Low Cost Healthy and Delicious Meals

[Lorraine]

Even I get that one.

Explain it to me then. :d13:

 

I had my grapes btw... :smoke:

 

Isn't he trying to tell you have electrifying farts? That's the way I understood it. I could be wrong though.

 

Glad to hear you had your grapes. :)

[blueschica]

I just found out my sister has a slow cooker. I'm going to borrow it and try making some stuff in it. Does everything need to be in a liquid of some sort?

 

I always add some kind of liquid so that the meat or whatever doesn't stick to the bottom. It doesn't have to be a lot, just enough so there is about 1/2 inch in the bottom, unless you like more. It won't boil away because it is a closed system and juices will come out of the meat and the vegetables so that you will end up with more liquid at the end. Sodium is a problem for my husband so I just use water and then put in a bay leaf and onion slice and garlic clove. A lot of people use some type of broth or cream of chicken soup and a little water and it tastes awesome though!

 

You can't use milk because the heat will separate it although you can add some at the end for creaminess. If you were making say, chili, you would put in a can of diced tomatoes and that would be your liquid. My mom swears by this cookbook-

http://www.amazon.co...CJTVFHT5KGWHCC4

 

It is like a zillion crock pot recipes; most have the can of soup thing but they always look very good if you can cook with soup! :)

[treeduck]

Even I get that one.

Explain it to me then. :d13:

 

I had my grapes btw... :smoke:

 

Isn't he trying to tell you have electrifying farts? That's the way I understood it. I could be wrong though.

 

Glad to hear you had your grapes. :)

Maybe it's that...

 

Aye I'll have to buy some more tomorrow! :d13:

[EagleMoon]

I just found out my sister has a slow cooker. I'm going to borrow it and try making some stuff in it. Does everything need to be in a liquid of some sort?

 

I always add some kind of liquid so that the meat or whatever doesn't stick to the bottom. It doesn't have to be a lot, just enough so there is about 1/2 inch in the bottom, unless you like more. It won't boil away because it is a closed system and juices will come out of the meat and the vegetables so that you will end up with more liquid at the end. Sodium is a problem for my husband so I just use water and then put in a bay leaf and onion slice and garlic clove. A lot of people use some type of broth or cream of chicken soup and a little water and it tastes awesome though!

 

You can't use milk because the heat will separate it although you can add some at the end for creaminess. If you were making say, chili, you would put in a can of diced tomatoes and that would be your liquid. My mom swears by this cookbook-

http://www.amazon.co...CJTVFHT5KGWHCC4

 

It is like a zillion crock pot recipes; most have the can of soup thing but they always look very good if you can cook with soup! :)

 

Thanks!

[Crimsonmistymemory]

I just found out my sister has a slow cooker. I'm going to borrow it and try making some stuff in it. Does everything need to be in a liquid of some sort?

Yes as well as in all long term cooking with items that will not be able to produce continuously their own juices you will have to suplement with additional liquid. But that does not mean you need to drown the perticular item. For example If I want to do a whole chicken (preferrably skined which reduces the fat content by 70%) I would use a 1/2 a cup of additional liquid preferrably some citrus juice of some type, chicken or veggie stock will also work well. The chicken will produce about 1 1/2 cups of broth while cooking. But on the other end of the spectrum if I were doing beans the liquid added could easily exceed 4 cups as the beans will produce no broth and will absorb the liquid while cooking. Keep in mind with slow cooking there really is no wrong way unless you don't let it cook completely. Here patience is truely a virtue and with a little common sense you will know when the dish is done. If you think there is too much liquids during cooking you can always use a baster to remove excess. the most beautifull thing is even if you do have too much liquid (providing it is not over full at the start of your dish) in the crock pot it will never boil over and you will have a wonderfull stock to cook veggies or a base stock for another wonderfull crock pot dish. As blueschica pointed out here are tons and tons of recipies online that will point you in the right direction. Happy slow cooking :codger:

Edited August 12, 2015 by Crimsonmistymemory

[liquidcrystalcompass]

Just going to add that I use my Dutch oven FAR more than my Crock Pot. Food can turn out iffy with the Crock Pot with meat easily being over-cooked while vegetables turn out mushy while everything turns out great in the Dutch oven. The difference really is night and day so I'm a proponent of splurging on one of these. A Dutch oven will last you a lifetime and you can hand it down! You won't be doing that with a Crock Pot.

 

My two cents.

I have a really heavy duty dutch oven that I got about two years ago. I mean this thing is heavy. I haven't had the need to use a crock pot since.

[troutman]

Just going to add that I use my Dutch oven FAR more than my Crock Pot. Food can turn out iffy with the Crock Pot with meat easily being over-cooked while vegetables turn out mushy while everything turns out great in the Dutch oven. The difference really is night and day so I'm a proponent of splurging on one of these. A Dutch oven will last you a lifetime and you can hand it down! You won't be doing that with a Crock Pot.

 

My two cents.

I have a really heavy duty dutch oven that I got about two years ago. I mean this thing is heavy. I haven't had the need to use a crock pot since.

 

Same here,

 

The thing weighs a ton.

[Janie]

So, I brought out the Crock Pot and rice cooker for tonight's dinner. I was busy all day and knew I wouldn't be in the mood to cook a dinner. It was a rice bowl with steak, onion and broccoli. It turned out pretty good, it was super easy and I have plenty of leftovers for another rice bowl for the boys lunches tomorrow and enough rice for a soy sauce/egg/rice breakfast (I love that combination - top with some slivered green onion - it's so tasty).

 

Recipe:

3 sirloin tip steaks

1 onion, sliced into rings

1 can golden mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white wine

1 packet onion soup mix

1 Tbl garlic powder

Place steaks in bottom of Crock Pot and cover with sliced onion rings. In separate bowl, combine soup, water, wine, onion soup mix and garlic powder; stir to combine and add to Crock Pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. When the steaks are done, remove to cutting board and, using two forks, pull apart bite sized pieces. Add pieces back to soup/broth mixture.

 

 

I love my rice cooker. About 45 minutes before the steak concoction was ready, I prepared the rice and let the cooker go to work on that. About 10 minutes before the rice and steak were done I steamed the broccoli and then piled everything in large bowls. I really like the way the sauce came out so drizzle a LOT into the bowls. The boys got Italian bread with butter and roasted garlic to sop up the extra sauce in their bowls.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Janie

[Lorraine]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

[troutman]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

 

[Lorraine]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

 

 

Thank you, Troutman.

[troutman]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

 

 

Thank you, Troutman.

 

What are you going to cook?

[Lorraine]

I haven't bought one yet. :)

 

Besides, still too hot here to cook in the kitchen.

[Janie]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

 

Yep. So, what you usually do is start something in the Dutch oven on the stovetop and then transfer the Dutch oven into your regular oven to finish cooking, usually for a number of hours. I know it is confusing that it's called a Dutch oven.

 

I love when things can go right from the stovetop into the oven. You can't do that with certain pots/pans.

[Lorraine]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

 

Yep. So, what you usually do is start something in the Dutch oven on the stovetop and then transfer the Dutch oven into your regular oven to finish cooking, usually for a number of hours. I know it is confusing that it's called a Dutch oven.

 

I love when things can go right from the stovetop into the oven. You can't do that with certain pots/pans.

 

I know I sound like a moron, but I can't grasp that concept. What do you mean you start it on the stovetop and then put it into the oven?

 

Are there special dutch oven recipes?

 

Maybe I should just stick with what I know instead of taxing my failing intellect. :laughing yellow guy:

[troutman]

This is a really stupid question, but I am asking it anyway.

 

You can use a dutch oven in a regular oven, correct?

 

Yep. So, what you usually do is start something in the Dutch oven on the stovetop and then transfer the Dutch oven into your regular oven to finish cooking, usually for a number of hours. I know it is confusing that it's called a Dutch oven.

 

I love when things can go right from the stovetop into the oven. You can't do that with certain pots/pans.

 

I know I sound like a moron, but I can't grasp that concept. What do you mean you start it on the stovetop and then put it into the oven?

 

Are there special dutch oven recipes?

 

Maybe I should just stick with what I know instead of taxing my failing intellect. :laughing yellow guy:

 

Its just an option,

 

I never do it but I might now. Just to get the food and dutch oven warmed up before putting it in the oven. Thats what I think she is talking about.

[Lorraine]

You put the dutch oven on top of the stove and turn on all the burners? Edited August 19, 2015 by Lorraine

[troutman]

You put the dutch oven on top of the stove and turn on all the burners?

 

No,

 

You don't want to be homeless do you? :P Just put it on one burner and let it simmer. Unless Janie cooks it hotter depending on the meal.

[Janie]

You put the dutch oven on top of the stove and turn on all the burners?

 

No,

 

You don't want to be homeless do you? :P Just put it on one burner and let it simmer. Unless Janie cooks it hotter depending on the meal.

Ohmygosh Lorraine, you're funny.

 

I typically use my Dutch oven for stew-type dishes. I get a lot of use out of them in the fall. I have a small one that I fill with apples, apple cider and brown sugar to make my own applesauce. I have a large one I use mostly to make stews/chilis. Lorraine, they are only large enough to fit over one stovetop burner. I have the Dutch oven on the stove top to brown the meat, I then add vegetables and whatever other ingredients and then pop the thing in the oven and let the oven do the rest of the work instead of having to hover over a large pot on the stove top.

 

Here is one of my favorite fall stew recipes. The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen. It's an unconventional Dutch oven stew in that they actually DON'T brown the meat beforehand. Instead, they leave the lid off the Dutch oven when it's in your regular oven. There isn't a lot of liquid in the stew so meat bits stick out from the liquid and get carmelized that way. It sounds kind of weird, but try it, it's great and I always, always, ALWAYS trust ATK.

 

GUINNESS BEEF STEW

4 lbs chuck eye roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 onions, chopped fine

1 Tbl tomato paste

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cup Guinness (not Extra Stout as it's too bitter)

1 1/2 Tbl brown sugar

1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbl minced fresh parsley

 

Preheat oven to 325°.

 

Sauté onions. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour for 1-2 minutes to absorb excess oil. Whisk in broth, 3/4 cup Guinness, sugar and thyme, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in beef and return to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 90 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

 

Add vegetables last hour of cooking. Stir halfway through. When finished cooking, add 1/2 cup Guinness and 2 Tbl fresh parsley.

 

 

 

Anyway, Lorraine, I thought this would be a good example of how I typically use my Dutch oven. I start a recipe on the stovetop and then transfer it to the oven to finish cooking. Does this make more sense now?

 

 

[treeduck]

Hot chicken sandwiches recipe:

 

1 chicken breast

4 slices of wholemeal bread

[Lorraine]

You put the dutch oven on top of the stove and turn on all the burners?

 

No,

 

You don't want to be homeless do you? :P Just put it on one burner and let it simmer. Unless Janie cooks it hotter depending on the meal.

Ohmygosh Lorraine, you're funny.

 

I typically use my Dutch oven for stew-type dishes. I get a lot of use out of them in the fall. I have a small one that I fill with apples, apple cider and brown sugar to make my own applesauce. I have a large one I use mostly to make stews/chilis. Lorraine, they are only large enough to fit over one stovetop burner. I have the Dutch oven on the stove top to brown the meat, I then add vegetables and whatever other ingredients and then pop the thing in the oven and let the oven do the rest of the work instead of having to hover over a large pot on the stove top.

 

Here is one of my favorite fall stew recipes. The recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen. It's an unconventional Dutch oven stew in that they actually DON'T brown the meat beforehand. Instead, they leave the lid off the Dutch oven when it's in your regular oven. There isn't a lot of liquid in the stew so meat bits stick out from the liquid and get carmelized that way. It sounds kind of weird, but try it, it's great and I always, always, ALWAYS trust ATK.

 

GUINNESS BEEF STEW

4 lbs chuck eye roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

2 onions, chopped fine

1 Tbl tomato paste

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth

1 1/4 cup Guinness (not Extra Stout as it's too bitter)

1 1/2 Tbl brown sugar

1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbl minced fresh parsley

 

Preheat oven to 325°.

 

Sauté onions. Add tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour for 1-2 minutes to absorb excess oil. Whisk in broth, 3/4 cup Guinness, sugar and thyme, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in beef and return to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 90 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking.

 

Add vegetables last hour of cooking. Stir halfway through. When finished cooking, add 1/2 cup Guinness and 2 Tbl fresh parsley.

 

 

 

Anyway, Lorraine, I thought this would be a good example of how I typically use my Dutch oven. I start a recipe on the stovetop and then transfer it to the oven to finish cooking. Does this make more sense now?

 

i wasn't trying to be funny. It was a serious question believe it or not. I've never used a Dutch oven before. I have a cast iron frying pan, but no oven.

 

A few more weeks then I jump into action. Like I said, I have two small pork roasts in my freezer that my husband got from a farmer who raises pigs.

Edited August 20, 2015 by Lorraine

[Lorraine]

Red Letter Day!

 

I bought a 5 quart Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven this morning. With tax it came to $44.83. I don't think I got a deal, but I always figure in the amount of gas money it would cost me to travel to "save" a few dollars.

 

This thing is heavy enough to be quite a weapon.

[blueschica]

Red Letter Day!

 

I bought a 5 quart Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven this morning. With tax it came to $44.83. I don't think I got a deal, but I always figure in the amount of gas money it would cost me to travel to "save" a few dollars.

 

This thing is heavy enough to be quite a weapon.

 

I think you will like it! We have had a Lodge one for 20 yrs and it works really well. They need a cooking emoji on here :)

[Lorraine]

Can someone here suggest a good and trustworthy name brand for a Slow Cooker?

 

Maybe I will get that tomorrow in Wal-Mart. If I have the nerve to venture into the store. It's the end of the month, so it should be safe now. :laughing guy:

[blueschica]

Can someone here suggest a good and trustworthy name brand for a Slow Cooker?

 

Maybe I will get that tomorrow in Wal-Mart. If I have the nerve to venture into the store. It's the end of the month, so it should be safe now. :laughing guy:

 

I have had a couple of different sizes, all the actual Crockpot brand and I really liked them. (One got a crack in the ceramic pot, but that was because I was rinsing it out while hot and ran very cold water into it! ) The Crockpot ones and Hamilton Beach brand ones also get really high ratings on Amazon. Have fun shopping!