I’m starting with corned beef, of course. Yum.
But what else?
I made some marinara sauce this weekend in one. Here is (roughly) the recipe:
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 onion (sauteed a bit)
2 links turkey Italian sausage, casings removed, & sauteed until crumbly
random amount of basil, thyme & oregano
clove or two of minced garlic
Throw it all into the crockpot and cook on high setting for 2-3 hours.
And chili! Don’t forget chili! (don’t have a recipe for that, though.)
My favorie crockpot recipes are chili and beef stew. Kind of cliche, I know, but not the way I make them.
Unfortunately, when I make chilie these days it creates marital tension, because I can’t seem to make it mild enough for my wife to be able to eat it.
Entire cookbooks are devoted to this device and I’d recommend you get one because then you won’t lose anything in the “translation” from traditional recipe to crockpot version.
I’ve had very good luck with baked beans, potato soup, various stews and roasts, turkey breast and vegetables for Thanksgiving.
The slow cooker is very convenient if you can do the prep the night before and let it cook while you’re at work. Cleanup is a snap.
Things I’ve learned along the way: make sure the liquid is at a rolling boil before dropping the cook speed from II to I.
It doesn’t work so great if the crock is less than half full.
Some meats like ground beef are ill suited for a crock pot.
Bleeding obvious: allow a long time for cooking. (4-8 hrs depending on what you’re doing) Being off by an hour or so oftentimes is no big deal on speed I. Imagine an oven or stove being that forgiving.
Chili
Cut a kielbasa into round slices about 1/3 inch thick. Obtain some dark brown sugar. Arrange kielbasa and sugar in alternating layers in the crockpot. Cook on low all day. Snack on carmelized kielbasa in the evening. Go to sleep happy:)
I also recommend dumping a pint of Guinness over your corned beef before you cook it.
You can make very nice bread in a crock pot, especially if you make a dense bread loaded with fruit or herbs and such. You can often buy a special thingie to insert into the crock pot, or just use clean cans. Your crock pot cookbook probably has some specific instructions.
Oh, and chile.
I was told a really good crock pot recipe tonite. You probably won’t be able to use it Stoid, but I want to share with anyone who could use it.
You take a pound of venison, cut it into chunks and coat it in flour and sear it quickly in a fry pan the night before. You then put it in the crock pot with potatoes, carrots and whatever other vegetables you want. Then add about 20 oz. of beer. You let it cook slowly all day. It makes its own gravy and I was told, will make it taste like beef.
I know in California, this probably won’t help you. However, anyone who cooks with venison might find this handy.
I haven’t used my crockpot yet. I live alone and usually cook just for one- should I still leave it on high even though it’s a smaller amount than most recipes, or do you think that it’s okay to set it on low since I’m not cooking as much?
Brownies!
I use my crock pot all the time and I love it! Be sure to check out http://www.justcrockpotrecipes.com and the Better Homes and Gardens web site for crock pot recipes. There’s tons of great stuff you can make and you can just print out the recipes you like.
Spare ribs and barbecue sauce, cooked slow all day long…
My brother makes beef stew in his crockpot, & it’s Heaven.
Oddly, he adds corn to his beef stew, in addition to the usual. Tastes great. Very yummy.
Crack.
~Lamb and Lentils~
1 Lg onion, chopped.
Many cloves of garlic, minced. (About half a bulb.)
2 c red lentils
2 quarts of water
1 hunk o’ lamb (1/2 lb boneless leg of lamb works well)
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice (this is the “secret” ingredient.)
Combine everything but the lemon juice in crockpot. Cook all day. Add lemon juice. Serve over rice with crumbled feta on top, if desired. Makes a boatload. Very good for stretching a small amount of meat.
Steel Cut Oats with dried fruit.
Cook them overnight for an breakfast on a cold day.
(Two posts in one day! Runs screaming back into the dark forest…)
POT ROAST! It doesn’t get that nice dark color that you get in a Dutch oven, but throw a roast, onions, potatoes, mushrooms, beef broth, salt, pepper all that…cook it on low all day…
it not only smells your whole house up with joy, but makes a KICK YOUR ASS GRAVY.
Man. I haven’t used my crock pot in ages…
Pinto Beans.
Little smokies, kielbalsa and meatballs, slow-simmered in barbeque sauce.
Yummmm…
It can also be used for more mundane things, such as cooking rice. Just add one part rice to two parts water and cook for an hour. It’ll be light, fluffy and unburned. (I was always burning it on the stove)