with Chef Julie Van Rosendaal
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Crock-tober: Black Bean Soup
I LOVE most foods, but when I think of one simple thing I could eat as a meal, it would be black beans. In fact, I think most meat entrées pair nicely with a trio of black beans, salsa, and a smattering of sour cream. So I thought I’d find an interesting black bean recipe that goes well with these foggy days we’ve been having. After a quick Google search I found a great recipe to make Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup.
This soup is a total winner. I’ve shown two recipes—one directly from the Internet which is about 8 portions too big for this single diner, and one I amended from this recipe for one person. In the smaller recipe I skipped the carrots (not a fan) and used canned beans (I am lazy.) The “para uno” version turned out FABULOUSLY!
Black Bean Soup—Serves 9 (!)
- 2 cups dried black beans (1 pound), sorted and rinsed
- 10 cups water
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- 2 medium carrots, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
- Sour cream, if desired
- Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions:
- Heat beans and water to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes; remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
- Drain beans. Place beans and remaining ingredients except sour cream and cilantro in 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat setting 10 to 12 hours.
- Serve soup topped with sour cream and cilantro.
This full, 9-serving recipe pic is from BettyCrocker.com. I didn’t make this one, and if you do please let us know how it turned out!
Black Bean Soup—para uno
- 1-–540ml can black beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1–398ml can diced tomatoes
- 1 red onion medium chopped
- 2 tsp minced garlic (from a jar)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp chili pepper (or to your taste)
- 1 handful (or your preference) chopped cilantro
- 1 dollop (or, again, your preference) sour cream
Directions:
- Put all ingredients in your slow cooker except sour cream and cilantro.
- Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours.
- Dish up and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.
My amended Black Bean Soup recipe—no carrots, canned beans.
Crock-tober and Pulled Pork Heaven
Whenever a restaurant wants to make a meat entrée sound truly delicious, they will describe it as “slow-cooked” and how you won’t need a knife to cut it. This is absolutely true for any meat made in a slow-cooker.
So naturally, using your Crock-Pot for a pulled pork recipe is a no brainer, and there are plenty hanging around the Internet hoping you’ll choose one and make it your own. I’m here to say the most important part of a pulled pork recipe is the rub, and this recipe has one so delicious it’s almost impossible to type this post.
Crock-tober—the month when slow cooking food rules!
Even though my kids are (pretty much) grown up, they still long for those things fall brings—fluffy socks, snow days and hot yummy meals. I can’t do much to conjure lost socks or change the weather, but I CAN pull out my crock-pot and make some pretty delicious food!
The thing I personally find most amazing about slow cooking is that it’s so easy and it tastes so good. You don’t sacrifice anything because the process is so efficient. Take fast food—it’s fast and cheap, but not necessarily good or healthy.
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Fast and easy meals for back to school from Chef Andrew Parker
Chef Andrew Parker has a message for post secondary students as they’re getting settled into their back to school routine.
“Ditch the instant noodles and get cooking!”
Chef Parker has come up with a variety of fast and easy recipes perfect for any student’s busy study schedule.
Using space-saving and budget-friendly small appliances like the Big Boss Grill Set and Crock Pot 4.5 Quart Slow Cooker, students can make a variety of fast, healthy and affordable meals.
Cooking is also great stress relief for students needing a brain break.
Here are two great dishes from Chef Parker that are perfect for a study session!
Crock Pot Pulled Pork
- 1 Medium Sized Pork Shoulder (Rubbed in Seasoning Salt or BBQ Rub)
- 1 Carrot
- 2 Celery Stalk
- 1 White Onion
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- Parsley Stems
- 2 Bay Leaves
- BBQ Sauce (Store bought or use Chef Parker’s recipe below)
Instructions
- Rub down the pork with a rub or seasoning salt.
- Clean the vegetables and chop them into larger pieces (the vegetables and all the other ingredients give the pork an earthy flavour when it’s slow roasted).
- Put two cups of water in the slow cooker.
- Add the vegetables to the slow cooker.
- Put the pork on top of the vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Set it and forget it. Cook on low for 6-7 hours.
- When done, remove vegetables and compost them.
- Tear the pork apart with a fork (it will fall apart easily), and put into a container.
- Add BBQ sauce and stir together.
- Place a generous helping of the pork on a whole-wheat bun and serve with a side of coleslaw or fresh salad.
Chef Parker’s BBQ Sauce
- 1 tbsp. Olive or Vegetable Oil
- Half White Onion (Fine Diced)
- 3 Garlic Cloves (Fine Diced)
- Half Orange (Peeled and Segmented)
- 3 Rosemary Springs (Leaves off, Fine Diced)
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 2 Cups Ketchup
- 1/3 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
- 3 tbsp. Molasses
Instructions
- Heat a small pot over medium heat
- Add oil to sauté the onions
- Let the onions cook, then add your garlic
- After browning, add the liquids and let boil
- Add ketchup with brown sugar and other spices
- Mix well
Easy Waffles with Whip Cream and Candied Bacon
- ½ Pound Bacon (Cut into thin strips)
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ Cup Butter, Melted
- Can of Aerosol Whipped Cream, or Cool Whip
- 2 Cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 4 tsp. Baking Powder
- 2 tbsp. White Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 ½ Cups Warm Milk
- 1/3 Cups Butter, Melted
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
Step by Step
- Mix brown sugar with ¼ cup butter – this is a glaze for the bacon. Cook your bacon in this mixture. Let it cool off, you have candied bacon!
- Heat your Big Boss Grill using the waffle plates.
- With the rest of the ingredients, mix together thoroughly until smooth and there are no lumps. Leave out at room temperature before using.
- Add a generous ladle of the waffle mixture to the grill set. Careful not to fill it too much, or it will overflow.
- Close the lid and let the batter cook for between 6-8 minutes. Do not open the grill during cooking.
- Plate the waffles, add a dollop of whipped cream and add your candied bacon. No need for syrup – the whipped cream and candied bacon will make this a sweet treat.
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