CrockPot Chicken Canneloni

I am running out ideas for hubby to take for lunch. I like to try different things to keep the interest level up. I also want things that the posse will eat. The criteria I work with are: must have meat in it (meatless meals not met with great enthusiasm from the posse), must be easy to chew (for the little people of the posse), and must be tasty. I bought a box of oven-ready canneloni on sale a few weeks ago. Canneloni are basically pasta tubes that can be stuffed and cooked. Sounded appealling, kind of like a lasagna with less noodle.

From the recipe on the box and the internet I pieced together a recipe that would work in the crock. It was very tasty and cooked surprisingly quickly. The only issue that I had was that the pasta doesn't really maintain its shape. I expected nice little round tubes of stuffed pasta but it was certainly more of a layered lasagna consistency. Perhaps it would be better done in the counter top oven but everyone ate it. It was even more tasty the next day.

You will need:

• 1 box oven ready canneloni pasta
• 1 chicken breast sliced thinly
• 500 ml 1% cottage cheese, drained (this is supposed to be ricotta cheese but apparently they don't sell it in my small town)
• 1/2 bunch spinach chopped or 1 package frozen spinach drained and chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• olive oil
• 1 cup grated cheese of your choice (I used marble cheddar)

Saute chicken breast in a small amount of olive oil until cooked. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl mix together cottage cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper, basil, chopped spinach, eggs and half the grated cheese. Dice cooled chicken and add to cheese mixture. Mix well. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce on the bottom of CrockPot (I used a 3 quart crock). Stuff cottage cheese/chicken mixture into each canneloni tube and place into crock. Cover layer of canneloni with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce and continue layering canneloni until you have used all of the cottage cheese mixture. Cover top layer of canneloni with thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Cook on High for 1.5 hours or Low for 3 hours. Half an hour before the end of the cooking time, sprinkle the top with remaining grated cheese.

Winter is Officially Here

Looking outside this morning to about 15 cm of snow I think that winter is officially here. We have been battling the most outrageously cold temperatures here lately too! It has been hovering between -11 C and -20 C! With the windchill it has been averaging around -18 to -24 C. I realize that this is balmy for some regions of Canada but this is unusual for the relatively moderate climate of our part of the country. We are usually (un)lucky to get a few centimetres of snow 3 or 4 times a winter. We rarely end up with a white Christmas but looks like we will have one this year. Now where did I put that snow shovel?

Roast Chicken and Veggies Counter Top Oven Style

It's only December and my new found enthusiasm for the CrockPot is starting at wane. I am simply feeling too lazy lately to get the evening meal together in the morning. December will do that.

December weather here is most bizarre. Most of the month is cloudy and the wind is always blowing to some degree. We have yet to see any snow but you can feel it lurking. Days that we do see the sun, it mysteriously disappears by 1:30 pm. We usually have more snow in January but at least we see the sun more frequently.

Yesterday I decided to blow the dust off of the counter top oven and roast a chicken. This is a great one dish meal with your sides cooking right along with your chicken! The trick with a counter top oven is to cut the chicken in half. Not only will it fit in the small oven but it also cuts down the cooking time over cooking a whole bird.

You will need:

• 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
• 1.5 cups baby carrots
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1/2 zucchini, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 chicken, halved and excess fat removed
• kosher salt
• chicken spice (The one I use is a combination of coarse kosher salt, garlic powder, rosemary, white pepper corns, marjoram, oregano, sage and thyme in a ratio of 1:1 for all ingredients and placed in a spice mill)
• olive oil
• low sodium chicken broth
• flour

Lightly grease shallow roasting pan with olive oil. Place veggies on roasting pan and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Rub olive oil on all surfaces of the chicken. Grind a light sprinkling of chicken spice over both sides of chicken. Place chicken on top of veggies, skin side up. Roast in counter top (or conventional oven) at 350 C for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked and juices run clear. Remove chicken and veggies to a platter and tent with tin foil. Deglaze roasting pan with chicken broth and thicken with flour/water paste to make gravy. Serve with a side salad and you are set!

Parenthood Changes- Can you relate?

I received this in an e-mail the other day. Oh so true!

Yes, parenthood changes everything. But parenthood also changes with each baby.

Here are some of the ways having a second and third child differs from having your first:

Your Clothes

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

The Baby's Name

1st baby: You pour over baby-name books and practice pronouncing and writing combinations of all your favorites.
2nd baby: Someone has to name his or her kid after your great-aunt Mavis, right? It might as well be you.
3rd baby: You open a name book, close your eyes, and see where your finger points.

Preparing for the Birth

1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother practicing because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your 8th month.

The Layette

1st baby: You pre-wash your newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries

1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your 3-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.

Pacifier

1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Sleeping

1st baby: Sleeps in your bedroom for the first six - eight weeks
2nd baby: Sleeps in your bedroom for the first two weeks
3rd baby: Goes right from the hospital nursery into their own room

Baby Book

1st baby: You religiously make entries every day, carefully noting the number of spit-ups and bowel movements for the first year
2nd baby: You enter a few facts each week but stop after 6 months
3rd baby: You buy the book but enter the child's name, birth weight, and length on the first page

Diapering

1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every 2 to 3 hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities

1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out

1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home 5 times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.

At Home

1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of every day watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing a coin

1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays. 2nd child: When 2nd child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for coin to pass.
3rd child: When 3rd child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!!

It's Beginning to Feel A Lot Like....CHRISTMAS??

I was out and about yesterday and noticed a house with a Christmas tree inside already up, decorated and lit. Now, I realize that Thanksgiving has been and gone over a month ago and even Halloween is a distant memory but isn't it a bit early to put up the Christmas tree? Maybe I am behind the times here but I would likely put it up two or two and half weeks before Christmas at the earliest. It would drive me insane to vacuum around it for a month! When do you put up your tree?

Lentil Stew...yummy for Mommy!

I am not as obsessed with my Crock-Pot as most of my posts make it seem. The slow cooker actually sat idle for a period nearly three years after a Frankenstein-esque batch of chili turned me off the whole slow cooker thing. I have gotten much better at chili...trust me...people will eat it now. The Crock-Pot came out of hiding once the posse started arriving on the scene. Much easier to have dinner cook itself while I attend to the screaming masses.

I'm tired of the same-old. I wanted to find a recipe that was lower in fat, didn't necessarily involve meat, and wouldn't leave me or anyone else hungry after an hour! I've been stalking the lentil and bean aisle at the grocery store for a while now but wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I have finally concocted a recipe for a lentil stew. I have a mishmash from quite a few different sources but I can give the majority of credit to A Year of CrockPotting and BusyCooks.

Here is what you will need:

• 1 cup dried lentils, sorted and washed
• 1 cup dried small white beans (soak in boiling water for 30 minutes then boil for 30 minutes before adding to crock)
• 1 acorn squash, peeled and cubed into 2 cm pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cm piece ginger, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes (not drained)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups low sodium chicken stock

Prepare white beans, lentils, carrots and squash and place in crock. Saute onion, garlic and ginger in olive oil until soft. Add tomatoes (not drained) and spices to onion mixture. Heat tomato mixture through and add to crock. Heat chicken stock in skillet and pour into crock. (My brain figures that heating all of the liquids gives the cooking a bit of a jump start when dealing with soups and stews...I could be wrong but it works for me.) Cook for 7-9 hours on Low for 5-6 on High. When finished cooking, take out 2 cups of stew and carefully blended until smooth. Add blended stew back into crock and stir. This makes the stew nice and thick.

Very thick and yummy! Makes a nice lunch on a cold day!

Baby Gear 101

Becoming a mother for the first time is a bit like shopping for your first car. You've seen them: the first time-to-be parents walking around Toys R Us test driving the strollers. Expectant and new moms spend a great deal of energy measuring the pros and cons of different cribs, playpens, and baby transporting devices. To travel system or not to travel system? That is the question. Well, one of many questions.

From one mom to another, baby gear falls into three categories: the "must have", the "nice to have", and the "can probably live without it."

The Must Haves:

1. A crib. Yes, you can use a bassinet for a while, you can even use a playpen in the short term but eventually you will need to have a long term place for the baby to sleep. Keep in mind that they will be in a crib until approaching two years old. It is an investment worth making.
2. A car seat. In many provinces it is now the law that a child must be restrained in a suitable car seat until 9 years old and 4'9". This even applies to children riding in a grandparent/care giver's car or taxi. For a newborn, an infant seat with base that stays in the car is definitely convenient and the most comfortable for baby but you *can* also use a convertible seat or 3-in-1 in the rear facing position for the appropriate weights. (Check the restrictions on the seat you are considering.)
3. Feeding seat. Be it a full high chair or one that straps to a kitchen chair, baby will need a place to eat that can take the ensuing mess. One that reclines is great for a young infant to sit and watch the world go by. One that folds up is great for trips to Grandma's or dinner out.
4. Receiving blankets (you will literally use them for EVERYTHING), light fleece crib blanket (seasonal), diapers, sleepers, undershirts (seasonal) and diaper wipes of some sort (baby washcloths and warm water works just fine.) More clothing is nice to have but baby will mostly live in sleepers for the first couple of months.
5. Diaper Bag. You can use a shopping bag, old backpack, large purse or what have you but you will need something to carry extra diapers and changes of clothes. Poop happens, usually at the most inopportune times.

The Nice to Have:

1. A stroller. In all likelihood you will eventually want a stroller to go for walks. The type of stroller that you purchase is decision that you need to make carefully. Strollers can be expensive. Consider what you want to do with the stroller: walk in the mall, walk outside, jog. A stroller that can go outside with rubber tires but is small enough to fit into the car is the best all around option. Travel systems are convenient but many people I know did not get much use out of the set together. They found themselves wishing they had spent the money on a stroller with more durable wheels for summer walks to the park. Also keep in mind that some babies outgrown their infant seat in a matter of months, then the expensive travel system is just a mall stroller.
2. A change table. Nice to keep baby off the floor or the bed for poopy changes. Nice to not kneel on the floor in that painful postpartum recovery time. Nice for the storage that they often provide. Necessity...nahh.
3. A swing. Literally saved my sanity with my first. It is the only place he would take a nap. With my second it simply took up space and gathered dust. If someone offers you a swing or offers to buy you one, sure, go for it.
4. A bouncy seat. I never used one but some people swear by them. May make a good alternative to a swing but has a limited usage. Once baby gets too heavy he/she will be sinking down to the floor.
5. A baby transporting device: a Snugli or Baby Bjorne, sling, ring sling, wrap or back carrier. There are too many to mention here but I will expand on this topic in a future post. Especially nice to have if you already have a toddler at home to chase after.
6. A nursing pillow. If you choose to breastfeed, they are worth every penny. Saves back, neck and arm strain and doubles as a prop for baby when they are learning to sit up.
7. A baby bath tub. Again, nice to have, many nice featured ones on the market but needs storage space.

The Can Probably Live Without It:

1. Playpen. Might be convenient if you want baby to sleep in another location of the house or at Grandma's.
2. Diaper genie, wipes warmer, bottle warmer, sterilizer.....I could go on here.

CAVEAT: This is my opinion, purely from my own experience, no hate mail please.

Adventures in Cabbage Rolling

Flashback 20 years. Setting: a warm kitchen somewhere in small town Canada. Time frame: the middle of autumn. Children fling themselves off the school bus and down the long dirt driveway. As the children enter the house, the thick stench of cooked cabbage slaps them in the face. Oh, horrors! It's cabbage roll time again.

Fast forward 15 years. Setting: a different small town in Canada. Time frame: the middle of autumn. A young married couple flip through flyers on a Saturday morning. Husband finds the M&M meats flyer: "Oooh, cabbage rolls! Do you know how to make those?"

Wife shudders. "No. I don't really like cabbage rolls."

"They're really good! You should try them!" Husband encourages.

Wife tries to suppress post-traumatic memories of completely sogged out cabbage swimming in watery tomato sauce. "Perhaps we could buy some for you."

Present day: small town Canada in the middle of autumn. I have eaten store bought cabbage rolls a few times now. The ones from M&M really are not too bad. I have managed to suppress the memories of horrible cabbage rolls from my childhood and managed to put the severe aversion to cooked cabbage smell behind me.

I have come across umpteen recipes for cabbage rolls in the past few weeks and I have been plotting to give them a try. Today I finally had the opportunity. I was under the impression that they were a lot of work. Cabbage rolls are surprisingly easy to make and are not a huge time commitment.

Here is what you will need:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb lean ground pork
• 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• approximately 12 large cabbage leaves.
• 1- 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 3/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 splash worcestershire sauce

* Just a note about buying a suitable cabbage: think big and loose. You want a cabbage that has leaves large enough to fit your filling. Try to find a large cabbage with leaves in good condition. A cabbage loosely grown cabbage will also make your cabbage rolling life easier.

Here is what I did:

• For the filling: in a large bowl mix together the meat, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rice, egg, and milk.
• For the sauce: in a separate bowl whisk together the tomato paste, worcestershire, brown sugar, and chicken stock. Set aside.
• Cut out as much of the core of the cabbage as possible. Carefully remove leaves one at a time taking care not to rip them. Cut off the thickest portion at the end of each leaf. Bring a large pot (make that huge) to a rolling boil on the stove and blanch the cabbage leaves a few at a time until they are pliable. This took approximately 2-3 minutes. Drain and put aside. Alternatively, you can steam the leaves or microwave them in a covered dish.
• Using one leaf for each roll, place 1/4 cup of filling at the stem end, tuck in the sides and roll up tightly.
• Place in the bottom of your crock seam side down. Continue rolling for remaining ingredients. You can pack the rolls fairly tightly in the crock and two layers will cook nicely. Over the first layer of rolls pour half of the sauce. Cover with a second layer of rolls and pour the remaining sauce over the top.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Mine were done in about 6.5 hours.

We were amazed that they could be cooked in the CrockPot. They turned out very nice. Not too mushy with a nice thick tomatoe-y sauce. Unfortunately when it is all said and done, the house still stinks like cooked cabbage but I am making therapeutic progress!

BRRRRRR...it's Chili!

What could be better than a warm bowl of chili after a walk on a breezy November afternoon? Chili is perfect for the Crock-Pot: the longer you cook it, the better it tastes. After years of tweaking and gleaning from various sources, I think I have finally perfected my recipe.

For the chili you will need:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1- 28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1- 14 oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1- 14 oz can Heinz Chili Style Pinto and Red Kidney beans (do not drain)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp (+/-) chili powder
• 1 splash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute garlic, onion, and peppers until softened. Add ground beef and seasonings to skillet. Brown beef until thoroughly cooked. Add beans and tomatoes to skillet and simmer until heated through. Pour entire contents of skillet into Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on Low for 8-10 hours. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Enjoy!

Getting Comfy with Chaos

This afternoon I was multitasking (read:letting it all slide while surfing) when I came across this entry at Diary of a Stay at home Mom. This author has put it so well. As moms we all have days (months...years...) like this. My house often looks like the aftermath of a tropical storm. Miraculously, it is all under control and everything gets done on time. One thing that helps me to organize is lists. Everything that is not part of the regular everyday is put on a list to be completed.

Secondly, be realistic about what you want to accomplish. A barbecue for 50 on the same day that you need to take the posse to the dentist isn't realistically going to happen. I am always amazed when I catch Crash Test Mommy on cable. While it is funny to see the 'wannabe mommy' replacement try to accomplish all of the tasks on the list, they always schedule a ridiculous activity that no mommy is going to do on the same day as everything else. Example: paint three rooms of the house, schedule a birthday party for ten and clear the four week backlog of laundry from the laundry room all in a 48 hour period. I think not.

Third, get comfy with chaos. I admit that I have made peace with my inner neat freak. I like my house to be neat and clean but it does not always look that way. My house is sanitary and somewhat organized but I am a constantly rolling machine most of my waking hours. I always have several things on the go: dinner in the slowcooker or oven, laundry that needs to be folded, and the constant rotation of dirty dishes that need washing. Eventually it all gets done and I seldom go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. (No, I don't use a dishwasher, but that is a story for another day!)

Lastly, enlist the posse to help. You would be amazed how early in life they can learn to put their toys in the toybox or clothes in their own hamper! My little helpers do an amazing job when asked to clean up. It is an expected routine before meals and sleep time. Start early, be consistent, give a lot of praise for a job well done!

Manic Monday

The Monday after the time change always throws everyone for a loop. The extra hour somehow never translates into an extra hour of sleep. It always manifests itself as knocking bed and waking times off. Factor in Halloween on a Friday night and the dark damp weather of the beginning of November and you have the recipe for grouchy little people.

Today was a good day to sit in and read, read, read! I always ensure that we have a good supply of books from the library on hand. Alphabet books are the current hit in our home. Chicka Chicka Boom Boomby Bill Martin Jr. and Jim Archambault is one of my favourites. An interactive alphabet story about letter racing up the coconut tree, it is beautifully illustrated by Lois Ehlert. Many of Lois Ehlert's books are among our favourites: Eating the Alphabet: Fruits & Vegetables from A to Z, Waiting for Wings, and Pie in the Sky. Check out your local library!

The List Maker

Even though I am at home, sometimes it still feels like there are not enough hours in the day. As the posse gets older, we are taking part in more activities. Trying to schedule the things that NEED to get done around the things that we WANT to do during daylight hours has turned me into a maker of lists. Lists for groceries, lists for things to do around the house, and lists for errands that need to get done.

The grocery list is the absolute pinnacle of my planning. I keep a notepad and a pencil on the refrigerator to write items down as I run out of them. I also have a long term shopping list for items that I stock up on when I see a good sale. Having a list for these things guarantees that I leave the store with everything that I need. Not an easy task with screaming little people dangling from the seats as I ferry the burgeoning cart through the store. Shopping with a list also keeps impulse purchases to a minimum: a budget bonus!

Along with all of the other Halloween related things we need to get done today we have a few last minute Halloween items to pick up. Lists are my lifesavers!

Free Printable Colouring Pages

I am always on the lookout for new colouring pages to keep those little hands busy. FreeColoringPageFun.com offers 2500+ free printable colouring pages. Perfect for those cold winter days ahead!

Baby Gear: Choosing the right jogging stroller.

With colder weather here, walks outside with the kids are requiring more planning. I like to get outside and stay active but have my children stay warm and comfortable. I am always on the lookout for products that make this easier. My best purchase to date has been my Chariot Cougar stroller. This stroller is made by Chariot Carriers of Calgary, Alberta.

Chariot has given much thought to the convenience and comfort aspects of this system. This all-in-one system can be used as a stroller, jogger, bike trailer, as well as for hiking and cross-country skiing. The system is sold as a chassis-only and conversion kits can be purchased separately from your local bicycle shop. The chassis is lightweight and folds down conveniently for storage or travel. Different conversions can be made quickly and easily by snapping on and off the required parts. No need for tools!

The cockpit of the carrier is large enough for two toddlers to be seated comfortably. There is an integrated sunshade, bug screen and rain cover as well as extra ventilation in the rear and sides of the cockpit .

We use the Chariot daily as a stroller and have been on many family bike rides with the posse comfortable and protected from the elements.

Sunday Morning Muffins

Sunday morning at home is always a good time for home made muffins. It was a chilly two degrees Celsius this morning but beautiful and sunny.

Our family favourite is blueberry muffins. When blueberries are in season (August here in Canada) I buy them in a five pound case. Wash and drain them carefully. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper, spread the fresh blueberries out on top of the wax paper in a single layer and place the entire tray in the deep freeze for 12 hours. When the berries are frozen solid, remove from the freezer and transfer to a resealable freezer bag. The berries will be individually frozen and can be used in muffins, cakes and pancakes.

My favourite blueberry muffin recipe is adapted from Muffins, Scones, and Breads by the Australian Women's Weekly. My muffin tin makes 6 large muffins and fits into my counter top oven.

My version of the recipe:

• 2 cups flour (I use whole wheat)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon peach or apricot all fruit jam (I use President's Choice Blue Menu Twice the Fruit Peach and Passion fruit)

Grease muffin tin. Sift dry ingredients together. Stir in remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture into the muffin tin. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes. This recipe will make 12 regular or 6 large muffins.

The addition of the jam cuts down on the amount of brown sugar needed and results in a very moist, fruity muffin.

Fabulous New Chicken Recipe

We love chicken. It is versatile and easy for the little people of the posse to chew. I have done everything under the sun with chicken: barbecue, roast, stew, stir fry, soup, potpie, and even my own home made Shake and Bake (the sodium content in the commercially prepared stuff makes me shudder.)

Today I was looking for a new way to cook chicken and wanted to use the my Crock-Pot. I decided try out a recipe for CrockPot Rotisserie-Style Chicken at A Year of CrockPotting. I love checking out this blog. This gal has gone places with her Crock-Pot I would have been afraid to tread!

I used my 3 quart Crock-Pot with a 3 lb chicken. I left the skin on and did away with some of the extra leg and neck fat. I cut back the salt to one teaspoon and omitted the cayenne pepper. Into the crock it went for 4 hours on high.

I have NEVER, EVER put anything in the Crock-Pot without extra liquid. The thought actually frightened me! I must have checked the crock every 30 minutes like a crazy person to ensure my chicken dinner wasn't crusting away or going up in flames!

When four hours had passed I carefully lifted the lid and pulled out the chicken. It was intact, cooked, and sitting in a pool of drippings. I thickened up the juices and it made a delicious gravy! I added a batch of scalloped potatoes and steamed vegetables to complete the meal.

This is a fabulous alternative to roasting chicken in Toasty! It was very tasty and cooking breast down allowed the breast meat to remain tender and juicy. We will definitely be adding this to the chicken rotation!

The New Toy

I treated myself to a new small appliance last week: a three quart oval Crock-Pot. I already own a five quart Smart Pot Crock-Pot but I was looking for something smaller. The three quart is the perfect size for a batch of spaghetti and meatball sauce.

One drawback of the traditional Crock-Pot is the lack of programming capability. I am used to setting the timer on my Smart Pot and leaving it to cook overnight. I am always nervous trying out a new appliance for the first time. I decided to make a batch of spaghetti sauce in the afternoon when I would be home to watch and ensure the new slow cooker didn't burn the house down!

Spaghetti and meatball sauce is absolutely incredible when it has had a chance to slow simmer.

For the meatballs you will need:

• 1 lb. lean or extra lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp Montreal Steak Spice (I use La Grille by Club House)
• splash of Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• fine bread crumbs

Mix together all above with exception of the bread crumbs. When all the ingredients are well combined add just enough bread crumbs to absorb excess moisture (a nice way of saying: add bread crumbs until it no longer feels like a slimy vat of goo) approximately 2-3 tsp.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large flat bottomed fry pan over medium heat. Form meatballs approximately one inch in diameter and fry in pan until browned all over. While the meatballs are browning prepare the ingredients for the sauce.

Now here is where I cheat. Just a tad. The way I see it, much work has already gone into prepared spaghetti sauce. Do I need to repeat this work? I think not. Perhaps some day I will try my hand at home made. It would probably be fabulous in the Crock-Pot. Anyone have a recipe they would love to share? Until that day, jarred it is. As long as the sodium content doesn't make me shudder, I'm fine with it.

For the sauce you will need:

• 1 jar of your favourite prepared spaghetti sauce
• 3 cups chopped vegetables of your choice: mushrooms, zucchini, onion, celery, broccoli, bell pepper
• 3 pineapple rings, sliced into wedges

When the meatballs are finished browning, remove to a tray and drain excess fat from the pan. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in the pan and saute the mushrooms until most of the fluid has disappeared from the pan. Add the remaining vegetables and saute until slightly softened. Add the pineapple and meatballs to the pan. Pour in the entire jar of spaghetti sauce and let it come to simmer. When the entire mixture is heated through, pour into your crock. Cook for 3-4 hours on high. Serve over your favourite pasta.

The meatballs will melt in your mouth. The pineapple is a favourite around here. It adds a nice sweetness and cuts some of the acidity of the tomato sauce.

My Counter Top Favourite

I must admit, I have a small obsession with counter top appliances. While I am certainly smitten with my Crock-Pot, I have a real love affair going with my toaster oven. He is a Black and Decker counter top oven with a 12 inch pizza capacity which I have dubbed Toasty. Highly imaginative, I know.

I love this thing! I have used the counter top oven to bake muffins, scones, pizza, Greek-style pitas, whole chickens and side dishes too numerous to list. My regular oven has cowered in the shadows for the better part of a year. It has taken on the nickname of "The Glorified Turkey Maker" because Thanksgiving turkey is the only meal that I have prepared in it since purchasing the counter top oven last January.

The portability of this appliance is one of my favourite features. I live in a region of Canada that averages between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius through July and August. The thought of cooking in the heat is nauseating. Toasty can be set up in the basement on a heat resistant surface and happily bake away on timer while the weather outside is frightfully hot.

Now that the cooler weather is here Toasty is getting a real workout. Nothing like waking up in the morning and baking fresh blueberry muffins.

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