Author Archives: Valerie

• Crock Pot Roasted Chicken (and curried chicken salad)

  Posted on by Valerie in Uncategorized.

  It’s Friday! I work hard all week waiting for today. Tonight we get to start our weekend. I can’t think of a better way to welcome the weekly 2-day vacation than to have a family meal together at home.  To make it more special, we are having guests this evening as well. Ok crock pot, […]

  Post Tagged with carrots, celery, chicken, curry powder, garlic, mayo, olive oil, onions, paprika, pepper, red grapes, salt, water chestnuts
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• Crock Pot Purple Oatmeal

  Posted on by Valerie in Uncategorized.

  This oatmeal is an easy way to invite your senses to wake up and start the day.  I love the surprise of removing the crock pot lid and seeing a beautiful bright purple, smelling the sweet steam and seeing the little bubbles around the edges on this thick and smooth oatmeal. This would be a […]

  Post Tagged with blueberries, cherry pie filling, milk, quick oats, vanilla, water
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• Crock Pot Pomme de Tara

  Posted on by Valerie in Breakfast, Dinner, Recipes, Side dishes.

  A friend of mine wants to use her crock pot more, but has an allergy to tomatoes. After doing a little research, I agreed with her– most crock pot recipes seem to have some sort of tomato or tomato-based product in them! It is an injustice that my friend should not be able to embrace […]

  Post Tagged with butter, Dorito chips, garlic, milk, onions, parsley, pepper, potatoes, salt, shredded cheese, sour cream
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• Crock Pot Sassy Meatballs

  Posted on by Valerie in Recipes, Side dishes.

  I’m too excited about tomorrow’s dinner to wait until morning to post this. It’s funny– I have been posting all these recipes that are hearty and healthy, but mostly vegetable-based. Not this one! For all you meat lovers, this is simple, sassy and super! (Thank you to my friend BBM for introducing me to this […]

  Post Tagged with chili sauce, grape jelly, green pepper, meatballs, parsley, pineapple
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• 

  Crockery Cookery, By Mable Hoffman

  Posted on by Valerie in Favorite Cookbooks.

  The Wall Street Journal posted an article today about crockery cooker, Mable Hoffman. She wrote a fantastic cookbook for simple crock pot meals.  I like the note in the article that tells us how her book, Crockery Cookery, surpassed The Joy of Sex as the best selling book of 1975.  Mable passed away at the age of […]

  Post Tagged with cookbook, crock pot, crockery, Crockery Cookery, crockpot, Mable Hoffman
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• Crock Pot Tapioca Pudding

  Posted on by Valerie in Breakfast, Recipes, Side dishes.

  Growing up, my dad really liked tapioca pudding and I could never understand why he enjoyed eating eyeballs. They looks gooey and slimey and smelled like playdough.  I also remember seeing vats of it at chinese buffet restaurants and was again reminded of things like eyeballs and fish eggs. Then I discovered that with a […]

  Post Tagged with cinnamon, eggs, milk, nutmeg, sugar, tapioca, vanilla
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• Crock Pot Turkey Legs

  Posted on by Valerie in Dinner, Recipes.

  Thanksgiving might just be one of my favorite holidays. There is something about preparing so many amazing dishes all day long and then sitting around the table with friends and family as we all oooh and ahhh about the foods. That feeling should not just be reserved for one or two days a year! Therefore, […]

  Post Tagged with herbs de provence, olive oil, turkey
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• Crock Pot Ratatouille

  Posted on by Valerie in Dinner, Recipes.

  In the Pixar movie by this name, the character Linguini says “Ratatouille. It’s like a stew, right? Why do they call it that? If you’re gonna name a food, you should give it a name that sounds delicious. Ratatouille doesn’t sound delicious. It sounds like “rat” and “patootie.” Rat-patootie, which does not sound delicious. ” […]

  Post Tagged with eggplant, garlic, noodles, onion, parmesan cheese, squash, tomatoes, zucchini
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• 

  The methods of my madness

  Posted on by Valerie in How To....

  I had a tough workout at the gym this morning, getting brutalized by my trainer for a solid hour. After a quick shower, I threw on my clothes and slumped down by the lockers to apply some quick makeup.  Another woman asked me, “how can you put your makeup on without a mirror??” I replied, […]

  Post Tagged with frozen meats, frozen vegetables, storage, thawing
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• Crock Pot Vegetarian Lentil Soup

  Posted on by Valerie in Dinner, Recipes, Side dishes, vegetarian.

  There used to be this great Greek restaurant that I frequented that served lentil soup in a styrofoam cup. It was always hot and fresh and the lentils were soft without being mushy. I would frame my entire meal around saving room and money for the soup.  This recipe mirrors the flavors and warmth of the […]

  Post Tagged with bay leaves, carrots, cayenne pepper, celery, cumin, garlic, Greek, lentils, onion, oregano, protein, red wine vinegar, spinach, tomatoes, vegetable broth
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