365 Slow Cooker Suppers (the book!) Is Now Available!

Hello!!

This is just a quick note to alert you that my newest cookbook: 365 Slow Cooker Suppers is NOW AVAILABLE at your friendly neighborhood bookstore!!

Thank you for your support and absolute awesomeness these past few years --- you are all wonderful.

We're giving away 5 signed copies of the book today! Good luck to all, and thank you again!

HAPPY SLOW COOKING! steph


{to enter giveaway, please CLICK over to the review site!}

Read More

Monday thru Friday Slow Cooker Meal Plan

Happy Friday!

I've got something  a bit different for you today. I've been trying to figure out how to best share how I meal plan with the slow cooker, and figured it'd be the easiest to just share my grocery list with you! I am a ZipList participant, so if this particular meal plan isn't your favorite, you can easily make your own by clicking on the "save recipe" button under each selection and ZipList will automatically make a customized grocery list for you.

I also have a printable grocery list template on my downloads page that might be useful.

In the mean time, this is what we're having next week in our house. I hope it's helpful!

(meatless) Monday: Pesto Lasagna
Tuesday: Super Simple Cranberry Roast
Wednesday: Traditional Minestrone Soup
Thursday: General Tso's Chicken
Friday: Puffy Pizza Casserole


Grocery List:
(to print just this list, use the PRINT button below, and select just the list to print!)

PRODUCE
carrots (1 cup chopped)
celery (1 cup sliced)
garlic (5 cloves)
onions (2 yellow)
spinach (12-ounces baby leaves)
potatoes (optional; to go with Tuesday's cranberry roast)

DAIRY
eggs (2)
milk (1 cup; any variety)
mozzarella cheese (24 ounces needed for week)
parmesan cheese (1 1/2 cups)
pesto (11 ounces)
ricotta cheese (15-ounces)

MEAT
chicken (boneless, skinless, 1 to 2 pounds)
lean ground beef or turkey (1 pound)
beef or pork roast (3 pounds)
sliced pepperoni (20 pieces)

DRY GOODS
1.5-ounce envelope of Spaghetti Sauce mix (McCormick is GF)
fusilli pasta
lasagna noodles
dried beans (1 cup, black beans or pinto)
flour or gluten free baking mix (1 cup)
rice (optional, to serve with General Tso's Chicken)
soy sauce (1/4 cup, we use gluten free)

CANNED
cranberry sauce (16-ounce, whole berry)
olives, sliced (4 ounces)
pasta sauce (26 ounces)
tomato, diced (14.5-ounces)
tomato sauce (15-ounces)

FROZEN
spinach, chopped (10-ounces)
stir fried veggies (16-ounces, Asian blend)

PANTRY STAPLES
beef bouillon or broth (8 cups)
brown sugar (3 tablespoons)
dried ginger (1 teaspoon)
dried onion flakes (1-2 tablespoons)
Italian Seasoning (1 tablespoon)
red pepper flakes (1 teaspoon)


The Verdict:

Our week runs SO MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY when I take the time to write out a menu and grocery shop for all of the food either on the weekend or the week before. It does take a bit of planning, I know, but I do think you'll find that the hectic meal-making hours will be easier if the groceries are already in the house. 

The slow cooker already forces you to meal plan, so just by using it (somewhat) regularly you're already way ahead!!

have a great week!

Read More

Basic Overnight Oatmeal Slow Cooker Recipe

We've hit September, which means school is back in session and it's early mornings and kids who need to be fed something (hopefully) substantial before leaving the house.

I've gotten a few emails about overnight oatmeal, and I've been experimenting. Because of the way the Internet is, I've figured out a VERY BASIC overnight oatmeal --- the oats are regular rolled and not "fancy" steel cut, and the oats are cooked in water, not milk.

If you want to change-up the water for cow's milk, or almond milk, or hemp, soy, coconut, lactaid, fairy, or unicorn milk: go for it! 

but water works, too!

The Ingredients:
serves 4-6

2 cups rolled old-fashioned oats (NOT quick cook) (I use certified gluten free oats)
4 1/2 cups water (or liquid equivalent)

The Directions.

Use a prepared (that's coated in cooking spray or butter) 4-quart slow cooker. If you only have a 6-quart, increase the quantities by 50%. You can freeze the leftovers in little sandwich bags, if you'd like.

Put the oats into your slow cooker and stir in the water. Cover, and cook on low for 7 hours.

Stir in the morning.

The result is creamy, bland, tasteless oatmeal. You can add stuff at the table: honey, sliced fruit, brown sugar, etc.

WHAT MY KIDS LIKE:

2 cups rolled oats
4 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix (1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 nutmeg, 1/8 cloves)
2 small granny smith apples, diced (I leave on the skin because I'm terribly lazy)

In the morning they sprinkle on a bit more cinnamon and they like sliced bananas, too. What they'd REALLY like is for me to let them add brown sugar, but I don't.

because I'm terribly mean, too.

The Verdict.

The rolled oats disappear and become porridge-like. There is no longer a chew to the oats --- my kids like this a lot because it's the most similar to the little packets of sugar-laden oatmeal.
This is a very easy way to get a hot breakfast on a busy morning. 

I played around with the timing for those who don't have a programmable slow cooker, and if you do low for 7 hours you will be just fine. If you sleep longer (I'm jealous), it'll just get a bit dried out on the edges, but you can easily fix that by stirring in some milk.

Enjoy!!

New on Totally Together: The Art of Saying NO

Read More