Bailey's Leaf Lovin' on the Crock-Pot Fest!

Here it is! The 1st Annual Bailey's Leaf Lovin' on the Crock-Pot Fest! (Could I have come up with a longer name? Certainly!) At any rate, let the fun begin! We'll be cookin' from September 27 - October 2. Do come and join the fun!

More fun I found just now! While hunting to see the proper spelling of Crock-Pot (which the brand name is hyphenated. I was spelling it as one word and a friend was spelling it as two), I found that the iPhone has an App for Crock-Pot cooking! Who knew? Well, I didn't because I'm rockin' a pink Motorola Razr phone and not an iPhone (the technology would be completely lost on me.) So Rachael and the rest of the iPhone users, here is a link for your App. Enjoy!

White Chili with Black Beans (my favorite from the church chili cook-off)
by Karen, our dear church secretary

3 T butter or oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c. flour
1 T ground cumin
3/4 t salt
1/4 t crushed red pepper (optional)
2 c milk
1 pkg frozen white corn
1 15.5 oz can great northern beans or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
2 c chicken breast, cooked and cubed
1 4 oz can diced green chilis

Combine in a Crock-Pot and cook on low until done.

Braised Pork Chops (a dinnertime favorite)
By Michelle at Big Blueberry Eyes

I found this recipe on Michelle's blog years ago. I have made it so many times! Thanks, Michelle!
6 - 8 lean pork chops
1/3 c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard (I've used whole mustard seeds and have done just fine.)
1 T oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove of garlic, minced (I skip because of the ole heartburn)
1 can cream of chicken soup

Coat chops with mixture of flour, salt, mustard and garlic salt. Brown on both sides in hot oil in skillet with chopped onion. Add garlic at the last minute. Deglaze pan with a little water, wine or broth.

Put chops in slow cooker and add soup and pan drippings. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.

* I like to layer carrots on top of the pork chops, put the soup and deglazed pan drippings in, then a few whole potatoes on top of that. It makes a nice meal all in one unattended pot!

Sweet Kielbasa Chili
By Amy at Bailey's Leaf

I participated in the church chili cook-off every year, then decided that average chili wasn't going to cut it. I had to come up with something different. That is how I came up with this. It is my favorite red chili. I am going to list the ingredients for the gigantic sized pot that I made it in (the huge pot that I soaked my corn for roasting in a few weeks ago.) If you have a large Crock-Pot, you may want to cut this recipe in half. I've done it in the Crock-Pot (cut in half) and it has been great!

1 lb polish kielbasa, sliced thin
1.2 lb pkg ground turkey
3-4 sweet red peppers, chopped
2 sweet onions, chopped
1 lb carrots, chopped
6.9 lb can kidney beans, rinsed well
3 - 15 1/2 oz cans of mild chili beans
2 cups instant rice, cooked
1 pkg frozen corn
1 1/2 - 2 c brown sugar
3/4 c or so of cocoa powder
Cracked pepper to taste
28 oz can diced tomatoes
6.9 lb can tomato sauce
1 pkg mild chili seasoning

Brown ground turkey with some chopped onions and red peppers. In a separate pan, cook kielbasa, carrots, red peppers, onions and corn until flavors are well blended. When turkey is fully cooked, add to the kielbasa mixture. Add remaining ingredients and cook on medium until done, about 3 1/2 hours or so.

Turkey Tenderloin
By Amy at Bailey's Leaf

I've mentioned this one before, but since we're loving on the Crock-Pot, I figured I'd dust it off and mention it again.

1 pre-marinated turkey tenderloin
1 pkg short cut carrots
4-5 washed potatoes with skin on

Spray the inside of your Crock-Pot with Pam or a non-stick agent of the like. Place turkey tenderloin in, place carrots on top and potatoes on top of that. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of the Crock-Pot, and cook on low for 6 hours or so.

Chicken Corn Chowder
By Amy at Bailey's Leaf

I've also posted this one before. This is my re-make of the Pennsylvania Dutch version that I ate at an Easter Egg Hunt put on by the Mason-Dixon Motorcycle Club (or a name that is very, very close to that.) I was in Baltimore for a week to help my overly pregnant sister and she took me to her bike club event. Though I didn't have the recipe, I researched and tweaked it to what I remember.

Folks, besides the ABC noodles, this tasted the exact same.

2 skinless chicken breasts, boiled with 3 bouillon cubes and sliced/cubed/shredded
Stock from boiled chicken breasts
1 stalk of celery, chopped fine
A handful of short cut carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, sliced
Handful of dried parsley leaves
1 bay leaf
2 cups diced potatoes, skin on
3 cups frozen corn
2 cups cooked ABC noodles (you use what you have, people)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Place everything in the Crock-Pot EXCEPT for the heavy cream and noodles. Cook on high for 6 hours. An hour before serving, add heavy cream and noodles. YUMMY!

The Crock-Pot Fest MckLinky will be up from September 27, 2009 at 9:30 PM until October 2, 2009 at 12:00 PM. Now go forth and eat well! Oh, and feel free to post about our little Crock-Pot Fest. The more the merrier!