Put Your CrockPot to Work!

It's that time of year that the CrockPot gets dusted off and brought out to the kitchen counter.  This handy device makes it easy to cook healthy meals without a lot of work.  These two recipes are my favorites - good flavors and my whole family loves them.  I will will make these and then eat leftovers for days.  You can also freeze the leftovers in the freezer if you get tired of eating the same thing for several days.  

SHREDDED BEEF STEW

This stew has a simple list of ingredients, but plenty of great flavor thanks to flank steak, a cut that's known for its excellent meaty flavor. The flank is also known for its long grainy, and sometimes tough texture. In this stew the texture is a great asset—the meat shreds apart into tasty strips after it's cooked in the slow cooker.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat, each steak cut into thirds
• 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
• 10 corn tortillas, heated (see Tip)

PREPARATION

1. Combine broth, vinegar, celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add beef, submerging it by tucking the vegetables under, over and between the pieces.
2. Put the lid on and cook on low until the meat is fork-tender, about 8 hours.
3. Transfer the meat to a cutting board; let stand for 10 minutes. Shred the meat with 2 forks and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in cilantro. Garnish with jalapeno and serve warm tortillas on the side.

CHICKEN IN A POT

INGREDIENTS

3 carrots, sliced

1 onion, sliced

3 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 whole broiler/fryer chicken, 3-4 lb.  Remove innards and rinse.

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 lemon quartered

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup chicken broth

6-8 garlic cloves

2 tsp dried basil

1 Tbl low sodium soy sauce or tamari

6 small red potatoes, quartered

PREPARATION

1. Put carrots, onion, potatoes and celery in bottom of stoneware.  

2. Place lemon and bay leaf inside chicken, add chicken to crock pot. 

3. Top with liquid, then salt and pepper.  Sprinkle basil over the top.  

4. Cover and cook on low 10 hours (can do High for 6 hours, but add 1/2 cup more liquid).  

5. Remove chicken and vegetables with spatula.