As the kids are back to school, it’s time to embrace my FAVORITE appliance of all time: the crock-pot.
Even before I had kids, I marveled at this low-wattage miracle device which allowed me to, literally, throw in a bunch of ingredients (2 points if I get the carrots in on the first shot) and after a long day at work, come home to a hot, delicious meal. Even if I had errands or chores (shoveling, for example), the food usually didn’t burn and if it did, it wasn’t a lot. I’d walk in to a house so fragrant, one would swear someone had been cooking all day just for my pleasure.
Now that I have kids and a husband who works long hours, I still rely on the crock-pot for its simplicity and convenience. The devices are fairly inexpensive (in the $20 to $150 range) and the one I have has a 4-quart capacity which is perfect for my family. To learn more about choosing a slow-cooker, visit About.com. Also, since I’m a renowned culinary disaster (seriously, my picture is up in kitchens all over the world), I redeem myself with this appliance.
Here’s my favorite recipe I make once a week since my husband and son love it so much:
Turkey Chili
I make this at least once a week in the winter because my son loves it and it freezes well. Come to think of it, most of the crock-pot dishes I make freeze well…
Ingredients:
1-1/2 to 2 pounds of ground turkey
2- 15.5 cans of drained black beans
1- 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (I’d use diced tomatoes, but the boy can’t stand tomato chunks.)
1 or 2 packages of chili mix (depending on how spicy I want it)
1 40 oz. can of drained red kidney beans
Directions:
1. Spray the inside of the pot with cooking spray.
2. Add all ingredients and set on the Low setting to cook for about 8 hours.
3. Stir periodically.
Variations: I’ve added some canned corn and frozen chopped spinach, served it over brown rice, and thrown a tablespoon or two of sour cream and diced Mexican cheese on top just for fun. To stretch it, add a can of Hormel chili.
For more crock-pot recipes, visit the following sites:
CookingLight.com – Here’s the link to a whopping 105 slow-cooker recipes.
Spoonful.com – This link has 30 recipes
Chef-In-Training.com – Nikki lists 50 recipes here
CrockpotLadies.com – They list an Apple Pie Moonshine that sounds compelling. Their link is here.
About.com – Linda Larsen has a great article on 5-ingredient recipes here.
Foodnetwork.com – Probably the best cooking site for cooking. Their Slow Cooker Collection can be found here.
Bon appetit!
This is an original post for JerseyMomsBlog by L. Klonsky who can also be found at Moms Crayon and Is It Hot in Here, Menopause, Motherhood and More.
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