Sunday, March 22, 2015
Slow Cooker Mulligatawny Soup Recipe
According to CNN, the real life "soup nazi" featured in the famous Seinfeld episode is reopening his soup stand. I read that he had closed it because of possible franchise opportunities. Theres no need to wait in line for hours and risk getting yelled at. You can make Kramers favorite soup at home, in your pajamas, in your very own slow cooker. And its easy. I assumed there would be a ton of ingredients, be difficult to assemble, and too much work to want to make often.
I love it when Im wrong.
The Ingredients.
serves 6
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (frozen is okay)1 cup peeled and chopped apple (mine were fuji)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried minced onion flake
1/4 cup raisins
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons curry
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup long grain white rice (to add later)
The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken thighs into the bottom of your cooker, and add apple, carrots, the whole can of tomatoes, onion flakes, and raisins. Then add the lemon juice, spices, and broth. Stir to mix the spices.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. If youd like, shred the chicken with two big forks, and stir in the uncooked rice. Flip to high for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. If you live in a high altitude, the rice will take longer and you might want to consider using instant or already cooked rice---its up to you.
Ladle into soup bowls.
The Verdict.
Gosh this is good. The curry and nutmeg pairs so nicely with the sweetness of the raisins and the apple. The end result is sweet but still savory, and my kids LICKED THEIR BOWLS. My dad loves this soup, and Im so happy to be able to make it now whenever hed like. The ingredients are pretty much pantry staples in our house, which is a total bonus.
Im not a good counting calories or points person, but this has got to be pretty light. If youd like the nutrition breakdown, many of my readers love the free counter at sparkspeople.com.
Good choice, Kramer! I can see why this soup is your favorite.
more yummy soups:
African Peanut Soup
Albondigas (meatball) Soup
Coconut Curry Soup
Restaurant Tomato Soup
Pho
Tortilla Soup
Jamaican Pumpkin Soup
Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup
CrockPot Chile Verde Recipe
Good morning! I swear I havent fallen from the face of the planet. Im here. I took a week off from all things crockpot.
But now Im back!
and better than ever!
or just back.
I had a really neat conversation last week with a mom at the softball field, and she was telling me about her husbands hunting trips and how he likes to make chile verde with wild boar. It sounded wonderful. Except for the wild boar part. She mentioned that he once put in some homemade sausage that had a lot of sage in it, and it really made the dish "pop"---so now they always toss in a lot of sage. After some googling, I learned that a lot of verde recipes use sage.
I dont really have a way to end this thought.
You can do what I did, and make the Chile Verde by scratch, or you can totally go the lazy way, and get a bottle of salsa verde from the store and pour it on top of a hunk of meat. That is perfectly okay.
The Ingredients.
4 pound chuck roast, or pork shoulder/butt (I used a chuck roast)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small onion, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced chile (mine were mild, your choice)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
10 tomatillos, diced (peel off the outer wrapper, if they have one)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons sage
1 Tablespoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
The Directions.
I used a 6 quart. Trim any visible fat from the meat, and plop into your slow cooker stoneware. Add diced bell pepper and onion. If your tomatillos have the leafy-outer skin left on them, take the skin and stem off, and dice finely (I used the pampered chef chopper thingy. You can pulse in a food processor, instead, if youd like). Pour in the contents of the diced chile can and the tomato can. Add spices. Stir a bit to get the spices down the sides of the meat. Add chopped cilantro to the top.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, high for 6, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. After 7 hours on low, my meat was still pretty tough, so I chopped it into large chunks, and put it back in the pot for another 2 hours. By then, it had shredded nicely for me.
Serve with rice, corn tortillas, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. oh! and refried beans.
The Verdict.
Delicious. 3 out of the 4 of us ate this happily, and the other had a quesadilla. The meat was super tender, and had a good flavor. Ours was not spicy *at all.* If youd like more heat, you can add more red pepper or top with some jalapeno slices at the table. Adam and I had the meat the next day for lunch, and it had even more flavor.
If I was going to make this for company, Id maybe cook it over night, shred the meat, then keep it on low during the day to soak up the sauce flavor throughout the day.
If your slow cooker releases a lot of steam through a vent hole, put a layer of foil over the stoneware, then put the lid on. You want a lot of moisture to tenderize the meat. Be super careful when removing the foil----the steam will be quite hot.
Maple Barbecue Beef Slow Cooker Recipe
Oh sure, they eat really really really well during recipe-testing, but when they are in the midst of edits and the kitchen table has papers stacked where dinner dishes should be, they sometimes forget all about dinner.
In this case, its a good thing, because I made up a pretty phenomenal beef dinner using only the odds and ends of stuff I had in the house because I may have (accidentally) forgotten to go grocery shopping.
The Ingredients
serves 4
2 pounds frozen solid and maybe even frostbitten stew meat
1/3 cup soy sauce (LaChoy is gluten free)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes (or 1 large onion, peeled and diced. We didnt have any.... gah.)
2/3 cup beef broth
The Directions
Use a 4 or 6-quart slow cooker. Your food will cook a bit faster in a 6-quart because its not as filled -- thats okay, just check it after 7 hours.
Dump everything into the pot. Because my meat was frozen, I didnt have the opportunity to stir it. No worries.
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 5 or 6 hours. If you are home during the day and can stir it once to disperse the ingredients, go ahead and do so after a few hours. If you are not home, dont worry about it. Just stir well before serving.
Your meat is finished when it can break apart with a spoon. Serve with mashed potatoes and/or roasted vegetables (pictured is roasted carrots from my moms garden and sweet potatoes tossed with olive oil and sage).
The Verdict
Major winner. I was actually sweating bullets the day I put this into the pot because I couldnt take the time to leave to go get dinner-type-food and I had thrown away all the chicken in the house because of the recall. I needed to use the stew meat up, and I wanted to finish up the broth before it went bad.
Everything about this worked -- the maple played nicely with the salty soy sauce to create a beautiful barbecue-teriyaki sauce. Now that I know this works so well, Im going to be using it more often instead of leaning towards honey or brown sugar. What a nice surprise!!
~~~
I have good news! Ninja has extended my package offer for readers of the site for another Holiday Shopping Season. I heard word that they arent going to run the infomercial this Fall/Winter, so this is the only place to get a complete package.
ALSO: The GiveAway Page is STOCKED with *FREE* giveaways for this Holiday shopping season. You can subscribe via email (click here for subscription options) to be alerted to each new giveaway.
Happy Slow Cooking!!
Little Dipper Pizza Fondue Recipe
Day 365, take two.
I was annoyed with the white bean soup with fennel and spinach I made for dinner, but had all the stuff in the house to make a pizza fondue.
So I did.
I used the Little Dipper because I puffy heart LOVE it, but you could use an oven-safe dish inside a regular crockpot to create a smaller cooking vessel. Or you could increase the quantities.
The Ingredients.
--1 cup pasta sauce (my sauce had chunked mushrooms, it was perfect)
--1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
--10 pieces pepperoni, diced
--1 cup shredded cheese (I used a combo of mozzarella, cheddar, and swiss)
The Directions.
Count out 10 pieces of pepperoni. Then eat the rest of the package.
Put the pasta sauce into your Little Dipper, and plug it in. Add the Italian seasoning and diced pepperoni. Shove in the cup of shredded cheese. I promise it will fit. Cover and leave plugged in (there are no heat settings on a Little Dipper) for 45 min or so.
Stir well and serve with tortilla chips, bread sticks, or crustini.
I made some crustini with the Food for Life brown rice bread. I cut the pieces in slices, then brushed olive oil on each side. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 min, flipping once half-way through.
The Verdict.
This was great. We spread out a blanket in front of the TV and had a carpet picnic with the pizza fondue and watched Redbox dvds. How come I didnt know about redbox earlier?
good stuff.
Having a fondue party?
you really should.
fancy cheese fondue
chocolate fondue
peanut butter fondue
marshmallow fluff fondue
pumpkin pie dip
cream cheese, sausage, and Rotel dip (AKA mommy crack)
Saturday, March 21, 2015
What is Stem Cell Banking Future of Medical Science
Recently I have seen a stem cell banking advertisement on TV and decided to find whats that as i have never seen an advertisement like that. As i researched about stem cell banking, it comes out as a story of a high-tech Hollywood movie where every thing is made possible by medical science. But overall its good to know that medical science has gone one step ahead.
Stem cells are cells present in our body. But these cells have a special capability. They can divide themselves to make new stem cells and those cells can further multiply. They can take shape of any cell present in our body. Our body use these cells to heal itself. Muscles and neurons are also a type of cells and stem cells have the capability to transform themselves into any of these and many more types of cells. According to Wikipedia, "Because a person’s own (autologous) amniotic stem cells can be safely infused back into that individual without being rejected by the body’s immune system".
Important : When stem cells are injected into a certain area of our body then it starts to transform themselves into the cells in its neighborhood.
Every body have a different stem cell as every DNA is different. These stem cells are mainly present in the bone marrow. But its present in the maximum amount in the Umbilical cord that connects baby and the mother inside the womb. The cells can be collected from Umbilical cord at the time of child birth. Then these stem cells are preserved by the stem cell banking company for any future use by the child or first degree blood relative of the child.
As it can be understood from the above description that these stem cells belong to the new born baby but its ownership goes to mother and she is responsible to pay the cost of preservation to the bank. When the child
reaches the legal age, then ownership can be transferred to him / her.
Stem cells are collected from Umbilical cord at the child birth. After the Umbilical cord is cut from the baby, blood sample is taken from Umbilical cord as it rich in stem cells. In this process the mother dont need to bear any extra pain.
Various researches are going on to know more about stem cells and how they can be used to treat various diseases which dont have any permanent cure till now. So of these treatments are mentioned below.
What is Stem Cell ?
Stem cells are cells present in our body. But these cells have a special capability. They can divide themselves to make new stem cells and those cells can further multiply. They can take shape of any cell present in our body. Our body use these cells to heal itself. Muscles and neurons are also a type of cells and stem cells have the capability to transform themselves into any of these and many more types of cells. According to Wikipedia, "Because a person’s own (autologous) amniotic stem cells can be safely infused back into that individual without being rejected by the body’s immune system".
Important : When stem cells are injected into a certain area of our body then it starts to transform themselves into the cells in its neighborhood.
What is Stem Cell Banking ?
Every body have a different stem cell as every DNA is different. These stem cells are mainly present in the bone marrow. But its present in the maximum amount in the Umbilical cord that connects baby and the mother inside the womb. The cells can be collected from Umbilical cord at the time of child birth. Then these stem cells are preserved by the stem cell banking company for any future use by the child or first degree blood relative of the child.
Who has the ownership of those stem cells ?
As it can be understood from the above description that these stem cells belong to the new born baby but its ownership goes to mother and she is responsible to pay the cost of preservation to the bank. When the child
reaches the legal age, then ownership can be transferred to him / her.
How Stem Cells are collected from Umbilical Cord ?
Stem cells are collected from Umbilical cord at the child birth. After the Umbilical cord is cut from the baby, blood sample is taken from Umbilical cord as it rich in stem cells. In this process the mother dont need to bear any extra pain.
How Stem Cells can be used ?
- Stem Cells can be used to treat hematopoietic and genetic disorders.
- Stem Cells are used to treat leukemia and joint repairs.
- Stem cells have the ability to repair the liver.
- Stem Cells are a good resource for transplant therapies.
Future of medical Treatment by using Stem Cells
Various researches are going on to know more about stem cells and how they can be used to treat various diseases which dont have any permanent cure till now. So of these treatments are mentioned below.
- Diabetes: Stem Cell can be used to generate beta cells which produces insulin to reduce sugar in blood.
- Parkinson’s Disease: Stem Cells can be used to make dopamine releasing cells, which will cure Parkinsons Disease.
- Liver Damage: Stem cells can be used to generate lever cells to recover liver damage.
Old Fashioned Pot Roast Slow Cooker Recipe
Im not against these ingredients---there is MOST DEFINITELY a place in the world for these products, but now that I label-read for both health and entertainment (yes. you read that right. I read food labels for fun. please dont judge ;-0.), I choose not to use them except for on a very occasional basis (if you are gluten free, there are now products on the market that are safe to use, and a simple google search should uncover the manufacturers).
Man, that was a mouthful. And it was with words, not food. On to the food!
The Ingredients.
serves 6 to 8
 | ||
| thank you to Grandpa John for this beautiful roast! |
4 pounds beef roast (chuck or rump)
2 tablespoons flour (I used a gluten free baking mix, because we happen to be GF))
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced in rings
2 large Russet potatoes, cut in 2-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots (or peeled and cut regular carrots!)
1 cup sliced celery
3 tablespoons gluten free Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins made in the USA ONLY is GF. If youre Canadian or live elsewhere, have an American ship you some!)
1/2 cup beef broth (if youve got red wine open, you could use that. and save me some. Im typing this Wed night 8pm, and Ive been up since 2am... my shoulders are above my ears)
The Directions.
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Okay, I browned this meat. I hate cooking before I cook, but my father-in-law brought over this GORGEOUS piece of meat and I felt the right thing to do was to pretend I knew what to do with a big gorgeous piece of meat so I browned it.
The browning provides a bit of texture and if you have a more sophisticated palate than I do, perhaps you notice a difference.
but its up to you.
This is what I did:
In a plastic zippered bag, shake a thawed beef roast with flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Remove roast from the bag and brown all sides in a large skillet with olive oil. While your meat is browning, place the sliced onion in the bottom of the cooker. Add meat, and toss in the potatoes, celery, and carrots. Pour worcestershire and beef broth (or wine) on top. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. If your meat isnt as moist as youd like nearing serving time, take it out and cut it into a few pieces and return it to the pot to soak up more juice.
A dry roast isnt from over slowcooking, its from under slowcooking!
The Verdict.
This is what pot roast should taste like!! We served this at a Sunday family dinner, and it went over really well. I appreciated that I could play in the yard and fold laundry while dinner cooked itself. The girls set the table, and the boys cleaned up---meaning the "work" part of my dinner was over by 8 am!
score!
other hunk of meat recipes:
java roast
jalapeno roast
barbecue beef and bean sandwiches
sundried tomato and feta tri-tip
3 packet pot roast
super simple cranberry roast
sweet mustard roast
beef bourguignon
Day 14 of Crocktober!
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CrockPot Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Curry and Honey
Day 276.
I made an interesting soup yesterday. The base was cauliflower and broth, and it had both curry and honey---two flavors I have not had together before. I liked it. I got the recipe directly from Sunday Nite Dinner. Chuck and Hungry Bear made it last year, and Im so glad that I bookmarked it to try in the crockpot.
The Ingredients.
adapted from Sunday Nite Dinner
--1 head cauliflower
--3 T olive oil
--1 tsp kosher salt
--1/2 tsp black pepper
--2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
--2 cups water
--1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (1/4 was enough for me)
--1 yellow onion, chopped in chunks
--2 1/2 tsp curry
--honey
The Directions.
Cut the cauliflower into florets, toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower has begun to brown and turn crispy. You can also roast in the crockpot.
While the cauliflower is roasting, plug in your crockpot and turn to high. Use a 4 quart or larger size. Add the chicken broth and water. Chop the onion and add it along with the cayenne pepper and curry powder.
When the vegetables are finished, add them to the broth.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 3-4. This is finished when the onion and cauliflower are fully tender.
Carefully use an immersible blender to blend the cauliflower and onion. If you are going to use a traditional blender, go slow and blend small batches at a time.
Drizzle honey over the top before serving.
The Verdict.
I could not get the kids anywhere near this. They had bean burritos on brown rice tortillas.
It took Adam a few bites to get used to, but then he liked it. I found the flavor to be mysterious. It was not like anything I had ever had before. This would be fun to serve at a fancy dinner, where guests can squeeze on their own honey. I really like how rich and velvety it tastes without a drop of cream. I have no idea how Chuck and Hungry Bear got the picture they did at Sunday Nite Dinner----my honey sunk right away.
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