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Hello again from the kitchen!
The days are getting longer and spring is almost here. I hope. Today, I thought I'd share a few crock-pot meals. Growing up, I don't recall ever seeing a crock-pot in the house since my mom was a stay-at-home mom raising eight of us. Poor Momma had her hands full, especially with my four brothers. I seldom use a crock-pot, but they are helpful for people with busy schedules. I use crock-pots when I want to roast a whole chicken or cook off ham hocks for soups.
Ham, green beans and potatoes (crock-pot)
• 2 smoked ham hocks or ham end with bone
• 1 lb. of green beans
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• Water to cover
Place the ham, beans, potatoes and water to cover (approx 4 cups). Turn crock-pot on low for 6-7 hours. Add seasonings as desired.
Chicken noodle soup
• Either a whole chicken or pieces
• 1 TBSP salt
• 1 package of noodles
• 4 hard boiled eggs
•1 Package of sweet corn (optional)
•1 lb. of precooked chicken livers (optional)
• 1 TBSP dried parsley
Place chicken in crock-pot. Add salt and cover with water. Cook on low for 6 hours. Debone and strain the junk out of the broth. Put the broth, chicken, noodles, eggs, corn, livers and dried parsley in the crock. For added flavor, I drop 2 TBSPs of chicken base in. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
Note: to save time you can use a deboned rotisserie chicken
Spaghettio and meatballs
• 1 lb. of small meatballs
(precooked)
• 8 ounces Anelli pasta
• 32 ounces of tomato sauce
(your choice)
• 1 small can of peeled diced tomatoes
• 1 TBSP dried oregano
• 1 TBSP tomato paste
Put all ingredients in a crock-pot. Stir together then cook on low for 4-6 hours. Top with some good Parmesan cheese before serving.
Happy crock-pot cooking! Eat well my friends!
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Bev Kauffman, of Lewistown, operated a catering business in Juniata County for nearly 20 years. She has authored the cookbook, "Preserving the Past: In the Kitchen with Bev Kauffman" in 2013 and is currently working on a second cookbook.