Crock-Pot Cooking

by holly{Bruce}

While the term Crock-Pot is a trademark of the Rival Company for its brand of slow-cooker, people use the term as widely as they do Vaseline for petroleum jelly and Jello for gelatin.

The month of April is pivotal to many of us for various reasons. Now that Spring is officially here, our thoughts turn to spring cleaning and trying to slim down for summer clothing. More often than not, people think of slow cooker recipes for the winter, but they can be just as satisfying and convenient during the warm weather months as well.

There are many advantages to using slow cookers. They enable one to cook a homemade meal without the use of the oven, which can make the kitchen uncomfortable on a warm day. Also, after the necessary preparation, one can set the timer and go to work on the household chores/lawn work, etc. Since lean meats are recommended in slow cookers, many recipes don’t have to sabotage diets or healthy eating patterns. And, inexpensive cuts of meat can make wonderful meals in your crock-pot, as slow cooking makes meat very tender.

While standards have been set for healthy eating patterns, adult nutritional needs will vary depending upon age and build. Some require more, while others require less. The standard nutritional guidelines are based upon no more than:

2000 calories daily:
Fat - 65 grams
Cholesterol - 300 mg.
Sodium - 2400 mg.
Carbohydrates - 300 grams

2500 calories daily:
Fat: 80 grams
Cholesterol - 300 mg.
Sodium - 2400 mg.
Carbohydrates - 375 g.

A girl evaluated the following recipes based upon the 2000 calorie daily intake. Also, she chose to share recipes which were under 30% of the daily recommendation of total calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium since these factors influence overall health. When selecting a recipe for someone who needs to monitor such values, the number of portions in your recipe is crucial. For instance, if your recipe yields 12 servings, and each serving has 300 calories, then your portion will not be as generous as a recipe which yields 4 servings at 300 calories each. Therefore, the ratio of servings per nutrient values is important to watch.

The problem for many people is menus which are not varied. This can be a pit-fall when one is cooking a large one-pot meal. Avoid second helpings, and try supplementing portions with a tossed salad, fresh vegetables, crackers (e.g., Wheat Thins) and/or fresh fruit. While they’re more expensive than making your own, those salads-in-a-bag are great for small families, as they cut down on waste and can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

When serving family dinners, try to serve meals on the plate(s) rather than bringing the food to the dining room table. This way you can measure the portions accordingly. Keep the large centerpiece in place so the table doesn’t look so empty, and just lay the place settings, utensils and glassware. Serve with ice water and keep a pitcher on the dining room table. Water is very important to diets as well as good health. And, water is vital to maintaining soft and youthful skin.

For those who just don’t have the time for chopping and preparing homemade, crock-pot meals, you can purchase “Banquet-brand Crock Pot Classics.” They come in the frozen food section of your grocery store and provide a choice of chicken and beef meals. The nutritional information is right on the package, but you will find the sodium content quite high on these meals.

One can always do the necessary chopping and dicing of ingredients the night before and store them in the refrigerator. However, you should store them separately before cooking.

One important point to remember when using a slow-cooker is to keep the lid closed while in use. Most recipes just do not require constant stirring. When you lift the lid, you can lose up to 20 minutes of your time in cooking. The device has difficulty in quickly re-heating itself. Another important point to remember, don’t store leftovers in the removable, stoneware crock bowl. Transfer them to another casserole dish for storage in the refrigerator.

Pork Chops with Pecan-Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:
6 boneless pork chops (1 inch thick - 1 1/2 lb package)
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
4 cups unseasoned, cornbread stuffing mix (you’ll replace the seasoning with this recipe)
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preparations:
1. Trim the excess fat from the pork and discard. Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat the pan over medium heat. Add the pork and cook about 10 minutes or until each chop is browned on all sides. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Add the onion, celery, pecans, sage, rosemary and black pepper to another prepared skillet and saute 5 minutes on medium to low heat. Cook until vegetables are tender, then set aside.
3. Combine the stuffing mix, vegetable mixture and broth in a medium bowl. Stir in the egg.

Directions:
Spoon the stuffing mixture into the crock-pot, arranging the pork chops on top of the mixture. Cover and cook on the LOW setting for about 5 hours (HIGH setting for 2 hours) or until the meat is tender and no longer pink in the centers.
Yields: 6 servings.

Nutrition:
Calories: 272 (14%)
Total Fat: 14 grams (22%)
Carbohydrates: 19 grams
Protein: 17 grams
Cholesterol: 75 mg. (25%)
Sodium: 380 mg. (16%)

Swiss Steak

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. round steak, 3/4-inch thick
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 carrot, chopped
1 small stalk celery, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

Directions:
Cut round steak into 6 serving pieces. Season flour with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the meat with the seasoned flour. Put the onions in the bottom of the slow cooker, then add the meat. Top with carrots, celery and cover with tomato sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 3-5 hours.
Yields: 6 servings.

Nutrition:
Calories: 204 (10%)
Total Fat: 6 grams (9%)
Carbohydrates: 11 grams
Protein: 27 grams
Cholesterol: 66 mg. (22%)
Sodium: 685 mg. (28%)

Orange-Glazed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:
1 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, undiluted
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
6 (6 ounce) chicken breast halves, skin and excess fat removed
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:
Combine thawed orange juice and marjoram in a shallow dish. Dip each breast in the juice mixture and place in the crock-pot. Pour the remaining sauce over the breasts. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
Before serving, remove the chicken breasts from the crock-pot. Turn to HIGH and cover. Immediately mix the water and cornstarch and stir into the crock-pot. Place the cover slightly ajar and cook until thick and bubbly (about 15-30 minutes). Serve over the chicken.
Yields: 6 servings.

Nutrition:
Calories: 188 (9%)
Total Fat: 3 grams (4%)
Carbohydrates: 16 grams
Protein: 26 grams
Cholesterol: 64 mg. (21%)
Sodium: 73 mg. (3%)

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
2 (6 1/2 ounce) cans water-packed tuna, drained
1 (10 3/4 ounce) cans reduced-sodium and fat, condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
2 Tablespoons dried parsley
1 (10 ounce) package frozen, mixed vegetables, thawed
1 (10 ounce) package noodles, cooked and drained (Do not overcook-just until tender)
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Directions:
In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the tuna, soup, milk, parsley and vegetables. Fold in the noodles. Pour into a greased slow cooker and top with almonds. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
Yields: 6 servings.

Nutrition:
Calories: 593 (30%)
Total Fat: 12 grams (18%)
Carbohydrates: 87 grams
Protein: 35 grams
Cholesterol: 74 mg. (25%)
Sodium: 675 mg. (28%)

A girl wishes everyone all the best this month.

holly {Bruce}
E-mail: holly_anne1@yahoo.com