Tag Archives: slow cooker

Guinness Braised Corned Beef

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Guinness-Braised Corned Beef

Guinness-Braised Corned Beef

The St. Paddy’s Day parade took place downtown, the restaurants and bars were overflowing with folks wanting to celebrate and have a good time, and wearing something green made everyone Irish.

I don’t know what it’s like in other parts of the country, but it is traditional here in the Northeast to have corned beef dinner for St. Patrick’s Day.  We had ours this weekend when I had the time to prepare it and we also had the time to enjoy a leisurely dinner.  I’m so glad I did that, so now I can tell you all how wonderfully good it was!!  Along with the corned beef dinner I also made Irish Soda Bread and Irish Whisky Cake.  You’ll be reading about them in upcoming posts, so stay tuned.

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This meal begins with a piece of corned beef packaged in brine with a packet of seasonings included.  With Guinness being the traditional beer of Ireland, it is fitting that Guinness is used as part of the liquid in which the beef slow cooks.

The slow cooker is the perfect way to cook this cut of meat since it requires long slow cooking to achieve it’s perfect tenderness.  I started it in the morning and let it cook on HIGH for about 8 hours.  The meat and all the vegetables were falling apart they were so well done and tender, and the flavor was “out of this world”.  This was the best corned beef I have ever cooked.

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GUINNESS-BRAISED CORNED BEEF

Yield:  Serves 6

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup waterIMG_9400
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can beef broth
  • 2 cups Guinness stout (if using one bottle, make up the difference with water)
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. dried dill
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 large onion, cut into wedges
  • 3-4 carrots, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 4 red-skin potatoes, halved
  • 1 (3-pound) cured corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet
  • 1/2 head cabbage, cut into wedges

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Directions:

1.  In a large slow cooker, begin by stirring together all the liquids, then adding the brown sugar and tomato paste, Stir to combine well.  Add the seasonings, including the packet with the corned beef.

2.  Put in all the vegetables except the cabbage.   You may choose to add other vegetables you have on hand.  Some people like turnip in this mixture  or parsnips.

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3.  Lay the corned beef brisket on top of it all.  Cover and cook on HIGH for 8 hours or until beef is tender.  Add wedges of cabbage when there is 1 hour of cooking time remaining.

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Remove beef, slice diagonally across the grain into 1/4-inch slices.  Serve surrounded by the vegetable mixture.  Discard the broth mixture.

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SOURCE:   AllRecipes.com

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Country Style Pork Ribs

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,
Country Style Pork Ribs

Country Style Pork Ribs

Talk about finger-lickin’good, these ribs go beyond that!  I licked the spoon, the spatula, and my fingers.  Before the first bite of these succulent pieces of pork rib reach your tummy, you’ll be reaching for another bite.  Guaranteed!

The time spent on these ribs takes place at the beginning–the morning, or evening before you’re planning to serve them.  At that time you will need to season and brown the meat, and sauté onions.  Then layer it all up in your slow cooker and forget about it (if you can, with all that tantalizing aroma), until dinner time rolls around.  Be sure you have a can of beer–any kind–on hand because this is the basis of the sauce.  WOW, talk about good!  Note to self:  have more beer on hand to sip while eating these fantastic ribs.

Ribs with onion sauce served over rice.

Ribs with onion sauce served over rice.

This recipe is on a clipping from an old newspaper, probably the Hartford Courant,  but I don’t have a date.  The clipping has notes written all over it about how good the ribs are, and also how I modified it.  The original recipe called for slow cooking the ribs, then taking them outside to your grill and charring them a little before indulging, but I found them to be so falling-apart tender that I was afraid they would fall through the grates and I would lose them.  Maybe if you put a sheet of foil on the grates first, it would work, but I just could not wait to dig into them, so I skipped this step.  As you read on, I’ll explain what I did.

COUNTRY STYLE PORK RIBS

Yield:   4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 8  country-style pork ribs  (Choose ones with lots of meat on them)IMG_7058
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons paprika (I used 1 T. regular and 1 T. smoked paprika.)
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 large onions, sliced, to make 3 – 4 cups
  • 1 bottle or can of beer ( I used Budweiser)
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1.  In a very large bowl or zip-top bag, mix together the seasonings, i.e., salt through black pepper.

All the lovely spices! They smell wonderful.

All the lovely spices! They smell wonderful.

2.  Add the ribs, shake around  to coat well.  If there is seasoning left, save it,

3.  Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet on medium-high.  Add the oil and swirl to coat.  Put a couple of ribs at a time in the pan and sear on all sides.  Do not crowd the pan.

Beautifully browned ribs.

Beautifully browned ribs.

Do this in batches till they are all browned, adding a little more oil if necessary between batches.  Place on a large platter and set aside.

Set ribs aside while you sauté the onions.

Set ribs aside while you sauté the onions.

4.  Into the drippings left in the pan, add the sliced onions.  Stir to coat all the onions.  I added the remaining seasonings to the onions at this point, letting them get all golden and softened as I sautéed them.

Getting the onions golden and softened.

Getting the onions golden and softened.

5.  Place onions in the bottom of slow-cooker, layer ribs on top of onions.  Carefully pour beer over the top, taking care not to wash that nice sear and layer of seasoning off the ribs.   Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.

Layer them up in the slow cooker. Pour beer over the top.

Layer them up in the slow cooker. Pour beer over the top.

6.  Optional step:  When done, remove ribs, and place on a preheated grill.  Grill them until slightly charred.  Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce if desired.

7.  Turn the heat of the slow cooker to HIGH.   With a small whisk, mix the cornstarch and water together.  Pour into the juices in the cooker and cook briefly to thicken. You can also pour the juices into a saucepan and make the onion sauce on the stovetop.  Serve with the ribs.  This is a nicely flavored onion sauce to pour over rice along side the ribs.

Ribs and onion sauce.

Ribs and onion sauce.

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SOURCE:   old newspaper clipping,  Hartford Courant,  ? date.

 

Chicken Cacciatore

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Soups and tagged with , , , ,
Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta

I love this meal served over polenta or pasta but I make it rather infrequently because it takes quite a bit of time to make.  Especially when you slow cook it the way I usually do. This past weekend I decided to try this recipe that is prepared using a slow-cooker.  By using boneless chicken thighs, the chicken doesn’t need all day to become falling apart tender.  A cooking time of 4 – 5 hours is perfect.

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Starting around noon, I browned the chicken as the recipe directs, made the sauce and put it all in the slow cooker and in about 4 hours it had reached saucy perfection, and the aroma in my kitchen was wonderful.  I continued with the “quick” approach and made instant polenta to serve the cacciatore over.  That  along with an inventive green salad and a glass of wine was a perfect ending to a busy weekend.

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When I make polenta I usually use Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Polenta which takes about 30 minutes to cook, and requires constant attention and stirring.  This time I opted for  Scalafani Instant Polenta, that cooks in only 3 minutes.  You still need to stir it constantly, but for a much shorter time.

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Hint:  when making polenta always use a long handled spoon ( wooden is best) for stirring, because as it thickens it will “pop” as it boils and can burn your hands. (Ask me how I know.)

CHICKEN CACCIATOREIMG_6903

Yield:   Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red or white wine
  • 1/2 cup tomato puree ( 1 6-ounce can tomato paste)IMG_6906
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can unsalted petite diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1.  Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.

2.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil; swirl to coat pan.  Add half of chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

Browning the chicken.

Browning the chicken.

Place chicken in a 6-quart electric slow cooker.  Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.  Reduce heat to medium.

3.  Add a drizzle more oil if necessary.  Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, sauté 4 minutes.

Saute onions, pepper and garlic.

Saute onions, pepper and garlic.

Add wine and tomato puree, stirring to blend ingredients.

Add puree and wine.

Add puree and wine.

Bring to a simmer, adding diced tomatoes, capers, salt , peppers, and oregano.

Add tomatoes and seasonings.

Add tomatoes and seasonings.

Heat through.  Add to slow cooker, pouring over chicken.

4.  Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or until chicken is tender.  Sprinkle with parsley.

Slow-cooker chicken cacciatore.

Slow-cooker chicken cacciatore.

.Serve it over polenta or pasta.

Serve it over polenta or pasta.

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If you have leftovers, they can be easily transformed into soup:  Shred the chicken, and place in a pot with sauce.  Add unsalted chicken stock, diced zucchini, and diced carrots;  simmer until veggies are tender. Add in any leftover pasta at the end.  Serve with a little grated cheese on top.      One meal becomes two.  YUM!

SOURCE:   Cooking Light

 

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

This morning was very chilly for mid-September,  and the prediction is for a cooler than average day.  So right away I am thinking about making chili in the slow cooker.  I’m always amazed at how quickly I adapt to the next season.  Even though I’m not ready to give up all that summer has to offer,  one cool morning, and I’m looking for a sweater or jacket and thinking about chili.  Go figure!

I do  know that there’s nothing quite so enticing than walking into the kitchen and taking in the tantalizing aroma of onions, garlic, and chili powder from a big pot of chili bubbling on the stove or in the crock pot.  Serving up steaming bowls of chili with all the fixings is fun and warming in the fall especially if you’ve been outdoors at a football game or other event in cool weather.

If you have ever worried that chili isn’t good for you,  stop worrying now.  There are a number of tricks you can do to keep it healthy but still hearty.   First, start with a lean meat, like chicken, turkey or lean beef;  second add at least 3 cups of fresh vegetables to boost fiber;  and third, be selective in your toppings, keeping to low-fat cheese and  sour cream,  good-fat avocado, and plenty of fresh options like scallions, radishes, jalapeños, onion, and cilantro.

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This recipe for turkey chili made in the crock pot incorporates all the “tricks” mentioned above.  It’s a meal we really enjoy and I like the simplicity of starting it in the morning and having a meal ready to put on the table except for cutting up a few garnishes at the last minute.

SLOW-COOKER TURKEY CHILI

Yield:   4 – 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1  1/4 pound lean ground turkeyIMG_5029
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 ( 1.25-oz. ) envelope chili seasoning mix
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped ( i omitted this)
  • 1 ( 28-oz ) can crushed tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes, in season
  • 1 ( 15-oz. ) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ( 4-oz. ) can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • Toppings to include any of: shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, finely chopped red onion, sliced jalapeños, radishes, or scallions

1.  Cook turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often with wooden spoon to crumble turkey.

Cooked and crumbled turkey with seasonings added.

Cooked and crumbled turkey with seasonings added.

Add chopped onions and garlic, cooking till softened.  Add contents of seasoning envelope and chicken broth.  Cook and stir about 2 minutes.

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2.  Spoon mixture into a 5 1/2 quart slow cooker;  stir in corn, and next 5 ingredients until well blended.

Everything mixed together in the crock pot.

Everything mixed together in the crock pot.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.   Serve with desired toppings.

Hearty, warming, just right on a cool day.

Hearty, warming, just right on a cool day.

SOURCE:  Southern Living Magazine

Simple Savory Pork

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , ,
Slow cooker pork ribs.

Slow cooker pork ribs.

Cook once, and eat twice, or maybe three times.  Who doesn’t love that?  Not me, for sure.

With some very simple preparations you can be having a deliciously tender, falling-off-the-bone  roast pork for dinner this evening. The aftermath of this meal will be to use the remaining meat to make pulled pork.  I’ll be serving that in a few days and plan to share my recipe with you.  Left over pork can be enjoyed in many different ways, so let your imagination run free to come up with countless ways for using those leftovers.

It all begins with the slow-cooker and a bottle of root beer soda.  Good barbecue requires low and slow cooking.  So we will make a simple spice mixture to rub on the meat, put the meat in the slow cooker, add the root beer soda, and let it cook on low for about 8 hours.  Most barbecued pork or pulled pork is made from either a pork shoulder roast, or a pork sirloin roast.  In my version today, I am using bone-in,  country style ribs that have lots of meat on them.

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Using root beer soda is a technique that I have learned about from several sources. It is very popular with Southern cooks. It provides the needed moisture, its sweetness is the basis for the barbecue sauce, yet all trace of root beer flavor disappears with cooking.  In a follow-up blog post I will tell you about how I made the pulled pork with a very special barbecue sauce.

SIMPLE SAVORY RUB SLOW COOKED PORK

You get big flavor from just a few ingredients.

You get big flavor from just a few ingredients.

Yield:    Makes 8 – 10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds pork shoulder, sirloin roast, or meaty ribs (with bone)
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup root beer soda

1.  In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings.  Rub the mixture all over the meat, pressing it to adhere.  Place the meat in the slow cooker.  Pour in the root beer.  Cover and set to “low heat” setting and allow to cook undisturbed*  until the pork is very tender, 6-8 hours.

Ribs in the crockpot, all seasoned and ready for some slow cooking.

Ribs in the crockpot, all seasoned and ready for some slow cooking.

2.  Transfer the meat to a serving bowl or platter and allow to rest, covered.  The meat is very flavorful and tender served just like this, along with some of the pan juices to moisten it.

Slow cooker pork ribs served with pan juices.

Slow cooker pork ribs served with pan juices.

*Curb the urge to stir, peek or smell.  Every time you lift the lid of your slow cooker, you lose heat equivalent to 20 minutes of cook time.  Resist the temptation to lift the lid until its time to check for doneness in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

SOURCE:   Sweet Tea Please,  Vicki Prescott

Let’s Talk Turkey

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish and tagged with , , , ,

Many people, I think, associate turkey with Thanksgiving and only cook it at that time of year.  Aside from using ground turkey for burgers and occasionally in chili,  I never cook a turkey whole, or even make turkey parts, so I count myself in that group of cooks who only cook it for the holiday.

That changed this past week when my supermarket ran a special on turkey parts.  What got my notice was the fact that half turkey breasts were available as well as legs and wings.  Turkey, of course is comparable to chicken with its high protein, low fat, no carb profile but turkey has a richer, deeper flavor.   So I bought half a breast and two wings (always my favorite part of roast turkey).   The question that followed was how to cook it?

A slow cooker, turkey parts, gravy, and onion soup mix.

A slow cooker, turkey parts, gravy, and onion soup mix.

Since I had a few busy days ahead of me, I decided to roast it in my slow cooker.  With just a couple of additional items for flavor and to make a nice gravy,  I  put it all in the crock pot and as the jingle goes,  ” set it and forget it”.   When I returned home later in the afternoon the house smelled wonderful, sort of like Thanksgiving dinner cooking.  To round out the meal for that night’s dinner I made mashed turnip, instead of mashed potatoes, and a green salad to which I added dried cranberries and chopped hazelnuts.  We felt like we had eaten a very full and satisfying meal, but it was extremely low in carbohydrates and fat.  Woo-hoo!   We “gobbled” it up!

This meal looked and smelled so good and I was so hungry, I forgot to take a picture of the final entree as it was served.  Sorry!

SLOW COOKER ROAST TURKEY PARTS

Let the slow cooker do it for you. Set it and forget it1

Let the slow cooker do it for you. Set it and forget it1

SERVINGS:    depends on size and number of parts used

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 whole or half turkey breast, 2 turkey wings
  • 1 jar low-fat turkey gravy such as Heinz ( or two, if lots of gravy is desired)
  • 1 package dry onion soup mix such as Lipton**
  • poultry seasoning to sprinkle

1.  Empty the jar of gravy into a small bowl, and add about 1/4 cup dry onion soup mix.  Stir to combine.  Put 2 – 3  spoonfuls of this mixture in the bottom of the crock pot, just to cover it and prevent the turkey from sticking to the bottom.

2.  Using another Tablespoon or so of the onion soup mix,  rub it under the skin of the turkey breast.  Then sprinkle outside of skin with poultry seasoning.   Do the same with the other parts you are using.  Layer them into the crockpot, pouring some of the gravy mixture between layers.  Pour remaining gravy over the top.

3.  Cover, and cook on low for about 8 hours.

4.  The juices that accumulate can be thickened with a bit of flour, for a nice gravy that is very tasty.

**When I use prepared mixes like this, I always make note of the amount of sodium they contain–which can be high–so I do not add any additional salt.

This recipe was eaten by only two of us, so there was turkey left for another use.  Stop back tomorrow to see what I did with “second-time-around turkey”.

SOURCE:    a   Carolyn Original

Breakfast Before Bed. Really!

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Breakfast and tagged with , , , ,
Slow cooker oatmeal.

Slow cooker oatmeal.

Did you ever think of making your breakfast before going to bed ?  No?  Me, either.  But then I got this idea from something I read.   So simple, really,  why haven’t I thought of this before now?

The whole idea is to use your crock pot or slow cooker to cook breakfast overnight and when you get up in the morning, instead of starting then to cook cereal, voila, there it is hot and waiting for you.

Hot and waiting for you in the morning.

Hot and waiting for you in the morning.

On the weekends I often will cook steel-cut oats for hot  oatmeal which we both love, but it usually takes about 20 minutes of cooking time.  So of course, I never make it on weekdays.  But with starting it in the crockpot the night before, we can now have oatmeal anytime we want.  And the recipe makes about 6 servings, so once made, I refrigerate the extra, and can warm up just one serving in the microwave very easily whenever I want.   I am so proud of myself for coming up with this.  When I told my daughter about it she said, “yeah, I know,  I’ve done that before.”   Duh!  Where have I been?

In case there’s anyone else out there who has never done this,  here’s all you do:

1.  Peel and slice 2 apples and  put in the bottom of a crockpot,   sprinkle  1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon over the apples.  If you are not fond of apples in oatmeal use raisins, or just leave out the fruit completely.

Apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal. What's not to like.

Apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal. What’s not to like.

2.  Pour 2 cups regular or steel-cut oats on top,  then add 4 cups water.   Do not stir!   Cook overnight  8 – 9 hours on low.

Layer it all in the crock pot, set it to low, and forget it.

Layer it all in the crock pot, set it to low, and forget it.

3.   Before serving give the pot a stir to mix it all up and enjoy with milk or cream poured over the top.   YUM!

A hot breakfast waiting for you.

A hot breakfast waiting for you.

Slow Cooker Blade Steaks

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , ,

Slow cooker blade steaks served with noodles and acorn squash.

Today was one of those days when I am very glad that I have a slow-cooker. Busy, Busy, Busy!  But I was still able to put an attractive and very tasty meal together and my husband and I really enjoyed it. The only time I spent on it was to saute the onions before putting everything in the crock pot early in the morning, and as the saying goes “set it and forget it”.

This recipe was originally  written using a pot roast which I often do make, but today I used blade steaks instead and got an extremely tender and flavorful result. You will note that the recipe calls for adding carrots and potato to the slow cooker with the meat, but for today I cooked some wide egg noodles to go with it.  The recipe produces a good quantity of gravy and so its good to have some thing that will go with the gravy like mashed potatoes or noodles.

To produce a successful meat in the slow cooker you need something to give lots of flavor;  in this case sun-dried tomatoes, herbs and garlic. You will also be using less liquid than oven or stovetop versions, but the moisture in the slow-cooker  plus meat juices will contribute to the gravy.

SLOW COOKER BLADE STEAKS

SERVINGS:   6-8

INGREDIENTS

  • 6-8 blade steaks, about 2 pounds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • cooking spray
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 cup fat-free, less sodium beef broth
  • 3/4 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup chopped, drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

DIRECTIONS

1.  To prepare meat: sprinkle steaks evenly with salt and pepper.

2.  Spray the interior of the cooker insert with non-stick spray.  Place the meat in the cooker.

Blade steaks in the slow cooker insert.

3.  In a skillet, add olive oil, then onion and sauté 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned.  Add the broth and next ingredients through bay leaves.  Bring to a simmer.  Add the broth mixture to the slow cooker.  If using vegetables, arrange them around the meat.  Cover and cook 2 hours on HIGH, reduce heat to LOW and cook 4 hours more. Or start on LOW and cook 6-8 hours.

4.  To serve, remove bay leaves and discard,  serve with the gravy.

Blade Steaks with gravy , noodles and stuffed acorn squash.

SOURCE:  adapted from a recipe from  Cooking Light

Slow Cooked Braised Beef Short Ribs

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,

It doesn’t matter what season it is, I make frequent use of my crockpot, especially if I will be away most of the day.  I love to come home to the smell of something wonderful cooking.  Today I cooked beef  short ribs.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

Short-ribs are usually quite pricy at the market so we don’t have them very often, but this past week there was a special “truckload of beef” sale going on so I purchased some.  I have in my files several recipes for braised beef short-ribs, but for every one I was missing some key ingredient.  So I fused together two different recipes and come up with this one.  They came out very well;  finger-lickin good and falling off the bone, with a nice gravy that I thickened with some of the seasoned flour I used to brown the ribs initially.  I served this together with a mushroom risotto, and a medley of fresh garden vegetables.    This is how I made the ribs.

BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS IN THE CROCK POT

SERVES:    4

INGREDIENTS

  • about 4 pounds beef short ribs,  4-6 pieces
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • non-stick cooking spray
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 jar prepared Beef Gravy with Mushrooms (such as Heinz)
  • 1 package dry onion soup mix (such as Lipton)

PREPARATION

1.  Spray crock pot liner with non-stick cooking spray

2.  In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, smoked paprika, and allspice.  Dredge the ribs in the flour mixture to coat.  Shake off excess flour.

3.  In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil to hot, brown the ribs on all sides, in batches if needed.

4.  Place a few ribs in the bottom of the crock pot .  Pour some of the gravy over them and sprinkle with some of the soup mix.  Repeat with the remaining ribs, gravy, and soup mix.

5.  Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 1/2 – 4 hours.

6.  To serve:  Remove the ribs to a serving dish and keep warm.  Make a roux out of 2 Tablespoons butter and 2 Tablespoon flour (use any seasoned flour left from dredging the ribs).   Turn the crock pot up to HIGH so that the gravy simmers,  add the roux and stir to combine so the gravy thickens slightly.  Pour over the ribs and serve with noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice.

SOURCE:   A CAROLYN ORIGINAL

Homestyle Stuffed Peppers

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I have two different ways that I prepare Stuffed Peppers;  one kind is made using Cubanelle or frying peppers, and this way using the more familiar Bell peppers.  This is the classic recipe my mother always made which I grew up on.  At another time I will share with you my recipe for the stuffed frying peppers.

Peppers in  any color combination–green, red, yellow, orange–are stuffed with a mixture of seasoned ground beef and rice then covered in a tomato sauce and baked until tender.  Sometimes I serve them with pasta such as rotini to soak up the sauce, or I might serve them with mashed potatoes and another vegetable like carrots.  It makes a very colorful plate.  The peppers may be oven baked or cooked in a slow cooker.

 INGREDIENTS

Servings:   4 

  • 4 nicely shaped bell peppers, tops, seeds and membranes removed.
  • 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 cup cooked white rice
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 (14.5 0z. can tomato sauce) or jarred spaghetti sauce

DIRECTIONS

  1.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Cook the peppers in boiling water for 4-5 minutes.  Remove the peppers, rinse with cold water, and set aside to drain.
  2. Mix together ground beef, cooked rice, egg, chopped onion, bread crumbs, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese in a large bowl.  Combine well.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Divide beef and rice mixture evenly among the peppers, taking care not to pack too tightly.
  5. Place peppers standing up in a baking dish or shallow roasting pan.  It’s best if they fit rather snugly so they can support each other.
  6. Pour the tomato sauce over all.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, basting with the tomato sauce several times while baking,  about 1 hour and  20 minutes.
  8. Alternately, place peppers standing up in a slow cooker, pour sauce over all, and cook on LOW 6-8 hours.