French Onion Soup

Prime Rib is my entree of choice to prepare for Christmas dinner. It's delicious, easy and the side dishes are easy to prepare, too. (Shhh...don't tell anyone)

So, this is Christmas dinner -- Herb crusted
Prime Rib with horseradish sauce, twice baked potatoes, Caesar salad, steamed green beans sprinkled with Marc de Champagne vinegar, ginger carrots, rolls.

The Prime rib was a monstrous 8 pound piece of meat, so after enjoying leftovers, sandwiches, etc...you are left with the rib piece.

What to do, what to do?

Put it in the slow cooker, and add
Three large yellow onions, sliced
heaping tbsp of minced garlic
1/2 cup wine (red or white...they both work)
Two cartons of beef broth
Splash of Worchester Sauce
Let it cook for a while and then start your seasoning-
Add (to taste) Salt, pepper and rosemary. I like to add gradually as I cook and that way it turns out perfectly seasoned.
Cook for about 6 hours

Serve with a toasted piece of French bread sunk down in it, top with slices of Swiss Cheese and pop in oven set on broil for a couple of minutes until cheese is all melty and bubbly.

This is the rib piece that is tied to the bottom of the Prime Rib aka Standing Rib Roast

In the slow cooker, ready to go

Looks like this when it's done

This is the ulitmate Winter comfort food...
Happy New Year!!!

Slow Cookin' Sunday~ Stuffed Peppers

This is one of the easiest and least messiest recipes ever. Stuffed Peppers 6 Peppers (I think the green ones have a bitter taste in Winter, so I went with orange. It would be really attractive to do a mixture of red, orange and yellow) 1 lb LEAN ground beef. At least 80% lean. 1 Cup cooked Rice (I used White rice only because I was out of Brown and forgot to buy more) 3 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce 2 tsp each of: Basil, Minced Garlic, Oregano 1 tsp Salt 1 tsp Pepper A dash of red Pepper Flakes (I sprinkled a little more salt and pepper on my serving at the table, but I'd rather undersalt while cooking than end up with something too salty.) 1 can Fire Roasted Tomatoes 1 can Tomato Sauce (small can) In a large bowl, mix the Ground Beef, Rice, Worchestershire Sauce and spices. Wash the Peppers, cut the tops off (do it pretty, like a pumpkin so you can put it back on later!) and clean out the seeds, ribs, etc inside. Stuff the peppers with the meat mixture. That's right, you don't have to brown the beef first! Put the tops back on like a little cap. (I like a stylish dinner) Pour the cans of Fire Roasted Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce in the bottom of your Slow Cooker. As always, don't forget the liner! Place the peppers in carefully so that they all stand up. I cooked these at high for about 4 hours and they were done perfectly. I only did four peppers and made a little meatloafy thing out of the extra meat. I am thinking that they would freeze well, though, so I'll make six next time. Peppers are kind of pricey and I wanted to make sure we liked this recipe before making so many! Mr. Wonderful gave it two thumbs up!

Slow Cooker Sunday ~Mad Scientist Dr. Pepper Pot Roast

Seriously. The 'Mad Scientist' part is because you get to choose ingredients of your liking, or what you have in the frig and throw them all in the Slow Cooker, while laughing like a Mad Scientist. Quite cathartic. Mad Scientist Dr. Pepper Pot Roast 4-5 pound Pot Roast 10 Red New Potatoes 2 c. baby carrots Can of Dr. Pepper 2 T Minced Garlic Big Slosh of Soy Sauce White Pepper Beyond that, get crazy add any or all-- Liquid Smoke Chopped Onion Worchestershire Sauce Dash of Dry Mustard Habenero Sauce Don't forget your Slow Cooker Liner and then add your Pot Roast. Now it's time to add all your crazy liquids and seasonings. Cook on HIGH for one hour, then add the new potatoes (cut in half). Cook for another hour and then add the carrots. Cook only until the meat is done and falls apart and the veggies are fork tender, about 4 - 5 hours (total). The leftover meat makes an awesome sandwich the next night, especially if you save the au jus and use it for dipping.

Sunday Slow Cooking ~ Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef 1 1/2 pound flank steak 2 T minced garlic bunch of green onions (save some for garnish) 3/4 c Soy Sauce 2/3 c white wine (I used flat champagne because it was just sitting there in the frig...mocking me. I think I'll go drink the rest just to show it who's boss) 1 t Olive Oil 1 t Honey 2 t Ginger 1/4 t black pepper 2 t Red Pepper Flakes 2 T Creamy Peanut Butter 3 T Brown Sugar Cornstarch for dredging meat As always, use a Slow Cooker liner. Why make it harder on the rest of the family who has to clean up? :) Slice the flank steak into thin strips against the grain and shake in a plastic bag with cornstarch. Just enough to give it a good powdering. Slice green onions. Add all liquids and spices to the slow cooker and stir. Add meat and onions remembering to reserve some for garnish (the onions, not the meat. duh). Toss lightly to stir. Cook on low for about 4 hours. Serve over rice and garnish with onion. This was really good. The meat was really tender and had a good flavor. Mr. Wonderful gave it a thumbs up. I would personally like a little more spice, but you could always add more pepper flakes as a garnish to spice it up a bit individually. I would also slice the meat a bit thicker, maybe about 1/2 inch thick slices next time and try it with brown rice. Mmmmm. This recipe made four good sized servings.

Slow Cooker Sunday - Taco Soup

Is there a better way to warm up a cold, grey Texas day than...TACO SOUP!?!?! I don't think so. Good and easy, just like me. TACO SOUP 2 cans pinto beans 1 jar Salsa (get the inexpensive store brand) 1 lb ground beef 1 onion 2 packets of taco seasoning 1 can of corn 32 oz carton of Chicken Broth Fritos or Tortilla Chips shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterrey Jack) sour cream Dice the onion and brown with the ground beef. Drain and put it in the Slow Cooker. For God(dess) sake, don't forget your slow cooker liner. Add drained beans and corn, taco seasoning, salsa and enough chicken broth (about half the carton) to make it a good soupy consistancy. Don't make it too thin, remember that the liquid doesn't cook away in a slow cooker. Reserve the extra broth to use another day. Cook on low for 2-3 hours. Add more heat, if desired with cayenne pepper or hot sauce. When serving, sprinkle with shredded cheese, crumbled chips and a dollop of sour cream. This is Mr. Wonderful's FAVORITE!

Slow Cooker Sunday - Orange Chicken

Last night I watched the movie "Julie and Julia", which (as you probably already know) is about blogging and cooking. I really liked it, I mean who didn't love Julia Childs? But I digress... Today I am making Orange Chicken in the slow cooker. I got the recipe from the blog "A Year of Slow Cooking", and changed it up just a bit. ORANGE CHICKEN 1 1/2 pounds of skinless boneless chicken breast (cut in chunks) 1/2 c Flour Olive Oil 1/2 t salt 1/4 t cayenne pepper 6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate (1/2 a can- thawed) 4 T brown sugar 1 t balsamic vinegar 3 T ketchup packet of red pepper flakes leftover from take out pizza As always, don't forget to use a slow cooker liner. Heat up some olive oil in a large skillet (med/hi). Dredge the chicken in flour, discarding any extra flour. Cook the chicken in the olive oil (in two batches, so you'll have room to stir it around) just until it's seared. It doesn't have to be done, just brown it a little on the outside, then put in the slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine oj concentrate, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, salt, vinegar, pepper flakes and ketchup. Stir until smooth. Pour sauce over chicken in slowcooker and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2-3. Serve with steamed broccoli and white or brown rice. This was great! Even Mr. Wonderful thought it was delicious and Orange Chicken isn't his fave. I loved it and I'm sure it's a lot healthier than take out. I'd definitely make it again. I cooked it a little too long, so I adjusted the cooking time in my instructions. I thought the spices were good, but could go a little hotter, so you could add more pepper flakes on top on your individual serving. YUM!

Slow Cooker Sunday - Potato Soup (a quickie)

Okay, I didn't use my slow cooker today. Instead I made potato soup on the stove for the family and went out to a late afternoon movie and then to dinner with some girlfriends. So, sue me. We saw 'Nine'. I liked it. this was all that was left when I got home Spicy Potato Cheese Soup ("It's amazing!" -Chloe) 4 large baking potatoes bunch of green onions 1/2 block of Mexican Velveeta (small block) Tablespoon of chicken bouillion Hot Sauce (I used Cholula) Cayenne Pepper Black Pepper Salt Milk or Land O Lakes Fat Free Half and Half Peel potatoes and cut into small cubes (size of a pair of dice). Slice onions (both white and green part) and put onions and potatoes in a large pot, add just enough water to cover. Add chicken bouillon and some salt and black pepper. Boil until potatoes are good and soft then turn heat down to low/medium. DO NOT DRAIN! Use a potato masher to mash up a little (this will thicken the soup) about 25 good mashes. Cut up and add Velveeta. Stir until it's melted. Seasoning time! Add salt, black pepper, hot sauce and cayenne to taste. I use several different types of 'heat' and I think this gives a dish a certain 'depth'. It has good flavor from many different peppers without being too spicy. (Just a theory of mine). Make it a tad bit spicier than you want, because you're going to dilute it with milk later. Let soup simmer for at least 15 minutes so the spices soak into the potatoes. Add a big healthy dash of milk or half and half until it's the right thickness. Serve with breadsticks or crackers.

Slow Cooker Sunday - BBQ Pulled Pork

I've been blogging a lot lately, I know. Not sure if it's because it's too cold to do anything else or that after the holiday rush I finally have time to do some things that I like. Anyway... I am desperately in love with my Slow Cooker. Especially in the winter. There is just no other way to say it other than just a full out confession, so there ya have it. I am also quite enamored of a blog called 'A Year of Slow Cooking'. Lots of good recipes and easy to follow. http://crockpot365.blogspot.com That said, let's get onto the Meal du Jour: BBQ Pulled Pork (my version but the basic one is from the Slow Cooking Blog) 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (I bought one with a bone and it was a little over four pounds because after being a semi-vegetarian for twenty years, I am still a bit clueless at the meat counter) 1 yellow onion 24 ounce bottle of ketchup 1/2 c apple cider vinegar handful of brown sugar couple of good squeezes of Worcestershire Sauce few good dashes of hot sauce (I use Cholula because it's what I have right now) 1/4 c Bronco Bob's Raspberry Chipotle Sauce 1/2 t salt Trim the fat from the meat and place in your LARGE slow cooker. ALWAYS use slow cooker liners. If you haven't heard of these, they are the greatest invention of the last ten years - they're like the cooking bags that you put a whole chicken it and are sold in the same area at the grocery store. Add onion, sliced into rings. Squeeze in entire bottle of ketchup. Put about 1/3 c water into empty ketchup bottle and swirl around. Put that in the slow cooker, too. Add vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, chipotle sauce and salt. Cook on HIGH for 4 - 5 hours. (Be sure to turn the slow cooker ON, as it doesn't give the same desired effect if you don't. I know this from experience and the residual teasing from this much publicized blonde moment has scarred me for life) Then turn down to low and cook for another hour or until the meat just falls off the bone. If you have a bone. If not, it should be fully cooked and easily shredded with a fork. Shred it up with a couple of forks and serve on rolls as a sandwich or over rice. I served it as sandwiches with cole slaw on the side. The family LOVED it. I added a little more Cholula hot sauce to my sandwich to give it a little more heat. It was really good!