10 Nifty Things to put in your Crock Pot

10 Nifty to do with a crock pot this winter

1.    Lasagna

a.    Layer no bake lasagna noodles with meat and cheese and sauce. Cook in the crock pot for 6 hours on low.

2.    Baked Potatoes

a.    Wash 6 large baking potatoes, scrub well, wrap each tightly in aluminum foil, place in the bottom of the crock pot, add ½ inch of water. Cook on high until tender. Check to make sure to check the water periodically.

3.    BBQ Pork

a.    Trim the excess fat from a 4 lb pork roast sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook in the crock pot for 2 hours. Pour off excess liquid. Then add favorite BBQ sauce and continue cooking on low for 6 more hours.

4.    Berry Cobbler

a.    Spray the inside of the crock with cooking spray. Put a one pound package of mix frozen berries into the crock. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of flour, and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix 1 cup of flour, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ¼ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ cup milk, mix until smooth. Spoon over the berries and cook for 3 hours, serve with vanilla ice cream.

 

5.    Chocolate Smores Brownie Cake

a.    Spray the inside of the crock with a little cooking spray. Mix 1 box of brownie mix with ¼ cup of softened butter and 1 egg and pour into the bottom of the crock pot. Then mix 1 package of chocolate chip mix ¼ cup of butter and 1 egg. Drop that by spoonfuls in to the crock pot. Cook for 3 hours on high, then add 1 cup of marshmallows and 1 cup crumbled graham crackers. Cook an additional 20 minutes until the marshmallows are melted.

 

6.    Play dough for the kids

                                          i.    Mix 2 C flour, 1 C cornstarch, 1 C salt, 1/4 C cream of tartar, 2 C hot water, 2 t oil,. Cook in the crock pot for 30 minutes, stirring after 15, after it forms a ball, take it out and mix in a few drops of food coloring. If it is too sticky, add a couple of tablespoons of water. Wait until it cools and have fun.

7.    Make candles

a.    You need wax, (soy works best) candle holders, wicks with a base, put an inch of water in the crock pot, add the candle holders, break up small pieces of wax and place in each holder, put crock pot on warm, let the wax melt. Add a few drops of scent, and the wick. Turn off the crock pot and let them cool completely before taking them out. After that enjoy.      

 

8.    Potpourri

a.    Add whole cloves, star anise cinnamon sticks, oranges pieces and cranberries. Add just enough water to cover; there will be a wonderful scent in the air. Don’t let it boil dry check the water from time to time.

9.     

a.    Mulled Wine.

2 (750 ml) bottles, of wine preferably merlot, 2 oranges sliced, 1/2 cup honey, 8 whole cloves, 4 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 1cup cranberries, add all ingredients to the crock pot. Cook on low until it starts to simmer. Remove the anise and the cloves. Put crock pot on warm. Keep warm during the party or gathering

10.  Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage

a.    One pound of sausage cooked, a 2 pound cornbread crumbled, 1 tablespoon sage,  2 cups chicken stock 2 cups finely chopped onion 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery 1/4 teaspoon salt and Freshly ground pepper, to taste. Place all the ingredients in the crock pot and cook for 3 hours. This will make one less item to have to put in the oven for your holiday feast.

Happy New Year

Hello, it's been a while. I took a little break to clear my mind. Maybe get a little perspective on this blog thing.

It's still true. I love cooking a and i like writing.  Since the last post, I played some games, won a chili contest at the j o b, (is it kosher to beat your boss?) oh, yeah,  and started a novel. historical fiction with a little magic. ( she grins her Cheshire cat grin).

We had a fabulous Christmas dinner followed by a great brithday lunch at Zio's. That was so good. yum.

Then the new year came, an I got the flu. Yuck but i seem to be on the mend.

Since I've been down, i have come up with some interesting soup recipes, which I will share in a bit.

So, Happy New year, and I think we will start with breakfast.

Potatoes are so good. they are warm and comforting. I think that's why they are such a popular comfort food.

This used to be a favorite breakfast. I used to make it every Sunday morning. It's kind of like Potatoes O'Brien, except that the potatoes are shredded. One of my Grannies used to make us hash browns when we go visit. Funny how food can trigger memories.

With a big plate of potatoes veggies and eggs, I'd then watch a little football, and have a yummy brunch.

It's basically a cookie scramble with a special twist.

This makes 2 generous servings.

1 large russet potato

1/4 onion diced

1/4 cup diced bell pepper

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

2 eggs

2 oz sharp cheddar cheese

3 oz cooked sausage, crumbled

4 Tbls sour cream

4 Tbls chunky salsa

2 Tbls olive oil

Clean and shred the potato. add the olive oil to a large non stick pan over medium heat. add potato when hot. Fry till crisp on one side then flip. Don't stir let it cook in in one piece. After the hash browns are crispy on both sides, take out of the skillet, place on an oven proof plate. set in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.

In the same skillet, cook the sausage crumbles, onion and bell pepper. 5 minutes before finished add the mushrooms.

top the hash browns with cheese, and the onion pepper mixture. wipe the skillet and fry the eggs.

split the potatoes in 1/2 top each half with a fried egg, Each gets 2 tablespoons of sour cream and salsa

Meat Loaf

Ingredients


1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1/2 green bell pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1/2 mild salsa
12 ounces pork sausage with sage (Jimmy Dean)
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg

For the glaze:

1/2 cup catsup
Dash Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl add all the indreadients except for the glaze. Gently mix all together. you may have to use your hands.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf.  Set the probe for 155 degrees.
It may take about an hour to cook through.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.



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Tex Mex Egg Brunch

Looking for Mother's Day ideas? Me too. My Mom lives aways away, so breakfast in bed is not happening. I put a card in the mail yesterday. Our "Mothers' Day" will be next month when we get together in Seattle. Oh boy, oh boy)....

Anyway brunch ideas. I found this in Betty Crocker...

Ingredients:

. Crust


3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg

Topping

1 package (12 oz) bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced onion
6 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
2/3 cup  salsa, if desired
1/2 cup sour cream

1 Heat oven to 400ºF. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In medium bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In small bowl, stir together milk, oil and egg. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Spread batter in pan. Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown.

2 Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook sausage, bell pepper and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Remove sausage from skillet; keep warm.

3 In medium bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper with fork or wire whisk until well mixed.

4 In same skillet, heat butter over medium heat just until butter begins to sizzle. Pour egg mixture into skillet. As mixture begins to set at bottom and side, gently lift cooked portions with spatula so that thin, uncooked portion can flow to bottom. Avoid constant stirring. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist.

5 Arrange eggs over hot crust; top with sausage mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cowboy-breakfast-bake/74755a35-3954-4231-bf6d-f1ae0ac807c2

Red Beans and Rice

ingredients

1 pound dried red kidney beans, picked over
1 pound smoked link sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 pale-green inner celery ribs (with leaves), chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced, or to taste
6 cups water
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon Tabasco
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

In a bowl soak beans in water to cover by 2 inches overnight. In a 6-quart heavy kettle combine all ingredients except 1/2 pound sausage. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer, covered, over moderate heat 1 1/2 hours. Remove lid and cook mixture at a bare simmer 1 hour more, adding more water if mixture is too thick.
Remove 1 cup bean mixture and mash to a paste. Stir bean paste and remaining 1/2 pound sausage into bean mixture and simmer 5 minutes. Serve bean mixture with rice.


Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/New-Orleans-Style-Red-Beans-and-Rice-with-Sausage-Fulcher-11359#ixzz1mhGQyW2E


Accompaniment: white rice
print a shopping list for this recipeview wine pairings


Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/New-Orleans-Style-Red-Beans-and-Rice-with-Sausage-Fulcher-11359#ixzz1mhFtnrgU

Lamb's Ears

if you are a fan of Italian cooking shows  like i am, you've been introduced to a type of pasta called orecchiette. )ō-ˌrā-kˈe-te)


orecchiette is a small piece of pasta that looks like small shell or bowl.  It comes from another word that means ear. in Italian.

Well, orecchiette is fun little pasta to cook and eat. It's little bowl is perfect for holding sauce and cheese.

So here it is. This was the voted the best dish in San Francisco in 2004.





INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons salt
3 bunches broccoli rabe, about 1 1/2 pounds, coarsely chopped
10 ounces orecchiette (preferably Rustichella brand)
3 hot Italian sausage links, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons very crunchy toasted breadcrumbs (optional)



INSTRUCTIONS:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Return the same pot of water to a boil, add the orecchiette and cook for 10 minutes, or until slightly undercooked. Drain, reserving the cooking water.

Split the sausages lengthwise down the middle and remove from their casings.

Heat the olive oil in a high-rimmed skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage meat, breaking it up as finely as possible. Add the broccoli and continue cooking and stirring until the broccoli breaks down to a saucelike texture.

Add the chicken stock and orecchiette. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce, being careful it doesn't stick. You may have to keep adding a little pasta water, additional stock or tap water until the pasta is soft yet chewy (al dente), making sure not to overcook it.

Finish the pasta by folding in the cheese, a few squeezes of lemon juice and the optional breadcrumbs.

Serves 4-6

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/04/FDG83LGQE41.DTL#ixzz1mTf4HsrM

BRUNCH CASSEROLE

Ingredients
2 lbs. hash browns, lightly fired in butter
1 lb. bacon, fried and drained
1 lb. bulk pork sausage, fried and drained
1 doz. eggs, scrambled
1 sm. can mushrooms (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom soup, mixed with
1/2 can water
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, shredded


Layer, starting with hash browns in order given. Refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees until hot. Use 10x13 or 11x15 inch greased pan. Can use any creamed soup.

Frittata with Sausage

Ingredients

1 (12 oz.) roll Jimmy Dean extra mild pork sausage
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. oil
2 med. shallots, finely chopped8 oz. fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 sm. zucchini, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
12 lg. eggs
1 1/2 c. shredded med. cheddar cheese
2 med. tomatoes, sliced
Sour cream


Slice sausage, cook in medium skillet until done. Remove and drain on paper towel. Heat butter and oil in a non-stick 12 inch skillet. Add shallots, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cooked sausage. Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in mixing bowl until blended. Stir in all but 1/4 cup of the cheese.

Pour over vegetables in skillet. Cook stirring occasionally, over medium heat until bottom of mixture is slightly set. Arrange tomato slices on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place skillet in oven and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, until puffed and brown. Slide out of pan onto large platter. Slice like a pie and serve with sour cream on the side.

Breakfast Wraps

Are wraps still popular? I like them. I usually use whole wheat tortillas. I like the nutty flavor, and I get a little more fiber. I like mine for breakfast. They are fast, and I can eat them anytime.

Anyway, I thought I would share a few ideas.

Chocolate/Banana

One tortilla,
2 tablespoons Nutella
1 banana, sliced

Spread the nutella on the tortilla, warm in the microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. This will soften the tortilla enough for rolling. Add the sliced banana roll up.




Ham and egg

1 tortilla
2 slices deli ham
1 fried egg.
1 tablespoon salsa
2 tablespoons cream cheese

Put the ham and cram on the tortilla and the ham and microwave for 45 sec. add the fried egg. Roll up, and enjoy

The original

1 tortilla
1 scrambled egg
1 table salsa
1 oz of sausage crumbles
½ cheeses
6 tater tots

Cook the sausage, scrambles the egg. Put the cheese on the tortilla, micro wave 45 seconds. Top with the rest of the ingredients and roll.

BISCUITS AND GRAVY

Ingredients for the biscuits:

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• pinch of salt
• 3 oz. cold butter, diced
• 8 oz buttermilk

Directions

Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Gently knead in the butter. Add the buttermilk and knead on a floured board just enough to bring the dough together.

It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients.

Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Don’t make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked.

Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven.

Start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color.


Ingredients for the gravy:

• ½ pound ground breakfast sausage.
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 cups cold milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Sauté the sausage until it is cooked and has released as much of its fat as possible. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and do NOT drain the grease. You’ll need it to make the roux. 

You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it. Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now start adding the cold milk a little at a time, whisking incessantly. Toward the end of the milk add the sausage back in. When you reach the desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the biscuits in half, pour the gravy over them.