Slow Cooker Dinner

Our Fall supper club was hosted by Rebecca and the theme was Slow Cooker (Crock Pot) recipes. The weather cooperated and cooled down enough that slow cooker foods were appealing, though using the slow cooker in hot weather would be pretty practical!

I (Rebecca) found this theme to be one of the easiest themes I've ever hosted for the supper club. I was done with all of my "cooking" by 11am and had nothing to do until everyone showed up! For the main course, I decided on a vegetarian pesto lasagna that I adapted from the blog A Year of Slow Cooking. I was intrigued by the idea of cooking a lasagna in a slow cooker as I think it might be handy for days when I'm out and wanting dinner to be ready when I get home. To prepare the lasagna, a small amount of spaghetti sauce is ladled into the bottom of the pot. Layers of uncooked lasagna noodles, low fat ricotta mixed with basil pesto, fresh spinach, sliced part skim mozzarella and more spaghetti sauce are laid into the pot until it reaches the top and a final layer of noodles sauce and cheese finish it off. The lasagna is then covered and cooked on low for 5-6 hours until the noodles are tender and the cheese is bubbly. That's it! The lasagna came out pretty well. My slow cooker is a 3 1/2 quart, tall cooker so the lasagna layers were pretty deep. I think this would come out better in a more oblong cooker, but it was still surprisingly effective. It won't replace oven-cooked lasagna when I'm home to bake it, but I think it's a definite possibility for busier days!




Slow Cooker Pesto Spinach Lasagna
Serves 8

1 (26-ounce) jar prepared pasta sauce
1 (10-ounce) box lasagna noodles
1 (11-ounce) container or homemade pesto
1 (15-ounce) container low fat ricotta cheese
1 (12-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 ounces part skim mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/4 cup water

Combine pesto and ricotta in a small bowl. Put a spoonful of pasta sauce (about 1/4 cup) into the bottom of a 4qt. slow cooker and swirl it around. Add a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (break them up as needed to fit). Smear some of the ricotta & pesto mixture onto the noodles. Add a handful or two of baby spinach, and top with a layer of Parmesan and sliced mozzarella cheeses. Repeat layers until you've run out of ingredients. The spinach may need to be pressed down to make room.

Before closing the pot, put 1/4 cup of water into the empty pasta sauce jar and close and shake. Pour this saucy water over the top of everything. Put the cover on and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for about 3 to 4. You'll know it's done when the cheese is melted and bubbly and the noodles are tender. It will also pull a bit away from the sides.

Uncover, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.






I (Dani) brought Santa Fe Sweet Potato Soup from The Gourmet Slow Cook Volume II. I did modify the recipe slightly to make it a truely slow-cooker-only soup. I also found the doubling the recipe (to 8 servings instead of 4) fit better in the slow cooker that I have.

Santa Fe Sweet Potato Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 Yellow Onion, chopped
4 medium Sweet Potatos, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
8 cloves Garlic
16 cups Chicken Stock
2 tsp Dried Oregano
2 Tbsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
12 whole Cloves
20 whole Allspice Berries
Salt
4 Jalapeño Pepper, seeded and chopped
½ cup Toasted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
1 cup Sour Cream

Directions:
Place onions, sweet potatoes, garlic, dried oregano, chili powder, all spice, cloves, cinnamon and chicken stock in the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.

Toast pepitas.

Pour mixture into blender and blend until smooth. Add salt to taste. Ladle into bowls and server hot topped with jalapeno, sour cream and pepitas.

*** If desired, prior to placing the onions and sweet potatoes into slow cooker, sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

I (Lauren) Brought a caprese salad made with homegrown tomatoes from my garden and some from our CSA share, basil from the CSA share, mozzarella, olive oil, and a little balsamic vinegar.

I (Kim) wanted to try bread in the slow-cooker. This bread came out more dessertlike, kind of like a gingerbread. It was not exactly what I'd intended, but turned out to be great with the Apple Confit that Lauren brought.

Steamed Brown Bread
from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann
Serves 6

Steamed Brown Bread is one of those old-timey American foods that hardly anyone makes anymore. What a shame! It is the age-old Colonial favorite to serve with Boston Baked Beans. You can mix it up in just a few minutes and let it steam to moist perfection unattended. The only trick is finding a small pudding mold or heat-proof bowl that will fit inside your slow cooker with an inch or so of clearance all around. The space is necessary to allow the steam to circulate properly. A deep stainless-steel or ceramic bowl, about 1 1/2 quarts in capacity is perfect for this recipe. Whatever you choose to use as a mold, do not fill it all the way to the top. Your bread needs room to expand.

Some people shy away from recipes that call for molasses because it can be frustrating and messy to work with. If you have trouble getting the molasses into your measuring cup, warm it up to make it easier to pour. Put the open jar in the microwave and heat on HIGH for about 10 seconds, depending on your microwave. Keep watch to avoid boil-over. To make it easy to get out of the measuring cup, grease the cup first with a few drops of oil or a bit of nonstick cooking spray.

Slow Cooker: Medium or Large Round or Oval
Setting & Cook Time: High for 2-2 1/2 hours

1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup light molasses
1 cup whole milk ( I used 1%)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Grease and flour a 1 1/2-quart (6-cup) pudding mold, heat-proof bowl or small slow cooker crock that will fit inside your slow cooker with an inch or so of clearance all around.

2. In a medium-size bowl, beat the egg with a whisk. Add the sugar and molasses and continue to beat until thoroughly mixed. Beat in the milk. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg, then add to the molasses mixture and stir just until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared mold. Place the cover on the mold, or cover it tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil; tie a string around the rim of the bowl to hold the foil in place.

3. Lower the mold into the slow cooker and carefully add enough water to come about 2-inches up the sides of the mold. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-2-1/2 hours. (Kim's note: I used a 6-cup Pyrex dish which would have been nearly impossible to gently remove to check at 2 hours so I just took it out at 2 1/2 hours and it was perfectly done at that time). To determine if bread is done, carefully remove lid or foil from the mold and gently touch the center of the bread. It should spring back into place. If your finger leaves an impression, re-cover the bread and cooker and continue to steam, check the bread at 30-minutes intervals.

4. When the bread is done, carefully transfer the mold to a rack and let the bread cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the inside of the mold to loosen the bread. Invert onto a rack to remove the mold, then turn the bread right side up to cool. To serve, cut into wedges or slices.


I (Lauren again) made an apple confit from a recipe I found on Eating Well. I used Gala apples from my CSA share and added some raisins. I also brought some vanilla ice cream and the combination of the confit, the ice cream and the brown bread from Kim was fantastic. I found the slow cooker recipes inspiring and I will be doing more slow cooker recipes in the future.

No Cooking Dinner

For our July dinner, Kim hosted a meal where we didn't cook. It may seem counter intuitive to have a "No Cooking" dinner for a supper club dedicated to cooking, but I decided it would be a fun challenge for us to come up with a complete dinner without turning on our ovens. The inspiration for this theme came to me during our recent heat wave when I wondered what to make for dinner without cooking.

I received the recipe for Cook's Illustrated Creamy Gazpacho Andaluz via email. I am not normally a fan of cold soup, but this particular recipe stood out as one I wanted to try.


Creamy Gazpacho Andaluz
Cook's Illustrated, July 201

Serves 4 to 6

For ideal flavor, allow the gazpacho to sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Red wine vinegar can be substituted for the sherry vinegar. Although we prefer to use kosher salt in this soup, half the amount of table salt can be used. Serve the soup with additional extra-virgin olive oil, sherry vinegar, ground black pepper, and diced vegetables for diners to season and garnish their own bowls as desired.

Ingredients

3 pounds (about 6 medium) ripe tomatoes , cored
1 small cucumber , peeled, halved, and seeded
1 medium green bell pepper , halved, cored and seeded
1 small red onion , peeled and halved
2 medium garlic cloves , peeled and quartered
1 small serrano chile , stemmed and halved lengthwise
Kosher salt
1 slice high quality white sandwich bread , crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil , plus extra for serving
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar , plus extra for serving (see note)
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley , chives, or basil leaves
Ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Roughly chop 2 pounds of tomatoes, half of cucumber, half of bell pepper, and half of onion and place in large bowl. Add garlic, chile, and 1½ teaspoons salt; toss until well combined. Set aside.

2. Cut remaining tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper into ¼-inch dice; place vegetables in medium bowl. Mince remaining onion and add to diced vegetables. Toss with ½ teaspoon salt and transfer to fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Set aside 1 hour.

3. Transfer drained diced vegetables to medium bowl and set aside. Add bread pieces to exuded liquid (there should be about ¼ cup) and soak 1 minute. Add soaked bread and any remaining liquid to roughly chopped vegetables and toss thoroughly to combine.

4. Transfer half of vegetable-bread mixture to blender and process 30 seconds. With blender running, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup oil and continue to blend until completely smooth, about 2 minutes. Strain soup through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl, using back of ladle or rubber spatula to press soup through strainer. Repeat with remaining vegetable-bread mixture and 1/4 cup olive oil.

5. Stir vinegar, minced herb, and half of diced vegetables into soup and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours to chill completely and develop flavors. Serve, passing remaining diced vegetables, olive oil, sherry vinegar, and black pepper separately.

(Kim's notes: I didn't quite use 1/2 cup of olive oil. It was closer to 6 tbsp. At the last minute I found I didn't have any sherry vinegar so I used 1 1/2 tbsp. white balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tbsp. sherry. For the herb, I used basil)

Greek Salad with Bulgur in Pita Pockets

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped mint, plus 2 mint sprigs (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 small European cucumber—peeled, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced paper thin
1 small garlic clove, minced
24 Isis candy or other cherry tomatoes, halved
12 mini pitas, top third cut off
4 ounces mixed baby greens

1. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the bulgur and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and return to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand until the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Drain the bulgur in a fine sieve, pressing to remove any excess liquid. Spread the bulgur on a plate and let cool.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Stir in the cilantro, olives, chopped mint, paprika and cumin. Add the bulgur and toss well. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

3. In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with the cucumber, onion, garlic and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. In a another medium bowl, toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon the bulgur salad into the pitas then tuck in the baby greens and tomatoes. Top with the yogurt, garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.

(Kim's notes: I soaked the bulgher for longer than 20 minutes in a larger amount of water - I think it was more like 40 minutes, until it was a little chewy then I drained it and pressed as much excess water out as I could. I completely forgot to add the salad greens to the pitas -
sorry!)

I (Dani) decided to try 2 recipes that I make on a regular basis and don't really come from a cook book. I made salmon rolls and a tomato salad.

Salmon Rolls
Whole Wheat Lavash Bread
Smoked Salmon
Cucumbers -- peeled and sliced thin
Boursin Cheese

This is really a recipe to eye ball the quantity on. Spread the Boursin on the lavash, not quite to the edge. Layer the smoked salmon and cucumber in rows. Roll, slice and serve.

Tomato Salad
Heirloom Tomatoes
Buffalo Mozzarella
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

This is really a recipe to eye ball the quantity on. Cut the tomatoes in 1" pieces and cut the mozzarella balls in half. Julienne the basil. Toss together in a bowl and add equal parts olive oil and vinegar (I used a blood orange balsamic). Add salt and pepper to taste.


Some time ago, I (Christine) had a delicious zucchini pesto dish at a party that I'd been wanting to duplicate. The No Cook theme seemed like the perfect time. Simply shred zucchini in the food processor, and mix in the amount of pesto that you like. For the pesto, I whirred together the following in a food processor:

• 2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup grated romano (or parmesan) cheese
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

For this dinner, I made two batches of the pesto and shredded five large zucchinis. I used about 2/3 of the pesto that I made and could have used less to be more faithful to the concept of Cooking Light.


I wanted to balance the bright green zucchini dish with an orange vegetable one, so I decided to make a carrot slaw as well. I found a recipe for carrot-jicama slaw with a cumin-lime vinaigrette and decided to try it out. Unfortunately, I wasn't taking good measurements so these are all approximate. I also substituted lemon for the lime. I think for the future, I'd stick with the lime for its more distinctive flavor. Mix the below together and let sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.

• 3 carrots, shredded
• 1 medium (large?) jicama, shredded
• 6 radishes, shredded
• 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp cumin (I may have added another 1/2 tsp)
  
• 1/2 tsp salt
  

I (Lauren) made a couscous salad. I did have to boil water and orange juice for this dish, but I figure that it does not really count as cooking. I did make some modifications to the recipe: I used a little less orange juice in the initial couscous rehydration, and added orange juice instead of lemon juice when I added the olive oil. I also threw in some fresh peach as I had no dried fruit, and used craisins that I soaked in water instead of raisins. I also added some red bell pepper as I like red bell pepper. Finally, I used whole wheat couscous since the recipe was not specific.


For dessert, I (Rebecca) brought Cappuccino Parfaits from Martha Stewart's "Great Food Fast" cookbook. It was a quick and easy recipe that combines ricotta cheese, espresso powder and sugar in a food processor. The mixture is then chilled and served with bits of amaretti cookies on top. Couldn't be easier!

Mardi Gras Dinner

Dani hosted the Mardi Gras supper. A good time was had by all although Cindy and Christine were missed.

The courses included an arugula fennel, onion, and orange salad, dirty beans and rice, crabcake po'boys with remoulade and coleslaw. We also enjoyed a champagne cocktail with gin and Meyer lemon juice and homemade cheese crackers.

I (Lauren) made a classic New Orleans cocktail called a French 75. I got this recipe from Food and Wine, I substituted gin for the cognac as the cocktail can be made both ways and I had gin. I then made an arugula, fennel, and orange salad from a recipe by Susan Spicer, the Chef at Bayona in New Orleans.

I (Dani) decided to make Cheddar Cheese Straws as an appetizer and Crab Po' Boys with a Honey-Mustard Slaw.
The Cheddar Cheese Straws were from Southern Living and really turned into crisps. The only modification I made to the recipe was to use 2 tsp of Paprika plus 1 tsp of Chipotle Chile Powder.
The Honey Mustard Slaw was from Bon Appetit and I modified the recipe quite a bit. I am not a big mayonnaise eater and I like my slaw with more than just cabbage.
Here are the modifications I made:
- 3/4 of 1 head of Green Cabbage Shredded (instead of 1 full head)
- 6 carrots shredded
- 6 red radishes shredded

In the dressing, I used 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup non-fat greek yogurt to replace the 3/4 cup of mayonnaise.


The Crab Po' Boy was from Gourmet and I modified the recipe slightly since I don't like mayonnaise or plain lettuce.

Here are the modifications I made to the mustard-mayonnaise:
- instead of 1/3 cup mayonnaise, I used 1/6 cup mayonnaise and 1/6 cup non-fat greek yogurt
- I could not find Sweet Pickles, so I used sweet pickle relish

In the sandwich, I replaced the lettuce with my Honey-Mustard Slaw.

I (Kim) decided to try the Cooking Light version of Baked Louisiana Dirty Rice and Beans. The only change I made to the recipe was to use red bell pepper in place of the green & dried thyme instead of the fresh.


I (Rebecca) brought a New Orleans Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. This was a simple bread pudding from Cooking Light made with French bread soaked in a mixture of milk, eggs and spices and sprinkled with bourbon-soaked raisins. After baking in a water-bath, the bread pudding is served warm with a tablespoon of the accompanying Bourbon sauce.

Panini Party



Vegetarian Paninis


I (Christine) made vegetarian paninis, mostly because I've been on a vegetarian kick lately. I didn't use a specific recipe - just veggies that I like to eat. I roasted red peppers and Asian eggplant in the oven. I chopped up 4-5 cloves of garlic and let them sit in about 1/4 cup of olive oil for an hour or two. To make the paninis, I spread the garlic oil on pugliese country bread, then added sliced peppers and eggplant, handful of baby spinach, and one slice of 2% provolone cheese. Super easy and very colorful.

Roast Beef and Blue Cheese Panini

I (Cindy) made Roast Beef Paninis. I didn't use a recipe for this, it was just deli roast beef, aoli, fontina cheese, blue cheese, grilled onions and spinach on ciabatta bread.

Southwestern Cheese Panini

I (Kim) made my favorite sourdough cheese bread from a bread making class I took a few years ago. I used the following Eating Well recipe for the filling. I decreased the amount of cheese in the filling to 2 ounces because the bread already has plenty of cheese in it.

SOUTHWESTERN CHEESE PANINI
EatingWell July/August 2007

Lots of colorful vegetables and salsa make this cheesy panini prettier than any grilled cheese you've ever seen. The small amount of Cheddar cheese in this sandwich goes a long way because it is shredded and sharp. Serve with a mixed salad and you've got a delightful lunch or light supper. If you happen to have a panini maker, go ahead and skip Step 3 and grill the panini according to the manufacturer's directions.

4 servings
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
4 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup prepared salsa
1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño pepper, (optional)
8 slices whole-wheat bread
2 teaspoons canola oil

Preparation:
1. Have four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) ready by the stove.

2. Combine Cheddar, zucchini, carrot, onion, salsa and jalapeño (if using) in a medium bowl. Divide among 4 slices of bread and top with the remaining bread.

3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 panini in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the panini, then weigh it down with the cans. Cook the panini until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the panini, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining panini.

SOURDOUGH CRUSTY CHEESE BREAD
Source: Katherine Niven

Sponge:
1 cup starter
1 pinch sugar
2 cups cottage cheese (small curd)
1 cup bread flour

Bread:
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon malt syrup (available at Whole Foods, the stuff I have in my refrigerator is years old and made by Eden)
2 eggs
1 pound bread flour
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast (optional)
8 oz cheddar cheese (grated or cut into small cubes)

Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 tsp. water or milk
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of sugar

Directions:
1. Mix ingredients for sponge. Let rise in a warm place (75-80 degrees F) for 6-8 hours or until very active and foamy.

2. Add salt, malt syrup, eggs, bread flour and yeast to the sponge, mixing well. Knead for about 10 minutes, then knead in the cheese by hand.

3. Put in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise to 1-2 hours at room temperature or until double. Place in refrigerator for 8-12 hours.

4. Take out of fridge and let come to room temperature 1-2 hours.

5. Divide dough in half. Round up and put into cellophane-lined basket molds. Cover with cellophane. Let rise 2 hours in warm place or until puffed and approximately double. About 1/2 hour before end of rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees.

6. Gently unmold dough from baskets onto parchment lined sheet pan. Dock bread with an X. Brush with egg wash.

7. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, spraying the oven with water for the first 3 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25-30 more minutes. Bread is done when it registers 200 degrees on a quick read thermometer.

Chicken, Blue Cheese, Fig Jam, and Arugula Panini

I (Lauren) found this chicken and fig jam panini on the Cooking Light website. This was made using Dani's George Foreman grill, which makes a decent panini press. It felt light and fresh to me

I (Dani) found this Fig and Prosciutto Panini on the Epicurious website. I felt that it needed some vegetables and would recommend adding arugula next time.

Mixed greens salad with grape tomatoes, apples, cucumber, and a balsamic vinaigrette on the side.

Banana Bread & Nutella Panini

I (Rebecca) made Banana Bread and Nutella Panini. I used Cooking Light's Basic Banana Bread recipe, omitting the glaze and adding in about 1/3 cup of cocoa nibs. We spread the banana bread with about 1 Tbsp. of Nutella and then grilled the sandwiches until they had grill marks (hard to see on the dark bread) and the Nutella was oozing. Definitely a dessert worth repeating!