People think I'm crazy when I tell them I make my lasagna in a crock pot. They chuckle and laugh, and I shrug my shoulders and invite them over for dinner. When they enter my home they are amazed at the aromas and anxiously sit down to eat.
They always end up eating their words after they eat my lasagna. It is easily the best I've ever tasted. Although it requires a little more preparation than most of my crock pot recipes on my website, it's well worth the extra effort. Bon Appetit!
Crock Pot Lasagna
1 1/2 pounds Italian Turkey Sausage
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large jar spaghetti sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp minced onion
1/4 tsp thyme
1-15 oz container part skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
Spray crock pot with non stick cooking spray. In large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Add sauce and seasonings, mix well, reduce heat to low. In bowl, combine ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1/4 of the sausage mixture into the crock pot and top with noodles broken to fit. Top with half of the cheese mixture, then 1/4 of the sausage mixture and noodles. Make another layer of cheese, sausage, and noodles, then finish with remaining sausage mixture. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese, cover and cook 15 minutes until cheese is melted.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Schloesser
Monday, December 29, 2008
Crockpot Recipes Hold the Key to Stress Free Cooking
A few years ago, my crock pot would collect dust in my cupboard waiting for me to make chili or a pot roast. Now it’s a rare evening when you don’t see it on my counter with the night’s dinner in it.
I know that many of you can relate to what it’s like in my household from 4:00pm on. After getting 4 kids an after school snack, I am helping a 10 year old with homework, playing dominoes with twin 4 year olds, and chasing after a 2 year old. How on earth could I be expected to do all of this while preparing dinner and not be completely frazzled by the time we sat down to eat? Finally I discovered the answer.
Now each morning I get up and, while drinking my coffee, decide what’s for dinner that evening. I take meat out of the freezer to thaw in cold water in the sink, verify remaining ingredients, and play with my 2 year old. Then I leisurely take 10-15 minutes mid morning to throw ingredients into a pot and flip a switch.
I go about the rest of my day relaxed, knowing that dinner will be a cinch. Sure enough, dinner time comes and all I need to do is spoon food onto some plates, sit down, and enjoy!
Reasons why crock pot cooking is virtually stress free:
-Clean up is easy; there aren’t numerous pots and pans to wash, just one stoneware pot and maybe a cutting board and knife.
-Minimal preparation is required; just a few minutes each morning.
-It’s really difficult to overcook things in a crock pot. Plus, now there are crock pots that will automatically switch to a “keep warm” setting once the cooking time is done.
-Crock pots are wonderful for cheaper cuts of meat. Cooking for a large family, I’m conscientious of my grocery bill. Because crock pots cook meat over a long period of time at low heat, tougher cuts of meat turn out tender and juicy.
-You’re not feeding your family fast food or calling the pizza delivery guy again; they are getting quality home cooked meals.
-Crock pot cooking is perfect for any type of mom. Those who work out of the office can quickly fix the meal in the morning or even prepare it the night before and refrigerate.
-Different people can eat at different times. Let’s face it, with busy schedules many families can’t eat together during the week. A crock pot keeps the meal warm for your toddlers to eat at 5pm, your high school kids to eat at 8pm, and your husband to grab a 10pm snack.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Schloesser
I know that many of you can relate to what it’s like in my household from 4:00pm on. After getting 4 kids an after school snack, I am helping a 10 year old with homework, playing dominoes with twin 4 year olds, and chasing after a 2 year old. How on earth could I be expected to do all of this while preparing dinner and not be completely frazzled by the time we sat down to eat? Finally I discovered the answer.
Now each morning I get up and, while drinking my coffee, decide what’s for dinner that evening. I take meat out of the freezer to thaw in cold water in the sink, verify remaining ingredients, and play with my 2 year old. Then I leisurely take 10-15 minutes mid morning to throw ingredients into a pot and flip a switch.
I go about the rest of my day relaxed, knowing that dinner will be a cinch. Sure enough, dinner time comes and all I need to do is spoon food onto some plates, sit down, and enjoy!
Reasons why crock pot cooking is virtually stress free:
-Clean up is easy; there aren’t numerous pots and pans to wash, just one stoneware pot and maybe a cutting board and knife.
-Minimal preparation is required; just a few minutes each morning.
-It’s really difficult to overcook things in a crock pot. Plus, now there are crock pots that will automatically switch to a “keep warm” setting once the cooking time is done.
-Crock pots are wonderful for cheaper cuts of meat. Cooking for a large family, I’m conscientious of my grocery bill. Because crock pots cook meat over a long period of time at low heat, tougher cuts of meat turn out tender and juicy.
-You’re not feeding your family fast food or calling the pizza delivery guy again; they are getting quality home cooked meals.
-Crock pot cooking is perfect for any type of mom. Those who work out of the office can quickly fix the meal in the morning or even prepare it the night before and refrigerate.
-Different people can eat at different times. Let’s face it, with busy schedules many families can’t eat together during the week. A crock pot keeps the meal warm for your toddlers to eat at 5pm, your high school kids to eat at 8pm, and your husband to grab a 10pm snack.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Schloesser
Homemade Chili Crockpot Recipe
Have you been searching for the perfect Chili Recipe for your family? Don't have the ability to watch over it as it cooks? Use your crockpot for this scrumptious recipe. This recipe is not intended to be hot and spicy. If you like it hot, by all means, add more chili powder, chili pepper flakes or some hot sauce. You can also substitute the mild salsa for medium or hot as well. This recipe is great all year round but especially on a chilly winter day.
Ingredients:
1-1.5 lbs of 90% Lean ground beef
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
½ cup-3/4 cup Pace Mild Salsa or your own brand
15 oz. can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 onion diced
1 green pepper diced
1 celery stalk diced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups of water
¼ tsp of salt (if other spices have it, don't use it)
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp of minced garlic from jar or one clove minced
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp thyme
¼ tsp basil
2 tbsp of fresh minced parsley/cilantro (put in 30 minutes before completely cooked)
Topping:
¼ cup Grated cheddar cheese (2 tbsp for each bowl)
4 tbsp Plain yogurt or sour cream (2 tbsp for each bowl)
2 tbsp cilantro (for topping each bowl)
* If you like black olives, you could use 2 cut up olives for each
Recipe Serves 4
Instructions:
Brown the lean ground beef and drain the fat. Add a dash of garlic powder as you cook it. Then add in the green pepper and onion after meat is done to sauté. When lightly brown add to the crockpot with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 8hrs or cook on high for 4hrs.
Serve into large bowls and sprinkle some cheddar cheese (2 tbsp)for each one then add the plain yogurt. Top with cilantro and a dash of ground black pepper.
***Double the recipe and it fits into a 5 quart Crockpot***
Karla Davis is a Certified Personal Trainer who has spent over 4 years focusing on Nutrition and Health. She also specializes in Staging and Organizing homes and office spaces as a Professional Organizer and is also a Public Speaker. Karla has over 10 years of experience and success within inside/outside Sales and Marketing, and is the wife of Author, Paul Davis. Karla too is now writing her own books as her life mission is to positively transform the homes and lives of everyone she meets.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karla_Ruzycki-Davis
Ingredients:
1-1.5 lbs of 90% Lean ground beef
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
½ cup-3/4 cup Pace Mild Salsa or your own brand
15 oz. can kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 onion diced
1 green pepper diced
1 celery stalk diced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups of water
¼ tsp of salt (if other spices have it, don't use it)
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp of minced garlic from jar or one clove minced
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp thyme
¼ tsp basil
2 tbsp of fresh minced parsley/cilantro (put in 30 minutes before completely cooked)
Topping:
¼ cup Grated cheddar cheese (2 tbsp for each bowl)
4 tbsp Plain yogurt or sour cream (2 tbsp for each bowl)
2 tbsp cilantro (for topping each bowl)
* If you like black olives, you could use 2 cut up olives for each
Recipe Serves 4
Instructions:
Brown the lean ground beef and drain the fat. Add a dash of garlic powder as you cook it. Then add in the green pepper and onion after meat is done to sauté. When lightly brown add to the crockpot with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 8hrs or cook on high for 4hrs.
Serve into large bowls and sprinkle some cheddar cheese (2 tbsp)for each one then add the plain yogurt. Top with cilantro and a dash of ground black pepper.
***Double the recipe and it fits into a 5 quart Crockpot***
Karla Davis is a Certified Personal Trainer who has spent over 4 years focusing on Nutrition and Health. She also specializes in Staging and Organizing homes and office spaces as a Professional Organizer and is also a Public Speaker. Karla has over 10 years of experience and success within inside/outside Sales and Marketing, and is the wife of Author, Paul Davis. Karla too is now writing her own books as her life mission is to positively transform the homes and lives of everyone she meets.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karla_Ruzycki-Davis
Friday, December 5, 2008
Beef Crock Pot Recipe – Can It Be Gourmet?
Can you really make an interesting beef crock pot recipe? Most people, when they think about crock pot cooking they just think about crock pot stew. Now this can be delicious but there is so much more you can do.
Cooks often seem to just use their crock pot for one or two things and can’t seem to think of anything new.
Many a time we have received emails asking for a ‘new’ crock pot recipe. Something gourmet and unusual but nothing complicated. Which is so easy with your slow cooker.
Ok. The basics are to put the vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot and then add the meat and pour the liquid on top.
Now, remembering this principle you can take any oven casserole recipe and convert in easily into a crockpot recipe.
So, for the times when you want something a bit gourmet, just get out your favorite recipe book or food magazine and find a delicious beef casserole recipe.
Adapting a conventional recipe to work in the crock pot is easy. Most people we talk to either don’t know you can do it or are to scared to try.
Don’t stress, it is easy if you keep an eye on a few principles.
So we already know to place the veggies in the slow cooker first. This will ensure they cook in time. And then the meat goes on top of the vegetables.
Easy. We are half way to a delicious crock pot meal already.
Now to the rest of the recipe.
Because we always use the crockpot with the lid on, it makes sense that we have less evaporation and therefore will need less liquid.
So all you need do is reduce the amount of liquid whether it water, wine or stock.
It takes a bit of practice to know how much. But as a rule of thumb ensure the veggies are just covered.
If there is too much liquid, don’t worry. Just half an hour before serving mix up a little corn starch with some water and stir in. Turn on high and by the time you are ready to serve it will have thickened nicely.
One last thought. Herbs and spices tend to loose their flavor in the long slow cooking time. To counteract this, about an hour before serving, take a taste. And add more if needed and some salt and pepper if you wish.
Well, there you have it. An easy way to create an original delicious beef crock pot meal.
That’s all I do to create all our fabulous crockpot recipes at www.A-Crock-Cook.com.
Until our next Crock Pot Meal
Enjoy Cooking!
Lisa “The Crock Cook”
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Cooks often seem to just use their crock pot for one or two things and can’t seem to think of anything new.
Many a time we have received emails asking for a ‘new’ crock pot recipe. Something gourmet and unusual but nothing complicated. Which is so easy with your slow cooker.
Ok. The basics are to put the vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot and then add the meat and pour the liquid on top.
Now, remembering this principle you can take any oven casserole recipe and convert in easily into a crockpot recipe.
So, for the times when you want something a bit gourmet, just get out your favorite recipe book or food magazine and find a delicious beef casserole recipe.
Adapting a conventional recipe to work in the crock pot is easy. Most people we talk to either don’t know you can do it or are to scared to try.
Don’t stress, it is easy if you keep an eye on a few principles.
So we already know to place the veggies in the slow cooker first. This will ensure they cook in time. And then the meat goes on top of the vegetables.
Easy. We are half way to a delicious crock pot meal already.
Now to the rest of the recipe.
Because we always use the crockpot with the lid on, it makes sense that we have less evaporation and therefore will need less liquid.
So all you need do is reduce the amount of liquid whether it water, wine or stock.
It takes a bit of practice to know how much. But as a rule of thumb ensure the veggies are just covered.
If there is too much liquid, don’t worry. Just half an hour before serving mix up a little corn starch with some water and stir in. Turn on high and by the time you are ready to serve it will have thickened nicely.
One last thought. Herbs and spices tend to loose their flavor in the long slow cooking time. To counteract this, about an hour before serving, take a taste. And add more if needed and some salt and pepper if you wish.
Well, there you have it. An easy way to create an original delicious beef crock pot meal.
That’s all I do to create all our fabulous crockpot recipes at www.A-Crock-Cook.com.
Until our next Crock Pot Meal
Enjoy Cooking!
Lisa “The Crock Cook”
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
What Exactly Is A Crockpot?
The word 'crockpot' is a name which is actually a trademarked name, but is often used as a generic term. The terms 'crockpot' and 'slow cooker' have come to be used interchangeably.
'Rival' is the original holder of the trademarked term 'Crock-Pot'.
The Rival Crock-Pot / slow cooker has been one of the most important cooking tools for busy families since its introduction in 1971. Slow cooking is a great way to provide delicious home cooked meals for people and families on the go and produces flavorful meals time after time.
This appliance is made of fired clay and is usually glazed and surrounded by a metallic housing. It contains a controlled heating element to maintain the slow cooker temperatures whuich allow food to be cooked over longer periods of time.
Typically a slow cooker will have just two heat settings, and a glass lid is used to retain the heat and moisture. An important tip to be sure to follow is this: Don't lift the lid while it is cooking the food! Letting the heat escape in this way will add twenty minutes to the cooking time! The lid is important as it prevents escape of hot water vapor which would, if permitted, lead to lowering the internal water level, loss of heat and drying out of the contents.
A slow cooker works in a much different way than a pressure cooker which allows much higher temperatures than the boiling point of water. Because the lid of a slow cooker is on very loosely, the temperature inside will never get above the boiling point of water. Any vapor that does occur condenses on the lid and returns as moisture back onto the food.
Because of the nature of slow cooking, food can be cooked for longer than expected with no harm to the food. In fact, your meats become more tender when they are cooked like this over longer periods of time.
Recipes for these cookers must be adjusted to compensate for the nature of the cooking. Often water must be decreased. Most (probably all) come with recipe booklets. Many cookbooks with slow cooker recipes are available and there are numerous recipes on the Web. A small number of cookbooks seek to make complete dishes in a slow cooker using fewer than five ingredients while others treat the slow cooker as a serious piece of culinary equipment capable of producing gourmet meals. With some experience, timings and recipe adjustments can be successfully made for many recipes not originally intended for these cookers. The long, moist nature of the cooking method allows for lower quality cuts to be used.
And even though a slow cooker takes longer to cook the food, it will actually save you time! How is this possible? Well, you can quickly load the ingredients in the morning and turn it on. That right there is the bulk of your time -not very much! And at dinner time, your home will greet you with a flavorful aroma fit for a king or queen!
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
'Rival' is the original holder of the trademarked term 'Crock-Pot'.
The Rival Crock-Pot / slow cooker has been one of the most important cooking tools for busy families since its introduction in 1971. Slow cooking is a great way to provide delicious home cooked meals for people and families on the go and produces flavorful meals time after time.
This appliance is made of fired clay and is usually glazed and surrounded by a metallic housing. It contains a controlled heating element to maintain the slow cooker temperatures whuich allow food to be cooked over longer periods of time.
Typically a slow cooker will have just two heat settings, and a glass lid is used to retain the heat and moisture. An important tip to be sure to follow is this: Don't lift the lid while it is cooking the food! Letting the heat escape in this way will add twenty minutes to the cooking time! The lid is important as it prevents escape of hot water vapor which would, if permitted, lead to lowering the internal water level, loss of heat and drying out of the contents.
A slow cooker works in a much different way than a pressure cooker which allows much higher temperatures than the boiling point of water. Because the lid of a slow cooker is on very loosely, the temperature inside will never get above the boiling point of water. Any vapor that does occur condenses on the lid and returns as moisture back onto the food.
Because of the nature of slow cooking, food can be cooked for longer than expected with no harm to the food. In fact, your meats become more tender when they are cooked like this over longer periods of time.
Recipes for these cookers must be adjusted to compensate for the nature of the cooking. Often water must be decreased. Most (probably all) come with recipe booklets. Many cookbooks with slow cooker recipes are available and there are numerous recipes on the Web. A small number of cookbooks seek to make complete dishes in a slow cooker using fewer than five ingredients while others treat the slow cooker as a serious piece of culinary equipment capable of producing gourmet meals. With some experience, timings and recipe adjustments can be successfully made for many recipes not originally intended for these cookers. The long, moist nature of the cooking method allows for lower quality cuts to be used.
And even though a slow cooker takes longer to cook the food, it will actually save you time! How is this possible? Well, you can quickly load the ingredients in the morning and turn it on. That right there is the bulk of your time -not very much! And at dinner time, your home will greet you with a flavorful aroma fit for a king or queen!
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Cooking For The Crockpot
A crockpot or slow cooker, as it's also know, can be an invaluable piece of kitchen equipment. In essence it's a stoenware or earthenware pot sitting on top of a heating element. With a tight-fitting lid it allows meals to be cooked very slowly over low heat for a long period of time.
This is an excellent cooking method for tenderizing tough cuts of meat, so you can use it to cook those cuts (such as shoulder [chuck]) that are tough but very flavoursome.
Crockpots also allow for meals to be cooked slowly over a long period of time, so you can prepare your meal the night before hand have it cooking slowly over night. Or you can add your ingredients to the crockpot and have it cook away whilst you are at work so it will be ready in the evening when you get home.
Essentially, if you have a recipe for a stew you can easily adapt it for the crockpot. The main thing to do is to reduce the volume of water, typically by about 1/2 to 2/3. As an example of this here is a traditional recipe for a Turkish Lamb stew with Onions:
Lamb Stew with Onions
Ingredients:
250g lamb, cubed
300g pearl onions (baby onions), peeled
a few slivers of freshly-pared orange zest
2 tbsp butter
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
salt and black pepper, to taste
Method:
Place the lamb in a pot, cover with 360ml water and simmer gently (covered) on low heat for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Now add the remaining ingredients and add a further 360ml water. Return to a simmer, cover and cook gently for a further 35 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve with pilaf rice.
Below is the same dish adapted to be made in a crockpot or slow cooker.
Crockpot Lamb Stew with Onions
Ingredients:
250g lamb, cubed
300g pearl onions, peeled
a few slivers of freshly-pared orange zest
2 tbps butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
salt and black pepper, to taste
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a crockpot and stir-in 400ml water. Cover and cook on low powder for between 6 and 8 hours or until the lamb is tender. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve hot with pilaf rice.
As you can see, you require less water for the crockpot version and cooking is simply a matter of combining the ingredients in the crockpot and cooking. Much simpler and a lot less fuss!
Though this article has dealt with braising and stewing in the main, a crockpot can be a very versatile cooking tool. You can create soups, roasts and even cakes and desserts in a crockpot as long as you have the basic recipe. Crockpots are also cheap to buy and may well represent one of the best investments you can make for your kitchen.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
This is an excellent cooking method for tenderizing tough cuts of meat, so you can use it to cook those cuts (such as shoulder [chuck]) that are tough but very flavoursome.
Crockpots also allow for meals to be cooked slowly over a long period of time, so you can prepare your meal the night before hand have it cooking slowly over night. Or you can add your ingredients to the crockpot and have it cook away whilst you are at work so it will be ready in the evening when you get home.
Essentially, if you have a recipe for a stew you can easily adapt it for the crockpot. The main thing to do is to reduce the volume of water, typically by about 1/2 to 2/3. As an example of this here is a traditional recipe for a Turkish Lamb stew with Onions:
Lamb Stew with Onions
Ingredients:
250g lamb, cubed
300g pearl onions (baby onions), peeled
a few slivers of freshly-pared orange zest
2 tbsp butter
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
salt and black pepper, to taste
Method:
Place the lamb in a pot, cover with 360ml water and simmer gently (covered) on low heat for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Now add the remaining ingredients and add a further 360ml water. Return to a simmer, cover and cook gently for a further 35 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve with pilaf rice.
Below is the same dish adapted to be made in a crockpot or slow cooker.
Crockpot Lamb Stew with Onions
Ingredients:
250g lamb, cubed
300g pearl onions, peeled
a few slivers of freshly-pared orange zest
2 tbps butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp crushed tomatoes
salt and black pepper, to taste
Method:
Combine all the ingredients in a crockpot and stir-in 400ml water. Cover and cook on low powder for between 6 and 8 hours or until the lamb is tender. Season to taste with salt and black pepper and serve hot with pilaf rice.
As you can see, you require less water for the crockpot version and cooking is simply a matter of combining the ingredients in the crockpot and cooking. Much simpler and a lot less fuss!
Though this article has dealt with braising and stewing in the main, a crockpot can be a very versatile cooking tool. You can create soups, roasts and even cakes and desserts in a crockpot as long as you have the basic recipe. Crockpots are also cheap to buy and may well represent one of the best investments you can make for your kitchen.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
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