my little crockpot experiment

So, if you haven't found the "crock pot blog" you should! It's linked on Laura's blog or go here. This lady, Stephanie, is using her crockpot every day for a year. She has some really neat recipes (including making shrinky-dinks in the crockpot instead of the oven). You can search pretty easily for what you're looking for - vegetarian, light & healthy, chicken, side dishes, etc. Some of the breakfast stuff looks pretty good too. I tried out several recipes last week and thought I'd share my results. One of the reasons - I'm doing a lesson on crock pot cooking next month and thought I'd do a little "research." I think I just wanted to cook something!

The absolute best one was the "creamy crock pot risotto!" I've made risotto the usual way and it takes time and effort (but is well worth it). But this stuff is easy AND yummy!!!! YUMYUMYUM. Even my coworker Keith (I'd guess he was a meat & potatoes man, who usually looks at my cooking rather skeptically) loved it and had me email the recipe to his wife. I didn't use the chopped garlic - I was lazy and used garlic powder (and not as much as called for).

Next I tried out the Jalapeno Corn Pudding because I figured it would go well with the leftover BBQ, beans, & not-much-left-potato salad from lunch. I prepared it pretty much the way she said, but I would probably use a little less jalapeno to suit my tastes - I didn't chop it up either because I was in a hurry. I didn't find any of the frozen roasted corn, no surprise there.

I made Vegetarian No-Noodle Crock Pot Lasagna on Thursday. I knew by then that I'd want some veggies instead of the steady diet of meat, starch, and ice cream. I don't have the larger size crock pot recommended for this recipe, but I improvised. Quite a bit. I used all of the pasta sauce, about half the ricotta cheese, half of the other cheeses, half an eggplant, 2 squash, half the mushrooms, half the spinach. This was pretty good, but most people didn't want to try it and it made a lot. I'd try this again, and tweak a bit more. I just layered and layered, very hurriedly, but I still really liked it.

Mom & Patti came for the week-end, so I took my crock pot home and made Mediterranean Chicken Crockpot on Saturday (I figured the weather would be bad and we'd want to stay home for dinner). So they picked up salad at Harp's (what a chore!) and I cooked brown rice to go with this. I did finally find frozen artichoke hearts at Harp's (in the organic frozen foods). They weren't cheap and Stephanie says you can just use the canned/jarred ones also. We decided that this one needed something else - maybe onion, more seasoning, salt, etc. It was tasty and it got better after sitting in the frig (or maybe I was just hungry and didn't have anything else to eat and put enough salt on it). One of the reasons I picked this one though - easy and no chopping or anything! Just open and dump it in! AND, I used my last crockpot liner which really helped with clean up.

Fair-ly Well

Well, the fair is over for another year. Things I liked about this year:
--seeing Lou get SO VERY excited about "Elvis" and getting to eat with him
--having one of our 4-Hers win the Fair Queen contest and do a great job as Queen
--the Dove ice cream that I ate way too much of
--the BBQ running out before I was sick of it
--the cookies Willie brought!!!!
--getting to see people
--seeing people so excited about their ribbons
--hearing the applause for Brian's "mutton-busting" skills
--watching the kids get their animals ready
--riding around on the golf cart and Kubota thingys
--having internet, a printer, soft drinks, and a comfy couch at the new fair office
--eating lunch on the bleachers with Mom & Patti - the breeze, food, and company were really nice.

I'm really trying to remember the good instead of the chewing out I got this afternoon, the resentment I feel at having to do some of the things I do, the exhaustion and tears, the feeling that I'm not doing anything really worthwhile out there, the pressure to make people happy while knowing I won't ever succeed. I know I'm not perfect, my patience (never great to begin with) wears very thin, and I am human and make mistakes. I never try to hurt people, or forget them intentionally, but I do. I keep thinking, "if they only knew....." while wishing that I could drop it all, or at least parts! One of my bosses, Martha Ray, came by on Friday. She always said she looked for the fun. She said you just have to do some things and you might as well enjoy it along the way. I wish I could have done better at that this week instead of venting. It seems like that if I vent, I feel better but I'm sure it comes across that all I do is complain which is not what I want! I hear enough complaints from others, and I'm sure the people I vent to feel the same way. To err is human? sigh. such is life. I know, I should work on my attitude!!!!!!!!!

Alone

I really needed to hear Noel's lesson this morning "Never Alone." I guess I needed the reminder than even though I may be lonely at time, I'm never alone.

I won't be alone much this week, that's for sure. The White County Fair is this week! People have asked what I do out there all week. Basically, I'm not in charge of anything, I don't tell people what to do. I'm there as a support or advisor, to work with the many volunteers out there, and try to keep the peace and make people happy. I do lots of little things - we have a "worker area" and I hosed down the bathroom with bleach, washed out all the kitchen drawers of the little mouse droppings, cleaned dishes, cleaned counters, etc. I also make lots of coffee, make sure that the donuts are handy, do paperwork, and get lunches ready. I help with the Fair Queen Contest (no, it's not a pageant they tell me) - put on the reception, work with my Extension Homemaker ladies, coordinate with people, eat cookies, drink punch, smooze, direct, and help the judges. Not to mention loading my car with two wicker screens, a trophy, a tiara, a sash, chair covers, food, a change of clothes, a step stool, my file box, parade signs, coolers, etc. I'm also attempting to try out four crock pot recipes this week - creamy crockpot risotto (Tuesday), jalapeno corn pudding (Wednesday), Mediterraean Chicken (Thursday), and Vegetarian No-Noodle lasagna (Friday).

So, check out the schedule:
Monday - 4-H Poultry Chain Sale (need any chickens?!?) and Fair Queen Contest
Tuesday - Talent showcase, check in exhibits like jelly & quilts, FREE night
Wednesday - judging of those jelly jars and quilts, dairy show, gospel night
Thursday - Senior Day (free lunch, entertainment, and free admission for the older folks), Cody Slaughter (young Elvis impersonator - really good!), Bullriding
Friday - Kid's Day, Livestock Auction, Kentucky Headhunters, Rodeo
Saturday - armband day for carnival (I think), demolition derby, rodeo, last day to buy a stomach bomb (polish sausage) or a funnel cake.