Makeshift Mamma

This is one of my favourite fall soup recipes from an old Harrowsmith cookbook.  The original recipe doesn’t have sausage in it, but I think it adds a nice touch.  I have posted 2 methods for cooking… lately I favour the slow cooker method because it’s easier, tastes the same and doesn’t need to have all that butter in it.

• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 medium sized butternut squash (~3 lbs)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 pound pre-cooked kielbasa sausage, sliced in rounds
• 4-5 teaspoons curry powder

Original Stove-Top Directions:

1. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter, add onions and curry powder and simmer, covered, on low heat for 25 minutes.  Add peeled and cubed squash, stock and chopped apples, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Puree soup, add apple juice and sausage and heat until sausage is warmed/cooked through.

Shredded beef on a bun with yummy toppings… what’s not to love?  The toppings are important on this one, namely the horseradish mayo. This recipe is verbatim from one I found on Allrecipes.com.  The only thing I think I would do differently next time is add some freshly sliced pepperoncini peppers as a topping on the sandwich or just reserve adding half of the peppers until the end of cooking… I love the taste of them and found that 8 hours of slow cooking really mellowed the flavour.

• 1 3 pound beef roast
• 4 garlic cloves (or 4 squirts of garlic in a tube if you’re lazy like me)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar pepperoncini peppers
• ~8 hoagie rolls
• Pile meat on rolls and top with sliced provolone, horseradish mayonnaise (mayo mixed with a little horseradish, to taste), sliced tomatoes, lettuce and a couple extra pepperoncini peppers on the side

Directions:

1. Combine beef, garlic, and pepperoncini peppers (including liquid) in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. Transfer beef and peppers to a serving bowl, and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices.
3. Serve on hoagie rolls, topped with .

This recipe was adapted slightly from one I found on Skinny Crock Pot.  It is similar to the Slow Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos that I posted previously… equally easy to prepare but slightly different flavour due mainly to the adobo sauce.  It all boils down to personal preference, but I think both are equally tasty.  If you don’t have all the spices on hand, a package of taco seasoning would work equally well

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 cups of your favourite salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 15 oz can of black beans
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Taco shells or flatbread for serving
• Cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream, for serving

Directions:

1. Combine chicken, salsa, corn and spices in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for  8 hours.  In last half hour of cooking (or just before serving) add black beans.
2. Transfer chicken to a serving bowl, and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices. Serve in taco shells, with toppings, if desired.

I love tacos!  I also love recipes which are easy to prepare  This shredded chicken was delicious and I managed to throw everything together in the slow cooker in about 15 minutes.  Thanks to Martha Stewart, I’m becoming a fast fan of adobo sauce.

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (~6 thighs)
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup prepared tomato salsa, plus more for serving
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Taco shells or flatbread for serving
• Cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream, for serving

Directions:

1. In slow cooker, combine chicken, garlic, salsa, chiles, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and teaspoon pepper. Cover; cook on high, 4 hours (or on low, 8 hours).
2. Transfer chicken to a serving bowl, and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices. Serve in taco shells, with toppings, if desired.

This was yummy, even the boy loved it The secret to making this good is to use good barbecue sauce… none of that cheap stuff. I used Jack Daniels honey smokehouse barbecue sauce and it turned out great! Mine made enough for ~12 rolls.

• 6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (thighs would also work just dandy)
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Place chicken in a slow cooker. In a bowl, mix the barbecue sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken.
2. over, and cook 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.

I was craving sausages and this recipe really hit the spot.  The sausages which I bought were quite spicy, but the sweetness tempered the heat quite well.   This will be a repeat.  I only had round rolls so I sliced my sausage

• 2 pounds hot Italian sausages
• 1/2 jar (13 ounces) spaghetti sauce
• 1 sliced onion (Vidalia preferred), sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• 1/8 cup brown sugar
• 10 Italian rolls
• Toppings: Provolone cheese

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients (except rolls and cheese) in slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
2. Place sausages on rolls.   Top with vegetable mixture and provolone cheese.

This is a pretty yummy recipe for mexican beef.  It had just the right amount of spice for me, but I like things pretty spicy.  Dial back on the chipotle peppers a bit if you don’t like the heat.  I enjoyed the Spanish rice below also… Liam actually ate the rice, which is a rarity, so I count that as a success  I really liked the rice myself… I think choosing a salsa that you like is key to that recipe though.

• 1 (2 pound) lean beef roast
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 (7 ounce) can chopped green chilies
• 1 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 (7 ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or to taste
• 1 cube beef bouillon
• Juice of 1/4 lemon (optional)
• Flat bread

• Toppings: Lettuce, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, cheese

Directions:

1. Combine onions, green chiles, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle peppers, and beef bouillon in the slow cooker.
2. Trim the roast of any excess fat, and cut into four pieces. Rub with black pepper, and place into a slow cooker on top of other ingredients.
3. Cover roast with sliced green peppers.
4. Cover, and cook on High until the meat begins to fall apart, about 8 hours. Add water if needed to keep the roast from drying out… I didn’t need to add any water, the onions and peppers provided enough.
5. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks.  I squeezed some fresh lemon juice over my beef at the end.

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 1/3 cups chicken broth (or 2 1/3 cups water and  few bouillon cubes)
• 1 cup long grain rice (I used basmati)
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. Saute onion, green pepper and garlic in a bit of oil until tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except coriander and stir well.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for ~15-20 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
3. Stir in coriander if using.