Yesterday morning I looked up a bunch of the recipes that you guys recommended, and I decided that I'd be able to cobble something together using what I already had in my cupboard. I was only missing one thing: the meat.
38 Results for: slow cooker
A Whole New World (Of Dinner Options)
Thanks to my wonderful in-laws, I am now the proud new owner of a slow cooker. I've always wanted one (no dishwasher means I particularly love one-pot meals)...but I've never really used one before, sooo...any amazing slow cooker recipes you wouldn't mind passing my way?
So excited to play with my new toy!
From an Outsider’s POV
Olivia here, again - while Jordan is ruminating on the beauty she's seeing, I thought I'd come by and share an interesting POV; I met Jordan over ten years ago via her blogmates on NonSociety (fun fact: I designed the NonSociety t-shirts...weird) and when Jordan began Ramshackle Glam, I naturally journeyed over here and I've been a loyal reader ever since. There have been so, so many posts of Jordan's which have hit me in the feels, made me laugh, and taught me something; but, there have also been posts of Jordan's which have left me scratching my head or with my hands over my eyes. I'd thought I'd share some of my all-time favorite Ramshackle Glam posts, and a few which made me shake my head. What's your favorite post of Jordan's? Which Ramshackle Glam post made you laugh or cry? I'd love to know!
1. The Great Impossible is one of those posts I bookmarked on my computer and would read almost daily. I almost memorized these lines, "Because marriage is hard – so hard that sometimes it feels impossible. It’s so consuming that when it isn’t working, there’s no lonelier place to be than next to the person you promised to spend forever with." It felt so nice to know other women were having similar thoughts, but also could come back from the thoughts and grow and learn. I feel similar about this post, too. At the time of reading both of them, I felt so seen and heard. Marriage can be tough, and it's okay to talk about the valleys as well as the peaks. In fact, Jordan talks about the fact that 'we don't talk about it' in this post - another fave.
The Everpresent Orange
Today in Things That I Do That Make Very Little Sense: I take enormous, completely unfounded pride in our orange tree (you know, the one that I freaked out over when we first arrived at our new home).
When people come over, I announce to them, "Would you like an orange? Because we grow them ourselves. Did I mention that they're DELICIOUS?" I send people baskets of oranges and write "From our backyard!" on twee little cards. I make orange-flavored cakes, and make sure that anyone who's eating one is aware that it all that lovely orange-y flavor came from my very own oranges that are mine and that exist because I MADE IT SO. (I'm aware that this is obnoxious, and also that orange-growing is hardly cause for national celebration in California, but whatever, I'm from New York City and in New York City oranges are born in supermarkets, so this is all very thrilling to me.)
Let us now be absolutely clear: I had virtually nothing to do with the fact that this particular tree produces oranges, delicious or otherwise. In fact, I tried extremely hard via a refusal to water it (thanks partially to drought-related water restrictions but mostly to my own forgetfulness) to make sure that it never produced fruit again, and yet it persevered. It would be more accurate for me to take pride in the fact that my orange tree absolutely refuses to die.
Fettuccine with Shrimp, Peas and Spinach
I'm over winter.
I'm over the snow. Over the heating bill. Over the fact that my car's steering wheel apparently stops moving when it drops below twenty degrees.
I'm even over the stews and soups, and as much as I adore my slow-cooker, I'm ready to retire it in favor of all things springy and light. Mostly, I'm ready for seafood and white wine and fresh vegetables.
Easy, Hearty Beef & Rice Stew
Here is what I think you should make this weekend:
This.
Oh my god, it's so good. It's like everything that's wonderful about winter, and is really best served in the presence of a Christmas tree. You can make it in a slow-cooker if you want, but I only remembered that I wanted to make stew for dinner around 3PM, so I used a regular stovetop pot, and it was done by six P.M. Vegetables, protein, a little carbs, a lot of deliciousness…it's all in there in that one pot.
Chicken Tikka Masala Experiment (And Suggestions, Please)
I have never tried making Indian food before, and last week's experiment taught me a little lesson:
When attempting to cook a dish from an entirely unfamiliar cuisine, follow the damn recipe.
I didn't really follow the recipe. Or I sort of did…but was so confused by the sheer volume of spices it told me to pile into my slow-cooker that I started thinking to myself "That can't be right" and going lighter than the recommended amounts of cumin and cardamom and what have you. And guess what I ended up with?
Easy, Awesome Brisket With Vegetables
Course #2 of our Passover Dinner (the first I've ever made on my own) was yet another dish that's brand-new to me: brisket. But I was excited to add my aunt Debbie's recipe to my repertoire, because I have a big thing for inexpensive cuts of meat that you cook on low heat for ever and ever: I think they're just incredibly flavorful and delicious, and love how virtually unscrewupable they are. I also love the fact that you start them in the morning and then basically forget about them all day long, and then poof: dinner is ready, and you barely did a thing.
This dish easily serves 4-6, and makes for some seriously good leftovers (try putting the meat between slices of white bread the next day, oh my god yum). You can also try making this in your slow-cooker; just remember that you'll need about 8 hours of cooking if you do it that way.
(Click here for Course #1, Matzoh Ball Soup)
Links & Love & Stuff
:) Last night we kicked off what's looking like two days of being snowbound by watching cartoons in bed. "In bed" because I finally broke and installed a TV in our bedroom, and it is the BEST and I LOVE IT and am TOTALLY FINE with the fact that I am now officially a card-carrying Lazy Person who is too much of a sloth to climb a flight of stairs between watching The Bachelor and going to sleep.
:) This new app lets you store your house key in a cloud and immediately cut one at a kiosk if you lock yourself out rather than waiting around for a locksmith (and paying a fortune). It also sounds like it would have solved about 99% of my problems when I was living in the city.
:) If you don't own a fedora yet, this one is classic and perfect (and nicely priced).
Kitchen Essentials
Q. What ingredients/cooking tools would you recommend for a beginner, mid-level and advanced-level cook?
- Jeannine
A. I'm going to answer this question from the perspective of someone who's firmly in that middle category: a decent-ish cook who's interested in moving slightly beyond the basics and experimenting a little. My feeling about cooking - beginner or no - is that it should be fun, not fussy...so I honestly don't think you just don't really need a ton in order to create delicious meals, regardless of how proficient you are in the kitchen.
That said, it's definitely nice to have a few little toys to play with.