Camping with Your Slow Cooker

I didn't always like camping. I much preferred hotels or motels with maid service and a restaurant and clean towels.

And then I had kids. Don't get me wrong, I still love maid service and clean towels, but I hate spending lots of money and I hate having to get kids to sit still and have "restaurant behavior" when we are on a long trip. A few days here and there is absolutely fine, but sometimes you really just want a grilled cheese sandwich or a bowl of naked pasta and don't want to wait around in a booth at Applebees.

And I want my kids to be unplugged as much as possible, and I have got to admit the first thing I do when checking into a hotel or motel is to flip around and see "what kind of cable channels does this place have?"

I also want my kids to not be fearful of the outdoors and I like watching them dig with sticks and climb trees and just BE TOGETHER -- it forces all of us to work together to set up and break down camp and that kind of stuff warms my suburban soccer mom heart.

So I've embraced the dirt (thank you baby wipes!) and the sand (thank you dust buster!) and the laundry (dear help me, the laundry is just insane when we get home) and the chaos camping brings and now I can honestly say that I really really like being outdoors and pretty much all that camping has to offer.

And I bring along a slow cooker (or two).

Since we car camp and usually stick to a pretty family-friendly campground (mostly KOAs), we have electricity when we camp. Although we did recently decide to get a tiny pop-up tent trailer, I did use the slow cooker when we tent camped.

Just like at home, the kids are hungry and tired after a long day, and knowing that dinner is hot and ready after spending the day outside playing in the water or after a day touring around is just wonderful.

If you are tent-camping, I'd recommend having a long extension cord with you, and using one of the lockable-lid slow cookers. Obviously this isn't a way to cook if you are in bear country ---- I'm not going to even pretend to know how to bear proof a crockpot -- so don't do that!

If you've got a travel trailer or motorhome, you are already used to cooking in it, and I know a slow cooker is a mainstay in many RV kitchens already. Just like at home, I'd highly recommend a programmable slow cooker that will turn off when the cooking time has elapsed, so your food stays hot and safe to eat until you return back "home" for the day.

These are the cookers I happen to use and recommend, and you can usually find them at Bed Bath and Beyond or Kohls at a deep discount right now since the holidays are over.
I know that I'm terribly biased, but I do like the Ninja a lot for camping because having the stovetop and oven setting is pretty darn cool when away from home.

This is what I do to make camping and food-prep easier with the slow cooker:

1) do as much prep at home as possible. I like to chop all my veggies at home and separate our meals into Ziplock baggies and write on the outside of the bag what it all is (everything looks the same when it's frozen solid!) and then I freeze the bags at home to stack into the cooler.

2) if you are planning a chili or taco soup, brown the ground beef/turkey at home, and I'd suggest opening all the cans at home and then freezing in a zippered bag.

3) plan on lazy cooking --- which for us is usually a hunk of meat (or boneless chicken thighs) and a bottle of your favorite something sauce (bbq, simmer sauce, pasta sauce, etc.) Instead of bringing the jar or bottle, put the meat in a freezer bag and then put the sauce on it at home and freeze at home, so in the morning all you have to do is dump the contents into the cooker.

4) we usually do a sausage and vegetable medley -- which is super easy and all I do is make sure to have a 5-lb bag of potatoes with us and I do wash and cut those on the campground, then put in the bottom of a slow cooker with sliced chicken and apple sausage, and a bit of chicken broth (or white wine). If I've got a bag of baby carrots (which I usually do) I throw those in and any other random veggies I've got (bell peppers, brocolli).

5) save the leftovers from your sausage and veggie medley to do breakfast-for-dinner the next night (and any leftover hotdogs you might have). Scramble up 6-10 eggs or so with some milk then pour over the leftover potatoes and sausage and cook the next day.

6) baked potatoes or corn on the cob work great in the slow cooker, or you can do a layered dinner with meat and your potatoes and corn. My kids are super happy with a loaded baked potato for dinner, and since we usually have bacon for breakfast, I keep some for dinner time toppings. We always have a variety of cheeses with us, too.

7) planning ahead this way actually works in flexibility! I am not a slow cooker purist by any stretch of the imagination --- I also bring the pancake griddle which works great for quesadillas and grilled cheese sandwiches (and pancakes ;-) .). The kids still like to cook hotdogs on sticks, and we have a dutch oven that Adam uses over coals. If for some reason we have no power or are in a position where we don't feel safe leaving a crockpot plugged in, any of the prepared plastic bags can be dumped into a dutch oven or large pot to be cooked with propane, over coals, etc.

8) If you are on a roadtrip, see if your van or truck has an outlet in it. This way you can actually cook while you are driving. Lots of mini vans have outlets in the back and this works great to cook a large roast for pulled sandwiches or something not-too-soupy for eating on the road. If you've got an RV, you already know way more about this sort of thing than I do!

UPDATED: [please see the comment selection below for further information on cooking-while-you-drive. You most likely need an adapter to make this option work for you.]

I'm sure you already know this, but it bears repeating that this will drain your car battery if you are not actively driving. I wouldn't leave it plugged in your car if you plan on touring a museum for a long period of time, etc.

9) UPDATED: I've gotten a few emails about thermo slow cooking. I haven't personally tried this out yet, abut plan on it this summer. There are two well-reviewed companies that make these, and I think they'd be absolutely fantastic for camping.
Wonderbag and  Thermal Cook both ship world wide, and both companies have reached out and are run by wonderful people. When I have the opportunity to recipe test using these products, I will certainly write a thorough review. If you have had experience cooking in a thermal device, please share your feedback! 


I hope this helps a bit! Happy Camping!!

If you've got other suggestions or menu ideas, please let me know, I know I've got an awful lot to learn. Especially since one of my dreams is to travel cross-country and see EVERYTHING! :-)

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Maple Barbecue Beef Slow Cooker Recipe

The dirty little secret about cookbook writers is that when they (okay, me) are on a deadline to finish writing a project they (me again!) don't actually cook.

Oh sure, they eat really really really well during recipe-testing, but when they are in the midst of edits and the kitchen table has papers stacked where dinner dishes should be, they sometimes forget all about dinner.

In this case, it's a good thing, because I made up a pretty phenomenal beef dinner using only the odds and ends of stuff I had in the house because I may have (accidentally) forgotten to go grocery shopping.

The Ingredients
serves 4 

2 pounds frozen solid and maybe even frostbitten stew meat
1/3 cup soy sauce (LaChoy is gluten free)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes (or 1 large onion, peeled and diced. We didn't have any.... gah.)
2/3 cup beef broth

The Directions

Use a 4 or 6-quart slow cooker. Your food will cook a bit faster in a 6-quart because it's not as filled -- that's okay, just check it after 7 hours.

Dump everything into the pot. Because my meat was frozen, I didn't have the opportunity to stir it. No worries.
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 5 or 6 hours. If you are home during the day and can stir it once to disperse the ingredients, go ahead and do so after a few hours. If you are not home, don't worry about it. Just stir well before serving.

Your meat is finished when it can break apart with a spoon. Serve with mashed potatoes and/or roasted vegetables (pictured is roasted carrots from my mom's garden and sweet potatoes tossed with olive oil and sage).

The Verdict

Major winner. I was actually sweating bullets the day I put this into the pot because I couldn't take the time to leave to go get dinner-type-food and I had thrown away all the chicken in the house because of the recall. I needed to use the stew meat up, and I wanted to finish up the broth before it went bad. 

Everything about this worked -- the maple played nicely with the salty soy sauce to create a beautiful barbecue-teriyaki sauce. Now that I know this works so well, I'm going to be using it more often instead of leaning towards honey or brown sugar. What a nice surprise!!


~~~
I have good news! Ninja has extended my package offer for readers of the site for another Holiday Shopping Season. I heard word that they aren't going to run the infomercial this Fall/Winter, so this is the only place to get a complete package.

ALSO: The GiveAway Page is STOCKED with *FREE* giveaways for this Holiday shopping season. You can subscribe via email (click here for subscription options) to be alerted to each new giveaway. 

Happy Slow Cooking!!

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Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Corned Beef

Yesterday was Adam's birthday, and he requested corned beef. I've only cooked corned beef in the slow cooker since we've been married, but each time it's slightly different. Last night's dinner was better than perfect. 

The salty brine from the corned beef married beautifully with the glaze I made out of brown sugar, dijon mustard, molasses, and bourbon.

Super way yum.

The Ingredients.
serves 6 to 8

3 to 4 pounds corned beef (rinsed very very well)
and the enclosed seasoning packet
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons dijon mustard (prepared; not powdered)
1/4 cup bourbon (if you'd prefer, you can use apple juice)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I used my Ninja. Rinse your meat under running cold water to wash away as much of the salty brine as you can -- don't worry, the salt is infused in the meat and it will still taste salty to your tongue.

Place the roast into an empty slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, and pour the glaze over the top of your meat. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, flipping the meat over after about 5 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes and a nice green salad. 

The Verdict.

I can't wait for tonight's leftovers. You're really going to like this corned beef -- even my kid who isn't "really a fan" ate two helpings. If you've got a frozen package left over from the spring, thaw it out at least half-way before slow-cooking. The meat fibers are pretty tough, and it'll take 14 to 15 hours to cook on low if your meat is frozen.

It was a great birthday dinner, and I made a pretty-awesome-if-I-do-say-so-myself-and-I-do gluten free lemon cake for dessert. I'll write up the recipe; I promise. 

In the mean time:
here we are 20 years ago, on Adam's 17th birthday. This is the very first photo taken of us as a couple, and I love it to bits. We haven't aged much, right?! ;-)

 

I hope you're enjoying your summer!! Don't forget to check out the giveaway page for this week's great offers, and to order a new Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life planner. It begins again in September.

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"Eyes Closed" Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

We are enjoying the second week of summer vacation in our house. I love having the kids home with me. I sometimes feel like I "lose" them during the school year --- their teachers' somehow seem more "in charge" than I do, and while I'm head-over-heels in love with our school district, I just really like having my kids home with me.

I'm on a Little House on the Prairie kick again. I've written about my Little House love here and here and here -- there's just something about summer that makes me itchy to re-read the series (not a fan of the tv show so much) and spend more time outside instead of in. Melissa, a friend on twitter, also shares my love for all things Little House and at her suggestion I have been enjoying Into The West on dvd, Beyond the Prairie, and The Wilder Life.

All my reading has meant that I've decided (yet again) that my kids really need to step it up and help more around the house. So they made dinner.

I've called this Pot Roast "Eyes Closed" because it's so simple a grownup could throw it together while still half-asleep, or a child could easily load the crockpot with minimal instruction. If you're not comfortable with sharp knifes, onion flakes could be used instead, or you could pre-slice the onion yourself.

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck or pot roast
1/4 cup prepared ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared A-1 steak sauce

The Directions.

Use a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker. Place the onion rings into the bottom of your cooker and separate the rings with your fingers. Place the meat on top of the rings. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup and A-1 sauce. Pour this mixture over the top.

If desired, you can rub this mixture into the meat with your fingers, or you can simply use kitchen tongs to flip the meat over a few times to get the meat nice and saucy (that's my choice, although my 11-year-old really enjoyed rubbing the sauce around and ended up with sauce up to her elbows....)

Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 6 hours. The meat should cut easily with a fork when it's time to serve. The longer you cook it, the more relaxed it will become. Serve with roasted sweet or brown potatoes and something green.

The Verdict.

I like sauces like this that are flavorful enough on their own that no extra seasoning is required. A-1 is pretty magical stuff--- it's got garlic and onion powder in it and is pretty salty -- you certainly don't need any added salt. Ketchup balances the A-1 with a sweetness that doesn't require any extra sugar. Definitely use the organic stuff if you're staying away from fructose sugars.
All 5 happily ate our dinner, and then the kids cleaned the kitchen. I'm pretty sure they grumbled much more than Laura and Mary ever would have, though...

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Slow Cooker Chicken Puttanesca

SPRING BREAK is over. It was pretty anticlimactic and I'm still trying to figure out where I went wrong. We were really looking forward to it, and had been quite excited the days and weeks leading up to this last one. The kids and I had elaborate plans of staying in our jammies all day and playing board games and gardening and writing.

Instead we watched too much tv and argued.

But! I'm now caught up on all of Mad Men and watched the entire first season of the remake of Dallas. I liked it when the boys took their shirts off.... 

anyway. 

I did cook, and I think you're going to like this one.

The Ingredients.

serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano (2 tablespoons fresh, finely diced)

1/2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup pitted kalamata olives (no juice)

4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (to add at the very end; not pictured)

cooked pasta for serving (I used gluten free angel hair)

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker for best results. If you only have a 6-quart, use more chicken, or don't cook it quite as long (I'd check after 4 hours on low, 3 hours on high).

Plop the chicken into the bottom of your slow cooker and add all of the other ingredients, except for the cheese.

Cover, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for about 4 hours If you'd like, you can cook longer, but the chicken will probably fall apart and begin to shred. That's okay with me --- but if it's not with you, consider yourself forewarned!

Before serving, top with sliced fresh mozzarella cheese, and cook on high for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

Serve over hot buttered pasta with a green salad.

The Verdict.

This is a fancy-pants chicken recipe that is super easy yet it tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. There is very little chopping required (only from garlic; you could always use jarred if you prefer) and you can throw it all in the pot before you even put on your contacts and drain the coffee.

I had Chicken Puttanesca last summer at an Italian restaurant and knew I needed to figure out how to make it at home. I'm not, however, going to tell you what Puttanesca means because that's why they invented Google and this is a family-friendly website.

:-)

other great Italian Slow Cooker Food:

Super Simple Lasagna

Italian Rice

Eggplant "Parmesan"

Italian Minestrone

Not Your Mother's Meatballs

Fillet of Sole with Pesto

Pesto Minestrone

we've got giveaways up and running again on the giveaway page. Come check them out!!

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Easter Recipes for the Slow Cooker

 

Happy almost-Easter! 

We host Easter each year (except for when I'm pregnant or have a newborn, which means we haven't done it for the past two years. But that's not my fault because other people have offered, and I'd just be an idiot to not accept the offers. So, I still stand by my declaration that we host Easter every year...) and I love it.

Adam usually puts something on the barbecue, our family helps out by bringing side dishes or beverages, and I line up a bunch of crockpots on the countertop. 

There are too many of us to all sit around the table, so we kind of eat in shifts. The kids run around in circles because it's fun for the uncles to "chocolate them up" and the Easter egg hunt out back results in squished flowers, mud tracked indoors, and eventually tears when the egg-grabbing turns a bit too competitive. 

It's certainly not a scene Norman Rockwell would have chosen to paint--- but he should have.

Because honestly? The day couldn't possibly be any better.

and I can't wait.

If you're hosting, or bringing along something to share this year, I've got you covered. The slow cooker is your friend. Use it! And enjoy your family. 

Main Courses:

Honey Glazed Ham  (this is what we're having!)

Maple Ham

Mint Glazed Lamb (this is what we're having!)

Lemon and Rosemary Lamb

Traditional Leg of Lamb 

Leg of Lamb with Prunes

Side Dishes:

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Cream Cheese

Company's Coming Potatoes AuGratin

Roasted Vegetables

Best Brussels Sprouts, ever!

Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Pecan-Topped Baked Sweet Potatoes

Honey Lentils

want more? here you go!

Appetizers:

Apricot-Balsamic Brie

Cranberries and Candied Pecans Brie

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Crab Dip

Roasted Garlic

Taco Dip

Tomatoes with Goat Cheese

want more? here you go! and dips, too!

We have dessert covered thanks to Zest Bakery, but if you don't:

 cheesecake

oreo cheesecake

creme brulee

peanut clusters

rocky road

rice krispies treats (hey, the REAL rice krispies are going gluten free in about a month. score!)

holiday pears (not for kids)

want more? here you go!

but whatever you do: DO NOT HARDBOIL YOUR EGGS IN THE CROCKPOT.

you're welcome!

:-)

If you're entertaining, and need a bit of help getting the house in order, no worries. I've got you covered with that, too!

Adam doesn't like pictures of the kids on the Internet, so this is the best you'll get!

Happy Easter!

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Fiesta Chicken Casserole in the Slow Cooker

Happy January 15th! Research shows that most people have given up on their New Year's Resolution by now. I can see that, since I'm eating spoonfuls of frozen cookie dough while I type, right now... (the calories disappear when frozen, right?)

What about you? Did you have a resolution to cook more at home this year? Meal plan? Make the switch from white to brown rice?

or just cut back a bit on the cookie dough?

This dinner will help with all of those things. It's a spoof on the brown rice and chicken casserole and salsa chicken --- two of my absolute favorite dinners. We ate it for 3 days straight --- this is a lot of food!

The Ingredients.

serves 6, easily

1 1/2 cups raw brown rice, rinsed
1/2 cup broth or water (I used  beef broth, because I already had an open carton in the fridge)
1 cup prepared salsa
1 (15.25-ounce) can corn (with juice!!)
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 to 4 chicken breast halves (frozen ok)
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. You might want to spray the inside of your stoneware, first. No need if you're using the Ninja. Place the rinsed rice into  the bottom of your pot (the rinsing isn't necessarily to wash the rice, but to get it wet so there's added moisture).
Stir in the water or broth, salsa, the entire can of corn, and the drained black beans.
Place the chicken breast halves on top, and layer on sliced cheese.

 
Cover, and cook on low for about 7 hours, or on high for 4 hours. If the rice is still hard after this time, cook longer (check every 30 minutes or so).

 I cooked ours for 1 hour on high, then 6.5 hours on low. Your meal is done when the rice is cooked, and the chicken is no longer pink. If you are out of the house all day, set it to cook on low for 7 hours, and then let the pot stay on the "warm" setting until you return home.

 

The Verdict.

I was worried about this dish. I was concerned that I had too many different components in the pot and that the rice would either turn to mush, or never cook. That didn't happen ---- instead the rice cooked beautifully in the broth, salsa, and corn liquid and had a fantastic flavor without needing any additional seasoning. I used a mild salsa, and it was perfect for our family.
The cheese was thick and coated the chicken beautifully. My kids liked scooping the rice and cheese up with tortilla chips.

Wonderful!!

I wanted to share with you that my friend Crystal has just released her first EBook, and it's on meal planning. If you have never meal planned, or are looking for meal plan inspiration, this is the resource for you. It's only $0.99 right now, and you should snatch it up, because I'm going to advise Crystal to raise her price. :-)

Happy Tuesday to you!

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Super Quick Thanksgiving RoundUp

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I wasn't planning on posting before the Holiday, and was going to wait until next week (because I made the most awesome bourbon baked beans in the history of the universe) but somehow the house is quiet, and the kids are enrossed in an Amazing Race marathon on the DVR. (we're rooting for the Beekman Boys after feeling like we "know" them since we watched their show on Netflix streaming).
  
So here you go!

We aren't hosting this year, but are instead bringing stuffing to my mom's house and a few different pies. We'll be making a traditional pumpkin, a crustless pumpkin (in the slow cooker) and the pecan pie from Simply Recipes (I make it gluten free by using GF crust and Pamela's baking mix as my all-purpose flour).

If you are looking for all of the slow cooker Holiday recipes, this post has the entire list.

If you'd like even more, a few of us put together a Thanksgiving Slow Cooker board on Pinterest. 

Don't throw away your turkey bones!

instead, make:

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

or

Turkey Stew

or

 

Smoky Turkey and Black Bean Soup

or

Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup.  

But you should use Turkey because that's what makes sense, here.

and here's a bonus stuffing recipe because I always forget about it, and it's a good one.

Stuffing with Apple and Sausage

Have a very very very happy Thanksgiving. Lots of love to you and your family!

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Smoky Turkey and Black Bean Soup

Happy Crocktober!! 

This is my absolute favorite time of the year. Not only is it officially Slow Cooking Season, the leaves are crunchy, and the pumpkins are out. It's still too hot, here, to wear bulky sweaters --- but I've got them pulled out from under-the-bed storage and on the ready.

Today's soup was an inspiration from a recipe my mom printed out from Cooking.com. I liked the idea of using cooked bacon for the smoky flavor, but didn't want to thaw any out and actually cook it -- so I improvised and used Liquid Smoke (and cut out a bunch of fat, too!).  I also used fresh instead of deli turkey and omitted the cocoa powder.


The soup I ended up with is perfect. I gobbled (ha! that wasn't even a premeditated turkey reference!) down a bowl and a half before Adam came home with the kids from soccer practice, then sat and ate another full bowl with them at the table. (I didn't want to tell them that I already ate. That would be rude, and I'm a very polite person...)

The Ingredients
serves 6 (freezes well!)

1.5 pounds turkey cutlets
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (no need to thaw)
1 cup frozen corn
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans (use the whole can; there's no additional salt added)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (the whole can)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
4 cups chicken broth
(salt to taste if needed at the table)

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I didn't pre-brown anything--- this is a complete dump and go recipe, and can be left for a long period of time. Load everything into the cooker---- there's really no need to follow a certain order; it's soup. It's all going to get stirred around anyway.
Cover, and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours; I cooked ours on low for exactly 8 hours.
Remove turkey cutlets with tongs, and shred the meat completely. Return to the pot and stir well. If desired (I did do this), pulse a few times with a hand-held immersion blender to naturally thicken the broth. If you don't have a hand-held immersion blender, you can remove a cup of the soup and blend it in a traditional blender, then return to the pot and stir to combine.

The Verdict

The smoky flavor really comes through, and makes the house smell absolutely wonderful while it's cooking. I liked how the spinach mixed around with the beans and the corn -- my kids didn't try to pick out the spinach at all, but instead happily ate their dinner. I served drop biscuits made from Pamela's gluten free baking mix on the side.

Enjoy your Crocktober! Remember to check out the daily giveaways, and sign up to have them come to your inbox so you never miss out! 

past Crocktober favorites:
zesty burger soup
orange beef
Italian Rice
vegetarian tortilla soup
sausage and lentil stew
oreo cheesecake
tex mex potroast
vegetarian stuffed bell peppers
turtle pudding

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Slow Cooker Cranbery Dijon Roast

Happy Monday!

Last week was a crazy for me, and while I'm (very) thankful for the busy-ness, I'm looking forward to being back to normal. A winner has been chosen in the Ninja Cooking System giveaway. A big congratulations to Barbara S!

As promised, today marks the beginning of our daily (Monday-Friday) giveaways over on the review page. I am so happy to have the help of Lisa Irvine. If you have a small business or etsy shop or book that you'd like to promote, please email Lisa for more details! Click on over to see today's offering!

Who's ready for a quick and easy hunk-of-meat recipe? This is a 6-ingredient meal, that will leave you with scraped-clean plates.

The Ingredients.

serves 4 to 6

3 - 4 pounds meat (pot roast, pork roast, tri-tip, shortribs, chicken thighs)

1 (14-ounce) can cranberry sauce (I used jellied; your choice)

1 small onion, finely diced, or 1 heaping tablespoon dried onion flakes

8 cloves garlic, smashed (peeled first!)

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

2 tablespoons prepared dijon mustard

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker. If you aren't using a large piece of meat, a 4-quart will do just fine. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and whisk together so the cranberry sauce is broken up and the dijon is evenly distributed. Pour over the top of the meat.

Cover, and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high for 4 hours. 

I cooked 3 pounds of frozen oxtails on high for 4 hours in a 6-quart, and then they stayed on warm for another 2 hours before serving.

Serve with rice or quinoa and something green (we did asparagus; just rinsed and microwaved on high for 3 minutes, then topped with salt and pepper).

The Verdict.

I was certain I made this before for the site, but maybe it was in a book or for another site. Anyhow, if this looks familiar, I apologize! It's a spoof on the sweet mustard roast and the super easy cranberry roast. I love how the dijon plays off the cranberry sauce -- the mustard flavor is definitely there and cuts down on the sometimes-too-sweet cranberry.

I bought a bunch of cranberry sauce on sale when I was planning my cranberry party, but if you'd prefer to use a homemade version, go for it!

Have a wonderful week, and happy slow cooking (and yay Niners)!

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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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