Selasa, 31 Oktober 2017

Crockpot Chicken Soup With Black Bean and Chipotle Peppers

As we begin to hunker down for the impending cold weather, we are craving dishes that will warm us all the way down to our toes. Apparently, my family members are not the only ones with cold extremities. I have received four requests for crockpot recipes in the past week. Still flexing its muscles from its successful slow cooking of our Family Crockpot Applesauce, my crockpot was up for the challenge. The inspiration for this recipe came from Sunset Magazine's Crockery Cookbook; however, I took several liberties with the recipe, adding tomatoes and black beans, and increasing the seasoning. The result was a flavorful, nourishing soup that took no more than time than chopping a few vegetables and browning some chicken. Mission accomplished.

In a large crockpot, I combined onions, carrots, and chipotle peppers, along with oregano, garlic, and black beans. To add an extra layer of flavor, chicken thighs are browned in a skillet for 2 minutes per side before being nestled into the crockpot. The final step is to add chicken broth, water, and canned tomatoes. Simply turn on the crockpot and let it do its magic.

Rabu, 04 Oktober 2017

Tips For Cooking the Best Crockpot Chicken Meal

Get to know tips to cook a crockpot chicken dish.

Chicken, is one of the most popular poultry item, consumed in every household. You can cook this in a hassle free manner by using a crockpot. The moist interior of this slow cooker lets the meat cook thoroughly and retains all its delicious flavors. Crockpot is a good appliance when you are planning to cook a leisurely meal for your family. You can start your crockpot chicken recipe overnight or early in the morning as it takes a long time (between 6 to 10 hours) to make.

However if you want to simmer that perfect crockpot dish, you have to keep in mind few techniques and tips that are very important. Every appliance has its own characteristic and you need to understand this before using it. This will help your meals turn out to be exactly how you planned it. So, let us discuss these tips for cooking the best crockpot chicken.

Firstly, you should not cook skinless portions of chicken in the crockpot. The skin will help retain the heat and juices inside the chicken while it is being cooked. If the skin is removed then the chicken will become dry and hard. Secondly, you should let the ingredients simmer in the pot for the required amount of time. Lifting off the lid time and again during the process will make the heat and moisture escape. This sets back the cooking time by about 20-30 minutes. Also, since the crockpot uses a low setting to cook, the loss in heat could spoil the dish.

The temperature that you keep the dish at is of utmost importance. The low temperature setting varies between 170 to 200 degrees F and the high setting around 300 degrees F. Whenever you are cooking a crockpot chicken make sure that the heating level goes at least up to 170 degrees, as at this point, any harmful bacteria that is there in the meat will be killed and the dish will be safe for you to eat.

It is ideal to use the leg and thigh portions for cooking a crockpot chicken recipe. These portions come cheap and are very low on any fat. It will serve best as the fat brings about an unpleasant texture in the whole thing. You also need to realize the importance of layering. The layering in a crockpot recipe is the pattern in which you add the ingredients to the pot. Since the vegetables take longer to cook than the chicken, they should be added first. This is to ensure that the vegetables are completely immersed in the liquid, which in turn helps it to cook better. So, when you are making French stew with chicken, add the vegetables first and then the meat pieces.

If you follow all the above tips while cooking your crockpot chicken meal, you will definitely have a finger licking audience for the same. These recipes are very good for your diet and can be combined with different varieties of side dishes like fish fry or grilled prawns, etc. If you want to make this for dinner, then add a rice course with some starters and sugar free dessert (incase anybody in your family has diabetes) to have a complete course!


Senin, 11 September 2017

Easy Apple Butter Recipe and 2 More Delicious Crockpot Recipes

Preparing delicious and long lasting meals is easy when using a Crockpot. Apple butter, apple coconut crisp and apple cranberry compote recipes are 3 great Crockpot recipes. Here are the 3 recipes for you to prepare at home:

1. Apple Butter

This can be made in a slow cooker/Crock Pot or oven at 325 degrees for 3-4 hours.

Ingredients:

- 4 qts. unsweetened applesauce
- 7 C. granulated sugar
- 1-1/3 C. brown sugar
- 5-1/3 T. cider vinegar
- 5-1/3 T. lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon. cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon. allspice
- 1 teaspoon. ground cloves

Directions:

- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker/Crock Pot or roasting pan.
- Cover and cook 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove lid and continue cooking until excess liquid cooks away (turn to low as necessary) Slow Cooker 5-8 hours, oven 3-5 hours Seal mixture in hot jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes approximately 8-10 pints

2. Apple Coconut Crisp

Ingredients:

- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled & coarsely sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butterscotch or caramel ice cream topping (fat-free is fine)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup quick rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Directions:

- In a casserole 1 1/2-quart baking dish that fits in the slow cooker/Crock Pot, combine apples with
coconut, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Drizzle with the ice cream topping.
- Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl with a fork or pastry cutter and sprinkle over apple mixture.
- Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until apples are tender.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

3. Apple Cranberry Compote

Ingredients:

- 6 cooking apples, peeled, slice
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cups port wine
- sour cream , (low fat)

Directions:

- Arrange apple slices and cranberries in slow cooker/Crock Pot.
- Sprinkle sugar over fruit.
- Add orange peel, water and wine. Stir to mix ingredients. Cover, cook on low 4-6 hours, until apples are tender.

Serve warm fruits with the juices, topped with a dab of sour cream. Serves 6.


Senin, 28 Agustus 2017

Crockpot Macaroni Cheese Recipe and 3 More Delicious Crockpot Recipes

I know that a lot of you have at least one of these efficient and time saving appliances hidden away somewhere in your kitchen collecting dust. You probably thought that the Crockpot was just for making soups or stews.

Well, below are some easy to prepare and delicious Crockpot recipes you can try at home:

1. 16 Bean Soup

Ingredients:

- 1 package 16 Bean Soup
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon crushed oregano
- 2 cans no-fat chicken stock
- Additional water to cover
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 3 carrots diced
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 pound turkey Italian sausage sliced
- 2 cans stewed (or diced) tomatoes

Directions:

- Combine first 5 ingredients (liquid should cover mixture by 1"-2") in Crock Pot Cook on high for 2hours.
- Add remaining ingredients and shift cooker to low and cook for additional 3 hours

- For more zing, add cayenne or crushed red pepper when adding second set of ingredients.

Serve as complete meal or over rice.

Freezes well.

2. All Day Crockpot Delight

Ingredients:

- 2-3 lbs. boneless chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 c. flour
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 c. beer
- 1/4 c. flour

Directions:

- Coat beef cubes with the 1/2 cup flour.
- Brown in melted butter.
- Drain off excess fat. In crock pot, combine browned meat with onion, salt, pepper, garlic and beer.
- Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours (all day) until meat is tender.
- Turn control to high.
- Dissolve remaining 1/4 cup flour in small amount of water.
- Stir into meat mixture, cook on high 30-40 minutes.
- Serve with rice and salad.

3. All Day Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

- 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
- 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded sharp Chedder Cheese
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 1 1 /2 cups milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

- Place the cooked macaroni in crockpot that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the remaining ingredients, all except 1 cup of the cheese, mix well.
- Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and then cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours or until the mixture is firm and golden around the edges.
- Do not remove the cover or stir until it has finished cooking.

4. Apple Brown Betty

Ingredients:

- 3 lbs. cooking apples
- 10 slices of bread, cubed (about 4 cups)
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 3/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

- Wash apples, peel, core, cut into eighths; place in bottom on crock.
- Combine bread cubes, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, butter; toss together.
- Place on top of apples in crock. Cover.
- Place crock into outer shell.
- Cook on low setting 2 to 4 hours.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.



Minggu, 13 Agustus 2017

Vegetarian Crockpot Recipes For Tasty Healthy Meals

Cooking vegetarian food using a crockpot is a great idea because the time taken to cook is surprisingly low and the food prepared is both deliciously yummy and nutritious! Vegetarian crockpot recipes have enhanced flavors as compared to ordinary oven-cooked dishes because it is cooked on simmering heat with a lid to cover the pot that helps to keep the flavors and nutrients intact. You can try the following simple vegetarian crockpot recipes to please your loved ones.

A slow cooker is the perfect option for those interested in saving time, consuming less quantity of oil and eating healthy. Vegetarian crockpot recipes are healthier because when cooking, you do not need to add butter or oil as you would when cooking on stoves. Crockpots come with a timer that can keep your food ready and hot even when you are not around. All you need to do is to put in all ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook on simmering heat.

Some Typical Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes:

Preparing stuffed bell peppers with a blend of diced vegetables, tomato sauces and rice - when you bake this dish, the flavors spread uniformly and make the food more appealing in taste and appearance.

    Making cabbage rolls with rice fillings or barley.
    Cooking Italian dishes with beans, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions to make a healthy dish. When you wish to add to zucchini remember to do so at the end so that it does not get overcooked and mushy.
    Spaghetti sauce is best prepared in a slow cooker because the taste improves greatly when cooked over gentle heat for a long time.
    You can also saut multiple vegetables in little oil and place them in a crockpot to cook slowly.
    Chilli recipes are well cooked in crockpots and since it is easy to preserve them in refrigerators you can prepare a large quantity and store it for later consumption.
    Amongst Indian curries, cauliflower and potato curry are vegetarian delights in which you can maybe add coconut milk and cream to make the curry richer.
    Dal or lentils are great for health and cooking it with water and other spices on simmering heat for a few hours can make them tender and aromatic and delightfully tasty when served with carbohydrates.

Easy slow cooker recipes have become increasingly popular because cooking time is less and the preparation process is hassle-free. There are many recipes across the Internet that can work wonders if you are a strict vegetarian. You can try many different combinations with chillies, for instance, corns and black beans. Many cookbooks in the market now contain delicious vegetarian slow cooker recipes for your benefit. When you analyze the health benefits of vegetarian crockpot recipes, you are sure to realize the value of making a slow cooker a staple in your kitchen!


Minggu, 23 Juli 2017

4 Unusual Chicken Crockpot Recipes - Combinations That Will Wow Your Friends and Family

Ah yes, there is nothing more satisfying than coming home from work to find a chicken crockpot recipe slowly cooking away. It fills the room with gorgeous smells and if you are anything like me you absolutely love and simply wouldn't be without your crockpot. The reason for this is simple, it can save you both money and time. You see as far as I am concerned the great thing about a crockpot is that you can throw in some meat and some vegetables and 4-8 hours later out comes a terrific tasting meal.

Chicken really lends itself to being cooked in a crockpot and the great thing is that it goes with so many different flavor combinations and ingredients. The other awesome thing about chicken is its versatility. This means that you can really get creative with it. So with this in mind here are some different things that you can do with the humble chicken and your crockpot, that you may or may not have heard of.

1. Try chicken and fruit combo's - Believe it or not, chicken works really well with fruit, particularly apricots, peaches and pineapple. If you can add a little spice into the mix to make it fruity and zingy at the same time, it will be a match made in heaven.

2. Chicken and Cola - Coke and chicken I hear you say, but actually Cola really does work with chicken! If you add some onions, peppers and ketchup, it makes an awesome sticky sauce that will not only keep the chicken succulent and moist, but will give the dish a lovely sweet sticky flavor

3. Fish and chicken - It is a well known fact.. chicken just loves fish. Try adding shrimp or salt fish with chili peppers, spices, rice, chicken and stock to make an Asian/Thai influenced steamed rice dish. Or alternatively try adding some clams and stock with your rice and chicken to make an awesome jambalaya

4. Chicken and Blue cheese - This is a great flavor combo. The saltiness of the blue cheese works really well against the moistness of the chicken. Try crumbling blue cheese into a sauce of white wine, mustard and cream (or crème fraiche if you're feeling really healthy) and watch as it slowly melts down to create a totally unctuous sauce that is simply divine.

Hopefully this has given you some useful hints and tips when it comes to flavor combo's as these are just four combinations that on the surface, seem a little strange, but in reality really do work. However, don't stop there! Instead it might be really fun to invent some of your own.

Of course if you are not the creative type then stick to the more established recipes such as chicken and gravy or chicken and herb dumplings. Or if you are really health conscious, then there are even some really good healthy chicken recipes out there. Above all have some fun with your slow cooking and be inventive. There are no end of seriously good chicken crockpot recipes available to you. So it is just a case of trying a few out and seeing which ones your family will adore.


Jumat, 07 Juli 2017

Healthy Low Fat Crockpot Recipe That Will Be Chock Full of Flavor

Making the commitment to eat better and make healthier everyday choices in your life can be a tough adjustment. Your taste buds are conditioned to food that has been processed, is high in fat and sodium, and has tons of preservatives. It will take a little time for your body to adjust to this new way of eating. Once it does, you will be amazed at all the delicious foods you can prepare and this includes using a low fat crockpot recipe to make on hectic evenings.

One low fat crockpot recipe you might like to try is Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Vegetables. This delicious low fat crockpot recipe uses allspice and apple butter to give the pork sirloin roast and the heap of fresh vegetables their flavor. Eating this dish will have you in culinary heaven, never missing high fat alternatives.

Another low fat crockpot recipe you may want to prepare which is vegetarian yet hearty and flavorful is Crockpot Barley Casserole. The nutty and chewy taste of barley is delicious and it is good for you too. You can either serve this as a main dish or as a side with some lean protein and a salad.

Crockpot Easy Beef Stew is a simple recipe that uses just five ingredients. It tastes fantastic and is nothing but healthy for you. The ease of preparation makes this low fat crockpot recipe ideal if you haven't much time in the morning to prepare. Using just a few ingredients, you will have your dinner simmering without missing a beat.

To give your taste buds a bit of zest, try Slow Cooker Fajita Stew. You can make your own fajita seasoning mix so you don't have to buy sodium and preservative laden packaged mix in the market. This healthy and flavorful stew is high in vitamin C and proteins and is sure to have your family raving and asking for more.