Posts filed under 'Crock pot'
It may have disturbed my boys to even look at their bowls filled with this stew, but I loved it! This is a fantastic vegetarian crock pot recipe, and I feel lucky to have found it. Of course, you need to like mushrooms to enjoy it — their flavor is deep and intense here, and pairs perfectly with the hearty barley and lentils for a chilly weather dinner.
This is my kind of crock pot recipe: dump all the ingredients in the crock pot, turn it on and leave it. That’s it. I served it with Pumpkin Dinner Rolls.
Mushroom, Barley & Lentil Stew
Adapted from Allrecipes.com
2 quarts vegetable broth
8 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, broken into small pieces
3/4 c. uncooked pearl barley
3/4 c. dry lentils
1 c. onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
ground black pepper
12 leaves fresh basil, chopped
Add all ingredients except the fresh basil to your slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Remove bay leaves. Stir in chopped basil just before serving.
November 18th, 2008
I’m so pleased with this recipe — not only is it a solid vegetarian crock pot meal, it also took advantage of a lot of my CSA haul for the week. Plus, as the original recipe notes, ratatouille is very multi-purpose. Use it over pasta, as I did, or on pizza, in a baked potato, scrambled into eggs, etc. I used half and froze the rest for another meal.
J. thought this ratatouille was very good (he had it over spaghetti). Neither boy would try it, but G. was thrilled by the baked chicken I made alongside it, saying “Thank you for making me chicken!”
If I had had zucchini from my farm share, I would have added it, too.
Slow Cooker Ratatouille
Inspired by Ratatouille in the Crock Pot
2 small onions, thinly sliced
2 medium eggplants, skin on, diced
2 large green bell peppers, seeded, diced
1 small red pepper, seeded, diced (I used a Carmen pepper)
6 plum-sized tomatoes, quartered (I used yellow Golden Rave tomatoes)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
large handful fresh parsley, chopped
large handful fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Layer ingredients through the 1 tsp. salt in your crock pot, in the order listed. Then dot the tomato paste on top, and cover. Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Remove lid and stir to combine. Add fresh parsley and basil, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot, room temperature, or straight from the fridge.
August 22nd, 2008
This is my second attempt at stuffed peppers in my crock pot — the first time turned out tasty, but I got the quantities all wrong. This time the quantities are correct and they’re still tasty! My mother-in-law and GG thought it was one of my better meals (and they are fans of my cooking in general); I enjoyed it and would make it again but it’s a little on the bland side.
I used a braising greens mix from my farm share to bump up the vegetable content of the meat mixture. They were a lot more subtle than I expected, especially since they were very aromatic (sharp, mustard-like) when I was chopping them. You could substitute any other green leafy vegetable, such as fresh spinach. Mushrooms would work well, too.
I also used unseasoned, boxed (Pomi brand) chopped tomatoes and some vegetable broth as the sauce and seasoned it with a bit of garlic powder, oregano, and black pepper; a jarred marinara would likely work just as well.
You end up with a complete one-pot meal: protein, veggies, and starch in a colorful, edible container.
Slow Cooker Beef, Barley & Veggie Stuffed Peppers
1/2 c. pearled barley
1½ c. water
26 oz. chopped tomatoes in their liquid
1 c. vegetable broth
garlic powder, oregano to taste
6 medium bell peppers, any color
1 lb. lean ground beef
3 oz. tomato paste
1½ c. braising greens, finely chopped
1 small onion, minced (about 1 c.)
ground pepper
Bring barley and water to a boil in a covered pot, then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain any excess water and set aside, uncovered, to cool.
Combine chopped tomatoes, broth, and spices in the bottom of your crock pot.
Wash and cut the tops off of your peppers, reserving the tops. Remove seeds and pith, and set peppers aside.
Remove the stems from the pepper tops and chop the remaining pepper pieces. In a large bowl, combine pepper pieces, beef, tomato paste, greens, onion, and ground pepper. Mix well with clean hands.
Stuff peppers with the meat mixture, and stand them upright in your crock pot. Spoon some of the sauce mixture on top of the peppers. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
Remove peppers and serve remaining sauce on the side.
June 6th, 2008
The tofu parmigiana last week was surprisingly delicious, and I will make it again (it was even better eaten cold as leftovers!). And the spicy pasta with asparagus was a hit as part of our Mother’s Day lunch. I like cooking for larger groups because there’s a greater chance someone will really like what I’ve made!
I am quite the sourpuss tonight, and I was only barely able to convince myself that getting the week’s menu planned would be a step in the right direction to shaking this grumpiness off. So here I am.
Bread bakers! I need your help. I have three ¼ oz. packages of active dry yeast, and I would like to try my hand at some basic rolls or egg-y bread, like challah. It’s been many years since I worked with yeast, and I’m feeling a little hesitant. Let me know if you have a recipe you love (if it includes whole wheat flour, even better). Thanks in advance.
Monday: Leftover Neil Sedaka’s Chicken, steamed broccoli, brown rice
Tuesday: Steak under the broiler, salad (mixed lettuce with yellow pepper, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, and grape tomatoes — leftover from our Mother’s Day lunch), soba noodles
Wednesday: Homemade rolls (I need an easy recipe using active dry yeast), hard-boiled eggs, cheese, crudite
Thursday: Falafel (I’m trying a new frozen variety), hummus, pita, Israeli salad
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Spicy Cheese Enchiladas, green salad, brown rice
Sunday: Take out (We still haven’t ordered Indian — it’s been weeks! I ought to just cook some myself…)
For more menu planning ideas, check out Laura at Organizing Junkie.
May 11th, 2008
The prep for this crock pot dish is very quick and the recipe is easy, but the result was not terribly memorable. Sometimes that’s all you need out of a crock pot recipe, though: decent, healthy, filling food that gets you from hungry to satiated. The author of this recipe describes it as “simple, warming, and nourishing” and I think those adjectives are right on the money. I could see this being a welcome dish on a blustery day when you’ve been outdoors shoveling or sledding for hours.
The grassy, asparagus-like flavor that I discovered when I cooked the quinoa pudding a few weeks ago is still here, but it works in this savory dish that includes other vegetables as well. I didn’t find it off-putting at all.
I would suggest liberal amounts of ground pepper and kosher salt. Browning the chicken first might also add another level of flavor to this otherwise simple dish. And finally, although it cooks for 4 hours on high, my baby carrots were still a bit al dente — not expected and out of place in this comfort dish. Maybe they needed to be cut smaller? (I left them whole.)
All in all, I would probably choose to make chicken soup over this dish — to me, they both satisfy that same craving for hearty, familiar, no-fuss comfort food.
Quinoa, Chicken & Vegetable Stew
Adapted from Crockpot Chicken and Quinoa
1 c. quinoa (I buy a pre-rinsed variety, follow the directions on your package)
2 c. vegetable stock
2 c. water
1½ lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, in bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. of salt
8 oz. baby carrots
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, halved or quartered
Add ingredients to your crock pot in the order listed. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving so the quinoa and liquid thicken to a stew-like consistency. Adjust seasoning and serve.
May 4th, 2008
We were going to be out of the house in the middle of the afternoon, so trying meatballs in my crock pot seemed perfect for today. I was really pleased with the results. I used turkey instead of beef this time, but still kept to a traditional Italian-style recipe. The meatballs stayed together very nicely, but also lent little flecks of turkey to the sauce, so that it became like meatballs in a Bolognese. Very yummy.
I continue to hold out hope that either boy will one day eat this “kid favorite.” (Was there a poll done? Whose kids are they?) A. tried a minuscule bite as part of our loose “try something new before you get more pasta” rule. Mostly, I was just very pleased that he managed a “No, thank you” in declining more, rather than a “Yuck!” At least I never get any complaints about the spaghetti.
Slow Cooker Italian-Style Turkey Meatballs
Note: I use a 6-quart crock pot
2 lb. lean ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 c. fine, plain breadcrumbs
1/3 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
ground black pepper to taste (about 6 turns of the grinder)
1 26-oz. jar of your favorite marinara sauce
Add all ingredients — except for the sauce — to a large bowl, and mix with your hands until well-combined.
Roll meat into golf ball-sized balls, and layer into the bottom of your slow cooker. (2 lbs. of meat makes about 28 meatballs, and not quite 2 layers of meatballs in my 6-quart crock pot.) Pour the jar of sauce over the meatballs so they are completely covered.
Place lid on your slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
April 29th, 2008
I have such a hard time finding decent vegetarian recipes for my crock pot, that this one is a welcome success. It has beautiful color from the orange butternut squash, and if you use your favorite marinara sauce you know you’ll be happy with the seasoning. This is perhaps the easiest crock pot recipe you’ll ever make. You could even use frozen chopped green pepper and onion to save yourself some prep time.
I’ve mentioned before that I don’t have the best knife skills. Last time I prepped a butternut squash I must have had it in my head that the skin would be too tough to remove with a peeler — I used a knife instead. I tried the peeler this time, and it made prepping that squash so much easier! I peeled it while it was still whole, then cut it in half length-wise, scooped out the seeds, and chopped it up. I have no idea why it took me so long to figure out this much easier method.
I served this stew with challah bread. There was a minor element of “OK, what are we eating next?” after finishing, the way you sometimes feel with soup for dinner. But truthfully the stew was filling, and I wasn’t hungry. I meant to serve freshly grated Parmesan to sprinkle on top, but forgot. Adding a little cheese on top would definitely make the meal feel more substantial.
Italian Lentil & Vegetable Stew
Adapted slightly from Woman’s Day
1½ c. dried brown lentils
3 c. water
1 small butternut squash, cut in bite-size chunks
8 oz. frozen green beans (no need to defrost)
1 green pepper, cut in bite-size chunks
1 large all-purpose potato, peeled and cut in bite-size chunks
1 medium onion, diced
2 c. marinara sauce
Mix lentils and water in your slow cooker (make sure you pick through the lentils first). Then layer all remaining ingredients on top, in the order listed.
Cover and cook on LOW 4-6 hours or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
April 10th, 2008
I really wanted to like this recipe, and I do think it’s a good dish, but it’s just not for me. I can easily sum it up by telling you it’s too lamb-y. This is the first time I’ve cooked lamb in any form other than broiled or grilled chops, and I just didn’t love it. However, if you already know you like lamb in a stew, I think this is an interesting and easy recipe.
Also, I didn’t realize the lamb I bought was still bone-in (stew meat from the neck). It worked fine, but obviously the quantity I used was at least a third bone.
In keeping with my new attempt at reducing the number of canned goods we use and therefore the amount of BPA we ingest, I used Pomi strained tomatoes, which come in aseptic packaging (like a juice box) and swapped frozen artichoke hearts for canned.
Greek Lamb, Artichoke & Pearl Onion Stew
Adapted from Women’s Day
1 lb. frozen pearl onions
2 lb. lean lamb shoulder, trimmed of all fat & cut in 1-inch chunks
2 c. tomato purée
1 c. dry red wine
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
ground pepper (about 10 turns)
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 9-oz. packages frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
Layer ingredients in the order they are listed EXCEPT for artichokes in a 6-quart crock pot. (You can use the onions frozen.) Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
Stir in defrosted artichoke hearts, and cover. Continue cooking for an additional half hour on LOW. Serve.
April 8th, 2008
This Cuban-inspired dish is one of the first meals I ever made in my crock pot when I got it years ago, and it’s a keeper. Easy to make, mild flavor, and good comfort food on a chilly, rainy day. Lauren suggested adding a jalapeño to the pepper mix, which would be a nice addition, I think. For now, I’m sticking with the mellow, earthy flavor of the tomato and beef slow-cooked all afternoon.
This recipe really tastes best when you take the time to brown the meat and caramelize the onions, but it works fine if you skip those steps and layer the raw ingredients in the same order (veggies, then meat, then seasonings). Just omit the tablespoon of oil.
Ropa Vieja
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. skirt steak, trimmed
3 peppers, thinly sliced (I like to use red, green, & yellow peppers)
2 carrots, diced or cut into matchsticks
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
8 oz. veggie stock
8 oz. tomato puree (or plain sauce)
6 oz. tomato paste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side (does not need to be cooked through) and set aside.
Layer peppers and carrots in the bottom of a slow cooker.
Saute onion and garlic in same pan in which the steak was cooked (don’t add more oil) until translucent. Add to slow cooker and arrange steak on top of veggies. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, remove beef to a cutting board and shred using two forks. Return beef to the crock and continue cooking on low for 1 hour or more.
March 31st, 2008
When I was planning my meals for the week last Sunday, what to make for tonight’s dinner stumped me. I needed something in the crock pot because I knew we’d get home right at dinnertime, and I wanted to use up meat from my freezer. My friend Carol at Pure Sugar suggested inventing some sort of stuffed pepper soup, and that inspired me to cut right to the chase and just make stuffed peppers. (Carol is the person that introduced me to blogging back in 2000!)
It was just one mistake after another getting dinner made this afternoon. First, I realized that I had defrosted a pair of 1-lb. packages of ground beef when I had intended to only do one. OK, so we’re doubling the recipe. Then the meat wasn’t defrosted fully, and I really didn’t want to have to cook it before throwing it into the peppers. My 20-year old microwave came to the rescue — it actually has a “defrost ground beef” and I used it successfully tonight. Whoo hoo! Score one for the cook.
I was running late, so I only partially cooked the barley on the stove (for 20 minutes instead of 45) before adding it to the meat mixture — I am not that experienced cooking with barley, and I wasn’t sure if putting it in to the crock pot raw would work. Next time I’ll skip the extra cooking step, it would have been fine, I think. In addition to the meat and barley, the stuffing included 1 can of condensed tomato soup (next time I would just use tomato paste), 8 oz. mushrooms (chopped), about a cup of parsley (finely chopped), 2 tsp. garlic, and 1/2 c. green onion (thinly sliced), ground pepper, and the diced tops that I cut off my five red, yellow, and orange peppers.
I only wound up using about a quarter to a third of the stuffing in the actual peppers (4 large and one small pepper). Then I slapped the rest of the meat mixture into an 8×8 pan and baked it like a meatloaf in my toaster oven for an hour at 350° F. (Merrie, you must be so proud of me! I made meatloaf!) I’ll freeze it for another time.
For the peppers that went into the crock pot: I mixed 8 oz. vegetable stock and a 28-oz. can of fire-roasted crushed tomatoes in the crock. I placed the 5 gently-stuffed peppers in the liquid, and then spooned some of the liquid on top of the stuffing. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
The peppers were very tender — no knife needed! And I was a little concerned about the dish tasting greasy since the meat had not been browned beforehand. However, this was actually the least-greasy beef dish I’ve ever cooked in my crock pot. It was overall a very comforting, easy dish. We sopped up all the tomato sauce with challah. Or, if you are my kids, you just ate challah.
All in all, I wound up with a delicious dinner but not quite a recipe to share — the proportions were just too off. If you tinker around with your own stuffed pepper version, let me know in the comments.
March 13th, 2008
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I'm Dara, the chick in the kitchen. Living in the suburbs of Manhattan with my two boys, ages 3 and 5, and husband. Trying to feed my family something more diverse than a different shape of pasta each night. Reach me at .