Crock-Pot Barbecue Pulled Chicken

The start of the new year has been overshadowed by the Corona pandemic and frankly far from ideal.
However, as my yoga teacher constantly says: “There’s always something to be thankful for".
And looking back at the past five weeks, there have been some cool things that have happened such as: Wordle, some sick NFL games, a brand new smartwatch, a delectable Poppy Seed Tea Cake, and — last but not least — this awesome Crock-Pot Barbecue Pulled Chicken.

(Vegan) Crock-Pot Curried Red Lentils

There are (almost) countless recipes for lentils on this blog: made in the Crock-Pot, on the stovetop, with green lentils, red lentils, spicy, less spicy, creamy, etc. You name it.
Still, in my book, there are never enough recipes for lentils.

(Easy) Crock-Pot Marinara Sauce

Let me introduce you to the marinara sauce recipe of my dreams. It’s everything that is good in this world: tomatoes, herbs, and garlic.
The flavors together are like Italy in a jar, the perfect combination of sweet and savory.
It can be a great base sauce for pizza or really anything that goes in the oven such as chicken parm or eggplant parm. But — needless to say it — it’s also great on pasta and you can even make it into a meat sauce with ground beef (not authentic Bolognese sauce but still pretty damn good.) I also use it to make poached eggs with marinara sauce for a simple brunch recipe.
Last but not least, it’s great as a dip for vegetables and mozzarella sticks. Actually mozza sticks with marinara is one of the best things in the whole world.

(Vegan) Easy Crock-Pot Curry Lentils

I honestly believe that the best way to cook lentils is in the slow-cooker.
I’m well aware that the most common method is to cook (or boil) lentils on the stovetop and that the fastest one involves a pressure cooker — but the slow-cooker method delivers the best results not to mention it is also the easiest way to cook ‘em.
Take these Easy Curry Lentils for instance, super easy to make and pack quite the punch in the flavor department. All the ingredients are placed in the Crock-pot for 7 hours and that’s it. You can forget about it.
What you’re left with are healthy and uber delicious lentils that are sure to satisfy even the most- die-hard meat lovers.

Crock-Pot Peach Butter

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been over-ambitious and bought far too many peaches at the farm stand.
I’m not saying there’s something wrong with it, it’s just that — just like myself — you’re probably facing an over-abundance of peaches and need to come up with a way to use ‘em before they go bad.
Crock-Pot Peach Butter to the rescue.
This is hands-off the easiest way to make sure your peach haul is turned into something delicious that will keep through winter (if, of course, properly preserved.)

Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki

Chicken teriyaki is probably one of the most well known and liked Japanese dishes in the US and for sure one of the classic takeout recipes we all love.
Most people don’t think about making it at home because they either have a restaurant they love or because they buy teriyaki sauce like they buy ketchup.
But I do love making it from scratch.
In fact I have not one, not two, not three, but four different recipes for chicken teriyaki on this blog: Baked Honey-Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Kebabs, Beer-Flavored Chicken Teriyaki, and Pineapple Teriyaki Glazed Chicken Skillet
And today I have a fifth.
*drumroll please*
Crock-Pot Chicken Teriyaki -> one word: uh-mazing.

Crock-Pot Mongolian Beef

One of the most fundamental, basic rules of dinner parties — and the one I routinely ignore — is that you should never try out recipes for the first time on your guests. Good manners predicate that guests are not guinea pigs, hence you should never test new dishes and ideas on them.
But when those guests are your family — which means that they are forced to love you — I say go to town on them.
Fortunately, with this Crock-Pot Mongolian Beef everything worked perfectly, like I knew it would. Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, and beef in the slow cooker: Hardly something can go wrong.

Crock Pot Shredded Beef Ragu

Ragu is one of those recipes that really showcases the beauty of Italian cooking: everyday ingredients, fast prep, long and slow cooking until you get a luscious dish that tastes like a million bucks.

(Vegan) Creamy Crock Pot Coconut Curry Lentils

Weeknight dinners don’t get simpler or healthier than this.
You can prep everything for these (Vegan) Creamy Crock Pot Coconut Curry Lentils in 5 minutes tops, then toss it all in your slow cooker and with no other effort required on your part, you’ll have a healthy meal that everyone will love.
Fact is, when I’m using the crock pot to save time (and stay out of the kitchen) I like to keep things as simple as possible, and believe me when I say that it doesn’t get simpler than this.
Just some peeling and chopping is needed, then throw everything in the slow cooker, go out to work or run errands, and when you get home you don’t have to start fussing with dinner—the work’s already done.

Crock Pot Cinnamon Applesauce (No Added Sugar)

I love applesauce. I know that makes me sound like I’m three years old, but I will freely admit it with no shame whatsoever.
However, I am also very picky about my applesauce — this also makes me sound like I’m three years old. I do not like overly sweet applesauce, and I abhor those applesauce flavors you can buy at the store, like tropical or mixed berry.
The only fruit sauce combination I accept is apple+apple+apple.
And needless to say, it I prefer homemade applesauce to store-bought.
Straight-up apples that have been cooked down into a thick pulp, with lemon juice and a bit of cinnamon. So simple, so incredibly delicious.

Easy Crock Pot Carnitas

I am embarrassed by how long it took me to post a recipe for carnitas — or “little meats” that are usually braised then roasted — which are as far as I’m concerned the very best thing to pile on a corn tortilla.
To me, they’re the undisputed king of the taco food truck. The Mexican answer to American pulled pork: moist, juicy with a rich and tender texture, and riddled with plenty of well-browned crisp edges.
The only thing greater than my love for carnitas was my wonderment as to how they were made. I imagined that getting a flavor so complex, and a texture so nuanced — tender in the center and crunchy at the edges — was best left to the experts.
That’s why I continued for many happy years to pay a premium price for them, especially in a city where good food can cost the earth.
Man, was I wrong.

Easy Crock Pot Orange Chicken

Let’s get things straight people: if you’re looking for something that is going to be a Panda Express style orange chicken, this recipe ain’t for you.
There’s no breading and deep frying, that’s not how slow cooking works. There’s not a chance in the world that you will get crispy orange chicken out of it. Actually, you won’t get crispy anything out of a Crock Pot.
However, if you’re craving orange-y, savory, sweet and sour, spicy melt-in-your-mouth chicken, then look no further because I have the perfect recipe for you.

Crock-Pot Broccoli Beef

Ease, comfort, and little prep — these are a few reasons why you should love your Crock Pot, especially after a long day at work.
You know those evenings when you come home super tired, you’re feeling lazy and not in the mood to cook but still want something delicious and healthy to eat?
It’s in those times that you’ll be thankful for your slow cooker and that you’ve already planned for that meal you’re about to eat.
I certainly am.

Crock Pot Pepper Steak

Pepper steak is a Chinese American dish in which strips of beef and bell peppers are stir fried in a wok and seasoned with soy sauce and ginger to create a delicious umami-packed meal.
Even though it’s actually a stir fry recipe, it’s easily adaptable to the Crock Pot. And while the slow cooker method is definitely not “authentic”, it certainly tastes awesome, and requires almost zero prep time.

Crock-Pot Chicken Barbecue

Man this was great!
The shredded chicken is fall-apart tender and the sweet tangy flavor of the sauce bursted in the mouth.
YUM!

Not to mention this is arguably one of the easiest BBQ chicken I’ve ever made.
You know those times when you don’t have time to stand over the stove and want to cook something delicious with the minimum of fuss? this Crock-Pot Chicken Barbecue is going to save your life.
Throw everything in the slow cooker without any special prep and let it work its magic.

(Vegan) Creamy Crock-Pot Eggplant and Zucchini Curry

Considering that my obsession with curry borders maniacal — I don’t mean to brag but there are so many curry recipes on this blog I can’t even count, including but not limited to, chicken tikka masala, chickpea tikka masala, sweet potato tikka masala, butter chicken, eggplant curry, coconut curry chicken, etc... — it should come as no surprise that today I have yet another recipe involving curry for you.

Easy Crock-Pot Bourbon Chicken

You know a recipe is a total winner when you make it year after year, you still love it like the first time, and you never get bored of it.
So you might ask why am I posting this Easy Crock-Pot Bourbon Chicken only today?
It’s a valid question. And the answer is: I don’t know.
Plus it’s like I’m under some legal obligation to share all of my recipes with you.
And say I invite you over for dinner and when it is time to eat I serve you chickpea tikka masala, lemon garlic chicken zoodles or cauliflower grilled cheese. You’ll be probably like “Uhm okay is that it? I know these recipes already…”
Which is precisely the reason why I need to keep some recipes secret.
Mmmkay?

Crock-Pot Chipotle Lime Chicken

If you, just like me, think that there are many perfect marriages in the food world — like avocado and chocolate or garlic and butter or orange and pork — then you’re probably already familiar with chipotles in adobo sauce.
If not, let me give you a quick primer.
Chipotles in adobo are dried, smoked jalapeños rehydrated and canned in a sweet and tangy purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and a couple of spices, for a tasty sauce that packs serious heat but also plenty of balance and body.
What I really love about chipotle in adobo is that they’re complex enough to use as a solo seasoning but they pair really well with herbs, other spices, honey, etc.
These little suckers can do it all. Sauces, glazes, marinades, braises, soups, sandwiches, you name it.

Crock-Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

For someone who was all “Harrumph! There’s only one authentic recipe for Bolognese Sauce!”, I have some nerve telling you what I’m going to next, which is that I’m in love with an unapologetically 100% so-not-authentic Chinese recipe.
Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, this Honey Sesame Chicken is — just like General Tso’s chicken, wonton soup, hot and sour soup, sweet and sour pork, chicken balls, ginger beef, crispy beef, and lemon chicken — one of the quintessential American-Chinese recipes.
Dishes we think are Chinese but are considered foreign fare in China.

Mississippi Roast

Happy New Year guys!
I know, I know, we are well into the new year but I took a week off to recharge so I haven’t had the chance to wish you a Happy New Year yet.
I hope y’all started the new year with a bang.
Mine has been very chilled out so far. Ski, delicious food, good friends, good books, and no alarm clock. I recharged my batteries and it was incredible.
Now I’m back and it feels awesome. I’m so open to all that 2017 is going to bring.
Like the Counting Crows sang: maybe this year will be better than the last.
I have plenty of exciting recipes I can’t wait to share with you guys.
Starting with this Mississippi Roast.