Slow cooker / Crockpot beginner, please help

[Anonymous]

Hi!

I've had one of these for YEARS and it does a very good job sitting patiently in my back cupboard.javascript:emoticon('');

…...Ok I just stopped typing and got it out and it's now on the counter and wow is it dusty. After I write this post I'm going to wash it down. I really want to make this thing happen. The idea that I can put something in there in the morning and just serve it up at dinnertime sounds like a dream.

I bought a couple of recipe books that you see when you get in line at the supermarket, but they look pretty unhealthy. I also saved a Real Simple magazine article with recipes, but I am not kidding you there was nothing simple about it--20+ ingredients and stages of cooking.

I just want something healthy, fairly simple….like a good chicken vegetable or beef vegetable soup, or chicken and potatoes, or you know, stuff like that-….that I don't have to do any crazy extra steps with (or maybe one extra step but not four).

If you have any recipes or ideas you would like to share, or books, or links….just recommendations, I'd really appreciate it.
Thank you!

[Anonymous]

I have been amazed to see the boom in slow cooker cookbooks at B & N. There are some really good ones now. If I were you I would browse there for a book you like, and check out the library, too.

[Anonymous]

The recipe booklet that comes with the Cuisinat is actually not a bad place to start. It is available online.

http://www.cuisinart.com/share/pdf/manuals/csc-650_recipe.pdf

One word of warning about slow cooker recipes: Slow cooker recipes made by good chefs often still call for a lot of browning and prep work done on a stove. They taste good and allow you to slow cook while you are at work, but they're not magically simple. The magically simple recipes, on the other hand, are often kind of terrible and poorly written. There are some genuinely simple recipes that taste great, but it takes a while to weed through the junk.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

we love the slow cooker creole chicken, recipe on Allrecipes. Not really creole, but is really tasty. Make a big thing of it on Sunday, and then shred it up for tacos or enchiladas later in the week.

You can also make a pretty decent adobo chicken in the slow cooker.

Careful with chicken, though...breasts are done best on high for 4-5 hours to prevent drying out, instead of on low for 8 hours. boneless skinless chicken thighs are a thing of genius, though, and it's much harder to hurt them in the slow cooker.

[Anonymous]

You might try this one. I checked it out of the library and thought it was terrific, and the recipes were not complicated or requiring lots of ingredients:

http://www.amazon.com/Slow-Cooker-Suppers-Stephanie-ODea/dp/1118230817

The author road tested all of the recipes with her family for a year. Lots of healthy meals. I bought it for my sister because my niece has celiac disease and all of the recipes include gluten-free variations.

[Anonymous]

I got the Slow Cooker Revolution cookbook for Christmas last year and love it. Granted, some things do take quite a bit of prep, sauteeing ahead of time, etc. But, dang, those are some really delicious recipes.

I often will do my slow cooker recipes on the weekends since I haven't found many recipes that I love that can handle a full workday in the crockpot. Sometimes I'll do a slowcooker recipe in the evening and reheat it for dinner the next night.

I agree with the suggestion to look at some cookbooks in the library and see if anything appeals. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Ok I've downloaded the cuisinart, bought the slow cooker suppers, bought a couple of slow cooker paleo books on amazon (re B&N comment) and I'll go to all recipes.com now. So not a bad start! Now to go wash the thing…

If anyone has a recipe they like and wants to post it, I'll try it!

[Anonymous]

Beef barbecue sandwiches -- get a brisket and ut to fit in one layer in the crockpot.

Put a layer of sliced onions on the bottom of the pot. Salt and pepper the brisket and place fat side up in the pot. Cover with your favorite barbecue sauce. Cook 8 - 10 hours on low.

Take beef out and put on cutting board. Remove onions with tongues and set aside.

Cut off all visible fat, shred beef with two forks and return to pot. Stir around with the sauce until it's all moist.

Serve with rolls, onions, and cole slaw on the side. Mmmmm ...

[Anonymous]

Ugh -- "remove onions with TONGS!"

[Anonymous]

I'm sure I've posted this before, but it is a favorite in our house.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork butt
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
1 packet taco seasoning (make your own to avoid the weird ingredients)
12-16 oz jar of salsa

put it all in the pot in the order listed. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (longer if really full pot, shorter if not as full). My slow cooker switches to warm when the time is up, so this works really well on a workday with sports after. 10 minutes of prep and dinner is just 5 minutes from the table when we walk in the door.

Shred chicken. Serve over rice (cooked in rice cooker w/ a timer) or in burritos, topped with shredded cheese and/or sour cream. Makes enough for dinner and several lunches.

Stephanie O'Dea has a website with most, if not all, of her recipes. I've had mixed results with them though.

[Anonymous]

For ease of cooking and cooking all day, I've found pork is a great choice. Why - because shredded or chunks is a great way to eat pork.

The easiest recipe of all is throw a piece of pork (butt, shoulder, even the tenderloin, though it will cook faster) in the slow cooker with a chopped onion. THen dump in a bunch of Mojo Criollo. It's a hispanic marinade that is amazing - find it in either in the international aisle or with other marinades. Cook for however long you need (4-8+ hours) and YUM. Perfect over rice, or in a taco.

[Anonymous]

Another favorite easy is to put a turkey breast in the slow cooker, cut up some onions and maybe carrots and celery, put water in the bottom (like 1-2 cups) then dump an onion soup mix on top. Easy and tasty.

[Anonymous]

OP here: Jotting down recipes now; thank you. Re 10:31 PP, how long do I cook the turkey and low or high?
Thank you

[Anonymous]

I second the Stephanie O'Dea/Year of Slow Cooking recommendation.

This is ridiculously simple and surprisingly tasty recipe:

Get a cheap cut of beef. Buy a tall jar of peperoncini. Put the beef in the slow-cooker. Drain & rinse the peperoncini & dump it in on top of the beef. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the crock pot by about 1/4 inch. I usually try to get it started on high (like while I'm in the shower & getting dressed) and then turn it down to low before I leave for work.

When you're ready to eat dinner, shred the beef with a fork, take the stems off the peppers, and serve over rice.

[Anonymous]

I've had good luck with a number of recipes from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook." Slow cooking involves some trial and error. Some slow cookers tend to run hot, so if you have one of those, you'll need to reduce cooking times or you'll end up with an overcooked mess. Generally, the more prep you do, like browning meats or sauteeing veggies, the better your finished product will be. The trick is finding a happy medium between the typical "dump in a few cans of this or that and forget about it for 12 hours" type recipes which often are not that appetizing, and the ultra-gourmet, 20 ingredients and a lot extra steps recipes which taste great but are not all that convenient if you're not at home to tend to them. There's a Corsican Chicken recipe on Taste of Home's website that is excellent. You'd never know it was made in a slow cooker. Good luck and have fun experimenting!