Thread: Got my 6 qt crockpot

On Thu, 1 Jan 2009 21:30:33 -0800, "Julie Bove"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do with a
>crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup mugs that are
>unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we keep breaking them.
>
I don't have a crockpot, but any good stew or casserole
recipe should work well.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
--
d&e, metformin 2000 mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com (Inspiration)
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com (Drivers, Stepped Wells and Baolis)

"Alan S" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Thu, 1 Jan 2009 21:30:33 -0800, "Julie Bove"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do with a
>>crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup mugs that
>>are
>>unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we keep breaking them.
>>
> I don't have a crockpot, but any good stew or casserole
> recipe should work well.

Not really casseroles. At least not most of them. A lot of those use pasta
or rice and in most cases it doesn't do well in the crockpot. And most call
for some kind of cream of something or other soup which we can't eat.

I do have a chicken and rice recipe that I love but I'm the only one.

We don't eat much stew. I occasionally do a chicken stew but I can't digest
beef stew unless it's ground beef stew.

Julie Bove wrote:
> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do
> with a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup
> mugs that are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we
> keep breaking them.

I use mine almost entirely for soups and stews. I love lamb shank stew and
lentil soup best.

On Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:04:16 -0800, "Julie Bove"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Not really casseroles. At least not most of them. A lot of those use pasta
>or rice and in most cases it doesn't do well in the crockpot. And most call
>for some kind of cream of something or other soup which we can't eat.

LOL - Julie, NONE of Alan's recipes, or mine, for a casserole would
call for pasta, or rice, or "cream of something or other" - you
Americans have done something completely your own with the concept;
the original version is a combo of whatever meat, beans, grains, and
veggies you have around, flavoured with whatever spices you have
handy, and cooked in whatever liquid you like. So perfectly suited to
crockpot cooking, where you just reduce the liquid volumes. Experiment
away...

Nicky.
T2 dx 05/04 + underactive thyroid
D&E, 100ug thyroxine
Last A1c 5.4% BMI 25

"Ozgirl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> Julie Bove wrote:
>> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do
>> with a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup
>> mugs that are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we
>> keep breaking them.
>
> I use mine almost entirely for soups and stews. I love lamb shank stew and
> lentil soup best.

Thanks! Lamb must be cheap there. Here it costs about a dollar a bite so
not something I buy much of. Occasionally I will let Angela have a lamb
kebob from the store, but husband won't eat it and not something I fancy
trying.

I like lentil soup, but nobody else in the family does. They won't eat bean
soup either. So I just go without or on a rare occasion get something in a
can.

Julie Bove wrote:
> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do with a
> crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup mugs that are
> unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we keep breaking them.
>
>

I used my slow-cooker (Crock Pot® is a registered trademark) for pot
roast, brisket, corned beef, ribs and sauerkraut and anything that needs
a long, slow braising. They are good for beans, but you have to boil
them first then slow cook them with the seasonings like you would if
making them in the oven.

If yours is a Rival ™ brand be very careful. The newer Rivals are
notorious for running very hot. I threw mine out with the beans it burnt
on "warm" I now have a Hamilton Beech which I dearly love.

I much prefer my pressure cooker for soups.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

x-no-archive: yes

Janet Wilder wrote:

> If yours is a Rival ™ brand be very careful. The newer Rivals are
> notorious for running very hot. I threw mine out with the beans it burnt
> on "warm" I now have a Hamilton Beech which I dearly love.

I had a slow cooker that boiled on high no matter what the setting, and
the meats just disintegrated into shreds in no time. Researching later,
I found that this is a problem, and variability even within same brands
is high and temperatures unreliable. That said, some of the cheapest
Hamilton Beaches are among the highest rated by both users and
professional raters.

Susan

here are some Crockpot stew recipes
http://southernfood.about.com/library/crock/blstew.htm

Some casserole recipes.
http://www.recipegoldmine.com/crockp...crockcass.html

There are allot of recipes out there...just do a Google search.

"Julie Bove" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:gjk8pj$o4$[email protected]..
> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do with a
> crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup mugs that
> are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we keep breaking
> them.
>

Julie Bove wrote:
> "Ozgirl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]..
>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do
>>> with a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup
>>> mugs that are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we
>>> keep breaking them.
>>
>> I use mine almost entirely for soups and stews. I love lamb shank
>> stew and lentil soup best.
>
> Thanks! Lamb must be cheap there. Here it costs about a dollar a
> bite so not something I buy much of. Occasionally I will let Angela
> have a lamb kebob from the store, but husband won't eat it and not
> something I fancy trying.
>
> I like lentil soup, but nobody else in the family does. They won't
> eat bean soup either. So I just go without or on a rare occasion get
> something in a can.

Lamb kebabs cost the same as beef or chicken ones but lamb cuts from the
butcher are an obscene price. Every so often a special comes up though and I
grab a few shanks. They melt in your mouth in the crockpot. In soups I use
lentils or barley or some kind of beans. Pasta and rice turn to mush. I also
use less in a crockpot than I would in a casserole dish or saucepan as they
soften and plump more (talking the beans, barley, lentils etc now). My crock
pot stews and soups are based around lots of veggies. Basically carrot,
turnip, onion, garlic, celery (plus the leaves, chopped), some cabbage if I
have it as it bulks it out, and always a large can of crushed tomatoes,
juice and all. That means I only have to put in a little water, if any. I
use stewing meats and they melt in your mouth. Sometimes chicken or lamb
shanks but mostly beef. I use ham hocks or bacon bones for soups usually
plus a bit more water and the lentils/barley.

Susan wrote:
> x-no-archive: yes
>
> Janet Wilder wrote:
>
>> If yours is a Rival ™ brand be very careful. The newer Rivals are
>> notorious for running very hot. I threw mine out with the beans it
>> burnt on "warm" I now have a Hamilton Beech which I dearly love.
>
> I had a slow cooker that boiled on high no matter what the setting,
> and the meats just disintegrated into shreds in no time. Researching
> later, I found that this is a problem, and variability even within
> same brands is high and temperatures unreliable. That said, some of
> the cheapest Hamilton Beaches are among the highest rated by both
> users and professional raters.

Mine is a Breville, may be an Oz brand. It has low, high and auto. I use
auto usually. Never a problem.

On Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:04:00 +0000, Nicky
<[email protected]> wrote:

>On Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:04:16 -0800, "Julie Bove"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Not really casseroles. At least not most of them. A lot of those use pasta
>>or rice and in most cases it doesn't do well in the crockpot. And most call
>>for some kind of cream of something or other soup which we can't eat.
>
>LOL - Julie, NONE of Alan's recipes, or mine, for a casserole would
>call for pasta, or rice, or "cream of something or other" - you
>Americans have done something completely your own with the concept;
>the original version is a combo of whatever meat, beans, grains, and
>veggies you have around, flavoured with whatever spices you have
>handy, and cooked in whatever liquid you like. So perfectly suited to
>crockpot cooking, where you just reduce the liquid volumes. Experiment
>away...
>
>Nicky.

Beat me to it. Officially the difference between a casserole
and a stew is that the casserole is slow-baked in an oven
and the stew is simmered in a pot on the stove. The word is
actually related to the French dish used for the baking. A
cassoulet, which I made recently, is a form of casserole
including beans.

All are intended to be slow-cooked and would be ideal for
cooking in a crock-pot.

I posted a few ideas here, I just made some of these in a
batch in the oven last Friday and put single serves in the
freezer for future fast foods:

Breakfast Stew, Low Carb
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/20...-low-carb.html

Beef Burgundy
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/20...-burgundy.html

Sweet Curry
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com/20...eet-curry.html

This one from the ABC "The cook and the chef" show is a bit
fussy to make, but I think it could be modified for
crock-pot:
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s1697684.htm

My only carb change was to omit the crust and use 1/3 of the
"beans pot" quantities (I used some leftover beans of
uncertain denomination:-). That one tasted good as a brekky
in small serves with no spike.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
--
d&e, metformin 2000 mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com (Inspiration)
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com (Drivers, Stepped Wells and Baolis)

On Sat, 3 Jan 2009 08:03:41 +1100, "Ozgirl"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Lamb kebabs cost the same as beef or chicken ones but lamb cuts from the
>butcher are an obscene price. Every so often a special comes up though and I
>grab a few shanks. They melt in your mouth in the crockpot. In soups I use
>lentils or barley or some kind of beans. Pasta and rice turn to mush. I also
>use less in a crockpot than I would in a casserole dish or saucepan as they
>soften and plump more (talking the beans, barley, lentils etc now). My crock
>pot stews and soups are based around lots of veggies. Basically carrot,
>turnip, onion, garlic, celery (plus the leaves, chopped), some cabbage if I
>have it as it bulks it out, and always a large can of crushed tomatoes,
>juice and all. That means I only have to put in a little water, if any. I
>use stewing meats and they melt in your mouth. Sometimes chicken or lamb
>shanks but mostly beef. I use ham hocks or bacon bones for soups usually
>plus a bit more water and the lentils/barley.
>
I'm not sure about Sydney prices. Here there are a few
butchers who use loin and chump chops as "loss leaders" on
certain days to get customers in the door. We have a couple
in Tweed Heads that I buy from for $9-$13 Kg; forequarter
chops for the BBQ or Irish stews etc are often half that
price.

There may be similar places near your new place. Or maybe we
can have "meet at the butchers" Tuesdays in Tweed:-)

Shanks here can sometimes be more expensive.

Cheers, Alan, T2, Australia.
--
d&e, metformin 2000 mg
Everything in Moderation - Except Laughter.
http://loraldiabetes.blogspot.com (Inspiration)
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com (Drivers, Stepped Wells and Baolis)

Julie Bove <[email protected]> wrote:

: "Ozgirl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
: news:[email protected]..
: > Julie Bove wrote:
: >> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do
: >> with a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup
: >> mugs that are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we
: >> keep breaking them.
: >
: > I use mine almost entirely for soups and stews. I love lamb shank stew and
: > lentil soup best.

: Thanks! Lamb must be cheap there. Here it costs about a dollar a bite so
: not something I buy much of. Occasionally I will let Angela have a lamb
: kebob from the store, but husband won't eat it and not something I fancy
: trying.

: I like lentil soup, but nobody else in the family does. They won't eat bean
: soup either. So I just go without or on a rare occasion get something in a
: can.
You can make nice chicken soup in th crock pot or soup stocks(chicken,
beef, veal, etc) Just load it up loslly with the meaty bones add soms
onion and carrot and celery, some salt and pepper and then add water to
the top(it will fill all the interstices between the bones and veggies) .
Start on high to get it hot fast and then turn it down to low and let it
go all day or all night.

This makes a excellent bse for all kinds of other soups. If you like, yu
can roast the bones or chicken in pieces in a hot oven until browned
before crockpotting the stock. Freeze whar you don't need for later quick
soups.

I also used to make a dish years ago when I was going to school some
nights that I could leave for my husbad to just serve out to himself aand
the kids. I cana't find the exact recipe, but it was beef potting roast,
saurkraut and some kind of tomato, either canned or ketchup, probably the
former. It was good and kind of like a quick and dirty saubraten. I am
sure you would want some onions, freshly ground black pepper and maaybe
some garlic(it never hurts except in desseert:-) You could probably also
put in some carrots to use as a vegetable.

Wendy

x-no-archive: yes

Ozgirl wrote:

> Mine is a Breville, may be an Oz brand. It has low, high and auto. I use
> auto usually. Never a problem.

I've seen Breville products here, but no slow cookers so far.

I suspect that most/all of the slow cooker makers have started using
Chinese manufacturing. If it's not poisonous, it's merely defective.

Susan

"Nicky" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> On Thu, 1 Jan 2009 23:04:16 -0800, "Julie Bove"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Not really casseroles. At least not most of them. A lot of those use
>>pasta
>>or rice and in most cases it doesn't do well in the crockpot. And most
>>call
>>for some kind of cream of something or other soup which we can't eat.
>
> LOL - Julie, NONE of Alan's recipes, or mine, for a casserole would
> call for pasta, or rice, or "cream of something or other" - you
> Americans have done something completely your own with the concept;
> the original version is a combo of whatever meat, beans, grains, and
> veggies you have around, flavoured with whatever spices you have
> handy, and cooked in whatever liquid you like. So perfectly suited to
> crockpot cooking, where you just reduce the liquid volumes. Experiment
> away...

Huh. That's not what a casserole is here!

Ozgirl <[email protected]> wrote:
: Susan wrote:
: > x-no-archive: yes
: >
: > Janet Wilder wrote:
: >
: >> If yours is a Rival ? brand be very careful. The newer Rivals are
: >> notorious for running very hot. I threw mine out with the beans it
: >> burnt on "warm" I now have a Hamilton Beech which I dearly love.
: >
: > I had a slow cooker that boiled on high no matter what the setting,
: > and the meats just disintegrated into shreds in no time. Researching
: > later, I found that this is a problem, and variability even within
: > same brands is high and temperatures unreliable. That said, some of
: > the cheapest Hamilton Beaches are among the highest rated by both
: > users and professional raters.

: Mine is a Breville, may be an Oz brand. It has low, high and auto. I use
: auto usually. Never a problem.

I have an antique West Bend with the enamel pot and the electrit bake,
kind of like a single burner hotplate with a little curve to cradle the
bottom of the pot. I like it beause I can bring something to the boil on
the stove and then put it on the base to cook slowly. I think they are
still made, as I bought one for my son abut 4 years ago. It has 5 heat
levels. I usually use #2 for slow cooking ad it works very well.

Wendy

"Janet Wilder" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:004a43bb$0$18340$[email protected]..
> Julie Bove wrote:
>> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do with
>> a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup mugs that
>> are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we keep breaking
>> them.
>
> I used my slow-cooker (Crock Pot® is a registered trademark) for pot
> roast, brisket, corned beef, ribs and sauerkraut and anything that needs a
> long, slow braising. They are good for beans, but you have to boil them
> first then slow cook them with the seasonings like you would if making
> them in the oven.
>
> If yours is a Rival ™ brand be very careful. The newer Rivals are
> notorious for running very hot. I threw mine out with the beans it burnt
> on "warm" I now have a Hamilton Beech which I dearly love.
>
> I much prefer my pressure cooker for soups.

I think it's a Rival. I have never cooked beans in the crockpot and in fact
I rarely cook beans any more. I just buy canned.

"Ozgirl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]..
> Julie Bove wrote:
>> "Ozgirl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]..
>>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do
>>>> with a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup
>>>> mugs that are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we
>>>> keep breaking them.
>>>
>>> I use mine almost entirely for soups and stews. I love lamb shank
>>> stew and lentil soup best.
>>
>> Thanks! Lamb must be cheap there. Here it costs about a dollar a
>> bite so not something I buy much of. Occasionally I will let Angela
>> have a lamb kebob from the store, but husband won't eat it and not
>> something I fancy trying.
>>
>> I like lentil soup, but nobody else in the family does. They won't
>> eat bean soup either. So I just go without or on a rare occasion get
>> something in a can.
>
> Lamb kebabs cost the same as beef or chicken ones but lamb cuts from the
> butcher are an obscene price. Every so often a special comes up though and
> I grab a few shanks. They melt in your mouth in the crockpot. In soups I
> use lentils or barley or some kind of beans. Pasta and rice turn to mush.
> I also use less in a crockpot than I would in a casserole dish or saucepan
> as they soften and plump more (talking the beans, barley, lentils etc
> now). My crock pot stews and soups are based around lots of veggies.
> Basically carrot, turnip, onion, garlic, celery (plus the leaves,
> chopped), some cabbage if I have it as it bulks it out, and always a large
> can of crushed tomatoes, juice and all. That means I only have to put in a
> little water, if any. I use stewing meats and they melt in your mouth.
> Sometimes chicken or lamb shanks but mostly beef. I use ham hocks or bacon
> bones for soups usually plus a bit more water and the lentils/barley.

I never put water in stew. Just tomatoes or broth.

"W. Baker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:gjm0kc$98l$[email protected]..
> Julie Bove <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> : "Ozgirl" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> : news:[email protected]..
> : > Julie Bove wrote:
> : >> Now what shall I make with it? What are your favorite things to do
> : >> with a crockpot? I like to make soup. I just ordered some new soup
> : >> mugs that are unbreakable. We have three different kinds because we
> : >> keep breaking them.
> : >
> : > I use mine almost entirely for soups and stews. I love lamb shank stew
> and
> : > lentil soup best.
>
> : Thanks! Lamb must be cheap there. Here it costs about a dollar a bite
> so
> : not something I buy much of. Occasionally I will let Angela have a lamb
> : kebob from the store, but husband won't eat it and not something I fancy
> : trying.
>
> : I like lentil soup, but nobody else in the family does. They won't eat
> bean
> : soup either. So I just go without or on a rare occasion get something
> in a
> : can.
> You can make nice chicken soup in th crock pot or soup stocks(chicken,
> beef, veal, etc) Just load it up loslly with the meaty bones add soms
> onion and carrot and celery, some salt and pepper and then add water to
> the top(it will fill all the interstices between the bones and veggies) .
> Start on high to get it hot fast and then turn it down to low and let it
> go all day or all night.

I make chicken soup but never with bones. I can't eat anything with bones
in it and if I had to pick the bones out, I could never eat it.
>
> This makes a excellent bse for all kinds of other soups. If you like, yu
> can roast the bones or chicken in pieces in a hot oven until browned
> before crockpotting the stock. Freeze whar you don't need for later quick
> soups.

I don't like to freeze things wither.
>
> I also used to make a dish years ago when I was going to school some
> nights that I could leave for my husbad to just serve out to himself aand
> the kids. I cana't find the exact recipe, but it was beef potting roast,
> saurkraut and some kind of tomato, either canned or ketchup, probably the
> former. It was good and kind of like a quick and dirty saubraten. I am
> sure you would want some onions, freshly ground black pepper and maaybe
> some garlic(it never hurts except in desseert:-) You could probably also
> put in some carrots to use as a vegetable.

I don't think anyone here would eat sauerkraut, but thanks!