Crockpot Meals

Straw Hats-Real cowboy food!

2-3 lb beef top round roast

½ lb dry pinto beans, soaked overnight OR 3 15oz cans of pinto beans

1 1/2 t salt

½ t pepper

1 t cumin

1 t dried oregano

-place beef, beans (with liquid from soaking or from the can) and spices into a crockpot. Cook low for 8-10 hours. Take a potato masher and mash the beans and roast until it looks like refried beans.

-serve on top of tortilla chips. Top with cheese, lettuce, sour cream, tomatoes, avocado, onion…

 

Pork Carnatas (for tacos)

2 lbs pork shoulder

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

2 t dried oregano

1 t cumin

1 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed/pressed

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 orange, cut in half

 

Pat pork dry with paper towels. In a small bowl mix together salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and oil. Mix it into a paste and rub over pork roast. Place roast in crockpot and top with onion, garlic and jalapeno. Squeeze orange juice over the pork and put two halves into the crockpot too. Cook 8-10 hours on low.

When pork is done remove from crock pot and let cool. When it’s cool, using your fingers or two forks, shred the pork.  (OPTIONAL: Heat broiler. Place pork in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook under broiler until brown and crispy on one side) Serve in tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, pork sandwiches…

 

Pork Tanga Tacos

1 lb gold or red potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes

2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 inch pieces

28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, seeded and cut into slices

1 T sauce from the chilies

1 T Worchester sauce

1 t oregano

3 cloves garlic smashed or pressed

1 white onion, sliced

4 oz chorizo sausage (optional)

-spread potatoes in bottom of the crockpot. Top with pork. In a large bowl mix together remaining ingredients. Pour over pork and potatoes. Cook on high for 6 hours.

-Cook sausage in a frying pan until its crumbled. Add to potatoes and pork. Stir together everything in the crockpot.

-serve in tacos topped with cheese, and avocado

 

 

 

Four course Italian

Risotto Milianese

 

4 c broth

2 c water

¼ t saffron threads

3 T butter

1 small onion diced (1/2 cup)

1 ½ c Arborio rice

¼ c parmigiano cheese

Salt and pepper

 

-in a small sauce pan heat water and stock, bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low.

-transfer 1 c of stock to a cup and add the saffron. Set aside.

-melt 2 T butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring for about a minute.

-Add ½ c of stock to rice. Stir until absorbed. Continue to add stock ½ cup at a time until rice is al dente. Add the stock with saffron toward the end of the cooking process. IT will take 18-25 minutes total. You may have leftover stock.

-add cheese and remaining butter. Stir in and serve.

 

 

Tuscan Steak Salad

 

1 lb New York steak (or any beef steak you choose)

Salt & pepper

1 T Fresh rosemary, minced

Olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Fresh arugula or a baby greens mixed bag

 

-Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic on both sides. Drizzle with 2 t olive oil. Marinade in the fridge or cook immediately. Cook on a grill, or frying pan to desired doneness.

-when steak is done cooking, set on a cutting board, and cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes so juices can redistribute.

-meanwhile, put a layer of salad greens on the plate. Slice steak into strips. Place directly on the salad greens. Any juice on the cutting board can be drizzled on the steaks and salad. You may also drizzle on more olive oil on the salad to taste.

 

 

Torta di Mele (Italian apple cake)

 

8 T butter, at room temperature

1 c sugar (divided)

1 t vanilla extract

3 T milk

Zest of 1 lemon

3 eggs at room temperature

1 ½ c flour

2/4 t baking powder

¼ t salt

½ t cinnamon

3 apples (golden delicious)

 

-          Heat oven to 350 degrees

-          Butter and flour a 9 inch spring-form or cake pan (I put a piece of parchment paper on the bottom)

-          In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream butter and ¾ c. sugar, vanilla, milk and lemon zest. Beat until fluffy (1-2 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time.

-          Sift flour, baking powder and salt into large bowl. Add in 4 parts to the butter mixture. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes and prepare apples.

-          In a large bowl, mix together 2 T sugar and ¼ t cinnamon. Peel, core and slice apples into 16 even wedges. Place apples in bowl with cinnamon sugar. Toss to coat.

-          Spoon batter into prepared cake pan. Smooth top. Decoratively cover the batter with sliced apples.

-          In a small bowl, mix 2 T sugar and ¼ t cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of the cake.

-          Bake in oven for about an hour. Let cool 10 minutes then scrape around edge of the pan with a knife to loosen the cake. Turn out onto a plate.

-          Cake can be eaten warm or at room temperature. Best with vanilla ice cream.

 

Honey Pear and Brie Crostini

 

Loaf of Italian bread or baguette

Brie cheese

1 pear thinly sliced

1 T honey, heated in the microwave

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread into ½ inch thick slices. Spread a layer of brie on each piece of bread. Place sliced pears on the bread. Brush hot honey on pears.  Place on baking sheet and cook for 4-5 minutes. Serve hot

 

Variations

Orange cranberry pecan brie crostini: On sliced bread spread 1 t of orange marmalade, layer of brie. Bake 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle with crasins and chopped toasted pecans.

Blueberry Maple Pecan: On sliced bread, smear on some brie. Bake 4-5 minutes. Top with a dollop of blueberry maple pecan preserves (we will make a batch of this in the summer)

Strawberry, honey, basil & Brie: Place sliced brie on bread. Cook in oven for 4-5 minutes. Top with two slices of strawberries, drizzle with honey and top with a couple slices of fresh basil.

Indian Food

Indian Hamburgers

 

1 ½ lbs ground beef

6 T chopped cilantro

1-2 hot green chilies

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

1 t black pepper

1 t salt

-Mix all ingredients. Form into patties. In a nonstick skillet heat 2 T oil on medium high heat. Cook patties in pan.

 

Spicy Grilled Chicken

Spice Paste:

1 T crushed black pepper

1 T paprika

½ t cayenne pepper

1 T garam masala

2 t cumin

2 t dried oregano

1 ¼ t salt

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 T vegetable oil

2 T lemon juice

2 T plain yogurt

 

-Smear spice paste on chicken breasts or pieces. Grill as desired. Paste can be put on chicken before cooking or up to a day in advance.

 

Yogurt with Cucumber and mint (raita)

2 2/3 c plain yogurt

1 small cucumber, seeded and grated with a cheese grater

2 T fresh mint

½ t cumin

½ t cayenne pepper (optional)

1 t salt

Fresh ground pepper

 

-Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Serve with Indian hamburgers, or with naan.

 

Royal Chicken

 

1 c plain yogurt

1 t salt

Pepper

1 t cumin

1 t coriander

¼ t cayenne pepper

¼ c cilantro

3 ½ lbs chicken parts

¼ c vegetable oil

8 cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

3 bay leaves

2 ½ T slivered almonds

2 ½ T raisins

 

-Put yogurt in a small bowl. Wisk in ½ t salt, some black pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne and cilantro. Set aside

-Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with ½ t of salt and black pepper

-in a large skillet, heat oil on medium high heat. When oil is hot add cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken and brown in pan. Work in batches if needed. Put browned chicken into a bowl and set aside.

-Add almonds and raisins in the oil. Cook until raisins plump up. Return chicken to pot. Add yogurt mixture and stir Cover pot and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes. Serve with sauce.

* If sauce is too watery, remove chicken after it’s cooked and boil sauce until it’s the concistancy you wish. Pour over chicken.

 

Mango Lassi (Smoothie)

1 ¼ c plain yogurt

1 c chopped mango

3 T sugar

¼ t cardamom

8 ice cubes

-place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth.

2-3 servings

Big batch cooking

Cheese and Spinach Shells

 

1 package large pasta shells (manicotti works just as well)

15 oz container ricotta cheese

10 oz frozen chopped spinach

1 egg

1 ½ c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

½ c grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

2 T dried parsley

1 jar pasta sauce

 

-Cook spinach in microwave. Let cool then squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

-cook shells in a large pot of salted water (1 T salt for the pot) drain and rinse with cool water. Leave in a large bowl of cool water until you are ready to fill them.

-in a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 c mozzarella cheese, ¼ c parmesan cheese, egg, ½ t salt, ½ t pepper and parsley. Pour a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish (9x13 inch). Use a spoon to fill each shell. Place cheese side up in the pan. When shells are all filled, pour remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with ½ c mozzarella and ¼ c parmesan cheese.

-Bake 375 degrees for 45 minutes. (This can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before cooking)

Bacon Wrapped Chicken (Giant batch)

6 chicken breasts

1 container chive and onion cream cheese

12 slices bacon

 

-Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally or pound into ½ inch thickness then cut in half)

-Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Put 3 T of cream cheese on each chicken breast. Wrap 1 slice of bacon around chicken and cheese.

-freeze individually on a baking sheet. When completely frozen, place in a Ziploc bag.

-To cook: thaw. Put chicken on a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper beneath. Bake 400 degrees for 35 minutes. If you want the bacon crispy, finish dish by turning on the broiler and baking for 3-5 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

 

Taco Chicken Filling

Sauté in a large frying pan on medium high heat 3 t butter and 3-4 cloves smashed garlic

Add 2 T seeded and diced chipotle chili in adobo sauce, ½ c orange juice, ½ a bunch cilantro, 1 T Worchester Sauce and 4 chicken breasts.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Remove cilantro from sauce and toss. Turn heat to high and reduce pan sauce by half. Chop or shred chicken. Add 1 t mustard to the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

 

Twice baked potatoes

 

10 russet potatoes

1 package bacon, diced and cooked

1 stick butter, melted

1 c sour cream

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

 

Wash potatoes and poke with a fork. Bake potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

Let potatoes cool.

Cut in half and scoop out the middle, leaving skin intact like a boat.

Mash potatoes with butter, bacon, sour cream and cheese. Fill potato skins with the mashed potato mixture.

Freeze on a cookie sheet them transfer to a Ziploc bag.

Bake 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

 

 

Pesto Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles (no boil or regular cooked as box says)

1 jar pesto sauce

Big batch of Béchamel sauce (recipe below)

1 ½ c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

½ c grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

2 T dried parsley

 

Béchamel sauce:

½ c butter

½ c flour

4 ½ c milk

Pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper taste

 

-Make béchamel sauce as you’ve learned in macaroni and cheese lesson

-cook noodles. Once drained put the noodles in a large bowl filled with cool water. (noodles won’t stick this way)

-spoon ½ c of béchamel sauce in a 9x13 inch pan. layer 3 noodles in pan. Layer noodles with a thin layer of pesto (1/4 c?) then ¼ c parmasean cheese, ½ c mozzarella cheese, and 1 c béchamel sauce. Repeat until pan is nearly full (about 9-12 noodles total).

-Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (freeze if you like, but be sure to thaw it before cooking)

 

 

piefest 2012

Apple Crumb Pie

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

2/3 c sugar

3 T cornstarch

¾ t cinnamon

3 pounds granny smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced

1/3 c raisins (optional)

2/3 c flour

1/3 brown sugar

3 T cold butter

8 oz sour cream

1 t vanilla extract

 

-Heat oven  to 400 degrees

-In a large bowl mix white sugar, cornstarch and ½ t cinnamon. Add apples and optional raisins. Toss to coat. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Pour into pie crust and make even-ish.

-In a medium bowl combine flour, brown sugar, ¼ cinnamon. With a two forks, two knives, food processor  or your fingers work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like cornmeal. Sprinkle over the apples.

-Place pie on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Bake 1 hour. Turn temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 35-45 minutes longer.

-Cool and serve.

If you make it in advance you can warm pie in oven 325 degrees  for 20 minutes.

 

Pecan Pie

1 9 inch unbaked pie crust

1 ¾ c. pecan halves

4/4 c dark corn syrup

½ c packed brown sugar

4 T butter or margarine melted

1 t vanilla

3 eggs

 

Pre bake pie crust:

                -Heat oven to 425 degrees

                -line inside of pie crust with tin foil

                -fill with a couple cups of dried beans or uncooked rice

                -bake 15 minutes

                -remove from oven, take out beans/rice and foil. Return to oven and cook for 5 to 10 more

minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

-reduce heat to 350 degrees

-chop 1 cup pecans

-in a large bowl, whisk corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and eggs until blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust.

-bake until filling sets around the edges, but middle is still jiggle, 45-50 minutes.

-cool at least 1 hour before slicing.

 

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

4 to 6 lemons

1 ½ c sugarr

1/3 c cornstarch

¼ t salt

1 ½ c. water

3 large eggs, separated, plus an egg white

3 T butter, cut into pieces

¼ t cream of tarter

 

Pre bake pie crust:

                -Heat oven to 425 degrees

                -line inside of pie crust with tin foil

                -fill with a couple cups of dried beans or uncooked rice

                -bake 15 minutes

                -remove from oven, take out beans/rice and foil. Return to oven and cook for 5 to 10 more

minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

 

-zest lemons, so that you have 1 T of lemon zest. Then squeeze lemons so that you have ¾ c. lemon juice. Set aside

 -In a small sauce pan, combine 1 c. sugar, cornstarch, ¼ t salt. Stir in water. Cook over MEDIUM heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat.

-in a small bowl whisk egg yokes. Slowly whisk in 1/3 c. of the hot cornstarch mixture. Slowly pour egg yoke mixture back into the pot stirring rapidly to not cook the eggs. Place pan over low heat and cook stirring constantly until filing is very thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. Stir in zest and lemon juice. Pour into the pie crust and make smooth with a spatula.

-Heat oven to 400 degrees.

-Put egg whites, cream of tarter and a pinch of salt into a medium/large bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix on high speed until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle  in ½ c. sugar, adding 2 T at a time. Keep mixing until eggs look shiny and have stiff peaks.

-Spread meringue over lemon filling.

-Bake 10 minutes in the middle of the oven, or until the meringue is golden.  Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate 3 hours up to a couple of days before serving.

 

Italian Sorbetto (makes 6 after dinner shots)

3 oz sparkling wine

1 oz vodka

3 oz lemon sorbet

 

-Let sorbet sit on the counter until soft. In a large glass gently stir vodka into the soft sorbet.

-Stir in sparkling wine.

-pour into shot glasses for a small after dinner drink

*To prepare in advance, store vodka and sorbet mixture in the freezer. Add wine before serving.

 

Meatballs

Make it your way meat balls

 

Basic Meatballs

 

1 pound hamburger (93% to 85% lean)

1/3 c. bread crumbs, panko or oatmeal

1/3 c milk, buttermilk or plain yogurt

1 egg

1 t salt

½ t pepper

1 t Worchester sauce

3 T minced onion (or grated on a cheese grater)

 

-in a large bowl mix bread crumbs and milk. Let sit 5 minutes until it forms a paste. Mix remaining ingredients. Form into 20 balls. (about 1 oz each ball).

 

BAKED: Place on a wire rack that is set on a rimmed baking sheet. (Or directly on a baking sheet). Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

 

PAN FRIED: heat 2 T oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add half of the meatballs and cook turning occasionally until browned. Remove from pan, and cook remaining meatballs. If you’re making a sauce, do so in the pan without cleaning meatball drippings out.

 

Variations

 

Comfort BBQ Meatballs

 Make basic meatballs

In a bowl mix together 1 c. ketchup, 2 T sugar, 3 T cider vinegar, 2 T Worchester sauce, 5 T minced onion, dash of hot sauce.

Put meatballs in an oven safe dish/pan and pour sauce over meatballs. 

Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

Italian Meatballs

to basic meatball recipe add ¼ c parmesan cheese, 2 t dried parsley or Italian seasoning, 1 clove garlic minced. Cook as directed.

To serve heat pasta sauce of choice, when it begins to simmer, place meatballs in sauce. Cook at medium low covered for 15 minutes. Serve with spaghetti or as a meatball sandwich.

 

Swedish Meatballs:

To basic meatballs add: 2 cloves garlic minced/pressed, ¼ t allspice, ¼ t nutmeg

Cook as directed in the recipe (I would prefer to pan fry rather than bake, but your choice)

To make Gravy, melt 2 T butter in a medium high heat frying pan then whisk in 2 T flour. Cook stirring frequently. After a minute or two, slowly pour in 1 ½ c beef broth (1 can). Whisk as you pour so that there are no lumps. Add 1 t Worchester sauce, and ¼ c cream. Put cooked meatballs into the sauce. Heat for 10 minutes or so. Serve with wide egg noodles.

 

Hot pockets

Homemade Hot Pocket

 

Filling from list below

11 oz tube of refrigerated pizza dough or French bread

1 large egg

 

Preheat oven to 425 and spray a baking sheet with oil or lay down a piece of parchment paper

Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. On a floured surface roll out dough into a 9x12 inch square. Put ¼ of the filling into the center of the dough. Fold as you learned in class.

Place pockets seam side down on the baking sheet. Beat the egg in a small bowl and use a pastry brush (or your fingers) to cover the top of the pocket with egg.

Bake 15 minutes.

 

Broccoli-cheddar- 1 ½ c broccoli, 1 ¾ c grated cheddar cheese, 3 T sour cream, 2 T chopped chives (optional)

 

Croque Monsiuer- 1 c grated gruyere cheese shredded, 1 c ham (lunch meat is fine) chopped, 2 t Dijon mustard, 1/8 t nutmeg

 

Curried Chicken- heat  1T oil in a frying pan and cook 1 shallot chopped, ¾ t curry powder, ½ t ground ginger, I clove garlic (grated) for 2 minutes. Add 1 c diced cooked chicken. Remove pan from heat and stir in ¼ c frozen peas, 2 T cilantro, ¼ c plain yogurt and 1 t lime juice