Crockpot meals simmer throughout the day

If you’re looking for a simple meal, a crockpot meal may be the way to go. You can start the meal in the morning and let it cook throughout the day.

A delicious, homemade meal will be the payoff.

The moist heat and slow cooking will turn even the toughest meat into a tender, delicious entree. And because the vegetables, meat and pasta can be cooked together, the flavor permeates the entire meal.

Slow cookers are the ultimate in convenience. For some recipes, you can assemble the ingredients in the insert the night before and refrigerate it. Next morning, set the insert in the slow cooker, turn the heat to low and head to work or run errands.

Other recipes call for the dish to be cooked on high heat for one hour and then reduced to low heat. This allows the slow cooker to heat up faster and penetrate the meat, killing harmful bacteria.

It may also help to cut any large piece of meat in half to allow it to come to a safe cooking temperature quickly. For that reason, make sure meats are thawed before placing them in the slow cooker. 

The crockpot must reach temperatures of at least 165 degrees for safe cooking. The low heat on most models is about 200 degrees. 

For best results, a slow cooker should be between half and two thirds full.

Because the ceramic insert in a slow cooker can crack if exposed to abrupt temperature shifts, don’t put a hot insert on a cold counter or a cold one onto a preheated base.

Browning meat, especially ground meat, and sautéing vegetables in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker can improve the flavor of a meal. If you dredge your meat in a little flour before browning, you will get a thicker sauce.

For more even cooking, trim excess fat off meats. If you’re cooking a dish with both meat and root vegetables, place the vegetables on the bottom and sides of the insert and the meat on top.

Dairy products, like sour cream, milk or yogurt, tend to break down in the slow cooker. To prevent this, add them during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Following are a few recipes for crockpot entrees from www.allrecipes.com.

 

 

Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef

1 beef bouillon cube

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1-1/2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch strips

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 pounds broccoli florets

2 cups cooked jasmine rice

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, optional

Crumble bouillon cube into warm water in a bowl and stir to dissolve. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and sesame oil and stir to dissolve sugar.

Put beef strips into a slow cooker crock. Pour sauce mixture over beef. Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours or on high for four hours, until beef is tender enough to cut with a spoon.

Place two tablespoons liquid from the slow cooker into a bowl. Whisk cornstarch into the liquid, then stir cornstarch mixture into the liquid in the slow cooker until consistent in color. Cook on high for 30 minutes, until sauce thickens.

Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Cook broccoli in covered steamer two to six minutes, until tender. Add to sauce in slow cooker and stir to coat.

Serve beef and broccoli with sauce over portions of cooked jasmine rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

 

 

Black Bean and Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Chili

1-1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 2-inch strips

1 small onion, coarsely chopped

1 small red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

3 15-ounce cans black beans

1 16-ounce jar salsa

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

Combine pork tenderloin, onion, red pepper, black beans, salsa, chicken broth, oregano, cumin and chili powder in a slow cooker. Cook on low for eight to 10 hours.

Break up pieces of cooked pork to thicken chili before serving.

 

 

Italian Sausage Soup

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 small onions, chopped

2 16-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes

1-1/4 cups dry red wine

5 cups beef broth

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 zucchini, sliced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 16-ounce package spinach fettuccine

Salt 

Pepper 

In a large pot, cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain fat from pan, reserving three tablespoons.

Cook garlic and onion in reserved fat for two to three minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, broth, basil and oregano. Transfer to a  slow cooker and stir in sausage, zucchini, bell pepper and parsley. Cover and cook on low four to six hours.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water about seven minutes, until al dente. Drain water and add pasta to the slow cooker. Simmer a few minutes and season with salt and pepper before serving.

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast With Brown Sugar and Sweet Potatoes 

1 tablespoon pork rub seasoning or to taste

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1 3-pound pork loin roast

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

Salt 

Black pepper 

Mix pork rub seasoning and five-spice powder together in a small bowl. Rub all over pork roast.

Place sweet potatoes in the bottom of a slow cooker, then add brown sugar and butter. Place roast on top and season with salt and pepper.

Cook on low for six to seven hours, until roast is fork-tender. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 145 degrees.

If pork doesn’t seem done, cook on high for about 45 minutes longer.

 

 

 

Slow Cooker Easy Baked Potato Soup

10 red potatoes, cut into cubes

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup real bacon bits

1 small red onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules

1 tablespoon ranch dressing mix

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups water

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup chopped green onion

Put potatoes in the bottom of slow cooker. Scatter flour over the potatoes and toss to coat. Scatter bacon bits, red onion, garlic, chicken bouillon, ranch dressing mix, parsley, seasoned salt and black pepper over the potatoes. Add water , then cook on low seven to nine hours.

Pour half-and-half into the soup and cook another 15 minutes. Garnish with cheddar cheese and green onion to serve.

 

 

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 tablespoon curry paste

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 teaspoons tandoori masala

1 teaspoon garam masala

15 green cardamom pods

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

Salt

Heat butter and vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in chicken, onion and garlic. Cook 10 minutes, stirring, until onion has softened and turned translucent.

Stir in tomato paste, curry paste, curry powder, tandoori masala and garam masala until no lumps of tomato paste remain. Pour mixture into a slow cooker, then stir in cardamom pods, coconut milk and yogurt. Season with salt. Cook on high four to six hours or on low for six to eight hours, until chicken is tender and sauce has reduced to the desired consistency. Remove and discard cardamom pods before serving.

 

 

Mushroom Slow Cooker Roast Beef

1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

1 4-pound standing beef rib roast

1 1.25-ounce envelope onion soup mix

1 12-ounce bottle beer

Black pepper

Place mushrooms in the bottom of a slow cooker, then set the beef roast on top. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the beef, then pour beer over everything. Season with black pepper.

Cook on low nine to 10 hours, until the meat is easily pulled apart with a fork.

 

 

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

For topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pinch salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

1 cup chopped walnuts

For filling:

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

6 cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice

To make topping, mix flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Add butter and mix with fingers or a fork until coarse crumbs form. Stir in walnuts.

To make filling, whisk sugar, cornstarch, ginger and cinnamon together in a small bowl.

Place apples in a slow cooker. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Add lemon juice and toss to combine. Sprinkle topping over apples. Cover and cook on low for four hours or on high for two hours, until apples are tender.

Turn off slow cooker, partially uncover, and let stand one hour, until topping has hardened.

 

 

 

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Meatloaf

For meatloaf:

3/4 cup milk

2/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons dried minced onion

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

For glaze:

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Whisk together milk, breadcrumbs, eggs, minced onion, salt and sage in a large bowl. Stir in ground beef and mushrooms until well combined.

Shape mixture into a round loaf. Place loaf into a five-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low five to six hours, until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Whisk ketchup, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl.

Spoon glaze over the meatloaf. Cover the cooker and cook on low 15 minutes, until sauce is heated through.

Carefully remove meatloaf with two spatulas to a serving plate. Cover with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.