Crockpot Beans & Rice

1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 cup brown rice
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried onion flakes

Put olive oil in crockpot.  Add rice and swirl in oil until coated.
Drain and rinse beans.  Add to crockpot.
Drain tomatoes, but save liquid in measuring cup.  Add tomatoes.
Add water to measuring cup with tomato liquid.  Add mixture of liquid with water to crockpot totalling 2 cups.
Add seasoning, stir well, and cover.
Cook on low for about 6 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.  It is done when the rice is tender.
*Can, also, cook rice on stove and microwave other ingredients.

Above is the recipe as it was shared with me by Sarah Albright.
However, the next time I make this, I am going to use Cajun seasoning in place of the Italian seasoning and add Andoulli sausage during the last 1/2 hour or so of cooking.  Going for a red beans and rice idea.
I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the brown rice cooked up.  I cooked it for four hours on high.  You don't want to over cook this because at the end of the 4 hours there was condensation on the lid but that was about it for water left in the crock.

Crusty Bread

Look at SIMPLY SO GOOD for great pictures, add in suggestions and other great tips in the comment section.

In a large bowl mix,
3 cups unbleached white flour
1 3/4 t. Kosher salt
1/2 t. yeast
Whisk together.
Add in
1 1/2 cups water.
Mix with a spatula.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Let sit for 12 to 18 hours on the counter.

Heat oven to 450 degrees.
Put dough on a heavily floured surface and form into a ball then cover with plastic wrap from the bowl.
Heat a dutch oven with lid for 30 minutes.
Put dough into heated dutch oven with the lid on.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Done and beautiful bread.

Mac & Cheese

Finally, an easy Mac & Cheese recipe that reheats well. The kids love it.

Original recipe found HERE.

4 c elbow macaroni
3 T all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper (I use more)
2 1/4 c milk
1/4 c softened cream cheese
1 t Dijon mustard
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t minced garlic, soaked in olive oil
1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese


Cook pasta. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is cooking, put flour, salt, and pepper in a large pan. Add milk, stirring with whisk until blended. Drop cream cheese in by teaspoonfuls into milk mixture. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 2 min or until thick and cream cheese melt, stirring occasionally. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cheddar cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Combine pasta and cheese sauce in a large bowl; toss well.

Chicken Broth

Bones & 1/2 the skin
1 unpeeled onion cut into 1/8th
5-6 cloves garlic halved
1 carrot cut in 1/4
handful celery leaves
black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
water

Put in crockpot overnight
Strain and pour into containers to freeze.

Saving at the Goodwill

If you are making several freezer meals, purchase your 9x13 or 9x9 pans at your local Goodwill. They will cost about twice as much as purchasing one foil pan of the same size but you can use them again and again. Also, if you take freezer meals to a family at church you don't have to worry about getting your pan returned quickly.

Whole Chicken

Rinse with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Set in a pan on a wire rack. Put a 1/2 spoon full of salt on the inside. Leave legs/wings tied down. Put 4 cups water under the bird along with a few splashes of white cooking wine.

Put olive oil on the bird followed by black pepper, thyme and rosemary.

Cook at 375 degrees for 1 hr and 20 minutes, baste every 15 minutes.
(This is for a 3 1/2 to 4 lb chicken.)

(Length to 2 hours cooking time if the chicken is 4 1/2 to 5lbs. Or if it is 5 to 6 lbs lower the temperature to 325 degrees and cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.)


HEY!!!
Just throw a whole frozen chicken in the crockpot and cook it on low for 10 hrs. It is so easy to de-bone so you can add it to any recipe.

Basic Marinara

Great for pasta.
For pizza sauce, don’t add broth. Add tomato sauce and/or paste then cook down to thicken.

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 3 medium)
1-tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1-½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
2 (28-ounce) cans no-salt-added crushed tomatoes

1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook four minutes, stirring frequently. Add sugar and next seven ingredients (through fennel seeds); cooking one minute, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 55 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.

Proofing Yeast Doughs

Yeast doughs that normally take an hour or more to rise at room temperature can be proofed in the microwave in about 15 minutes. Place the dough in a very large bowl and cover with plastic. Place an 8-ounce cup of water in the back of the microwave with the bowl of dough in the center, and set the power as low as possible (10 percent power). Heat for 3 minutes, then let the dough rest in the microwave for 3 minutes. Heat for 3 minutes longer, then let rest for 6 minutes. The dough will double in bulk.

Bread Recipe - the Foolproof one

Start with three generous cups of whole wheat flour, then use enough bread flour to get the dough the way I want it (not too stiff). I start with at least 2 cups, then maybe add about one more.

1 1/2 T active dry yeast
pinch of brown sugar
1 c. warm water
1 1/2 c buttermilk (milk would work too, but I like the flavor of buttermilk)
1/4 c maple syrup or honey
1/4 c canola oil
1 t salt
3 c whole wheat flour
3 1/2 - 4 c bread flour

Dissolve yeast and brown sugar in water to proof. 5-10 minutes.

Combine buttermilk, honey, oil, salt and ww flour in mixer bowl.

Add yeast mixture to mixer bowl and mix thoroughly. Start adding bread flour and knead with the dough hook. Dough should come off the sides of the mixer bowl, but not be too stiff.

Knead a couple times by hand, form into a ball with a smooth top and let raise till double in the bowl.

Divide dough in half. Pat in a rectangle and roll up, jelly-roll style. (Doing this tightly creates surface tension across the top of the loaf, making it raise better) Make sure the loaf is long enough to touch the ends of the loaf pan.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap (oil the top of the loaf or the wrap so it doesn't stick) and let raise until the loaf is about 1" above the pan rim.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Fruit salad

Mix chopped fruit with flavored yogurt or plain yogurt with jam.

(MSPI coconut or almond yogurt)

Crockpot Whole Chicken

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken
1 cup onion, chopped

1. In a small bowl, combine the spices.
2. Rinse and dry the chicken.
3. Rub spice mixture onto the chicken.
4. When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock.
5. Add chicken. No liquid is needed, the chicken will make it’s own juices.
6. Cook on low 8 hours.

Crockpot Beans

One bag of black beans (or other kind)
Water
Crockpot
Plastic bags to freeze them in

Pour the entire bag of dried beans into a colander and rinse under cold water. If you see any beans that have broken in half, or skin that floats to the surface, get rid of it. Also pick out any beans that look shriveled and gross.

Dump all the beans into your crockpot. Add enough water to cover all the beans and an additional 2 inches.

Set to high and cook for 1 hour. Turn to low, and cook until done, about 6 to 8 hours.
OR
Set to high for 2-4 hours. Make sure you add more water when the beans are no longer covered.

The beans are done when they are bite-tender.

Drain the beans

When cool, put 1 2/3 cups of beans into storage containers or freezer bags (you're adding this amount because you aren't adding filler-liquid like the cans have). The beans will store nicely in the refrigerator for 1 week, or in the freezer for 6 months.

Use as you would canned beans in your favorite recipe.

Crockpot Sweet Potatoes

Wash sweet potatoes

Put in crockpot with ¼ cup water.

Cook on high for 1 hr, turn potatoes and cook on low for 6-8 hours.