"Grown Up" Green Bean Casserole and Savory Sweet Potato Bake slow cooker recipes

I went to New York for 22 hours this week, and got to cook with Rachael Ray! We talked Thanksgiving in the slow cooker, and how slow cooking is the best thing ever when in comes to Thanksgiving (or any Holiday, really) because the cookers do all the work while you get to enjoy your guests.

I'm so happy I got to go --- it was a great experience, and Rachael couldn't have been any nicer. And! I didn't cry!

It'll air on Monday, November 18th, right in time for you to plan your Thanksgiving dinner. Oh! and Whoopie Goldberg was in the dressing room next to mine and I saw her in the hall but I didn't want to be the freak who hunts down celebrities so I just did a little nod like a cool, calm, collected person would.

I want to share the recipes with you that I made on the show. I came up with them last Saturday after talking with their culinary crew --- they wanted something a bit different. I think you're going to love these, but I must admit that I never took any pictures at all when I recipe-tested. I was too pumped up on adrenaline and our house is in absolute chaos right now because we are moving.

Tomorrow.

(more on that later, but it's a house that is 5 houses away and it doesn't have a kitchen except for one from 1947 and that doesn't count because there is no dishwasher or even a garbage disposal. BUT! It's bigger than this one and I get to have an office for the first time ever and now I have a picture of me and Rachael to hang in it!)

"Grown Up" Green Bean Casserole
serves 8-10

3 tablespoons salted butter
1 1/2 pounds sliced white button mushrooms
1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp of each)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup chicken broth
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 
1 cup French’s onion topping, optional (to add before serving, optional, NOT gluten free)
[just learned on Facebook that a good GF alternative are FunYuns! :-) ]

Heat butter in a large skillet until it has just begun to brown. Add mushrooms and stir. Cover, and cook on medium heat for a good ten minutes, stirring every so often, until mushrooms have shrunk in size and have wilted. Add 2 turns of the pepper grinder to the pan. This will take longer than you think it should – but don’t rush the mushrooms!
Add the onion to the mushrooms, along with a few more turns of the pepper grinder and a light sprinkling of kosher salt. Stir. Cook on med-high heat until the onions are translucent. Drop in the cream cheese and chicken broth. Cover the skillet again, and cook on medium heat until the cheese has melted fully. Turn off the stove.
Put the trimmed and rinsed green beans into an empty 6-quart slow cooker insert, and pour the mushroom mixture evenly over the top. Stir to disperse ingredients. Cover, and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for about 2 hours. Stir again, and serve as-is, or top with a cup of French Fried onions or the smashed FunYuns.

Savory Sweet Potato Bake
serves 8 to 10

1 tablespoon salted butter
5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, and sliced in 2-inch rounds that are about 1/4-inch thick.
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
14 to 16 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese, divided
2 cups heavy cream

Smear the  butter all over the 6-quart insert of your slow cooker. Put 1/3 of the sweet potato rounds into your slow cooker, and sprinkle on 1/3 teaspoon of chipotle chile powder and a 1/3 teaspoon of kosher salt. Add 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Repeat layers until you have run out of ingredients. Pour heavy cream evenly over the top.
Cover, and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for about 2 hours.

 The Verdict.

They are both so tasty!! I know there's some work to do with the green beans in that you've got to brown the mushrooms and then the onion, but the end effect is amazing. Don't put the onions into the pan until the mushrooms are brown, though, because evidently the mushrooms won't brown because of some reason I can't remember. And I'm kind of jet-lagged and may have had an $8 bottle of Sutter Home wine on the plane.

Anyway. VERY GOOD. The sweet potatoes have a mellow heat that sneaks up the back of your tongue and the salty flavor of the gruyere is to die for. But, Adam didn't really like them. He sort of wants his sweet potatoes to remain sweet. But that's okay because I can make them that way, too!

Have a wonderful day!

Here are some more Thanksgiving Recipes if you need them!:
Round up 1 
Round up 2
Holiday Food

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

I've got two out of three kids with new orthodontic work --- my eldest got braces a week ago, and her younger sister had a palate expander inserted yesterday (that expander thing kind of creeps me out).

This means we are eating an awful lot of soft food.

Garlic mashed potatoes were requested, and I was on a mission to see if I could make the whole dish directly in the slow cooker, without having to boil water or pull out a colander.

It worked! You're going to love these potatoes ---- the garlic roasts along with the potatoes in the cooker in a bit of chicken broth, then gets mashed right on in with both cream and Parmesan cheeses.

The Ingredients.
serves 8-10
 
5 pounds red potatoes, mostly skinned and quartered
20 cloves of garlic, peeled (about 2 heads)
1 cup chicken broth (you can use vegetable)
1/2 block (4 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(salt to taste if needed at the table)

 The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the peeled and quartered potatoes into an empty slow cooker. I left the skin on a few of the potatoes for added color and texture; it's completely up to you. Toss in the garlic cloves. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth. Cover, and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Check the potato doneness with a fork. The potato piece should slide right off, and the garlic should be a golden brown and pretty shiny. If you have a LOT of liquid in the bottom of the crock, you  might want to drain a bit of it out. I only ended up with what looked like a 1/4 cup or so accumulated (I used the Ninja Cooking System).

Add the cream cheese to the pot, and use an immersible hand blender to mash the potatoes, or you can use a whisk or potato masher if you'd like a chunkier finished product. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Salt to taste, if necessary, at the table.


The Verdict.

Delicious, creamy, and garlicky. The garlic is roasted, so the flavor is mellow and slightly nutty. There isn't any heat or bite from the garlic whatsoever, it's incredibly smooth. We brought this to a friend's house for dinner and it paired beautifully with oven roasted tri-tip and asparagus.

enjoy!

other garlicky goodness:
20-40 clove garlic chicken
roasted garlic
super duper garlic dip
roasted garlic spoonbread
honey garlic chicken
garlic baked potatoes
broccoli with roasted garlic and hazelnuts


we've got a giveaway for a new back-to-school backpack on Totally Together Journal, and LOTS of great prizes on the giveaway page!!

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How to Make Vegetable Broth Using Your Slow Cooker

Yum! A big bowl of brown liquid!



It's spring break in our house, and I couldn't be happier. I feel the most at peace when we're all home together---even when the peace is broken every 2.7 seconds with bickering or boxes of spilled cereal.

For the record? If a brand new box of Cinnamon Chex cereal is "accidentally" dumped onto your freshly-mopped kitchen linoleum, the cinnamon and sugar will ADHERE to it and the floor will be speckled and sticky (and smell like a churro factory) for pretty much ever.

and you'll want to move.

or at least go outside and drink your coffee all alone while practicing your  lamaze yoga breathing.

Napping garden gnomes make everyone happy



I have a recipe for vegetable broth that I want to share. It's free, it's easy, and it's healthy.

If vegetable broth isn't your thing, that's okay. You can make beef or chicken, instead!

PS: vegetable broth and vegetable stock are the same thing. There are no bones, so I'm sticking with the term broth.

The Ingredients.

makes about 4 quarts

thoroughly washed vegetable peels

thoroughly washed vegetable ends and parts

water

salt (I do not add salt now, but prefer to salt to taste when using in a recipe)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. This is a "free" recipe! When cooking, save your vegetable ends and peels. 

Many people have a large Tupperware container in their freezer that they use for just this purpose. In order for this to be safe, you'll need to wash your vegetables well and scrub off all of the dirt. I'd highly highly highly (three highlies!) recommend using certified organic produce when making broth/stock---or better yet, organic vegetables that you've grown in your own garden.

Some great veggie-broth-making candidates are: carrot peels, onion skin, celery ends, bell pepper stems, and garlic skins. Don't bother with potato skin, it's too starchy and has an overwhelming earthy (dirt) flavor.

Put the (washed) vegetable skins and pieces into your slow cooker and add a bunch of water. I don't measure, I just make sure the skins and pieces are submerged (you may need to poke them down a bit with a wooden spoon). Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours. Place a colander in a large stock pot, and carefully strain the vegetable pieces from your broth.

Cool completely and freeze in containers until you are ready to use in your favorite recipe.

The Verdict.

It's quite interesting how garlic and onion peels infuse the water with so much flavor. This is a very customizeable recipe---if you'd like a greens-packed broth, save the ends from spinach or chard---it's really up to you!  If you use even the tiniest amount of beet skin, you'll end up with pinkish red broth. Neat!

Turtle prefers it when I save vegetable skins/pieces for her

2008 Flashback:

March 24: Baked Ziti

March 25: Walnut and Sage Potatoes AuGratin

March 26: Split Pea Soup

March 27: Perfect Gluten Free Bread

March 28: Smoky Refried Bean Soup

March 29: Honey and Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

March 30: Ratatouille

March 31: Pot Roast with Red Wine and Cranberries

April 1: Easy Taco Night

April 2: Bread Pudding

April 3: Eggplant "Parmesan" with Feta

April 4: Roasted garlic

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The Very Best Brussels Sprouts, EVER! (slow cooker recipe)

This is it! 

You've come to the right place. 

Stop looking. 

This here, is 

THE BEST BRUSSELS SPROUTS RECIPE IN THE WORLD!!

LOL. sorry. I must have been channeling my inner infomercial guy.

but they really are super tasty...

The Ingredients.

serves 6

1 pound brussels sprouts

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (ooh la la, fancy)

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup water

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Wash and trim the ends off of each Brussels sprout, and cut in half. Toss into the cooker. Add butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and water. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3. Stir well to distribute the sauce before serving. The sprouts on the edge get brown and bit crispy on the outer edge. This is a good, and not something to worry about!

The Verdict.

My newly-turned-nine-year-old's favorite food is brussels sprouts. And artichokes. She has learned (sadly, through peer pressure) to no longer give this as an answer when asked what her favorite food is because many, many people dislike these little guys.

If you're on the fence about brussels sprouts, I urge you to try them prepared like this. The Dijon gives a fantastic savory taste and is really quite wonderful.

and hey. At least they aren't beets... 

bwahahahahahaaaaa!!!

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Orange Glazed Beets CrockPot Recipe

 

Beets. This is a recipe for beets.

I know.

I'm sorry.

the good news is that I've got Brussels Sprouts on the way!

ha! :-)

The Ingredients.

serves 6

4 medium beets, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch slices

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put on very old clothes, and then put on an apron---beets stain, TERRIBLY! If you've got a white countertop, consider putting down a layer of newspaper or paper bags while you're peeling.

Peel and slice the beets, and put them into your cooker. Add butter, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Toss with spoons to distribute the zest and sugar. Don't worry that your butter is still in a clump.

Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3. The beets are done when they have reached desired tenderness. You want a fork to insert easily, and the beets to be able to be cut with the edge of a fork.

The Verdict.

I am not a beet person. Someone in the house (whose name rhymes with Zadam), really likes beets, and gets excited when he gets them at a restaurant---either cooked, or the jelled kind from a can in a salad (the jelled kind reminds me of a blood clot).

You're welcome.

:-)

Anyhow, even though I'm not a beet person, I actually really enjoyed the flavor and texture. They were sweet and kind of earthy. I ate a few, but they were mostly devoured by the other grownup in the house. I ruined the chance of the kids even being in the same room while we were eating them because of my blood clot comment.

oops.

other stuff with beets:

borscht

that's it! I'm no Dwight Schrute...

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Portobello Mushroom Sandwiches CrockPot Recipe

 

 This is a dump and go recipe---no chopping required! You do have to get the stems out of the mushrooms, but you easily can do that on a little plastic plate or paper towel. There's no need to dirty up a cutting board.

The Ingredients.

4 large portobello (bella) mushrooms, stems removed

1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing (you can use your own favorite blend)

1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers

buns, rolls, or toasted bread for serving. The bread pictured is Udi's gluten free whole grain sandwich bread.

The Directions.

Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Wash the mushrooms, and remove and discard the stems (compost them. for some reason guinea pigs don't like mushrooms, and they'll just sit in there forever and rot.)

Put the mushrooms into your pot, and add the entire jar of roasted peppers and the salad dressing. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for about2. Serve with a slotted spoon onto your favorite sandwich bread item (sandwich bread item? why did I type that? it makes no sense.)

The Verdict.

The tangy flavor from the salad dressing and the peppers complemented the thick meaty texture of the mushrooms really well. I thoroughly enjoyed this sandwich, although I was probably the only one who would look forward to having it again. It's a little girly. And the mushrooms are a bit slimy.

~~I've been having some feedburner issues and I don't think the email feed has been updating properly. I think it's all fixed now, thanks to the wonderful Jennette. If you've missed the past few days, here they are:

Traditional Minestrone Soup

Cinnamon Sugared Almonds

Spinach Bisque

Apricot Barbecue Wings

Irish Cream Coffee

and a smoky pulled pork recipe!

and! who is watching the finale of the finale of the Real Housewives of DC? anyone? Any predictions? I've started a chat over on the forums. :-)

I really should make more Irish Cream Coffee for this...

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Slow Cooker Cheesy Creamed Corn Recipe

Happy 6th of July!

that's got to be a holiday somewhere, I'm thinking...
or we should make one up.

so you can eat corn with cheese.
or is it cheese with corn?

It probably doesn't really matter.

If you're on a diet, look the other way. This is some heavy corn, and it's stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. I ate too much, but I'm so happy I did, because I enjoyed every last bit--- including the two lonely niblets left stuck that I picked off before loading the plate into the washer.

The Ingredients.
serves 8

2 (16-ounce) packages frozen corn (no need to thaw)
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons water
4 slices American cheese, crumbled

The Directions.

Use a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. Empty the corn packages into your slow cooker. Unwrap the cream cheese and put the blocks on top. Add sugar and water, and fold the American cheese slices a few times, then crumble it in on top.
Cover and cook on low until everything is all melty---about six hours on low in my 4-quart. If you're using a big cooker, it'll cook a bit faster---check after 4 hours on low.

Stir well before serving.

That's it?
yup!!

The Verdict.

I fed this to my 2 big kids, the neighbor's kids, and my grandma. It's a winner, and I plan on making it again for a backyard barbecue party next week.

you should make this.

and then go to the gym. :-)

for a lighter and less-cheesy version, you can make this one that I did back during my challenge.

ps: I finished The Help last night, and loved it. You've still got plenty of time to read before our July 15 book club party. It's a fast read!

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End of Summer Harvest Soup Slow Cooker Recipe

This is a great soup to put on in the early morning, and let it simmer all day long---it took 9 hours on low for my beans to get tender, and I liked it even more 3 hours later when the beans finally split and the zucchini turned translucent.

The flavors are hearty and rich, but this is still light enough to eat with a beautiful garden salad out in the yard.

The Ingredients.
serves 8

4 cups chicken broth (vegetable stock is fine!)
1 cup prepared pasta sauce
1 cup water
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 zucchini, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 yellow summer squash, washed well and sliced in 1/4-inch rounds
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on size)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/3 cup dry white Cannellini beans (this doesn't sound like a lot, but they swell!)
1/2 cup pasta (to add 20 minutes before serving)
salt and pepper to taste
garnish with Parmesan and Romano cheeses

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker. Wash squashes well, and slice in rounds. Place into slow cooker, with diced onion and tomato wedges. Rinse your beans in hot water, and add to cooker. Add broth, pasta sauce, and water. Stir in Italian seasoning.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until beans have reached desired tenderness. 20 minutes before serving, stir in raw pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan and Romano cheese.

The Verdict.

Delicious. I loved how the tomatoes burst completely while slow cooked, and how the squash practically disappeared, so there was no need to chew it---the squash provided an awesome texture and flavor, and since it was so translucent, the kids ate it without fuss. I liked how the prepared pasta sauce gave the broth an oomph sometimes missing in homemade soups, and provided a rich color.
We had salad and homemade garlic bread sticks with our meal (bread sticks made from Pamela's Amazing Wheat-Free bread mix).

One more week until school starts! (I'm kind of excited. shhhhh.)

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CrockPot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Day 357.

It's the first day of Winter Vacation, and the girls and I are sick. Which means this is a very. normal. year. for us.

We'll be fine. We've got a bunch of books and videos from the library, the good tissue with the built-in Vicks, and 4 quarts of spinach artichoke dip.

This recipe comes from Joey in Minnesota who has a nineteen-month-old and is pregnant. She needs a juggling book for Christmas.

The Ingredients.

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 T jalapeno slices, chopped

The Directions.

I used a 4-quart crockpot. Drain and chop artichoke hearts, and add to the crockpot. Scrunch the spinach and chop it the best you can---mostly try to get the long stems off if you can. Add to the crockpot. Add mayo, sour cream, and chopped jalapenos. Top with 1/2 cup each shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, or high for 1. Stir. The spinach should begin to welt. If it hasn't, cook some more. When the spinach is totally wilted, take the lid off and add the other 1/2 cup of each cheese, and let it melt while the lid remains off. The spinach will have created some liquid that doesn't really need to be in there.

Serve with your favorite chips, sliced veggies, or bread cubes.

The Verdict.

I liked this a lot. I couldn't taste the jalapenos at all and whined that it "wasn't working" (I wanted my sinuses to drain. lovely image, sorry. but that's what I was going for) but Adam and the kids could taste them and thought it was plenty spicy. I think though, I'd add many more jalapeno slices next time and maybe switch out the mayo for a half-block of cream cheese.

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Broccoli With Toasted Garlic and Hazelnuts CrockPot Recipe

Day 347.

This is a lemony broccoli that is such a nice change from heavy winterish vegetables. The garlic adds a great depth of flavor, and hazelnuts provide a nutty burst. These are some yummy veggies.

The Ingredients.

2 pounds broccoli florets
1 cup large raw hazelnuts
1 head garlic, peeled (12 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

The Directions.

Use a 4 quart crockpot for best results. Wash and trim broccoli, and add to crockpot. Peel garlic, and add with salt and pepper. Add hazelnuts. Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the top. Toss with wooden spoons.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours, or on low for about 4. This is finished when broccoli has reached desired tenderness. I like my vegetables al dente.

The Verdict.

This was a great side dish to our leftover hickory smoked brisket. The lemon is the predominant flavor, and complements the hazelnuts, broccoli, and garlic wonderfully. The kids picked out just the broccoli pieces.

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CrockPot Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

Day 340.

I learned back on February 5, that roasting vegetables in the crockpot was easy and fool-proof. We've eaten a lot of roasted vegetables since, but I always kind of stick to my comfort zone and pick out the same ones at the grocery store. Not this time. I wanted some sort of traditional winter-y vegetable dish to share at our upcoming holiday dinner. So I googled winter vegetables.
Carrots.
Parsnips.
Rutabagas.

I know carrots (quite well), and I did buy parsnips for the first time this year (they look like big white carrots!) but have never bought a rutabaga. The produce guy was eager to lead the way, and for the rest of the afternoon I sang "rutabaga sits in the old gum tree" even though I know darned well that those aren't the correct words. I just couldn't get it out of my head.

The Ingredients.

--2 pounds carrots
--2 pounds rutabagas
--2 pounds parsnips
--1/2 cup chopped parsley
--3 T olive oil
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1 tsp black pepper
--1 tsp basil

The Directions.

This is enough food to feed about 12. I used the 6.5 quart crockpot. Peel all of your vegetables, and cut into 2-inch chunks. Feed scraps to the guinea pigs. I'm usually a huge fan of the baby carrot (because of laziness), but wanted a more rugged look for this dish. If you would like to use baby carrots, go for it, and don't cut them. Chop the parsley.

Put all the vegetables into your crockpot, and add the olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to coat fully coat the vegetables.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-5. The vegetables are done when they have reached desired tenderness. I cooked ours on low for 6 hours, then on high for about 90 minutes.

The Verdict.

I love the ease of roasting vegetables in the crockpot. I would have needed to cook this much food in batches in the oven, and stirred them a few times to keep them from burning (I am no good with the oven!) but in this case, I put the veggies on in the morning and was out for most of the day. The kids picked out a few carrots, but found them to be spicy.

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