Slow Cooker Baked Bean Round-Up

I blinked, and now it's July. It's full-on summer mode in our house, which means that any sort of schedule or sense of parental control has gone completely out the window. I was good for about a week --- I kept the TV off between 10 and 4 and we were outside more than in, and the kids were cooperating with me and each other.

it was blissful.

and then it ended.

I now have a sore throat from all the yelling...

We're trying to camp as many weekends as we can this summer. We're  not doing anything spectacular -- just staying close to home and testing out different campgrounds within an hour or two from the house. We are the proud new owners of a tiny pop-up tent trailer, and we love it. I must admit that I'm not the best camper in the world, but I'm really trying to get better. I love the idea of unplugging for a bit here and there, and I think it's important for the kids to get dirty and not freak out when they come across bugs. I'm acutely aware that I'm raising three girls, and am trying my hardest to expose them to as much as I can and foster self-sufficiency.

the best part of the pop-up? It has outlets. For the crockpot(s). A bit of comfort from home is not a bad thing, right?

Top 10 Baked Bean Recipes:

1. Bourbon Baked Beans

2. Potluck Beans

3. Boston Baked Beans

4. Lima Bean Casserole Cassoulet

5. Mexican Black Beans

6. Honey Lentils

7. Cowboy Beans

8. Barbecue Beans and Weenies

9. Baked Beans with Jalapeño and Apple

10. Baked Bean Soup

Have a wonderful and safe Fourth of July. Enjoy your family!!

other stuff:
 * lots of giveaways are happening on the Giveaway page!
* I wrote a freelance article on Potty Training for the What to Expect website
* there's nothing here. I just felt like I needed three asterisks. 



 

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Slow Cooker Hearty Lima Bean Soup

Stop! Don't run away! Lima beans are good for you, and I promise this soup tastes nothing like the watery pile of pale lima beans you were served as a kid.

This is super good soup ---- I had high expectations of packing up tupperwares to share with my parents and grandma and instead ate all the leftovers myself for lunch three days in a row.

A batch fed my family of 5 and then there was enough for 3 lunches -- it makes a lot, and is filling without being overly heavy. I used Aidell's chicken and apple sausage for the meat, and this meat provided the only oil or fat, making this a very lean and packed-with-fiber meal.

The Ingredients.
serves 8


1 pound of soaked lima beans, drained (for quick soak: boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and leave covered for 1 hour.)
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 head (about 10 cloves) garlic, peeled (ok to leave cloves whole)
1 (28-ounce) can diced or plum tomatoes with basil
1 (28-ounce) can water (fill empty tomato can with water, then dump into crockpot)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 (12-ounce) package chicken and apple sausage, diced (or about 2 cups diced ham)
salt to taste (I used about 1 teaspoon kosher salt)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I used the Ninja. Place the drained lima beans into your cooker, and add the onion and garlic. Dump in the tomatoes, then rinse the can into the pot. Add paprika, and stir in the sausage. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans are fully soft.
Use a handheld immersion blender to naturally thicken the broth by blending some of the beans and tomatoes. This also helps distribute the flavor and squish up the garlic cloves. If you don't have a handheld blender, you can scoop out a cup or so of the beans and smash them with a large fork or blend in a traditional blender, then stir them back into the pot.
Salt to taste.
Serve as-is, or with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

The Verdict.

Man, I loved this soup. I had the lima bean package in the back of the cabinet for a while, and figured I'd cook them with a ham hock, but never got around to doing so. I happily ate the leftovers for lunch out of a large mug, and look forward to making it again so I can share with my extended family. It's a cheap dinner, tastes great, is filling, low in fat, and as any preschooler would know, lima beans keep you from getting A Bad Case of The Stripes.  :-)  
 Win-win-win-win-win!

last few articles from Totally Together:
It's Okay to Be Different
Making and Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions
Read Me When You're Having a Bad Day

Happy March!!

are you getting ready for St. Patrick's Day?!

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Slow Cooker Super Bowl Food

The Super Bowl lends itself to slow cooker food.  No matter if you're cooking at home, or bringing a potluck item to share to a party --- this list has got you covered.

Sandwiches. They make everyone happy, can be eaten easily on your lap, and these recipes can feed a good 12 people or so. I use gluten free hoagie rolls (Udi's makes some, as does Against The Grain).

Italian Beef Sandwiches
Peperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Barbecued Pulled Pork
French Dip
Philly Cheesesteak
Loose Meat
Beef and Bean
Portobello Mushroom (for the veggies!)





Dips. No, not your cousin Howard.  I'm talking cheesey, gooey, hot, drip-down-your-face dips. The more, the better!

Taco Dip
Not-too-spicy Bean Dip
Sausage, Cream Cheese, and Rotel (mommy crack)
Super Duper Garlic Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Crab Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip


 
Meatballs and Little Smokies Hotdogs. These are party staples!
 
Meatballs in Peanut Curry Sauce
Apple, Cheddar, and Turkey Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs in Cranberry BBQ Sauce
Not Your Mother's Meatballs
2 Little Smokies Recipes (grape jelly & chili sauce and big barbecue)
Barbecue Beans and Weenies






and then there is CHILI.
we've made a lot of chili these past 5 years!

21 Ingredient Chili
Pizza Chili
Enchilada Chili
Meat Lover's (low carb) Chili
Traditional Chili
White Chili
 Sweet Potato Chili
Clean Out the Pantry Chili
Black Eyed Pea Chili

and just in case this isn't enough ---- here are the absolute favorite potluck recipes. 

Have a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday!

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Black Eyed Pea Chili in the Slow Cooker

2012 is practically over which means it's been nearly 5 years since I had my first bowl of Black Eyed Peas. I wasn't impressed.

I've grown a lot since then. 

We've eaten black eyed peas every single New Year ever since, and I can't imagine ringing in another January 1st without them. This year's edition has a twist, though, since I continue to get emails from people complaining that black eyed peas taste like dirt.

I know what they mean --- there's definitely an "earthy" flavor, and while soaking helps, there's really no denying that these beans taste rather BEAN-Y.

So, I've tried my hardest to mask that earthy component by turning these lucky little guys into a chili. And it's a pretty darn good chili, if I do say so myself. 
While I type, I've got 2/3 of my kids eating bowlfuls and they are making yummy noises. Adam's not home yet, but I'm pretty sure he'll eat not only his bowl but the unattended serving.

Have an absolutely wonderful (and SAFE!) New Year.

Need party drinks? My friend Jen, the cocktail lady, has got you covered!!

The Ingredients.
serves 8


1 pound dry black eyed peas, soaked overnight and drained
1 pound lean ground meat, browned and drained
1 onion, peeled, chopped, and browned
4 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped, and browned
28 ounces diced tomatoes (and juice!)
1 (15-ounce) can corn (and juice!)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (and maybe more at the table to taste)
2 cups beef broth

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet on the stovetop (I used the Ninja) brown the meat, onion, and garlic. Drain any accumulated fat, and put the meat mixture into your slow cooker. Add soaked and drained beans.  [note: if you don't have time to presoak the beans, bring them to a boil on the stovetop for 10 minutes, then turn of heat and cover. Let sit for one hour, then drain.]

Add the entire cans of tomato and corn. Stir in dried spices and the beef broth. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until beans are bite tender and flavors have melded. Serve with your favorite chili toppings. We used shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and some avocado slices.

The Verdict.

I really really liked this, and think you will, too. The chili flavor is mild, and there isn't any heat. If you like heat, I'd suggest tweaking at the table with some Tabasco, because the tang from the Tabasco is awesome with black eyed peas. My kids did well, and liked that I included corn, because it reminded them of Taco Soup.

other stuff:
--start 2013 off on the right foot with a copy of my Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life planner. We're giving away 5 copies this week!
--Hoppin' John Recipe
--Black Eyed Pea Soup


Have a wonderful New Year!!

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Lentil Minestrone Soup Recipe

I had a cold last week. I'm better now, but there were a few days there when I was pretty much certain that I was going to choke to death on my own snot. 

(lovely, just lovely, steph...)

Anyway. I really wanted a soup to soothe my throat and to make me feel loved and taken care of. Since I'm home during the day with an almost-three-year-old, there wasn't anybody available to make me soup, so I did it myself (I promise I washed my hands really well first!).

But by the time it was finished cooking, I was back to bed, and was served ---- complete with a Thomas the Tank spoon.

I love my family.

and you'll love this soup. It's easy to throw together, uses household staples, and freezes and reheats VERY well. I kept it vegetarian, but Adam suggests I throw in a hambone next time. Sliced smoked sausage would be awesome, too.

If you'd like a soupier soup, add more broth 30 minutes or so before serving.



The Ingredients.
serves 6


2 cups lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (with juice!)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups hearty torn greens, like kale or chard (if you'd prefer spinach, stir in before serving)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (optional: add another 1 to 2 cups of broth if you'd like before serving)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the rinsed lentils into the bottom of an empty insert. Add the diced celery, carrot, onion, and garlic (if you have a food processor, it might be helpful to use). Add the entire can of diced tomatoes, and add the seasonings and torn greens. Stir in the broth (I used chicken, but any broth will work just fine).
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the lentils are soft. If you'd like to stretch this to feed more, or for a thinner soup, feel free to add more broth.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, and a hunk of garlic bread.

The Verdict.

I ate this for all my meals 3 days in a row and was HEALED(!) from the WORST cold, ever!
that, and I may have taken some Nyquil....


other minestrone soups you might like:
Italian Minestrone
Clean-Out-The-Pantry Minestrone
Pesto Minestrone
Traditional Minestrone



In case you missed it, I'm fortunate to be able to offer an updated Ninja Cooking System package to you, and we are still running daily giveaways to help with your holiday shopping!



have a wonderful week!

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Slow Cooker Bourbon Baked Beans

 
I bought bourbon for the first time. I wasn't sure what kind to buy, but chose the Jim Beam because I recognized the name and it was on sale.

and then I made the most awesome baked beans known to man.

I checked with Shirley--- distilled alcohol is gluten free, yet some people react to anything made with grains. If you know you react, this might not be a good recipe for you. Here's a bit more on that from Shirley, at Gluten Free Easily.

The Ingredients.
serves 8-10 as a side dish, 4-6 as main course


1 pound pinto beans, soaked overnight and then drained and rinsed
* SEE NOTE BELOW
      (if you don't have time to soak overnight, no problem. Put them in a large pot, and cover completely  
       with water. Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes, then turn off stove and cover pot. Let your beans sit 
        for 1 hour, then drain water and put beans into crockpot)
8 ounces bacon, cooked, crumbled, and drained
1 onion, diced and browned
4-6 cloves garlic, diced and browned
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce (read labels carefully if avoiding gluten)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon ground mustard
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup bourbon

* NOTE: pinto beans sometimes seem to take a super long time to soften. If cooking on low for up to 14 hours is too long for you (or 8-10 on high) then try using small white Northern beans instead; they soften faster!)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet on the stovetop (or use your Ninja!) brown the bacon, onion, and garlic until the bacon is crisp and the fat has been rendered. Discard the fat, and pour the bacon mixture into an empty slow cooker.
Add the soaked and drained pinto beans. Now add the brown sugar, molasses, barbecue sauce, and dried ground mustard. Stir in chicken broth and bourbon.

Cover, and cook on low for 10-14 hours, or until beans are soft. If you live in a high-altitude, your beans may take longer to cook. If you prefer to cook on high, check after 6 hours or so.


I served our beans with homemade corn bread made from masa.



This is the recipe I used:

Preheat oven to 425° and lightly butter a cake pan. In a mixing bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups masa
1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use Pamela's Baking Mix as my gluten free all purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

wet ingredients:
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 stick melted butter (1/4 cup)
2 eggs

Mix the dry ingredients together until well-incorporated and the baking powder isn't clumpy. You can sift, if you'd like, but that's kind of a lot of work for a quick cornbread. I end up using my fingers sometimes to break up clumps.
Then mix in the wet ingredients --- use a fork or a whisk, no need to use a machine. Pour batter into pan -- it'll be quite thick, and you may need to shove it around to get it in place.
Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes.

The Verdict.

These beans are perfect. I am SO looking forward to the next potluck --- they had tons of flavor and smelled absolutely amazing. All 5 of us licked our bowls clean. I'm really very pleased with this recipe, and I think you will be, too. If you don't want to use bacon, I bet a saved ham-bone/hock would be *perfect*.
The masa cornbread was an experiment. I didn't have cornmeal in the house and really wanted cornbread. This is quite tasty-- it's nowhere near as sweet as traditional cornbread and tastes "cornier" if that makes sense. This would be a more traditional flavor that the pioneers or Native Americans would have had. 

at least that's what I told the kids.


a few announcements:

~ Ninja has *very generously* increased my cooking system package to now include the roasting kit, the baking kit, the mini warmer, the travel tote, free shipping, and a 5-year warranty for the Holiday season. This is the absolute best package deal available for the Ninja Cooking System and is better than the infomercial offering. 

~ we are still hosting giveaways daily on the giveaway page! Click on over and enter to win!

~ Amazon has my Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life book on sale. Make 2013 the best year yet by getting completely (and totally!) organized. 

~ I'm going to be speaking next month at BlogHer PRO on pricing and proposals. I can not believe how much my life has changed ever since I made that silly resolution in 2008, and I am so very (very) thankful. I am always happy to share blogging info and what has/hasn't worked for me, and think this will be an extraordinary conference. 

Have a wonderful day!!

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Tangy Black Bean Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

I can't believe I hardly posted during Crocktober. Someone should really take away my internet license. If you are joining me from the east coast, please know that I'm thinking of you and hope that you are reading this somewhere in a safe, well-lit, cozy, and dry place. 

If you are able to do so, here is the information to donate to The Red Cross to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.  Every little bit helps. Thank you. 


I've got a beautiful, velvety black bean soup for you today. The tang comes from three kinds of citrus-- lemon, lime, and orange. You can prepare this completely and totally vegan by using veggie broth, and steer clear from the liquified chicken that I used  (I already had it in the pantry).

We share the leftovers with my friend Jenny, and she reported back that the lemon twist at the end was a nice surprise and a great flavor combo.

The Ingredients.

serves 8

1 pound black beans, soaked overnight and drained

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder

1 orange, juiced

1 lime, juiced

4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable!!)

1 lemon, sliced in wedges for serving (not pictured in the ingredients, and the one pictured in the final shot looks like a lime because I plunked it right off the tree and it wasn't ripe yet! oops.)

The Directions. 

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the soaked and drained black beans into your slow cooker.

for a quick soak method: place dried beans into a large saucepan on the stovetop with a bunch of fresh water. Boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and cover the pot. Let the beans sit for at least one hour before draining.

 Add the tomatoes, garlic, bell pepper, and all dried spices. Now add the orange and lime juices, and stir in the broth until the spices and broth are completely distributed. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans are completely soft. Blend with a hand-held stick blender (I use this one, but mine is white) or carefully scoop the soup into a traditional blender and pulse until the soup is fully blended.

Serve each bowl with a lemon wedge, to use at the table for an even more pronounced burst of citrus.

The Verdict.

This soup feels like a vacation in a bowl. The bit of heat from the chipotle chile powder is washed away by the fresh citrusy tang. My whole family loved this soup, as did our neighbors! I kept my soup pretty light, but Adam and the kids added cheese, sour cream, and avocado slices to their bowls (and Tostitos scoop chips....).

I hope you had a very happy and safe Halloween. My kids all went out, although the baby (now 2 1/2) really just wanted to stay home and eat loads of candy. I somehow scheduled orthodontist appointments for my big kids later today, so they really did a top-notch job of flossing and brushing last night --- which makes me wonder if I should just make this a standing appointment? Hmmmmm.

In honor of NINJEMBER (it's okay to groan and roll your eyes....), click on over to the review page---- I've got a Ninja Cooking System giveaway up, just for you. Good luck to all, and happy slow cooking!!

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Lentil and Kale Super Food Slow Cooker Recipe

I've been slow to warm up to kale. I sort of feel like I've been peer pressured to cook with it ---- I see it all over the internet and all over the cooking channels and thrown in my face in lots and lots of food magazines.

and I hate being told what to do.

I tried the oven "fried" kale chips. I put it in smoothies. Guess what? I'd rather eat a bag of Lays, and even if I call the smoothies "dinosaur shakes" or "swamp juice" my kids aren't all that impressed, and I'm left to drink a pitcher full of murky liquid all on my own.

of course, I'm the type of person who likes cheese in a can more than is probably socially acceptable...

anyhow. I needed to cook up the kale I had in the fridge, because I hate wasting food even more than I hate being told what to do.

This, here, is SUPER FOOD. Not SUPER in that it tastes like oreo cheesecake or chocolate mousse, but SUPER in that it has a bunch of super foods in it: lentils, tomatoes, garlic, and kale.

and it actually tastes pretty good!

The Ingredients.

serves 6-8 as a side dish, 4 as a full meal

2 cups lentils, rinsed

1 onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (7-ounce) can fire roasted whole chiles (mild; this provides tons of flavor)

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

3 cups chopped kale (just the leaves. give the stems to the guinea pigs or the compost heap)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt (start with 1/2, then season if needed at the table)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon cumin

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Rinse lentils until the water runs clear, and then put the wet lentils into your slow cooker. Add diced onion and the chopped garlic. Add the entire cans of fire roasted chiles and diced tomatoes. I used the whole chiles because I had them in the house and so the kids could pick them out, but the chopped chiles would be just fine if that's what you have already.

Add the kale, dried spices, and stir in the broth. Cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the lentils are bite tender and the onion is translucent. It took closer to 6 hours in my 6-quart.

The Verdict.

I ate this as my main course, but Adam and the kids had it as a side dish with some sliced chicken and artichoke sausage. Adam and I really liked everything about this--- we felt full but not grossly overstuffed, and we were really quite satiated. The prominent flavor is from the ginger and cumin; it tasted a lot like Dal.

I insisted on three bites from the big kids, but couldn't convince the baby. I am looking forward to leftovers for lunch, and since I'm trying to eat better more often than not I'm going to make another batch and freeze in lunch-sized portions.

BlogHer is next week! Are you going? If so, find me--- I'd love to meet you!!  I'll be the one without the smart phone...

other stuff you might like:

lentil and sausage stew

lots and lots of chicken slow cooker recipes

poor man's chili

honey beans and spinach dinner

lots of vegetarian slow cooker recipes

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Honey Beans and Spinach Slow Cooker Dinner

HELLO THERE! I'm sorry for shouting. I just wanted to prove that I was still here, alive and kicking. I sort of took an extended vacation for the holidays. I was planning on one week, and then all of a sudden it was m u c h  longer.

but I'm back! and it's 2012, and that means I've been writing on the Internet for 4 years, which in cyberspace time is an ETERNITY (there I go again with the yelling).

I'm a slow cooking dinosaur.

Was your New Year's Resolution to cook more? Save money? Eat lighter/healthier fare? 

mine too.

I wanted to make a vegetarian dinner that we would all enjoy, and thought about making Honey Lentils, since it's always such a hit, but desperately needed to use up the sweet potatoes and spinach from the produce drawer. The end result was PHENOMENAL (shouting warranted, this time).

enjoy!

The Ingredients.

serves 4-6

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 onion, diced finely

2 medium (or 4 tiny) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced (not pictured)

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground corriander

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 cup honey

1 (12-ounce) bag baby spinach, washed (even if the bag says washed, rinse it off again)

2 tablespoons cream cheese (optional)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Drain and rinse both cans of beans, and dump them into your crockpot. Add the onion, garlic, and sweet potato. Add dry spices, and stir in honey and lemon juice-- you want the beans and veggies in the pot to be coated with them. Rinse off your spinach, and add it to the pot. You'll need to squish it all in, but I promise it'll fit. Plop a dollop of cream cheese on top. Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for about 3. Stir well before serving over a bed of white or brown basmati rice.

The spinach on top may stick to the edges of the pot and get a bit crispy. This is okay-- just peel them off and stir them in. The bit of cream cheese mixes with the lemon and honey to create a fabulous sauce. If you'd like to keep the dish dairy free, just omit the cream cheese; it's not necessary and won't be missed unless you do a side-by-side comparison, which would be kind of a weird thing to do if you're avoiding dairy.

The Verdict.

I get it that I can't rave about every dish each time I write and have it be believable. BUT I LOVED THIS. Dishes like this make me happy that I've learned how to cook with the slow cooker. I never ever ever would have attempted such a dinner 4 years ago; the ingredient list would have sounded funky.

ps: the kids ate salami and cheese.

more stuff you might like:

the slow cooker diet

write on/wipe off chore charts

artichoke pasta

hot and sour soup

restaurant-quality tomato soup 
Totally Together & More Make it Fast giveaway at Lee Woodruff's blog

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21-Ingredient Chili Slow Cooker Recipe

quite possibly the world's best chili

This is not an ordinary chili recipe. I received an email from Jennifer D., at the beginning of October. 

Her email read: I'm not a chili fan after having endured my mom's "chili" (really ground beef, a can of kidney beans, a can of stewed tomatoes), but I love this recipe.  Like would eat it every day kind of love.  It's a lot of ingredients, but it's well worth it.  And gluten-free.

I made Jennifer's chili over the weekend and while I balanced the cans and spice bottles for the "before" photo, Adam walked into the kitchen. I believe his exact words were, "this better be a damn good chili."

It was.  

Adam, the baby, and I each had THIRDS. Thank you, Jennifer!!

The Ingredients.

serves 8

a lot of ingredients. don't freak out.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut in 1-inch chunks)

1 onion, diced

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can corn (drained and rinsed)

1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes (whole can)

1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and grated

1/2 cup spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari Wheat Free are gluten free)

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder (this has heat, if you are sensitive, start with 1 tsp. 3tsp = 1tblsp)

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon white pepper (this has heat, if you are sensitive omit completely or go slow)

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

2 cups chicken broth

add salt to taste at the table, if needed

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your cooker; frozen is okay, but cut it into chunks. Add the diced onion, canned beans, tomatoes, chiles, corn, and grated sweet potato. Now add the mustard, honey, and dried spices. Carefully stir well to distribute spices the best you can. Pour in the chicken broth.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until chicken easily shreds with two large forks. Although you could cook this on high in 4 hours, the flavors will meld best when cooked low and slow. Stir very well and serve in a large bowl with your favorite chili toppings. We like shredded cheese and sour cream.

The Verdict.

Such. Good. Chili. This is a whole meal in a bowl. I thought I was going to make cornbread to go with, but the day got away from me. We didn't need it, though--- this is incredibly hearty and has a fantastic range of flavors. My tongue was first hit with sweet, then a slow heat came out. The children ate their servings---it was not overly spicy (the baby had three helpings!). The heat is from the white pepper, not the chili powder. If you've got sensitive palates, cut back on the white pepper (you can always add more at the table).

Thank you again to Jennifer D.!

additional chili recipes:

white chili

enchilada chili

pizza chili

traditional chili

poor man's chili

 

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Sausage and Lentil Stew Slow Cooker Recipe

 

I love one-pot meals. This is a nutritiously sound meal that will hopefully keep your meat-loving husband, your carb-conscious mother-in-law, and veggie-hungry aunt all happy.

And that there is a very steep order. 

The Ingredients.

serves 4-6 depending on the size of the people

1 cup lentils 

2 cups beef broth

1 (12-ounce) package smoked chicken or turkey sausage, sliced--your choice of flavor. I used a spicy mango chicken from Aidell's.

1 cup chopped carrots

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

9 ounces (or so) fresh spinach (to add at the very end)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Rinse your lentils under cold water, and place them into an empty slow cooker. Add beef broth, and sliced sausage. Add the entire can of tomatoes and a cup of chopped carrots. The broth and the seasoning from the sausage is enough to flavor this dish-- there is no need for additional spices.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, then stir in fresh spinach. It'll look like a lot at first, but the spinach will wilt and I promise it will all fit. Cover again and let the spinach soften for about 15 minutes. Serve in a shallow bowl with cornbread.

unless you don't like cornbread. then you really shouldn't eat it.

The Verdict.

We all ate it! I usually pick a sausage that has a bit of heat instead of the sicky-sweet sausages (think chicken apple) when I make casseroles or stews because the spice dissipates enough to not upset the kid tongues, but there is still a great amount of flavor. I am now such a fan of lentils--- they're cheap, filling, fat free, and full of fiber.

I've partnered up with DinnerTool.com, and wanted to share their new recipe and grocery list maker with you. It's completely free, and uber-easy to use. Which is good, because yesterday I spent 45 minutes at Lucky's only to walk out without the one thing I walked in for: bananas. grr.

All Hail the Lentil!

Honey lentils

Indian spiced lentils with chicken

Moroccan Lentil Soup

16-bean soup (I'm pretty sure there's a lentil in there somewhere)

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