Foil Packet Tilapia CrockPot Recipe

Day 33.

Even people who aren't crazy about fish will like this recipe. It calls for cheese, mayonaise and lemon juice---a trifecta that can't be beat.

Tilapia is a mild, flaky white fish that is a wonderful starting point for beginning fish eaters. Cooking fish in foil packets is a great way to seal in the natural moisture of the fish and get the flavors infused into every bite.

Ha! I sound like I know what I'm talking about.

Anyhow, foil = good fish. And foil + fish + crockpot = a real, live American family eating fish.

without being bribed.

and that makes a very happy mom.

Parmesan Tilapia
The Ingredients:
serves 4

3 or 4 filets of Tilapia (or other favorite white fish)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded cheese (shredded Parmesan cheese is the best cheese to use, but I have used Cheddar, Swiss, and Mozarella before. (I even have used string cheese! ;-)  )).

juice of 2 lemons

4 chopped garlic cloves

pinch each of salt and black pepper

The Directions:

mix all ingredients (except for the fish. definitely not the fish.) in a bowl

--lay out a piece of foil
--rub sauce mixture on both sides of fish

--fold foil over and make a little packet for the fish

--put all the packets into the crockpot

DO NOT ADD WATER.

cook on high for 2 hours. Unwrap carefully and test with a fork. If the fish flakes easily, it's done (2 hours on high has always been enough time in all my cookers), if it doesn't flake super easily, rewrap then cook on high for an additional 30  minutes.

PLEASE take care when taking the packet out of the crockpot and when opening it. It will be hot.

doy.

Baked Banana Bread CrockPot Recipe

Day 32.

Look! Gluten-free banana bread that not only rose nicely, it was completely baked in the crockpot. Color me surprised. Paint me surprised?

Well, whatever it is---I am surprised.

I was all ready to sacrifice this batter as an experiment. Gluten-free baking is so hit or miss, I completely expected this to flatten into a heavy brick. I'm actually a little annoyed with myself that I didn't attempt this well over a year ago.

I've gotten a few emails wondering why anyone would want to bake in their crockpot. At first I wanted to bake solely for the "neat" factor. But after attempting a few things, I am sold on crockpot baking for convenience. I love that I was able to pop this in and run errands---something I would never do with anything in the oven. I love that I can now set something to bake on low overnight and wake up to freshly baked coffee cake or somesort of baked loaf. I plan on baking a traditional (gluten free) bread loaf to see what happens.

My mind is spinning with all the possibilities.

The Ingredients:

I would make this the exact same way you would make a traditional oven-baked banana bread.

The Directions:

Follow your favorite recipe and dump batter into a prepared loaf pan. If you have a round crockpot and not an oval one, pick a round cake pan or corningware that fits snugly inside the stoneware.

Prop your lid open just a tad to let some steam out. I used a chopstick.

Cook on high for 4 hours,or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Carefully! remove the hot pan from the stoneware and let cool.

Take turns licking the bowl. But don't tell Y. She'll freak out.

Chicken Nachos CrockPot Recipe

Day 31.

Yay! A whole month of CrockPotting!

I'm pretty sure this will be the last of the Super Bowl Sunday recipes, because I have eaten so much the last few days I'm ready for a fast. If you are in desperate need for Super Bowl Snack Ideas, the Appetizers tag should take you where you need to go.

I'm excited to participate for the first time in Slow Cooking Thursday hosted by Sandra at Diary of a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom). Please take the time to click around to all the different blogs and submitted recipes. I have 11 more months to fill, and am thrilled to have a bunch to choose from. Sandra has created an online guide to all of her recipes here.

Ok. I made nachos with raw chicken. Just for all you Internet People who don't like browning meat or pre-cooking it. Guess what? It worked, and it's been 3 days and I haven't keeled over yet with food poisoning.

The Ingredients:

--2 cut up raw chicken breasts (or by ALL means, cooked and chopped!)

--large package of Velveeta or other "cheese product"

--can of tomatoes and chilies

--stuff you like to put on nachos: beans, sour cream, olives, etc.

The Directions:

--put raw chicken in bottom of crockpot (if you are using already cooked, melt the cheese completely first, then stir in)

--cover with cheese slices

--dump in entire can of tomatoes and chilies (that means don't drain)

--cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3-4.

--pace house wondering if the raw chicken was a good idea or not

--stir thoroughly and serve over your favorite chips

--doctor up with beans, sour cream, olives and whatever else makes you happy

--realize that the chicken cooked without help and share brilliant discovery with The Internet.

Remember to go see Sandra!

Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Barbecue Sauce CrockPot Recipe

Day 30.

Q: Can you ever eat too many meatballs?

A: No. No you can not.

In honor of that little game that is occurring on Sunday, I tested out a party meatball dish sure to please drunken football viewers.

I loosely followed the recipe found in this book, as seen here.

You can either use store-bought meatballs, or make your own.

I have yet to find store-bought gluten free meatballs, so I made my own.

The Ingredients:

--1 lb turkey meatballs (2 lbs pictured)

--1/2 cup barbecue sauce

--1 can (16oz) jellied cranberry sauce

--1 t soy sauce

The Directions:

--cut cranberry sauce into slices

--place into bottom of stoneware insert

--add barbecue sauce and soy sauce

--top with cooked meatballs.

cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-4

The cooking time depends on if your meatballs are frozen, thawed, or freshly baked.

The recipe card book says that these measurements are for 1 pound of meatballs. I used two. My dad thought it could use more sauce, my husband thought it was plenty saucy and one of the kids wanted all sauce washed off.

Use your best judgement as to how much sauce to make for your particular family.

More Super Bowl Sunday CrockPot Snack Ideas:

Nuts and Bolts Trail Mix CrockPot Recipe

Sundried Tomato CrockPot Dip

Brie With Cranberries and Pecans CrockPot Recipe

Hot and Spicy Artichoke Dip CrockPot Recipe

Chili and Cheese Afternoon Snack CrockPot Recipe

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings CrockPot Recipe

CrockPot Baked Potatoes

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Wings CrockPot Recipe

Day 29.

I love buffalo wings. I could eat (and have!) them by the bucketload. Unfortunately, sometimes I overdo it and can't stomach the vinegary flavor for a few months after an indulgence.

And there seems to be a little football game happening rather soon, so I thought I should test out some yummy half-time snacks.

When I saw this recipe from Sandra Lee on the Food Network's website, I was very excited to try it out.

But my grocery store didn't have the chipotle taco seasoning. And if it did, I probably would find modified food starch or other hidden-gluten which would make it off-limits. I did find the apricot-pineapple preserves, but the first ingredient was high fructose corn syrup and I couldn't bring myself to knowingly buy it.

I know. I use marshmallows. I know what they are made of. I am full of contradictions. You'll notice that about me.

But, I did find some cool stuff and when they are put together, the taste is amazing. Way more sophisticated than regular old buffalo wings.

Because, you know me.

I'm all about being sophisticate.

The Ingredients:

--4 pounds of chicken wings and tiny drumsticks

--jar (11 oz) of apricot preserves

--jar (14 oz) chipotle salsa

Note: The chipotle salsa is very popular right now and is available in most grocery stores. If you want to use regular salsa and canned chipotle peppers be aware that not only are they NOT gluten free they are incredibly spicy. Much more spicy than you would believe they ought to be. Don't start with using the whole can--tread lightly.)

The Directions:

--brown chicken wings on a broiler pan

(Sandra Lee says it isn't necessary but provides a better flavor. I did it and my husband believes it was a wasted step. So do whatever you want. I'm just winging it over here.

HA! --winging it-- I didn't even plan that!)

--dump browned (or white, pale, and slimy) chicken wings into crockpot

--in a separate bowl, mix the entire bottles of salsa and preserves together

--pour on top of chicken

--cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8.

Very tasty. Or, if you prefer, throw the wings in the crock with this stuff:

CrockPot Baked Potatoes

Day 28.

I know! I had no idea you could bake potatoes in a crockpot either! But I got a lovely email from Danielle --who doesn't seem to have a blog-- challenging me to try them out. She is hosting a two-year-old birthday party and had the fabulous idea of having a potato bar for the adults.

The Ingredients:

--potatoes

--foil

11 medium sized potatoes completely filled my 6-quart oval rival.

The Directions:


--wash potatoes
--let them dry

(because if you don't the foil then gets a little bit rusty and the potatoes become a bit discolored. Don't ask how I know this...)

--prick a few times with a fork
--wrap in foil
--put them all inside your crockpot.





don't add water.

trust me.

they will cook.

they will not explode.

it's not weird.




cook on low for 10 hours, or high for 6 or until desired tenderness.




The Verdict:



I like the neat factor of this a lot. It might be more practical to cook them in the oven and then transfer to the crockpot for keeping warm. The potatoes taste amazing; they cook in their own juice and taste more potatoe-y than normal baked potatoes--but the color isn't the pure white color that you would expect---more of a beigey yellow.



but the neat factor is so very neat it makes me want to have a potato party.


badly.


Thank you, Danielle, for the very way cool idea and challenge!

Super Easy CrockPot Lasagna

Day 27.

Lasagna is a family-favorite meal around here. I probably make it about once a month, but have never attempted to make it in the crockpot before the other day.

This works. It really, really works. You can use regular noodles and they will soften nicely.

There is still work to do if you want to add meat---you'll need to brown hamburger or turkey meat, and if you want some veggies or hardboiled eggs snuck in, you'll need to chop them up.

But!

You can do it all in the morning while you are still awake and have coffee in your system, click on the dishwasher and then be done in the kitchen for the whole. entire. day.

I love that part.

If you are not a morning person, assemble it the night before (minus the 1/4 cup of water--add that before cooking) while you are watching Leno. Or Letterman. Or Colbert.

and hey, do you spell it lasagna or lasagne? I like it with an 'A' better, but the box of Tinkyada noodles (very lovely gluten free noodles) spells it with an 'E.'

The Ingredients:

serves 6

1 pound ground beef or turkey
1(26-ounce) jar pasta sauce (keep jar! don't rinse and throw out!)
1 (10-ounce) box of regular lasagna noodles (I use brown rice noodles)

1 (16-ounce) container ricotta cheese
8 ounces sliced mozzarella cheese
4 cups shredded Italian-blend cheese

OPTIONAL: spinach leaves, sliced hardboiled eggs, sliced mushrooms, chopped veggies

1/4 cup water

The Directions:

--brown meat with chosen spices in large skillet

--pour in entire jar of pasta sauce (save jar, don't rinse or throw away!)

--simmer on low for a few minutes

--put a ladle-full of sauce mixture into the bottom of your crockpot.

--top with a layer of dried lasagna noodles. You'll have to break them to fit, and little pieces will fly all over the place, much to the delight of small children and pets.

--smear ricotta cheese on top of lasagna noodles
--layer veggies, mushrooms, eggs and spinach on top of the ricotta cheese
--add sliced mozzarella cheese
--add a handful of the shredded cheese
--ladle on some more of the meat sauce
--top with more dry noodles and repeat layers until crock is to desired capacity.

--put the 1/4 cup of water into your empty pasta jar and shake. Pour tomatoey juice over the whole pile of food.

--cover and cook on low for 8 hours, high for 4.
--Check noodles an hour before serving, and push the top ones down into the liquid if they are getting too hard or are curling up.

The Verdict.
 
ENJOY! This is the most simplest lasagna ever, but it comes out perfect EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

I've made this lasagna hundreds of times, and have served it to company lots and lots. If you'd like more heat, add crumbled sausage to the sauce, red chile flakes, etc. This is your lasagna -- you can certainly customize it to your family's taste.

I think you'll be happy!