Apple Cranberry Crock Pot Oatmeal

I first prepared oatmeal using steel cut oats a few weeks ago. I love the texture, but the few recipes that I tried did not have a lot of flavor. I like using my slow cooker so I can start the oatmeal before I go to bed, and have a hot breakfast ready for me when I wake up, and enough to last the rest of the week. 

I had a lot of apples and pears in my house this weekend so I made some apple pear butter, and then used it in this Apple Cranberry Crock Pot Oatmeal. I'm sure store bought apple butter would make the oatmeal taste just as good. This recipe produces about 8 cups of cooked oatmeal.  If you don't have apple cider, replace it with an additional cup of water. Make sure to use the cooking spray so the oatmeal doesn't stick.  I like to use Reynolds slow cooker liners, which makes cleanup easier. 

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 c. steel cut oats (I used Bob's Red Mill) 
• 1 c. apple cider 
• 1 c. dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 1/2 c. apple butter
• 6 c. water 
• 1 tsp.cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• Chopped walunts (optional)

Directions

1.  If using a slow cooker liner, place in slow cooker.  Spray thoroughly with cooking spray.
2. Place all remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on low for 7 hours, with the lid on. 
4. Remove lid. The oatmeal will appear very wet and loose. Stir for about 30 seconds, being sure to scrape along the edges. The texture will change to that of typical oatmeal. Top each serving with chopped walnuts, if desired.   

Slow Cooker Pulled Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

Although this recipe is mostly done in the slow cooker, it starts on the stove. Since browning never happens in a slow cooker, this recipe starts out on the stove top. The chicken and aromatics are given a quick saute to develop flavor.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, divided
2 lbs. bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
1/3 c. low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. sriracha sauce
1 heaping Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
2 scallions, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
3 c. broccoli florets

Directions

1.  In a large skillet, over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. sesame oil. After letting it heat for a few minutes, add the chicken thighs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Remove chicken thighs from pan and place in slow cooker.  

2.  Add the garlic, ginger, and onion to the skillet.  Saute for 6-8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add to the slow cooker along with any liquid in the pan.  

3.  In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar and sriracha together.  Pour over the chicken. 

4.  Place cover on slow cooker and cook on low for four hours.  

5.  Remove chicken from slow cooker (it should be very tender).  Shred the chicken and discard the bones (or save them for stock).  

6.  In a small bowl, add the cornstarch to the chicken broth. Whisk to dissolve.  

7.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker along with the broccoli florets. With the lid off, cook on high for 20 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

8.  Stir in the shredded chicken and the remaining 1 Tbsp. of sesame oil. Top with sesame seeds and scallions.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili - Perfect on a Cold Winter Night

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution

I love weekends because I get to use the slow cooker. Everything is prepped and ready for the slow cooker in the early afternoon, and dinner's ready in the evening.

Some tips for this recipe:

The combination of bread and milk mixed with the turkey forms a panade - a gel which coats the proteins in the turkey and prevents the meat from becoming touch.

I used the food processor to quickly mince the onions and garlic.

Since most recipes rarely call for using a can of tomato paste, do what I do - buy the paste that's in a tube. Squeeze out what you need, screw on the top, then pop it back in your refrigerator.

While soy sauce may seem like an out of place ingredient in this recipe, it's rich in glutamates, which give the dish a meaty flavor.

Once served, I topped the chili with cheddar cheese, plain Greek yogurt and chopped scallions.

Use a slow cooker liner to make cleanup easy.

Ingredients

2 slices white sandwich bread, turn into quarters
1/4 c. whole milk
2 lbs. ground turkey (not ground turkey breast - this will be too dry)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 yellow onions, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 1/2c . low-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

Directions

1. Mash the bread and milk into a paste in a large bowl using a fork. Mix in the ground turkey, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/t tsp. pepper using your hands (time to get messy!)
2. Wash your hands.  :)  
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions, garlic chili powder, tomato paste, cumin, chipotle chili powder, oregano and red pepper flakes. Saute, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned - about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the turkey mixture, breaking it up into small pieces. Cook until the turkey is no longer pink - about 5-7 minutes. Add the mixture to the slow cooker.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes (undrained), chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, and minced chipotles. Cover and cook on low until the turkey is tender - about 4 to 6. 
6. Skim the top of the chili to remove any excess fat and serve.