slow-cooker

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

By in Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Soup 7 Comments Tags: , , , ,

slow cooker french onion soup

When I made this soup for the first time I made a big mistake. Since my hubby comes home every day for lunch we usually reserve soup for lunch time. Since this soup takes 6-8 hours to cook in the slow cooker, and I didn’t feel like getting up in the wee hours to get started on it, I decided to make it the day before. It was a great plan, until a couple hours in when my house started smelling fabulous and I knew I had to wait a whole entire day before I could eat a bowl of it. It was torturous. I was tempted to skip on my dinner plans and just have it for supper. But, my will power persevered and I spooned it away in a storage container and stashed it in the fridge to be heated up the next day. It was so worth the wait.

I’ve never made French Onion Soup before. Mostly because James isn’t a fan of onions so I thought it would be off the list. Especially after having not so great versions at restaurants. But then, I had a rich, flavourful version that got me craving another bowl and I decided it was time to try it at home.

This was every bit as good as I hoped it would be. Rich and flavourful, slightly sweet and oh so comforting. And, you know what, it even satisfied the picky onion eaters in the family. The kids, hubby and I gobbled it right up.

Normally you place the bread on top of the soup bowls and then broil it, but since I don’t have oven safe soup bowls we broiled the bread separately and placed it on top. It’s just as delicious and makes for any easy dipper for little people who may have a harder time getting their spoon to break up the bread. I’m a little wary of soggy bread but both me and James loved this and when the bread soaks up the delicious broth there is absolutely nothing to not like about it.

slow cooker french onion soup

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 medium sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup beer
  • 2 quarts low-sodium beef stock
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 1.5 teaspoons dried)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 baguette, sliced
  • Gruyere cheese, sliced or grated (harvarti is also good)

Turn on your slow cooker and set to high. Add butter and let melt. Add onions, garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well. Cover and let cook for 1-1.5 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, until onions begin to caramelize and turn brown. Stir in flour, allow to cook for a couple minutes then stir in beer and beef stock a bit at a time, stirring well between each addition to avoid lumps. Stir in thyme and pepper. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired.

To serve: Top baguette slices with cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve on top of soup. Alternately, if your soup bowls are broiler safe you can place the bread and cheese right on the soup and broil.

Makes approximately: 8 servings

Adapted from How Sweet it Is. Originally from Tyler Florence.

Slow Cooker Dulce De Leche

By in Sweets 11 Comments Tags: , , ,

slow cooker dulce de leche

Dulce de leche is one of those things that always seemed super simple to make but for one reason or another I kept putting off actually making it. For those who are unfamiliar with dulce de leche (don’t ask me to pronounce it, I get it wrong every time), it is basically a cheat’s caramel – sweetened milk is heated slowly until the sugars in the milk caramelize and the milk thickens.

There are slightly different ways to make it, but the most common in North America is to use a can of sweetened condensed milk for a more hands off approach. And, the most dangerous (yes, dangerous! Oooo) way to make it, is to boil an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a pot of water. The reason this is potentially unsafe is because if the water boils down too low the can may overheat and explode. Lovely.

I don’t particularly like the thought of boiling something in a metal can anyways, which is probably the biggest reason it took me so long to take the plunge. But, when I saw a slow cooker version that used canning jars instead, I did a happy dance. It all seemed so simple and safe, and I just love finding new ways to use my canning jars (and slow cooker!).

S0, I give you a super simple dulce de leche that is as hands off as it gets and gives you a thick caramel that is just waiting to be swirled into ice cream, sandwiched between cookies, stirred into hot drinks, spread into tart shells, or spooned onto whatever your little heart desires! If you’ve never made it before, I am here to say, do not make the same mistake as me. What are you waiting for?

P.S. If you need one more reason to make this, I’ll be sharing a special treat that uses dulce de leche next week. Better be prepared!

Slow Cooker Dulce De Leche

  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pour the contents of the sweetened condensed milk into a 1.5- 2 cup canning jar; tighten the lid securely. Place in the bottom of a slow cooker, fill with hot water until the water level is at least an inch above the milk. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until caramelized and thickened to your liking.

Adapted from A Beautiful Mess

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

By in Christmas, GF Mains, Main Dish, Poultry 11 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

slow cooker roast chicken

Roast chicken has been my nemesis for a long time. I’ve always liked the idea of it but no matter how hard I try I can’t ever seem to get the baking time right. Even with a thermometer I always feel like I underbake it and we end up throwing out all the brown meat because I get so nervous about eating raw chicken, and I hate wasting food! One day I will conquer the traditional roasted chicken, but for now I am very happy I found this recipe that uses the slow cooker, it is awesome!

I love this recipe for many reasons. 1) It takes away the guesswork of knowing the perfect time to take out the bird. 2) It frees up oven space for any sides you may want to bake. 3) It makes your house smell delicious for hours and hours. 4) The drippings left in the crock pot make for some pretty delicious gravy. 5) It seals all the juices in, making the chicken juicy and moist. 6) The rub ensures a deliciously flavourful bird. 7) Just like any roast chicken the leftovers can be used throughout the week and the carcass can be used for chicken broth. It is a win all around!

I know what you’re probably thinking – that the skin must be soggy and gross since there’s so much moisture in the slow cooker. But it’s not at all! The skin turns out crispy and flavourful, thanks to the spice rub. There’s no liquid added to the slow cooker so that keeps it from being overly moist. The only issue I found was that I couldn’t pick up the whole bird and transfer it to the serving platter. It was so tender it fell apart while I was trying to take it out. It really wasn’t a big deal because we were cutting it all up anyways, but if you’re worried about appearances you may need to leave it in the slow cooker or perhaps line your slow cooker with foil for easier removal. Either way it doesn’t affect the delicious flavour of the tenderness.

This is a great recipe to have cooking while you’re away at Christmas festivities and would also be a great main for a small Christmas dinner. It’s stress-free, comforting and no-fuss – a definite must this time of year.

Slow Cooker Roast Chicken

The cooking time depends on the heat of your slow-cooker. Mine runs hot so it only takes 5 hours. Once you get to know your slow cooker it will be easier to gauge if you need the lesser or longer time.

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 onion, sliced
Spice Rub
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper

Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry. Mix together all ingredients for spice rub. Rub the spices on the outside and inside of the chicken. Refrigerate until ready to cook or place in the slow cooker immediately. Stuff cavity with sliced onion. Cook on low 5-7 hours, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to serving platter and let rest for 15 minutes, before serving.

Serves: 6

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen originally from strubleroots recipes.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Apple-Celery Slaw

By in Main Dish, Pork 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Fathers Day is coming up, which means grills everywhere will be firing up on Sunday. I”ve invited my dad over and will most likely be doing exactly that. But the thing is, it”s been quite rainy here and I”m not so sure I want to stand out in the rain to barbecue, so I might need a back up plan just in case.

I think these sandwiches are a great recipe to have in your pocket for the dad in your life. You can put the mixture in the slow cooker earlier in the day and let it cook away while you do man things, like go to pick and pulls and stare at car parts. Thankfully, my dad is gracious enough to do those things on his own. To each his own, right? :)

These sandwiches are a tad spicy but definitely won”t knock your socks off. My son doesn”t like spicy foods and he was happily asking for seconds. I also love how the slaw adds a cooling factor to ward off the spiciness.

This makes a huge batch so it”s a perfect make for family get-togethers. And, you don”t have to limit the toppings to just the apple-celery slaw. Add some pickles, cheese, lettuce or really anything that suites your fancy.

I do believe this could also be made on the stove top, if you don”t have a slow-cooker. Throw everything into a large pot, bring it up to a simmer, cover and cook on low until the mixture is cooked through and the chicken shreds easily with a  fork.

Happy Fathers Day to all you awesome Dad”s out there!

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches with Apple Celery Slaw

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

  • 2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

  • 1 medium onion, diced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes

  • 1/4 cup hot-pepper sauce

  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 2 tablespoons prepared mustard

  • 1 tablespoon molasses

  • To serve: burger buns, apple-celery slaw, pickles, cheese, lettuce

Add a bit of oil to a large non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook just until browned on the outside. Remove chicken to the slow-cooker. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Add onion, garlic and bell pepper to the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Cook, over medium, until onions have softened. Add water and cook, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan, until water is mostly evaporated. Transfer to the slow-cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for longer), or until chicken is tender and shreds easily with a fork. Shred the chicken in the slow-cooker, season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve on toasted buns with desired toppings.

Apple Celery Slaw

  • 1 apple, sliced thinly into matchsticks

  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar

  • salt and pepper, to taste

Mix together ingredients until evenly coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Sandwich filling adapted from Everyday Food Jan/Feb 2011. Slaw adapted from Donna Hay Magazine Summer 2012.