Slow Cooker Take Out Fake Out Recipes

Thursday, September 26, 2019

There's no need to spend tons of money or eat lots of grease when you get a craving for Take Out. Here are over 30 ways to get your Fix in the comfort of your own home!

don't want to click around? Here are all the recipes in EBook (PDF) format. Save to your computer to keep forever!

Listed in Alphabetical Order.

Asian Shredded Beef

Broccoli Beef

Cheese Enchilada Stack

General Tso’s Chicken

PF Changs Lettuce Wraps

Rotisserie-style Chicken

Sweet and Sour Tofu

Tamales
Thai Coconut Soup

Thai Curry

The Most Simple Thai Beef in the World

Tortilla Soup

Vietnamese Roasted Chicken

Classic restaurant copy cat recipe favorites like PF Changs Lettuce Wraps, Thai Coconut Curry Soup, Chinese Lemon Chicken, Chow Mein, Indian Chicken, and more.. easy to make and gluten free from the ayearofslowcooking.com website.

and in EBOOK format for your convenience:

Slow Cooker Fall Favorites

Thursday, September 5, 2019

37 recipes listed, all gluten free and family friendly

originally posted in 2010.

I just got back from a pumpkin patch field trip with sixty kindergarteners. In the rain. I wish I could say that I planned ahead and plugged something in so I could happily (and maybe a bit smugly?) report that, "we came home to a hearty bowl full of wholesome goodness that warmed us right up."

oh how I wish I could say that.

But I can't. We came home instead to soggy tuna and rice cakes.

But you? You can totally plan ahead. These are fantastic fall slow cooker recipes that will keep your tummies full, your house warm and cozy, your family happy, and your budget in check.

Beverages

Holiday (non-alcoholic) Punch (although "Holiday" is in the title, I've been making this a lot. Wednesdays can totally be the new Holiday.)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (yummers)
Chai Tea Latte (I don't actually like this so much, but my mother-in-law loves it, and so do her friends.)

Appetizers

Brie with Balsamic Apricot Topping (just made this again on Saturday, and have been requested to make it on Thursday for my friend Jennifer's jewelry party. Oh! anyone want to buy jewelry? I think there might be an online form.)
Sundried Tomato Dip (one of the very first things I made during my challenge)
Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Rotel Dip (AKA Mommy Crack)
Pizza Fondue (liquid pizza)
Fancy Cheese Fondue

Main Courses

Apricot Chicken (the kids LOVE this)
Pomegranate Beef (from Karina's Kitchen, the Gluten Free Goddess. She is wonderful.)
Pizza Soup (because you need more liquid pizza)
Cowboy Stew (from Headless Mom)
Pasta Fagioli (copy cat(ish) from the Olive Garden. We eat this monthly.)
Coq au Vin (red wine for purple, white wine for not-purple)
Azorean Stew (from Sean at Hedonia)
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup (I get the nicest thank you notes about this one)
Java Roast (doesn't taste like coffee. I promise.)
Chile Verde (I make this for guests. Often.)
Margarita Chicken (from Alanna, of Kitchen Parade)
Mongolian Beef (lots of ingredients, but totally worth it)
Korean Ribs (from Stefania, of City Mama)
Orange Apricot Pork Chops (a favorite with kids)
Cranberry Pork Tenderloin (my little buddy Austin's review is priceless on this one)
Asian Peanut Butter Pork (mmm. peanut butter.)
Sausage Vegetable Medley (we eat this an awful lot. super easy.)
Autumn Sausage Casserole (C. Beth reminded me to add this!)
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup (amazingly delicious)

Desserts

Cheesecake (I was crazily ecstatic at how this turned out. I think the neighbors could hear my squealing)
Crustless Pumpkin Pie (exactly what it sounds like!)
Apple Crisp (the people in the audience at GMA liked this)
Peach (or whatever fruit you'd like) Pie (I had canned peaches in the house)
Pumpkin Pie Dip (fondue-y)
5 Layer Brownies (use a small slow cooker for this, or your middle won't set)
Pound Cake (I can't believe I ate the whole thing)
Rice Krispies Treats (the kids can do this alone. while I nap. It's a good thing.)
Caramel Apples (great surprise as an after school snack)
Brownie-in-a-Mug (So. Much. Fun.)

CrockPot season is coming! I love coming home to food that has cooked itself! Everything from desserts to appetizers listed here.

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The holidays are coming! My books make excellent gifts! :-)

Modern CrockPot Slow Cooking

Monday, August 19, 2019

I get a lot of questions about using crockpots in "modern times."

I think sometimes people have the misguided notion that slow cookers are passe or are only good for making pot roast or minestrone soup.

Sure -- you can make an AWESOME pot roast -- but I promise that you can do so much more.

How Much Liquid Do I Need?

I'd also like to take away the notion that you need to drown your meat in liquid in order to get a moist, juicy roast or chicken.

it's just not true.
The "old school" way of crockpotting advised that you add 1/2 cup of liquid to every pound of meat.

This just isn't necessary. If you do this you will simply end up with soggy, water-logged meat -- and noone wants that! :-)

The new pots on the market seal well (these are my personal recommendations) and it really just isn't necessary to add tons of liquid. In fact, I love making a dry-rub roast and often use the slow cooker to braise my meat --

there is simply no need to add tons of cooking liquid to your pot. When your slow cooker is in use, be sure that there is beaded up condensation on the lid -- if this is the case then it will essentially "rain" back down into the pot which will keep everything moist and juicy.

I go into this in great detail in the free online class I did, that you can access, here.

My Food All Tastes the Same!!

I hear this sometimes from readers or from people on the radio. Mostly they are remembering meals they were served as children in the seventies.

:-)

I think this idea came from using Cream of Something Soup recipes along with a packet of Onion Soup Mix.

When slow cookers first hit the market Cambells and Lipton came out with lots of recipes that were centered around --- You Guessed It!!

Lipton Onion Soup mix and Cambell's Cream of Mushroom (or chicken, etc!) Soup.

This is why the food from the "past" all tasted the same. I PROMISE you that you can get different flavors from the crockpot.

In fact, you can have MANY different flavors -- one of my favorite ways is to make "Take Out Fake Out" recipes; so no matter what type of dish you are craving you can get that favorite flavor!!

I Need Help With Meal Planning!

Crockpotting and Slow Cooking forces you to meal plan. It's a wonderful feeling to know what you are going to have for dinner early in the morning when you are still highly caffeinated and coherent --

if you are NOT a morning person, I suggest assembling your food the night before for an easy morning plug-in.

It's not advised to put a freezing-cold stone pot into the heating element, so my suggestion would be to assemble the food in Ziplock Bags or in a large Tupperware bowl and then dump the food in the morning into a room temperature crockpot insert.

If you really have trouble creating grocery lists and planning ahead in this way, I do sell slow cooker meal plans that will walk you through absolutely everything.

(PS: if you use the discount code : slowcook20 (all one word, no spaces) at check out you will get an immediate 20% savings on the bundle pack through the above link)

I've heard Bad Things About Dried Beans.

Okay. So red beans need to be brought to a rolling boil for 10 minutes on the stovetop before being added to the slow cooker to kill off any potential toxin that naturally occurs. This is a very rare potential toxin but it is a real thing.

On the internet it is referred to as "freaky red bean toxin" or "freaky kidney bean toxin" -- and while it is not a common occurrence I always recommend bringing any red beans to a full rolling boil for the 10 minutes and then draining and rinsing.

What about Lead?

I have written about Lead, here. Long story short, don't worry about it.

What about the Instant Pot (InstaPot??)

Sure thing. I've written about my thoughts, extensively, here ---

but in a nutshell:

A Slow Cooker that is DESIGNED to be a Slow Cooker works better as a Slow Cooker.

I know, I know, I know. There is a "slow cooker" feature on the Instant Pot --- but it will not work as well as a slow cooker as it does as a Pressure Cooker.

That is because it's in the shape of a cylinder (like a coffee can) and not oval like a traditional slow cooker. Slow cookers heat evenly, from the sides and the bottom, and are made to be left alone for hours upon hours.

Pressure cookers work GREAT as pressure cookers. But in my not so humble opinion, when you get too many things in one appliance they don't all work as well as you think they should.

I have also written many other articles that you might find helpful:

what to do with a Hot or Fast Cooking Slow Cooker

What Size Slow Cooker Should I Buy?

Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

Instant Pot vs CrockPot

Slow Cooker Secrets You've Never Been Told