Thursdays Are for Cooking….
Those are some of the nicest strawberries I’ve found in a long time. Unfortunately, they no longer exist. I ate them. Haha!
Last week, Aysel wanted to know if there is a slow cooker version of the red beans and rice that I love to fix in the cold season.
Well, I had a better idea. Since Aysel is the Chief Cook and Platefiller at her domicile, and I do a bunch of crock pot stuff myself, the best place to look for slow cooker/crock pot stuff is at the Betty Crocker site, in the Slow Cooker recipes section. This is the link to that section: https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/preparation/slow-cooker-recipes
Aysel, you should be able to find there a wealth of stuff to fix, including chicken pot pie and beef stroganoff. They even have coffee mug desserts, and if you’re pressed for time as you say you are (and you want to keep Hubby away from the cookery stuff) this is your go-to site. I would get several slow cookers or crock pots, because the inserts can be removed if there is still food in them, and stored for another meal. Or use those eminently useful plastic storage containers that are microwavable. I have to go to the hardware store and get a couple smaller sized cookers next month.
Anyway, my recipe for BBQ beans with smoked sausage is very simple and very hearty. One 14.5 oz can is two servings.
2 cans of red beans in chili sauce (or other sauce, your choice)
BBQ sauce – your favorite brand, about half a standard bottle
1 (one) big link of smoked sausage. Use 2 links if you’re feeding more people, or stretching this for two meals.
spicy mustard – whole grain mustard works well if you want more spiciness but not heat
Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder (both are optional)
about a half cup of chopped onion (get the frozen seasoning mix from Pict-Sweet, it’s more convenient)
Put the beans into the crock pot, add the BBQ sauce, add about a half cup of the mustard, two teaspoons of the OPTIONAL Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Use a dessert spoon if you don’t have a measuring spoon.
Stir this mix well, add the onions or seasoning mix, stir again, and then place the smoked sausage links on top of the bean mixture. Do not immerse the sausage. It will steam and cook up nicely sitting on top, which is how it’s supposed to work
Put the lid on. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. You can let it go longer, if need be. And tell Hubby to leave the crock pot alone. It needs time to contemplate the Meaning of the Universe and must not be disturbed. Yoda would agree with me on that.
Make some cornbread from one of those package mixes if you’re pressed for time. Takes about 8 minutes to mix the batter and 20 minutes to bake in the oven. Slice up some veggies like zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, and put those on a plate with radishes, baby carrots, and whatever else suits your fancy. Also, dill pickles go well with this, especially the refrigerator dills, or use your favorite brand.
And for dessert, get the cotton-pickin’ apple pie at the bakery and some ice cream.
Leaving the BBQ beans in the crockpot/slow cooker lets you reheat them (about 45 minutes) for another meal.
Last, but certainly not least, adjust the mustard and other flavoring ingredients to suit your personal taste.
Category: Economy
What a crock of …..mmmmmmmmmmm.
k, since we’re talking crock pot meals, here’s one I call “Cheater Chilli”
1 lb ground beef, browned with half an onion, diced
2 lbs steak (I use round or flank, Elk is best, but use what you’ve got)
2 cans black beans with chili spices
2 cans white chili beans (I use the hot ones)
2 cans black beans with jalapenos
2 cans Ro-Tel or similar
2 cans tomatoes with chili spices
1 large poblano pepper (add more / hotter ones if you want)
1 can of corn (optional)
2 bottles of your favorite beer (one for the cook, one for the pot)
All of the cans are the 15oz size, I use Khuners if avail
Brown ground beef with half a diced onion (i use yellow), and dump in crock pot Add all beans / tomatoes. Add one bottle of beer to the pan you browned the beef in, scrape up any browned bits in the pan, add to the crock pot.
Grill steak to rare / Med rare on a grill,just to get some char / flavor on it. (grill poblano pepper at the same time) Dice steak and add to pot, peel / seed pepper, dice and add.
Let simmer 2-4 hours (you may need more beer for the cook)top with cheese (and diced onions if you like) serve with hot cornbread, or your favorite kind of bread / tortilla chips
Cannot get elk meat here, but there is a store in Wisconsin that might provide it. So I use lean ground beef and chili beans and go for more spice and less heat.
Fyr, my own method is a bit simpler. I made chili last week like this:
1. Bring 1/2 lb. uncooked red beans covered with water to boil in a pot on the stove. Let them sit an hour, drain, and dump them in a crock pot with 1 qt. of beef broth.
2. Dice about 1 lb. of meat from a left-over tri-tip roast cooked on the grill to 150 degrees over mesquite chunk charcoal. Add the meat to the crock pot.
3. Dump in a can of diced tomatoes.
4. Add 1 tbls. of chili powder, 1 tsp. of cumin, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. dried onion flakes, and 2 tsp. crushed red pepper.
Set the crock pot on “High” and let it cook until it comes to a boil. Stir the chili and turn to the “Low” setting. Since the seasoning measures are approximate, this is also a good time to adjust the seasoning to taste. There should also be just enough water added to keep things covered.
Cooking time will probably take about 6-8 hours at a simmer. The chili will thicken over time and might need to be thinned with more water depending on preference.
Makes about 2 quarts.
Looks good!Yeah, mine was made with the intention of throwing it together fast before we got another call, then letting it sit all day, cause it wouldn’t be ruined if we didn’t get to it till 10 at night…And I guess I should have said that the recipe is made for 8-10 firefighters, with leftovers for chili-dogs the next shift.
Hey, o a side note, anyone seen / heard from The other Whitey? haven’t seen him post in a while, i know they got some big fires out his way, hope he and the family are doing ok
Wow, this was the second time today that my computer punked me, and put “F” instead of Fyrfighter..
Just stopped by the cooking section to say that I like that there is ONE, SINGLE cooking section weekly. I really do. I don’t play in this sandbox but I’m very glad that the sand is in one place.
Thank you, AirCav. One a week is enough!
In honor of Dave’s Kielbasa Korps post yesterday, here’s an easy one pan recipe for
Kielbasa with Peppers and Potatoes
You’ll need-
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (16 ounce) package smoked kielbasa sausage, diced
6 medium red potatoes (diced)
1 red bell pepper (sliced)
1 yellow bell pepper )sliced)
You’ll do:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Place kielbasa and potatoes in the saucepan. Cover, and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender.
Mix red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper into the saucepan, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until peppers are just tender.
Serve and enjoy.
Ah, strawberries. A tasty and erotic food. Good in vanilla bean ice cream, Cheerios, dipped in chocolate, made into a daiquiri, sauced over cake, stuffed into pies, mixed into fruit salads, or straight by themselves. Crock pots. The working person’s appliance. Got 4 of them and use them constantly, specially in the summer time. For those that aren’t on speaking terms with their ovens this time of year, you may want to check out some of the new hot air, oil less fryers/cookers. I repped for an outfit called American Harvest Jet Stream Oven way back yonder. Damn things worked real well. Fast as a microwave, but cooked liked a conventional oven. Have not tried the latest versions yet, but am looking into it. Happy eating. 2/17AC, glad you dropped by. Now go make us a skillet of cornbread to go with the red beans and sausages. Thanks!
I am budgeting two smaller slow cookers and a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven for next month. I have a freezer chest full of food and need to start using it up.
On the Betty Crocker site, there is a recipe for chicken and pasta that looks good for this winter. Set it up, go shovel snow off the front steps, put out bird food, and come indoors to a meal ready to eat.
I’m going to try making shepherd’s pie in a slow cooker because that is basically ground lamb or beef and veggies with a layer of mashed potatoes on top.
Lean Cuisine Sesame stir fried chicken
Based on 1100 nuke ovens.
5 minutes, 30 seconds with cover on
let stand for 1 minute, remove cover and enjoy.
Jeff LPH, 63-66, you forgot a beverage to go along with that fine cuisine.
1. Get a beverage glass
(size of your own choosing).
2. Hold under sink faucet & turn on cold water.
3. Shut off tap when water reaches the amount of your choice.
Eat, drink & be merry (or Lois or Jean or etc.). 😉
Skyjumper; thanks for the heads up on the beverage. Since I’m down in South Florida, I have an under the kitchen sink water purifer which I use so I don’t post any comments about me being something I’m not like a Navy Seal, Force Recon, Gen. Custer Indian Scout Etc. LOL.
Thank you for this post!! That link is being bookmarked for research ^_^ And yes, keeping hubs away from the kitchen other than for KP duty is the safest course action ^_^
Any time, Aysel!
I’ll have to send the pics separately…….
I’ve spent the day turning apples (that blew off from heavy winds last Saturday) from my McIntosh tree into apple butter. Half done, so far I have about 15 pints &1 qt.
The recipe is from an old 1950s Kerr Home Canning Book.
Basic recipe: x pounds of apples (I’ve never measured to see how many per batch)
Cut into pieces, remove cores and bad spots. Do not peel.
Put an inch of water in the bottom of a pot, cook apple pieces until soft (a few minutes after the water boils).
Press/strain/sieve/whatever to make sauce.
16 cups thick apple pulp
8 cups sugar
1 cup vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar)
4 teaspoons cinnamon.
Mix in a large pot. Cook/simmer until mix remains in a smooth mass when a little is cooled (approx 1 1/2 hours). Stir frequently to prevent burning. Pour into sterilized jars & seal.
In addition, I process in a steam bath for 10 – 15 minutes. Remove heat, let cool in steamer for an additional 10 minutes (prevents jars cracking from rapid cooling & depressurization).
While removing jars from steamer, tighten rings onto lids.
Place jars onto a towel, and cover with a towel. Let cool overnight.
GREAT with pork.
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