Campfire-style Pot Roast

"Oh, so tender!" - that's what a modern panel at the Better Homes and Gardens test kitchen had to say about this 1950s  specialty.  Don't worry about the 'camfire' part... you can easily use your slow-cooker instead for a flavourful meal that is sure to please.

4-lb. boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 Tbsp cooking oil
salt and black pepper
2 stalks celery, bias-sliced into 1-inch pieces
6 small whole carrots, peeled and halved
1 medium green sweet pepper, cut into rings
2 medium onions, quartered
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
19th hole sauce

1. Prepare 19th hole sauce.  Meanwhile, trim fat from roast.  In a large skillet/pot, brown pot roast on all sides in hot oil.  Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

2.  Transfer meat to slow-cooker and top with 3/4 cup of the 19th hole sauce (cover and chill remaining sauce).  Add vegetables.  Roast, covered, on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours or till cooked through.  Transfer meat to a platter.  Remove vegetables from cooking liquid with a slotted spoon.  Heat remaining sauce and pass with meat.

Alternately, to cook this on a charcoal grill (for a real campfire flavor): Fold two 5-foot lengths of heavy foil in half crosswise.  Place one on top of the other, forming a cross shape.  Lightly coat the center of foil with cooking spray.  Top with meat, 3/4 cup of the 19th Hole Sauce, and vegetables.  Season lightly with salt and pepper, if desired.  Seal each piece of foil securely, allowing room for steam to build.

Arrange medium coals around edge of grill.  Place foil packet in center.  Cover and grill for 1.5 hours or until meat is tender, adding additional charcoal as needed.

For gas grill: set heat to medium-low and cook as above.

Asian BBQ Ribs

Here is another crockpot recipe that I acquired from a friend.  The prep is easy, the slow-cooker does all the work, and the kids can enjoy eating something messy with their hands! The Asian flavoings in the sauce lend well to a side dish of fried rice.

Ingredients:

3 lbs. pork ribs

1/4 cup oyster sauce

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

4 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp rice wine

1/2 cup ketchup

Mix together everything except the ketchup in a small mixing bowl.  Put ribs in slow cooker and pour sauce over the top.  Slow cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

Remove ribs and place in a 9x13 baking pan.  Pour liquids from slow cooker into a wok; add ketchup and cook until thickened. 

Pour over ribs and bake at 350 F (180 C) for another 20-25 minutes.

Apple-Berry Cobbler

Super easy and super quick to mix up... Make it ahead in your crockpot or bake in your oven.


You can vary this recipe to suit whatever ingredients you have on hand. A fun variation is to use a chocolate cake mix with strawberries or cherries, and serve with Neopolitan ice cream. In this case I used a yellow cake mix with some apples and blackberries we had picked fresh from our village.


Ingredients:

cake mix of your choice
1 stick of butter or margarine (in UK - half a package)
assortment of fruit (fresh, frozen or canned works fine)


Prepare fruit and place into crockpot. Sweeten if desired.

Melt butter, then blend with cake mix.

Spread cake mixture on top of fruit. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for about 2 hours or until set and bubbly. Alternatively, layer fruit in a baking dish, cover with cake mixture and bake in a 350 F (180 C) oven for about 40 minutes or till topping is golden and fruit is tender/bubbly.

Serve with cold vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Pork Fajitas

"Will work for food"... I fell in love with this dish years ago when I traded piano lessons for meals (long story). This recipe comes from my cousin, Jennine, who, whilst tending my toddler and newborn, served this up one weeknight while I taught her daughter a piano lesson (along with 5 other kids).


A great alternative to boring old tacos, this dish is loaded with flavour, but not spicy (so the kids will love it too).



Ingredients:
pork loin roast
1 lime, juiced (or 2 small)
1 orange, juiced
1 Tbsp brown sugar (to taste)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 Tbsp beef bouillon
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp fresh-chopped cilantro (coriander)
1 teaspoon. garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients into slow-cooker. Cook 10-12 hours on LOW or 3-5 hours on HIGH.

About a half hour before serving, gently shred pork using two forks.

Serve wrapped in warm tortillas with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce, etc. as desired.

Chili

My family loves this dish on cool Autumn nights. It is especially well-received when served with cornmeal (maize flour) cakes.

Prepare this hearty soup quickly on the range top or slowly in a crockery cooker and have it ready and waiting at the end of a busy day.

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can chopped tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
1 can dark red kidney beans (15-oz.), rinsed and drained
2 cans tomato sauce or sieved tomato passata (16 oz.)
2 to 3 teaspoons mild chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic till meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato sauce, chili posder, basil, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Alternatively, cook meat, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic as above. Drain fat. In crockpot, combine meat mixture, undrained tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil and pepper. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.