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.