By Lucia Schnitzer, November 2014
It’s difficult to come home after a long exhausting day and ponder “What am I making for dinner?” When I arrive home, I have a checklist of to-dos before lights out. Preplanning my meals and using shortcuts to reduce my time in the kitchen is extremely valuable to my family.
One of my favorite shortcuts is the slow cooker or Crock-Pot. This creates the freedom and luxury of having a personal chef in the kitchen that works all day for me while filling the home with the aromas of tonight’s feast. You can use a slow cooker for just about everything from breakfast to desserts. I was inspired touse my slow cooker again by my dear friend, Martha McKinnon, whose blog (simple-nourished-living.com) chronicles a year of Crock-Pot cooking. I discovered layers of endless cuisine with- out compromising my time with my family.
Now for a little history. Believe it or not, cholent (a staple stew served on Shabbat lunch) was the motivator for the inven- tion of the Crock-Pot. Irving Naxon was inspired by his Jewish grandmother, who told him that in her native Lithuanian shtetl, her mother made a stew called cholent, which took several hours to cook in an oven. Leave it to a good Jewish boy to make it easy for all mothers around the globe to provide amazing and effort- less meals for their families. Here are some of my favorite recipes that I hope you will enjoy.
Crock-Pot Apple Oatmeal
Ingredients
Drizzle of oil (or a cooking oil spray)
2 large tart apples, chopped
1 1⁄2 cups skim milk
1 1⁄2 cups water1 cup whole-grain oats or groats
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons flaxseed, milled or ground
1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 cup fruit (fresh or dried) for topping
1⁄4 cup chopped nuts for topping
Instructions
Oil the inside of a large slow cooker and put in everything except the salt and toppings. Stir and cook on a low heat for at least 7 hours. Turn off heat and stir in salt. Serve topped with nuts and fruit.
Crock- Pot Honey Ginger
Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1⁄2 cup honey
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 inch fresh ginger root, grated or minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch1 table- spoon water
Optional Toppings: Sesame seeds, green onions, sriracha
Instructions
Line or lightly oil the inside of your slow cooker. Toss and mix everything into a Crock-Pot, except the cornstarch and water. Secure the lid and cook on low for at least 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours. About 30 minutes prior to serving, mix together the cornstarch and water. Pour into the Crock-Pot, stir and allow to cook for about 30 minutes or until thickened. Remove the lid and stir. Serve warm over rice, noodles or steamed veggies.
Crock-Pot Tamale Pie
Ingredients
1 pound ground meat (beef, turkey or chicken)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies, undrained (optional: red bell pepper)
1 can (11 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1⁄4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 package (81⁄2 ounces) cornbread/muffin mix
2 eggs1 cup shredded vegan Mexican cheese blend
Sour cream (vegan) and additional minced fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
In a large skillet, cook ground meat over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper. Transfer to a 4-quart slow cooker; stir in the beans, tomatoes, corn, enchilada sauce, onions and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine muffin mix and eggs. When finished, pour evenly over the filling, spreading with a spatula if needed. Cover and cook on low for 4-7 hours or on high for 2-4 (because some slow cookers cook differently, check at the 3-hour or 5-hour mark using a fork to determine if cornbread is thoroughly cooked).
Sprinkle with vegan cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve with vegan sour cream and additional cilantro if desired. Makes 8 servings. Note: This recipe can be made vegetarian by omitting the ground meat.
– See more at: https://azjewishlife.com/2014/nov/lifestyle/chefs-corner-slow-cooker-recipes#sthash.hLIWcmPM.dpuf
