Sloppy Lentils

Sometimes you have to go to a potluck.  And you never know what to bring (okay, fine, your friend Christiana never knows what to bring).  But you know what never lets me down?  Sloppy lentils.

Sloppy Lentils is a vegetarian take on sloppy joes that please everyone.  Vegetarians don't eat meat and meat eaters feel like they are being healthy eating these things "lentils".  Everyone wins with sloppy lentils!

I found this recipe in More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea.  I am on a vegetable substituting kick lately, so I have my eye on sweet potato chili too.  Stay tuned!

2 cups lentils
1 large onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp prepared mustard (and more to taste, after cooking)
2 (12 oz) cans tomato paste
4 empty tomato paste cans water
hamburger buns

Sort the lentils and rinse in hot water.  Dump into the slow cooker.  Add the onion, celebery, and bell pepper.  Add the spices, soy sauce, and muystard.  Add the contents of the tomato paste cans, then add 4 cans of water.  Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the lentils have softened nicely.  Stir well and taste.  If desired, add more mustard.  Serve on buns, rice cakes, or over brown or white rice.

What it cost me: right around $10

Poached Salmon

My husband and I have been trying to get better at cooking for a while now.  We are both somewhat fools in the kitchen and there is nothing we were more fools about than cooking fish.  Especially salmon.  We baked it, we fried it, we grilled it and it always resulted in a fishy tasting dish that cost way too much money.

Luckily, America's Test Kitchen's  Slow Cooker Revolution, Volume 2: Easy-Prep edition changed all that for us.

This poached salmon is the bomb.  It's just as good as salmon I've had in restaurants for a fraction of the price and time.  And with ATK's "cooking for two" section of the cookbook, we didn't have to worry about too much or too little.  We were Goldilocksing it with juuuust the right amount of food.  Shut up, Christiana, here's the recipe:

Serves 2
Cooking Time: 1-2 hours (ours was right in the middle with an hour and a half)

1 lemon, sliced 1/4 inch thick, plus 1 T juice
1.5 t. minced fresh dill, stems reserved
1 (6-8 oz.) skin-on salmon fillets, about 1.5 inches thick
salt and pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
1 t. Dijon mustard

1. Fold sheet of aluminum foil into a sling and press into slow cooker.  Arrange lemon slices in tight single lauer in the borrom of prepared slow cooker.  Scatter dill stems over lemon slices.  Pour water into slow cooker until it is even with lemon slices (ATK says 1/2 cup water, I used 2/3 cup).  Season fillets with salt and pepper and place skin side down on top of lemon slices.  Cover and cook until salmon is opaque throughout when checked with top of paring knife and registers 135 degrees, 1 to 2 hours on low.

2. Combine sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, and minced dill in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Using sling, transfer fillets to baking sheet.  Gently life and tilt fillets with spatula to remove dill stems and lemon slices and transfer fillets to individual plates; discard dill stems, lemon slices, and poaching liquid.  Serve with sauce.

Susan's Slow-Cookin' Ribs

Shout out really quick for 101 Super-Easy Slow-Cooker Recipes from Gooseberry Patch.  It's the first cook book I've seen that categorizes by length of time slow cooking instead of by recipe type.  This was rad!  It meant that I could go straight to the 6-8 and 8-10 hour meals because I mostly use my crock as an easy bake oven type device I turn on and dump things in before leaving for work.  Gooseberry Patch understands me.

I made ribs this week, because I am trying to question my feelings on dishes and foods that I have not questioned in awhile. Turns out I like ribs better than I thought I did (but also turns out I continue to only want pork every once in awhile).  Makes me feel like I kind of know myself, but that there is little kernals of discovery.  Also also, the leftovers of this on sandwiches was even better than the original!  It was amazing.  On with the recipe!

Serves 6-8
1 T. onion powder
1 t. red pepper flakes
1/2 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. cinnamon
3 lbs. boneless pork ribs, sliced into serving size pieces
1 onion, sliced and divided
1/2 c. water
2 c. hickory-flavored bbq sauce (we used Sweet Baby Ray's hickory and brown sugar)

Combine seasonings in a cup; mix well and rub over ribs.  Arrange one-third of ribs in a slow cooker.  Place one-third of onion slices over top; repeat layering two more times (or don't, I only stacked twice and didn't really notice a difference), ending with onion.  Pour water over all.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Drain and discard liquid from slow cooker (and maybe separate out the onions?  I wanted a little more barbeque sauce infusion in the ribs so I think I would do this next time).  Pour barbeque sauce over ribs.  Cover and cook on low for additional 1-2 hours.

Turkey Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash

Most of the time, I do not use my slow cooker for Italian food (because I am Italian, so it's one of the few cuisines I can reliably make).  I also do not usually do slow cooker recipes that require any prep cooking ahead of time.  But this recipe?  It's too good to pass up for either of these reasons.  This dish is so tasty and just perfect when you're hungry for some bold Italian cuisine.

Anyway!  I got this recipe from Easy Everyday Slow Cooker Recipes by Donna-Marie Pye (which I recommend for slow cooker novices or cooking novices in general).  Here's how this goes:

Turkey Bolognese with Spaghetti Squash
Makes 6-8 servings
4-5 quart slow cooker (but!  I used my 6 qt per usual and it worked out just dandy)

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1.5 lbs lean ground turkey
4 oz thickly sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup hot evaporated milk or heavy or whipping (35%) cream (we went all the way and went heavy whipping cream)
1 spaghetti squash
salt and pepper to taste (which I recommend.  It really added a savory depth!)

In a large skillet (seriously, the biggest one you have), heat butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Saute onion, carrot, and celery for 5-7 minutes or until onion is translucent.  Add turkey and pancetta.  Cook, breaking up turkey until no longer pink.  Add wine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until wine has almost evaporated.  Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.  Stir in tomatoes and broth.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours, until bubbling.  Just before serving, stir in evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve over spaghetti squash. 

What it cost: $24. 

Mexican Chicken Soup

We're having a freak snow storm (before Thanksgiving even) that made me eager for a crock pot soup.  This one is not only a good soup, but it's also decently healthy (345 calories)!  It's from the Taste of Home Slow Cooker Cookbook, which I am DIGGING.  This is the first recipe I've made from this, but I doubt it'll be the last.

Here's how it goes:
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 3-4 Hours
Makes: 6 servings (I would argue it's more like 4, but maybe we eat like barbarians in my house)

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 envelope reduced sodium taco seasoning (I used half a packet of regular, half a packet of hot and spicy for a pleasurable zip)
1 can (32 oz.) V8 juice
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa
1 can (15 oz.) black beans (I would do 2 cans next time, but hey, I love me some black beans), rinsed and drained
1 package (10 oz.) frozen corn, thawed (I omitted this because of my hatred of all non corn on the cob corn)
Next time: I'll probably add a couple cups of chopped red pepper
6 tbsp. reduced fat cheddar cheese (let's be serious, I went hog wild on the cheese and didn't limit myself to 6 tbsp., BUT YOU COULD)
6 tbsp. reduced fat sour cream
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro (feel free to go nuts on this too.  Cilantro is worth it!)

1.  In a skillet, saute chicken in oil until no longer pink.  Add water and taco seasoning; simmer, uncovered, until chicken is well coated

2. Transfer to a 5 qt (I used my 6, and it was nbd) slow cooker.  Stir in the V8 juice, salsa, beans, and corn.  Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until heated through.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro.

Let me drop some nutrition knowledge on you:
345 calories
7 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
72 mg cholesterol
1,315 mg sodium
34 g carbohydrate
7 g fiber
31 g protein

What it cost me: $8.08, thanks to a lot of overlap ingredients.  W00t!

Drunken Cajun Chicken

Since this blog is mostly just me saving recipes in blog form, you (if there is a you out there) may have noticed that I usually don't even bother with pictures.  I don't know, crock pot cooking tastes awesome, but the presentation isn't the best. That doesn't deter me though :)

So my husband (I have a husband now!) and I stumbled upon this drunken cajun chicken recipe when we were craving Cajun.  Last time we ate at our favorite local place, we theorized how we could do it in the crock pot.  And this recipe helped!  The best part was surely the next day when we used the leftovers as the filling between Texas toast for some delish sandwiches.  Leftovers have never tasted so good, I promise!  So here it is, in case that link ever goes bad:

• 
  
• 4 pieces Chicken Breast
• 2 cans (15 Oz. Can) Stewed Tomatoes
• ¼ cups Olive Oil
• 12 ounces, fluid Beer (I Used Light Beer But Any Will Work)
• 2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Basil
• 2 whole Bay Leaves
• 
  

Admittedly a lot of stuff, but you probably have most of it in your spice cabinet/pantry already.

Here's what you do:

• Mix all the seasonings together.
• Coat the chicken breasts with the seasonings.
• Place in the slow cooker.
• Add in beer, stewed tomatoes, olive oil, and any extra seasonings that are left (if any).
• Stir around a bit.
• Cook on low for 5-7 hours.
• When finished, shred the chicken with 2 forks and serve over white rice!

THAT IS IT.  It is crazy.  And good.  And crazy good.  I did also add some tabasco on mine because I am a crazy person and heat appeals to me.  I made my brother-in-law's collard greens to go with it and it was delish.  I put too much red pepper in those, just to remind you about my crazed spice enjoyment.

What it cost me: Right around 20 clams.  For two plus nights of dinner, I'll take it.

Taco-Style Black Beans and Hominy

Oh, hello, right, I have a cooking blog.  I have been supremely neglectful and it makes my head spin how much has changed in life.  Except for the crock pot.  Crock pot is forever.  Anyway!

Ash Wednesday means no meat and so I turned to a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Year Round Slow Cooker Recipes (they have a whole tab in this book of meatless recipes) and their black beans and hominy taco filling.  This was a good meat substitute AND worked great for leftovers.  Here's how it goes:

Ingredients:
2 15.5 oz. cans golden hominy, drained
2 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/4 cups water
1 10.75 oz. can condensed mushroom soup
1/2 of a 1.25 oz. package taco seasoning mix (1 1/2 tsp.): we used Old El Paso Hot and Spicy because we wanted this thing as hot as we could stand.
Taco shells, sliced green onions, chopped tomato, chopped lettuce, or whatever else you like with your tacos

Use a 4 qt. slow cooker (or don't, I used my 6 qt since I don't have a 4 qt.).  Coat the inside of slow cooker with cooking spray or use a crock liner.  Combine hominy, beans, water, cream of mushroom soup, and taco seasoning.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

317 calories
10 g. total fat (2 g. saturated fat)
0 mg cholestoerol
1,001 mg. sodium
52 g. carbohudrate
11 g. dietary fiber
12 g. protein

What it cost me: $10.