Fajita Quinoa

Recipe challenge, week twenty-three (which is this week)

In case you're looking for a high-protein, low-carb kinda meal this weekend...I make fajita meat in the crockpot a lot and it's easy to freeze once you cook it too.  This is like a giant Mexican quinoa salad of sorts, but I'd totally put this with tortillas, taco shells or on nachos.  The idea for the recipe came from A Year of Slow-Cooking, but I made them into quesadillas a couple of years ago.

This is a recipe post, but I do have other things to say.

Scott asked me if I wanted to go to a Kenny Chesney concert with a bunch of people he works with later this year.  Apparently it's a tail-gating extravaganza with tickets ranging from $40-$240.

I tried to be diplomatic with the smiley face.  He didn't answer my email, so when we Skyped yesterday, I asked about it.  He said, "Yeah, I figured that was a NO."

All I could think of was this gif.

Okay, maybe it was just the one thing that I needed to get out.

Fajita Quinoa

1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced

1 packet fajita seasoning mix (or 2 T. of homemade fajita/taco seasoning)

¼ water

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, thinly sliced

Cooked quinoa (I use chicken broth instead of water: 1 cup dry quinoa, 2 cups broth, cook it like you would rice)

Guacamole/pico de gallo/cilantro

In a 4-quart crockpot, combine all of the ingredients and stir it around.  Cook on low for 2-4 hours.  It cooks pretty quickly because the meat is already sliced.  Serve with quinoa and your favorite toppings for Mexican food. 

You can easily double this recipe in a 6-quart crockpot and even freeze portions in Ziploc bags.

365 Slow Cooker Suppers

I started using a slow-cooker regularly in 2011.  You see, I was bored in Alaska and I started reading food blogs.  Stephanie O'Dea's A Year of Slow-Cooking was one that I read from start to finish and I still read it today.  I've tried, I'd say, over 1/3 of her recipes.  Rarely have I been disappointed.  She provides the perfect recipes: easy to follow, easy to find ingredients, and I love reading her "verdicts".  She can tell a story about a recipe without going into excruciating detail.  Any cookbook of hers would be a winner in my opinion!

I was thrilled to be given an opportunity to check out 365 Slow Cooker Suppers right after it hit the store shelves on September 24th.  These are the recipes I tried:

Buffalo Chicken Stew
Whoa.  We loved this.  I'm generally not a fan of buffalo-chicken-anything, but Stephanie's description made me want to try it and we fell in love.  Depending on how much wing sauce you add, it can be pretty spicy; ours was.  I also added some cornstarch to a bit of the broth at the end of cooking time to thicken it up a bit.  I didn't have celery and was too lazy to cut up carrots.  Scott's opinion was that the smaller potato chunks were the best ones, so cut them up small!  We topped it with just mozzarella because, again, something about venturing to the store for bleu cheese didn't appeal to me.
This stew was warm and comforting on our first 50 degree night this month.  The changes I made are in parentheses.

1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (The cookbook says to dice the chicken. I put the whole package in without dicing, and then shredded it 30 minutes before the cooking time was up.)
1 small onion, diced
4 red potatoes, diced (I used about 8.)
1 cup chopped baby carrots (I skipped the carrots.)
1 cup celery, diced (Didn't have any celery)
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 packet ranch dressing mix (powdered)
6 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
Shredded cheese

Combine everything but the cheese in a 6 quart slow-cooker.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5.  I've made this twice, using both the high and low cooking times.  Both work well!  Just adjust for your needs.
Serve with cheese on top. (You could even put this in oven-proof bowls and broil the cheese with croutons on top a 'la French onion soup.)

Lazy Sunday Pot Roast
I made this on a Sunday, of course.  I like the idea of making dinner without really "making dinner", or being home all day with the oven on.  I put this in the crockpot at 10am and it was done at 6pm.  It was probably done at 5:00, but I let the eight hours run out.  I figured it wouldn't hurt; more time equals more tender, right?

It was tasty.

Scott requested this potato soup.  I liked the roasted garlic part and he really is drawn to vegetable soups.  This would be a great soup to customize and perfect for a large group.
We went through this phase a few years ago where we ate a lot of roasted garlic.  A restaurant in Anchorage used to serve it with a dense chewy bread, and it spread like butter.  Top it with tomato and wow.  ...I think I need to share that recipe...

Anyway, the garlic "roasts" in the slow-cooker and gives this soup a terrific, sweet flavor.  I think next time I'll add some corn too.  We ate it with BLTs, but you can skip that step and just load that soup up with crumbled bacon!

(I was sent a cookbook to check out via digital download, but all opinions are my own. I've already bought hard copies to give as gifts this Christmas.  I'm a believer in the crockpot and a huge fan of Stephanie O'Dea's...totally in a non-creepy, blogging kinda way :)

Insta-freaking-tastic...and cooking

( ^ I really liked this title when I came up with it last week.  Expect to see it again.)

Joining in with the wonderful Jane at Taingamala for InstaTuesday...(Don't you love the name "Jane"? So classic.)

These were my Friday morning pancakes with strawberry preserves.  You might say, "Wow, Kristin, what terrible photography skills you possess."

Not true.  I have superb photography skills via the iPhone (don't we all?).

I just like to keep things dark around here in the morning hours.  

I drink my coffee and read my blogs and eat my dry cereal by the light of the MacBook.

I baked cookies on Friday night.

Somehow, one batch of cookies required almost 2 bags of Kisses.  Odd.

A confession:

I would like to say that I've been cooking and baking.

I haven't been.

I've lost almost all desire to do so, and I don't. know. why.  

Well, I have been cooking a bit.  But I haven't been creating.  This really bothers me.  And makes me feel awfully slacker-like. 

It's like every creative bone in my body is gone.

Plus, with the holiday season coming about, it's like the dessert blogging world is ON LIKE DONKEY KONG. 

And I don't have it in me this year.  

Not with me trying to eat healthier (seriously).

And me finally getting my abs where I want 'em.

And my paleo-ish eating husband not wanting fudge and ice cream cakes for dinner.

I mean, I eat a lotta sugar, sure.  But I generally eat it and I'm done.  I don't spend all day playing with the sugar (though I do spend all day looking forward to it).  That would hurt me more than it would benefit me, you know?

And I'm not GOOD at food blogging.

It's stressful to me because I have that "job" thing.  And a crazy t.v. watching habit.  And spend a few evenings a week at the gym.

Maybe I'm just lazier than I used to be.

Thoughts???

What have I made lately?

 Chicken Taco Soup.  It's one of the best things I've ever eaten, let alone made in my crockpot.  Do yourself a favor and make it today.  I froze most of it.

I made two pans of lasagna and froze it.  8x8 pans, so one recipe.  

I made Crockpot Pizza Soup and froze it.  Minus the noodles.  Noodles never freeze/reconstitute well, so I'll add them at serving time.

Apple Breakfast Quinoa was good too.  It's basically this breakfast quinoa, which I made a year ago and loved.  I haven't eaten oatmeal in ages because I think my body has started rejecting it, so maybe I should go the quinoa route more often.

Like I said last week, you NEED to make these Sweet Potato Chips.  I've been eating 3 yams a week this way.

I plan on making this Cheesy Vegetable Soup.  Do you think it'll freeze well?  (Maybe I should omit the potatoes.)  I have no use for a giant pot of soup on any one particular day.

Oh, what's that?  You want a weather update?

...when I went to school yesterday morning at 8am.

31* and wore shorts to the gym.
It was 24* when I left the gym.
Until the snow flies.  Promise.

Chili Cheese Dip

Last chance to enter the Alaska Chicks Headband Giveaway!

I don't think you could:  A) mess this dish up, or B) displease anyone by making this dish.

Nope.  Not even a vegetarian.  You can use vegetarian chili.  And vegan cheese, if dairy isn't a part of your diet.

So there a recipe that can suit just about everyone.  You're welcome.

I made chili and then needed to do something with some of the leftovers.  Chili containing a pound (or more) of ground beef would feed both of us for dayssss.  I like to cook too much to be eating leftovers everyday.

I used my extra large ramekin, but an 8x8 pan would also work.  You can double this as easily as you could quadruple it.  There are no real measurements.  I put it together in 90 seconds, popped it into the toaster oven (oh yes, it was during that two-week period), and it was ready to go.

Chili Cheese Dip
makes an 8x8 pan

1 - 8oz. block cream cheese, softened
2-3 cups of leftover chili (or a can of chili)
1 cup of shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese

Spread the cream cheese into the bottom of your pan.  Layer on the chili and then sprinkle with cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Broil for a few minutes until the cheese on top bubbles.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

*You could also adapt this recipe by just tossing everything into the Crockpot and letting it all heat through and melt together.*

That's me cooking dinner in a hat and scarf because..well, you know.

Shared at:
The Stuff of Success

Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake (Crockpot)

*More chocolate...sorry to indulge your chocolate tooth yet again, but I have a feeling you really don't mind all that much :)*

I posted a recipe similar to this last year.  As usual, my December-in-Alaska photography left much to be desired, and honestly, I wanted to change up the recipe a little.  So I'm doing it again.

I've since perfected this cake.  It's perfect for entertaining or a Saturday night at home. 

Guess which one I made it for??



......???......


That's right.  Just me and some True Blood re-runs on a snowy night.  Pretty awesome.

This is appropriately cheery and sarcastic at the same time.  Yes?

Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake (in the Crockpot)
use a 4-quart size or smaller


1st Layer:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
3 T. cocoa powder
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt

1/2 cup skim milk
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. almond extract

1/2 cup peanut butter (microwaved for 30 seconds)
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chocolate chips


2nd Layer:
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder

3rd Layer:
1 3/4 cups boiling water

In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the "1st Layer".  Start with the dry ingredients, then add the wet.  Stir in the chips.  Spread into the bottom of a greased 4-quart Crockpot.  Swirl in the slightly melted peanut butter.

Combine the "2nd Layer" in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over the batter that is already in the Crockpot.

Pour the boiling water over the top.  Don't stir it.  Bake on "high" for 90 minutes-2 hours.  A toothpick in the center will let you know if it's done.  But, honestly, the gooey-er, the better.

Don't forget to enter the Alaska Chicks Headband Giveaway!  It ends at midnight on December 1st!  

Shared at:

Melt in Your Mouth Monday

Mingle Monday @Life of Meg 

Tuesday Talent Show

Crazy Sweet Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday

Steak Fajita Quesadillas in the Crockpot

Well, obviously I didn't grill quesadillas in the crockpot.

Or did I?

No, I didn't.

I was going to make fajitas.

Then I got a little lazy.  Fajitas are one of those things you should just order at Chili's where they can bring you all of the fixins' and you don't need to worry about cleaning up the kitchen.

Chili's has always been one of my favorites for Mexican-like cuisine.  Sure, it's not completely authentic.  But the "authentic" places around here taste weird anyway.

This is probably my "most favorite-est" Mexican restaurant.  The margaritas are scrumptious.  I have limited access to Big Azz Mad Mex Margaritas these days, though.

This place boasts that they've been voted "best margarita" for the last 22 years.  I've tried their margaritas.  There must not be any a lot of competition.


Ouch.  I'm being kind of harsh.  I'll apologize.  "I'm sorry for you that your margaritas taste like Kool-Aid."

Sorry.  Margaritas are a deeply personal experience.  I like good ones.  I know you do too. :)

Steak Fajita Quesadillas
makes enough for 4-6 quesadillas
adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking

1 pound flank steak, very thinly sliced (can be frozen or thawed)
1 pack fajita or taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced

Shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese
Flour or corn tortillas

Salsa
Sour cream
Lime
Guacamole
any other toppings you desire

*This can easily be doubled in a 4-quart Crockpot

Put steak, seasoning, water, onion, and pepper in Crockpot.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8 hours.  I cooked mine on high for 4 hours and low for another hour or so.

In an omelet pan over medium heat, put down one tortilla.  Layer on 1/4 a cup of shredded cheese and then a ladle-ful of steak mixture.  Top with just a sprinkling of cheese for glue and then then another tortilla.  After about 3 minutes, carefully flip.  Cheese should be mostly melted by now.  When the second side is slightly browned, it's done.

Flip onto a plate and, for easy slicing, use a pizza cutter.

 Shared at Cast Party Wednesday@Lady Behind the Curtain 

and

Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Wings

Unless you happen to be in Pennsylvania, I would make these crockpot wings. 

If you are in Pennsylvania, I would forget I ever saw this recipe and go to a local restaurant that serves wings for a decent price.  The one I worked at for a few years would be a good choice.  However, any local bar in central PA will give you finger-lickin' good, deep-fried, chicken-y goodness. 

But.  I'm not in Pennsylvania.  obviously.

Wings in Alaska are approximately $16 a dozen (page 4 on the right-hand side).  They also aren't any good. 

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

So we've become accustomed to wings in the crockpot.  It's almost like eating the melt-off-the-bone kinda ribs that we also enjoy. 

I've bought these bags of frozen, already-separated (!) wings at the Commissary for $8 a bag.  They last forever so I highly recommend them..seriously..I think these were leftover from the Superbowl.


Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Wings
adapted from this recipe

1 t. lemon juice
1 1/2 cups bar-b-que sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's.)
2 t. worchestershire sauce
2 t. prepared spicy mustard
2 t. hot sauce (I used Texas Pete.)
2 t. ground cumin
1/4 cup honey

salt/pepper to taste

20-30 wing pieces

Using a broiler pan, brown each side of the wings for about 10 minutes per side in the oven.  I did it while the wings were still frozen and didn't have a problem.  

Mix up the sauce ingredients (you could do this right in the Crockpot stoneware).

Add the wings and sauce to the Crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.  I cooked these are high for 2 hours and then low for 1 hour in a 4-quart Crockpot.

This sauce is a great way to use up condiments in the fridge that would otherwise be forgotten.

I don't have a picture of the finished wings...but that's okay.  

Wings are wings. 

Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup

My giant bag o' onions was going bad.  That's why I made this soup. 

Now that I have to buy my own groceries, I'm very particular about what goes to waste.

(wow, kristin, how selfish does that sound?)

I actually freeze jars of spaghetti sauce in smaller tupperware containers to use for pizza and pasta because I know that if that Prego jar sits in the fridge for more than a week, it will grow mold.  I've got black beans, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk in the freezer also.  The freezer is my friend. 

But we really enjoy French Onion Soup.  The Progresso cans used to be $1.00 at the Commissary.  They've gone up to $2.00.  Yeah, I'm not going to buy that anymore.  Especially when I can make it from scratch for free with ingredients I'd be getting ready to throw away anyway.  How convenient.

I made my own croutons and used mozzarella..

Go to A Year of Slow-Cooking for the recipe.  I don't think this can be messed up!  I doubled it by 50% so we'd have leftovers.

Slow-Cooker Apple Oatmeal

I love oats. 

Last year, I started eating oatmeal for breakfast everyday (not the pre-packaged, sugary kind).  Incredibly healthy and filling, but after awhile, it got to be boring. 

Restaurant oatmeal is always so much better than the kind you make at home.  They must use a different kind of oats.  I should experiment with this.

Yes, I'm the person who will order oatmeal when I go out for breakfast.  I can't help it.  I've read too many horror stories about the ingredients at Denny's and I-Hop. 

Restaurant toast is also so much better than what I can make at home.  I usually judge a restaurant's breakfast-worthiness based on their toast.  (for the record, Snow City Cafe in Anchorage has the best toast, thus far.  and Denny's in Fairbanks has the worst biscuits ever.  in case you were curious.)

Slow-Cooker Apple Oatmeal

1 cup old-fashioned oats (i imagine any kind but quick-cooking oats would work just fine.)
2 cups milk
1 apple, diced
1 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 t. vanilla
2 T. brown sugar

[if this is for more than 2 people, you should double it]

Add everything into a 4-quart stoneware crockpot.  Stir.  Cook on high for 1-2 hours or low for 3-4 hours. 

This cooked on high for 1 1/2 hours and it was delicious.

I found this recipe at A Year of Slow-Cooking.

*Oh, and I pulled the leftovers out of the fridge two days later.  I put in a tablespoon of milk and microwaved for two minutes.  It still tasted like it had just come out of the crockpot. 

Chicken and Dumplings in the Crockpot

I have this thing for biscuits.  It's an obsession really.  I make the biscuits, drizzle them with honey, and it's like dinner and dessert all in one. 

This is kind of like a scrumptious chicken pot pie right out of the crockpot.  I do love chicken pot pie. 

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
Combine the following in a saucepan, roux-style, and heat through until thickened:
4 T butter
6 T flour
1 cup milk (I used skim.)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning

2-3 chicken breasts, diced (I partially cooked these in a frying pan because the idea of raw chicken makes me a little neurotic.)

1 16 oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables

1/2 of a large or 1 small diced onion

1 can of Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits (I used 8.)

Add the cream mixture, chicken, and vegetables to a 6-quart crockpot.  Cook on low for about 5 1/2 hours.  For the last 30 minutes, add the biscuits right on top.  Mine got brown on the top without having to vent the lid with a skewer or chopstick, but you might have to. 

Slow-Cooker Rice Pudding

I've been obsessed with the idea of rice pudding lately.  I don't know why.  We have a rice pudding recipe, but it's more like a custard.  I wanted something more like a pudding than a custard. 

I wanted to do this on Saturday, but the milk that was supposed to be brought back from Wal-Mart took an unexpected trip to Lowe's and Sportsmans' Warehouse.  So...I started this at 3am on Sunday in order to have it for breakfast.  It was worth it. 

Slow-Cooker Rice Pudding from A Year of Slow-Cooking

*just a note...make sure you use all 8 cups of milk.  I used skim.  It seems like a ridiculous amount and I would've cut it in half to 4 cups, but Scott made me use all 8 cups.  I'm glad I did, because the ONE cup of rice soaked up EIGHT cups of milk!

This is a must-make recipe.  It's healthy (ish) and made with on-hand ingredients.  Soooo easy.

4-Layer Brownies

Holy cow.  This is like a big melt-y pot o' chocolate.  Originally from A Year of Slow-Cooking, I took out the coconut, thus taking it from 5 layers to 4.  Oh well.  That doesn't stop me from eating out of the crockpot with a spoon.  And we like to eat healthfully around here, so we used low-fat sweetened condensed milk.  ha  ha

4-Layer Brownie in the Crockpot

16 oz. brownie mix
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup of oats (not quick-cooking)
2 T. butter

Melt the butter.  Put it into a 4 quart crockpot.  Mix the dry brownie mix, egg, water and butter together.  (I just wooden-spoon stir it in the crockpot.)  Smooth down so it's distributed evenly across the bottom.  Pour the sweetened condensed milk over it.  Pour the oats over that, and the pecans over the oats, and then you have your 4 layers.

Cook on high for about about 3 hours.  A butter knife will probably NOT come out of the center clean, but it will burn if you let it go longer.  At least mine will.  Best to eat a little undone than overcooked.

Slow-Cooker Risotto

Risotto takes a lot of stirring.  So a crockpot recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking seemed perfect.  And I had one heck of a time finding arborio rice.  The world of the internet said nothing could be substituted for arborio rice in risotto because it has so much starch in it.  So after checking (several times) at the commissary, arborio rice was not to be found.  I got it at Wal-Mart, and I must say that it's not cheap.  However, I really wanted to try this.
It's really not bad, but it wasn't my favorite either.  I think that there's some truth to the tried and true method of stirring and stirring risotto while slowly adding the liquid.  Some of the rice in this was still a little crunchy after 2 hours, while some was absolute mush.  And I hadn't had risotto in so long that I couldn't remember the precise texture.  The flavor was good, but it got kinda dry pretty quick.  Scott didn't have a comment one way or the other.  The leftovers are still in the fridge if anyone's interested!

Slow-Cooker Risotto (adapted from A Year of Slow-Cooking)

1 1/4 cups dry arborio rice
1/4 cup of olive oil
4 cups chicken broth (It called for 3 3/4 c. broth and 1/4 c. white wine.  I didn't have the wine on hand.)
2 large cloves of grated garlic (or finely chopped)
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

Mix the rice and oil together in the slow cooker to coat.  Add the spices, garlic, and broth.  Give a couple stirs, then cook on high for 2-3 hours.  Stir in the shredded parmesan after you've turned it off and removed the lid. 

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese

I tried a slow-cooker macaroni and cheese from a recipe book awhile back and wasn't crazy about it.  This one came from A Year of Slow Cooking.  It's better.  Scott liked it.  I liked it too, but it wasn't like the kind straight out of the oven.  I just hate taking the time to make a roux, make a mess (I always make a mess), and then clean up the kitchen.  I mixed all of this together in the stoneware.  Plus, the only days I get to actually use my crockpot are Saturday and Sunday.  I always feel the need to take advantage of that.

Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese
8 oz. elbow macaroni OR shells UNCOOKED
3 cups of shredded cheddar
4 cups of milk (I was almost out of milk, so I actually used half evaporated milk and it worked just fine.  Or maybe it would have been so much better with regular skim milk.  I guess we'll never know...)
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t onion powder
1 egg
1 T Grey Poupon

Spray the stoneware with cooking spray.  Mix milk, egg, mustard, and spices in the stoneware.  I used a 4 quart crockpot.  Stir in the noodles (UNCOOKED!) and the cheese.  Cook on high for 2-4 hours or low for about 6. 

I do realize that this is the worst picture.  Of anything.  Ever.  Scott likes to take my camera ice-fishing.  Then he likes to hide it in the garage.  And it's too cold in there and I'm too lazy to look for it.  So I end up using my phone for most of these pictures.  We are looking into buying a fancy new camera.  Suggestions welcome!

Hot and Sour Soup

Dwight  She introduced me to so many things:  Pasteurized milk, Sheetz, monotheism.  Presents on your birthday, preventative medicine.  

Phyllis   It's nice to learn new things.

Dwight   I was talking to myself.

 Phyllis   Okay.

I'm sorry, but I just love that.  Watching The Office is becoming like a security blanket for me.  I watch episodes of it for hours on end when Scott's not home.  

Scott also introduced me to new things.  Like sushi and miso soup.  While this isn't miso soup exactly, it is quite similar.  Since I'm sick, I'm really just after the broth here, but all of it is good. 

Hot and Sour Soup (in the slow-cooker from A Year of Slow Cooking)

1 cup of cubed firm tofu

2 cups of chicken broth

2 cups of water

1 package of sliced mushrooms

1/2 can of bamboo shoots (this was plenty for me and I even chopped them up a bit)

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. rice vinegar

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (I didn't have these because I'm one of those people who refuses to scan the cupboards before going to the store.  So I used some chili powder.)

green onions for garnish

Combine all ingredients in the slow-cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. 

Pizza Fondue

Imagine the best breadstick you've ever had, dipped into the best pizza sauce ever.  That's what this tastes like.  I ate the whole bowl by myself.  (Although, I must confess that after losing patience with the not-so-quick heating ability of the Little Dipper I threw it all in the microwave and then put it back in the Little Dipper to keep it warm while I ate it all.)  It came from A Year of Slow Cooking.

Pizza Fondue
1 cup of spaghetti sauce
1 cup of shredded cheese (I used mostly mozzarella and a sprinkle of cheddar)
a dash of each:  garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, and parsley
10 pieces of pepperoni, diced

Combine all in the Little Dipper (or use my speedy microwave method and finish in the Little Dipper).  Plug it in and let heat for an hour or so.
For the bread.  I used the Garlic Parmesan loaf from the bakery section.  Cut it into large crouton-sized pieces.  Brush with olive oil and broil until golden brown on each side.

 Before

After

Salsa Chicken Soup

I found this on a terrific slow-cooking website and made a few changes.  I'll make it again because the flavor is amazing.  I feel that if I give credit to the source AND I admit that I, in fact, did not invent the recipe, that's like citing, right?  Anyway, I found it here.  I'm not yet at the point of making my own beans, so I used the canned variety.  When I make it again, I think I'll use one can of black beans and two cups of corn (so that's the way I'm writing out this recipe).


Salsa Chicken Soup
2-3 frozen chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups frozen corn
1 jar (16 oz.) salsa
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 t. cumin
sour cream, for topping at the end

Mix everything together in the slow-cooker.  Cook on high for about 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.  Swirl some sour cream into each individual serving. 

Chocolate Mud Cake

I've been reading an awesome slow-cooker blog, and if I didn't have a job, our slow cooker would probably get used a lot more often.  But when both of us work 10 hour days (okay, I work 10 hour days, his are 12 hours), it's hard to make use of a slow-cooker during the week.  So I use it on the weekends when I'm at home or just running errands.

I should preface this by saying that the slow-cooker isn't mine.  It's Scott's.  A 4-quart Hamilton Beach that he bought in college (for the record, I would like a 6 or 8 quart one for Christmas).  The first thing he ever cooked me was in the slow-cooker, and then first thing I ever made in the slow-cooker was a cake like this one.  I LOVE the molten chocolate lava cakes you can get for dessert at Chili's or Applebee's, so that's originally what I thought it would be like.  It's not quite the same, but that's probably because it comes out of a "light" cookbook.  And if I could figure out the full-fat version, that would probably be a bad thing anyway.

In this cake, I thought the chocolate was really dark and rich.  I probably would use milk chocolate chips for the semi-sweet chips and maybe Swiss Miss powder in place in the baking cocoa and just cut back on the sugar.  Scott thought it was perfect though.  It's pretty easy to put together and is ready in less than 2 hours.  Cooking time says 1-2 hours.  I stopped it and took the lid off at 1 and 1/2 hours. 

Chocolate Mud Cake
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking POWDER
2 T. butter
1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. sugar
3 T., plus 1/3 c. of processed cocoa powder
1 T. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 c. skim milk
1 egg yolk
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water

Mix together flour and baking powder.  Set aside.  In a microwaveable mixing bowl, melt the chocolate chips and  butter.  Stir together and then whisk in 1 c. sugar, 3 T. cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk, and egg yolk.  Then combine with the flour mixture.  Pour into a GREASED 4-quart slow-cooker.

Mix remaining ingredients together (brown sugar, hot water, and 1/3 cup of cocoa).  Pour carefully over the batter that is already in the crockpot.  DO NOT STIR.

Cook on high for 1-2 hours.  You'll know it's done when the cake pulls away from the sides.  Turn off the slow-cooker and remove the lid.  Let sit for about 25 minutes before serving.