Hot Dogs for a Crowd

Guess what? You can fit 60 hot dogs in a 6-quart slow cooker. This is kind of big news if you happen to be:

• planning an end-of-the-year swim party for the 5th grade graduating class
• planning a block party potluck and know that kids really don't want to eat 75 different types of salad
• manning the Little League concession booth
• trying to beat the world's record in hot dog eating
• interested in testing out your cholesterol medication

The Ingredients.

• a crap load (technical term) of hot dogs (60, to be exact, although you can wimp out and do fewer, if necessary)
• buns 
•  fixens'
•  6-quart slow cooker
•  an outlet

The Directions.

Unwrap all the hot dogs and throw the wrappers in a plastic bag and then immediately take out the garbage because if the kittens knock over the garbage can and hot dog juice gets all over the kitchen floor you're going to get annoyed and then have to mop unless you just wipe it up with a baby wipe and pretend the cats didn't really lick your floor.

Stand hotdogs on end if you're trying to cram in 60. If not, you can just dump them in. There's no need to add water. This is for two reasons: 1, the hotdogs will release moisture all on their own, and 2, if you have a crockpot full of hot dog water it'll just be kind of gross to dig through the water to pick them out. and 3 (I lied, there are 3 reasons) if the hotdogs hang out in hot water for too long they'll end up splitting on you.

Cover, and cook on low for 4 hours, or on high for about 2 hours--check to make sure the ones in the middle are fully hot before serving. Serve with tongs into buns and top with desired fixens'.

Your dogs can stay on the "warm" setting for an awfully long time. If your pot has a hot spot (mine does), the dogs on the edge will get kind of crispy and blackened, which will COMPLETELY fool your 10-year-old into thinking you learned how to barbecue.

The Verdict.

If you eat too many hotdogs in a day because you don't want to waste them you'll be really really thirsty for the next three days.

Also? 6 hotdogs in two days is too much for a 2-year-old. Don't do that.

and? it's kind of fun to call your neighbors and have them over for spur-of-the moment hot dogs and it's even cooler that when you call to squeal that 60 hotdogs can totally fit in a 6-quart they know what you mean and highfive you through the phone.

Adam says these dogs remind him of the hot dogs from 7-11 or the movies where they cook on the roller bars--they aren't boiled, aren't barbecued, but hot. And hot dogs are fully cooked anyway in the package, so all you're doing is heating them through.

Happy Almost Summer!!

more cool stuff:

crockpot baked potatoes

use your crockpot as a rice cooker

crockpot as a smoker

make yogurt in a crockpot

crockpot as foot bath

crockpot as air freshener

1 Minute Muffin (not in a crockpot)

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Sundried Tomato and Artichoke Slow Cooker Dip

This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Kraft.

This is a compensated post by BlogHer and PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese and is part of the Real Women of Philadelphia project. This is the fourth out of four recipes.

Oh my. This will be made again.

I used the Savory Garlic Cooking Creme for this recipe--- and it truly couldn’t have been any easier. The Cooking Creme is perfectly seasoned; no need to add anything but the artichokes and sundried tomatoes.

The Ingredients.

serves 6 (maybe more, but I accidentally ate too much)

1 (10-ounce) container of Savory Garlic PHILADELPHIA Cooking Creme

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked, then drained and chopped

chips for dipping

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Scoop out the Cooking Creme and put it into an empty slow cooker. Lick the spoon.

Add the chopped artichokes and sundried tomatoes. Stir (but not with the spoon you licked, because that would be gross). Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, or until fully hot.

Serve with your favorite chips.

The Verdict.

DEEEE LISH OUS.

and super garlicy. Keep gum in your back pocket.

I ended up making this back when school was still in session (EONS AGO!) and had a house full of kids after school. I had kids ranging from 13 down to the baby (16 months at the time) for snack, and the dip was finished before the homework was complete. 

It was easy to prepare, and a great "something new" to bring along to a backyard barbecue or potluck.

Now for some fun!

There is a GREAT BIG HUGE HONKING LIVE EVENT on June 30^th that you should all know about.

For the last few months, women all over the country have been submitting videos and original PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese and Cooking Creme recipes to RealWomenOfPhiladelphia.com in the hopes of competing in a live judging event hosted by none other, than Ms. Paula Deen.

The showdown will occur at the Lucas Theatre in Downtown Savannah at 7pm (eastern) on June 30^th, and will stream live on RealWomenOfPhiladelphia.com (I did not enter this contest). Winning this event is a big deal: winners receive a cash prize of $25,000, recipes featured in cookbooks, online cooking videos, and will participate in publicity appearances.

The good news for you/us is that all of the finalist recipes are available online, for free on the Real Women of Philadelphia  website. Click on over and see which one you should try with your family (slow cooker optional. :-) )

Mark the 30^th on your calendar--- it’s always fun to witness live events in action, and you can participate in the action by joining the online community at Real Women of Philadelphia.  I bet there will be a twitter party, too!

Want even more? There are more blogger reviews and recipes posted on BlogHer’s Promotions & Prizes section. Long live Cream Cheese!


other stuff:

I'm still working on the site redesign and am compiling websites/urls for the "everyone is included" blogroll. If you have a website or blog that you'd like listed (and you aren't a spam bot or anything else ridiculously offensive) send me an email at contact@stephanieodea.com with the subject line: blogroll and your site's name and URL. 
I'm hoping to get the site stuff up and running sometime after the Fourth.


Also, I've got a new interview up on the webTV section. This time it's with Amy Green, of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. Amy shares how cutting sugar and gluten out of her diet is to credit for her 80 pound weight loss and for completely eradicating the migraines that had plagued her for years.
Also? She's giving away a copy of her new cookbook! click on over and watch Amy's interview and enter to win a book of your very own.


in the crock today: Asian spiced turkey breast (recipe to come--I played around with some new-to-me ingredients for this one). It's starting to smell good---
I'm excited. I've got a hunkering/hankering for a turkey sandwich. 


or three.


have a great day!

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Sugared Cinnamon Almonds Slow Cooker Recipe

 

Last week I posted a Wasabi Roasted Almonds recipe, and I got a bunch of emails asking for Cinnamon Sugared almonds. So here you go!

(I actually made these a few months ago but forgot to post the recipe. I blame the baby.)

(is that bad?)

The Ingredients.

serves 10

cooking spray

1 1/2 cups sugar (try not to freak out on me)

3 tablespoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg white

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/4 cups whole raw almonds (that's what was in the packages I bought; it's a weird measurement)

aluminum foil or parchment paper

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Spray the stoneware well with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set this bowl aside.

In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white and vanilla extract. Pour the almonds into this bowl and stir well to coat. Add your cinnamon mixture to the top of the nuts and toss with spoons to fully coat (too many nuts to do the plastic bag toss---you'd have to do batches). 

Put the almonds into the slow cooker and cover. Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring every 20-30 minutes or so to keep the almonds on the side of the crock from getting too crispy.

When the nuts are all hot and toasty, let them cool fully on a length of foil or parchment paper. When fully cool, store in an air-tight container.

The Verdict.

I never had the chance to store my almonds in an air-tight container. Adam and the kids kept taste-testing them, and my dad came over to borrow a drill (or some tool, I wasn't really paying attention, and this was a while ago) and I left the house to go to Trader Joe's. 

When I got back, there were about 6 nuts left and cinnamon and sugar was strewn all over the countertop.

more nutty goodness:

peanut clusters

spiced nuts

rocky road candy

cracker jacks

roasted garbanzo beans

wasabi almonds

chocolate frito candy

nuts and bolts trail mix

granola

peanut (not brittle) candy

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Slow Cooker Brandy Spiced Peaches Recipe

You've been good. Really good. I can tell.

Rummage through your pantry cabinets and dig out a few cans of neglected peach slices and bottle of brandy. This is a good one!

The Ingredients.

serves 8

slightly blurry photo. I blame the brandy.

2 (15-ounce) cans peach slices

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

1/4 cup brandy

whipped cream (optional garnish--I like the stuff in a can, but you can of course make your own)

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Combine all the ingredients except for the brandy and whipped cream. Don't drain the peaches---pour the entire cans in. Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove from heat, and stir in the brandy. Pour all of this into a sealed plastic container and refrigerate for 48 hours (it's worth the wait, I promise!), then remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.

Dish into serving bowls and dollop with whipped cream.

The Verdict.

This is my mom's friend, Carol's dessert recipe. Carol shared that she used to make it with peach halves but there was too much "slipping and sliding" with the halves, so she switched to slices. I LOVED the flavor---rich, and sophisticated. The brandy is in there, and you can taste it. This is definitely not a dessert for children---eat it all yourself!

The Cuisinart slow cooker giveaway is over, and the winners have been notified. If you haven't heard from me, you didn't win. I'm sorry. I do have more fun things I'm working on, though!

Happy 12th day of Crocktober!

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Slow Cooker Roasted Wasabi Almonds Recipe

 

Sometimes you feel like a nut...

sometimes you don't want an ordinary one...

Hmm. It doesn't really have the same ring now, does it?

oh well. I was at a farmer's market over the summer and got handed a cellophane bag full of roasted almonds sprinkled with wasabi powder.

It I was a normal person, I would have eaten the nuts, enjoyed them, and moved on. Instead, I immediately thought:  oooh. I need to make these in the crockpot.

so I did!

The Ingredients.

serves 10

  

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat free are gluten free)

1 pound raw almonds

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons wasabi powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker (you can use a big one, but stay close by and stir often to ward off possible burning). In a bowl, whisk together the egg white, water, and soy sauce until it's foamy. Toss the almonds in this mixture until they are wet. Set aside.

In a zippered plastic bag, combine the wasabi powder, kosher salt, and cornstarch. Drain any additional liquid from the almonds, and then dump the wet almonds into your zippered bag. Close well and shake until the almonds are nicely coated.

Pour these coated almonds into your slow cooker and cover. Cook on low for 2 to 4 hours, or until toasty (the almonds will brown a  bit and you'll definitely smell them. They will NOT be crunchy, but don't worry, they will be later!)

Spread out a layer of foil or parchment paper onto the countertop and dump out the nuts. Let the almonds dry completely before munching. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

The Verdict.

I love how nuts roast so beautifully in the cooker---don't worry if some are more brown than others---that's what makes them homemade! The flavor of the wasabi is subtle, and not spicy at all. The kids gobbled up their portions and I needed to take them away before they ate the ones I wanted to give away. If you'd prefer a stronger (spicier) flavor, you can sprinkle additional wasabi on top of your roasted nuts.

I was certain wasabi powder was going to cost a million dollars (or something close to it) but I was happily surprised to find it for $3.99 in the Asian cooking aisle of our normal grocery store. If you have trouble finding it, try a specialty market or order it off the internet (I love shopping in my jammies!).

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Slow Cooker Meatballs in Peanut Chile Sauce Recipe

Happy Oscar Night!

I made these fantastic meatballs last night for some friends, and they were so well-received I figured I better hurry up and share them with the Internet. I cheated and used store-bought already cooked meatballs, but you certainly could make your own to use.

I'm pleased to see that our friendly neighborhood Trader Joe's is selling chicken meatballs that don't have any added bread crumbs or other gluteny filler in the deli meat section. If you don't live close to a Trader Joe's, Aidells makes a gluten free meatball (read the label carefully--the Teriyaki flavor is NOT SAFE!).

Anyhow, the 7 of us (4 adults, three kids, aged 3 to 8.5) all really liked the flavor: creamy and slightly coconuty with a bit of spice.

The Ingredients.
serves 10

40 already cooked meatballs (frozen or fresh)
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1 cup canned coconunt milk (I used light, it was fine. If using regular, shake well and include the cream on top)
1 tablespoon red chile paste (jarred, in the Asian cooking aisle)
2 teaspoons fish sauce (in Asian cooking aisle, surprisingly inexpensive, although I bet you could substitute a gluten free soy sauce and not notice much of a taste difference)
1 1/2 tablespoons white granulated sugar

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart slow cooker. It's okay to use a 6 quart, but decrease cooking time by about an hour.

Put meatballs into slow cooker (frozen is fine). Add peanut butter and coconut milk. Drop in a gollop of red chile paste, then add fish sauce and sugar. Stir as well as you can to combine---it won't be perfect because the peanut butter will still be clumpy. No worries.

Cook on low for 4-6 hours, high for 2-4, or until peanut butter mixture is fully melted and the meatballs are heated throughout.

Serve as a hot appetizer, or over long grained basmati rice as a meal.

The Verdict.

These are delicious!! I ate 3 cold for breakfast, and they still were quite tasty. The spice of the sauce is noticeable, but kind of mellows when eaten with the meatball. If your meatballs have a kick to them on their own, cut back on the chili paste. We all really liked the bit of crunch from the chunky peanut butter, but if you aren't a crunchy person, by all means use creamy.

Enjoy!

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Entertaining With Your Slow Cooker

Do not read this as "Entertaining Your slow Cooker." Even though I anthropomorphize probably more than I should, I do draw the line somewhere. :-)

We're fast approaching the season for entertaining. The Holidays bring about many reasons for getting together, and many different ways to utilize your slow cookers so you can get out of the kitchen and enjoy your guests.

This past weekend I fired up the Crock-Pot Trio, and brought it to a friend's house for a Halloween Party. I put in three different dips/appetizers:

Sundried Tomato Dip
Brie with Apricot Topping (this gets a lot of mileage. It's a favorite with my friends)
Sausage, Cream Cheese, and Rotel Dip (aka "mommy crack")

The Trio works well, but the cord is terribly short and each of the 3 (2-quart) inserts has a spoon slot, which means you have to put down a layer of foil while cooking/heating so your food doesn't dry out. This isn't much of a problem, but it is something to be aware of while using.

We aren't hosting any big parties this year, but in the past have really utilized my collection of slow cookers to prepare and serve hot appetizers, beverages, side dishes, and a variety of main courses. I love it that I can put the food on early in the day, then tend to the other chores around the house while dinner cooks itself.


I also appreciate the opportunity to mingle with guests as they arrive instead of fiddling in the kitchen.

The slow cooker is also an excellent way to bring a dish to a friend or neighbor's house who is hosting the main event. Oven and stove top space can be hard to come by, but there's always
an extra outlet available--even if it means plugging the cooker into an outlet in the garage.

What are your favorite ways to use your slow cooker for entertaining? If you have any great recipes that work well to serve large groups, or any slow cooker entertaining stories, please leave them in the comment section. We could all use some new ideas for parties this time of year!



related:

Slow Cooker Holiday Food
A Slow Cooker Party

Also!

I have a post up at BlogHer.com where I ask YOU about your children's play habits.

and, Books Inc, Burlingame, CA will be hosting a book signing/launch party for Make it Fast, Cook it Slow this Friday evening, November 6, at 6:30 pm. I'm going to be giving away a brand new Crock-Pot eLume--it's gorgeous. If you are in the area, I'd love to meet you!

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Please Help Bring Gluten-Free Cake Back to Starbucks

A few months ago, I first heard that Starbucks was going to *finally* offer a gluten-free option for those with gluten intolerance. They created a moist orange cake that was individually wrapped and available behind the counters at at all stores (or at least all of the stores that I went in to).

They have decided to discontinue this cake. I don't know what the plans are----if they're tweaking the recipe to make it taste better (quite honestly, it had a bit too much orange zest for my liking), or if they are discontinuing it all together due to lack of sales.

If the lack of sales is a problem, there is a simple solution. Keep some in the freezer, ready to go for your customers! That's what gluten-free people do, anyhow. My freezer is stocked with bakery goods ready to go.

If you can, please take the time to include your name on this petition, started by Triumph Dining Cards to show your support in bringing back a gluten-free option for Starbucks patrons. The goal is to get more than 5k signatures, which is pretty-low ball to me. I say we go for 25k. Please click over from your feedburner and sign. You will need to enter your email address, and then confirm your "signature" in an automatic email. There is an option where your name will not be shared that you can check.

Thank you so much, each and every one of you, for your help and your support. There is nothing more devastating than to be starving and not have ONE thing to eat in an entire coffee house. I burst into tears when I brought my 4-year-old her first Starbucks cake, all wrapped up, and she got so excited that she could eat it, she jumped up and down. Eating a snack shouldn't be so hard.

Bring Back the Gluten-Free Coffee Cake petition.

If you have a blog or your own website or email/twitter list, please repost this if you can, to help get the word out.

for further reading: Please Bring Back Gluten-Free Cake to Starbucks, or perhaps maybe something allergen-free?, BlogHer.com

xoxo steph

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CrockPot Roasted & Spiced Nuts Recipe

Day 341.

How are you doing on your holiday shopping? If you're still in need for a quick gift and would prefer the homemade touch, these nuts are perfect.

Unless your recipient is allergic to nuts. Then you should make something else.

The Ingredients.

1 cup raw, unsalted pecans
1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
1 cup raw, unsalted pistachios (no shells, just the meat)
1/2 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 T maple syrup
1 tsp curry
1 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
cooking spray

The Directions.

I used a 6.5 quart crockpot. Anything over a 4 quart should work just fine. This makes enough nuts to feed 12 people as a snack; I'd guess maybe 3-4 gift containers.

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray. This is the only grease/butter, which creates a fantastic non-oily nut. I love this.

Put in your nuts/seeds, and add all of the spices and the maple syrup. Toss well to coat.
Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. The nuts will burn if you don't stir, but if a few do get burnt, don't worry about it. That's part of the charm of a homemade gift.

Spread the nuts out on a layer of foil or wax paper to completely cool, and store in an air-tight container.

The Verdict.

We all really liked these, and so did my dad. The kids ate a bunch, and then waved at their tongue because of the slight kick from the cayenne, but kept going back for more. Both the maple syrup and cayenne is there, but not over-powering, which is sort of scary because you can eat a bucket load.

Looking for more gift ideas?
How about some lovely I Heart CrockPotting merchandise?
Rocky Road Candy
Frito Candy
Peanut (not brittle) Candy
Apple Butter
Jam
Puppy Chow
Caramel Apples
Candles!
Soap!
Brownies-In-a-Mug

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CrockPot Pumpkin Pudding (crustless pumpkin pie)

Day 332.

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a wonderful day full of warm memories and lots of love.

If you are in need of some last-minute crockpot holiday food ideas, here's the list.

This year we're going to have:
--cornbread stuffing
--sweet and sour caramelized onions
--candied sweet potatoes (I'll update the picture and recipe for this, too, after we eat)
--mashed potatoes with cream cheese and sour cream
--homemade cranberry sauce
--mulled wine
--this pumpkin pudding
oh! and an oven-roasted turkey.

I wasn't planning on doing any more Thanksgiving-y dishes; my mother-in-law is bringing store-bought pies and ice cream. My kids aren't huge pie eaters, and have never shown any interest in pumpkin pie. Like, EVER. But my seven-year-old convinced me last night that it's the crust of the pie that she doesn't like, but she likes the filling. And then her younger sister decided to say the exact same thing.

Crustless pie? That's easy. I can do that. This is much better than my original plan, which was to open a can of pumpkin pie filling and hand them each a spoon.

The Ingredients.

--1 can of pumpkin puree (15 oz)
--1 can evaporated milk (12 oz--the big can, not the little guy!)
--3/4 cup white sugar
--1/2 cup Bisquick-type mix (I used Pamela's Baking Mix)
--2 eggs
--2 T butter, melted
--1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
--1/2 tsp nutmeg
--1/4 tsp cloves
--1/8 tsp ginger
--2 tsp vanilla extract

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart crockpot and it was the perfect size. If you only have a big one, you can use it, but be aware that the batter will be spread out more and will cook much quicker. If you insert an oven-safe dish into the crock, it will work, but the batter will be quite thick and will take a VERY long time. Plan accordingly.

Spray cooking spray into your crockpot.

Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients, and whisk until fully blended. No need to use a hand or stand mixer, just some elbow-grease.

Pour the batter into the prepared crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for about 6. Check your "pie" after 2 hours on high, and 3 hours on low, then check every 30 minutes.

When fully cooked, the pie will look just like a finished pumpkin pie. The batter will have browned and will crack in a few places. The center will have set enough for you to touch it without getting batter on your finger.

Let sit in the crockpot until room temperature, then spoon into serving dishes and top with whipped cream.

The Verdict.

Perfect. It tastes fantastic, is gluten-free, and was terribly easy to do. We'll be making this again, and I'm happy to have it to serve today.

yay!

I'm off to peel potatoes. For hours.
serenity now!

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CrockPot Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Day 331.

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. I think I'm in denial.

If you're looking for tried-and-true CrockPot Holiday (any holiday!) Dishes, here's a list.

Today, however, I'm posting about baked oatmeal. I started making baked oatmeal when my first was about a year old and I was working out of the house. The mornings were never long enough, and I wanted her to have something hearty (and healthy) for breakfast. I'd make a pan on the weekend and cut off squares each morning for her to eat in the car.
It worked really well.

Baked oatmeal can be uber-healthy, or packed with sugar. I've cut the sugar and butter in half since I first started making it. If you think your family will meet this with resistance, start with a full cup of brown sugar (no need to double the butter in the crockpot, there's plenty of moisture) and then cut it back each time. You can sneak in nuts (ground or whole), extra grains, fresh and dried fruit, and protein powder.

The Ingredients.

--3 cups rolled (not instant) oats (if gluten free, make sure they are certified)
--1/2 cup brown sugar
--2 tsp cinnamon
--2 tsp baking powder
--1 tsp salt
--2 T flax meal (optional)
--1 cup milk
--2 eggs
--2 tsp vanilla
--1/4 cup butter, melted
--3/4 cup dried fruit

updated 11/29: if you are going to use steel-cut oats, you'll need more liquid. I don't know how much though, so if you figure it out, let me know! :-)

The Directions.

I used a 4 quart round crockpot. You're baking this, but no need to vent the lid of the crock; keep all the moisture in.

I really wanted this to take 6 hours on low so I could see if it could be done overnight. It took 4 3/4 on low for me----so unless you hardly sleep, do this in the day time so you can keep an eye on it.

Mix all the ingredients together in the crockpot. I dumped in all the dry stuff, then added the melted butter and milk. Stir well with a spoon---make sure the baking powder gets dispersed evenly.

Cover and cook on low for 3-5 hours, checking every so often. This is done when the edges are brown and are beginning to crust, and the center is set. An inserted knife should come out clean.

Let it sit in the cooling crockpot for at least an hour before attempting to cut. The longer you let it sit, the more set and brownie-like the pieces will be.

The Verdict.

I made this on Sunday evening and it's already all gone. The kids hadn't had it in a while and had a bunch for breakfast each day and wanted it for dessert last night. The flavor is like a great big oatmeal cookie. I like mine heated with my morning coffee, and Adam likes to crumble his on top of yogurt.

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