Nana's Spaghetti Sauce

This past Thursday I hosted quite a distinguished guest at my home: my mother!  And, knowing that the next item on my crockpot recipe list was my Nana's (her mother's) spaghetti sauce, she offered to put her expertise in that area to work.  She showed up at my home while I was at work and made the sauce in my crockpot during the day!  And, as a wonderful surprise, I arrived home from work to an absolutely delicious, homecooked supper.  I love you, Mom!

I'm most excited to share this recipe because it is one of my direct ties to my Nana, who unfortunately passed away before I was born.  When my Mom makes this sauce, it brings back her own memories of her mom making it -- even though she tells me it's really her sister who taught her how to make it (thanks Aunt D!) -- and I feel like I can share them with her.  It really feels like it brings us all together.  It's amazing and wonderful how food can do that for us, isn't it?

Nana's Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:
2 29-oz cans of tomato puree
3 15-oz cans of tomato sauce
2 18-oz cans of tomato paste
1 12-oz can of tomato paste
1 12-oz can of water
1+ tablespoon parmesan cheese (i.e., a heaping tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (add more for a real kick)
1 teaspoon minced onions
Salt & pepper
4 Splenda packets (can use Sweet'n'Low or Equal instead)

1. Heat 5- or 6-qt crockpot on HIGH.

2. Put all ingredients in the crockpot in the order listed above.  The dry ingredients should be spread over the top of the combination of sauce/puree/paste.  When you get to salt and pepper, sprinkle over the top to taste.  Put the Splenda (i.e., artificial sweetener) on top last.

3. Mix well initially so all the ingredients blend together thoroughly.  Cook on HIGH for 4 hours.  The sauce will bubble so keep it covered!  (My Mom left the top off for much of the cooking -- which doesn't make a difference cooking-wise -- but which created quite a mess on my counter tops and cabinet doors!  Thanks for that, Mom. :)  Stir occasionally as the sauce is cooking so it doesn't get stuck to the bottom.

That's it!  Super easy and super yummy.  It has a little bit of a kick to it with the 3/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, but we in my family have fairly weak abilities to stomach heat.  So for you spice-lovers, I recommend upping the amount of crushed red pepper flakes you add.  Try not to use crushed or diced or stewed tomatoes -- the sauce is intended to be smooth, not chunky.  If you like chunky sauce, though, I imagine that you could alter the tomato types added that create the base of the sauce.  There is a lot of room for flexibility with this recipe!  Finally, if you don't have the time or opportunity to stir the sauce occasionally while it's cooking, you should be able to cook it on LOW for 6-7 hours instead.  This should hopefully help take care of the sticking problem.


We ate the sauce with cooked spiraled pasta and homemade meatballs.  It really goes well with all kinds of pasta (I have memories growing up of eating it with spaghetti and ziti, in particular), and -- in my mind -- it pairs wonderfully with meat such as meatballs, Italian sweet or hot sausage, and pork.  I always add a little extra parmesan cheese to my dish, but my Mom is always quick to remind me that there is already parmesan cheese in the sauce.  (It tastes good either way, if you ask me!) :)

I hope you enjoy this sauce as much as my family does.  Who knows, maybe you can add your own twist to it and pass it on to future generations in your family one day!  Enjoy!

Beef Stew . . . So Meaty!

Thank you, Joel McHale, for keeping me entertained on The Soup and for just plain being awesome.  Because I am watching DVR'd episodes of The Soup as I write this entry, I officially dedicate it to you!

Today I tried out my first beef stew recipe in my crockpot and I must admit, it was pretty darn tasty!  Not the easiest recipe (unfortunately it's not one of those simple "chop and drop" recipes), but I would venture to say that it's worth the extra effort.  And it's perfect for days like today -- where the snow and the ice just won't stay away!  (I did not mean for that to rhyme and as I realize it rhymed I can't help but think about how Joel would tear me apart for it!)

Speaking of which, I just got to the Brad Womack cameo on last week's episode.  "I'm the Bachelor, bitch!"  "Damn you, Brad Womack! Damn you!"  LOVE.

Okay, so, to the recipe, courtesy of my lovely crockpot cookbook gifted to me by the lovely R&E!

Beef Stew with Bacon, Onion and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 can (about 14 ounces) beef broth
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
(**You can substitute 12 to 13 ounces of carrots or white potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks**)
1 large onion, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
2 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 handfuls of baby carrots (this was my own personal addition to the recipe)

1. Coat 4.5-quart crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.  My crockpot is 5 quarts and I had no problems.  Combine beef, broth, potatoes (I used small red potatoes, which I washed and halved), onion, bacon, thyme, salt and pepper in crockpot.  I omitted the thyme because I couldn't find any in my pantry.  I put the meat -- both the beef and the bacon -- into the pot uncooked.  I know this is kind of a faux pas, as the fat from the meat thus cooks into the food, but it really made everything delicious and hey, you only live once!  Also, I used 3 pieces of thick-cut bacon instead of 2; the package in the fridge had 3 pieces left and I couldn't bare to see that lone piece of bacon sitting in the fridge all by itself. :)  Cover; cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH 4 to 5 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

2. Transfer beef and vegetables with slotted spoon to serving bowl.  Cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Turn crockpot to HIGH.  Mine was already on HIGH so I assume this instruction is for people who cooked everything on LOW.  Combine cornstarch and water until smooth.  I did so in a separate small bowl.  You have to stir it thoroughly or else the cornstarch will clump on the bottom.  Stir into juices.  Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  I cooked it for about 20-25 minutes.  Return beef and vegetables to crockpot.  Heat 15 minutes or until warm.

That's it!  I made drop biscuits to go with the stew and they were quite delicious.  I used the recipe on the Reduced Fat Bisquick box -- 1 1/2 cups of Reduced Fat Bisquick plus 1/2 cup skim milk.  Combine and drop the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.  Cook at 450 degrees (preheat your oven) for 7 to 9 minutes or until golden brown.

Overall, I would definitely make this stew again.  I found that the red potatoes worked well as a stand-in for the sweet potatoes.  The broth of the stew had a bit of a bacon flavor, but that could be because of the extra piece of bacon I added.  I imagine that adding the thyme next time around will only make things better.  The only thing with this recipe is that you have to be around and actively watching the pot during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking time.  So it's not one of those "ready when you get home from work" recipes.

Next up: my mom's spaghetti sauce with meatballs!  A family recipe like no other.  Can't wait!

Snap Crackle & Pop . . . in the Crockpot!

Can we say easy peezy lemon squeezy?

Because that's my new motto.  My new crockpot is amazing.  It can do everything!  Bread, chili (in theory), chicken, pancakes and now rice krispies treats!  Unbelievable.  I'm starting to think it has a mind of its own that helps it accomplish everything and more.  I mean, it definitely has will power and a positive "can do" attitude.  Come to think of it, this crockpot is an inspiration.  It could be an international figurehead of success.  The epitome of The American Dream.  A "nation builder"!  Something that all of man- and woman-kind could look up to!

Okay, well, maybe not, I mean, maybe I'm getting a little carried away.  But my point remains the same: my crockpot is a freaking miracle worker and I can't get enough of it.  Which brings us to my next point -- I made rice krispies treats in my crockpot!  And they were good!  And because I hope you can enjoy them too, here's the recipe!


Rice Krispies Treats in the Crockpot (courtesy of crockpot365.blogspot.com)

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons of butter (do not use the fake stuff, it will affect the taste of your treats)
6 cups of Rice Krispies (the cereal)
1 bag of fresh marshmallows (about 40 big ones)

1.  Put butter in a pre-heated (on HIGH) crockpot.  I melted the butter in the microwave first and then put it in the pot.

2.  Put the entire bag of marshmallows on top of the melted butter in the pot.

3.  Put the Rice Krispies cereal on top of the marshmallows.


 4.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour.  Give it an extra 20-30 minutes if you need it.  Mine cooked for about 1 hour and 15 minutes and it was perfect.

5.  By this point, the marshmallows will have melted.  You will be able to tell this by lifting the lid off of the pot.  Take the pot off the heat and, using a big spoon, mix everything in the pot together.

6.  Transfer the mixed-together marshmallow-cereal mix to a prepared 9"x11" pan or pyrex.  I think "prepared" means lightly greased, so that's what I did.  You can use Reynolds Wrap or wax paper to press the mixture down into the pan.  I used a wooden spoon and it worked just fine.  (I also used a 9"x9" pan because I made slightly less than a full batch.)  I noticed that my marshmallow mixture was a light brown/tan color and not white.  I think that's from the cooking of the marshmallows with the butter.  Although I can't be sure (I'm not really a scientist or much of a cook/baker).  But the color of the treats did not affect their taste, which is the important thing in my mind, so bon appetit!

7.  Let it cool completely before cutting it into squares.

Ta-da!  That's it.  Super easy, right?  And sans mess!  I mean, usually you have to cook the marshmallows on the stove in a pot, and there's sticky gooeyness as it's cooking, and it's a mess, and with the crockpot, you literally drop everything in the pot and wait till it's done.  The only part that sucked was cleaning the crockpot afterwards.  I had to use a metal spoon to get the overcooked marshmallow pieces unstuck from the bottom of the pot . . . yuck.  But I'll admit that it was worth the hassle.  Simply simple and simply tasty.  Mmmm . . . enjoy!

BTW - Duke lost today.  Big time.  Not that that means anything for my rice krispies treats recipe, but still . . . it's great news worth sharing! :)

Crockpot Pancakes FTW

Picture a pancake.  I'm talking about the perfect kind that diners get right every time and that are so freaking hard to replicate at home.  You know -- light golden brown on both sides, about a quarter of an inch to a half an inch thick, about 5 to 6 inches in diameter.  Soft.  Fluffy.  Perfectly stackable.  Mmm.  Now tweak that picture in your mind a little bit.  Instead of a half an inch thick, think about 2 inches.  Instead of 6 inches across, make it about 8.  Kind of like a pancake-cake.  Still fluffy but a little more dense and a lot more substance to it.  A little lighter in color but still a nice, light brown.


Enter, crockpot pancake!  I made it this morning for a brunch I hosted and it came out perfectly -- so much better than I expected!  Although to be honest, I didn't really know what to expect.  All the recipes I found were very loose and really left a lot of room for creativity (i.e., a lot of room to screw up).  So although my fingers were crossed that something good would emerge from my crockpot, I really had no idea what was going to happen.  Lucky for me, crockpot pancakes are super easy and uber delicious!!  I really should call it a "crockpot pancake" instead of "crockpot pancakes" because it comes out like a pancake-cake, in the singular.  After it's done, you slice it into pieces (kind of like a pound cake) and serve it just like you would regular pancakes -- with butter, a fruit garnish and/or maple syrup.  SO YUMMY!  Here's the recipe:


Crockpot Pancake Recipe

Ingredients:
Pancake ingredients (I used Reduced Fat Bisquick, skim milk and eggs.)

1.  Make pancake batter like you would for stove-top pancakes.  (In other words, follow the recipe on the Bisquick box or be like Alton Brown and make them from scratch.)

2.  Grease inside of crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.  As usual, I used EVOO cooking spray.

3.  Pour all of the batter into the greased crockpot.  Cook on HIGH for 2 hours.  When toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, it's done.  The edges will be browned by then (it's totally normal for them to be a much darker brown than the rest of the pancake) and the batter will have fully solidified.

That's it!  It's super easy and super delicious.  Wait about 10 minutes for it to cool, then remove it from the crockpot and place it on a plate.  Serve while warm.  It's perfect for brunch parties or your everyday breakfast.  Enjoy!

Crockpot chili : epic failure :: Clemson men's basketball : losing at the Dean Dome.

Thought I'd start tonight's post with a bit of sentential calculus and Carolina basketball trivia.  All in anticipation of tonight's game at Miami.  This is kind of a must-win for us . . . GO HEELS!

Okay, back to the actual point of this blog: my crockpot adventures!  And boy do I have a doozy of a story.  Monday night I was filled with excitement and inspiration and decided to make my very first batch of crockpot chili.  A seemingly excellent idea, no?  Ha.  Man, was I wrong.  Very very wrong.

But I digress.

The Plan: (1) Brown the ground beef, chop all the vegetables & add all of the canned goods to the ceramic pot Monday night; (2) Place pot in the fridge overnight; (3) Remove pot from fridge and set on counter before leaving for the gym before work Tuesday morning (don't want to "shock the pot" temperature-wise); and (4) Put in crockpot heating basin before leaving for work and cook on LOW for 10 hours.  The End Goal: a beautifully slow cooked and delicious meal of beef chili ready for my eager consumption by the time I got home from work Tuesday night.

Unfortunately, not all went as planned.  I mean, I have to admit that I'm still a bit perplexed.  When I came home at lunch to let the dogs out, the house smelled awesome.  In anticipation of a delicious meal, I pulled the top off and tasted a tiny bit of the chili.  (I know that goes against the cardinal "open the oven door/crockpot lid before you're done cooking and you'll ruin the food" rule, but I couldn't help myself!  It smelled so good!)  The chili looked good but was a little bland.  So I added a little more chili powder and some salt, and went back to work.  When I got home around 6 pm, I was psyched -- it was like I walked in the door and the amazing aroma wafting from my crockpot was calling to me -- "Dinner's ready, dear!  Come and get it!"

Well, come and get it I did.  And come and get it I now wish I didn't.  YUCK.  The chili was a little bitter, a little bland, and - well - tasted nothing like it smelled.  I'm starting to think the smell was a figment of my imagination, planted in my mind to torture me for something.  I really don't understand it.  It looked fabulous!  It smelled fabulous!  It was warm and bubbly, the perfect consistency and temperature, perfectly cooked . . .  or so I thought.  Ugh.  Such a disaster!

To my credit, I followed The Plan to a T.  To the recipe's credit, I did not follow the recipe to a T.  I didn't stray much, though, and -- call it stubborn pride (no idea where I get that from, DAD) -- I find it hard to believe that what I did change could have ruined the recipe.  Regardless, I wanted to post the recipe so that anyone reading this who so wished would know what recipe NEVER TO FOLLOW, EVER IN THE WHOLE WORLD, NO MATTER WHAT.  Consider yourself warned!

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
2 16-oz cans of kidney beans, rinsed & drained
2 14.5-oz cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 8-oz can of tomato sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese & sour cream (as a garnish)

In a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain.  Transfer to the crockpot.  Add the next 9 ingredients.  Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.  Garnish individual servings with cheese and sour cream if desired.

I repeat -- DO NOT USE THIS RECIPE.  Here's what I changed.  Some of the reviews said to add celery.  I did not do so.  (This is chili, not a soup.  Why would I need 2/3 of the ingredients in a mirepoix?  Riddle me this.)  I also added half of a beer -- some of the best lager in the world: Yuengling.  I let the pot -- with all of the ingredients inside -- sit overnight before cooking it the next day (in accordance with The Plan).  That's it; that is the extent of my changes.  And it was GROSS.

For what it's worth, if I were to improve upon this recipe, I would add less beef, a jalapeno pepper, a little more salt, a full beer, and less (if any) tomato sauce.  I would also maybe add a little hot sauce and/or a pinch of red pepper flakes.  But I won't be using this recipe again, so we probably don't have to worry about that.

So, the lesson learned is . . . sometimes crockpot chili recipes suck.  When I get back on the crockpot chili horse, I will be sure to ask around for good recipes first.  Till then . . . no chili for me!

Next up: crockpot pancakes and crockpot rice krispie treats.  YUM!

**Got a request for a crockpot creation?  Post a comment or e-mail me and I'll do my best to try it out and get some results up ASAP!

Cheap & Easy! (Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Potatoes, that is!)

I made a super easy and quite delicious chicken dinner in my crockpot tonight and absolutely could not refrain from sharing the recipe!  I got the recipe from an internet posting of a 2009 Southern Living magazine recipe.  And the ingredients all came from either my pantry or my freezer.  That's right - this meal didn't cost me a cent to make today!  If I were to buy the ingredients, they would've easily been less than $15 in total.  Fifteen dollars to feed a family of 4.  Crazy!!  And, to top it all off, it was SO EASY.  I "chopped and popped" my food in the crockpot in under 15 minutes today at lunch and proceeded to pass out on my couch with the shades drawn, suffering from a terrible migraine.  (Ugh.)  Fortunately, by the time my medication started to work and my migraine was gone, my dinner was ready.  And all I had to do was serve and eat!  Doesn't get simpler than that!

Recipe for Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 medium onion
4 medium-size new potatoes (about 1 lb.)
2 cups baby carrots
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 teaspoon paprika
6 skinned, bone-in chicken thighs

**I used 4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken thighs and it's hard for me to believe that the taste was effected much because it was so good!  I also used chicken broth instead of white wine, I omitted the dried thyme (couldn't find any in the pantry) and I used only 3 medium-sized potatoes instead of 4.

1. Halve onion lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.  Cut potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices.   Place onion in a lightly greased 6-quart slow cooker; top with potatoes and carrots.  I used EVOO cooking spray to grease the pot and I have a 5-quart slow cooker -- it was the perfect size.

2. Combine broth, next three ingredients, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Pour over vegetables. Make sure you mix the broth mixture thoroughly before pouring it over the vegetables.  I thought I had mixed it enough but the salt didn't dissolve entirely so I had some soft clumps of salt ... it didn't noticeably effect the taste, but next time I will make sure to mix it better!


3. Combine paprika and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; rub over chicken.  (I didn't mix them together but instead put them on the chicken separately for convenience sake; I don't see how mixing them together first would make much of a difference.)  Arrange chicken on top of vegetables.

4. Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours or until chicken is done and vegetables are tender.  I think 6 hours is for fresh chicken.  I cooked for just under 7 hours on LOW and the chicken was fall-apart tender.  Yum!

Bon appetit!

And so it begins.

Hello friends and family who have indulged me by visiting my new blog!  

It's hard for me to believe that I actually got around to creating this, but this week, for good reason, has found me particularly inspired.  Two of my dearest friends, R & E, gifted me one of the loveliest and most thoughtful of all lovely and thoughtful gifts: a brand new 5-qt crockpot!  In addition, knowing my affinity for step-by-step instructions (yes, I admit that's a little weird), they wisely accompanied their gift with a book of basic crockpot recipes.  I am a lucky girl to have such wonderful friends!

As a result of their wonderfulness, I have delved deeper into the world of crockpot cooking than I ever knew I could.  And what a world it is!  My inaugural crockpot creation was banana walnut bread.  I mean, who actually figured you could cook bread in a crockpot?!  Let's see -- spaghetti sauce?  Yes.  Soup?  Obviously.  Chili?  Um, duh.  But bread??  In a pot??  No way.  But alas -- yes way!  And man, is it outta-this-world delicious!

And so, my first blog post has inspired my first shared recipe.  All I can say is -- this one's a keeper!  Deeeeeelish!

Ingredients:

½ cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

2 tablespoons dark corn syrup

3 ripe bananas, well mashed

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

 

1. Grease and flour inside of slow cooker.  The recipe calls for a 4.5-qt slow cooker but my 5-qt one worked perfectly.  For a 5-, 6- or 7-qt slow cooker, you can always double the recipe.  To grease my slow cooker, I used EVOO cooking spray.

2. Cream butter in large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly add sugar, eggs, corn syrup and mashed bananas. Beat until smooth.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small bowl.  Slowly beat flour mixture into creamed mixture.  Add the walnuts and mix thoroughly.  Pour into slow cooker.  Cover; cook on HIGH 2 to 3 hours.

4. Let cool, then turn bread onto serving platter.

Banana Walnut Bread

I cooked mine on HIGH for about 2 hours and 10 minutes and it came out perfectly.  I used a toothpick to check if it was done.  I then removed the ceramic pot from my slow cooker and let it cool for almost 30 minutes.  Then I flipped it over and the bread transferred perfectly to a serving plate.  This recipe freezes well so you can always make extra loaves and freeze them for later, or you can cut your bread into individual pieces and wrap & freeze them individually in order to better control your portions!  Or, of course, you can always do what I did -- eat it fresh!  YUM!

A piece? For me? Yes, please.

My next entry will entail my first crockpot disappointment.  I'm calling it the "worst crockpot chili recipe in the world" disaster.  Oy.  But, on the bright side, I'm learning that crockpot cooking is a lot like dating -- the more recipes you try, the more you realize what you don't like in a crockpot recipe.  Here's hoping finding the perfect recipe is a little easier than finding the perfect man!  :)