CROCKPOT MENUS ZAP THE HOLIDAY FOOD HANGOVER

CROCK POT CROCKPOT OR SLOW COOKER ?

Do you have a Holiday food Hangover?

Are you sick of Ham, Ham casserole, Ham sandwiches, Ham salad, Ham & cheese, turkey, turkey salad, turkey burritos, any and all dressings or stuffings and the infamous green bean casserole ?
I don't know about your family,
but my honey said he is "chocolated out".
Too much fudge, too much cake and way too many cookies,
"too much chocolate"
that's what he said, I shiver at the thought.
Too much chocolate?
n e v e r .

;)


I think it may be time for some crockpot / slow cooker recipes, soups, how about cold salads, warm sandwiches and maybe some fresh fruit. Since so many are tired of turkey and ham recipes, the past couple of days I have shared some different menu ideas : Chinese Egg Roll and Egg Roll Wrapper recipes and a new Brown Sugar Chicken crockpot recipe. Today I am sharing another special crock pot recipe.
POTATO SOUP.

I like the fact you can simply toss everything in a pot and let it simmer all day. One of these days I am going to have to do some in-depth research {ask around at the grocery}
on why some call it a Crock pot and others a Slow cooker. My guess is, probably the manufacturers decided to rename the 'crock pot' to 'slow cooker' thinking it would sound more appealing to the younger market, those just starting out. It could also be a regional thing.
I do know that I will not ever buy another all-in-one crock. I used to struggle with cleaning the inside of the older versions and never felt like I got it clean enough. You couldn't really scrub it well, because you couldn't safely get the outside wet because of the exposed plug-in. The best slow cooker / crock pot I ever used is the one I have now.

It has a large pot that sits on a base that can also be used as a griddle. It has a see-thru lid and is the size of a ex-large casserole dish so I can fit 4 large boneless chicken breasts in one layer. Another reason I like to use it so often, besides the obvious, is the pot itself has 2 large handles on either side, no electrical connections or plugs so I can totally submerse it in water.
I have had it for about 6 years,
it was very inexpensive and we like that too...


SIMPLE POTATO SOUP RECIPE

8 cups coarsely peeled & chopped potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 pound bacon, cooked crisp, drained and crumbled
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth (reg or low-sodium)
1 reg sized can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp regular black pepper or seasoned pepper

In a 4 quart crockpot, stir together the potatoes and onions.

Stir in the bacon.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, chicken broth, cream
of chicken soup and the pepper. Add the mixture to the crock.

Cover and cook the soup all day, on low heat, for about 8 hours
or on high heat for about 4 hours.

*If you like a thicker soup consistency mash the potatoes up a
little before serving. You can add more or less bacon.
I like homemade soups in the crock because you can add just about anything you like.
How about adding a few slices of velvetta in the last couple hours of cooking. YUMMM.

**Another tip for this kind of homemade soup:
If you accidentally put in too much liquid, after it is done, simply add a few instant mashed potato flakes to thicken it up. The last time I made my broccoli soup, I made it too thin and after everything was cooked thru , I added some potato flakes and stirred until I got the consistency I wanted.

Sides:
Serve with any type of toasted Sandwich
or
with plain Saltine crackers
or
cheese & crackers.

For a change right before serving:
Toss in a few croutons or
sprinkle on some shredded cheese.
Use your imagination.
Since you have to cook or at least e a t
every day, why not make it interesting !


Tomorrow, another crockpot supper - bbq smokies...




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