Recipes for you CROCKPOT Lovers!!

I have yet to physically make any of these recipes (CRAZY, I know!), but they look pretty straightforward... Any feedback (especially on the Vegetarian Lasagna) would be appreciated! --TC

CREOLE BLACK BEANS
2 lbs. smoked sausage, cut into 1" pieces
3 15-oz. cans black beans, drained
1 1/2 cup onion, chopped1 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp leaf thyme
1 1/2 tsp leaf oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 chicken bouillon cube
5 bay leaves
8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup water *I would use chicken broth, vegetable broth or beer (4 oz. leftover for you = BONUS!) --TC

Brown sausage in a skillet. Drain fat and transfer to the stoneware.
Combine remaining ingredients in the stoneware. Cover cook on Low 7 to 9 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.
Remove bay leaves. Serve over cooked rice. –Courtesy of http://www.crockpot.com/.

CROCK POT CURRIED RICE & LENTILS
Indian-inspired curried rice and lentils is a full vegetarian and vegan meal right out of your crock pot or slow cooker. It couldn't be simpler.

1 cup rice *I would use brown rice, although cooking time may be longer --TC
1 tbsp curry powder
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth *If using brown rice, ADD MORE LIQUID per your rice directions. --TC
1/2 cup lentils
2 vegetarian bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 onion, diced

Combine all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. –Courtesy of Jolinda Hackett, Your Guide to Vegetarian Food – as seen on http://vegetarian.about.com/.

Our Indian friend in the Bay Area made us the most fabulous vegetable curry for dinner one evening. I think she referred to it "Vegetable Potato Curry." --TC

CROCK POT VEGETABLE CURRY
Crock pot vegetable curry is a one-pot meal that you can prepare in the morning and will fill your home with the aroma of Indian spices all day long. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan. Serve over rice if desired.

3 potatoes, chopped
1 cauliflower, chopped
1 1/2 cups green peas
3 tomatoes, chopped
3/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry
1 cup water

Place all ingredients in a crock pot or slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. –Courtesy of Jolinda Hackett, Your Guide to Vegetarian Food – as seen on http://vegetarian.about.com/.

CROCK POT VEGETARIAN LASAGNA
1 container soft (silken) tofu
1 container firm or extra firm tofu
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 cups tomato sauce
1 box lasagna noodles

In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, soy milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil, and salt and process until smooth. Add the spinach to this mixture.
Place about a cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the crock pot or slow cooker. Then place 1/3 of the noodles on top of the sauce, and 1/3 of the tofu and spinach mixture on top of the noodles. Repeat these layers, being sure to end with sauce on top.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or until noodles are soft. –Courtesy of Jolinda Hackett, Your Guide to Vegetarian Food – as seen on http://vegetarian.about.com/.

AND the piece de resistance. If your family LOVES chocolate as much as mine, try this Crock Pot recipe from my sister-in-love Kim.... As I have said before: "this dessert is NOT froufie, but it is sinfully satisfying!"

CHOCOLATE MUD CAKE 6-8 Servings

Note: This is a great to make for a sinful Valentine's Day treat for friends or lovers!! Good tip, as the holiday is fast approaching!! Wink! Wink! Nudge! Nudge! ENJOY! --TC

Cake Batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 Tablespoons butter
2 oz or 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips *I would use bittersweet, but that's my preference! --TC
2/3 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa **see note below --TC
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup milk
1 egg yolk

Fudge Sauce:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa **see note below --TC
1 ½ cup hot water

Coat the inside of slow-cooker with cooking spray.

Cake Batter: Whisk together flour and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips in microwave and mix well.
Whisk in sugar, cocoa, vanilla, salt, milk, and egg yolk. Add flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into the slow-cooker and spread it evenly.

Fudge Sauce: Whisk together sugar, cocoa, brown sugar, and hot water until sugar is dissolved. Pour mixture over batter in slow-cooker. Cover and cook on high for 1 ¼ to 2 ¼ hours (depending on size of your slow-cooker, the first time you make it, start with 1 ¼ hours, then check on it every 15 minutes until you see the cake is nearly set and the edges pull away from the sides of the pot). Even when done, the cake is VERY moist and floating on a layer of molten chocolate.

When done, turn off the power and remove the lid. Let it cool for 25 minutes, then serve with whip cream or ice cream. --Submitted by my Sister-In-Love Kim, source unknown.

**NOTE about Dutch-Processed Cocoa: The JoyOfBaking.com website advises against using a substituion for Ducth-Processed Cocoa. That being said, IF you choose to do so, here is what they recommend: "Substitution for 3 tablespoons (18 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa: 3 tablespoons (18 grams) natural cocoa powder plus pinch (1/8 teaspoon) baking." Also noted: Natural Cocoa and Dutch-Processed Cocoa weights vary slightly... --TC

FRUIT & NUT CHOCLATE BARS

Get a call to make something for the school bake sale or draw ‘dessert’ for the work potluck lunch??

I try to ‘use up’ my baking ingredients at least once a year. A leftover half bag of nuts in the freezer, a portion of a bag of dried fruits in the fridge, the chocolate chips and the remaining package in the graham cracker box in the pantry... Took these newly created yummies to our cousins' house-warming party and they were well-received!

Fruit & Nut Chocolate Bars Makes about 32 bars (2 ½” x 1”)

1 pack (or 1/3 of a box) graham crackers, broken into 4 pieces along the perforated lines *also try with chocolate Graham crackers or cinnamon graham crackers
1 can sweetened condensed milk, divided *I use Fat-Free
2 cups chocolate chips, divided *my preference – bittersweet or semi-sweet, but there are also milk chocolate, white chocolate chips, butterscotch, peanut butter, etc.
1 cup dried shredded coconut
½ to 1 cup dried cranberries, optional *other dried fruits to try– currants, raisins, mixed fruit, mango slices, dried pineapple, etc. (may need to chop into small bits)
½ to 1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13” baking pan with parchment paper & spray lightly with non-stick spray.

Place the crackers neatly in the pan to cover bottom. (You may need to break a few down to make them fit, but you are looking for an even bottom.)

Lightly drizzle approximately half of the condensed milk over the graham cracker base. Next layer: half the chips, the coconut, the dried fruit, chopped nuts. Drizzle with the other half of the condensed milk. Top with remaining chips and press down firmly with your hands.

Bake 15 minutes, rotate pan and bake 10 minutes more. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then gently lift out parchment to cool bars completely on a wire rack. Cut and gently remove bars to a serving platter and SHARE!! (I think they are best served in small bite-sized pieces.)

May keep in a covered air-tight container for up to a week. I personally like them right out of the freezer!! --TC, Sacramento, CA - August 2009.