Slow Cooker Ideas

[India]

Hello all,

A friend bought me a slow cooker and I'm starting to feel very guilty about not using it. I used to love cooking but I have so many intolerances that most of my meals these days consist of something grilled served with something steamed.

My main problem is that I don't know how to thicken sauces as I can't tolerate corn and every gluten-free recipe seems to call for cornflour. Would rice flour work ok? I also can't eat onions, which are the base of most casseroles and soups I used to make. It's been a sad winter without my old comfort foods!

Any recipe suggestions would be much appreciated

Thanks x

[kareng]

I have made recipes without onion because I didn't have any & they were fine. I'll come back on later today when I have time & give you a couple of recipes. Not everything needs to be thickened. They will still taste the same. Instant mashed potatoes can thicken, too.

[sa1937]

Do you like chili? I make it all the time in my slow cooker...never use a recipe and never use a thickener of any kind.

I've also done pot roast in my slow cooker. While I do use onions, I'm sure they could be left out.

Another thing is pork and sauerkraut.

I also make spaghetti sauce in my slow cooker.

One of my favorite sites to search for recipes is Open Original Shared Link or Open Original Shared Link

[kareng]

I left the onions in for others who might want to make this. I have made it without when I thought I had some in the freezer & didn't. Also, can you do onion powder? My dad has a hard time with pieces of onion but the powder is OK in moderation.

2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed

5 carrots sliced thinly

1 onion, diced

3 ribs of celery, diced

5 potatoes cubed (use the yellow potatoes and you don't need to peel them)

28 oz can tomatoes

1/3 cup quick-cooking or "Rapid" tapioca

4 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

Combine & cook 10-12 hours on low or 5-6 on high.

[freeatlast]

Do you like chili? I make it all the time in my slow cooker...never use a recipe and never use a thickener of any kind.

I've also done pot roast in my slow cooker. While I do use onions, I'm sure they could be left out.

Another thing is pork and sauerkraut.

I also make spaghetti sauce in my slow cooker.

One of my favorite sites to search for recipes is Open Original Shared Link or Open Original Shared Link

What kind of pork do you use? Would love to see your recipe

[kareng]

I think this would be good without the onions. I don't add the mushrooms. Add a little more basil & oregano & garlic. The shredded parm is way better than that grated stuff in the green can.

The next day, the noodles soak up all the broth. Microwave and its really good.

Crockpot Vegetable Minestrone

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

4 cups tomato juice (large can, get low salt if possible)

1 TBSP dried basil

[sa1937]

What kind of pork do you use? Would love to see your recipe

Recipe ???? I don't have one and unless I'm trying something new or am doing any baking, I rarely use recipes but then I've been cooking at least a hundred years.

I generally use boneless country-style pork ribs, which I brown in the oven first as well as cut off visible fat (I hate fat on meat...well, except bacon). Then I basically drain a bit of juice off the sauerkraut as I find it too sour. I put some in my crockpot and layer with the ribs, cover with more sauerkraut and more ribs. I also add some water. Some people add a bit of brown sugar to take away the sourness and I know some people add caraway seeds or other ingredients. I keep mine pretty plain. I start it in the morning and basically forget about it until dinnertime. I do usually start it on high and then turn it down to low but if I was working, I'd just cook it on low all day. I love fix-it and forget-it meals. I always make mashed potatoes to go with it (homemade, not instant). I also like applesauce with it.

ETA: I use a 2-lb. bag of sauerkraut found in the section with the meats.

[sa1937]

I think this would be good without the onions. I don't add the mushrooms. Add a little more basil & oregano & garlic. The shredded parm is way better than that grated stuff in the green can.

The next day, the noodles soak up all the broth. Microwave and its really good.

Crockpot Vegetable Minestrone

4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

4 cups tomato juice (large can, get low salt if possible)

1 TBSP dried basil

[kareng]

This sounds really good! You add the pasta raw? Just wondering since it's so "pasty"...

Yep! Corn & rice pasta holds up a bit better but she isn't doing corn.

[JCastro]

Check out the book "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow" by Stephanie O'Dea. It is gluten free slow cooker recipes. I have made some really good things from it.

[Keela]

Make a roux to thicken any sauce melt 1/4c. butter or margarine and whisk in 1/4 c. Whatever flour you have on hand then cook for 5-8 min. Then whisk 2c. Of your sauce or stock and when it its blended pour it back into the original dish. You can always leave out the onions. Just increase your other seasonings to make up for leaving then out.

[India]

Thanks so much for all your ideas. I've already tried the potato mash suggestion which made a lamb casserole really yummy. I'll definitely try some of your other suggestions and see if I can find the cookbook too.

I really appreciate your help

[cO-ol]

My method at the moment is throwing whatever veggies and meat (and seasoning) I like (or want to give a try) in the pot. Veggies like green beans and snow peas should (probably) be added no earlier than an hour before finish time (I added them in 2 hours before and they were only vaguely green, lol), but those sorts of veggies are a very wonderful addition. I had stew meat and put cilantro and bok choy in there, and that was YUMMY, despite my n00b self overcooking it a little. Oh, and celery (with leaves!). Also, chives have kind of an onion-y flavor. Maybe that would work? The slow cooker seems like a good way to do the "Hey let's throw all this random stuff in and see what happens" method of cooking, and making something that's inedible is really hard short of pouring wheat berries or something in there.