Hamilton Slow Cooker Carne Guisada

This is a dish that I've been cooking on the stove top for many years and I was thrilled when I learned that Hamilton Beach was hosting a slow cooker challenge for 37 Cooks. The recipe converted perfectly to a slow cooker method. Carne Guisada is a staple in Latino cuisine. This is the Dominican version. 

Hamilton Slow Cooker Carne Guisada
by Carlos

3 pounds chuck roast, cut into cubes
1 can Goya tomato sauce
1 packet Goya Sazon with culantro and achiote
1 half cup fresh Sofrito (recipe below) or you can use Goya Frozen Sofrito
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 Tablespoons Goya Adobo
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup white cooking wine
2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 Tablespoon cumin
2 cups beef broth

White rice for serving

Combine all ingredients in a Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker and cook on low for 7 hours. Serve with white rice.

Sofrito:

2 green peppers, seeded and chopped

2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
12 ajices dulces, tops removed
4 large plum tomatoes, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 head garlic, peeled
1 large bunch cilantro, do not remove stems
12 recao leaves (culantro) - if you can’t find this, just use another large bunch of cilantro
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon pepper

Mix each ingredient, one at a time, into a food processor. Process to a chunky consistency, not watery.

Slow Cooker “Sunday Gravy”

A confession right up front. I am 100% Scot. I happen to live in an area very diversely populated and I feel quite lucky! The Philadelphia area has become a true food mecca. I didn’t start out here. I am from what used to be a fishing community in Maine. We ate tons of fish and seafood. When my family moved here, I was starting high school and a new world of food opened up. My parents were always looking for new ingredients and techniques. As adventurous as they were, we never had Italian food at home and we rarely dined out. Then I went to college and got a job as a cocktail waitress (back in the day…) at an Italian restaurant. That’s where I met Umberto. He was straight off the transport from Italy. He was dreamy and… Ok, let’s move on. Umberto taught me to make classic Caesar salad, and several other Italian favorites. Over the years, I have put my own spin on a few. But, for the most part, I have followed the inspiration offered. “Sunday Gravy” is a term I learned from local “South Philly” folks. The term “gravy” means the tomato sauce is cooked long over low heat. They refer to “sauce” as a quickly cooked or “raw” tomato sauce. I am personally very fond of Sunday Gravy. During the holiday season we are so busy, but we always take time for the family to get together and enjoy a relaxing slow cooked meal. When the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker was delivered, my first thought was to make Sunday Gravy. I did not have to stir the pot every 30 minutes. I could get a few things accomplished. This made history! The result was an incredible, thick, rich, flavorful Sunday Gravy.

Slow Cooker “Sunday Gravy”

by Susan R-H

For the Meatballs:

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons milk or water (I prefer milk)

1 1/2 pounds ground beef/pork/veal (equal parts)

3 large cloves garlic, grated

2 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten

3 Tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

1/4 cup grated Italian cheese, I prefer Locatelli.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

For the Gravy:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 pound sweet Italian sausage, 3” pieces

1 pound hot Italian sausage, 3” pieces

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/2 cup red wine, I use whatever good quality I have on hand

2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, I prefer San Marzano

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1-2 cups water

1 pound Fettuccini

For the Meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the milk. They will be a bit dry, but that’s perfectly fine. In a large bowl add the meat, garlic, eggs, parsley, cheese, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. With your hands, mix gently until all ingredients are evenly combined. At this point, I take about a teaspoon amount of the mixture and cook it in a small skillet so I can taste for seasoning. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Using a standard ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, form the meatballs and place on the baking sheet. You should end up with about 12. Bake the meatballs until a firm golden crust forms, approximately 20 minutes. Alternately, you can pan fry the meatballs on all sides until golden brown.

For the Gravy:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage pieces and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and cover with foil. Add the onions, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper (optional), salt and pepper. Sauté until the onions are translucent and soft, stirring constantly, approximately 5-7 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and continue to sauté until the wine is absorbed. Transfer to the mixture to the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker. In the slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water (I started with 1 cup of water.) Set the slow cooker to high for 7 hours. Before you add the meatballs and sausage, it’s important to taste for seasoning. I found I needed to add a pinch more salt. Add the meatballs and sausage. To get the rich delightful Sunday Gravy I love, it was a relaxing 7 hours! If you like it a little thinner, add a bit more water about 4-5 hours in.

Once the gravy has completed the slow cooker journey, bring a large pot to water to a boil and season with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. I purchased fresh pasta and it was done in two minutes. I tossed the pasta with a ladle of gravy and plated with the meatballs and sausage, then topped with more gravy. A little added grated cheese was the only finishing touch we needed. Manga!

***Cook’s Note: Many people feel there is too much acid in a tomato-based sauce. I have heard many Italian cooks add sugar or a carrot while cooking. Umberto told me to add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the pot to neutralize the acid and I have been doing that for almost…years. It works! Umberto and I were great friends and when he decided to return to Italy, I was grateful he thought enough of my dedication to his Italian food heritage to share some of his family recipes with me. 

Slow Cooker Pepper Jack Pull Apart Pizza

This challenge with Hamilton Beach had me thinking that a good pizza made in the slow cooker would be awesome! We recently started making a new sausage, Smoked Pepper Jack and Onion Sausage and it is awesome. I was thinking, this sausage would be the perfect topping for this pizza. The Hamilton Beach Programmable Slow Cooker cooked this pizza to perfection! This is also a very easy recipe that anyone can enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pepper Jack Pull Apart Pizza

by Luke

Adapted from "Rosemary's Original Crock Pot Pizza"

1/2 pound Smoked Pepper Jack and Onion Sausage

1/3 pound Smoked Tasso, diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil 
14 ounces pizza sauce

10 canned biscuits, quartered (I used Grands!)

1/2 white onion, diced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup sliced jalapenos

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown sausage link and diced tasso. Once browned, slice the sausage into coin-sized pieces. Spread olive oil on the bottom of the slow cooker and 1/4 of the pizza sauce. Place quartered biscuits on the bottom of the pot, but do not let them touch the side of the pot. Spread the remaining pizza sauce on top of the biscuits. Add sliced sausage, diced tasso, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and jalapenos. Then top all of your ingredients with cheese. Cover, lock the lid, and set it to cook on high for 2 hours.

After the timer goes off and it begins warm mode, let it sit for about 20 minutes, uncovered, then pull it apart and enjoy!

I'm Lazy When It Comes to Lunch

I try to eat meatless meals or soup with a lot of vegetables for lunch every day. But, some days I’m busy or I just don’t feel like doing the prep work at noon because I usually have prep work for dinner.  On those days, I might eat leftovers or I might eat bread and butter or I might eat a cookie. Or two. Who knows? I never feel great in the afternoon on those days that I only eat bread or cookies. I made this cauliflower dish on the stove top for lunch one day and it was excellent. So spicy and yummy and wonderful! I remember thinking "I could eat this every day for lunch! Like totally!" But, I’m not all that keen on cooking a meal at lunch when I will be cooking a meal at dinner, because I end up cooking all day. Although that sounds just fine to me, I do have other things I need to get done. So I thought, "hmmm, why not make this dish in my slow cooker?!" So, I did and I’m glad. Between this dish and this soup, I have plenty of vegetables for lunch every day!

Cauliflower in Spicy Tomato Curry
by Sandra
Adapted from A Celebration of Herbs

1 Tablespoon ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
*
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 11.5 can tomato juice
1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
*
Brown rice, cooked (optional)
Peanuts, chopped
Cilantro or parsley, chopped

Place the first 6 ingredients in the slow cooker (I used my Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker) and stir together. Add the onion, the garlic and the ginger and stir well. Add the tomato juice and stir until combined. Add the cauliflower and stir. Cook on low for 4 hours and check to see if the cauliflower is cooked. Check for salt. Serve alone or over brown rice if you prefer. Top with chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro or parsley.

P.S. This makes a delicious meatless entrée for dinner as well.

Challenge Introduction: 37 Slow Cooks with Hamilton Beach

Hamilton Beach makes so many wonderful products! We were so thrilled when this prestigious company wanted to team up with 37 Cooks for a challenge. 

Hamilton Beach makes blenders, slow cookers, coffee makers, toaster ovens, indoor grills, irons, food processors, commercial restaurant equipment, and so much more! The company was founded in 1910 and yes, there really was a Hamilton (the advertising manager) and a Beach (a mechanic) involved in the company from the beginning. 

They have a blog called Everyday Good Thinking full of interesting articles and recipes and the authors are highly qualified food professionals. I know I would love to make a visit to their test kitchen and social media center! Bucket list item for me!

It was with great pleasure that we accepted their challenge to cook with the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker. It's a fantastic machine that goes well beyond the capabilities you might be familiar with when you think "slow cooker." This video outlines the features, and I'm betting many of you will add this programmable slow cooker to your holiday wish list. 

We hope you will enjoy the posts in the days to come. We enjoyed this challenge immensely! Thank you Hamilton Beach! ~ Sandra

Slow Fideo

I was attending a trial in San Antonio, TX and we went to a local place by the courthouse for lunch. The person I was with ate fideo 5 days in a row. So I finally tried it and loved it. Ground beef made it good but I knew chorizo would make it better. Try it and see what you think.

Fideo y Chorizo
by Willie

2 pounds Mexican chorizo sausages

2 11.5 ounce cans tomato juice
2 dried ancho chiles, seeded and deveined
3 dried guajillo chiles, seeded and deveined
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
28 ounces good chicken stock, homemade if you have it
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 ounces dried fideo noodles

Place Mexican chorizo sausages in the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget® 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker. Add tomato juice. Soak the chiles in a quart sized canning jar. Fill the jar with the hottest water you can get from the tap. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes or so. Pour the peppers and soaking liquid in a blender and liquefy. Pour the contents of the blender through a fine mesh strainer into the slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, stock, garlic, onion, oregano, and cumin. Stir. Cook on high for 3 hours. Add fideo noodles. Cook another 30 minutes on high. Serve.