Crock Pot Pulled Ham

ADMITTEDLY, WHEN PRESENTING A PLATTER OF PULLED HAM at Easter Brunch, you miss the dramatic effect of a glistening ham perfectly scored into a diamond pattern each of which has been carefully dotted with whole cloves, and basted with the perfect glaze. Or one of those with the pineapple rings and cherries. Even a spiral sliced ham with the perfect slices all fanned out.

Even when served on a beautiful heirloom platter which belonged to my great-grandmother, it still looks like a pile of shredded meat. But don't let its humble appearance fool you, this is the most succulent and flavorful ham I have ever eaten. I think I have a crush on it and my mind has been reeling with leftover possibilities.

And it is ridiculously  easy to cook with only two ingredients--ham and water. You can make some kind of sauce if you wish, but we didn't find that it needed it, being so intensely ham flavored on its on.

This ham is also very economical. We used a bone-in smoked picnic ham which comes in shank or butt halves and found in the regular grocery store.

Crock Pot Pulled Ham
1 bone-in ham which will fit in your crock pot
Water, to come up 1-inch

Place ham, fat side up, in cooker and add water. Cover pot and turn it on low. Let cook 8-10 hours, until easily shredded with a fork.

Even though you start with only a small amount of liquid, more will form in the pot throughout the day. If it does not, lower the heat and add a little more water if necessary.

When done, take it carefully out of the crock pot and place on a large meat board or rimmed platter. Remove the fat and bone then shred the meat using two forks. To keep the shredded meat from drying out, ladle over some of the cooking broth from the pot.

For another menu item, my little 5-year-old assistant helped with another batch of Black Skillet Parker House Rolls. 

We have really been enjoying some little pulled ham sandwiches.

Crock Pot Gumbo

THIS IS A RE-POST WITH updated though not necessarily improved photos. I originally posted this recipe in January, 2010 and again last year. I have made it a few times and I still stand by the recipe. Enjoy.

The best Southern Gumbo I've ever eaten comes from my own Mother's Alabama kitchen. After we visited several years ago and she had cooked it, I asked for her recipe, which she happily provided.

It was some time later, when I made it at home myself, that I realized what a true labor of love went into Mama's huge pot of gumbo.  I was over that stove for hours! I thought I would never be done. Every step seemed to take forever.  

I was quite happy the day I made a truly tasty gumbo in the crock pot and have made it several times since. It may not be as excellent as Mama's, but it is still very delicious.

The secret to an authentically flavored gumbo lies in a deep, dark, rich, mahogany colored roux, which is an art in itself.  Mary, of Deep South Dish gives an excellent tutorial explaining roux, and a method for making it in the oven.

Another essential in gumbo is what Cajun cooks refer to as their trinity--onions, celery, and green bell pepper. And thirdly, okra. Any combination of meats and seafood can be used. I use chicken, sausage, and shrimp. Lucky you, if you have access to fresh seafood--load it up, oysters, crab, you name it.  

Crock Pot Gumbo
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
1 lb. boneless chicken
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 plump cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. sliced okra (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup roux
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 quart tomatoes, undrained

Layer ingredients, in order given, into the crock pot but don't stir. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Lower heat to low and continue cooking for 7 hours. 

About 10 to 15 minutes before serving, add:
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

Cook until shrimp are done but not overcooked. Adjust seasonings, including the addition of salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into soup bowls, top with a scoop of hot rice, and pass the hot sauce. 

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup for the Crock Pot

WHEN WE WERE FIRST MARRIED, my husband and I faithfully sought opportunities for a quickie. Wink wink. This would often be outdoors and we would joke, "It sure is going to be cold in January". It became one of those lines couples share forevermore.  When we heard about the present big chill heading our way, of course we looked at one another, smiled, and said . . .

And because we all know the joys of a hot bowl of soup on a blustery day, I have made a few lately. In spite of the cold, I had to be away from home yesterday--and no it was nothing as fun as a woodsy tryst. I started this delicious chicken and wild rice soup in the crock pot before I left and was greeted by a very welcoming aroma at day's end.

This soup is scrumptious with its creaminess, tender chicken, and chewy wild rice. The recipe makes a big pot of soup, so plan for leftovers. It reheats beautifully with a little extra milk or broth added, if needed.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup for the Crock Pot
1 pound chicken, deboned and skin removed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 large carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounces wild rice
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken broth
4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk or 1 1/2 cups milk

Place the chicken in the crock pot and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and the poultry seasoning. Top with carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Add wild rice and bay leaf. Pour in the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low all day until rice is done and chicken shreds easily.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour making a paste, season with salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking for a minute or two. Slowly, stir in the milk until completely blended and smooth. Continue cooking and stirring, over medium heat, until the sauce comes to a gentle simmer and begins to thicken.

Stir the sauce into the cooked soup and blend well. Cover and heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings and serve piping hot.

A Fondly Compiled Compendium of Black-Eyed Pea Recipes

Black-Eyed Pea Curry

Baked Sweet Potato with Black-Eyed Peas

Texas Caviar

Hoppin' John

Crock Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Pakastani "Old Clothes" Beef Curry (Nihari)

When I first saw the cookbook, The Indian Slow Cooker by Anupy Singla, I knew I wanted it. I don't buy a lot of cookbooks anymore, but this one was unique and had real appeal for me.

I love, love, Indian food. I love the spices and the complicated flavors. I have tried my hand at cooking Indian food, with mixed success. It is a very labor intensive way of cooking and a real gift of love, which I believe adds to the deliciousness.

Having had much success with crock pot cookery, this book doubly appealed to me, and also made sense. Not having ever seen anyone actually cooking Indian food, I've always had to depend on words, all of which did not totally make sense (to me). Dumping everything into a crock pot and walking away sounded so alluring, I finally bought the book.

There was still a bit of work to this recipe, namely peeling and slicing vegetables and mixing and grinding spices--all the most pleasurable parts of cooking to me. The combination of spices was so exotic and aromatic, I was practically swooning.

Pakistani "Clothes" Beef Curry (Nihari)
2 medium onions, sliced
2 pound beef brisket
1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced
10 cloves garlic, peeled
1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
4 whole cardamom pods
3 bay leaves
1 (4-inch) cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. garam masala
2 Tbsp. ground fennel
1 Tbsp. red chile powder
2 pinches nutmeg
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. white salt
1 tsp. black salt
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil

Put the onions in the crock pot. Top with the beef.

Grind the ginger and garlic into a paste (I used a mini food processor) and add to crock pot.

Add the ground ginger, cardamom pods, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, garam masala, fennel, red chile powder, nutmeg, turmeric, white and black salt. Drizzle the oil over everything. There's no need to mix.

Cook on low for 9 hours. The dish is done when the beef starts to shred and fall apart, just like old clothes.

Enjoy with thick naan and a salad made with sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, and sliced cucumbers, all drizzled with fresh lemon juice and sprinkled with sea salt and a little red chile.

Crock Pot Gumbo

The best Southern Gumbo I've ever eaten comes from my own Mother's Alabama kitchen. After we visited several years ago and she had cooked it, I asked for her recipe, which she happily provided.

It was some time later, when I made it at home myself, that I realized what a true labor of love went into Mama's huge pot of gumbo.  I was over that stove for hours! I thought I would never be done. Every step seemed to take forever. 

I was quite happy the day I made a truly tasty gumbo in the crock pot and have made it several times since. It may not be as excellent as Mama's, but it is still very delicious.

The secret to an authentically flavored gumbo lies in a deep, dark, rich, mahogany colored roux, which is an art in itself.  Mary, of Deep South Dish gives an excellent tutorial explaining roux, and a method for making it in the oven.

Another essential in gumbo is what Cajun cooks refer to as their trinity--onions, celery, and green bell pepper. And thirdly, okra. Any combination of meats and seafood can be used. I use chicken, sausage, and shrimp. Lucky you, if you have access to fresh seafood--load it up, oysters, crab, you name it. 


Crock Pot Gumbo
1 lb. kielbasa sausage, sliced
1 lb. boneless chicken
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 plump cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. sliced okra (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup roux
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 quart tomatoes, undrained

Layer ingredients, in order given, into the crock pot but don't stir. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Lower heat to low and continue cooking for 7 hours.

About 10 to 15 minutes before serving, add:
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

Cook until shrimp are done but not overcooked. Adjust seasonings, including the addition of salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into soup bowls, top with a scoop of hot rice, and pass the hot sauce.

Senate Bean Soup

After a mild winter and an unseasonably warm spring, we had a cold snap. It happens every year, so it wasn't a big surprise. But still, cold is cold. With a ham bone I had leftover from Easter dinner, I made a warming pot of Senate Bean Soup. 

When I was a Girl Scout, our State Senator hosted my troop on a tour of Washington D.C.  We went to the Pentagon, the White House, and of course, The Capitol. We got to witness a live session of Congress (from the balcony). 

But the most memorable part of the trip, for me, was riding the underground rail to the Senate Cafeteria and enjoying a steaming bowl of Senate Bean Soup. I still love a simple bean and ham soup. 

The Famous Senate Restaurant Bean Soup Recipe

2 pounds dried navy beans

four quarts hot water

1 1/2 lbs. smoked ham hocks

1 onion, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

Wash the navy beans and run hot water through them until they are slightly whitened. Place beans into pot with hot water. Add ham hocks and simmer approximately three hours in a covered pot, stirring occasionally. Remove ham hocks and set aside to cool. Dice meat and return to soup. Lightly brown the onion in butter. Add to soup. Before serving, bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with a squirt or so of hot sauce and homemade bread with sweet butter.

Black-Eyed Peas for the New Year

Baby Eating Black-Eyed Peas 

 I would not consider starting a new year without eating some black-eyed peas for luck and so far, I have been a very lucky person.  


In the South, we also eat greens; in my family, we traditionally eat collards. The greens are for wealth and I feel extremely rich.


By luck and wealth, I don't mean I have won any lotteries or live in a mansion. Far from it. 


We live in a very modest home, which is warm and cozy. It is filled with books, laughter, harmony, family and friendship, doggie love, delicious and healthful food, peace, and gratitude. I feel perfectly content and extremely grateful.


Here are a few black-eyed pea recipes for consideration. Myself, I am taking a different direction this year. I'm going to make Curried Black-Eyed Peas (Lobia Tariwaala) and Saag Paneer---black-eyed peas and greens from another culture. I will be posting these recipes next weekend for my ongoing Curry-Palooza project.  

Crock Pot Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Hoppin' John

Texas Caviar

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Crock Pot Black Beans--Cuban Style

Friday, after a particularly difficult and tedious week at work, I practically had to crawl to my car for the 30-40 minute drive home.  I wasn't very far into my commute when I realized I had no energy, whatsoever, to prepare supper--not even an omelet. I stopped by a take-out BBQ joint and ordered smoked pulled pork with a couple of sides.

Once home, I quickly kicked off my shoes, snatched off my bra, donned my pajamas, and I was ready to relax and recuperate from the week.  We sat on the sofa to eat our meal while watching mindless and stupid TV. 

Later, I decided to use the remainder of the smoked meat to flavor a pot of beans. And I chose Cuban Black Beans.

Dried beans, which are such an affordable and health giving food, are a cinch to make in the crock pot-- no soaking required.  But you do need to allow plenty of time for them to cook.  I put these beans on before I went to bed and there they cooked, on low, all the next day.

Crock Pot Cuban Black Beans
1 lb. dried black beans
Pork, ham, bacon, etc, (optional)
1 large onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
3-4 (or more) cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf

Pick over and inspect dried beans for any stones or other foreign debris. Rinse thoroughly.  Place the beans in the crock pot along with the remaining ingredients. Stir together and barely cover with water. Place the lid on the pot, turn to low heat, and cook for 10 to 12 hours until the beans are tender.

Before serving, stir in 1 Tbsp. vinegar, 2 tsp. sugar, then drizzle with olive oil.

Delicious with yellow rice and fried plantains.

Crock Pot Jambalaya

Today is Fat Tuesday, the climax of Mardi Gras, which a season of carnival, feasting, and merrymaking prior to lent, which begins tomorrow. 

I have visited the City of New Orleans a number of times and it is a city that is very near and dear to my heart. I went to Mardi Gras only once and I have to say that was enough. I am so glad I had the experience--it was so much fun, and quite fascinating. I did see boobs a few times and once in a crowd I was groped in the nether region, but otherwise everyone seemed to be behaving quite well. Considering that it was one big party!  One of the things I heard often was that in order to properly enjoy Mardi Gras, you should eat twice your weight in food everyday and wash it down with lots of Dixie beer.  Revelers from all walks of life happily greeted one another, with a "Happy Mardi Gras"!

I loved all the Mardi Gras parades, which occur for several weeks, all over town. The parades are hosted by Krewes, which are groups whose main purpose of existence is organizing and participating in parades and balls during carnival.  Most, if not all the floats in the parades are made by Blaine Kern Studios,  and are  breathtaking.  The Krewe members ride the floats and toss beaded necklaces and dubloons to parade goers who raise their hands and shout, "Throw me something mister".  It really is fun and exciting. 

Some of the parades I saw were the Krewe of Endymion, the Krewe of Thoth, The Krewe of Bacchus (Charlton Heston was the King of Bacchus the year I attended, this year it is Andy Garcia), the Krewe of Proteus, the Krewe of Orpheus, the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club, and the Krewe of Rex.

And there was the food. New Orleans certainly has a cuisine of its own, and one to be proud of. Jambalaya is a versatile Creole dish which combines cooked rice with a variety of ingredients, including tomatoes, onion, green peppers, and almost any kind of meat, poultry, and shellfish. The dish is quite spicy!

Crock Pot Jambalaya
(inspired by Steph of Plain Chicken)
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
3 - 4 plump garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
1 quart canned tomatoes with their juice (I used home canned)
1 pound cooked shrimp

Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the crock pot. Add all the spices and herbs. Add the chicken broth and stir well. Cover the mixture with sliced sausage, then the tomatoes.  Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Add the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.  Serve with rice and pass the Tabasco sauce.

Happy Mardi Gras

Crock Pot Country Captain

Country Captain is a curried chicken dish which also calls for tomatoes, onions, garlic, green pepper, curry powder, and currants or golden raisins.  Coconut is often used and some recipes recommend garnishing with slivered, toasted almonds.

Stories about the origin of this recipe are diverse, but most agree that the recipe came from India and was first served in the United States in Savannah, Georgia, a port city renowned for international spice trade in the 19th century. 

I made my Country Captain in the crock pot because I had a super busy day planned.  The recipe is adapted from the blog, A Year of Slow Cooking.

Crock Pot Country Captain

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped

1 large onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 quart tomatoes with their juice

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot then add the rest of the ingredients in the order given. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve over rice and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired. 



Traditional Southern New Year Meal

Happy New Year!

 My first blog post was this meal--The first meal of the year 2009. I called the year, The Year of Hope. My camera was new and my blog was brand new.  I have learned a lot since then about how to better use my camera and so, so, much about blogging.

I declared the year 2010 The Year of Faith. For 2011, I hope and wish for The Year of Peace.  The current political rancor, fiscal atrocities, and general vitriol towards one another, is very disturbing to me. I really hope for more compassion, understanding, patience, and general kindness toward each other, especially those who are different from us.

But enough about that. This is a blog about food.  And we are having the same meal we always have on New Year's Day. 

Collard Greens

Black Skillet Cornbread

16-Hour Pulled Pork

We are also having, of course, Blackeye peas, which I will post more about tomorrow. 



Crockpot Brunswick Stew

I really enjoy using my crockpot when I know I will be otherwise occupied and not able to cook dinner.  Where some may resort to fast food or frozen dinners, I always prefer homemade food, though using the crockpot does require some advance planning.  The crockpot is ideal for meats and stews, which require long cooking times anyway.  Like this Brunswick Stew.

For those not familiar, Brunswick Stew is a Southern thing. Both Brunswick County, Virginia and Brunswick, Georgia claim this well-loved stew as their own. Both State Legislatures have issued proclamations claiming to be the rightful birthplace of the dish.

There have been many good natured "stew wars", but most agree on a couple of points. The stew should be very thick and should have a good kick of heat. Virginia stew leans more toward chicken, while Georgia stew is more pork based, associated with barbecue, and presided over by pit-masters. (Historically, game was used--squirrel, rabbit, venison, etc.)

Here, I have used both chicken and pork, along with bacon for a smoky element.

Crockpot Brunswick Stew
4 slices bacon
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 lb. boneless pork ribs
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. potatoes, sliced or diced
1 pkg. frozen cream style corn, thawed
1 pkg. frozen butter beans, thawed
1 quart tomatoes and their juice
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
Several squirts Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. sage
Salt and pepper to taste

Build layers, in the crockpot, first the bacon then the chicken. Top with onions, celery, carrots, and garlic. Add a layer of the potatoes, then salt and pepper heavily. Add the corn and then the butter beans. Sprinkle oregano and sage over the beans.  Add the tomatoes, Tabasco, Worchestershire, and mustard. Top with the pork and cover each piece with BBQ sauce.

No need to stir at this point. Put on the lid and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce to low and cook for 7-8 hours. Stir all together, breaking apart and shredding the meat. Adjust seasonings.

Serve with saltine crackers or hushpuppies, along with hot coffee, iced tea, or cold beer.  And don't forget to pass the hot sauce!

Crockpot Peach Butter

Peach Butter

 On a recent trip to the Farmers Market, I purchased a bushel of beautiful, late-season South Carolina peaches to make peach butter.  I had never made peach butter, but I really enjoyed making apple butter last year and I had no idea, at that time, how much my family and friends would enjoy it over the coming months.  So, I decided to apply the same process with peaches.   

One thing I learned last year is that it takes a lot of fruit to cook down into a "butter".  For my bushel of peaches, I canned 14 pints of peach butter.  That equates to about 7 to 8 good size peaches per pint, or about 35 to 40 peaches for a 6 quart crockpot to yield about 5 pints of peach butter. 

Beautiful Late-season South Carolina Peaches

 I loved the coloring of these peaches, and the fragrance of them was heavenly.  I look forward to opening  jars over the winter and releasing the aroma of summer. 

Gorgeous Puree from the Peaches

 After I peeled and chopped the peaches, cutting out any brown or mushy spots (which were several as these were late-season, very ripe, cheap, and I bought such a large quantity), I pureed them in the blender with a tiny amount of water. 

Peach Water

 Even the boiling water I dipped them in, to facilitate easier peeling, turned a lovely rosy color.

I really considered the sweetness and spices I wanted to add to my peach butter.  These peaches were very sweet, so I knew I wouldn't be adding much sugar.  Additionally, there are many spices which are delicious with peaches, including ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  In the end, I decided to make my peach butter mostly "plain",  knowing I could add more sweetener and/or spices as I opened each jar.  The concentrated taste of peaches was what I was looking for.  And I got it!

Crockpot Peach Butter
10 quarts peach puree
2 tsp. lemon juice (I used Meyer lemon)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. allspice

Peel, pit, and chop peaches.  Place in blender and add a splash of water if needed.  I tried not to use any water, but my ripe peaches clunked around in the blender until I added some to get them started.  Pour the peach puree into a 6 quart crockpot until almost full. 

Continue to puree and pour peach puree, this time, into a bowl to refrigerate overnight. Stir in 1 tsp. lemon juice, cover, and reserve.

Into the crockpot, add 1 tsp. lemon juice, the sugar, and the allspice.  Turn the crockpot on low, cover with a spatter screen and cook overnight.  Next morning, the mixture should be reduced by about half.  Add the reserved peach puree, cover again with the spatter screen, and cook on low for about 3 or 4 more hours. 

Eat, freeze, and/or process in hot water bath according to canning methods for your area.

Yields 5 to 7 pints.  Enjoy!

Peach Butter on a Toasted Corn Muffin

Corned Beef & Cabbage Sandwich

I don't believe I have a drop of Irish blood, but my husband does--he has a lot! Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick's day is his favorite meal of the year. I had never cooked a corned beef until I started hanging around with him; now it is an annual ritual.

This year I cooked my corned beef a little differently and I don't think I'll ever make it any other way. It was perfectly moist and tender and it was so easy! Get ready for this. I took it out of the package, rinsed off that reddish goo, plopped it into the crockpot, sprinkled the contents of the little spice packet over the top, covered and turned it on high for 1 hour, then reduced the heat to low, and cooked it for about 7 more hours. That's it. Nothing else. No liquid of any kind was needed. Pritchard Parker was very happy when he came home from work and smelled it. I sauteed our cabbage as a side dish and served it with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

For lunch today, I made this really tasty sandwich: One slice whole grain toast, spread with Honeycup mustard, some leftover sauteed (tender crisp) cabbage, a nice slice of swiss cheese, a slice of corned beef, microwaved for 30 seconds to melt the cheese. Yum!

Crock Pot Roast Beef

Once I let go of the notion that crock pot cooking is the same as braising, and came to know my food was not going to scorch or stick if there was not enough liquid, and further, that the liquid does not need to be monitored or replenished, my results improved dramatically. I cook meats--beef roasts, ham, chicken, pork shoulder, fairly regularly, with very little, if any liquid.

Crock Pot Beef Roast
One 4 pound (approx.) sirloin tip roast
Salt, pepper & paprika
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large sweet onions, sliced
6 - 8 cloves garlic, peeled
3 -4 stalks celery, peeled, sliced
2 large turnips, sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 tsp. thyme

Sprinkle all sides of the roast with salt, pepper, and paprika. Heat oil, over medium-high heat, in a heavy skillet; sear the roast until very well browned on all sides.

Meanwhile, layer the onions, garlic cloves, celery, turnips, and carrots into the crock pot. Sprinkle with thyme.

When the roast is browned, place into the crock pot, and nestle it into the vegetables.

Slice the beef and serve with the vegetables. You may be surprised by the amount of delicious au jus you have, without having adding any liquid.

Crock Pot Gumbo

I was happy to learn that a truly good gumbo could be made in the crock pot. Ordinarily, I stand over the stove for hours on end to make gumbo, and I don't make if very often for that very reason. What a time saver when I was standing in the kitchen for hours on end baking Christmas cookies.

Before I list a recipe, however, I must talk about roux, which is the secret and mandatory ingredient to making an authentic tasting gumbo. Roux is a thickener made with flour and fat, which is browned to impart a rich, nutty flavor. There is a very informative article about Roux at All Recipes. Or you can cheat, like I have starting doing since I discovered The Cajun Supermarket. Bootsie's roux works well, is very tasty, and will last indefinately in the refrigerator. (This online store is also my source for the Camellia brand beans I adore so much.)

Crock Pot Gumbo
1 lb. keilbasa sausage, sliced
1 lb. cooked chicken, torn into pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 plump cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. sliced okra (frozen is fine)
1/2 cup roux
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 quart tomatoes, undrained

Layer ingredients, in order given, into the crock pot but don't stir. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Lower heat to low and continue cooking for 7 hours.

About 10 to 15 minutes before serving, add:
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

Cook until shrimp are done but not overcooked. Adjust seasonings, including the addition of salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into soup bowls, top with a scoop of hot rice, and pass the hot sauce.

Crock Pot Black-eyed Pea Soup

Last August, when I turned the kitchen into a cannery, we ate a lot of salads and sandwiches. In December, I made the kitchen over into a bakery, and routinely employed the crock pot for preparing our meals.

I had never used a crock pot until about 4 years ago. Pritchard Parker used to cringe when he saw me pulling the thing out and I admit I did make some pretty horrific concoctions with it. I have always tried to learn from my failures in the kitchen and thus I learned how to use the crock pot. Some things I learned are: you don't have to use nearly as much, if any, liquid as conventional cooking; less seasoning is needed; if you use a can of "cream of" soup, your finished product will be ugly; the simpler the better. In the few next days, I shall share some of my successes with the crock pot.

Black-eyed Pea Soup
1 pound dry black-eyed peas
1 large onion, diced
3-4 stalks celery, sliced
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled (if needed), cut into chunks
4 slices bacon
2 cans Ro*Tel diced tomatoes and green chilis
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Inspect peas for any small stones or other foreign debris. Place peas in a colander and rinse very thoroughly in hot water. Drain, then place peas into the crock pot. Cover with water to about an inch over the top of the peas. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Cook the bacon, in a large skillet, until crisp, then drain on paper towels. In the pan drippings, fry the onions, celery, and potatoes over medium high heat until beginning to brown. Once the black-eyed peas are tender, add the potato mixture to the crock pot along with the bacon.

Add the Ro*Tel tomatoes and salt and pepper, to taste, to the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

Crockpot Apple Butter

This is the first time I have made apple butter and I couldn't be happier with the results. I made mine from fresh apple sauce made with fresh apples. Yes, apple butter starts with apple sauce. You can make your own apple sauce, as I did, or you can make your apple butter with canned applesauce.

Know that for a good apple butter, you will cook and reduce the apple sauce by half. I started with approximately 9 quarts of apple sauce, and finished with 9 pints of delicious and rich apple butter.

The amount of sugar and spices, varies according to your tastes. I like my apple butter less sweet, less spicy, and more apple-y flavored.

Apple Butter
9 qts. apple sauce
1 to 4 cups sugar (I used 1 cup)
2 tsp. to 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon (I used 2 tsp.)
1/4 to 1 tsp. ground cloves, if desired (I did not)
1/4 tsp. allspice, if desired (I did)

Fill a 6 quart crockpot with apple sauce, to within 1 inch of rim. Stir in desired amount of sugar and spice. Set on low and cover with a spatter screen. Cook for 6 to 12 hours, until reduced by half. (I cooked mine overnight). Taste and add additional sugar and spice, if desired, then add the remainder of the applesauce and cook for 2 or 3 more hours.

Eat, freeze, and/or process in hot water bath. Enjoy!

16-Hour Pulled Pork

I never gave the pork shoulder roast much consideration until this year. Aside from the fact that I was a vegetarian for many years, it always looked so fatty and unappealing. This year, some of my food phases and choices of the past have given way to the bottom line. Yes, money.

I found a way to cook this cheap piece of meat, which makes it tender, juicy, and so flavorful. Also, easy to pull away from the fatty parts I don't want to eat. I use an intensely flavored rub, then cook it in the crockpot for a l-o-n-g time. A nice crispy crust even forms on the outside just like cooking it over fire. The only thing missing is a smoky flavor, which I supposse could be introduced with a bit of Liquid Smoke, but I'm personally not a fan of that product.

I have just made this for the fourth time this year and we've had a pork-a-thon for a few days each time. Yesterday, I made pulled pork and slaw sandwiches, which is how my cherry poblano slaw factored in. Today, I'm going to make pork enchiladas. For other pork-outs this year, I have made pork pie with apples and cheese, egg rolls, pork stir fry, pork fried rice, pork and peach empanadas. I have used this pork to season a pot of pinto beans, with delicious results.

Spice Rub for Pork
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 dried thyme

Stir all ingredients together very well. Trim all visible fat from a 6 pound pork shoulder roast (aka boston butt). Rub the spice mixture all over it very well, and let rest for about an hour. Place into a crockpot, set on low, and cook for 16 hours. I usually put this on to cook, late at night, before I go to bed and it will be ready for dinner the next day.

It was a pulled pork BBQ sandwich that broke me from my vegetarianism at the end of a very trying weekend.