Falling in love with… a Crock-Pot

Anyone that knows me and family knows that my husband does most of the cooking around our house. It’s not that I don’t know how to cook… it’s just that he cooks really well and loves doing it. Lately I’ve taken an interest in utilizing our Crock-Pot. I’ve tried three recipes that I absolutely love and am astounded that it’s taken me all these years to discover the joys of Crock-Pot cooking. It’s so ridiculously easy. So I will share my first three tries and passes:

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil or vegetable oil
4 potatoes, chopped
1 jalapeño, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (not sweetened)
1 bag frozen peas (10 ounces defrosted)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh … Read Morecilantro, basil, or Thai basil chopped for garnish

Directions:
Coat bottom of a skillet with oil and place on stovetop set to medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and sauté until soft.
Move onions, garlic, and jalapeno to one side of pan and brown chicken breasts on other side. Pan must be hot and chicken breasts dry to brown.
Place stoneware in slow cooker heating base, and add onion mixture, chicken, potatoes, chicken broth, coconut milk, salt and pepper, and curry powder. Cover, and cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 2-3 hours.
During the last thirty minutes of cooking time, add the peas.
Garnish with cilantro or basil.

Mexican Crock-Pot Chili

Ingredients:

2 (15 1/2 oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 (4 oz.) can green chili peppers, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried, crushed leaf marjoram
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 to 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

Preparation:
In skillet brown ground beef and drain. In crockery cooker combine all ingredients. Cover, cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours. Remove bay leaf and stir before serving. Serve with cornbread. Makes about 6 to 8 hearty servings.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients:
6 – 8 small green peppers, tops removed and seeded
1 10-oz. package frozen corn, partially thawed
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp Worcestersire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp ketchup

Directions:
Wash peppers and drain well. Combine all remaining ingredients except ketchup in mixing bowl. Stir well. Stuff peppers 2/3 full. Pour 3 tablespoons of water into the stoneware. Arrange stuffed peppers in stoneware. Pour ketchup over top of peppers. Cover cook on Low 7 to 9 hours or on High 3 to 5 hours.