Cooking Crock pot crazy

[piratesmate]

Hey Deb......
I would like to try that...read about it someplace - cooking, shredding and then freezing in portion size.
So how do you do it?
what do you add?
TIA

Hi Pat! I haven't "seen" you for a while!

Because I use it in so many different recipes (read "everything") I no longer add anything except water. I just dump in the boneless chicken, add a cup or two of water (if it will fit) and cook it on LOW - either all day or all night. I think during the day I keep it on a minimum of 8 hours. It's "done" before that, but doesn't shred as easily.

In the past I used to add some granulated chicken bouillon to it, but since we don't use much salt anymore I just stopped. Besides, sometimes I don't want that much chicken flavor in the recipe. For example when I use it in tacos or chili. I figure I can always add it later.

I'd started doing this on weekends when I was working (usually it was 50 to 60 hours/week) just as a time saver. It is sooooo nice to be able to open the freezer & pull out a bag to toss in a recipe. Cuts WAY down on prep time! And I do use it in literally everything!
chili
tacos
fried rice (chicken helper)
chicken salad
chicken divan
tortilla soup
chimichangas
cajun pasta
fake cordon bleu
stir fry
quesadillas
pot pie
stew
etc, etc, etc

 

[GrayFal]

Thanks Deb, I have been here but mostly on the Cruise Boards....TTFN!

 

[tammyandtommy]

chicken cordon bleu and chicken pot pie! Now those Id like to try!

I must mention I have tried about 4 of these recipes and the are delish!!! Thanks

 

[piratesmate]

chicken cordon bleu and chicken pot pie! Now those Id like to try!

I must mention I have tried about 4 of these recipes and the are delish!!! Thanks

Well, neither of those are made in the crockpot...I just have versions that use the shredded chicken and that I make in the crock.

I'll post a separate thread with those recipes for you instead of putting them here since they don't qualify as crockpot recipes. You can find those recipes here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=16667045#post16667045

 

[GrayFal]

Hi Pat! I haven't "seen" you for a while!

Because I use it in so many different recipes (read "everything") I no longer add anything except water. I just dump in the boneless chicken, add a cup or two of water (if it will fit) and cook it on LOW - either all day or all night. I think during the day I keep it on a minimum of 8 hours. It's "done" before that, but doesn't shred as easily.

In the past I used to add some granulated chicken bouillon to it, but since we don't use much salt anymore I just stopped. Besides, sometimes I don't want that much chicken flavor in the recipe. For example when I use it in tacos or chili. I figure I can always add it later.

I'd started doing this on weekends when I was working (usually it was 50 to 60 hours/week) just as a time saver. It is sooooo nice to be able to open the freezer & pull out a bag to toss in a recipe. Cuts WAY down on prep time! And I do use it in literally everything!
chili
tacos
fried rice (chicken helper)
chicken salad
chicken divan
tortilla soup
chimichangas
cajun pasta
fake cordon bleu
stir fry
quesadillas
pot pie
stew
etc, etc, etc

I just put my pot on with the chicken - should be done in 10 hours.....
I did a crock pot pot roast last weekend overnight and I liked waking up to that smell...maybe for you, it is just the chicken that is a turn off?

 

[piratesmate]

I just put my pot on with the chicken - should be done in 10 hours.....
I did a crock pot pot roast last weekend overnight and I liked waking up to that smell...maybe for you, it is just the chicken that is a turn off?

Oh yeah, definitely the chicken. I don't know why, but I've always had issues with poultry smells. When I was a kid, my mother would broil chicken pieces with the skin on - it always gave me a migraine. The first time I was pregnant we were using a lot of "turkey burger" and bought it in bulk. I could smell it on my hands & it made me nauseous for days after repackaging it no matter how many times I'd wash my hands! (Of course lots of things made me feel sick then...poor DH had to brush his teeth every time he wanted to kiss me. ) DD always says it stinks in the AM now, but DH likes it.

But there's nothing better than waking up to the smell of pot roast in the crock! Yummy!

 

[diswish]

Here's a recipe my non-cabbage loving family raved about:

Crockpot Cabbage
2 cups cooked rice
1lb hamburger
1 med onion, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 tbls Worcestershire sauce
1 small cabbage, sliced
Mix rice, hamburger, onion and seasonings. In separate bowl, mix tomato sauce with Worchestershire sauce. In crockpot, layer cabbage and meat mixture with tomato mixture over every layer. (Usually get 3 layers of cabbage and two of meat.) Cook high for an hour or two and low the rest of day, but if start early in day, can cook low all day.

 

[Kim10110]

do you think you can use boneless chicken??

 

[debknight]

Can someone tell me how to do Corned beef in the crockpot?

 

[cryssi]

Can someone tell me how to do Corned beef in the crockpot?

add a bottle of beer and enough water to cover... cook on low for 10+ hrs. You can put the potatoes and carrots in maybe 1/2way through, and the cabbage the last 30 min...

be sure to use the spice pack...it will be a bit bland without it. It will be kind of salty, though, but what do you expect out of corned beef...lol

 

[GypsySue]

I love this! My favorite crockpot recipe is:

Crazy Chicken

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 bottle of catalina dressing
2 packages of dry onion soup mix
1 small jar of peach preserves.

Put chicken into crock pot. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cook on high 4 hours or on low 6-8 hours. I serve this over rice.

I just made this tonight--it was a BIG hit! Thanks

 

[ButterflyJen]

Here's a recipe that was rated one of the best of the year in our paper's food section. It's a little rich and certainly not healthy, but delicious. DH likes me to double all ingredients except the chicken so there's more sauce.

Creamy Italian Chicken

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 oz. of and 8 oz. tub of cream cheese and chives
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can golden cream of mushroom soup
1 (0.7 oz.) pkg. Italian dressing mix (this is the dry mix)
1/2 cup water or white wine
Angel hair pasta

Cut chicken breasts into strips and put chicken strips into slow cooker.
In a separate bowl, mix melted butter or margarine, cream cheese soup and Italian dressing mix together.
Pour mixture over chicken strips and add in white wine or water.
Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
Serve over cooked angel hair pasta.

Some notes: I season my chicken a little with garlic powder, salt and pepper. I've also put the chicken in frozen and it comes out fine. This recipe will taste good with water in place of the wine, but it's so much better with the wine.
I also cut my chicken into small chunks instead of strips. Sometimes I just do this with a spoon once the chicken has cooked.
We always serve this with garlic bread.

We've had this twice and it is SOOOO good. YUM!

 

[limace]

I am trying to decide what to make in my crockpot today, but am out of onions (I use onions in everything) and don't have a lot of meat in the freezer. Hmm. Anyway, my all time favorite crockpot recipe-and a great one for hotter weather-is a variation of the previously posted pepperoncini beef:

*A boneless pork roast, whatever size you want (2-3 lbs)
*Jar of pepperoncini peppers, 16 oz or so.

Pour the peppers and the liquid over the roast. Cook on low all day long. Shred the pork and make into soft tacos. The flavor is incredible (and I don't like pepperoncini)-vinegary and a little spicy, but ok for kids-and very, very tender.

Here's a bit from my cooking blog (sorry to be self-referential here-just a longer description).

 

[kelleigh1]

I just went through all 19 pages and copied so many recipes. I don't use mine nearly enough.

I have tossed a sliced keilbasa in with a whole box of brown sugar and let it simmer. I made that for a few office pot lucks several years ago and it seemed to go over pretty well.

 

[joha]

I've found that if you are going to be cooking chicken for any length of time (8+ hours), you have to use chicken on the bone with skin. I only use breasts, but found that what worked best when i was commuting was to use the ones with bone and skin. They stay moister, and you can just peel off the skin before you eat it. Also, add 1/4 to 1/2 c. alcohol, like white wine or beer. That is the trick to keeping your meat moist. The alcohol flavor cooks out, so you don't really taste it.

good luck!

Yes, I agree, the chiken stays moist...
Will try wine next time.

I need an Arroz con Pollo receipe, but without pre-cooked rice. Is that possible?

 

[granmaz]

This thread encouraged me to buy a crock pot. There are so many interesting recipes to try. We call them slow cookers over here by the way.

Anyway, I cooked a beef stew(or casserole) today. I cut the meat into 1" cubes, browned them with flour. I softened onions(not enough I think), and then layered my crock. I sprinkled dry onion soup on the bottom, added chopped carrots, a parsnip and then the beef, followed by leeks and mushrooms. I topped up with water and some gravy granules. I cooked on low for 8 hours and the smell was gorgeous, but the stew wasn't really cooked enough.

Should I have cooked it on medium? I thought with cheap meat it would be better longer and lower.

 

[karebear1]

The problem might have been in adding the water. Usually, if you add water, it actually takes much longer to cook. Next time, just add the meat, veggies etc. then add the gravy at the end- maybe that will work for you.

 

[cryssi]

I always cover my meat with liquid. Beef is best if you cook 10-12 hrs on low, though, IMO...also next time add some alcohol...red wine is fantastic in beef stew. Or a can of beer. I think the alcohol helps to tenderize the meat, makes the flavor richer, etc. You don't even really taste it.

 

[granmaz]

Thanks. I will give it another go!!

 

[DebMcDonald]

Just joining I saw this thread on the budget board and don't want to lose it.