Showing posts with label Crock Pot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crock Pot. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Gulaschuppe



Gulaschuppe, or Goulash Soup, is a German classic that we had the pleasure of indulging in while in Germany this summer. "Indulging in" might not be the right phrase. "Gluttoning ourselves on" might be most appropriate. We positively inhaled serving after serving of this soup. Until it was gone.

Gone.

It's a simple one-dish meal, easy to make, and delicious served with warm (real) sourdough bread for sopping up broth. I've only made this twice but I've discovered that key to this soup's deliciousness is in the stock. It is imperative that you make the stock yourself, as store bought stock just won't cut it. The more delicious your stock is, the more delicious your soup will be. (Stay tuned, maybe someday I'll do a stock post.)

I've tweaked this recipe from several I've found online to suit our tastes and budget. If you want to save some coins, omit the tomato paste and you'll have a thinner soup. I personally cut the caraway seeds from 2 tablespoons to only a half tablespoon. Caraway seeds add a distinct European flavor, and a little goes a long way on our American tongues. Finally, I added garlic because let's face it, it's just not dinner without garlic.

Ingredients

2 Pounds grass-fed beef, cut into half inch cubes (cheap stew meat will work best)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
Fat for sauteeing (I use lard)
3-4 medum potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound carrots, chopped
1 quart beef broth
1 cup water
2 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp sucanat (you can substitute any kind of sweetener if you don't have sucanat, or try leaving it out)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes

1 6 ounce jar of tomato paste
1/2 tsp caraway seeds

Directions

1. Over medium high heat, melt some fat in a large skillet and add the beef, browning it on all sides. Halfway through, throw in the onions, peppers, and garlic and cook it with the meat until the onions are soft.

2. Throw everything in th crockpot and simmer on low all day. Remove the bay leaves before serving.


3. Serve with a dallop of sour cream and warm, sliced sourdough. Make sure to come up for air.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Crock Pot Refried Beans

These are delicious and so easy! Fajita night just isn't complete without them...

I found this recipe at 100 Days of Real Food and tweaked it just a little bit.

Ingredients

2 Cups Dry Pinto Beans, rinsed
1 Onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 Jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Cumin
2 Cups Chicken Stock
4 Cups Filtered Water

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight.

2. In the morning, rinse the beans and add them to your crock pot with all of the ingredients.

3. Cook on high for eight hours.

4. Depending on how much liquid remains, you may need to drain the beans. I've found that you want a little liquid to remain so you can get the right consistency. Mash the beans with a potato masher.

Serve with shredded cheddar on top.

Mom Tips

* These make great leftovers to dip tortilla chips in for lunch the next day.

* Try this with black beans, or try half and half. Black beans are full of nutrition!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Loose Meat Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

These are good any time of year for a quick, filling meal.

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 Cups Ketchup
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
8 Buns

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients together in the crock pot. Set on low for 8-10 hours.

2. Serve on buns.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Chili

This recipe is so simple, but the family devours it every time I make it. In fact, there are fights over who gets the leftovers for lunch the next day. I prepare it in the morning and let it simmer in the crockpot all day so it's nice and thick by the time we eat it.

Ingredients

Oil
1 Medium Red Onion, chopped
1 Lb Ground Beef (or turkey)
2+ Cloves Garlic
Chili Powder, to taste
Salt
1/4 Tsp Paprika
1/8 Tsp Pepper
1 Carton Pomi Chopped Tomatoes or 4-5 tomatoes, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 C Cornmeal
1/4 C Flaxseed Meal
1/2 C Dry Kidney Beans, soaked overnight in filtered water and 1 Tbsp whey
1/2 C Dry Cannellini Beans, soaked overnight in filtered water and 1 Tbsp whey

Directions

1. Saute the onions and garlic in oil, then add the turkey and spices and brown it until cooked through.

2. Combine the turkey mixture with the rest of the ingredients in the crock pot and cook all day.

3. Serve with cheese or sour cream on top.

*Serve with cornbread, or cous cous, or over baked potatoes.

Mom Tips

* Dad doesn't like beans so I often make extra beans, puree them, and sneak it into the pot. You can also puree almost any kind of vegetable and sneak it in there if you want to. Carrots and red peppers work well.

* If it's summer and you have fresh tomatoes, you can substitute chopped tomatoes for Pomi, but who wants chili in summer? I don't buy canned tomatoes because of the BPA in the cans. Pomi tomatoes come in a carton and are imported from Italy. Although they're not organic, they're grown using sustainable practices. Whole Foods has the best price on them around here - surprise, surprise!

* I like to make my spice mixture ahead of time. I just quadruple the recipe and keep it on hand labeled "chili.". Then I add a heaping tablespoon to the pot.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Chunky Applesauce a la Mode

This is a new recipe for our family. It came home in sister's homework packet last week to correspond with their study of apples. Since we happened to have a house full of people coming over to feed, we decided it would be the perfect dessert topped with homemade vanilla ice cream. I'm sure we'll be making it again very soon since dad is a fool for apple treats.

Quick, easy, and delicious. Oh, and it makes your house smell divine!

Chunky Applesauce

Ingredients


8-12 Apples, cored, peeled, and cut into chunks
1 Cup Water
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tsp Cinnamon

Directions

1. Put all of the ingredients together in a crock pot and mix them together well. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours. If you want your apple chunks to remain large, don't be tempted to stir while it's cooking. If you do stir, the apples will mush up and you'll have exactly what the recipe says: chunky applesauce. Delicious either way.

Top with... Vanilla Ice Cream

*If you don't have an ice cream maker, you don't know what you're missing!

Ingredients

1 Cup Milk
2 Cups Cream
1 Cup Sugar
1-2 Tsp Vanilla (The quality of vanilla you use matters when you're making ice cream!)

Directions

1. Mix the milk and sugar in a bowl until dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Add the cream and vanilla, mix for a couple more minutes.

2. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and mix for 30 minutes. Transfer ice cream to a glass container with a lid and freeze.