Frugal Foodie Friday - Slow Cooker Smoky Navy Bean Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This soup was a delightful surprise. I can be quite critical when it comes to bean dishes, because more often than not, I'm disappointed in the way they taste. The financial constraints of SNAP challenge, however, made it necessary for me to experiment with bean recipes and this soup was one of my happier discoveries. I found the recipe in Family Circle magazine. It caught my eye because the soup is made in a slow cooker and uses common ingredients that, in the relative scheme of things, are quite inexpensive. The recipe is straight forward and easy to follow, though I did find the soup was done long before the time suggested in the directions. My batch was ready to serve after 6 hours in the pot. Had I let it simmer longer than that, the beans and vegetables would have completely dissolved and the soup would be more of a bean puree than the soup I was expecting. Despite its truly peasant nature and having to fiddle with the time, this is a delicious soup that I'll be making often. I really hope you'll give this recipe a try. I think you'll enjoy the soup as much as I have. Here is how it is made.

Slow Cooker Smoky Navy Bean Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound navy beans, soaked overnight
2 ham shanks (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, thinly sliced
3 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes with chipotle or jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach

Directions:
1) Coat slow-cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Drain beans and add to slow cooker bowl. Stir in 6 cups water, ham, onion, celery, carrots, tomatoes and thyme. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours.
3) Remove ham shanks from soup and shred meat. Remove 2 cups of soup, puree and return to slow cooker along with shredded ham. Add  vinegar and salt and pepper. Add spinach by the handful and stir until wilted. Yield: 8 servings.






One Year Ago Today: Champ: Irish Scallion Mashed Potatoes for St. Patrick's Day














Two Years Ago Today: Chicken Stroganoff















Three years Ago Today: Roast Lamb

Crock-Pot Moroccan Chickpea and Chicken Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The days grow shorter at this time of year. We lose the light and the pressure of full calendars makes it difficult to accomplish all that must be done with grace and humor. At various times, I've found myself wishing for a clone or, at the very least, an evil twin to help with the cooking and shopping and "et cetera" that has become so much a part of our modern holiday season. While some will swear they've encountered my evil twin in the kitchen, they exaggerate. I certainly have never seen her and the clones all seem to have gone to a higher bidder. Even so, I've found some techniques that help make entertaining and fabulous holiday meals more easy to accomplish. The real trick is learning how to simplify whenever it is possible. That means that some everyday meals become faster and easier to prepare than might normally be the case. This recipe is an example of a weeknight meal that comes together in minutes. It uses standard pantry ingredients and while it was designed to simmer in a crock-pot, you can also cook it stovetop if that is more to your liking. I found the recipe in Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook and it makes a pleasant weeknight meal. If you are looking for a quick and easy addition to your menu rotation, grab a can opener and give this recipe a try. Here is how this Moroccan stew is made.

Moroccan Chickpea and Chicken Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans) rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
1-1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of paprika
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter
Hot cooked couscous or brown rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Place chickpeas, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, raisins, tomato paste, water, cumin and paprika in slow cooker. Mix well. Scatter chicken on top. Cover and cook on LOW until chicken is tender and cooked through, 6-7 hours.
2) Stir in nut butter. Serve hot over couscous or rice, garnished with cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Roasted Apple Salad with Bacon and Mixed Greens

Two Years Ago Today: Dal Bhat in Pokhara Nepal

Three Years Ago Today: Liptauer Cheese Spread

Crock-Pot Chinese Hacked Pork

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple crock-pot meal is suspiciously like the pulled pork Americans have come to love. The big difference is that Chinese ingredients are used to flavor it and the finished dish is served over noodles rather than in buns. It is a simple and inexpensive dish that is perfect to serve on a brisk fall evening when you need a meal that's near table ready when you walk through the door. While it must marinate overnight, the pork goes from the fridge to the crock-pot without any additional fussing and that makes it a perfect choice for a busy day meal. The recipe was developed for Family Circle magazine and the only change I've made to it is the addition of 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to brighten the heaviness of the soy and hoisin sauces. I think those of you who try the recipe will be pleased with the results. It is fast, easy and quite tasty. Here's how it is made.

Chinese Hacked Pork...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 pounds boneless center-cut pork roast
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces wide lo mein noodles, cooked following package directions
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Steamed snow peas (optional)

Directions:
1) Whisk soy sauce, honey, hoisin, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Place in a resealable plastic bag and add pork. Seal. Turn and shake to coat meat. Refrigerate overnight.
2) Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Place pork in bowl and pour marinade over top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.
3) Remove pork to a large baking dish and keep warm. Pour liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into broth. Bring liquid in saucepan to a boil and whisk in the broth mixture. Cook for 1 minute.
4) Shred pork into large pieces with two forks; stir in sauce. Spoon over noodles; garnish with scallions and serve with steamed snow peas, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Pecan Squares with Cinnamon Chips

Two Years Ago Today: Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Three Years Ago Today: Patatas Bravas

Effortless Ham and White Bean Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When our fall rains begin, the sun moves behind banks of clouds and hibernates until prevailing spring winds blow away its cover. While it rarely gets truly cold here, the pervasive Pacific damp still chills the bones, and whets appetites that now need more substantial fare to satisfy them. Slow cookers come off the shelves, and soups and stews fill gaps left by the abandoned grills and salads of summer. The tempo of the kitchen and the aromas emanating from it change with the season. I have bread baking in my oven as we speak and I've just finished the first of my winter soups. You can't imagine how good my kitchen smells right now. I made an almost effortless bean soup that I found in Family Circle magazine. I've just had my first taste of it and I like it well enough to share with you. My version is not as thick as some. If you prefer a thicker soup, mash a portion of the beans until it reaches the consistency you like. While the beans for this soup soak overnight, the soup can be made in 15 minutes and the slow cooker does the rest of the work. This soup ages wonderfully well and, like almost all soups and stews, its flavor improves with time. If you are looking for a bean soup, I hope you'll give this one a try. Here's the recipe.

Ham and White Bean Soup - Slow Cooker...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1 pound dry cannellini beans
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces)stewed tomatoes
1-1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
8 ounces low-sodium ham, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Crusty bread (optional)
Fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:
1) Place beans in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to boiling, cover and turn off heat. Allow to soak overnight.
2) Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Drain beans and add to bowl. Add 4 cups water, onion, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, Italian seasoning and ham. Stir to combine, breaking up tomatoes with a wooden spoon.
3) Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.
4) Season with salt and pepper; mash beans slightly to thicken soup. Serve with crusty bread and garnish with parsley, if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

Three Years Ago Today: Berry Patch Cake

Crock-Pot Cheesecake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If men climb mountains because they're there, is it fair to say that cooks try new recipes for the same reason? I suspect so. You all know I have a special weakness for cheesecake. It's been featured here over a dozen times and I'm still not ready to let it rest. When the recipe for this one appeared on my radar, my curiosity was piqued. I've used a slow cooker for many things, but never dreamed of using it to make a real dessert. This cheesecake sounded like a perfect dish with which to begin my experiments. The recipe was developed by Beth Hensberger for Food and Wine magazine. Beth creates wonderful recipes and the magazine keeps me current and connected to the cooking mainstream, so I knew the recipe would, at the very least, be sound. The cheesecake looked delicious and a quick scan of the ingredient list confirmed just how easy it would be to make. I decided to use low-fat dairy products in the cake, and, because too much of it can be harsh, I cut the quantity of almond extract in half. I replaced the missing portion with a teaspoon of good vanilla. The recipe featured below does not reflect the changes that I made. I was pleasantly surprised by this cheesecake. While the top of the cake forms a caldera, it can be filled with berries and the finished product is quite attractive and guest-worthy. I know that those of you who try this recipe will be really pleased with the results. Its size makes it perfect for today's smaller families and the use of low-fat dairy products keeps calories reasonably under control. I hope you, too, will give this cheesecake a try. Here's how it is made.

Crock-Pot Cheesecake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensberger and Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
Salt
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
1) Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Press crumbs over the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 6-inch springform pan that's 3 inches deep. I used an 8-inch springform pan.
2) In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, combine cream cheese, flour, remaining 2/3 cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Beat at medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl, add eggs and almond extract. I used a combination of 1/2 teaspoon almond and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until blended. Add sour cream and beat until smooth. Pour batter into springform pan.
3) Fill a 6- to 7-quart round or oval slow cooker with 1/2 inch of water and position a rack in bottom. I used boiling water and jury rigged a rack with wads of aluminum foil. Set cheesecake on rack. Cover slow cooker with a triple layer of paper towels, then cover towels with lid. Turn cooker to high and cook for 2 hours without peeking. DO NOT PEEK. Turn off heat and let stand until slow cooker has cooled, 1 hour.
4) Remove lid and paper towels and transfer cheesecake to a rack to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours.
5) Heat a sharp, thin-bladed knife under hot water; dry knife. Carefully run the knife around edge of the cheesecake. Release the spring and lift cheesecake out of the mold. Cut into wedges and serve decorated with berries, if desired. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Shrimp and Grapefruit Cocktail

Two Years Ago Today: Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin

Three Years Ago Today: Onion and Fennel Bisque

Crock-Pot Cuban Pork and Black Beans

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I spend a few days each year working with a group of women who develop recipes for low-income families. Our goal is to develop nutritious meals that have wide appeal. These recipes must use inexpensive ingredients but still deliver meals that are flavorful, wholesome and delicious. This slow cooker meal, adapted from Family Circle Magazine, is an example of the type of recipe the group experiments with. It is patterned after Lechon Asado, a slow cooked pork roast that is a signature dish of Cuban cooking. Addressing the concerns of those on limited budgets, the group opted to use a loin of pork rather than its shoulder, because the loin is less expensive here. They opted to serve the pork over rice rather than in rolls which would have added a couple of dollars to the meal. Eliminating the bread allowed them to make black beans to serve alongside the pork. They also decided to use pickle relish instead of chopped pickles. While relish is a common ingredient in their pantries, pickles are not. The original recipe was made in a crock-pot, but not all of the group owned them. As an alternative, they cooked the pork stove-top for about 3 hours. They felt that baking it in a 250 degree oven for 5 or more hours was a waste of energy, a point that is awfully hard to argue. The recipe the group came up with follows. I've highlighted the changes they made to the original recipe. This is really a great family meal. The citrus overtones of the pork play nicely against the heat of the black beans that appear below. I know you will enjoy dish. Its flavor improves with age and I'd suggest you make this a day before you plan to serve it. Here's the recipe.

Crock-Pot Cuban Pork...Recipe inspired by Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients:
3 pounds boneless, skinless pork shoulder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice
Zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup drained dill pickle relish
2 sweet onions (such as Vidalia), thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Season pork with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Brown all sides of pork, about 6 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
2) Put tomato paste, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice , cumin, oregano and broth into liner of slow cooker and stir to combine. Add onions, garlic and pickle relish. Place browned pork on top. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW and cook for 4 to 5 hours longer. Remove meat from slow cooker and using 2 forks pull it into shreds. Return to slow cooker and heat through.
3) Stir in cilantro. Serve with rice or on ciabatta or Cuban rolls. Yield: 8 servings.

This is the quick and easy recipe that was developed for black beans. It uses canned beans, so the dish comes together very quickly. The beans are delicious.

Cuban-Style Black Beans

Ingredients:
3 (14.5-oz.) cans undrained black beans
1 (1o-oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (i.e. Rotel)
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium-size pot. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add oregano and cumin and stir, then add can of diced tomatoes with green chilies. Add 2 cans of undrained beans and bring to a simmer. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes, Drain reserved can of beans and add to pot. Cook 10 minutes longer. Serve hot. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Crock-Pot Posolé














Two Years Ago Today: Mexican Skillet Cornbread

Chicken Picadillo with Chili Lime Sauce - A Crock-Pot Meal

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Recipes for picadillo, a Spanish hash, can be found in Mexico, Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico and South America. The version I'm featuring today is an amalgam of recipes from various countries. I first sampled it at a luncheon held at the Institute for Culinary Education in New York City. The luncheon was part of an award ceremony sponsored by Rival, the company that makes the Crock-Pot slow cooker. On that occasion it was served as an appetizer. I served it this past weekend in large muffin-size tortilla cups. It was part of a tapas-type meal that we enjoyed as we watched the Academy Awards. This is an effortless dish that will really delight folks who love crock-pot meals. As nearly as I can determine, the recipe came from BBQ Pit Recipes, a cookbook distributed by the Crock-Pot Brand which, unfortunately, is no longer available. There are no tricks to making this. The chicken goes into the crock and is covered with a chipotle sauce that's made special by the addition of creme fraiche and lime. At the four hour mark, the chicken is removed from the pot and pulled into shreds. It's then returned to the pot to cook for another hour. It can be served over rice or with tortillas. I go the extra mile and make easy tortilla cups for serving. I warm 6-inch flour tortillas in the microwave for 20 seconds and then place them over inverted custard cups. The cups are used to help push the tortillas into Texas-size muffin pans. I bake the cups in a 375 degree F. oven until they are golden brown. I let them cool slightly before removing them from the pans. They can be made ahead of time and stored in air-tight contains or bags. While the cups are for show, the picadillo is delicious. I really hope you'll try this. I promise you won't be sorry. Here's the recipe.

Chicken Picadillo with Chile Lime Sauce inspired by BBQ Pit Recipes

Ingredients:
Chili Lime Sauce
1-1/2 cups creme fraiche ( 3/4 cup sour cream mixed with 3/4 cup plain yogurt may be substituted)
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 t0 1/2 teaspoon sambal or chili paste to taste
Pinch of sugar
Chicken
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of any visible fat
2-1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 cup raisins
2 chipotle peppers in adobo
1/8 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup chili lime sauce from above
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) To make chili lime sauce: Mix creme fraiche, lime juice, sambal and sugar together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2) To make picadillo: Rinse and dry chicken and place in stoneware of a crock-pot or slow cooker. Combine tomatoes, raisins, chipotles, vinegar, chili lime sauce, cinnamon, garlic and salt in a blender or food processor and pulse to blend (do not puree). Pour over chicken and toss to coat. Cook on Low for 4 hours or until chicken is very tender. Using tines of 2 forks, shred chicken and cook for 1 hour more. Serve in tortilla cups or over rice. Top with reserved chili lime sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Cuban-Style Picadillo - A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
Picadillo Dreams - La Cocina de Leslie
Turkey Picadillo - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Picadillo - Sweet Bites
Picadillo or Cuban Minced Beef - Chow and Chatter
Picadillo with Mexican Rice - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Picadillo - Food and Wine
Pork Mango Picadillo - Simply Recipes
Fast and Easy Dinner: Chicken Picadillo - Yum Sugar
Chicken Picadillo - Laura Rebecca's Kitchen
Cuban Picadillo - Gina's Skinny Recipes

Crock-Pot Greek-Style Beef Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...As you know, stifado is a Greek stew. It can be made with rabbit, hare or beef and it's slowly simmered with a quantity of onions until the cubed meat is meltingly tender. The stew is both sweet and sour and is fairly unique in the spices that are used to flavor it. The dish I'm featuring tonight is Greek-like. I would never claim it to be authentic and I don't want to become embroiled in arguments waged by those who believe theirs to be the definitive stew. I've combined stew meat, pearl onions and tomatoes in a slow cooker and seasoned them with cinnamon, allspice and cloves to produce a stew that becomes Greek-like when topped with feta cheese and walnuts. This is a no fuss dinner and once the meat and onions have been browned, it is a meal that takes care of itself. The recipe I used was was developed by Lynn Alley, and the only change I've made to it, is to use a bit more garlic and add a small amount of vinegar at the end of cooking. Those of you who love to use the crock-pot or slow cooker will love this recipe. Those of you who do not can achieve the same results by braising the stew in a 250 degree F. oven for 6 to 7 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Either way, you'll have a wonderful family meal that is delicious when served with rice and a salad. The recipe calls for a bouquet garni. Remember you can use a coffee filter rather than cheesecloth to hold the herbs and spices in place. Here's the recipe.

Crock-Pot Greek-Style Beef Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lynn Alley

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
2 pounds boneless beef stew meat or top round steak, trimmed or fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks across the grain
24 white pearl onions, trimmed
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup hearty red wine
3 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (4-inch)
4 cloves garlic, smashed flat
8 whole cloves
4 allspice berries
Kitchen twine (for bouquet garni)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled, for serving
3/4 cup coarsely broken walnut pieces, for serving
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving

Directions:
1) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1-1/2 tablespoons oil until very hot. While it is heating, combine flour, salt and pepper in a large zipper-top plastic bag. Add beef chunks to bag and shake until well coated. Add half of beef to hot oil and brown on all sides, for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium or large slow cooker. Repeat browning with remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining beef. Transfer to slow cooker.
2) Add onions to skillet and brown slightly, stirring, over medium-high heat. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, bringing them to room temperature after 2 1/2 hours.
3) Using same pan, add tomatoes, their juice and wine and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits stuck to pan. Pour into cooker.
4) Make a bouquet garni of bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, garlic, cloves and allspice berries by wrapping them in cheesecloth or a coffee filter and tying bundle with kitchen twine; submerge into the stew. Cover and cook on low for 3-3 1/2 hours.
5) At three hour mark, add room-temperature onions, cover and continue to cook on low until the meat is tender, another 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Remove bouquet garni, stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently so as not to break up onions. Serve topped with feta cheese, walnuts and parsley. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mushroom Bourguignon - Elle's New England Kitchen
Coffee and Chili Braised Pot Roast - Cara's Cravings
Crock-Pot Vegetarian Chili - Spice Opolis
Sunday Suppers: Cassoulet - Stacey Snacks
Beer Stew - Food and Whine
Crock-Pot Southwestern Sausage and Hominy Stew - One Perfect Bite

Crock-Pot Southwestern Sausage and Hominy Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The third recipe in this month's crock-pot series would be given a pass, if pass/fail were the only grading options available. Were I to continue with the baseball analogy used with the other recipes we've featured so far, I'd call this a double play. Let me immediately add that there is nothing wrong with this dish. As a matter of fact, if there are teens in your house it might become a family favorite. My problem is that I think the recipe used to make this very basic dish is contrived. You don't really need a slow cooker to prepare it. This earthy casserole can be simmered stovetop or cooked in a microwave at the same time the rice that accompanies it is made. This is not a dish that needs to simmer for hours at a low temperature. You may want to prepare it that way, but it is not necessary and will add very little flavor to the finished dish. Most of the ingredients used in this stew come from cans and, like all dishes of this type, it is super simple to make. Texture in the dish is provided by the add-ons found at the end of the recipe. Don't forget them. The mango is used to brighten the flavor of the stew. If you don't have one, you can substitute a sweet apple or pear and get nearly the same affect. I think that those of you who are looking for crock-pot or slow cooker recipes will like this a lot. It's easy to do and very affordable. Here's the recipe.

Crock-Pot Southwestern Sausage and Hominy Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann as featured in their book Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups prepared salsa, medium or hot (I recommend hot)
1 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper (1-inch pieces)
1 cup coarsely Chopped yellow pepper (1-inch pieces)
1 (10-oz.) bag frozen corn, thawed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 (15.5-oz.) can white or golden hominy, rinsed and drained
1 (12-oz.) package smoked turkey sausage, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
2 tablespoons tequila
For Serving:
3 cups hot cooked long-grain white or brown rice
1/2 cup crushed tortilla Chips
1 medium-large ripe mango (10 to 14-oz.) peeled and sliced off the pit
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped green onion (white and tender green)
3/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
1) Combine salsa, bell peppers, corn, chili powder, hominy, sliced sausage and tequila in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours.
2) To serve, divide rice among 4 bowls; top each serving with stew, crushed chips, mango slices (I diced my mangoes), cilantro, green onions and a big dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

Your might also enjoy these recipes:
Taco Pie - Home Cooking Rocks
Chicken Chilaquiles - Baked Cupcakes
Stacked Green Chile Enchiladas - My Baking Heart
Shortcut Chili Colorado - Shamrocks and Shenanigans
Mexican Lasagna - And Then I Do the Dishes
Posole - Around My Family Table

Crock-Pot Golden Vegetable Soup and Creme Fraiche

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This lovely soup is a crock-pot home run. While there is a good deal of chopping involved in its preparation, once that's done, this is an effortless meal. The soup comes from the Normandy region of France and it is made with root vegetables that are simmered to submission and then puréed. The soup has a silken texture that is further enhanced by a final enrichment of crème fraiche which adds tang, as well as creaminess, to the finished product. If you like potato soup, I suspect you'll love this creamy Norman version. While the soup was selected for it delicious flavor, its color is also a lure at this time of year. Our skies here can be gray for days on end, so I like to bring sunshine to our table using vibrantly colored food. This soup is the color of molten gold and it's perfect for warming bodies and warding off winter's chill. The ingredients needed to make it are plentiful and can be found in any store at this time of year. If you make your own crème fraiche, the soup is also a bargain. I'm including a recipe for crème fraiche for those of you who want to make your own. It is simple to do, but once made, it needs to sit for at least 8 hours in order to thicken, so plan your time accordingly. The recipes were developed by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann and I found both recipes in their book, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining. I hope you give them a try. Here are the recipes.

Crock-Pot Golden Vegetable Soup..from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 large yellow onions, chopped
3 leek, white and tender green, sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 medium-sized carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
6 medium size russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 large turnips, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
2 quarts boiling water or chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 cups crème fraiche

Directions:
1) Rub bottom half of slow cooker insert with butter. Add onions, leeks, carrots, potatoes and turnips. Add boiling water or broth, and cook on LOW until vegetables are tender, about 6 to 8 hours.
2) Using an immersion blender, puree soup. Alternatively, transfer soup to a food processor or blender and working in batches, puree soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in crème fraiche, cover, and cook on LOW until heated through, about 20 minutes. Do not allow soup to boil. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.



Photo courtesy of Mozzco.Com

Crème Fraiche..from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy or heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup full-fat sour cream or buttermilk
2 tablespoons full-fat plain yogurt containing acidophilus cultures

Directions:
1) Combine heavy cream, sour cream and yogurt in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until thickened, 6 to 8 hours or overnight. Allow it to sit for a longer period of time will produce a thicker cream.
2) Transfer thickened cream to refrigerator and store, covered, until ready to use.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chicken Enchilada Chowder - Katy's Kitchen
Corn Chowder in the Slow Cooker - Real Mom Kitchen
Posole - Around My Family's Table
Minestrone - Coconut and Lime
Slow Cooker Black Eyed Pea Soup - Around My Family Table
Potato Soup - The Teacher Cooks

Crocked Pork Roast with Cherry Glaze

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know I'm about to walk into a mine field, but it really can't be helped. Hopefully, I can navigate the terrain without unduly offending either lovers or haters of the crock-pot. While I'm a centrist, I intend to honestly report the results of the recipes I've been testing. Some were good, others were not. All were recipes developed by professional cooks or food writers. I have, in other entries, spoken of the yin yang relationship I have with the crock-pot or slow cooker. I love its set it and forget it functionality, but I have serious problems with the texture and flavor of the meat it produces. I think most recipes written for the crock-pot produce protein that is dreadfully overdone and strangely flavorless if it's not buried under a ton of sauce or gravy. To overcome these problems, particularly in competition recipes, I season meat or poultry the night before it is to be cooked and brown it before it goes into the pot. I also reduce cooking time and rely on a meat thermometer to indicate doneness. Crocked Pork Roast with Cherry Glaze is a recipe that comes from a book I was given during the holiday. It was the cover feature and I selected it thinking that the only the best recipe would be selected to grace that spot. I made the recipe exactly as directed and I was not happy with the results. The dish bears no resemblance to the pork roast shown on the cover of the book. I think that's deceptive, pure and simple. The book cost someone $35 and the finished dish cost $16 to make and when I factored in my time I was really bent out of shape. Cooked as instructed , the roast falls apart when lifted from the pot and the sweet and sour sauce used to braise the meat is too sweet to use for anything other than light glazing. This was clearly a miss. I made it a second time so I would have pictures to show you. I cut the cooking time and sauce ingredients in half and had better, though not perfect, results. This dish was a strike-out for me. I didn't care for it, but because some of my tasters thought it was delicious, I'm including it here. Here's the recipe.

Crocked Pork Roast with Cherry Glaze...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker: Recipes for Entertaining

Ingredients:
One 3 1/2 to 4 pound rolled boneless pork loin roast
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 fresh sage leaves
3 cloves garlic, quartered
2 medium-size yellow onions, sliced
One 12-ounce jar tart cherry preserves
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:
1) Remove string from pork roast and trim any visible fat. Sprinkle evenly with chopped parsley, rosemary, and thyme; lay sage leaves on top. Roll up and tie at 2-inch intervals with heavy string. Pierce roast all over with tip of a paring knife and insert slivers of garlic. Spray inside of crock with nonstick cooking spray and place onions on bottom. Place roast on top of onions. Coat with a few blasts of cooking spray. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
2) Combine preserves, honey, vinegar, cloves, cinnamon, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add almonds. Pour glaze over pork roast, reduce heat setting to LOW, cover, and cook for another 6 hours, until meat is tender when pierced with tip of a knife and an instant-read thermometer registers about 160 degrees.
3) Transfer to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before
removing string and carving into thick slices. Serve with crock juices spooned
over the top.

FROM: Not Your Motherʼs Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Creamy Italian Crock Pot Chicken - Meals 4 Moms
Slow Cooked Sweet Barbacoa Pork - Gina's Skinny Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings - The Southern Bite
Corn Chowder in the Slow Cooker - Real Mom Kitchen
Amy's Slow Cooked Pot Roast - Very Culinary Blog
Potato and Olive Chicken - The Brunette Foodie
Smothered Pork Chops in the Crockpot - Annie Bakes
Sausage and Bean Stew (Crock Pot) - 400 Calories or Less

Tomatillo Chicken and Rice - Crock-Pot Cooking

The two winners of the Novica gift certificates have been chosen. Each of the 270 comments in the drawing received a sequential number at the time it was posted. The winners were chosen by a random number generator which selected the numbers 229 and 71. Congratulations to Aisling and Discovery Woman. I will be contacting you soon.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of the perks of age is learning to cast away the things that aren't important. That helped this morning as I took a look around the house, assessed what I saw and declared an end to Christmas preparations. Basta! The day was crisp and clear and meant to be enjoyed. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door. I had a wonderful day. I accomplished nothing of importance but had an awfully good time doing nothing at all. I walked some along the river, lunched with a friend and relished the luxury of a midday nap. Dinner, too, was stressless. It was a crock-pot creation that turned out well enough to share with you. If you are looking for a quick holiday meal, I think you'll enjoy this simple dinner which has a Southwestern flair. If you'd like to make your own tomatillo salsa, a recipe can be found here. The recipe for the chicken appears below.

Tomatillo Chicken with Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups tomatillo salsa
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-1/2-in. pieces
1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
1 can (15-oz.) hominy, rinsed and drained
1 can (15.5-oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed
2 cubanelle peppers, chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
3 cups cooked rice

Directions:
1) Mix all ingredients except cilantro in a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker.
2) Cover and cook on high 3 to 3-1/2 hours until chicken is cooked through.
3) Stir in cilantro; serve over rice with lime wedges. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja - The Perfect Pantry
Slow Cooker Mulligatawny - The Ungourmet
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches - Jane Deere
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Never Enough Thyme
Slow Cooker Pork Chops - The Hungry Housewife
Crock-Pot Chili - Taste and Tell

Firehouse Chili and World Trade Center Building # 6

Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte The American flag flies precariously out of an office window at the New York Customhouse at the World Trade 6 building at ground zero.

Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte Construction workers painted "Gods House" on the exterior wall of the U.S. Customhouse at the World Trade Center to direct construction workers and rescue crews to the site of the crosses within the building.

Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte This debris field in the center of the U.S. Customhouse  was caused by pieces that fell from the North Tower. Steel beams formed several crosses in the midst of the debris field.

Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte This cross, one of several found in the debris of the U.S. Customhouse, was preserved by construction workers and blessed by clergy in a solemn ceremony held outside the building on Thursday, October 4, 2001.

Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte U.S. Customhouse - World Trade Center Building #6 - following the attack.

Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte The American Flag flies in front of the remains of the NY Customhouse.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It was years ago. It was yesterday. When the air finally cleared, a camera zoomed to a devastating shot of the US Custom House - World Trade Center Building # 6. I gasped and as my brain processed the scene I began to cry. I knew this building well. My job included technical responsibility for custom's clearance and duty payment and I was often here for consultation and program updates. I last visited in 2000, the year of my retirement. At that time, # 6 stood tall and strong and proudly flew colors that spoke of permanence and freedom. It wasn't a particularly handsome building, but its squat strength bore an air of invincibility that seemed to belie the fact that all walls eventually crumble. Whether it was a vagary of fate, or the work of a higher power, all who worked here were evacuated before # 6 imploded. At the very least, it was a tender mercy shown on that surreal and brutal day when few, if any, miracles occurred. While the walls collapsed, those who understood the importance of symbols kept our colors flying. I thank them for their efforts.

I thought this recipe for firehouse chili, developed by a fireman, would be appropriate for this post. Jerry's recipe, as well as recipes developed by other firemen, can be found Here.

Jerry's Firehouse Crockpot Chili

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or pork
1 pound stew meat
2 cans kidney beans, drained, divided use
1 can black beans, drained
1 onion chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 small can tomato paste
1 regular can tomato sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can beer
5 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon sugar sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
2 cups water

Directions:
Brown hamburger or pork, drain & set aside. Brown stew meat in butter with onion and bell pepper. Place ground beef, stew meat, onion and bell pepper in crock pot. Add 1 can of kidney beans, black beans, tomato paste and sauce, Rotel tomatoes, beer, and all seasonings to crock pot and mix well. Add water. Turn crock pot on high and cook until chili gets hot,about 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and cook 6 hours longer. About 1 hour before you plan on eating, add reserved can of kidney beans. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes for firehouse chili:
Shortcut Slow-Cooker Chili - Sugar High
Chili Mac - Our Life in the Kitchen
Three Bean and Corn Turkey Chili - Cajun Chef Ryan
Hot! Love That Chipotle Chili - Mother Rimmy's Cooking Lite Done Right
Turkey Chili - Chantel's Recipes
Chocolate and Black Bean Chili - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Crock-Pot Dried Apricot Jam

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a huge store of dried apricots in the pantry. I used a dehydrator for the first time last summer and my over zealous experimentation led to storing far more of the fruit than I could sensibly use. To make matters worse, I forgot the fruit was stored and didn't find it until I began to clean the pantry today. The apricots still retained their color, so I decided to use them to make some jam and a glaze for tarts that I'll be baking later in the week. I have a crock-pot recipe that uses dried apricots to make jam. The recipe is really easy and the only trick is cooking the jam to the consistency you want. No pectin is used in this recipe because apricots are high pectin fruits and the jam will "set" of its own accord if you cook it long enough. If the jam will be kept in your pantry, make sure you sterilize the jars and caps you plan to use for storage. I actually prefer frozen jams, so I bypass that step and make quick work of the very few steps needed to make these beautiful preserves. The frozen preserves retain a lovely amber glow that is muddied in the sterilization process. I can't over emphasize how important it is to cut or shred the fruit into small pieces. Whole apricots are neither attractive or spreadable. They are actually too large to be used to make either jam or preserves. For those who may not know the distinction between jellies, jams and preserves, I have a super short primer. A jelly is made from fruit juice and has no trace of fruit in it. Jam is made by boiling bits of fruit and preserves are basically the same as jam except chunks of fruit are used. The fresh jam will keep in the refrigetor for up to a month and it can be safely frozen for up to a year. If you wish, small amounts or herbs or spices can be added to the completed jam. Here's the base recipe.

Crock-Pot Apricot Jam...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1-1/4 pound dried apricots
2 cups sugar
3-1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Chop apricots finely using a knife or food processor. Place in a 3-1/2 quart crockpot with sugar and water and stir to combine. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 2-1/2 hours, stirring twice during cooking. Uncover and add lemon juice and salt> Cover again and cook on high 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
2) Ladle preserves into clean, hot jam jars, seal tightly, and keep refrigerated up to 1 month. You can process the jars in a boiling water bath if desired, but follow instructions from your county extension agent carefully. The jam can also be frozen, Yield: 4 to 6 pint jars.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Pumpkin Butter - One Perfect Bite
Tomato Jam - One Perfect Bite
Popovers and Strawberry Butter - One Perfect Bite

This recipe is also being linked to:

Crock Pot Wednesday - Dining with Debbie

Transylvanian Goulash - Slow Cooking at Its Best

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Transylvania is a province in central Romania that's surrounded by the Transylvanian Alps and the Carpathian Mountains. If we are to believe the likes of Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, this plateau is also the ancestral home of vampires. While imagination should be allowed to soar, I wish the two of them, in the midst of all that Gothic angst, could have given a nod to Romanian cooking. I've held on to this recipe for quite a while now. It first appeared in "The Cooking of Vienna's Empire" by Joseph Wechsberg and it was featured in The New York Times in 2006. I didn't give the recipe a try until last week. My bad! This is absolutely delicious and I hope those of you who trust my opinion and recipes will give this a try. A bit of back ground will help here. We've had unseasonably cold weather in Oregon this past week. I had a taste for choucroute garni but my pantry and freezer did not have all I needed to make it. I decided that this would be a perfect time to give this recipe a test run. I'm so glad I did! This is perfect winter fare and the recipe adapts beautifully to crock-pot or low-slow oven cooking. I'm giving directions for both. Here's the recipe.

Transylvanian Goulash...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound (drained weight) sauerkraut
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, miced
Salt
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
3 cups chicken broth
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut in 2-inch cubes
1-1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1/4 cup tomato puree or plain tomato sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:
1) Wash sauerkraut under cold running water then soak in cold water for 20 minutes to reduce sourness. Strain well, pressing out excess water.
2) Melt butter in a 5-quart casserole; add onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until lightly colored, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, season with salt and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in paprika, pour in 1/2 cup of broth and bring to boil. Add pork cubes. Spread sauerkraut over pork sprinkle with caraway seeds. Combine tomato puree and reserved broth in a small bowl. Mix well and pour over sauerkraut. Bring to a boil.
3) If using a crock-pot, transfer contents of casserole to crock-pot insert. Cover, and cook on high, for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, or until pork is fork tender but still retains its shape.
4) If using a conventional oven, preheat to 250 degrees F. Cover casserole and transfer to oven. Cook, covered, for 3 to 3-1/2 hours, or until pork cubes are tender but still retain their shape.
5) When pork is tender, transfer meat and sauerkraut to a serving platter with high sides. Tent with foil to keep warm.
6) Transfer sauce to a 2-quart pan. Set over medium heat. Combine flour, heavy cream and sour cream in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Stir mixture into sauce and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Do not boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over meat and serve. Pass additional sour cream as a side. Yield: 6 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Crock-Pot Wednesday at Dining with Debbie

Crock-Pot Mushroom Soup with Creamy Goat Cheese - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While sorting through old recipes I came across this one for a wonderfully easy crock-pot mushroom soup. It's not in my regular rotation because it makes more soup than than the two of us can eat in several seatings. Third times a charm for lots of things, but soup gets tired with too much repetition. While this freezes well, there is always a mortal combat for space in my freezer. Soup never seems to win. I do, however, make this whenever we have a gang in the house. It's wonderful to serve with fresh crusty bread following a game or after a day on foot or ski trails. I know that many of you really like to use the crock-pot. This recipe is for you.

Crock-Pot Mushroom Soup with Creamy Goat Cheese...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 package (1/2-ounce) dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 pounds fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse cracked peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry red or white wine
1 can condensed beef consommé, undiluted
3 cans condensed beef broth, undiluted
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Whipping cream
Crumbled soft goat cheese
Finely chopped fresh parsley or chives or fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
1) Soak porcini mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid. Pat mushrooms dry with a paper towel and chop finely. Set aside.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they lose their liquid. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
3) Melt remaining butter in the same pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add reserved porcini mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and cracked peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add bay leaf, wine, canned broths and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and stir to combine.
4) Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Discard bay leaf. Stir in balsamic vinegar, if using.
5) When ready to serve, ladle soup into individual bowls. Drizzle with cream, sprinkle with goat cheese and garnish with fresh herbs, as desired. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Joyce Findleyson.

This post is being linked to:

Crock-Pot Wednesday an event sponsored by Deb at Dining with Debbie.

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Scandinavian Yellow Pea Soup - Crock-Pot

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite soups. It was made in the German and Swedish kitchens of my childhood with very different ingredients and results. I usually sided with Hannie when it came to soup, but the truth was, not only did Mrs. P make a better pea soup, she made it every Thursday.

This is a photo, courtesy of David Ryan, of the now grown Anthony, recreating the famous run that convinced us all that Wednesday was spaghetti day in Boston's North End. Anthony's story and a wonderful walk down memory lane can be found here. While Anthony ran home for spaghetti, the Scandinavians in Chicago were busy making potato sausage to accompany the yellow pea soup they served every Thursday night. Mrs. P was a story teller and loved to recount the tale of good King Erik XIV who was poisoned with a bowl of arsenic laced pea soup. Believe me when I say I watched every step she took as she made her soup. What I most liked about it was the smoky undertone it developed. Anyone who has ever made pea soup knows it cooks very quickly. Not so, that made by Mrs. P. She began her soup on Wednesday night with a large slab of uncut bacon that was put in a pot and covered with water to simmer overnight. The following morning she would remove the bacon, skim the broth and add the yellow split peas and vegetables needed to finish the soup. While the soup simmered she would dice the bacon and lightly fry it until it browned and crisped a bit. She refused to use any other meat to flavor the broth. She pureed the soup but added cubed carrots, potatoes, bacon and ham or sausage to it just before it was served. It was wonderful. I have, over the years, altered her recipe a bit. The biggest change is that I now make it in a crock-pot. Here's how it's done.

Scandinavian Yellow Pea Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound unsliced slab bacon
2 quarts water
2 cups yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
1 cup chopped onion
1-3/4 cups diced carrots, divided use
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup diced boiling potatoes
1 cup diced cooked ham

Directions:
1) The night before serving, place bacon into crock-pot. Cover with 2 quarts water. Cover and cook on LOW for 12 hours. Remove bacon. Skim broth.
2) Place split peas in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Pick over and discard any discolored peas. Add peas to crock-pot with onions, 1 cup carrots, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and continue to cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
3) Just before soup is done, place reserved 3/4 cup carrots and potatoes in a microwave dish, cover, and cook on HIGH power for 2 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. If you are going to use bacon, cut it into uniform dice and brown it in a frying pan set over medium heat. Set aside.
4) Puree soup, using a blender, food processor or immersion blender. Add carrots, potatoes, ham and bacon, if using to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Crock-Pot Wednesday an event sponsored by Deb at Dining with Debbie.


Kahakai Kitchen for Souper Sunday

Kobe Kiwi Wings with Japanese Relish - Outdoor Wednesday

I know I should look at them and think, "All things bright and beautiful. All things great and small." I've really, really tried, but they look like buzzards and I'm simultaneously trying to figure out how they got here and how I can get rid of them. Did you know they can fly? Years ago a wall street broker, long since gone to his just reward, was sure that "...in a high wind even a turkey can fly." He was spot on, about bad stocks and the other turkeys. They can fly at 55 miles an hour for short distances. These new members of our wildlife menagerie, probably escapees from a nearby raptor center, started me thinking about birds and winged creatures that cannot, for one reason or another, fly. Some years ago I developed a crock-pot recipe for chicken wings and my over stimulated sense of the absurd decided to call them kiwi wings because the donor chickens could no longer fly. I'll tell you more about the wings below. The turkeys, by the way, are fine.




This very simple recipe was developed to provide an alternative to standard, albeit delicious, hot wings. These wings are cooked in a two step process that utilizes the broiler and a slow cooker. While they lack the extreme heat of the more familiar version, they are hot and decidedly Asian in their flavor. The broiler is used to give the wings color. If you don't mind beige wings this step can be bypassed. The finished wings are sprinkled with an Asian relish patterned after one that comes from Kobe, Japan. The wings will have more flavor if allowed to marinate before cooking. Your preparation time will be about 20 minutes and the wings can be on the table, start to finish, in three hours. While these were developed to be served as an appetizer, when served with rice, they make a wonderful light meal. Here's the recipe.

Kobe Kiwi Wings with Japanese Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 pounds chicken wings
1/2 cup Japanese (shottsuru) or Thai (nam pla) fish sauce
1 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (i.e. Mae Ploy)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Relish
1/4 cup minced scallions (white and tender green)
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional)

Directions:
1) Cut wings into pieces at joints; discard wing tips or reserve for stock.
2) To make marinade, place fish sauce, chili sauce, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar and cornstarch in a small (1-quart) bowl. Whisk to combine.
3) Place wing pieces and marinade in a 1-gallon resealable storage bag. Seal and shake to coat all pieces with marinade. Refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
4) Preheat oven broiler. Coat insert of a large (6-quart) slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
5) Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Transfer chicken to rack of a large broiler pan. Broil about 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes per side.
6) Meanwhile, pour marinade into a medium (2-quart) saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for about 10 minutes to thicken mixture.
7) Dip chicken pieces into thickened marinade. When coated, transfer to slow cooker. Pour remaining marinade over chicken, cover, and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
8) Just before serving, combine scallions, ginger and parsley in a small bowl. Toss to combine.
9) Transfer wings to a serving platter. Sprinkle with relish and sea salt (if using). Serve hot. Yield: 10 appetizer servings.

This recipe is being linked to:

Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

Crock-Pot Wednesday an event sponsored by Deb at Dining with Debbie.