<p>I’m trying to expand my repertoire this year. I currently have beef stroganoff going in the crock pot and have several family favorites that I can always pull out of my back pocket. But always looking to try new things.</p>
<p>I’ve gotten really in to Asian flavors lately, particularly Thai influence. I’m also excited for the weather to cool down so I can make soup!</p>
<p>Any recommendations? </p>
<p>Last note: it’s just me, no family to feed, but I do like having leftovers!</p>
<p>I have made this on the BBQ a few times, pretty easy, quite tasty, many compliments:
<p>Light a grill. In a small saucepan, combine the garlic and 1/2 cup of the olive oil and simmer over low heat until the garlic is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer the garlic to a blender and pour the oil into a glass measuring cup. Let the oil cool slightly. Add the habanero chile to the blender with 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the lime juice and honey and puree. With the blender on, slowly add the garlic olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. </p>
<p>You can marinate the shrimp ahead of time in the sauce or not, if not, brush the shrimp with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over a hot fire until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side.Transfer to plates. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.</p>
<p>You have a crock pot, so let’s start with that.</p>
<ul>
<li>Put a 1-2 pound chunk of pork tenderloin or beef roast (or larger, as space permits…) in your crock pot.</li>
<li>Add about a cup of water</li>
<li>Add a few shakes of salt, pepper, garlic… and one good shake of cayenne pepper.</li>
<li>Slice an onion and add it</li>
<li>Dice a few carrots and celery stalks and add them.</li>
</ul>
<p>After an hour or two, add a couple of chopped potatoes.</p>
<p>Cook until everything is done. Should be decent.</p>
<p>Several of my Mom’s recipes are my favorites. They are neither “healthy” nor do they include trendy ingredients, but they can take me back to a home that no longer exists in a flash. (My parents passed away in 2001 and 2009. Think 1950-1980 classic midwestern recipes.)</p>
<p>And several of my MIL’s extremely limited repertoire of recipes are family favorites. This is only the result of hilarious stories linked to the recipes. The recipes themselves are corn based or Jello based, and have no redeeming modern healthy recipe qualities. (think “Drop Dead Gorgeous”)</p>
<p>While my favorite recipes are delicious, they are not about to win accolades from anyone here on CC! </p>
<p>Easy chicken fajitas done in crock pot.</p>
<p>Put two boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of a crockpot.
Mix together a half jar of any salsa you like with a package of fajita seasoning mix.
Pour mixture on top of chicken and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 5-6.
Use a couple of forks to shred the chicken for filling for your fajitas.</p>
<p>Have available whatever you want to put on your fajitas… whatever kind of tortillas you like (corn or flour) sour cream, avocado, chopped tomato, lettuce, cheese, etc.</p>
<p>Two chicken breasts will make a lot of filling for one person. After it’s done, I’d put about half the mixture in a ziploc bag and save in the freezer for future meals.</p>
<p>Here’s a recipe for Thai Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup that is delicious: <a href=“http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/thai-hot-soup-shrimp-sour.aspx”>http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/thai-hot-soup-shrimp-sour.aspx</a></p>
<p>It’s from an American publication, but the recipe is from a Thai cook. It tastes pretty authentic to me (I’ve been to Thailand a couple of times) considering I use all made/grown in the USA ingredients.</p>
<p>I do use the ginger and white button mushrooms (always have them on hand), and the lime leaves (I buy them at an Asian market and freeze them), and I use Thai basil if I can.</p>
<p>I like to serve it with Chicken Larb, black & white sticky rice, and a cuke-pineapple-tomato salad. </p>
<p>Thanks all! :)</p>
<p>Easy peasy crock pot beef stew.</p>
<p>1 1/2 pound of beef cut into square pieces
1 pound bag of baby carrots
3 big potatoes cut into squares
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce</p>
<p>Put the meat in the crock pot. Put carrots and potatoes on top of the meat. Smear the cream of mushroom soup on top. Pour the onion soup mix on top of the mush soup. Put the Worcestershire sauce on top. Put lid on and cook on low for 10 hours. </p>
<p>Thought of this thread last night and wanted to throw in a suggestion for a wonderful item : the rotisserie chicken. Buy one chicken, make at least a few meals (especially for one!)
<p>Great bang for your $5-6!!!</p>
<p>This one is our new favorite, in fact D has requested it for Thanksgiving instead of turkey.</p>
<p>Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs
Link to the original recipe: <a href=“Oven-Baked BBQ Ribs Recipe”>http://bbq.about.com/od/ribrecipes/r/ble31003d.htm</a></p>
<p>First you need a rack of baby back ribs (approx 4 lbs).
You also need the dry rub ingredients (see below).
And you also need your favorite BBQ Sauce. I make a halved version of this one while the ribs were cooking: <a href=“St. Louis Barbecue Sauce Recipe”>http://bbq.about.com/od/barbecuesaucerecipes/r/st-louis-barbecue-sauce.htm</a></p>
<p>Make the dry rub.
If you like, trim the excess fat and the extra connective tissue on the back of the ribs. If you are feeling lazy or rushed, you can skip this.
Rub ribs with dry rub.
Place the ribs in the slow cooker standing on their edge with the meaty side out.
Cook on low for around 6 to 8 hours. (6 is plenty long for me)
Remove from slow cooker and transfer to a foil lined bake pan / cookie sheet.
Brush with BBQ sauce and stick it in the oven for the sauce to caramelize a bit. I do around 15 min in a 400F, some people like it under broil/grill – whatever your oven does best.</p>
<p>Dry rub ingredients (just mix these all up):
1/4 cup of barbecue sauce
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar</p>
<p>This is one of my “cook once, eat twice” recipes that would tie in well with abasket’s rotisserie chicken suggestion. </p>
<p>First night: roast (or buy) a chicken or turkey breast and make mashed potatoes and vegetables.</p>
<p>Second night: put leftover cooked chicken or turkey pieces in a pie plate, add vegetables, pour some gravy over them, and spread leftover mashed potatoes over all. Bake at 350 for about 30 mins. </p>
<p>To make things really easy, I use frozen mixed carrots/corn/peas/green beans. Trader Joe’s sells this, “organic foursome” and it is really good. They also sell a boxed (small box) turkey gravy that I use for this because I don’t make gravy. So, except for the mashed potatoes, this is really easy.</p>
<p>zoosermom has been kind enough to post the recipe for her famous mashed potatoes.</p>
<p>abasket, my family LOVES the rotisserie chickens but I had totally forgotten about them! Thank you! We especially love using them for recipes because they just give so much more flavor than plain chicken!</p>
<p>scholarme, I LOVE ribs…yum! I will be trying that for sure!</p>
<p>NYMom, that sounds amazing!</p>
<p>It’s very satisfying, HGFM, especially for males. Comfort food!</p>
<p>Chicken Orient</p>
<p>Stewed or Roasted Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (Or: 4 chicken breasts; 1 rotisserie chicken)
1 Box Long Grain and Wild Rice, made according to directions (such as Uncle Ben’s)
1 Small Can Sliced Water Chestnuts, Drained
1 Can French-Cut Green Beans, Drained–I often use fresh beans.
¾ C Mayo (Low-fat mayo works well.)
1 small onion, diced
Small jar diced pimento (optional; adds some color)
¾ C sliced/slivered almonds</p>
<p>Combine all ingredients, except almonds, in large bowl. Spray 10 x 13 inch casserole dish with Pam and transfer chicken mixture to dish. Top with almonds and bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove lid last 10 minutes of cooking to slightly brown almonds.</p>
<p>Freezes nicely. I often make two and freeze one for future use.</p>
<p>Add a green salad and, perhaps, rolls to make a complete meal. </p>
<p>To add on to the rib recipe. I found in the spice aisle Famous Dave’s Rib Rub which I think is pretty good. My neighbor swears by rubbing her ribs with Chinese Five spice, she says to just use a little. </p>
<p>I’m making ribs in my crock pot right now :)</p>
<p>The crock pot is my favorite small kitchen appliance! So handy because I work such long hours and don’t always want to cook at the end of the day. It’s nice to come home to dinner ready to go! And it makes my whole apartment smell so good! </p>
<p>I like to make fast chicken salad in the summer. I cut a chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and saute them in olive oil very quickly. While they’re cooking, I cut up fruit (nectarines, plums, apples, melon, whatever is in season), sweet peppers, and tomatoes. I grate carrots. Add the chicken and toss with your favorite salad dressing and serve over lettuce (or toast, if you don’t have lettuce).</p>
<p>If you like beef and you like Asian flavors, this might be one of the best things you’ve ever eaten:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.myrecipefriends.com/recipe/16643.html?PHPSESSID=4bd250b1f78d43602816e47273bda838”>http://www.myrecipefriends.com/recipe/16643.html?PHPSESSID=4bd250b1f78d43602816e47273bda838</a></p>
<p>The Madhur Jaffrey recipe I adore is part way down the page. It is not a crockpot recipe, though.</p>
<p>Where do you get galangal?</p>
<p>I get fresh galangal at one of several local Asian markets; the Cambodian one, usually. IMHO, dried galangal isn’t worth using. I would substitute an equal amount of fresh ginger instead if you can’t get fresh galangal. </p>