Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup

Adapted from a Facebook post & outline by Rosie F.

This wonderful slow cooker soup features mouthwatering flavors along with proper nutrition that won't spiral your sugar numbers. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2+ lbs chuck stew meat - cut into 1" cubes

• 1-2 tsp garlic powder

• salt & pepper to taste - both for meat prep and later for slow cooker

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 8 oz baby carrots or regular carrots peeled and sliced

• 8 oz washed & trimmed celery heart - chopped

• 10 oz baby portobello mushrooms - sliced or chunks

• 1 large onion - cut up

• 32 oz beef broth

• 32 oz bone broth

• 20 oz diced tomatoes - fresh or canned

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 2 tbsp apple cider or sherry vinegar

• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 cup pearl barley

Preparation:

In a large bowl season the stew meat with salt, pepper and garlic powder about 1-2 hours before starting the cook. Wash the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Cut up what needs cutting, including the onions, and set aside so everything is ready when it's time for the slow cooker assembly.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven and brown meat on all sides. Once that's done, don't drain the oil, just put the whole thing in the slow cooker. Add beef broth and bone broth to the Dutch oven and bring to just a simmer.

Add the baby carrots, the chopped up celery heart and the mushrooms (sliced or in chunks... your call) to the slow cooker and pour in the warmed up beef broth and bone broth.

Add the onions along with the thyme, and then add the diced tomatoes. At this point season with salt & pepper to taste and work in the apple cider or sherry vinegar along with the Worcestershire sauce.

Set slow cooker to low and cook for 6 hours. After 4 hours blend in the cup of pearl barley. The stew has all you need for a balanced meal, but a crisp tossed salad does pair really well.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers by Chef Michael R

Deer season left me with a freezer full of venison once again, so here I am playing with flavor combos and techniques. There is quite a bit of prep work to get this slow cooker going so start early enough to leave 4-5 hours of cooking time. The end result is absolutely worth the effort! 

I use venison in my stuffed peppers but you can absolutely use lean beef as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb ground venison or beef
• 1 yellow onion - chopped
• 5 cloves garlic - smashed & minced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 28 oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree
• 1/4 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 4-5 orange and red bell peppers depending on size
• 1 cup long cook pearl barley - yields 2+ cups
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 handful broccoli rabe - blanched and then chopped
• 1 cup baby portobello mushrooms - chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• shredded Parmesan for final garnish 

Preparation:

Bring the beef stock to a boil. Thoroughly rinse the pearl barley, add to boiling stock and simmer for 25 minutes, covered. Drain and reserve remaining stock for later.

Take one tomato from the 28 oz can and chop it up. Combine onion, garlic, tomato, Aleppo pepper and olive oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Mix, microwave 2 min on high, mix and repeat once.

Start your slow cooker on low. Cut the tops from the peppers and remove insides as best you can.

Once your peppers are prepped, get a large bowl and combine everything for the filling, including ~1/2 cup of the reserved beef stock. Mix well using hands.

At this time cut up the remaining canned tomatoes and start a gentle saute in a separate skillet. Season with salt, pepper and some garlic powder. Cook for a few minutes and transfer to the warmed up slow cooker.

Fill the peppers with meat mixture, gently pressing mix to make sure the pepper is fully filled. Place upright into pot on top of tomato base.

Cook for 4-5 hours on low.

Give each person a whole pepper for plating beauty. Cut the pepper in half and then top each half with some of the tomato base. Serve with a green vegetable of your choosing.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Slow Cooker Pork & Mushrooms

This recipe is adapted from my own Slow Cooker Short Ribs & Mushrooms I created many years ago. The pork tuned out to be a really good choice. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2- 3 lbs pork chunks
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp The Good Stuff Seasoning 
• 10 oz baby portobello mushrooms – halved or quartered by size
• 6-8 carrots depending on size – scrubbed and cut into manageable lengths
• 1 lge yellow onion – cut up
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1/2 cup Marsala or Madeira – your choice
• 2 10.5 oz cans unsalted cream of mushroom soup
• 1 tsp table salt (enough for seasoning and far less than the soup with salt)
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 handful Italian parsley - chopped
• 1 cup pearl barley cooked with 3 cups beef stock

Preparation:

Cut up everything so  adding items will be seamless later on.

In a large bowl toss the pork chunks with a bit of olive oil and the Good Stuff seasoning. Heat oil in Dutch Oven or large skillet and sear pork chunks on all sides. Place seared meat in bottom of slow cooker. Set heat to low.

Add onion and garlic to Dutch Oven and toss over medium heat until onions are separated. Add Marsala and mushrooms, mix gently. Add cream of mushroom soup, salt & pepper along with parsley and stir occasionally until all ingredients are mixed and lukewarm. Use care to not break mushrooms. 

Layer carrots over pork and cover with mushroom mix. Cook for 6-7 hours on low.

Start the pearled barley using beef stock 45 minutes before you intend to serve dinner. Add a green vegetable or a salad to round out this great dish.

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!