Sunny's Pot Roast

My dear friend Sunny was a total foodie. We could talk about food for hours and shared many recipes, processes and kitchen hacks. She taught me all about "free scallions" and introduced me to up-to-your-elbows-in-butter Dungeness Crab feasts on newspaper covered tables at crab shacks in Florida. Unfortunately my dear friend is no longer with us, but she did leave me with the recipe for her coveted slow cooker pot roast. Sunny, like me, never shied from sharing as she was one of the most giving people I was ever honored to know. To that end, here is my friend Sunny and her delectable pot roast... pretty much the way she gave it to me. Today is her birthday, so if you do make this dish, please be sure to let her know how good it is. :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 pound beef roast, the cheaper the better
• 6 peeled carrots in chunks
• 4 peeled onions, cut up
• 4 unpeeled potatoes, cut bite sized
• 2 ribs of celery sliced bite size
• 1/2 pound of button or baby portobellos, scrubbed and whole
• Fresh garlic
• Roasted garlic
• 1 can of beef broth
• 2 cans of reduced fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
• About 1 cup Marsala wine
• 1-2 cups Cabernet or other red wine
• 1/2 envelope onion soup mix
• Adobo seasoning (regular)
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of butter

Preparation:

We're going to start this around 10:00 AM and you’ll need at least a 6 quart slow cooker minimum J Drizzle some olive oil into a hot heavy sauté pan. Place your roast in the oil, sprinkle it with Adobo and brown the meat on all sides. Once that's done, remove the roast and place it in a slow cooker that's been coated with cooking spray.

Add the butter to the pan, then the onions and some roasted garlic. If you aren't keeping roasted garlic in the house, you're missing out. Sauté until the onions are just a little tender, and then pour them over the roast in the slow cooker. Deglaze the pan by pouring Marsala wine into it and scraping the bits off the bottom. Add this to the slow cooker as well. Add the carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, the celery and the tablespoon of fresh garlic, the onion soup mix, the beef broth and Cabernet to taste ...then cover and set on high.

After 6 hrs add the mushroom soup, give the whole mess a good stir, set to low and go turn on a movie. It needs about two hours more to blend the flavors. If you don’t have room for the two cans, scoop out some of the gravy into a saucepan and add a dash of the mushroom soup. You’ll add this back to your main gravy after the meat is removed from the slow cooker.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Full credit for this one goes to the ADA's Diabetic Food Hub 

Source: The Diabetes Cookbook. Recipe Credit: Lara Rondinelli Hamilton, RD, LDN, CDE and Jennifer Bucko Lamplough. Photo Credit: Adobe Stock.

Searing beef on the stovetop adds a few minutes to your slow cooker routine, but it’s well-worth the payoff in flavor. Serve this stew with a side of steamed green beans for a balanced weeknight meal that makes your kitchen smell inviting all day long.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp flour

• 1 lb lean beef stew meat - visible fat trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 cups low sodium beef broth

• 1 cup water

• 6 large carrots – peeled & chopped

• 8 oz mushrooms - chopped

• 1 large sweet potato (peeled and cubed)

• 1 onion - diced

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

Place the flour in a large resealable plastic bag. Add beef and toss to coat.

Add oil to a pan over high heat. Add beef and sauté for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently until evenly browned.

Transfer beef and all remaining ingredients to a large slow cooker.

Cover and cook in slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

Serve as is or over pearl barley cooked in beef broth. Tri-color quinoa is a good choice as well.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Paella - Diabetic Friendly

This dish was inspired by a recipe in Better Homes & Gardens Diabetic Slow Cooker, though I felt some major changes were needed since diabetics should not be loading up on white rice (GI 70) as the author recommends. I have substituted the rice with long cook pearl barley (GI 25), modified the protein mix and made a couple changes to the cooking process itself. The result is something I can safely call my own... I've chosen chicken, Spanish chorizo and shrimp, but please feel free to create your own protein mix and balance... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken tenders or skinless, boneless thighs cut into two-bite chunks
• 1 lb Spanish chorizo - sliced
• 2 lbs lge raw shrimp - cleaned and tails removed
• 1 orange bell pepper - chopped
• 1 lge yellow onion - chopped
• 2 cloves garlic - smashed & minced
• 3 tomatoes - chopped
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup dry Pinot Grigio
• 8 oz clam juice 
• 2 tbsp lemon juice - fresh squeezed preferred
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 16 oz long cook pearl barley
• 1.5 cups frozen peas 

Preparation:

Cut up the chicken tenders and sausage and set aside.

Add everything but the proteins, barley and peas to the slow cooker and stir.

Lay the chicken and sausage in a single layer on top.

Cook for 6 hours on low. Rinse the barley well and gently fold into slow cooker. Turn to high and cook for 60 min. Once the barley is in, take out the shrimp and frozen peas and allow them to come to room temperature while the barley cooks.

After 60 minutes gently fold in the raw shrimp & peas. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.

Leftovers heat up nicely in a covered skillet over low heat.

Add some littleneck or cherrystone clams for extra fun. 

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker White Bean "Ratatouille"

Credit for this adapted dish goes to the ADA's Diabetes Food Hub.

Visit them for many more diabetic friendly recipes.

This diabetes-friendly version of ratatouille incorporates white beans to up the protein. While you may find that it’s traditionally cooked on a stovetop, this modern-day version allows you to use a slow cooker—so you can press a button and go about your day.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 lb large dried lima, butter or cannellini beans 

• 1 16oz jar/can no-added-salt fire-roasted diced tomatoes 

• 1 cup plain tomato sauce - homemade preferred

• 1.5 cups vegetable stock

• 1 small/medium eggplant - cubed with skin on 

• 2 cups shredded green cabbage - not too fine - see pic :-)

• 1 red bell pepper - sliced into 1-inch strips

• 3 cloves garlic - minced

• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar - optional

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 3 bay leaves

• 1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp table salt

• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

If you use the dried beans they should get cooked/simmered in water for about an hour first. Cover beans with water plus two inches. Add some onion, garlic, celery and carrot to give the beans good flavor. Drain after an hour and pick out any aromatics that you can.

Brush the inside of the slow cooker with the olive oil. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir gently to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours until the vegetables and beans soften. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving. Sprouted Grain dry toast accompanies this dish quite well.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken

This is one of those really simple dishes that is chock full of flavor simply by way of the ingredients themselves. You'll notice the only spices are a bit of salt and lemon pepper, allowing everything else to shine in its natural glory. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1.75 - 2 lbs brined chicken breast
• 1 tbsp lemon pepper - I use FreshJax... great blend and the company donates meals to kids in need.
• 2 onions cut in quarters or eighths
• 6 cloves garlic diced
• 1/2 cup white wine (Not cooking wine - too much salt)
• 1 can whole tomatoes, drained and halved
• A handful of fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil, salt & pepper

    Brine:

• 4 cups water 
• 1tbsp salt
• 1 lemon

Preparation:

Brining the Chicken

Trim the breasts of fat and junk. Lay breast flat,

cut in half lengthwise and then cut halves into stew size chunks.

Mix 4 cups water with 1 tbsp regular salt and fresh squeezed juice from 1 lemon.

Add chicken to brine, stir a little so chicken pieces are in brine on all sides.

Refrigerate and let sit for 1 hour.

When time's up, pour chicken into a colander and give a quick rinse to remove most of the salt.

Gather the Slow Cooker Components

Place drained & rinsed chicken in large mixing bowl. Add olive oil and lemon pepper... mix. Heat a large skillet on medium high and sear the chicken on all sides. Spray the slow cooker with cooking spray and place chicken in bottom of pot.

Add wine, garlic and onions to skillet and stir/toss over medium heat until slightly browned.

Spread evenly over meat.

Cover with a layer of basil leaves and then tomatoes, cut side down.

Sprinkle with kosher salt as you see fit and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Gently break up the tomatoes before serving and fold in carefully with the chicken.

Serve with fresh broccoli and quinoa or barley made with a chicken broth.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs & Sauerkraut

This recipe is a revival from years ago when I used to eat red meat 4-5 times a week. Even though I now limit myself to having red meat maybe twice a month, not everyone else does and this recipe is just too easy and too flavorful to not share. Enjoy, meat lovers! 

So we all know that slow cooking is the bomb, right? Well, dear foodies.... this one simply takes the cake! Five ingredients, no special seasoning and prep so easy you can set this up before morning coffee if need be :-) Don't let the Easy Button fool you though.... This dish is absolutely brimming with flavor!!!

Ingredients:
· 2 15 oz cans sauerkraut
· 1 yellow onion - chopped
· 1 red-skinned apple - diced
· 2 to 3 pounds country style pork ribs
· 1.5 cups white wine - Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio are good choices

Preparation:
Put sauerkraut in bottom of crock pot. Add the chopped onion and diced apple. No need to peel the apple... we want to keep the good nutrients. Mix with sauerkraut and even off the top. 

Brown ribs in a sear pan, layer them on top of kraut mixture and pour wine over all. 

Cover and cook 6 hours on low setting. Serve with a simple tossed salad.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Shrimp

This is a very easy and versatile dish.  You can add shrimp or scallops or just use chicken.  I like to serve it with barley, but it’s great with rice or pasta also.  And it smells really good while it cooks!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, white or dark, cut in chunks
• non-stick cooking spray
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine - use the good stuff :-)
• 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes – drained and cut up
• 1 tsp. dried leaf basil
• 1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined - use Wild Alaskan Company spot prawns to really elevate the dish! :-)
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Cut chicken into cubes or strips.  Lightly brown in frying pan with olive oil.  

Generously spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in slow cooker.  Sautee onion, garlic and parsley in same skillet for about 1 minute.  Stir remaining ingredients, except shrimp, into skillet and then pour over chicken.

Cook on LOW 3 1/2 hours.  Add shrimp and cook an additional 30 minutes on LOW.  Be sure shrimp is cooked through before turning off slow cooker.  Serve with pearl barley, whole grain wild rice or pasta.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushroom Marsala

You know how much I love the ease of slow cooking. Well, this one may seem really simple but it packs a whole boatload of flavor! Chicken, mushrooms and wine.... How can you go wrong? :-)

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs skinned boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut up
• ~2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion cut up, like bite-size
• 10 oz baby ports (small portobello mushrooms), halved or quartered depending on size
• 1 bunch scallions, cut in 3/8 - 1/2" sections
• 1 cup dry Marsala wine
• 2  10.5 oz cans unsalted condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 tsp table salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste - I do 6 twists of pepper mill
• chicken broth or white wine for thinning if needed

Preparation:

In large skillet or Dutch oven heat one tbsp of olive oil, sear chicken pieces and place in slow cooker.

Cut up onions, mushrooms and scallions and lightly saute

in same skillet with another tbsp olive oil if needed.

Add Marsala and blend to a simmer.

Add cream of mushroom and again bring to a simmer and blend.

Season with 1 tsp table salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste and pour over chicken.

Cook for 4-5 hours on high.

Serve over pearl barley or noodles (rice for non-diabetics) with a green veggie side.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!