Easter Recipes for the Slow Cooker

 

(originally posted in 2011...)

Happy almost-Easter! 

We host Easter each year (except for when I'm pregnant or have a newborn, which means we haven't done it for the past two years. But that's not my fault because other people have offered, and I'd just be an idiot to not accept the offers. So, I still stand by my declaration that we host Easter every year...) and I love it.

Adam usually puts something on the barbecue, our family helps out by bringing side dishes or beverages, and I line up a bunch of crockpots on the countertop. 

There are too many of us to all sit around the table, so we kind of eat in shifts. The kids run around in circles because it's fun for the uncles to "chocolate them up" and the Easter egg hunt out back results in squished flowers, mud tracked indoors, and eventually tears when the egg-grabbing turns a bit too competitive. 

It's certainly not a scene Norman Rockwell would have chosen to paint--- but he should have.

Because honestly? The day couldn't possibly be any better.

and I can't wait.

If you're hosting, or bringing along something to share this year, I've got you covered. The slow cooker is your friend. Use it! And enjoy your family. 

Main Courses:

Honey Glazed Ham  (this is what we're having!)

Maple Ham

Mint Glazed Lamb (this is what we're having!)

Lemon and Rosemary Lamb

Traditional Leg of Lamb 

Leg of Lamb with Prunes

Side Dishes:

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Cream Cheese

Company's Coming Potatoes AuGratin

Roasted Vegetables

Best Brussels Sprouts, ever!

Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Pecan-Topped Baked Sweet Potatoes

Honey Lentils

want more? here you go!

Appetizers:

Apricot-Balsamic Brie

Cranberries and Candied Pecans Brie

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Crab Dip

Roasted Garlic

Taco Dip

Tomatoes with Goat Cheese

want more? here you go! and dips, too!

We have dessert covered thanks to Zest Bakery, but if you don't:

 cheesecake

oreo cheesecake

creme brulee

peanut clusters

rocky road

rice krispies treats (hey, the REAL rice krispies are going gluten free in about a month. score!)

holiday pears (not for kids)

want more? here you go!

but whatever you do: DO NOT HARDBOIL YOUR EGGS IN THE CROCKPOT.

you're welcome!

:-)

If you're entertaining, and need a bit of help getting the house in order, no worries. I've got you covered with that, too!

Lisa Irvine is back and is hosting giveaways on the Give Away page, and each and every Friday we're going to host a Thank Goodness It's Free round-up. Have fun playing along!!

Adam doesn't like pictures of the kids on the Internet, so this is the best you'll get!

Happy Easter!

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Slow Cooker Hearty Lima Bean Soup

Stop! Don't run away! Lima beans are good for you, and I promise this soup tastes nothing like the watery pile of pale lima beans you were served as a kid.

This is super good soup ---- I had high expectations of packing up tupperwares to share with my parents and grandma and instead ate all the leftovers myself for lunch three days in a row.

A batch fed my family of 5 and then there was enough for 3 lunches -- it makes a lot, and is filling without being overly heavy. I used Aidell's chicken and apple sausage for the meat, and this meat provided the only oil or fat, making this a very lean and packed-with-fiber meal.

The Ingredients.
serves 8


1 pound of soaked lima beans, drained (for quick soak: boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then turn off heat and leave covered for 1 hour.)
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 head (about 10 cloves) garlic, peeled (ok to leave cloves whole)
1 (28-ounce) can diced or plum tomatoes with basil
1 (28-ounce) can water (fill empty tomato can with water, then dump into crockpot)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 (12-ounce) package chicken and apple sausage, diced (or about 2 cups diced ham)
salt to taste (I used about 1 teaspoon kosher salt)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I used the Ninja. Place the drained lima beans into your cooker, and add the onion and garlic. Dump in the tomatoes, then rinse the can into the pot. Add paprika, and stir in the sausage. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until the beans are fully soft.
Use a handheld immersion blender to naturally thicken the broth by blending some of the beans and tomatoes. This also helps distribute the flavor and squish up the garlic cloves. If you don't have a handheld blender, you can scoop out a cup or so of the beans and smash them with a large fork or blend in a traditional blender, then stir them back into the pot.
Salt to taste.
Serve as-is, or with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

The Verdict.

Man, I loved this soup. I had the lima bean package in the back of the cabinet for a while, and figured I'd cook them with a ham hock, but never got around to doing so. I happily ate the leftovers for lunch out of a large mug, and look forward to making it again so I can share with my extended family. It's a cheap dinner, tastes great, is filling, low in fat, and as any preschooler would know, lima beans keep you from getting A Bad Case of The Stripes.  :-)  
 Win-win-win-win-win!

last few articles from Totally Together:
It's Okay to Be Different
Making and Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions
Read Me When You're Having a Bad Day

Happy March!!

are you getting ready for St. Patrick's Day?!

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