Crockpot Pierogi Casserole

 On our pre Christmas visit with the Lewis Crew 2024 we chatted about pierogi comfort food and Jenny shared this recipe.  Grandmaman is hoping to try it out soon as who can resist pierogies, cheddar cheese and kielbasa on a winter's eve.

Ingredients

about 36 frozen cheddar pierogies

4 cups chicken broth

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 kielbasa sausage (sliced)

salt and pepper to taste

Layer 3 cups of chicken broth, frozen pierogies, sliced kielbasa

 and shredded cheddar cheese in 4-6 quart crockpot.

Set the crockpot on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6 hours.

Prepare the cream cheese mixture 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.  Warm the block of cream cheese (in microwave or on stovetop) with the remaining one cup of chicken broth. Once warmed whisk the mixture until smooth.

Pour the smooth cream cheese mixture into the crockpot, stirring well to integrate.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the top.  

Cover the crockpot and set it to cook on low for an additional 30 minutes, 

Serve the casserole hot, garnished with sliced green onions if desired.

Sweet and Sour Spareribs

One of Oma's go to recipes.  Very simple to prepare, with simple ingredients and a comfort food for sure.  Great for an autumn meal and can either be finished in a crockpot or in the oven.  Oma sometimes simmered the ribs on the stovetop as well.

Ingredients

1 cup cold water
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup vinegar (or pickle juice, sweet or sour)

ketchup (original recipe calls for 1/2 bottle so take your best guess as to amount)

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

soy sauce as desired

Combine water, sugar and vinegar.  Bring to a boil.  Add ketchup. 

Mix cornstarch with a little water and add.  

Add 2 pounds browned spareribs (cut for sweet and sours) to sauce and simmer for 2 hours.

Notes: Cut for sweet and sours is generally small pieces of individual bones.

  I find that they are seldom found at the grocers these days. 

 The butcher can be asked to saw them, they can be sawed at home

 or I generally just prepare with longer ribs and they are just as yummy.

I usually double the sauce for 2 pounds of spareribs

 as we like plenty of sauce for the rice we usually serve with the ribs.

This recipe is also found in the Centennial Cookbook.

Crockpot Cabbage Roll Casserole

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or pork (or mixture of two)

3 cloves garlic minced

1 onion diced

15 oz tomato sauce (divided)

1 cup water

10 1/2 can condensed tomato soup

28 oz canned diced tomatoes (with juices)

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon thyme

3/4  cup long grain white rice (uncooked)

1 medium head cabbage

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (optional)

Brown beef, onion, garlic and seasonings over medium heat.  Drain.

Add 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup water and 1/2 can of tomato soup and diced tomatoes to the beef.

Stir in rice, and mix well until heated through.  Remove from heat.

Chop cabbage into 4 wedges and remove core.  Chop into chunks 3/4" to 1 1/2".

Layer 1/2 of the meat mixture and 1/2 of the cabbage in the slow cooker.  Repeat layers.  Place the other half of the meat and then the cabbage in cooker.

Combine the remaining tomato soup, remaining tomato sauce and 1/3 cup water.  Pour over top of cabbage.

Cook on low 4-6 hours or just until rice is cooked.  Once done, turn slow cooker off, sprinkle cheese on top and let sit 10 minutes to set and melt cheese.

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Pulled Pork in a Crock Pot

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and cut in half
• 3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half

1. In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
2. Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
3. Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the 2 pieces of pork and then pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
4. Turn the slow cooker on to low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.
5. Serve warm with fixings like homemade cole slaw and cornbread. My husband also likes his dipped in a little hot sauce. Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.

Slow Cooker Korean Pork Tacos

NOTES:

• This recipe makes a lot of pulled pork. Stash half in the freezer for a quick meal another night.
• Depending on the jalopenos, this makes for mild-medium heat pulled pork. If you'd like to make it spicier, add 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha to the soy sauce mixture before cooking meat.
• Would be good with plain Greek yogourt or sour cream too and Jenny says next time she would go extra heavy on the jalapeno and lime.

PULLED PORK:

• 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 2 jalapeno peppers , finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3 lbs pork tenderloin or pork butt/shoulder roast
• Salt and pepper , to taste
• 5 whole garlic cloves

SLAW:

• 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of half a lime
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 4 scallions , chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

TACOS:

• Corn or flour tortillas
• Shredded pulled pork
• Slaw
• Cilantro , optional
• Lime wedges , optional

TO MAKE THE PORK:

• Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, red onion, jalepeno, ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
• (Optional step) Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper and brown in a large pan set over medium high heat. Brown all or most sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
• Place pork in a slow cooker. Pour soy sauce mixture over the top. Add the garlic cloves.
• Cover with lid and cook on low for 7 hours, on high for 4 hours.
• Shred pork slightly into large pieces and continue to cook uncovered for an additional 30 minutes.
• Shred pork completely and use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 1 week in the freezer for up to 3 months.

TO MAKE THE SLAW:

• Combine the brown sugar, sesame oil, olive oil, ginger and salt in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
• In a bowl toss the green and red cabbage, scallions and cilantro together. Pour dressing over the top and toss until combined.
• Use immediately, the slaw won't keep for very long.

TO SERVE THE TACOS:

• If desired, toast tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat.
• Top tortillas with pork, slaw, cilantro and a squeeze of a lime wedge.

Creamy White Bean and Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Enjoyed this chili/soup with buns with the Calgary Crew during our Christmas concert/band/swim meet visit 2019.  Amy prepared it ahead of time and all Grandmaman needed to do was add the cream and warm the buns.  A perfect meal on a cold but "busy" winter's evening.  

I took a photo of the soup but my camera lost some photos. Here are a couple of concert/swim photos instead. 

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey thigh (or left-over turkey)

2 (15 oz. cans) cannellini beans

2 carrots finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

2 stalks celery

1 tbsp. ground coriander

2 garlic cloves

1 onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree, unsweetened

1/2 tsp. red chili

2 tbsp. fresh thyme

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

kosher salt to taste

1 tbsp. ground paprika

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Pour the oil into a 4 or 5 quart soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.

2.  Add the garlic and all the spices through the black pepper, stirring to coat in the oil.  Add the turkey and cook until it's no longer pink, stirring and breaking the meat up with a spoon, about 8 minutes.

3.  Add the herbs, pumpkin, beans, broth and 2 teaspoons salt.  Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook 25 minutes adjusting the heat so it doesn't boil.

4.  Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.  Serve in bowls.

To make this chili in a crockpot or slow cooker:

1.  Follow step 1 and 2.  Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker and add the herbs, pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups broth and salt.  

2.  Set to cook on low for 6 hours or 3 hours on high.

3.  Stir in the cream and serve.

Serves 6.

Oma's Meat and Cabbage Rolls

Autumn calls for cabbage rolls and there is no cabbage roll

 so satisfying as Oma's.  A recipe worthy passing on to future generations.

This recipe can be easily made gluten-free. 

 The only substitution necessary is making sure to use 

GF tomato soup.

Enjoy!

Filling

1 lb. hamburger
1/3 cup uncooked rice
1 egg (well beaten)
salt and pepper

Season the meat, add egg and mix in rice.

Sauce

2 to 3 tbsp. butter
1 onion (sliced thin)
1 can tomato soup
juice 1 lemon
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. parsley minced
1/2 cup chopped celery
salt and pepper

Melt butter, add onion and cook for several minutes.  Combine tomato soup and equal amount of water.  Add to onion, add parsley and celery, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.  Cook 10 minutes.

Cabbage

Wash cabbage leaves and boil until tender.  I found a super huge cabbage and it was just big enough for 3 times the recipe (i.e. 3 lbs hamburger)




Assemble
Put 2 tbsp. meat mixture in each leaf and tightly secure each roll with a toothpick.  Place in sauce pan and pour sauce over rolls.  Cover pan and cook slowly 3 hours.  Serve very hot.

Pulled Pork

1 pork shoulder
1 cup coke
2 cups brown sugar
1 jar original bullseye barbecue sauce
crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Slow Cooked Ribs + Skating

What's better than an afternoon skating at the local park?  Maybe having supper ready when you get home?  That's why I love my slow cooker!  I'm always on the hunt for slow cooker recipes that don't taste like slow cooker recipes.  You know what I mean, everybody has had that mushy grey meal emerge from the slow cooker.  Not good!  This rib recipe will make you think BBQ on a warm summer's day.  I've even served it for company and so far, it's been a winner!

Amy’s Slow Cooked Ribs

2 racks of pork back ribs
4 tsp mesquite or Cajun seasoning
salt + pepper
2 cups ketchup
½ cup wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
4 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Cut ribs into single-rib portions; place in large shallow glass dish.  Rub mesquite seasoning, salt and pepper over ribs.  Place dish under broiler, on high, until browned, about 5 minutes per side.  Transfer ribs to slow cooker.

In bowl, mix all other ingredients together and add to slow cooker, stirring to coat ribs.  Cover and cook on low until tender, 6 to 8 hours.

Love,
Twin B
xoxoxo

Slow Cooker Autumn Sweet Potatoes + Muffins

The following two recipes are super easy, delicious, and I love using the leftovers the next day because the result doesn't seem like leftovers.  The sweet potatoes go really nicely with roast turkey, chicken or pork.  Even if people say they don't usually like sweet potatoes, they will like these ones.  Also, because you use the slow cooker, you can get them ready early, so you don't have as much to do at dinner crunch time!  Believe me, the muffin recipe is WORTH IT!  The kiddos always gobble them up!

Little Miss Reegs on the run.  I can't seem to get a good picture of her lately.  She's either on the move, or she wants to 'SEE' the picture on the camera before I've even taken it.  Notice the barrette on the floor behind her?  She is really into "redoing" her hair.  In this picture, she's only got one of her pigtails in.

Can you stand still so Mommy can get a picture?  No?  Okay, I'll take what I can get!

Cooker Autumn Sweet Potatoes


Cooking Spray
4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1 20-once can apple pie filling
2/3 cup raisins
3 Tbs butter, cut up

1 tsp cinnamon
½  tsp nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbs butter

Before Cooking

1.  Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add sweet potatoes, apple pie filling, raisins, 3 Tbs butter, cinnamon and nutmeg into slow cooker.  Cover; cook on low-heat for 6 hours or on high-heat for 3 hours.

After Cooking

2.  In a heavy skillet, combine pecans, sugar and 2 Tbs butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until sugar mixture clinging to nuts turns golden and starts to melt.  Pour nut moisture onto a piece of foil; cool completely.  When nut mixture is cool, coarsely crush.  To serve, top potatoes with candied pecans.  Make ahead:  Prepare candied pecans as directed.  Cover; store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Sweet Potato Muffins

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed sweet potato (or leftover Autumn Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes)
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1/3 c. canola oil
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. nutmeg
2 Tbsps oatmeal
2 Tbsp. molasses
1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350F.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs with sweet potatoes. Add milk, sugar, oil, oatmeal, molasses, and spices; process or beat until smooth.
Pour liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend. Stir in raisins.
Divide the batter between muffin cups.  Bake for 25 minutes or until they are lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Love Twin B
xoxoxoxox

Slow Cooker Chocolate Bread Pudding

Slow Cooker Chocolate Bread Pudding

Sometimes, a dessert is born out of "extra" ingredients.  I had a leftover bag of dried bread cubes in the freezer and googled "bread cubes" along with "chocolate" and "slow cooker".  I got many 'hits' and combined a few different recipes to create this kid-approved yummy dessert.  This warm, gooey dessert was a perfect end to another very cold winter day.  Of course we topped it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients:

6 cups Dried Bread Cubes or leftover day old bread

4 cups whole milk (or 3 cups milk + 1 cup cream)

4 eggs

2 Tbs. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup Skor bits (optional)

Sauce:

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.  Place bread cubes in slow cooker. Mix together milk with eggs, butter, vanilla extract and sugar. Pour over French bread in slow cooker.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Cook on High for 2 hours.

At end of cooking time, mix together vanilla, water, brown sugar and butter in small pan on stove top and bring to a quick boil, removing immediately after sauce comes to a boil.

Pour over cooked slow cooker bread pudding and remove to individual serving dishes.  Can also be served with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream, sprinkled with icing sugar.

My slow cooker...  large capacity, removable liner.  A busy mom's dream!

The chocolate bread pudding before cooking.  Forgot to take a picture of the end result but YUMMY!

E-man's (6 yrs old) picture of a CANADIAN snowman!

T-man's (4 yrs old) picture of a 'very cold' CANADIAN snowman!

Reeg's playing in the Tupperware Drawer...  She  is showing me "my cookies".

Love,
Twin B
xoxoxo

Dreaming of San Diego

So we have been missing our friends in San Diego the last few weeks.  A lot of our big little's buddies became siblings over the last month or so.  We are missing all the new snuggles with all of those adorable bubs.  Dreaming about the warm weather, our days at the beach and zoo and most of all, the giggles with our pals.  My big little spontaneously said yesterday without prompting, "Hummm, where's friends, where are you Diego?".  So sweet.  We looked at pictures of our sunny state buds, and we cooked these pork carnitas up for dinner.  Yum.  I'm not a big pork fan, ask my hubby who loves BBQ pork chops, I rarely cook pork, but I have to say, these were SO SO good, I ate three!  Was a challenge to find the salsa verde here in upstate NY, fellow Canadians might have the same issue.  I was shocked since in SD you have a row of green salsa options.  Worth every aisle searching minute though.  This recipe was from the Kelle Hampton blog that I follow.  Thank you!

Sending Love,

Twin A

Pork Carnitas

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each)
1 jar of salsa verde (green salsa–any kind)
1 can Rotel tomatoes (diced tomatoes with chile's, for the Canadian-folk go ahead and just use diced tomatoes)
1 can chopped green chiles
1 onion, chopped in large pieces

Cover in crockpot and cook on low until pork easily forks apart (about 10 hours). Serve buffet-style with flour tortillas, cheese, cilantro, avocado, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream.

Love these pictures!

These moments are why I am a Mommy!  xxoo