Freezer Meals (Mostly Crockpot)

My daughter and I spent an hour and half prepping meals today to fill our freezer. Here is what we did:

Chicken Teriyaki

Pork Loin Teriyaki (used the same ingredients - teriyaki marinade, broccoli, carrots & pineapple, then added pork to one, chicken to the other)

Chicken Tacos

Beef Tacos (onion, peppers, salsa - one with chicken and one with browned ground beef)

Shredded Roast Pork (BBQ sauce, can of cola)

Pineapple Skirt Steak (pineapple, olive oil, lime, garlic and soy sauce)

2 bags of meat sauce

While she chopped and put together the most of the bags, I browned ground beef for tacos, meat sauce and lasagna, browned sausage for sauce and lasagna, cooked the sauce and put together the lasagna.

We labeled the bags and will just pull one out and pop in the crock pot when needed. I can't believe how easy it was with 2 of us doing it together and how much we got done. Yeah!

Crockpot dinner party

For our school silent auction the big push is hosting an event. So I am hosting a crockpot dinner and prep night. The idea is that some adults will join me for an evening. I will provide dinner (from the crock pots) and supplies we will do prep so they also go home with bagged meals that can be frozen, when needed pull out, put into a crock pot and have a meal or such. That is the big concept. Menu ideas :

Appetizers

Creamy Spinach Dip

Bridget's caramelized onion pizza

Soup

Mom's clam chowder

Bridget's corn chowder

Main dish

Fejoida (Brazilian Black Beans)

Healthy Mama BBQ chicken

Dessert

Chocolate Fountain (caramel or marshmallow creme in the crockpot to go with.)
Crockpot Carmel 

To keep it simple and easy, the prep meals to go will be the corn chowder and Fejoida. I will also probably send them home with a jar of caramelized onions. I will include all recipes. I am trying to come up with a non meat option along the lines of Fejoida. We will also have bread and salad with the meal. 

Any help or suggestions would be great, I'm a little worried about being overwhelmed.

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Ingredients
5 1/2 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle chile sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 drops hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon salsa
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt

Directions
1.Place chicken in slow cooker. In a medium bowl combine the chile sauce, lemon juice, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salsa, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Mix together and pour mixture over chicken.
2.Cook in slow cooker on Medium Low setting for 5 hours.

From http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-slow-cooker-chicken-wings/

I would make them spicier next time. More hot sauce! I also removed them from the crock pot and broiled them as we like our wings crisper and "drier". They were so easy and very tasty!

  

Nine years ago, when I started my in home cooking Personal Chef Service, I also started doing Thanksgiving prep for one of my dearest college friends. Her family loves my roasted pumpkin soup, and requests it year after year after year. The original recipe is delicious, but labor intensive.

Roasted pumpkin soup

1 medium pumpkin, about 4 pounds
1 T butter
2 slices bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 c chicken stock
½ c heavy cream, plus 1 c, for garnish
¼ c orange juice
large pinch freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
whole leaves flat-leaf parsley, as a garnish
1 T chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

Preheat the oven to 375°. Halve the pumpkin from top to bottom and place it, cut side down, on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until the pumpkin can be easily skewered, 45-60 minutes. Cool for about 20 minutes. With a spoon, remove the seeds and discard. Scrape the pulp and reserve. Discard the skin. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the bacon is just turning golden, about 7 minutes. Add the pumpkin and stock and simmer until the pumpkin falls apart, about 30 minutes. Let cool for about 20 minutes. In batches, puree the soup in a blender on high speed, 3 minutes per batch, until very smooth. Strain through a fine mesh into a clean soup pot and add the cream, orange juice and nutmeg. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, correct the consistency with additional water or stock. Chop 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper. Whip 1 cup cream to soft peak. Stir peppers into cream. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Spoon dollop of chipotle cream into soup.



As my business grew, more people wanted Roasted pumpkin soup that I could start in their crockpots the day or two before Thanksgiving. Now, every year for Thanksgiving I make vats of roasted pumpkin soup with chipotle cream (one year I made eleven!), so I needed a modified recipe, I didn’t have time for cooking bacon from raw, cutting and cooking pumpkins, pureéing soup, and whipping cream (not to mention, fresh whipped cream doesn’t keep well for a day or two). Enter new recipe ... liquid smoke simulates smoky taste of bacon, canned pumpkin pureé and onion powder eliminate the need for roasting actual pumpkin and pureéing end product, and mascarpone cream is a nice substitute for the whipping cream, and also the tanginess of the mascarpone balances the sweet pumpkin soup nicely.

Slow cooker roasted pumpkin soup with chipotle cream

1 lg can pumpkin pureé
6 c chicken stock (or vegetable stock, for vegetarian soup)
½ t liquid smoke
%frac14; t onion powder
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
¼ c orange juice
1/8 t nutmeg, freshly grated
1 small tub mascarpone cream
1 T adobo sauce, from chipotles with adobo sauce

Place pumpkin, stock, liquid smoke, onion powder, salt, pepper, and orange juice in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Combine mascarpone and adobo sauce, store in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, ladel soup into bowls, grate nutmeg over soup, and top with a dollop of mascarpone-chipotle cream.
Enjoy!

Crockpot teriyaki chicken

I recently offered Crockpot teriyaki chicken as part of my Crockpot Tuesday selections. Maureen, in California, wanted the dinner, but didn’t want to spring for the airfare to get me there. So, because I love her, and because I am such a good sister, here’s the link to the recipe from a fabulous web site full of fabulous, interesting crockpot recipes, Crockpot Girls.

Crockpot teriyaki chicken recipe

1 small bag of baby carrots
1 head of broccoli, chopped
1 20-oz can pineapple chunks
½ large red onion cut in chunks
2 cloves garlic
6 thighs
½ teriyaki sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Layer vegetables, fruit, and garlic first, then add the chicken on top. Drizzle teriyaki sauce over the chicken and add salt and pepper to taste.

Lent’s upon us again. This year, I’m trying to offer Meatless Crockpots on Fridays. I’ve come up with the following schedule:

Friday, March 18: Split Pea Soup with Tarragon
Friday, March 25: Maryland Day Crab Bisque
Friday, April 1: April Fools’ Day “Worms with Eyeballs” (Spaghetti with Meatless Meatballs)
Friday, April 8: Lentil Soup with Vegetables
Friday, April 15: Income Tax Clam Chowder
Friday, April 22: Good Friday Confetti Vegetable Curry

But I need a recipe for the “eyeballs” (meatless meatballs). Has anyone ever made veggie meatballs? Any ideas? I’ve put the call out to my friends who are vegetarians, or have vegetarian kids too. So far, nada.

Crockpot/Slow Cooker Healthy Meals for the Fall

It is that time of year, again. Back to School (and Back to School Nights) and in my house, it is back to soccer and swimming, religion, and now scouts... There are very few nights in the fall that we will all be home at the same time to sit down and have dinner together. Add to that the cooler weather coming in & for me that means -- Crock Pot Meals. They stay warm and are easy to have ready and serve up when needed.

Here are a few crock pot links with some healthy and delicious looking recipes I am looking forward to trying this fall:

http://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/techniques/slow-cooker-classics-00400000001101/

http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/slow-cooker-recipes.php

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/8-slow-cooker-recipes-00000000008818/index.html

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/vegetarian/ideas/10-slow-cooker-vegetarian-favorites/

In particular, I am looking forward to trying these 2 this week:

Pesto Lasagna with Spinach & Mushrooms (I have never done lasagna in the crockpot, looking forward to this experiment)

• 4 cups torn spinach
  2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
  1/2 cup commercial pesto
  3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded provolone cheese
  1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
  1 large egg, lightly beaten
  3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
  1 (25.5-ounce) bottle fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce
  1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
  Cooking spray
  1 (8-ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles (12 noodles)

Arrange the spinach in a vegetable steamer; steam, covered, 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Drain, squeeze dry, and coarsely chop. Combine spinach, mushrooms, and pesto in a medium bowl, stirring to combine; set aside.

Combine mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, and beaten egg in a medium bowl, stirring well to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan, and set aside. Combine the pasta sauce and the tomato sauce in a medium bowl.

Spread 1 cup pasta sauce mixture in the bottom of a 6-quart oval electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over pasta sauce mixture; top with 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup spinach mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with spinach mixture. Arrange 3 noodles over spinach mixture; top with remaining 1 cup cheese mixture and 1 cup pasta sauce mixture. Place remaining 3 noodles over sauce mixture; spread remaining sauce mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover with lid; cook on LOW 5 hours or until done.

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

• 1-1/2 cups cubed, peeled (if desired) eggplant
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow summer squash or zucchini
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped tomato
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped red or green sweet pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 1/2-inch-thick slices baguette-style French bread
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh basil

In a 1-1/2-quart slow cooker, combine eggplant, squash, chopped tomato, tomato sauce, sweet pepper, onion, salt, black pepper, and garlic.
 

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 4-1/2 to 5 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. If no heat setting is available, cook for 4 to 4-1/2 hours.
 

For Parmesan toast: Preheat broiler. Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Place bread slices, oiled sides up, on a baking sheet. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat about 15 seconds or until toasted (watch carefully to avoid burning). Sprinkle bread slices with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese. Broil about 15 seconds more or until cheese is melted.
 

Stir basil into mixture in cooker. Serve in shallow bowls with Parmesan toast. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Makes 2 servings.

 

I love a meal that makes itself while you tend to your life ... Enter Chicken Thighs with Balsamic Vinegar and Mushrooms. This slow-simmering meal leaves you with time on your hands, your kitchen smelling great, and lots of yummy sauce to sop up with delicious crusty bread.

Chicken thighs with balsamic vinegar and mushrooms

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
6 oz dried mushrooms OR ¾ lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 cloves garlic
¼ c balsamic vinegar
¼ c beef broth
¾ c chicken broth
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
¼ t dried thyme

Boil water and reconstitute dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 10 minutes. Drain mushrooms; strain and reserve liquid. Salt and pepper the chicken. Add chicken, mushrooms, garlic, vinegar, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and reserved liquid to crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (high for 4-6 hours). Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles or crusty bread to sop up all that yummy flavor.

Slow cooker pork recipes

This Italian Roast Pork was so easy, delicious and done in 5 hours on LOW. I was concerned, but the thermometer read done! Nice meal to come home to!
http://www.familycircle.com/recipe/pork/italian-pork-roast/

I love my BBQ Ribs: I put a rub on them, then grill them, and finish them off in the oven with a mixture of BBQ sauce and beer. I tried these last weekend for a family get together, I wanted something in the crock pot so I could go to an AM soccer game and a PM baseball game and have things ready when we walked in the house. I may never go back to my original:)
http://www.familycircle.com/recipe/pork/asian-style-ribs/

Happy Cinco de Mayo! We were early on the celebrating this year. We attended a neighborhood bash on Saturday, because we just couldn’t get it together for tonight (too many darn kids running in too many darn directions). Delicious empanadas, fajitas, and frijoles a la charra.

Then, in our household, yesterday I needed a meal I could throw together quickly and early and with what I had on hand, so that everyone could feed themselves when they came in from baseball practice, before the baseball game, and from the baseball game, respectively. It ended up being a great, family-pleasing meal — I love when that happens!

I have a divided crockpot. In half, I put 4 chicken breasts, a can of enchilada sauce, and a can of diced green chiles. In the other half, I put 2 cans of red kidney beans, a large can of diced tomatoes, a cup of white rice, uncooked, a teaspoon of garlic, some salt, pepper, and cumin, and about ¼ cup of diced red peppers that I had on hand. I turned the crockpot on High at 2:30; I cut up some avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, green onions, and put them and shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream in Tupperwares together in the fridge, defrosted some tortillas, and by 5:30, the chicken was cooked and ready to be shredded and returned to the sauce, and the rice and beans were cooked (but I might add about ½ cup of water next time) — soft chicken tacos with red beans and rice, from where there was no original meal plan, I love it! (And, as it turned out, thunder and lightning ended the first game early and canceled the second game altogether, so we got to sit down and eat as a family, even better.)

Tonight, we’ll grill, but my nod to Cinco de Mayo will be this Black Bean Salad that my family has lovingly turned into a dip (or filling for burritos and tacos). It’s one of the healthiest dips you’ll find. (Oh, and we’ll have a glass of sangria.) Enjoy!

Black Bean Salad

2 16 oz can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 tomato, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, minced
½ t cumin
2 dashes Tabasco pepper sauce
2 small garlic cloves, minced
4 T balsamic vinegar
8 T olive oil
salt and pepper
2 avocados, diced

Combine all ingredients except avocado in a bowl and let stand for 30 minutes to combine flavors. (Can be prepared up to 2 days in advanced and refrigerated.)

Just before serving, add diced avocado, correct seasonings, and serve on a leaf of Boston lettuce as a salad, or as a dip with tortilla chips.

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

A friend of mine sent me a link to this recipe and asked for my opinion on converting into a slow-cooker meal. I gave her my take, but thought you all might have some good ideas as well. Thoughts?

http://www.2equalparts.com/content/easier-chicken-and-dumplings

Buffalo Chicken Chili Recipe

This looks worth a try for Football parties or Winter!
http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes/ShowRecipe.aspx?rid=46171&WT.dcsvid=NTE4OTI3Mjk0NgS2&rvrin=61A15436-7004-4164-94FA-DAE9035F9033&WT.mc_id=Newsletter_PB_01_22_2010&rvrin=61A15436-7004-4164-94FA-DAE9035F9033

2 good new recipes

This week I made these 2 recipes from BHG's January 2009 issue.
Garlic Basil Shrimp with Pasta http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pasta/garlic-basil-shrimp/
and Aromatic Beef stew with butternut squash http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beef/aromatic-beef-stew-with-butternut-squash/

We enjoyed them both. The beef however, was a bit tough still after 45 minutes of cooking, so next time I would most likely make it in the Crock Pot. Also, I would experiment with making it vegetarian, adding celery, beans and carrots to it.

Let me know if you try either of them:)

Countdown to Thanksgiving

T-Day is here ... and gone. I think we sat at the table for 6 hours.

You know I love food that works for you while you’re doing anything else. Before I turn in for the night, I put the turkey carcass in my crockpot, fill it with water and let the stock become rich overnight. My friend Annie told me this years ago, and it never fails to make me happy.

Sunday is Football Day in our house this Fall. Youth football games at one o’clock, and the Patriots after that (so far it’s been on tape delay because the games have all conflicted with the 1 o’clock youth games). It has worked for us, though, because I have been able to throw a meal in the crockpot and have dinner waiting when we come in to sit down in front of the game. Last Sunday I tried a new recipe, and (as usual) I didn’t have all the ingredients handy, so I improvised. It made so much that we had some other folks from my son’s team come back and join us, and it was such a hit that my sons asked for it again for dinner on Monday night — and there was enough that they could.

Crockpot pork carnitas (Based on Slow Braised Carnitas from foodtv.com)

3 lbs lean boneless pork loin, roughly chopped
15 ozs red enchilada sauce
15 ozs beef broth
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 chipotle pepper, roughly chopped
4 green bell peppers, roughly chopped
4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
3 T vinegar
½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (even better if you have a friend to do this for you like I did)
hard and soft taco shells, salsa, guacamole, cheddar cheese, sour cream

Season pork with salt and pepper and sear in skillet until it has a nice golden crust. Place pork in crockpot with enchilada sauce, beef broth, onion, peppers, and tomatoes. Cover, and simmer on low for 6 hours or until pork is tender.

Stir in cilantro and serve with taco fixings.

I served a quick black beans and rice side dish with this. Nothing beats a quick side dish, and I like this one because of the easy proportions, so put this in your mental file (and the ingredients in your pantry) for a rushed night. It would work equally well as a main dish if you add in a sausage like kielbasa or chorizo.

Quick black beans and rice

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chile peppers
1 can water
1 can rice
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ c cilantro, roughly chopped

Add tomatoes, water, and rice in saucepan, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes, remove from heat, stir in black beans , and let sit covered for 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Can also be served as a cold rice salad.

P.S. The Patriots won!

Fall flavors

In my last post, I extolled the benefits of the pressure cooker. Today it’s the crockpot. I’m reinventing the leftovers from last night’s intimate dinner party (roasted pork tenderloin with tomato-pear chutney and sweet and sour butternut squash) to be today’s game day repast for the boys (pulled pork). Nothing says “Fall” like pulled pork, yum. I just pulled out the crockpot out of the cabinet, threw in the little bit of leftover pork tenderloin (which I had roasted only with lemon pepper and garlic last night) and another pork tenderloin, because I’d bought the value pack of tenderloins on sale, along with the leftover chutney (about 2 cups), the leftover squash (about 1 cup), and a cup of my homemade BBQ sauce, put it on low and let it go. When the boys sit down to watch the UMass football game at 3:30, it’ll be falling apart and ready for some crusty bulkie rolls and pineapple-cole slaw. Bear in mind, that you don’t have to have the same leftovers to do what I have done. Whatever flavors you had together as your first meal will meld wonderfully into your new meal. Usually the key to pulled pork is some sweet (fruit or molasses or sugar) and some acid (vinegar), it’s also a good idea to add something spicy (jalapeños). In this case, the fruit from the chutney and the squash will just melt into nothing but flavor when the pork falls apart. You can also use a cheaper cut of pork, but I used what I had on hand because I had bought the value pack. Slow cooking is a great method for tenderizing less expensive cuts of meat, and the crockpot is the best for slow cooking on a day when you have a lot of things going on. As a final note, many of the meals you can cook and leave in the crockpot, you could also cook quickly, at the last minute, in the pressure cooker. Test out your favorites in various methods, or click on these links to try some of mine.

Tomato-Pear Chutney
The first time I made chutney of any kind it was tomato-pear chutney, from the pears from the tree in my yard about 10 years ago. The trees have since stopped producing usable fruit, but I was feeling nostalgic for the chutney.

2 ½ c plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 ½ c pears, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ c raisins
½ c green pepper, diced
½ c onion, diced
1 c brown sugar
½ c white vinegar
1 t salt
1-inch piece fresh ginger
½ t dry mustard
⅛ t cayenne pepper
1 jalapeño, minced

Combine all ingredients in saucepan or crockpot. In saucepan, bring to a boil; boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and reduced about one-half in volume (about 45 minutes), stirring occasionally. In crockpot, simmer on low for 4 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Can be packed in clean, hot jars, and sealed using the pressure cooker, or can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or in the freezer for 6 months.

Sweet and Sour Squash

3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium butternut squash (about 2½ lbs), peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 c balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350°. Toss squash with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and place in a single layer in a casserole dish. Bake for about 2o minutes, until squash is golden. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. Experiment with this dish with your other favorite vegetables. I’ve also done this on the stovetop, and with green beans and shallots or broccoli and golden raisins.

Snow Day Recipes

It's a snow day here in PA, and in many other places around the country. Anyone have some great, warm & cozy meals they make on these chilly days?

I have taken out chicken thighs and am not heading out to the store in the snow, so I'll have to see what I have to go with them. I'm looking for something I can put in the crockpot this morning and forget about.

I think I am going to do something like this, but with thighs and in the crockpot. It was from the BHG chicken dinners link that Kate posted awhile ago. I think I'll serve with some kind of pasta, maybe orzo, and a salad.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lb. total)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 5.75oz. jar sliced pitted green olives, drained

1 2.25-oz. can sliced pitted ripe olives, drained

2 Tbsp. capers, drained

2 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel

1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed

3 Tbsp. snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

1. In large skillet brown chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. Add onion to skillet. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally and adding garlic the last 1 minute of cooking.

2. Stir tomatoes, olives, capers, lemon peel, and oregano into onion mixture. Place chicken on tomato mixture. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 13 to 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F).

3. To serve, place chicken on platter. Season tomato mixture to taste with salt and black pepper. Spoon tomato mixture over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 4 servings.

What's for dinner this week?

I find that when I plan my meals and base my shopping list on them, my weeks is so much easier. So, I am trying to plan my menus for the week ahead. I am also trying to add lots of veggies to our meals, so after I shop and grab what looks good I'll let you know how I did.

Mondays are Religion days, so I feed the kids early and then G and I eat later. Most nights we all eat together and I try to do a combination of meals in the week of things George and I will enjoy, and some things the kids will enjoy. Tonight, I am going to do Turkey Meatball sliders. The kids have never been meatball wedge (hero, subs, whatever you call them) people, but I am thinking with smaller rolls they might get into it. Plus, I can keep the meatballs in the crockpot so they are ready for the kids, and still good when George and I are ready to eat.

Other than that, I am looking at Chicken picata or Tandoori chicken with spinach and rice, Lamb kebabs with sweet potatoes and butternut squash, eggplant and pasta, and I think I'm going to try those pizza bites I posted in an earlier post. 

Would love to hear what you are all having.

Crockpot Banana Bread

OK, I was thinking today as I was cleaning up from the holidays, getting rid of the tree, and the decorations, and finally giving the place the cleaning it didn't get when I took all the decorations out in a rush, that generally if you give more, you get more. Not necessarily material things, but that if you put more effort in, you reap greater reward or satisfaction. That said, isn't everyone always looking for the quick fix? Myself included. So, when this arrived in my email inbox this week I was intrigued. I love anything you can put in a crockpot and forget about and come back later to just enjoy. I do stews, sauces, chilis, soups, chowders, ribs, pulled pork or chicken or beef. I've even done meatloaf and baked potatoes with moderate success. However, I'm not sure if I believe that you can get sweet treats from a crockpot. Here it is: Crockpot banana bread. Let's give it a try and weigh in on the results.

We had a big weekend of football (son, Evan scored 2 touchdowns toward his team's 24-20 win), but also baseball (Red Sox, ugh).

What says Autumn to you? But before you answer, it's also Indian Summer, so it's actually more like Summer tha July was here in Newburyport. Again, the contradiction that October in New England usually is.

SO, to observe the Red Sox despicable loss this evening, we had some friends over and combined Autumn and Summer: Sangria, burgers and dogs on the grill, guacamole, caramelized onions, blue cheese.

Ultimately, I wanted a big burger bar, and I had it. A hamburger with guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and goat cheese says Summer. One with blue cheese and caramelized onions says Autumn. I had both myself, thank you very much.

But the two biggest hits of the evening were the sangria (Summer) and the caramelized onions (Fall, which also made their way into a fabulous dip for potato chips). The sangria recipe comes from a friend I worked with years ago, and it's been a staple in my house and my sister's since then.

Jenn's sangria

1 lemon
1 orange
¼ c sugar
¼ c brandy
¼ c triple sec
1.5 l red wine
12 oz ginger ale

Slice lemon and orange and place them in the bottom of a pitcher. Add sugar, brandy, triple sec, and let sit in fridge for a few hours, or overnight. About an hour before serving, add red wine, and chill. Add ginger ale just before serving.

Caramelized onions
For this recipe, I use any mixture of onions I have, it makes the flavors more interesting: shallots, Vidalias, Bermudas, whatever you have.

1 lb onions, sliced
¼ c salted butter
¼ c olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ t ground cayenne pepper
1 t kosher salt
½ t freshly ground black pepper
¼ c sugar

Add butter and oil to skillet and heat. As you slice the onions, add them to the skillet and cover them to sweat them. Once all the onions are sliced, add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and continue to sweat. Once all the onions are tender and translucent, add sugar, and remove lid to caramelize them. Once they're a nice caramel brown, remove from heat. Use hot or refrigerate for later use.

My sister, Bridget, makes her caramelized onions in a crockpot while she's working and uses them to make a great pizza with smoked gouda.