Slow Cooker Big Easy Meatloaf Recipe

It's the summer! And evidently that means that I neglect the computer.

oops! Sorry about that.

But I have been crockpotting, and I'd like to share a meatloaf I threw together that we enjoyed out in the yard.

I really appreciate that I can use the crockpot on a hot day and not have it heat up the house the way the oven or stove does. I also appreciate that the kids and I can be out in the yard playing in the water instead of hanging out in the house while I tend to dinner.

The Ingredients
serves 4-6

1 pound lean ground turkey or beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 fully cooked andouille sausage links (6-ounces, total)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I put a metal loaf pan into the slow cooker and baked the meatloaf in it (no need to add water, just put the loaf pan into the crock), but if you'd prefer to not use a loaf pan, you can just make a blob with the meat and put it directly into the crock.

Anyhow, take the casing off of the sausage, and chop it into pieces. Toss it in a mixing bowl with the ground meat, all the spices and the beaten egg. Mix well; I always use my hands. Shove the meat mixture into a 9 x 5 x 3 baking pan and put this pan into an oval crockpot (or plop the meat blob into the crock all alone).

Cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3 to 5 hours. You'll know the loaf is done when it's brown on the top and it starts to pull away from the sides. If you're not using the loaf pan, the meat will cook faster---check after 4 hours on low, 2 to 3 on high.

When thoroughly cooked, turn off and unplug the cooker and let the meat sit for about 15 minutes before removing from the pot.

The Verdict

I loved how the andouille sausage livens up this meatloaf (which can sometimes be pretty darn boring). I also liked that I was able to use up the two sausages I had roaming about the freezer and a package of ground turkey meat. We ate our meatloaf in the yard with some potato wedges. The kids always dip meatloaf into A-1 sauce.

always.

more meatloaf!

traditional meatloaf
blue cheese and cherry meatloaf (sounds weird, but it's totally good)

I haven't started reading The Help yet, have you? I ordered it through Amazon, and sent it off with Grandma with strict instructions not to bring it back until July 1 so I could meet a few writing deadlines. She read it in three days, and LOVED it. I'm so looking forward to diving in!

brand new in the GF/CF world: My friend Diane just released her new cookbook, available for download. It's a great price, and a wonderful resource. She is also offering an affiliate program if you'd like to help out with advertising (this is not an affiliate link, btw, just helping to get the word out!).

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A Book Club! so my brain doesn't go to mush!

[there is a new recipe for Country Captain Chicken down below]

I wrote last week about the possibility of reading a book or two together over the summer holiday. I haven't done much reading (other than Pat the Bunny and cookbooks) lately, and I miss it.

I received nineteen recommendations to read Kathryn Stockett's, The Help.
I don't know anything about this book other than the information listed on Amazon, and that it appears to be a bit controversial to some reviewers.

But my friend Danielle sells an awful lot of copies, and Shirley liked it, so that's good enough for me.

The kids are off school this upcoming Monday, and I'll need a good book to read during quiet reading time. Penny (I don't have a link for Penny!) pointed out that it's still only available in hardback (although there is a kindle version), but my local library has 12 copies, so hopefully yours has a copy to borrow.

How's July 15 or thereabouts work? I've got a deadline July 1, which is why I'd prefer a bit of wiggle-room. The 15th is a Thursday.

I'll start a discussion on this site in the morning, and then host a live twitter party that evening---5 to 6 pm pacific time.
If you don't have twitter, no worries. You can still follow along, even without an account.

As for facebook, I'm still a holdout. I don't have an account---I'm super nervous to have "just one more thing" to check during the day, and I figure if anyone really wants to get a hold of me they can track me down. That said, a reader did start a fan page where you can evidently chat back and forth. I think. I'm not actually sure how it all works!

Happy reading! See you on July 15th!

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Country Captain Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe

Hello! I'm going to share my absolute new favorite recipe of all time with you today. Hold on to your socks---this is a great one, and no one will ever know how super simple it was to throw together.

It'll be our secret.

I got excited to make Country Captain after watching an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay, where this was the featured dish.

[aside: am I the only one who feels badly for the poor challenger who thinks he/she is being filmed for their own Food Network special? My heart just breaks for them.]

There are lots of listed ingredients, but chances are you already have most of the stuff on hand.

The Ingredients.
serves 6

1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (mine were frozen solid)
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (someday I want one of those peeler thingies)
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup raisins (or 2 T currants. I like raisins.)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup raw long-grain basmati white rice (to add later)
1 pound fully cooked shrimp (to add later, I used frozen already-shelled)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Put the chicken into the bottom of your stoneware. Add chopped apple, onion, and bell pepper. Add garlic and all spices. Toss in the raisins and the entire can of diced tomatoes. Stir in the chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until chicken is tender, but still intact. Using tongs, remove chicken carefully from the slow cooker and place in a covered dish to keep warm.

Stir in raw white rice. Cover and cook again for about 30 minutes, or until rice is bite-tender. Stir in frozen shrimp, and recover cook for about 15 minutes, or until shrimp is heated through.

Serve rice and shrimp mixture on a plate with chicken pieces arranged on top.

The Verdict.

I wish I had eaten more of this--I mistakenly wandered from the table to tend to the baby. The rice cooks beautifully in the curried sauce, and the shrimp softens nicely and provides a great texture against the rice and raisins. My kids love how raisins plump when slow-cooked. My dad ate all the leftovers, and called twice with high praises.

The shrimp is the most expensive component to this dish, and while I adore all things shrimp, it isn't a necessity. Your chicken and rice will be still be quite lovely if you choose to omit this ingredient.

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Roasted Garlic Spoonbread Slow Cooker Recipe

Hello, there! I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. We sure did----we laid kind of low and played in the backyard and went to the park. The weather finally cooperated long enough for me to get some vegetables into the ground, and my fingers are crossed that I actually remember to water them this year.

Adam barbecued on Saturday (because it would be un-American to not barbecue during Memorial Day weekend!), and I played around with a spoonbread recipe I was given and made a really savory and delicious side dish in the crockpot.

There's a LOT Of garlic in here---enough to ward off a pack of vampires.

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used the stuff in the can)
1 head garlic, cloves peeled but intact (about 15 cloves)

The Directions.

Use a 2-quart slow cooker (1.5 quarts is fine, just cook a bit longer---I used one of the sections of the crockpot trio).
In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, sugar, pepper, milk, melted butter, and eggs until you've got a nice batter. No need to use a mixer---just whisk it together until there aren't any big lumps. Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic cloves. Pour the batter into a greased slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3. Your spoonbread is finished when the center is set and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

We had ours alongside salmon patties (frozen, from Costco--no filler, totally gluten free, yay!) Adam barbecued. It'd pair nicely with roasted chicken or pork chops, too.

The Verdict.

The garlic roasts inside the cornbread, creating a moist and savory side dish. The girls picked the garlic out (they were huge cloves, and a bit much for them), but ate all the cornbread. I liked the tiny hint of spice from the cayenne. I sprinkled paprika on for the picture. In retrospect, I should have used smoked paprika---it would have added a nice hint of smokiness.

super good.

On a side note:

I wrote an article on Village of Moms about Slow Cooker freezer meals and TV Dinners.

also, the $125 Visa Gift Card is still up for grabs over on my review blog. I'd love to get some more comments/entries. The more entries, the more likely bigger and better stuff comes my way to share with you!

and, I'm thinking of doing a summer book club, if you're interested. At first I thought I could swing a book a month (3 books), but I think that's too much. Maybe 2--and discuss on twitter in mid-July and then the end of August? I'm not sure---just thinking/typing out loud...
if you have any ideas for good books, I'd love to hear them!

only 8 more days of school!!

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