Thursday, November 1, 2012

Slow Cooker Pot Roast


Reynolds® Slow Cooker Liner 
1/4 cup water 
medium red potatoes, cut in quarters 
medium onion, cut in quarters 
bag (16 ounces) fresh whole baby carrots 
envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix 
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 
boneless beef chuck pot roast (2 1/2 to 3 pounds) 
  • Place the slow cooker liner into a 5-quart slow cooker according to the liner package directions.
  • 2
    Stir the water, potatoes, onion, carrots and soup mix in the cooker.  Season the beef with the black pepper and thyme.  Place the beef into the cooker.
  • 3
    Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours* or until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are tender.

Crock Pot Chicken Marsala

Serves 4
3 tablespoons flour, divided
Salt & pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, each about 6 ounces
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, thickly sliced (buy pre-sliced, if you prefer)
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup marsala wine (dry sherry and a splash of sweet vermouth make a good substitute—and if all you have is a bottle of regular ol’ wine, that’ll work too)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon honey or agave, optional
Coat the insert of your slow cooker with nonstick spray.
  1. Put 2 tablespoons of flour plus a generous amount of salt & pepper into a gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Add the chicken, seal, and toss to coat. Remove the chicken, tapping off excess coating, and place the chicken into the slow cooker. Top with the mushrooms, shallot, and parsley, and use your hands to toss the vegetables gently.
  2. Combine the marsala and broth (I just measure them both into the same cup) and pour over the top. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
  3. About 30 minutes before serving, mash together the remaining tablespoon of flour and the butter until well combined. Stir into the slow cooker, cover, and cook (or hold on WARM) until ready to serve.
  4. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If your palate tells you a little sweetness would be nice, stir in the honey or agave.
  5. Serve with noodles, rice, or Israeli couscous—something that’ll sop up that sauce.