Granola Helps Me Do My Job

I know it's a stretch, but hear me out. If not for granola, many (more) of my days would be wasted procrastinating by playing online and whatnot. We all have days when we simply can't focus. There's too much running through our minds; we're disorganized; we can't decide which job to tackle first. You know the drill. Heck, I'm procrastinating right now, just by writing this post. (Yes, it needs to get done, but I sh/could have waited until my editing work was finished for the day.)

Anyhow, most of the time, just by writing a to do list, I get a handle on my priorities and am able to rein in my overactive mind. But there are some days when "overwhelmed" doesn't even begin to describe it. Those are the days when I tell myself, "It's time to make granola."

It's not always granola. Sometimes it's whatever crock pot concotion I come up with when I realize the day is getting away from me, or I have too much to do in a short amount of time. You see, the crock pot becomes my timer, my count-down clock. It's a race to the finish. I know what I want to accomplish and I have an alarm that will go off when my day is done. No overtime; no excuses; no goofing off.

But granola is my secret weapon. When there's a batch of oats and nuts roasting in the slow cooker, I am forced to take breaks at certain intervals. I'm also forced to work in the living/dining room instead of at my desk. Why? Because the batch has to be stirred every thirty minutes, give or take, or it will burn. Just the change of scenery makes me more productive.

To make it easier, I work close to the kitchen. I get up when the alarm goes off, stretch my legs, stir the pot, reset the timer, then go back to work. I have yet to burn a batch. This gives me a quick stretch break, and gives my brain a rest for a minute or two. My recovery time is minimal because this practice does not afford me the opportunity to get caught up in a vacuum of social media.

Sure, an easy remedy would be to disconnect from the web altogether when I'm working, but I need access to online resources such as style guides, dictionaries, and various other searchable tools that allow me to verify grammar rules and research facts.

The granola timer also helps on days when there are household chores to do in addition to work. Yesterday, I edited about seventy pages, washed dishes (twice), dished out dinner for three (msg-free lo mein), prepped today's lunch, made three quarts of chicken stock, AND cooked up a big batch of Almond Joy-type granola (just enough chocolate chips to add some sweet, almonds, and a ton of coconut). Will you hate me if I mention I went to bed with a clean kitchen and did not work a minute past 6:00 p.m.?

Of course, now it's getting late and I think I'm going to have to throw some ingredients into the slow cooker just so I can feel I've accomplished more than a blog post today.

My Convertible Granola recipe is here.

Happy Crock Potting!

Pinterest Has Me Cooking Again!

Okay, truth be told, I never stopped. I just didn't have the time for posting about it. Some months, it's difficult enough for me to maintain my weekly schedule, let alone trying to post semi-weekly. Anyhow, I chose to take over Sunday's post for Pinterest recipes this week because the two I made this week were yummilicious and I had to share.

I'm going to begin with dessert since I make this one first, and well, dessert . . .

1-2-3 Apple Crisp

I really hope the blogger doesn't mind me borrowing her picture because this one didn't last long enough to take one. (I think that's a theme around here.) It was outstanding, and my roommates absolutely loved it. I, however, think it needed more oats, so I'll probably double the oats the next time I make it. Still, simple, delish, and by putting it together before dinner, I could throw it into the oven to bake while we ate. Perfect timing never tasted so good.

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

This is another with no picture. Sorry gang, but yesterday morning, when I made it for dinner, I couldn't predict I'd be out of the house when the hordes descended upon the slow cooker.

I have to admit, I took a few liberties with this one. First, it desperately needed pepper, so I added some at the end. Cooking pepper makes the flavor expand and you run the risk of making a dish too spicy, especially in the crock pot. Second, I used homemade chicken stock that I had in the freezer. It was left over from another Pinterest recipe that I will probably share my thoughts on at a later date.

But here's the kicker: By the time I got home, it was GONE! I walked into the kitchen around 2:00 a.m. to find nothing left of my chicken and dumplings but the broth. So I ladeled some into a mug and had an early morning snack. It was excellent.

Later, I found out the one of my roomies was wise enough to fill a dish and tuck it away so I could taste the fruits of my labor. It was even better when I had it for lunch this afternoon. And the rest of the leftover broth? We've been taking turns heating it up in mugs to stave off this unseasonably chilly weather.

So there you go, two tested Pinterest recipes that are definitely worth a try.

Happy Cooking!

I'm Turning into a Hippie

Okay, so maybe it's not that bad, but I've become addicted to making my own yogurt and granola. I've been crocheting like a maniac, working on projects for myself and projects to share with you.

Today; however, I'm sharing my much-experimented-with recipe for basic granola. In the interest of giving credit where credit is due, I must tell you that this granola began as this recipe from Stephanie O'Dea. I've made it several times, and not quite the same each time. I've tweaked it to change the top flavors while leaving the base the same. This is one of those recipes for which I always have the ingredients in the pantry.

Currently, in my crock pot, sits the tasty goodness that will become white chocolate cranberry. Tomorrow's experiment will be blueberry almond, and ready to go the next time I have the desire is the same combo I've been eating for the past two weeks. It contains pistachios, almonds, mixed berries, and dark chocolate. It's very loose, so it's great for cereal in the morning or stirring into a cup of plain yogurt, but I especially like it with about a half cup of ice cream.

In this recipe, I leave three key ingredients up to you. I've listed some of my favorite flavor combinations below.

Okay, enough talk. Let's get down to earthy, crunchy business...

Convertible Granola

5 c rolled oats (NOT the quick cooking kind)
1/4 c sunflower seeds
1/2 c nuts of your choice*
1/2 c shredded coconut
dash salt

1/4 c oil
1/2 c honey

1/2 c dried fruit of your choice*

1/2 c chocolate chips, flavor of your choice*

Dump first group of ingredients into (5 or 6 quart) crock pot and mix thoroughly.
Add oil and honey, and mix to coat dry ingredients.
Cook on high for up to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
When there's only about 30 minutes left on your cooking time, add dried fruit and stir.
Remove granola to a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan to cool.
Once cooled, add chocolate chips, stir, and place in an airtight container.

Granola will stay fresh for a couple of weeks. I keep mine in the refrigerator so it will keep a little longer.

Notes:
Every slow cooker is different, so cooking times will vary. I always set the timer on my crock pot for 3 1/2 or 4 hours, but often finish earlier than that. End the cooking when you decide the granola is browned to your liking. Sometimes, I need to stir more often, or turn down the heat as I near the end of cooking.
To make the honey easier to get out of the measuring cup, I add the oil first, then use the same 1/4 cup measure for the honey. The oil coats the cup so the honey pours right out of it. It makes cleanup easier too.
It doesn't matter whether your nuts are whole, chopped, or sliced; it's your call.
You can use either sweetened or unsweetened coconut. If you choose sweetened, watch that it doesn't burn.
Don't skimp on the oil, but do consider the flavor of the oil you're using. I usually use sunflower oil because it has hardly any flavor.
I find the chocolate chips add some sweet without a ton of extra sugar, but I try to use dark chocolate since it adds some antioxidants to the mix.

*Mixtures of mix-ins:
pecans, cranberries, and white chocolate
almonds, blueberries, and dark chocolate
almonds, extra coconut, and milk chocolate (sound familiar?)
walnuts, apricots (chopped), and dark chocolate

My next experiment may involve agave nectar instead of honey.

Happy Crock Potting!

Not Another Pulled Pork Recipe!

I was at a loss. Pork loin was on sale. Crazy cheap. But you had to buy the family size. Limit two. Did I mention it was crazy cheap? So I bought two of the family size. I had plenty of room in the freezer. And we eat a LOT of pork around here. But buying a lot of pork for crazy cheap in Oklahoma means you end up with about 47 pounds of pork in your freezer. No lie.

I figure it'll last me all winter.

Anyhow, now I had to figure out something to do with all this pork. I wanted to make just a basic pulled pork in the crock pot with the barbecue sauce and a few onions, but I had no sauce and my roommate was kind enough to make sure to devour all the onions along with virtually every other morsel of food in the house.

So I hit the kitchen and took stock. No, not chicken stock. The roommate got that too.

Sigh.

So that's how this recipe was born. It was a Hail Mary and it just happened to work.

**********

You're Better off Living Alone Pulled Pork

5 lbs pork loin, bone-in or partially boneless, still frozen

2-3 tsp garlic powder

1 quart water

2 recipes of this copycat of Lipton Onion Soup Mix*

Put all ingredients except for the meat into the slow cooker and give it a stir. It doesn't have to be completely blended, you just don't want any of it dry when you add your roast.

Add meat, cover, and cook on low for about 14-16 hours. Around the 10 hour mark, turn the roast over and put the cover back on.

*If you don't want to make the copycat, you'll need 2-3 packets of the store-bought onion soup mix.

**********

I kid you not. That's really all there is to it. The secret is low and slow. I am convinced that's why meat that I cook in the crock pot always comes out more tender and flavorful when I begin with it still frozen. It takes longer to cook sometimes, but it's so tender it almost melts in your mouth.

The broth is amazing, more like soup. I've mentioned before I'm not a gravy person, so I think rice pilaf would be a great side for this. However, we served it with baked sweet potatoes, cornbread, and summer squash smothered in onions.

I promised my pal Tony that I would post the rice pilaf recipe too, but I don't have the time right now, so I'll make a note and you can all have it next Sunday instead.

Don't look so sad. Tell you what: as a consolation prize, I'll tell you my plans for the leftover broth, since that's all that was left over.

Again, just dump the broth into the crock pot. If you don't have enough, make up some of the liquid with some canned beef or vegetable broth, or even water. Add your meat. Same deal -- about a 5 pound pork loin, either partially boneless or bone-in, still frozen. (You could even get away with frozen broth.)

Cook it on low for about 8 hours. Turn the meat over, add about 2-3 pounds of mixed frozen vegetables. (Whatever kind you want. I think I'm going to use spinach and whatever bags of veggies are sitting in the freezer half used.) Also, stir in about 2 cups of rice and let it go. Check on it after about 4 hours to see whether the rice is done and/or you need to add more liquid.

Happy Crock Potting!

Yogurt Making 101

If you follow me on twitter, you know my latest addictions are avocados and Greek yogurt. Not necessarily together, but they do complement one another well. (I've found I prefer the plain, unsweetened, low- or non-fat Greek-style yogurt to sour cream.) The only problem is that Greek yogurt can be pricey, but I love making my own in the crock pot.

I believe I've mentioned it before, but here's a refresher: My BFF's sister (to protect the family's anonymity, I will refer to her here as "Sis"), who succumbed to leukemia about six months ago, was a huge fan of Stephanie O'Dea. Yes, that Stephanie O'Dea, the Queen of Slow Cooking. Sis turned me on to Stephanie's blog and, with a little inspiration from Pinterest, I began slow cooking on a regular basis after I moved from Boston to Oklahoma City. In fact, I believe the first dinner I cooked from scratch in my new kitchen included a crock pot entree.

Since then, I've been hooked. I use my crock pot at least once a week. It never gets tucked into a cabinet, not only because I don't really have the space, but also because I use it so much it makes sense to keep the crock pot handy. And my favorite thing to make is yogurt.

So now that we've come full circle ... A few weeks ago, I found a recipe on Pinterest claiming I could make homemade yogurt in my slow cooker. The recipe was from Stephanie O'Dea's blog. I figured, "how bad could it be?" I hadn't prepared any of Stephanie's recipes yet, but thanks to Sis, I had tasted a couple. So I made certain to purchase milk and plain Greek yogurt when I was at the grocery store. Milk because it's the base, and essentially the only ingredient; yogurt because it's Stephanie's starter of choice; and Greek because I'd never tried Greek-style yogurt before and I've read about what a terrific substitute it is for mayonnaise, sour cream, and other more fatty/less healthy cooking ingredients. (The first time I put Greek yogurt on a baked potato, I swore I'd never purchase sour cream again.)

The only drawback to making your own yogurt is time. You need to be able to devote a good fourteen or fifteen hours to this process. In today's world, that's quite a commitment. But I did the math and figured if I began the process some time around 4:30 in the afternoon, I could sleep through most of it.

As instructed, I poured my (whole, full fat) milk into the cooker and heated it for 2 1/2 hours on low, then unplugged it and let it sit for 3 hours. I added my starter, swaddled the pot in towels, and crossed my fingers. Stephanie's instructions confused me only a little. They said to, "Go to bed, or let it sit for 8 hours." I really wasn't sure if that meant it shouldn't sit for any longer than 8 hours, so I set my alarm to wake me about 8 hours after I wrapped my crock pot.

Yeah, that didn't work so well. I shut off the alarm and slept for another three hours (which, by the way, only garnered me a total of seven hours sleep). I was honestly terrified to open the pot, afraid of what I might find, afraid it had set too long. So how happy was I when I finally worked up the courage to remove the lid?

Immediately, I was hit with that pungent, tart aroma you encounter when you open a fresh cup of yogurt. I gave it a stir and found the consistency to be a bit richer and creamier than store bought, which makes sense since I usually purchase nonfat rather than lowfat. Honest to goodness, I nearly cried I was so excited. Who knew such a small accomplishment could be so rewarding, so empowering?

I was all over twitter within minutes, showing off my accomplishment and, of course, thanking the Woman Herself for posting the recipe on her blog. When I finally took a few minutes to breathe, I pulled out a large bowl and a colander that I lined with paper towels (you could use cheesecloth) and poured in my yogurt. Then I sat the contraption in the fridge after pulling out enough of my yogurt to use as a starter for the next batch.

In less than 24 hours, the thinner, traditional yogurt was a much thicker consistency and I had a bowl full of whey. In fact, it was just a bit too thick, so I ended up adding some of the whey back in to thin it out just a bit.

On to Yogurt Making 102

Elated, and perhaps inflated, by my success at making whole milk yogurt, I decided that my next batch should be made with almond milk. One of Stephanie O'dea's readers had had success making dairy-free yogurt. She published her process, which was virtually the same, but she went with a probiotic instead of using yogurt as a starter. She also added gelatin later to thicken it. So I decided to give it a shot.

I read up a bit and found that several bloggers had made dairy free yogurt using the same method I had used. Some even went with the basic yogurt starter rather than probiotic. Some, not all, used gelatin to thicken it; some drained the whey. So I put on my big girl pants and headed to the kitchen once again.

This time I got off to a later start. I went through each step: heat for 2 1/2 hours; cool for 3 hours; add starter, swaddle, and let sit overnight. Easy peasy mac 'n' cheesy! Okay, maybe not.

Because of the later start, I actually ended up staying up later than I normally would just to add the starter. This meant I got up in the morning with fewer than eight hours of sleep. So, when the pot had sat for eight hours, I opened it. It smelled yogurty at first whiff, but then it just smelled funky. Had I been more experienced at that point, I would have been wise enough to wrap it all back up and leave it be for a few more hours. I would have realized that the fermentation process was probably working and just needed more time, but my inner Anakin took over and I chose to move forward.

I put together my drainage contraption and stuck the whole shebang into the fridge. I sniffed at it a few times while it drained, but mostly, I just left it alone. It did not smell like yogurt. It didn't really smell like anything, actually.

After 24 hours, I pulled the mess I had made out of the refrigerator and gave it a stir. It was more like a thin ricotta than yogurt. And it tasted vile. I dumped the still-quite-loose mess down the sink along with the whey that had drained and resolved to take smaller steps next time around. By "smaller steps," I mean sticking to cow's milk until I have a bit more experience. Which brings me to . . .

Yogurt Making 101a, the Intermediate Class

This one happened just this week and I feared the worst while it was all going on. Without thinking, and because I was craving a baked potato and hadn't bought any yogurt, only enough to use as a starter, I threw a half gallon of milk into the slow cooker before I did any math. About an hour into the cooling time, I realized that I would need to make a difficult choice.

I had to leave early the following morning and wouldn't be home until mid- to late afternoon. Basically, my pot would have to sit and ferment either for only seven hours or for a full fourteen. (Additionally, I wasn't sure what to expect since I had used 1% milk instead of whole.) Neither sat well with me. But I chose to let it go all night, then all day, and hope for the best.

When I got home that afternoon, just a bit earlier than I thought I would, I steeled myself and unwrapped the pot. It was still quite warm, a good sign. Warm meant it was still fermenting rather than just spoiling. I didn't have a lot of time to deal with it since I had work to do and also needed to figure out dinner, so I poured it into a couple of containers; reserved enough for a starter; and stuck it in the fridge.

It smelled like yogurt, not as strong as the whole milk version had, but I knew I'd done it right this time. It was quite loose, smoothie loose, but that didn't scare me. I knew from experience that it would thicken a bit as it cooled. But the most important part was it tasted like yogurt which could mean only one thing: it was yogurt.

The next day, I figured I'd take some time to drain it so it was more like Greek yogurt. Much to my surprise, it had thickened considerably on its own. Still, I drained off quite a bit of whey and got it to about the same consistency as my first batch.

And here we are, full circle once more. The next batch of yogurt I make will be with the 1% milk again, but with the starter from the last rather than a store-bought yogurt. This will be the test for me.

At some point, I will again attempt a dairy-free version, but not before I try it with nonfat milk. And, coming this summer: fro-yo. I've made ice cream, so frozen yogurt should be a piece of cake. I'll just need to find an ice cream maker that fits my budget. (I'm cheap, remember?)

I really would encourage anyone and everyone who loves yogurt as much as I do to take the plunge and make your own.

Happy Crock Potting!

"I Totally Made Yogurt!"

Those were pretty much the first words out of my mouth when I woke up yesterday morning. I was so excited I nearly cried.

Slow Cooker Yogurt

Okay, just for clarity, let me take you back to the beginning . . . It was only about two weeks ago that I tried plain yogurt for the first time. I had a couple of recipes that called for sour cream and decided to go with the plain, nonfat, Greek yogurt as a healthier substitute. I absolutely fell in love with the stuff. I knew I had pinned a yogurt recipe or two, so I put the ingredients for them on my shopping list and figured I'd test the recipe the next time I shopped for groceries.

The big secret ingredient? Milk. That's it. Cross my heart. You have to have a slow cooker and a couple of towels or a blanket. But pretty much all you need is milk. Oh, and half a cup of plain yogurt. Make sure it's the kind that has live cultures in it (I think they all do, but just in case). Then go here. Now follow all of Stephanie's instructions. I started around 4:00p.m. on Monday and let it go overnight.

I awoke Tuesday morning to the richest, creamiest, tastiest yogurt I've ever tried. I'm sure that's got to do with the fact that I used whole milk. You see, I was afraid I wouldn't get great results, so rather than take the chance of trying any alternatives, I went with Stephanie O'Dea's basic whole milk version. I'm no chicken in the kitchen, but this was just a completely foreign concept to me, so I played it safe.

However, I did buy almond milk specifically so I could try making a dairy-free version. I was very tempted to pick up rice milk and coconut milk as well, but, long story short, my cart was way too full by the time I hit the dairy section. I promise an update after the dairy-free experiment.

Creamy Banana Dressing

In the meantime, try your homemade yogurt as a substitute for the sour cream in this recipe. I sort of cheated because instead of grilling the chicken, I poached it in canned chicken broth (because I needed to poach some chicken for another recipe anyway) and I just wasn't up to pulling out the fry pan to saute it or sticking it under the broiler. (I don't have a grill.) Besides, it's not so much the chicken that's the star of this show, it's the fruit.

The verdict on this one isn't as exciting. I would definitely make this for a crowd. The dressing is fabulous and it's a nice alternative to the typical berry coulis or vinaigrette, but I really prefer my fruit salad completely naked. Although, I would consider stirring the dressing into a cup of plain yogurt. Maybe that can be Wednesday's breakfast.

Happy Cooking!

I Still Don't Own Cookware

I know. No, the irony is not lost on me. One of the things I did before I left Boston was place a WalMart order for many of the items I would need when I arrived. It was timed so that it would hit me within a day or two of my arrival. I figured I'd eat out the first night or two anyway, so I'd be able to settle in a bit before I had to actually cook for myself.

Well, I forgot I was traveling during the holiday season and maybe, just maybe, things might sell out before my order was picked. That's exactly what happened.

I cheaped out on certain items, like cookware and knives, because they're the most important tools to me and when I buy them for real, I intend to purchase top notch (as I always have). Meanwhile, I figured I'd live with the throw-away stuff for a few months. Hence, the order for housewares from WalMart rather than Macy's.

On the other hand, I decided to treat myself to a really good slow cooker because even the cheapest of the cheap last quite some time and it would just be a sin to buy a "disposable." No, I didn't get the Ninja, but I probably will if I decide to upsize from a tiny studio to a full-sized apartment with a bigger kitchen.

Anyhow, the knife and cookware sets I chose were out of stock when I ordered them. No big deal. I could pick up the same sets in-store when I did my grocery shopping, right? Weeeeellll ... I decided to just grab a three-piece knife set with only the basics. It cost me almost nothing and I figured I didn't need more than that for now.

But cookware ... All those years selling housewares turned me into the biggest cookware snob. When I actually looked at, and handled, the pans I had initially chosen, I was so happy I hadn't been able to buy it. It was way worse than junk. I picked out a different set that cost only a few dollars more, but after spending over four hours at WalMart (long story short, I shopped for a LOT of items that night, including groceries), I was in no mood to lug it home. I figured I'd make do with the crock pot, microwave, and toaster oven for a few days and simply order the cookware online (yay for free shipping). It's due to be delivered some time today.*

Of course, since I haven't been able to boil or saute, I've had to be resourceful. Thankfully, I was wise enough to ensure that I purchased ingredients for several slow cooker and oven recipes I wanted to try. In fact, only one or two of the recipes on my list required any sort of stove-top preparation, so I postponed them temporarily.

Anyhow, I have two recipes and one fabulous tip to share with you this week (links are in the titles):

Baked Oven Fries

This technique is supposed to produce excellent, crispy, golden brown fries. Meh. I didn't see any major difference between the way I normally make my own oven fries and following this procedure. I did follow it pretty much to the letter just so I'd be sure to come up with results based on the changes vs. my usual method. I found the cooking time needed to be much longer in order to get the potatoes to crisp. It also uses more oil than I normally would.

The verdict: I'll go back to the method I've used for years. It works for me. I will also post my own method soon, but not just yet, because I'm trying to work a way of seasoning the potatoes without using the processed crap (packaged onion soup mix) that I usually use while still getting that flavor.

I kept the meal itself simple. I just microwaved leftovers that I'd packed in the freezer and threw together a side salad. (BTW, for the dressing on that salad, I mixed a little Italian dressing with the honey mustard sauce from last week's post and, YUM!)

I swear if this chicken were a man, I'd marry it.

OMGWTFBBQ** Chicken

No, that's not really what this recipe is called, but it may as well be. It is unbelievable! I did not tweak it at all. The only change I might make is to double the amount of chicken OR serve it over rice to catch all of the amazing sauce it makes. Seriously, this sauce is so good, I could drink it. Actually, I think the recipe says to oil or grease your crock pot before you put the chicken in, but I didn't and I had zero problems with cleanup. I had to freeze the leftovers immediately because I didn't want to end up in a food coma.

I actually paired the chicken with baked sweet potatoes and a side salad. An excellent choice, I might add. There was so much sauce that I didn't want to waste, so I put it in a container in the fridge and had it a few days later with just a left-over sweet potato. When I say amazing, I mean A. May. Zing! This recipe alone is reason enough to buy a slow cooker. Make sure it's a 6-quart. As I already stated, you could easily double the amount of chicken (and bacon, of course) without needing to double the other ingredients and still prepare it in a 6-quart cooker. However, if you decide to upsize any more than that, go with an 8-quart.

So what would I do if I decided to tweak it? I'd throw chunks of onion in there. That sauce would be even more fabulous with a large vidalia or a couple of medium yellow onions.

Also, the cook time is perfect. My chicken was basically still frozen when I put it in and it cooked on low for about 7 hours. It came apart with a fork, just like the best pulled beef or pork does.

Now about that extra bacon

One of the reasons lettuce and tomato were on my grocery list this time around was that I haven't had a BLT in ages. I'm not kidding; it's literally been about 20 years. I figured if I was going to wrap chicken in bacon and end up with a few slices left over, I may as well make myself a sandwich. Well, duh! I didn't buy bread. I did cook up the rest of the bacon after basket weaving it per this tip. In fact, I broiled it, then I drained it thoroughly and froze it. I still ended up with a couple of stray slices, so I crumbled them and used them on a huge salad for lunch one afternoon. However, the woven slices look too good not to use in a BLT or club sandwich.

Happy Cooking!

*Remember, I pre-program my posts, so I haven't lived without stove-top cooking as long as it may appear.

**OMGWTFBBQ is the title of chapter 7 of my friend William Vitka's first novel, Infected.

New Home, New Kitchen, New ... Blog?

Okay, no, not really. Just a new blog feature. I've been toying with this idea for a while and my obsession with all things Pinterest has fueled my desire to cook. Not just cook, but to try new things.

I have about 1500 recipes pinned in my Pinterest boards. They are in desperate need of organization. But why organize when I haven't tried them? They will simply sit in their virtual cages collecting virtual dust until I decide I need to try them out.

So what's my solution? Simple: I'm going to begin testing them, one or more at a time, until I decide not to do it anymore. What do you think of that? So my plan is to try one or two new recipes each week and post the results here for all the world to see. Then, as I try each one, I will categorize the keepers and delete the rest.

"But," you ask, "what of the brilliant posts we rise early to read every Sunday morning? What shall we do without them?" Fear not, faithful readers; I will not abandon you. Although I have taken the past two Sundays off because I've been packing and moving half way across the country (more on that this weekend), I will continue with my usual fun Sunday morning treats including the occasional crochet pattern, original recipe, and shenanigans in the world that is independent publishing.

Enough set-up. Let's talk turkey. Specifically ground turkey. I literally just moved from Boston to Oklahoma City with three carry-on-sized bags. Any of my other possessions, I packed up and shipped via USPS to a pal here in OKC. I'm in a small, temporary, furnished location with a full, but small, kitchen for now. So I've had to purchase all brand new kitchen items. I still don't have dishes or cookware.

What I DO have is a crock pot, a (provided) microwave, and a toaster oven. So I CAN slow cook, nuke, and bake. PERFECT! Therefore, the two recipes I want to share with you this week are quite simple and take a minimum time investment.

Prep and Forget Turkey

First, is one that I talked about on the blog a few weeks back. It is truly my favorite slow cooker recipe (so far). I must give credit to my BFF for turning me on to it. As I've mentioned in the past, She's got a great nose for finding simple, great tasting recipes that take very little time.

I did tweak it just a bit, but the tweaking was completely unnecessary. You'll find the pin here. It's essentially Thanksgiving dinner in the crock pot, and easily one of my favorite comfort foods. Also, compared to most comfort foods, it's quite healthy, and a well-rounded meal.

So, what did I do to tweak it? Here's the list:

• Instead of using the traditional veggie mix, I used a mix of frozen broccoli and cauliflower
• I chunked the onion rather than chopping it fine
• I chopped up and added a huge stalk of celery because I had it in the fridge
• I used a tablespoon of barbecue sauce in place of the teaspoon of A-1 (I can't stand A-1)
• Instead of turkey stuffing, I went with corn bread
• I got off to a very late start, so I cooked it on high for 4 hours instead of low for 6-8

The verdict: I still love it. The next time I make it, I may substitute pearl onions for the chopped onion. I found the cornbread stuffing wasn't quite as good as the basic, everyday Stove Top, but it's better for me as I should be on a gluten-reduced (if not gluten-free) diet, so I will probably continue to use it even though I prefer the traditional. And, I will make sure that from now on I have a full eight hours for the cooking time. Everything was cooked satisfactorily, but the stuffing didn't pick up as much moisture from the steam in the pot as it does when cooked on low. The leftovers were much better than that first night.

What of those leftovers? I doubled the recipe, so there are TONS. So I packed most of them into individual containers and froze them for nights when I'm in no mood to cook.

A tip about the size of your slow cooker: If you're making a single shot of this (which easily serves six), use a four quart or smaller cooker. If you're doubling the recipe, use a six quart or larger.

This photo was totally stolen from the original blog post for this recipe click the pic to go there 

Chick-Fuh-Lay Sauce

In spite of my love of chicken nuggets, tenders, and strips, I've never had Chick-fil-a and probably never will. I happen to love the Tyson Crispy Strips and will have them occasionally, but this sauce is definitely one that is great for chicken cooked any which way you want to serve it. (I'm thinking grilled strips to cut the bread and therefore, the gluten content.)

The tweaks were unintentional, but here they are:

• I had no actual garlic powder, so I used onion powder instead
• I also used chopped raw garlic, about half a clove to make up for the missed garlic flavor
• I kept the salt to a minimum, just a pinch rather than really salt it up as most restaurants would

The verdict: YUM! This will be my go-to honey mustard dressing-type thing from now on. However, I will use a blender or food processor to mix it rather than just a spoon or fork. It came out too lumpy from the mayonnaise not wanting to mix well with the other ingredients.

I kept it simple, opting to serve the chicken with a huge salad rather than the oven fries I originally intended to make.

So there you have it. Are there any Pinterest recipes I MUST TRY? Give me a shout in the comments below.

Happy Pinning!

Added 2/23/13: I had dinner this evening at Chick-fil-A for the very first time and that copycat sauce is spot on!

Feed Me, Pinterest

Okay, I realize I just recently posted about my budding affection for Pinterest. Since then, my recipe board (titled Feed Me) has gotten a bit out of hand. It currently weighs in at well over 1000 recipes, many of them for the slow cooker/crock pot. So I've decided to sort through them in a somewhat unique way.

I've begun another board for recipes I really want to try and a third that contains recipes for which I've purchased the ingredients and will be testing soon. I figure once I've tested the recipe, I'll decide whether to categorize it, so I can find it again, or delete it.

One recipe that is on the "purchased" list is one I've had several times and I already know I love it. It came to me courtesy of my BFF and it's like Thanksgiving dinner in the Crock Pot. I swear it's my favorite slow cooker recipe ever. Who doesn't love the combination of turkey, cranberries, and stuffing? If only it had mashed potatoes, it would be perfect. By the way, if you intend to try this recipe on my recommendation, remember one rule: once you've turned on the slow cooker, do not lift the lid. It needs to cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4. Resist the temptation to check it until the lower time has elapsed otherwise your stuffing will come out hard and uncooked.

I think I'm going to take the same approach with all those great craft ideas I've pinned as well. If I don't stay organized I'll have a terrible mess on my hands. And that, my friends, would defeat the entire purpose for me joining Pinterest in the first place. So keep an eye on the blog and I'll provide as many recipe reviews as I can without getting too repetitive. Or follow me on Pinterest and get the scoop there.

Meanwhile, if there's a recipe you see on my pinboard that you'd like to nominate, drop the link in the comments below and I'll put it on the list. I mean I wouldn't have pinned it if I had no intention of trying it anyway, right?

Happy Pinning!