:30, stirring between each stop.  2 medium onions is roughly 2 cups when diced.

Slow Cooker Pork Vindaloo

Posted on by elltee

Cooking time 6-7 hours on low, 4 to 5 hours on High

Pork Vindaloo

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped onions (about 3 onions)

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon garam masala

Salt and Pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

28oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons instant tapioca

4 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed (I used a 3 pound slab)

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro.

Directions:

  1. Microwave onions, paprika, oil, garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cayenne in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to slow cooker.
  2. Stir in tomatoes, broth, vinegar, and tapioca.  Season pork with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker.  Cover and cook until pork is tender, 6-7 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
  3. Using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of stew.
  4. Using tongs, break pork into about 1-inch pieces.  Adjust stew consistency with additional hot broth as needed.  Stir in cilantro and season with salt, pepper, and extra vinegar to taste.

Serve over rice.

Stolen from Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2 by America’s Test Kitchen, page 69

Slow Cooker Chicken and Chickpea Stew

Posted on by elltee

30 minutes prep, plus 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 large carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)

2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 14.5-oz can petite diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

1 quart (32 oz) chicken or vegetable stock

1-3 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cinnamon

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, trimmed

½ cup chopped dried apricots

4 cups baby spinach

Instructions:

  1. Combine the onion, garlic, carrots, chickpeas, tomatoes, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, chicken stock, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
  3. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken, along with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the spinach, and the chopped apricots back to the slow cooker, stirring to combine. Taste and add additional salt and lemon juice to taste. Let sit 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt and the apricots to soften.
  4. Serve hot, with rice, crusty bread, or on its own. Top with green onion, cilantro, and hot sauce, if desired.

Stolen from https://www.realfoodwholelife.com/blog/slow-cooker-chicken-and-chickpea-stew

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Posted on by elltee

4 hours total

Ingredients

8 ounces cooked elbow macaroni (Can use up to one 14 oz box, any type)
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick ) of butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
4 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, plus 1/2 cup reserved for top.

1/4 teaspoon powdered mustard
Dash of paprika

Steps

  1. Cook the pasta per box instructions.
  2. In a large 4-quart slow cooker with a liner (or sprayed with cooking spray), mix the pasta, evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs, mustard, and all but the reserved 1/2 cup of  grated cheese.  Or for ease mix all this in a large mixing bowl and then transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika.
  4. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes. Turn off the slow cooker, stir the mixture and serve hot.

 

Note: Use a slow cooker liner / bag every time.  It makes clean-up a cinch.  https://amzn.to/2XdVymo

From http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/crockpot-macaroni-and-cheese-recipe.html

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti with Sausage and Peppers

Posted on by elltee

Serves 6.  

Cooking Time : 3 hours on high

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb italian sausage, removed from it’s casing

2 onions, minced

1 green bell pepper and 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2″ pieces.

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces ziti

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 15oz can tomato sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz) 

 

Directions

  1. Line slow cooker with aluminum foil collar and coat with vegetable oil spray.  Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown sausage well, breaking up large pieces with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes.  Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and oregano and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in tomatoes and heavy cream, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.  Stir in ziti (uncooked), salt, and pepper.
  3. Transfer ziti mixture to prepared slow cooker and spread tomato sauce evenly over pasta.  Cover and cook until pasta is tender, about 3 hours on high.
  4. Remove foil collar.  Gently stir pasta, adding hot water as needed to loosen sauce consistency.  Sprinke with mozzarella, cover, and let sit until melted, about 5 minutes.  Serve.

Note: Foil collar on inside of slow cooker is designed to evenly distribute heat and prevent the pasta from being burned.

Note: Use low moisture pre-shredded mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella in a solid block and packed in brine.

 

Stolen from “Slow Cooker Revolution, page 236, by America’s Test Kitchen.