Now that you’ve started using your crock pot slow cooker regularly, you’re probably wondering how you can adapt your traditional recipes to use in a crock pot. The ease of preparing a meal with a slow cooker has literally changed the lives of busy families. With the help of their slow cookers, families are eating healthier and consuming less greasy fast-food.

Here are some hints for adapting your favorite traditional recipes for crock pot cooking.

1.) Add vegetables like peas and broccoli to your recipe in the last 15 – 60 minutes. If you’re using frozen vegetables, remember to add them to your crock pot recipe during the last 30 minutes.

2.) Make sure to soak your dried beans so that they are completely softened before adding them to your recipe. If your recipe includes tomatoes, salt, or sugar, then your beans should definitely be soaked before cooking.

3.) If your recipe calls for pasta, any kind of seafood, milk or other dairy products, then only add them during the last 60 minutes of cooking, and cook pasta to just a bit tender before adding them to the cooker. Condensed cream soups are good alternatives to dairy products because they can withstand longer cooking times.

4.) When cooking a recipe with rice, add an extra ¼ cup liquid for every ¼ cup of rice.

5.) Always remember to reduce the liquid in your recipe by ½ when you’re using a traditional recipe in your crock pot.

6.) A good idea for cooking stews and soups that call for vegetables is to put the veggies on the bottom and sides of the slow cooker and then place your meat on top.

Traditional Recipe to Slow Cooker Use:

15-30min traditional = 1.5–2hrs High or 4-6hrs Low in Crock pot

35-45min traditional = 3-4hrs High or 6-10hrs Low in Crock pot

50min-3hrs traditional = 4-6hrs High or 8-18hrs Low in Crock pot

If you’re like most families, your slow cooker supplies lots of food per meal, so you’ll very likely have leftovers. Always remember to never reheat your leftovers in the crock pot. One of the additional rewards of slow cooking is the ability to make lots of food and freeze for future meals. Happy slow cooking!

Brownies just keep getting better and better. Moist, chewy and so easy, these Fudgy-Fig-Nut Brownies are made with rich dark chocolate, crunchy toasted walnuts and surprise-sweet, delicious figs. Taste and health have joined together with simple directions to deliver brownies fit for every day or special occasions such as Father’s Day, Fourth of July and birthdays.

Amber-colored golden figs and dark purple Mission figs star as the special secret ingredients that make these brownies so unique and so delicious. The tiny crunchy seeds and sweet, chewy flavor of the figs complement the toasted walnuts and smooth dark chocolate. Health-conscious cooks are excited to learn that dark chocolate contributes health-promoting flavonol antioxidants; dried figs offer a unique array of essential vitamins and minerals and an excellent amount of dietary fiber; and walnuts deliver essential omega-3 fatty acids and “good” monounsaturated fats.

Figs are also great for snacking because they are so portable and convenient, along with being a nutrient-dense fruit. Three to four figs provide 6 percent daily value (DV) iron, 6 percent DV calcium, 6 percent DV magnesium, 6 percent DV vitamin B6 and 8 percent DV copper.

Fudgy Fig-Nut Brownies

3 large eggs
11/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup stemmed and chopped Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid Golden or Mission Figs
1/3 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Preheat oven to 325°. Coat 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In medium bowl, lightly beat eggs with wire whisk. Add sugar and whisk until well-blended. Whisk in oil and vanilla. Melt chocolate in small bowl in microwave oven on 50 percent power for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Whisk chocolate into egg mixture. In small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa and salt. Stir flour mixture into chocolate mixture, blending until smooth; batter will be stiff. Stir in figs and walnuts. Spread batter in baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out with a few crumbs attached.

Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into 16 brownies.

Nutrients per serving (16): Calories 191; Protein 3g; Total Fat 7g; Carbohydrate 29g; Cholesterol 40mg; Dietary Fiber 2g; Sodium 65mg.

Figs, chocolate and walnuts–nutrition and taste come together in one delicious brownie.

Fix it and forget it! Start dinner in the morning, go to work, run errands and come home to a piping hot supper. It couldn’t be easier with the recipes that use a slow-cooker.

BEEF AND BEER STEW WITH ONIONS

2 tablespoons butter
3 pounds lean beef stew meat
6 cups sliced onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
1 tablespoon HERB-OX® beef flavored bouillon granules
1 teaspoon thyme
2 cups dark beer-with or without alcohol
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

Heat butter in large skillet and brown beef. Place browned beef in a slow cooker. Add onions and garlic to skillet and brown lightly; place in slow cooker with beef. Add water, beef granules, thyme, beer, brown sugar and mustard to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 5-7 hours. Add cornstarch mixture to stew and continue to cook 20 minutes or until thickened. Serves 8.

BARBECUED SHORT RIBS

6-8 short ribs, about 3 pounds
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup water
2 teaspoons HERB-OX® beef flavored bouillon granules
1 cup hickory smoked barbecue sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in small amount of water

In large skillet over medium high heat, brown short ribs on all sides.

Place ribs in a slow cooker. Top with onions. In bowl, combine water, beef granules, barbecue sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Pour sauce over ribs. Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or until tender. Add cornstarch mixture and continue to cook 20 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serves 4 to 6.

WILD RICE AND CHICKEN SLOW-COOKER CASSEROLE

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into
3/4-inch pieces
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup diced onion
1 (103/4-ounce) can cream of chicken & mushroom soup
1 (103/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
2 (4-ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
6 slices HORMEL® Fully Cooked Bacon, crumbled
1 cube HERB-OX® chicken flavored bouillon dissolved in 1 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Place in 3 to 4-quart slow-cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Serves 6 to 8.

ITALIAN SHREDDED BEEF SANDWICHES

1 (21/2-pound) boneless eye of round beef roast
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 (6-ounce) can Italian flavored tomato paste
6 teaspoons HERB-OX® beef flavored bouillon granules
1/2 cup water
12 Kaiser rolls
12 (1-ounce) slices provolone cheese

Place roast in a 31/2-quart slow cooker. Add onion, tomato paste, bouillon granules and water. Cover and cook on HIGH 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast from cooker. Using two forks, shred meat. Return meat to cooker, stirring to coat with sauce. Evenly divide meat among Kaiser rolls. Top with cheese. Serves 12.

Barbecued short ribs

Beef and beer stew with onions

More people are calling almonds their favorite nut-and they are putting their almonds where their mouths are. Over the past six years, American almond

consumption has increased by 11 percent per year.

From roasted and seasoned almonds in creative, portable packaging to almond granola bars, energy bars and breakfast bars to entrees and vegetable dishes,

almonds are found in a variety of new food products.

One reason for their popularity may be their health benefits. Studies have shown that almonds as part of a balanced eating plan can lower LDL, or “bad,”

cholesterol and can help promote a healthy weight. In addition, almonds are packed with the antioxidant vitamin E, magnesium, protein and fiber. They also

contain calcium. So, it’s no coincidence almonds have become a favorite ingredient and the healthy snack of choice.
Quinoa Salad with Almonds, Feta and Summer Vegetables

Serves: 6
Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
3 ounces cubed feta cheese
1/2 cup sliced almonds, roasted*
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small zucchini, trimmed and diced
2 scallions, diced
Basil-Chive Vinaigrette
Instructions:

Place quinoa in a medium pot and rinse with water. Strain out water; add broth and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered

until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Cool and toss gently with feta, almonds, vegetables and vinaigrette. Serve.
Basil-Chive Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
Salt and pepper
Combine vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil until mixture is smooth and uniform. Stir in chives and basil. Season with salt

and pepper to taste.

*To roast sliced almonds, spread in an ungreased baking pan. Place in a 350ºF oven and bake 10 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant; stir once or twice

to ensure even browning. Note that almonds will continue to roast slightly after removing from oven.

Broccoli salad is a very versatile dish that can be made in an endless variety of ways. Here is a breakdown of the most popular ingredients and dressings.

1-Ingredients:

The first ingredient is of course fresh broccoli. 2 heads will do for an average sized salad. Chop the stem off and cut the flowerettes into bite sized pieces.

Next add some chopped vegetables. The favorites are onion, celery, carrots and cauliflower. Just add as much as you like until it looks like a good mix.

Some people like to add bacon. Fry up 6-8 strips until crispy, drain grease and set aside. Crumble bacon after it’s cooled and add to salad just before serving.

Any type of cheese can be used. It can be cubed, crumbled, shredded, or creamed as part of a dressing.

Fruit is often added to these salads, usually raisins. Also popular are grapes, cranberries, chopped apple, mandarin orange pieces, or any dried fruit.

Adding sunflower seeds or nuts to the mix gives the salad a little extra crunch. Almonds, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts are good examples. Try not to chop the nuts too small. Keeping the pieces larger helps the flavour of the nut stand out a little. Toasting the nuts with a little seasoning is an option as well.

If you would rather not chop up any fruit or nuts just add some trail mix to the salad instead.

2-Dressings:

a. The standard dressing for this salad is a basic mayonnaise/vinegar/sugar mix:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

* Mayonnaise can be mixed with yogurt to lighten it up.
* Flavoured vinegar can be used or substituted with lemon or lime juice.
* Artificial sweetener can be used instead of sugar.

b. An oil/vinegar dressing can also be used:

1/2 cup salad oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar(optional)
1/2 tsp. salt

* Flavoured cider or wine vinegar is recommended.
* Spices such as celery seed, onion powder, basil, and oregano can be added.

c. Your favorite bottled dressing can be used as well. Any creamy or italian style dressing will work fine on a broccoli salad . A good one to try is 3-cheese ranch.

3-More Stuff:

Here’s a few various items that could be added to make your salad something original:

* Any canned vegetable such as peas, corn or beans(black, kidney, garbanzo, waxed, etc.).
* Fresh vegetables such as mushrooms, chives, bean sprouts, green beans, cucumber and bell peppers.
* Seafood can make it interesting: shrimp, scallops, salmon, and calamari are good additions.

4-The Method:

* Add broccoli flowerettes and any other ingredients you are using to your salad bowl. If you are using crumbled bacon or bacon bits add them just before serving.
* Add your dressing, mix and refrigerate 2-4 hours or overnight.
* Stir salad again before serving.