Yet Another Crockpot Adventure (or: I Should Simply Follow a Recipe, Ya Know?!)

I bought beef cubes the other night, and with a(nother) winter storm heading our way, I thought this would be a good day to toss stuff into the crockpot for a hearty, warming meal. (It's *really* cold today.... brrrr!!!!*)

So this is what I tossed in:

.85 pounds beef, cubed
I sprinkled some flour over the beef and mixed until the beef was coated, and then added a little Crazy Mixed-up Pepper and Crazy Mixed-up Salt.

Next went in:

1 medium onion, cut up
3 small potatoes, cut up
2 carrots, cut up
1 stalk celery, cut up
Some baby green beans, cut up. I just grabbed a handful out of the package and didn't measure, but it was probably more than a half-cup, and less than a cup.
Some baby corn, cut up, and ditto above for measurement
About 2.25 cups water (two cups didn't look like quite enough)
3 garlic cloves

I added a little paprika, oregano, Emeril's Essence, and oregano. I think that's it....

The crockpot has been on low for the past 1.5 hours and it's starting to smell good in here. :-) Will see how this comes out.



*We had one nice warm day, and then a front moved through, with winds gusts of over 60 MPH and cold air behind it. I had a cat carrier outside on my front stoop; there's a feral cat about who likes to sleep in it. The cat carrier is gone, gone with the wind, alas.

Put good things in and good things will come out.  You'll have a tasty, hot meal to enjoy later.

I'll be getting mine out to make a pot of chili.  I also got some soup bones and a piece of beef shin, and some nice soup vegetables, so after the chili is done, it will be time for beef vegetable soup.  I don't think I'll go hungry this week!

I always feel so bad for outdoor kitties.  My daughter found homes for her feral mama cat (who has only 3 legs) and her two kittens, so she doesn't have to worry about them any longer.  She and her husband spent a lot of time taming those cats to make them suitable for pets. 

Tomorrow I will be using my crock pot as I have a family birthday in the early afternoon. I want something to be ready for dinner. So I have a pork roast to throw in with a package of lipton onion soup mix, a bay leaf, a sliced onion. Add some water and 8 hours later there should be some pork and gravy waiting when we get home. I'll just have to thicken up the juice little and serve with veggies. I've become partial to white turnips.. mashed with promise butter spread. It's almost like having boiled potatoes.

Mine is on right now.
1/2 cup of wild rice
1/2 cup of aduki beans
1 jar of my tomatoes
1 carrot
1 parsnip
1 acorn squash, cut in cubes
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 lb bottom round
and some seasonings.

Yum, yum, yum! If I weren't already full, I'd be wanting chili, beef vegetable soup (though my dinner was pretty close to that, as the stew didn't thicken), pork roast and gravy, and acorn squash and beans!

I made biscuits, which I never do. Just regular ones, as the tall child protested the idea of cheese biscuits, and then, after a dozen of those went in, I added parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, and minced garlic to the last of the biscuit batter. Too good! Guess which kid liked the cheese biscuits? :-)

clairelaine, what is worse about the cat who likes the cat carrier (which we found, BTW, this afternoon, hurrah!) is that he is clearly a shelter cat, for he has a clipped ear. So he had been adopted by someone, but is now living on the streets. He is fairly friendly though skittish, and will usually let me pet him and pick him up. I bring him in the house sometimes, but he will not voluntarily walk in when I encourage him to do so, and he does not want to stay in here for very long. He is a very sweet-faced cat.

I just got the news that Tripod, the 3 legged female, has escaped her new home and disappeared.  The weather is really turning bad and I fear for her.  However, she's a survivor.  She managed to have and raise 2 kittens, didn't she?  I hope they find her though!

Recipes are for wimps, especially when it comes to the crockpot. ;D Like Claire says, put good things in, and you can usually expect something good out :) And the Crock Pot is very forgiving :D