Pork and Pinto Stew

Cooking up beans in the slow cooker is a great way to a fast weeknight meal.  Cooks by itself while you work - what could be easier? So long as you have a few minutes the night before to prep.
1 lb pinto beans
1 large sweet onion, diced
1 lb baby carrots
3 stalks, celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp crushed rosemary flakes
1 Tbsp oregano leaves, minced
1 lb oxtail (two large)
1/2 lb smoked chorizo, sliced
1 lb baby Yukon potatoes
1 quart chicken stock plus 2 cups water to cover

Soak beans for 8 hours in plenty of water. Drain when ready to prepare the stew.

Sauté the onion, carrots and celery in a browning slow cooker or in a skillet. Add the chorizo and ox tail pieces.

Cook about 10 minutes, browning the meat on all sides. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary and oregano and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Add this mixture into the slow cooker with the beans, potatoes, stock and water. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 4 hours on high and then 4 hours on low setting.

Remove oxtails to a plate and then remove meat from bone. Return meat to stew. Gently stir and serve in bowls.

Serves 6-8.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Risotto with Chicken

Risotto usually takes an hour or so of constant stirring - a true act of love if you have time.  But did you know you can also do a nice risotto dish with a slow cooker while you're away at work.  It'll cook on low for 4 hours, and then keep warm until you're home and ready to eat.

Here's a slow cooker mushroom risotto cooked with chicken.  I'm lovin' my new All Clad slow cooker with a brown-in, non-stick,  removable aluminum crock.  Finally can brown right in the cooker pot!  But if you have a traditional ceramic crock, you can do the browning on the stove.

6 chicken thighs, trimmed
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 red Serrano chili pepper (or jalapeño), finely diced
3 cloves garlic
1 cup short grain brown rice
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the thighs well in a dash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove to a plate. In the same pot (I used a brown-in slow cooker) add the leeks, mushrooms and chili pepper. Sauté the veggies for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the water and wine and stir. Return the chicken thighs, nestling into the rice. Cover and cook in slow cooker for 4 hours on low.  (I did this the night before and put the crock in the refrigerator overnight.  I returned the crock back into the cooker and set to low for 4 hours, and went to work.  I returned 10 hours later).  When ready to eat, uncover chicken and turn slow cooker to high.

Remove chicken thighs to a plate and keep warm (for example in a warm oven).

Stir rice well and add the peas. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Stir well and add the butter and parmesan cheese.

Stir well and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Adjust thickness with a dash of water if needed. Serve chicken thighs on a bed of risotto.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note:  I used short grain brown rice, but you could certainly use arborio or other short grain white rices as well.