Kid Approved Slow Cooker Goulash

       Ah! The ever famous crock pot.  A very common wedding or house warming gift that often remains hidden the attic or garage until the next yard sale.  Guilty? Don't worry, you are not alone.  I confess I kept my pretty white one inside the kitchen cabinet for years too.

 

        Recently though, the slow cooking craze has resurrected with a bang.  If you haven't joined the group yet, I suggest it's time to bring out that dusty, almost brand new gift and start using it.  I'm pretty sure in no time,  you will fall in love with it too.  Who wouldn't want to arrive home with a warm delicious meal waiting for them?

 

          Are you inspired now? The stews here can easily be made using the slow cooker method.  Even the soups. Sometimes  I might prefer to brown the meats first.  This is for extra flavor.  If you are short time, you can just put together the ingredients and let the crockpot do it's magic. 

 

        Speaking of recipes, this slow cooker goulash is a nice example that you can make something really good with just the things you have on hand.  Traditionally, most goulash recipes call for beef or lamb, I used pork shoulder in this one.  Why? Well, during the time my kids requested me to make a goulash, it is only type of meat I have left in the freezer.  Since they liked the end product so much, we kept it as it is.  If you want to stick to red meat, feel free to use whatever you prefer.  It will turn out great too.

 

          Do you have some favorite slow cooker recipes? Love to hear them too.

 

 

- Roz

 

 

     

   

Ingredients:

4 lbs. pork shoulder cut into 2 inch cubes
2 cups chopped white onions
2 Tbs. garlic powder
3 Tbs. paprika
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbs. salt (you can add more depending on the type of stock you used)
1 tsp. sugar
3 pcs. bay leaf
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 1/2 cups stock (you can use beef, chicken or vegetable)
1/2 tsp. chili flakes (more if you like it a little spicy)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Combine the stock, paprika, garlic powder, sugar, ground black pepper, bay leaf, tomato paste and 1 Tbs. salt in the slow cooker.
2. Add the meat, tomatoes and onions.
3. Mix well. Make sure that all the meat is coated with the sauce. 
4. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. 
5. Once done, stir in the parsley and chili flakes. 
6. Serve over rice, pasta or potato pancakes.  Great with Greek yogurt or sour cream too (if you aren't dairy free that is).

Sausage and Peppers Casserole - Food Allergy Friendly Recipe

       Have you missed me? I know I was out of the circulation again. Why? Well, I have extra mommy duties lately because Child #3 is currently suffering from pneumonia. Ugh! The good news is that he's responding quite well with his medication and now on the way to full recovery.  Thank God! 

       Moving on, have you been enjoying the sudden weather change? For the past few days, the people here in New Jersey (and the entire East Coast) have been experiencing summer like temperatures. You know what that means right? Time to enjoy the outdoors and casual entertaining.  

       Since our grocery bill has tripled after the food allergy diagnosis, I am now challenging myself to create recipes which are not only safe for the kids to eat but are also crowd "pleasers" and most of all, will not burn my wallet.  Though buying organic and specialty ingredients are quite pricey, I can attest that these items usually are loaded with more flavor.  By adding less costly and  healthier "fillers", we can literally feed an army. 

        Check out my take on the common Sausage and Peppers. Instead of serving whole or big chunks of sausages on a roll, these are thinly sliced and are served on top of rice.  The onions and bell peppers not only add flavor but are filling too.  Yes, your guests should eat their veggies!  The flavorful cooking broth doubles up as a sauce that gives the rice a homey taste.  No waste thus making it very affordable.  

         Bring this dish to your next gathering.  I'm sure your friends as well as you wallet will love you. 

-Roz

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian style Pork Sausage (sliced diagonally)
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
3 big cloves of garlic (sliced thinly)
2 cups onions (sliced in in half moons)
5 bell peppers (sliced into strips)
1/4 tsp. chili flakes (you can add more)
1/2 cup marsala wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt  (you might use less depending on the brand of sausage and broth you are using)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
8 cups cooked rice (steamed)

1. Pan fry the pork sausage in heated pan with olive oil. Do it in batches so that the sausage will have nice sear marks.  Set aside.
2. In the same pan, saute the garlic, onions and bell peppers for 3- 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the Marsala wine and chicken broth. Scrape the pan to get all the brown bits incorporated in the sauce. Bring to boil.
4. Put the cooked sausage pieces back in the pan. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
5. Lower the heat and let the dish simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Mix well and turn off the heat.
7. Put some sauce on the bottom of a casserole pan.  Then arrange a nice layer of rice.
8. Top the rice with the sausage and pepper mixture.  Make sure to add all the sauce.
9. Serve hot.

Tips:
 - Slightly frozen sausage is easier to slice.  Place the sausage in the freezer for 2 hours before slicing.
  - Make sure to double check the ingredient list of the sausage you are using for allergens.  My favorite is the Wegmans brand because it is free of gluten, dairy and soy.
 - For this recipe, I used the Sweet style sausage because my kids can't handle the Hot/Spicy variety.