Sweet Potatoes

Firstly, Happy Thanksgiving. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to stuff myself and stayed far away from the turkey until it was nicely carved and bearing no resemblance to any type of bird (as to avoid a traumatic experience akin to that of "Chicken Noodle Soup").

I made the sweet potatoes for our meal. I chose sweet potatoes because no one really likes them anyway - so I wouldn't be too stressed out if I messed them up. Blake's aunt made the most amazing sweet potatoes last year and I was hoping to replicate. Alas, mine were only average. I think the key is using grated ginger root - but you're supposed to use 6x as much fresh ginger as you would ground ginger. I might try more fresh ginger and less orange zest. They were a tad on the citrus-y side.

Stay tuned... I promise brilliance next Thanksgiving.

Source: lowfatcooking.about.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger

PREPARATION:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add sweet potatoes and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain sweet potatoes; add orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Mash until smooth.

Serves 6.

Per Serving: Calories 180, Calories from Fat 4, Total Fat 0.4g (sat 0.1g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 21mg, Carbohydrate 41.3mg, Fiber 4.7g, Protein 2.7g

Chicken Noodle Soup

I read that chicken noodle soup for colds isn't just an old wives's tale. The warm, salty fluid helps to loosen secretions and something in the soup has an anti-inflammatory effect that keeps production of mucous down. Yum.

So I decided to make some, since I get sick so much.

Did I mention that I don't like raw meat? This was a particularly traumatic experience for me because I had to butcher a whole chicken. When I took it out of the wrapper I saw that it had cute little legs... and cute little wings... and a cute little butt. I could just picture it running around the chicken coop with all of its cute little chicken friends. And I had to massacre it - not just cut it up but actually break its bones apart.

I had no idea where to cut - the recipe, of course, did not specify. And I had no idea if I should use all of the chicken or just certain parts. So I called my mom and she coached me. (What would the world do without moms?) She said it didn't matter where I broke it apart, all of the meat falls off of the bones in soups anyway. And every part of the chicken is fair 'game' (couldn't resist) - unless it's wrapped in paper, in which case it should be removed. There was no paper but I did run into an absolutely disgusting-looking sausage-like piece which I didn't want anywhere near anything I was going to eat - so I cut that off and threw it out.

Yuck, yuck, and yuck. Next time I am going to buy the chicken pieces already cut.

So despite all that, the soup turned out really well and was incredibly flavorful. I added a clove of garlic and lots of chili powder to the broth. Then I doubled the carrots, celery, and parsley. I will use 12 cups water water next time (not enough broth for me) and 1 teaspoon pepper.

For anyone who doesn't feel like tearing apart a raw chicken then picking the bones out of the meat, store-bought chicken noodle soup seems to have the same medicinal effects as homemade (but doesn't taste as good, I promise).

Source: Better Homes and Gardens
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 40 minutes
Makes: 8 servings (10 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 1 3-1/2- to 4-pound stewing chicken, cut up, or 2-1/2 pounds meaty chicken pieces
  
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup chopped carrots (2 medium)
• 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
• 1-1/2 cups dried egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

Directions

1. In a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven combine chicken, water, onion, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is very tender.

2. Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones. Discard bones and skin. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; set aside. Discard bay leaf. Skim fat from broth.

3. Bring broth to boiling. Stir in carrot and celery. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes. Stir in noodles. Simmer, covered, 5 minutes more or until noodles are tender but still firm. Stir in chicken and parsley; heat through.

Meat & Potatoes

I tried making a pot roast in the slow cooker and ran into a couple of issues - both of which stem from a fundamental problem in the world of cooking: recipes are geared towards people who already know how to cook.

My issues:

1. The recipe calls for 5.5 lbs "pot roast." So I was in the meat department of my local grocery store looking for "pot roast," but such a thing does not exist. They had rump roast, chuck roast, and tri-tip roast, but no "pot roast." I was just about to reach for my phone and call my mom to ask her which I should buy (in retrospect, funny how my first thought is to call my mom and not ask the butcher who was standing 30 ft. away) when I noticed that the chuck roast was on sale for $1.99/lb. So I bought that.

2. The recipe instructs to cook on high for 3-4 hours but gives no guideline for determining when the roast is adequately cooked. After 3 hours there was still a lot of blood coming out when I poked at it. After 4 hours, I thought it looked done. Fortunately, Blake was over and he remembered something about meat needing to have an internal temperature of 160-degrees. I managed to find a meat thermometer and my roast was only 140-degrees. So we put in The Godfather II, let it cook another hour (for anyone who is counting, we're now at 5 hours) and it just barely reached 160-degrees. Unfortunately, we found that it was overcooked.

So the meat was tough and fatty (should I have used something besides chuck roast?) and the gravy was way too salty (I suggest using only half of the onion soup packet). But I had added some red potatoes and mushrooms and they were quite tasty.

At the end of the day, I don't think I'm a meat & potatoes kind of girl.

Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Submitted by: Brenda Arnold Rated: 5 out of 5 by 2992 members

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 8 Hours

Ready In: 8 Hours 10 Minutes Yields: 12 servings

"This simple pot roast makes its own gravy in the slow cooker."

INGREDIENTS:

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion

soup mix 1 1/4 cups water 5 1/2 pounds pot roast

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a slow cooker, mix cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
2.	Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.

Nutrition Info (per serving)

Calories 435 (52% from fat) | Protein 45.6g | Fat 24.5g (sat 9.1g) | Carbohydrate 5.2g | Fiber 0.3g | Cholesterol 127mg | Iron 4mg | Sodium 663mg | Calcium 27mg

Bean & Ham Soup

Here's where I get into trouble with cooking: apparently you're supposed to follow recipes. I am detail-oriented in every other aspect of my life but, for whatever reason, when it comes to recipes I struggle.

The Bean & Ham Soup was my first experience with a slow cooker. It's supposed to cook for 10 hours. That sounded ridiculous to me - so I tried 5 hours (on high) without success. After hour 4 I ladled the contents of my slow cooker into a large pot and simmered it on the stove. The broth didn't want to thicken so I added 3 tablespoons of corn starch mixed with water.

It was somewhat of a disaster.

Bay leaves are gross. Some of the reviewers on Allrecipes suggested adding them but I wish I hadn't. I also added a clove of garlic and a can of chicken broth. I have no idea if either of these ingredients made for more flavorful soup, but they didn't hurt.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can buy pre-cooked and cubed ham. Due to my immense fear of raw meat, I am a fan. I will likely make it again - but will use more chicken broth and less water.

On a side note, my slow cooker rocks. It has a lid that can be clamped down to prevent spills when transporting. It also came with a super stylin' green gingham carrying case.


Hamilton Beach Stay/Go Slow Cooker

Grandma B's Bean Soup

Submitted by: Reneerent Rated: 4 out of 5 by 23 members

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Hours

Ready In: 16 Hours 15 Minutes Yields: 8 servings

"A simple slow cooker bean and ham soup. It's delicious!"

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound dry navy beans 3 carrots, peeled and shredded 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, sliced 1 medium onion, diced 2 cups cubed cooked ham

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Place the beans in a slow cooker with enough water to cover, and soak 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
2.	Drain the beans, and return to the slow cooker. Cover with water, and mix in the carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and ham.
3.	Cover slow cooker, and cook soup on High for 3 1/2 hours. Switch to Low, and continue cooking at least 6 1/2 hours. The longer it cooks the more flavorful it becomes.

Nutrition Info (per serving)

Calories 337 (17% from fat) | Protein 22g | Fat 6.8g (sat 2.4g) | Carbohydrate 48g | Fiber 10.8g | Cholesterol 32mg | Iron 4mg | Sodium 47mg | Calcium 118mg

Turkey & Veggie Chili

Fresh vegetables are the best and this recipe is a great way to integrate them into a meal. This was my first experience with coriander and yuck! It tastes like lemon dish soap. I would definitely omit it. I also added a can of kidney beans - because what is chili without beans? Other than that, this stuff is incredibly yummy and healthy. Plus - added bonus - you can freeze it!

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey (7% fat) 2 packages taco seasoning (1 ounce each) 2 teaspoons ground coriander 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes (optional) 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 cups mild salsa 4 cups canned, crushed tomatoes in puree 7-ounce can chopped green chili peppers 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups) 2 green bell peppers, diced 5 medium zucchinis, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 6 cups) Garnish: 1 1/4 cups shredded, reduced-fat Jack or cheddar cheese 1 bunch green onions, chopped (the white and part of the green) 1 1/4 cups fat-free sour cream 1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
Preparation:
1.	Heat oil in a large, nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey, and as it cooks, use a potato masher to crumble into small pieces. After about 4 minutes, add taco seasoning mix, coriander, oregano, and the chili flakes (if desired). Stir and continue cooking until turkey is well browned.
2.	Add chicken broth, salsa, tomatoes, green chilies, onion, bell pepper, and zucchini. Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and reduce heat; simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3.	Ladle the chili into individual bowls (or into freezer portions). Just before serving (and after heating, if frozen), top each with grated cheese, green onions, sour cream, and avocado as desired.
Yields: 10 servings
Nutritional Information: Per serving: 245 calories, 17 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (2.6 g saturated fat, 4.2 g monounsaturated fat, 3 g polyunsaturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g fiber, 990 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 36%.
NOTE: The garnishes add (per serving) 100 calories, 6 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 5.5 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 2.6 g monounsaturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 7 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 99 mg sodium.

Source: WebMD Healthy Recipes