163 replies to this topic

[FaustianBargain]

list the ways...

eta: i'll start.

cooking steelcut oats. god..its such a pain making them in single servings for breakfast. i cook about a cup or cup and a half of oats with four-five times the water..a little salt...at a time. it will cook over 6 hours on low. washing up later is a pain, but soaking for a couple of hours makes it easy to clean.

[rancho_gordo]

Of course you know I was going to say beans. You put them in the cooker in the morning and come home to cooked beans, with no soaking.

Somewhere I wrote about some good Rick Bayles recipes from Mexican Everyday that were great.

[FaustianBargain]

Of course you know I was going to say beans. You put them in the cooker in the morning and come home to cooked beans, with no soaking.

Somewhere I wrote about some good Rick Bayles recipes from Mexican Everyday that were great.

so find it! the only person who can find your posts is ...YOU!

i made cajeta* once, but wasnt very pleased with the results. there isnt enough fat. otoh, i made an indian dessert with half&half and double cream(cow's milk, obviously..because i have never seen cream made from goat's milk anywhere)..with sugar and spices(cardamom and saffron..but its better to add these towards the end while its still warm. some people like spices..others prefer it plain and sweetened). it was beautiful. i especially love the chewy bits that float in thick caramelised cream. of course, more than 4 tbsp of this completes your daily calorie allowance, but worth it.

*and got into an argument. i used whole vanilla beans. my friend insisted that cajeta has to be made with cinnamon.

[mongo_jones]

pork shoulder.

powder red chillies, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves, pepper. crush garlic and ginger. mix with powders and salt and make into a paste with just enough vinegar. rub all over pork shoulder. place in slow cooker. add 1 cup of water (not over the pork--you don't want the spice paste to wash off). cook for 9 hours or so. in the last hour, open quickly and dump thai chillies (halved lengthwise) on top.

serve with steamed rice. would probably work well with beef as well.

[FaustianBargain]

chicken stock! no explanation needed here.

and apple jelly. apples quartered with peel and pits. sugar(sometimes i use brown sugar), apple juice, spices(sometimes if i have spiced apple cider instead of apple juice, i dont need the spices)..cooked until mushy. last one hour cooked wthout the lid so all the excess liquid evaporates. through the food mill and into sterilised bottles. apple jelly is ALWAYS useful while canning/preserving fruits with low pectin.

[Orik]

I have a slow cooker because some credit card company wanted to give me one. I've found that results are consistently better if I just bring a pot to boiling and then just stick it in a low (170-200, depending) oven for 6 hours. Are there advantages to the slow cooker that I'm missing?

[The Scream]

I have a slow cooker because some credit card company wanted to give me one. I've found that results are consistently better if I just bring a pot to boiling and then just stick it in a low (170-200, depending) oven for 6 hours. Are there advantages to the slow cooker that I'm missing?

I don't want the oven on for 6 hours during the summer. And I don't like to leave my home with the oven on.

[Kim]

carmelized onions. beef broth, onions, butter, thyme. 12 hours or so. I keep it on high for the first two hours, then low until it smels too good to not eat.

[tanabutler]

I was in Costco tonight and saw a big book called "Not Your Mother's Slowcooker Recipes" (I think), but had no time to peruse it, especially because I lack a slow cooker.

[rancho_gordo]

For FB, I noted my crock pot dinner. I made it before and it's somewhere around this dump.

Layers:

sliced onion
sliced red bliss potatoes
chicken thighs
1 cup cilantro
sliced tomatillos.
Salt between layers.
Top with sliced jalapenos en escabeche (1/4 cup) and some of the juice.
6 hours on high.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[Farid]

I made Algerian style chili with Ranchos beans in my slow cooker with ingredients purchased at Trader Joe's. Layered it into the slow cooker and then went to pick up the kids. Everything was done after bathtime.

[Maison Rustique]

I was in Costco tonight and saw a big book called "Not Your Mother's Slowcooker Recipes" (I think), but had no time to peruse it, especially because I lack a slow cooker.

I picked this book up on a whim on Monday--came here to post about it and see that you already mentioned it. The book is by Beth Hensperger (sp?) and someone else that I can't remember. Anyway, it is quite inspirational for me. I seldom use recipes for anything except baking, but this book is giving me all sorts of ideas that I never would have thought of for the crockpot. It's only $9.95 at Coscto, so you really can't go wrong.

Edited to add that I just got a large assortment from Rancho Gordo today, so I'll be doing lots of playing!!

[Suzanne F]

Also caramelized onions, but I follow a method I think I saw on CH: just sliced onions and butter. Did some the other day (all day) and now I have 7 jars of oniony goodness in my fridge.

Duck confit, as described by Paula Wolfert in Southwest France. Absolutely foolproof! Since one of my earliest attempts with quail yielded deep-fried birds, this is just great.

Oxtails, lamb shanks -- anything that requires long, slow cooking. Sometimes I brown them first, sometimes not, doesn't seem to make that much of a difference.

Congee. I forget where I got the instructions, but if anyone is interested, I'll look.

[elyse]

I know this is a stupid question, but have no crock pots caused fires, and are they completely safe? I am super paranoid about fires. Leaving the house would really freak me out if it were on.

Crock pots and slow cookers are the same?

I have one in the barn, but don't reallly know what to do with it. I guess a cookbook is necessary for me?

[rancho_gordo]

I know this is a stupid question, but have no crock pots caused fires, and are they completely safe? I am super paranoid about fires. Leaving the house would really freak me out if it were on.

Crock pots and slow cookers are the same?

I have one in the barn, but don't reallly know what to do with it. I guess a cookbook is necessary for me?

I was told it's comparable to leaving a light bulb on. But maybe the Crock Pot people came up with that.
Crock Pot is a brand. I try to say slow cooker but I also try and say facial tissue and it comes out as Kleenex.
1/2 pound of beans, some chopped onion, garlic, water to 2 inches from the top. High for 6 hours. Salt. Enjoy.