Saturday, May 28, 2011

Weekend Cooking: Slow Cooker Revolution (Redux)

No, you're not seeing things.  No, I haven't screwed up my posts again.  I did just publish a post on this cookbook two weeks ago.  But as Dawn says, I've been drinking the Slow Cooker Revolution Kool Aid and I had to report back to you with more good stuff.

With most cookbooks, I can pick one or two great recipes and have success.  But this collection here is the REAL DEAL.  I've now made nine recipes, and every one of them have been incredible.  Obviously I can't give all of them to you, so I'm going to have to decide which one.  Here are my choices:

1.  Aloha Pork Chops - as you might guess, these pork chops are smothered in a sauce that contains pineapple juice, cider vinegar, soy sauce, curry powder, red pepper flakes and ginger.  The sauce is then thickened at the end to make a wonderful sweet and spicy glaze.

2.  Huli Huli Chicken - another Hawaiian recipe that slow cooks the chicken in a type of sweet barbecue sauce made from pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, lime juice and brown sugar.  Then topped off with a little high temp baking for crispness.  Moans of happy mouths with this one.

3.  Jerk Chicken - the jerk rub in this recipe is as authentic as it can get, with scallions, habanero chiles, ginger, molasses, garlic and spices all blended in the food processor.  They also finish off the recipe with broiling for crisp skin.  This one might be too spicy for tender mouths.

4.  Sausage Lasagne - I've never made lasagne in the slow cooker before, but this was fantastic.  To make it, you line the crock with aluminum foil and cook it on low.  Who knew?

5.  Sweet and Sour Braised Red Cabbage - I'm not a fan of the cabbage, but my Polish husband is, and with all his experience in eating it, he claimed it was the best he'd had.  I think the secret ingredients here are the apple cider, cider vinegar and brown sugar.  I'm sure the onion and the bacon didn't hurt either.


After mulling over these last dishes, I think I'll give you the Huli Huli Chicken:

2/3 cups pineapple juice
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBL minced or grated ginger
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces

1.  Simmer pineapple juice, sugar, ketchup, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and ginger in medium saucepan until thickened and measures 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.

2.  Coat slow cooker with cooking spray.  Transfer 1/2 cup sauce to slow cooker, reserve remaining.  Season chicken with salt & pepper, add to slow cooker and coat evenly with sauce.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.

3.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place wire rack in aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.  Transfer chicken, skin side up, to sheet.

4.  Brush chicken with reserved sauce and bake, brushing with more sauce every few minutes, until it has a deep, mahogany lacquer, 20 to 30 minutes.


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15 comments:

rhapsodyinbooks said...

If you made aloha pork chops for my husband he'd be totally in love with you. (I don't, ahem, actually, cook (although I BAKE, of course), so I wouldn't dream of doing that, even though it sounds easy!)

Peppermint Ph.D. said...

We're not big cabbage fans but the other recipes you mentioned have mey mouth watering at 7 a.m. :) I'm always looking for good crockpot recipes!! Adding this one to my wishlist!!!

Julie P. said...

Have this one on reserve at the library. I want to look through it before purchasing!

JoAnn said...

OK, I'm STILL on the waiting list at the library for this one....

Marie Cloutier said...

I need this book- and a slow cooker, LOL :-)

Heidenkind said...

Wouldn't the aluminum foil react badly with the tomatoes in the lasagna?

Kathleen said...

Everything sounds so yummy. Thanks for sharing the chicken recipe with us. My sweetie will love this one!

bermudaonion said...

Oh man, does that sound good! What time should we come for dinner?

bermudaonion said...

That looks fabulous! What time should we be there for dinner?

TheBookGirl said...

I've never made any kind of pasta dish in the slow cooker, so I am fascinated by the idea of crockpot lasagne. I'm going to have to check this book out...

Beth F said...

I too am in love with this cookbook -- I just wish I remembered to start cooking earlier in the day.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I need to get this. I work full-time and slow cookers make my life so easy! I love coming home to a dinner that's ready to go.

Melissa said...

I love my slow cooker, but often forget to use it. I think this is the inspiration I need to get started again!

Darlene said...

I'm so glad you're enjoying this cookbook so much! I'm really going to have to order it for myself.

Heather said...

I am so looking forward to ordering this book.