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Originally posted by muppet_girl:
Question: I have a stew recipe, stovetop, that says to simmer for 4-5 hours and it needs to reduce. Is it possible to do this w/ a crockpot, or will the temp. or lid hinder the cooking?

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Edited to add: Oh wow it looks like us Subletters are taking over this thread!

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Originally posted by Jpoof:
I just bought a crockpot, I wanted to know if anyone has a super easy recipe for a beginner.

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Here's what I did the first time I used my crockpot:

- a couple frozen chicken breasts
- a can of cream of mushroom soup
- two carrots, one small onion, and three stalks of celery, cut up
- a few healthy splashes of white wine.

It took maybe 7 hours on low - probably less if you used thawed chicken. So yummy, and VERY easy.

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Originally posted by galaxy_girl:
This may have been answered I I missed it... Frijoles Charros need to be cooked on "high" for eight hours not low, right?

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I always do mine on high for 8 hours because that's how long I used to be at work. Now that I'm home, I usually cook them on high for about 6 hours, then reduce to low for an hour or two before dinner. It's not very specific, but that's the great thing about them. There's sort of a nice range of tenderness that's good. I've never tried them on low for 8 hours, but my guess is they wouldn't be tender enough. You could always try and let us know how it turns out!

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Originally posted by FunPun:
Here's what I did the first time I used my crockpot:

- a couple frozen chicken breasts
- a can of cream of mushroom soup
- two carrots, one small onion, and three stalks of celery, cut up
- a few healthy splashes of white wine.

It took maybe 7 hours on low - probably less if you used thawed chicken. So yummy, and VERY easy.

Good luck!

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Thanks FunPun I'll try it tomorrow, I must go to the store...
I let you know how my experiment comes out.
Thanks again!

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Originally posted by Housemouse:
I must have been totally brainwashed as a child to make sure the appliances are turned off when I leave the house - I can't STAND to run the crock pot when I am away. Makes me crazy!

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This is my favorite soup recipe, and I think it would lend itself well to crock pot cooking....

Tortilla Soup

3 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 16 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes
6 cups broth (I don't usually use this much)
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp Tabasco
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
corn tortillas, cut into strips
1-1 1/2 lbs. chicken or turkey (optional)

Garnish with monterey jack cheese, avocado, cilantro, tortilla chips, and especially sour cream because this soup is pretty hot.

Add tortilla strips a little while before you finish cooking the soup.

This is my all-season favorite - hope you guys like it!

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Originally posted by kellyrae:
Alternatively, I also have a... crock... for the pot which is separated into two sections, I guess so you can cook two different things at once. Could I only fill one side? I feel like that would be a disaster. What can I make in the other side?!

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My grandmother, upon learning that I'm obsessed with my crock pot, sent me a recipe that fully belongs in The Gallery Of Regrettable Food. It involved chicken thighs, cream cheese, mushroom soup, ranch dressing mix, and pimentos. Thanks, Grandma, but uh...

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Originally posted by LaMantequilla:
My boyfriend and I have started referring to Frijoles Charros as Frijoles Spectacularrrrrrrrr (a la Eric Cartman). Mmmmmm.

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Upside Down Chocolate Pudding Cake

1 cup Bisquick
1 cup sugar
1/3 c. and 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 2/3 c. hot tap water

Mix Bisquick, 1/2 c. sugar, 3 T. unsweetened cocoa, milk and vanilla. Spoon batter evenly into greased slow cooker. Mix remaining sugar, cocoa, and hot tap water. Pour over batter in slow cooker. Cook on High 2-21/2 hours or until batter no longer looks shiny on top. DO NOT OVERCOOK!

Mmmmmm. It would also be excellent if raspberry or cherry extract was added before cooking (or topped with fresh berries).

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Originally posted by jsalamon:
I put a pork roast in the crockpot last night and covered it with the sauce. I realized this morning that I never plugged the crockpot in. So do you think I need to toss it? I hate to have to throw out a 9 lb roast but I don't want to poison anyone!

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Originally posted by muppet_girl:
Was the roast frozen? Some might disagree, but I think you have to chuck it, regardless. Most sources (homemaker magazines, ahem) say to not defrost things on the countertop, and either way, I think the crock qualifies as room temperature.

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Originally posted by pollyhyper:
I would chuck it. As someone who has dealt personally with food poisoning, I don't like to take chances, particularly with pork or chicken!

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Originally posted by crowjoy:
I would probably cook it and then decide. I, possessor of iron gut, may even try it myself first and then decide.

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Originally posted by Drea D:
I agree with CJ. Possessors of billy-goat stomachs, unite.

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Originally posted by snickerdoodles:
I'd chuck it especially since it was presumably sitting in room temperature sauce all night.

[This message has been edited by snickerdoodles (edited 05-27-2004).]

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I wanted to add some cauliflower to this recipe. Anyone know how far in advance I should add raw cauliflower so it will be cooked? Or must I steam it separately?

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Originally posted by muppet_girl:
Re. Crockpot Chicken Curry:

I wanted to add some cauliflower to this recipe. Anyone know how far in advance I should add raw cauliflower so it will be cooked? Or must I steam it separately?

Thanks for the help!

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Originally posted by LJBrad7:
Hi, I'll only be at the computer for another 30 minutes. I have red ground meat that I have to make by tommorrow and my husband loves meat sauce. His grandmother gave us a few jars of this great homemade sauce, but it needs to be slow cooked for a few hours on the stove in order to thicken.

Can I put this in the crockpot while I am at work on the lowest setting (for 8-9 hours) and seperate the chopped meat into the sauce? Will it cook the chopped meat correctly? Will it cook the sauce correctly?

Any quick help would really be appreciated!

Thanks!!!!

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Originally posted by Drea D:
I would say you could definitely slow cook the sauce and have great results. I would reccommend cooking your meat first and then draining and adding it to your sauce as soon as you can so it will blend all the flavors.

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Originally posted by Nieci:
I also recommend cooking the meat first, and then add it to the sauce for the all-day-affair!

Brown the meat, then refrigerate it til the a.m., scraping the gel off and adding to the sauce for the 8 hour ordeal....mmmmmm. I've been craving spaghetti & meatballs!

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