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Crock-Pot conversion
By JANET K. KEELER © St. Petersburg Times, published January 10, 2001
To the casual observer, everything appears as usual. I peck away on my computer keyboard, interrupted occasionally by the jangle of the phone or the enticing conversation coming from the pod to my right. They laugh, but I am the clever one. It is noon on Wednesday and I am making dinner. While the world wobbles, a 3-pound London broil cooks slow and low in my new Crock-Pot. I feel a little bit superior, a little more together knowing that a hearty dinner awaits my family. I will no longer be one of the thousands of Americans who at 5 p.m. still don't know what's for dinner. I so want my Rival Smart-Pot Programmable Crock-Pot to change my life. I don't want to fret postwork about making dinner or, worse yet, feel guilty because I planned nothing. The science lab corners of the fridge are no place to find nourishment. I envision thoughtful conversations around the table, facilitated by stress-free cooking, to be the coda for our busy day. I have been watching too much TV. * * * As 2000 yawned into 2001, we ate Crock-Pot fare four nights out of seven. No one really complained, despite raised eyebrows all around the table on Day 2. The chicken and cabbage didn't turn out as planned, colorwise or tastewise. I pressed on. After all, Santa had left the six-quart gleaming behemoth under the tree, and it was going to turn our lives around. (For the record, I'm the only Keeler who thinks our lives are going the wrong way.) It wasn't long ago that the avocado green Crock-Pot was lumped with the lava lamp and peace sign as relics from groovier days. Now, like almost everything '70s, the Crock-Pot is cool again. Rival, the originator of the species, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and touts the Crock-Pot's more seductive name: slow cooker. Who wouldn't want to eat something savory that has been simmering in an earthenware pot all day? Apparently lots of us do. Rival sells about 7-million Crock-Pots a year and is just one of several makers including Hamilton Beach. Day 1 of our dinnertime make over began with Navajo Beef and Chile Stew from Healthy Crockery Cookery by Mable Hoffman (HPBooks, 1998), also a Christmas present. I unnecessarily doubled the recipe because my Crock-Pot is nearly twice as big as the 31/2-quart appliance specified. The spicy stew was welcome on a chilly night, our bellies warmed by its heat. I don't remember particularly rousing or deep dinner conversation, but it was the first day, after all. I was less rushed when I got home from work, and that was part of my mission. Leftovers went into the freezer for another meal, another time. (A confession: the 5-year-old thought the stew smelled terrific but refused to eat anything from "Mommy's new machine." On his perpetual menu are beans and franks, applesauce and broccoli with ranch dressing.) Not all is wonderful in Crock-Pot world, though. It's easy to muck up a recipe by cooking the ingredients too long until it's a thick, stewy brown. Not everything should be cooked for 8 to 10 hours, the time most people are at work. Chicken especially should be cooked for the time noted in the recipe. I gave Chicken with Cabbage and Apples a few extra hours for good measure. Bad idea. The chicken fell from the bones, and I had to fish them out of the soupy mess along with the skin, which looked like jellyfish. It was greasy, too. Skinning the thighs and cutting off any other fat would have helped. In addition, I should have followed the directions and cooked it for 6 hours, rather than 8 with an additional hour on warm. (The programmable Crock-Pot has this cool feature by which the appliance automatically clicks to warm after the programmed cooking time. The directions suggest not warming food for more than four hours or the taste will be affected.) Besides the unappetizing grease and bones issues, the dish was bland. For 31/2 pounds of chicken pieces, the recipe calls for only 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and 2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger. Next time I would double that, if there is a next time. My Day 2 failure overshadowed my Day 1 success until Day 3, when I was redeemed by Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Soup, a spicy, meaty melange of veggies. Thank goodness the peppers came from a jar so I was saved the time of roasting them. The red pepper along with diced eggplant, chopped onions, garlic, white wine, canned chicken broth, fresh bread cubes and spices simmered all day, and the adults lapped it up in the evening. (See note above for the 5-year-old's dinner.) A last-minute addition of minced parsley and medallions of goat cheese added freshness and flavor. A salad and crusty bread rounded out the meal. Life was good. Dinner was lovely and tasty and we were sharing the news of our day, right on schedule. Perhaps I should do a testimonial for Rival about the Crock-Pot that Brought My Family to the Table. On Day 4, I shrugged off the cookbook. With cocky abandon, I mixed a can of chopped tomatoes with a couple of teaspoons of minced roasted garlic from a jar, salt and pepper in the Crock-Pot and placed a 3-pound London broil on top. (In hindsight, I should have browned the beef first to make it more appealing and to seal in juices.) It cooked for 8 hours on low and 2 hours on warm waiting for my dear to come home from work. He was late, the beans and franks routine long over, and I was steamed. My plan was thrown off, and my Crock-Pot offered no company. The waiting time did allow me to bake an acorn squash, delicious with salt, pepper and butter. Dinner was even good an hour later when the straggler made it home. The London broil was wonderfully tender, falling apart in strings made tangy by the chunky tomato broth. The warm meal was quite a change from the usual self-serve available at that hour. Things will never be the same at our house. At least that's the plan. Chicken with Cabbage and Apples
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Place cabbage in bottom of a 31/2-quart slow cooker. Top with onion, chicken and apples. Combine soy sauce, ginger and pepper flakes. Spoon over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW about 6 hours or until chicken is tender. Makes about 5 servings. Per serving: 492 calories, 13 gm carbohydrates, 55 gm protein, 23 gm total fat, 6 gm saturated fat, 207 calories from fat, 122 mg cholesterol, 622 mg sodium. Note: Rice or noodles are the perfect accompaniment for dishes with Asian-accented seasonings. Source: "Healthy Crockery Cookery" by Mable Hoffman (HPBooks, $15). Navajo Beef and Chile Stew
Combine all ingredients except cornmeal in a 31/2-quart slow cooker, mixing well. Cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours or until meat is tender. Turn control to HIGH. Stir in cornmeal. Cover and cook on high 20 to 25 minutes. Makes about 4 servings. Per serving: 292 calories, 27 gm carbohydrates, 20 gm protein, 11 gm total fat, 4 gm saturated fat, 99 calories from fat, 51 mg cholesterol, 685 mg sodium. Note: If you don't care for spicy food, reduce the amount of ground red pepper to 1/8 teaspoon. Source: "Healthy Crockery Cookery" by Mable Hoffman (HPBooks, $15). Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Soup
Combine all ingredients except parsley and cheese in a 31/2-quart slow cooker. Mix well. Cover and cook on LOW 7-8 hours or until eggplant is very tender. Just before serving, stir in parsley. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 134 calories, 21 gm carbohydrates, 4 gm protein, 2.5 gm total fat, 1 gm saturated fat, 22 calories from fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 658 mg sodium. Note: This peasant-type soup is delicious with either shredded Parmesan cheese or crumbled goat cheese. Source: "Healthy Crockery Cookery" by Mable Hoffman (HPBooks, $15). South-of-the-Border Steak
Trim fat from meat. Place meat in a 31/2- or 4-quart electric crockery cooker. In a bowl, stir together undrained tomatoes, onion, garlic, dried oregano (if using dried, not fresh), chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7-9 hours or on high-heat setting for 31/2-41/2 hours. If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting after allotted time and add pepper strips and pinto beans. Cover and cook for 30 minutes more. Remove meat; cool slightly. Shred or thinly slice meat across the grain. Stir in fresh oregano now (if using fresh). To serve, spoon rice into soup bowls. Arrange meat on top of rice. Spoon bean mixture over meat. If desired, sprinkle with crumbled cheese and additional fresh oregano. Preparation time: 25 minutes. Cooking time: 71/2 hours. Makes 6 servings. Per serving (without cheese): 350 calories, 36 percent of calories from fat, 26 gm protein, 27 gm carbohydrates, 3 gm fiber, 14 gm fat, 58 mg cholesterol, 361 mg sodium. Source: "Better Homes and Gardens One Dish Dinners" (BHG Books, $24.95).
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