All Hail the Mighty Crock Pot

For Christmas last year I received what turned out to be the best gift I'd ever received: a Crock Pot. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Oh wow. What terrible gift did you give in the past to deserve that?" But the truth is the Crock Pot (also sometimes called a slow cooker) is the handiest, yet most overlooked, small kitchen appliance out there.

First of all, it makes meal preparation so easy! You throw all the ingredients you need into the same pot and everything cooks at the same time. Of course there is a bit of prep work, depending on the recipe-such as chopping of vegetables or pre-cooking meat-but it's all worth it in my eyes if I don't have to do much else. (Plus, as you'll see with the recipes I'll present, you don't even have to pre-cook the meat unless you want the extra flavor this step provides.) And in my busy house minimal prep time is essential.

Next, you can make everything in there from appetizers to desserts and there's always something for everyone. I've found even Jaimie, my sensory sensitive girl, will try things I've cooked in the Crock Pot as it gives the food you cook in it a desirable texture and flavor.

Another handy bonus with the Crock Pot is that you can prepare a huge amount of stew or soup or other meals and freeze the leftovers for future meals.

Finally, it helps to save on the energy bill. For example, if you want to cook a roast or chicken dinner, you don't have to have the oven on for hours for cooking time. Everything-meat, veggies and other extras-goes in the same pot and slow cooked using the same energy as a coffee maker or microwave. The Crock Pot is also a handy appliance to have around in the hot summer months because you can cook an entire meal without heating up the house.

I honestly don't know what I did before I got my Crock Pot. I take out my ingredients the night before, throw everything into the Pot when I get up and voila: dinner will be served without any real effort. That's my kind of cooking!

Please let me share a few of our favorite Crock Pot recipes with you to try in your home. Once you get the hang of things, you can switch ingredients around or add/change spices even switch the sorts of meats or veggies you use. Remember the cooking times below are an estimate as Crock Pots come in different sizes and, therefore, will cook sooner or longer than indicated. The size consideration will also mean certain spices and ingredients will need to be adjusted from time to time. That's okay, though; just be adventurous and have fun!

************

CREAMY CHEESY SPINACH DIP

One of my favorite dips is spinach dip. You can make this have a bit of a kick by adding the jalapenos or even a bit crunchier with watercress nuts. The most important thing is to prepare it with the ingredients your family enjoys.

2 packages of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
2 cups of chopped onions
1 teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of garlic powder (We love garlic so we always add more!)
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
12 ounces pasteurized processed cream cheese spread, cubed (with or without the jalapeno peppers)
1 round pumpernickel loaf (or whichever sort of bread you prefer)

First, drain spinach and squeeze dry, reserving ¾ cup of the liquid. Put the spinach, liquid, onions, salt, garlic powder and pepper into 11/2-quart or other small-sized slow cooker; stir to blend the ingredients. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 ½ hours. Stir in the cheese and cook for 30 minutes longer or until it's melted. Cut the round bread and scoop the insides out making it hollow. Pour the dip into the loaf and serve with crackers, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices or pita chips.

************

HOT BEEF SANDWICHES AU JUS

This has become one of our favs. If you have a smaller Crock Pot please watch out for the onion soup mix. The first time we did this recipe we found it so salty, there wasn't enough water in our house to quench our thirsts! You'll find one packet quite enough but try it out and adjust accordingly for next time. Another suggestion is to use salt-reduced beef broth. OH! And the crunchier the rolls the better they'll stand up in the au jus.

(Makes 8 to 10 servings)

4 pounds beef rump roast.
2 envelopes (1 ounce each) dried onion soup mix
2 teaspoons of sugar (balances out the saltiness of the soup mix)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, minced (use more if you love garlic!)
2 cans (or 2 ½ cups) beef broth
1 bottle (12 ounces) of beer

Trim excess fat from beef and discard. Place the beef in the Crock Pot. Combine the soup mix, sugar, oregano, garlic, broth and beer in a large mixing bowl. Pour the mixture over the beef. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 to 8 hours or until the beef is fork-tender. Remove the beef and shred it using 2 forks. Return the beef to the cooking liquid and mix well. Serve on the rolls with extra cooking liquid on the side ("jus").

Tip: You'll find that the tougher cuts of meat work fabulously in recipes where they have to cook for a long time. That's what the tough cuts are meant for-long, slow cooking. Very flavorful.

************

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN BREAST and WILD RICE

Our family loves chicken but we were getting tired of either stir fry or the old Shake-n-Bake styles. So, when I saw this recipe I knew it would be a hit! You can make it with the wild rice blend, brown or even plain white. I highly recommend the wild-rice, however, because it's very flavorful and gives the rice a bit more "oomph." This recipe is also very healthy. Enjoy!

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts,
lightly pounded
Kosher or sea salt to taste
Black ground pepper to taste
1 cup wild-rice blend (or your personal fav)
10 cloves of garlic (use less if your family aren't garlic fans)
½ cup of oil-packed or sun-dried tomatoes*
½ cup of capers (optional)
2 cups of water
½ cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
*If you use the sun-dried tomatoes, be sure to soak them in boiling water to soften them up before chopping them.

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper the put it in the Crock Pot. Add the rice, garlic, tomatoes and capers, if you choose to add them. Stir well. Mix the water, lemon juice and oil in a small mixing bowl the pour the mixture over the rice and chicken. Stir once to coat the chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

************

SOUTHWESTERN STUFFED PEPPERS

When I was a kid, my grandmother used to make stuffed peppers for us all the time. She'd put sausages or other bits of meat in hers but this is an excellent-and healthy-vegetarian meal as well. If anyone in your family has a weaker palate for spiciness (like me!) just ease back on the chili powder and cumin. And don't forget the salsa and sour cream! You can use red, yellow, orange or a combination of all peppers if you desire. It all depends on if you want a sweeter background from the peppers.

4 green bell peppers
1 can (15 ounces) of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup (4 ounces) of shredded pepper-jack cheese (or whichever kind you like)
¾ cup medium salsa
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup chopped green onions with tops
1/3 cup uncooked long-grain brown (or white) rice
1 teaspoon chili pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin

Cut thin slice off the top of each bell pepper. Carefully remove the seeds and membrane, leaving the pepper whole. Combine the beans, cheese, salsa, corn, onions, rice, chili powder and cumin in a medium bowl. Spoon the filling into each pepper the place them into the Crock Pot (Don't worry, they'll hold each other up!) Cover and cook on LOW for about 4 to 6 hours or until the peppers are soft but still firm.

Tip: I find it better to cook my rice ahead of time. It saves on cooking time and, frankly, I always fear crunchy rice (Ew!)

************

VEGETABLE and RED LENTIL SOUP

This is an awesome recipe for those cool evenings. I've even added barley to give the soup a bit more heartiness. If you choose to do that, just remember to add a bit more liquid. If you aren't able to find the red lentils, just use the brown ones instead. That's what we do. Enjoy!

1 can (14 ½ ounces) vegetable broth
1 can (14 ½ ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash (or one of each), diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
½ cup thinly sliced carrots
½ cup red (or brown) lentils, rinsed and sorted
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon of sugar
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or thyme

Combine the broth, tomatoes and juice, zucchini (or squash), peppers, carrots, lentils, salt, sugar and pepper into the Crock Pot. Mix well. Cover and cook for about 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on HIGH (or until the veggies and lentils are tender.) Ladle into bowls and garnish with croutons, basil and/or cheese.

************

CHERRY DELIGHT

What's dinner without some dessert? This is quick, easy and so sweet. Remember that the walnuts are optional. Play around with different cake mixes and pie fillings. Yum!

1 can (21 ounces) of cherry pie filling
1 package (18 ¼ ounces) yellow cake mix
½ cup (1 stick) of butter
1/3 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream

Place the pie filling into the Crock Pot. Mix the cake mix and butter in a medium bowl then spread it evenly over the cherry filling. If you want the walnuts, sprinkle them on top. Cover and cook on LOW for about 3 or 4 hours or on HIGH for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Serve warm with generous scoops of topping or ice cream on top.