Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala was the first Indian food I attempted 8 years ago. Actually, some say it's not really Indian food, but rather the national dish of Britain!

In that Chicken Tikka Masala recipe, I used serrano chile. But in this streamlined slow cooker version, I opted for the always-on-hand cayenne pepper for a little heat.

My next foray into Indian cookery was Dal Makhani, a vegetarian lentil curry I really like. And next up will be some of the wonderful flatbreads because, like my father before me, I can hardly consider dinner complete without bread on the table.

The chopped cilantro is more than a garnish to this dish; the flavor complements the sauce perfectly and is a must! 

I served it with Turmeric Rice. Just added 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric for 1 cup of uncooked rice to my usual recipe for plain rice. A spicy main dish calls for plain rice. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

(Makes 6 servings)

2 pounds (32 ounces/0.9 kg) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

2/3 cup (6 ounces/170 grams) whole or low-fat (2%) plain yogurt
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
1/2 small yellow onion, diced (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 teaspoons peeled and grated* fresh ginger 
1 teaspoon finely minced shallot

2 teaspoons garam masala
3/4 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 or 4 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) tomato paste
1 14.5-ounce (411 grams) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) heavy cream

1/4 packed cup chopped fresh cilantro

* I use the Microplane Classic Zester/Grater.

1 Place the chicken, yogurt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker or the 6-quart Instant Pot and stir to combine. (I used all organic ingredients except for a couple of the spices.)

2 In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the ginger, shallot, garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric and cayenne pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook about 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

3 Add the cooked mixture to the slow cooker or Instant Pot and stir to combine with the chicken.

Note: With the Instant Pot, you can saute right in it, then switch it to Slow Cooker mode.

4 Put on the optional Instant Pot glass lid, or use the pressure cooking lid with the steam release handle turned to Venting. Select the Slow Cook program. Within 10 seconds, press Slow Cook to set temperature to Normal. Within 10 seconds, press “+ or –“ to set time to 6 hours.

Note: If using a slow cooker, cover and cook on Low for 6 hours. 

5 Stir in the cream. Leave the slow cooker uncovered and cook on the High setting for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan or both. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Ribs

I'd been thinking for months about trying barbecue pork ribs in the Instant Pot pressure cooker, but then my friend Jo mentioned cooking some in the slow cooker mode. So that's what I decided to do.

I usually do my wonderful Oven Barbecue Pork Ribs, but I didn't feel like running the oven on such a hot day; so it was the perfect time to try this. 

The "Normal" Slow Cook setting of the Instant Pot (or Low setting for most slow cookers) for 10 hours cooked them to tender perfection, and then a couple of 3- minute stints under the broiler developed the sticky, crusty finish.

Of course, barbecue ribs (slow cooker or otherwise) are like meat candy, so I don't eat a large serving or have them very often. 

Mr Delightful was really happy with these ribs, so I'm going to be making them again. All part of what I call my Streamlined Cooking! Are you a rib fan? No need to wait for grilling weather!

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Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork Ribs

I think the 6-quart Instant Pot could easily hold 6 pounds of ribs.

(Serves 3 or 4)

The Ribs

4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) pork back ribs

The Dry Rub

1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground dried chiles (I make a little mixture of my own)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

The Barbecue Sauce

(Makes about 1/2 cup)

1/3 cup organic ketchup

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons country Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1 In a small bowl, stir together all the barbecue sauce ingredients; cover and refrigerate.

2 In a small bowl, stir together all the dry rub ingredients.

Note: This is the part where I would tell you about peeling the tough membrane off the bony side of the ribs, but my friend told me she didn't bother and it made no difference with the slow cooker method, so I skipped it. However, I am accustomed to doing that and may, or may not, do it next time. 

3 Apply dry rub all over. Roll the rack of ribs up like a rug, meaty side out, and place it on its edge in the inner pot of the Instant Pot. If cooking two racks of ribs, place the largest coil in the pot--it will move itself out to the sides of the pot--then put the other coil in the center.

Note: May be made ahead to this point, refrigerated and finished the next day.

4 Put on the optional Instant Pot glass lid, or use the pressure cooking lid with the steam release handle turned to Venting. Select the Slow Cook program. Within 10 seconds, press Slow Cook to set temperature to Normal. Within 10 seconds, press “+ or –“ to set time to 10 hours.

5 Move your oven rack to 6 inches below your broiler. The top position in my oven is 4 inches below the broiler, but I think I'm less likely to burn things at the slightly lower level! Turn the broiler on High. Place the ribs on a foil-lined 18x13x1-inch half sheet pan. Using about half the sauce, lightly brush the underside (bony side) of the ribs with a little sauce, and brush the meaty side of the ribs with the rest of the half. Broil for about 3 minutes (you'll have to be the judge of that!).

6 Take the pan out of the oven, and brush the top of the ribs with the remaining half of the sauce. Broil for another 3 minutes (again, you'll have to sort the timing out with your broiler).

7 Let the ribs rest for 5 minutes before cutting apart. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Split Pea Soup with Ham - Instant Pot or Not

Split Pea Soup served with either homemade bread or biscuits, or a well-made grilled cheese sandwich, makes a satisfying meal any time of year, though it's often thought of as a cold-weather food.

I used to make a big production of sauteeing the celery, carrots and onion first; but I discovered several years ago that the soup is just fine when you skip that step, and I haven't looked back. Part of my Streamlined Cooking. 

Perhaps because of the very long cooking of the stovetop and slow cooker versions, and the pressure cooking of the Instant Pot, all the flavor is drawn from the vegetables without precooking them.

It's one of my all-time favorite soups, but Mr Delightful is not a soup fan, so I get to eat the whole pot. Planning to have it for breakfast today as soon as I get this posted! Are you a soup fan?

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Split Pea Soup

(Makes 6 servings)

2 1/4 cups (16 ounces/454 grams) green split peas, washed and drained

6 cups (48 ounces/1.42 litres) water
1 cup chopped celery (2 large stalks)
1 cup chopped or coarsely grated carrots (2 large carrots)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/3-to 1/2-pound (5.33 to 8 ounces/151 to 227 grams) piece of a fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 bay leaf

Garnish: sherry, sour cream, creme fraiche or plain yogurt and something green

For slow cooker: Cook on Low for 8 hours.

For stovetop: Increase water to 2.5 quarts. In at least a 4-quart pan (I use a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven), combine all ingredients (except garnishes, of course). If you are going to puree the soup (I do not), vegetables can be just roughly chopped and ham added after the pureeing. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, loosely covered, for about 3½ hours (or up to 5 hours, depending on the peas), stirring occasionally. Remove ham, chop it or shred it using two forks and add it back to soup. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish.

For Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker:

1 Put in all the ingredients at once. Give it a stir. Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 17 minutes. Press lit Keep Warm key to cancel that feature.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

2 When the beep sounds, unplug Instant Pot. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

3 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the peas are not done, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 1 to 3 additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The soup can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once cooled or chilled, I like to put 2 1/2 cups of soup in my favorite 3-cup glass storage container and pop it in the freezer for two servings of soup on another day.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew was the first thing I wanted to make in my new Instant Pot. Yes, folks, I finally broke down and bought one. I didn’t have room for one more countertop appliance, but I needed to replace my slow cooker’s cooking pot. Here’s the story.

I love my slow cooker, the Cuisinart 6-quart multicooker slow cooker, but I damaged the nonstick surface of the cooking pot and so was going to have to order a replacement. Since I was interested in trying a pressure cooker, I thought I’d try the combination slow cooker pressure cooker Instant Pot with its uncoated stainless steel cooking pot.

This photo shows how I protect the wall and undercabinet lighting from grease spatters with a dish towel when sauteeing in a countertop appliance. Or I can set it on something on top of the stove and turn the range hood on.

This time I used packaged grass-fed stew meat, but I really prefer to buy a piece of chuck (about 2.75 pounds) and trim it and cut it up myself into larger pieces. 

I’ve written my recipe instructions for the cook who is new, as I am, to using the Instant Pot as a slow cooker. If they are not clear, do tell me so that I can clarify them. Anyone using a regular slow cooker (or the stovetop) can easily make adjustments. 

Then I’ll try out the Instant Pot in its main function as a pressure cooker. I’m brand new to pressure cookers, probably because my mother and grandmothers didn’t use them, so it’s going to be an adventure. Have you jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon yet? I think I might be the last person on the planet to get one!

Update 01/17/19: Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Beef Stew, Classic Stovetop Beef Stew.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

(Serves 4 to 6)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 1/4 pounds (1.02 kg) lean beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) drinkable dry red wine or water

1/2 large onion, chopped (6 ounces/170 grams—about 3/4 cup)

1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces/680 grams) Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 medium carrots (12 ounces/340 grams), peeled, cut diagonally into 1-inch slices

3 stalks celery (6 ounces/170 grams), sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces/355 ml) chicken broth or water

4 to 5 tablespoons (half a 6-ounce can) tomato paste

1 teaspoon marjoram
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

Slurry of 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup water

Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley and/or 1 cup of frozen peas

1 Brown the beef in two or three batches. (I do three because I’m really into thorough browning.) Plug in the Instant Pot. Select the Saute program. Press the Saute key again to go from Normal temperature to More. When the word Hot appears on the display, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the stainless steel cooking pot of the Instant Pot. 

2 Dry the beef cubes a batch at a time with paper towels, add to hot oil and brown very well in single layer, sprinkling with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Transfer browned beef to a bowl. Repeat. (And repeat again if you’re doing three batches.)

3 Deglaze the cooking pot with 1/2 cup wine or water. Press the Cancel key. Add the beef back to the Instant Pot, along with all remaining ingredients except the slurry and garnish. 

4 Put on the optional Instant Pot glass lid, or use the pressure cooking lid with the steam release handle turned to Venting. Select the Slow Cook program. Within 10 seconds, press Slow Cook to set temperature to Normal. Within 10 seconds, press “+ or –“ to set time to 6 hours.

Note: Instant Pot users have reported all kinds of timing differences in the slow cooker function, so you’ll just have to see about this!

5 After 6 hours (if your stew is done), shake together flour and water until mixture is smooth. Stir the smooth slurry into the stew, taste and adjust seasoning; press Saute and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to thicken. Remove bay leaf, and sprinkle on parsley or stir in frozen peas. 

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Pork Loin Roast with Gravy - Slow Cooker

Boneless Pork Loin Roast is so easy and, more important, so good in the slow cooker. Not that I don’t love a fall-apart braised hunk of meat some times, but this isn’t it. This is just like a roast that comes out of the oven. You know, roast it, rest it while you make the gravy, then slice it into tidy slices.

And, with summer coming on, I will be so glad to be able to make a roast dinner without having to run the oven and heat up the place!

Sometimes I put a good sear on the roast before putting it in the slow cooker, but this time I just wanted to throw it in there and see what happened. Though it perhaps doesn’t look as pretty without that initial sear, it tastes every bit as good. 

You don’t add a lot of liquid. Just 2 teaspoons of lite soy sauce and 1/3 cup of wine. I usually use red, but this time I used a white that I’d been wanting to open. Set the slow cooker on low and go about your business for 6 hours. The roast will be perfectly tender but make neat slices.

Simple gravy. Dinner’s on the table. No muss, no fuss. And I’m cool as a cucumber.

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Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Gravy

(Serves 4 to 6)

2 pound boneless pork loin (not tenderloin) roast
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, halved and separated

1 large stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces

2 carrots, cut into 4 pieces

1/3 cup drinkable dry red or white wine

2 teaspoons lite soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves

Pinch cayenne
Slurry of 2 tablespoons flour in 3 tablespoons water

1 Coat roast with mixture of flour, pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Brown in oil. Or not! (Though I do love that brown crusty appearance when I have the time to do the browning.)

2 Place in slow cooker with onion, celery and carrots.

3 Pour wine and then soy sauce over the roast.

4 Sprinkle marjoram, thyme, cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon salt over the roast.
5 Set slow cooker to Low for 6 hours.

6 Remove roast to cutting board to rest, tented with foil, for 20 minutes before slicing. Remove vegetables. They’re there for flavor, not a sufficient quantity to serve, so I set them aside for a “cook’s treat.”

7 Strain sauce (there will be about 1 1/4 cups) into 1-quart saucepan. Stir in slurry to thicken the sauce; simmer for 5 minutes.

Jean

Pinto Beans and Refried Beans - Frijoles de Olla y Frijoles Refritos

Though I had grown up eating pinto beans as soup beans, something my mother presumably learned from my father's side (the Southern side) of the family, we never had refried beans. That's something I began making on my own later. But recently, when I first thought of posting it, I thought I better consult with my Mexican food expert, Mimi, via her daughter, my friend Julia, as I did for Mexican Rice.

Pot of Beans - Frijoles de Olla

Julia is not the big bean fan that I am, but she spoke to her mother about it so that I could get her "authentic" take on the subject. Turns out Mimi most often cooked a pot of beans, frijoles de olla, without going that step further of making refried beans (but more about that later).

She kept a teakettle of hot water handy to add to the pot of beans when the water level went too low during the long cooking. I thought that was a fantastic tip! Beans take long enough to cook as it is without slowing down the process even more by adding cold water to the simmering pot.

She used a little garlic, but I'm allergic to garlic and avoid it whenever I can. So I decided to throw in a small onion cut in half and just a tiny bit of cumin, red pepper flakes and oregano; not enough to notice, just enough to infuse a certain something into my garlic-free beans.

I've done the overnight pre-soak and the quick-soak thing, but have found just cooking the beans in their unsoaked state works as well. I just bring the pot of beans to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until done. It may or may not take a bit longer; that really depends on the age of the beans.

Usually I don't mind tending a pot of beans for a few hours, but it has been so hot this week I haven't wanted to be anywhere near the stove! So I decided to make my pot of beans in the slow cooker for the first time. And. I. will. never. cook. beans. any. other. way! Totally effortless!

Note: If I were cooking beans in a pressure cooker, I would definitely presoak. Otherwise, you will end up with lots of split skins and blown-out beans.

Update 03/21/19: Not true! Got an Instant Pot in December and have just posted Instant Pot Pinto Beans.

Sure, you can buy canned beans. But do the math first. A pot of beans from 2 pounds of dried beans equals about eight 15-ounce cans of beans! You can freeze the beans in can-size portions or whatever size portion you need. I will never buy canned pinto beans again.



Cook a big pot of pinto beans, use some now and freeze the rest in meal-size portions. Frozen beans will keep for up to 3 months.

Refried Beans - Frijoles Refritos

The word "refrito" doesn't really mean "refried," but rather "well-fried" or something like that, the Spanish "re" being an intensifier rather than a multiplier.

Some cooks prefer to use lard in their refried beans, but Mimi always preferred vegetable oil. Whenever vegetable oil is called for, I often use organic (non-GMO) canola oil.

It's important to heat the oil very well before adding the beans. But be very careful when adding the beans and, especially, their liquid to the hot oil.

I've made both bean recipes suitable for vegetarians and vegans. And, seasoned as they were, I didn't even miss the little bit of salt pork or fatty bacon I sometimes use. 

 

Pinto Beans - Frijoles de Olla

(Makes about 13 cups of drained beans)

2 pounds dried pinto beans
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 small (about 6 ounces) onion, peeled and halved
3 quarts (about 3 liters) water

1 Rinse beans, watching for any debris or bad beans, and add to 6.5-quart slow cooker. Add 1 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, onion and water. Set slow cooker on Low for 9 hours. (It won't take 9 hours, but I set it for longer so that I don't need to restart the cooker.)

2 After 6 hours, check the beans. If they are nearly done, remove the onion and add the remaining teaspoon of salt. Continue cooking for one hour; check for doneness. Mine were done at that point.

Note: The cooked beans can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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Refried Beans - Frijoles Refritos

(Makes 2 cups)

1/4 cup organic canola oil
3 cups drained beans
1 cup bean liquid

1 Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until oil is very hot.

2 Add the beans, then add the bean liquid very slowly and carefully. Fry until the liquid is thickening, about 10 minutes.

3 Mash beans in the skillet with either a potato masher or an immersion blender (take the pan off the heat while using the immersion blender), adding more bean liquid if needed. You can completely mash the beans to a puree or leave some whole beans. The beans will thicken as they sit, so add enough liquid to make them less thick than you want them to end up.

Note: You can top the beans with queso fresco, if you like, but I prefer Monterey jack cheese and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro. And Homemade Flour Tortillas!

Jean

Steamed Persimmon Pudding - with Brandy Butter Hard Sauce

Even when persimmon season (October through February) is over, it's persimmon season at my house. I usually manage to puree and freeze enough for a few steamed puddings and batches of cookies. 

The pudding can be steamed on the stovetop, directions included, but I like steaming it in the slow cooker. I especially like this pudding with Custard Sauce (Creme Anglaise), but Brandy Butter (also called Hard Sauce) is classic as well and makes a nice change.

Both pudding and sauce can be made ahead. Just reheat the pudding before serving it topped with the cold sauce. Then stand back and watch the rich sauce melt into the pudding and spill over the edges. Mmm ... 

The sauce recipe makes just enough for six servings so you won't be tempted to overindulge. I'd almost forgotten, the other perk of steaming a spicy pudding is the wonderful aromas wafting around the kitchen, the best way to cozy up the place on a winter's day! 

What's in your slow cooker, stovetop steamer or oven? 

Steamed Persimmon Pudding - with Brandy Butter Hard Sauce

(Makes 6 servings) 

The Pudding

1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons brandy, rum or hot tea
1 dip-and-sweep cup (5 ounces/142 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg, room temperature
3/4 cup persimmon puree (perfectly ripe persimmons!)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts 

The Sauce

6 tablespoons (3 ounces/85 grams) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
3/4 packed cup (3 ounces/85 grams) unsifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon brandy

1 In small bowl, soak raisins (I also threw in some dried cranberries) in brandy or hot tea for 30 minutes to plump them. 

2 Butter well and lightly flour (or spray with cooking spray) a 2-inch deep 7-inch round cake tin. In small bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. 

3 In medium bowl with a wooden spoon, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, then persimmon puree, followed by the vanilla and milk. Stir in the flour mixture followed by the nuts and raisins. Turn into buttered tin and cover tightly with foil. 

4 Place rack in bottom of cooker, and add boiling water to just below the rack (that's about 2 1/2 cups in the Cuisinart MSC-600 Multicooker). Set the pudding on the rack. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Set to Slow Cook on High for 2 1/2 hours; do not lift lid. 

Note: Your slow cooker might cook slower or faster, so you might want to check the pudding for doneness after 2 hours the first time you make this. Don't remove the foil, just make a little hole in the center of the foil with toothpick or skewer. 

Stovetop: Place a rack in bottom of pot large enough to hold the pudding tin. Pour enough boiling water into pot to almost touch bottom of rack. Place pudding mold on rack. Bring to boil over high heat, cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Steam pudding, adding more boiling water as needed, until pudding is browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 2 hours. 

5 Remove the pudding to wire rack, remove foil and let pudding stand 15 minutes before unmolding onto a small platter. Slice and serve warm with whipped cream, brandy butter hard sauce or, my favorite, Custard Sauce.

Note: If making it ahead, even a day or two before, cover and store pudding at room temperature and then reheat before serving. 

6 While pudding is steaming, make Brandy Butter Hard Sauce or Custard Sauce. If you prefer your Custard Sauce cold, make it several hours or up to 2 or 3 days ahead. Hard Sauce can be made way ahead; it needs to be refrigerated at least 2 hours or up to 3 weeks.

7 To make Brandy Butter, also known as Hard Sauce: With an electric hand mixer, beat softened* butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until thoroughly creamed. Stir in the brandy a little at a time, incorporating each addition well before adding more. Spoon into a small serving dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 weeks. Serve it very cold to contrast with the warm pudding.

* To soften butter, let stand on the counter until it reaches room temperature and is just spreadable. This will take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. It's always important not to overdo it because the butter can become greasy.

Irish Soda Bread - Slow Cooker Version

Irish soda bread, or brown bread, is something usually baked in the oven. But one day on Twitter, Brooks at Cakewalker (gorgeous cakes and more!) told me he'd like to see a slow cooker version. Of course, that sounded like a great idea to me, so I told him I'd get right on it.

Why might you want to bake your soda bread in a slow cooker? Maybe your oven is otherwise occupied. Or it's a hot day and you don't want to run your oven. Why did I want to do it? Because I just love experimenting in the kitchen! 

Two years ago I posted my regular Irish Brown Bread, which I love. But knowing Brooks likes a sweeter soda bread, I modified my recipe to include a higher proportion of white to whole wheat flour and more brown sugar than my usual one tablespoon. 

I skipped the raisins he likes, since I wasn't sure how well this would even turn out in the slow cooker. But you can add a cup of raisins (plumped in very hot water for several minutes and drained well), if you like.

Another change (in the interests of "authenticity," you might say) was using soured (with vinegar) milk rather than commercial cultured buttermilk. After all, back in the day, the Irish housewives would not have had storebought cultured buttermilk but would have used soured milk.

Do you ever make Irish Soda Bread? Is it part of your heritage? Or something you've adopted, as I have?

Slow Cooker Irish Soda Bread 

(Makes one 8-inch round loaf)

1 1/2 cups milk 

1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 dip-and-sweep cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 dip-and-sweep cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg 

1 In 2-cup glass measure, stir together milk and vinegar; let stand 5 minutes or so while mixing remaining ingredients. Lightly grease bottom and sides of slow cooker.*

* I have the Cuisinart MSC-600 6-quart multicooker slow cooker with separate nonstick cooking pot (which is oval, but I still made the loaf round because, well, it's just gotta be round!).

2 In large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, salt and baking soda. With fingers, rub butter into flour mixture. Beat egg into the soured milk. 

3 Make a well in center of flour mixture and pour in all but about 1/4 cup of the milk mixture. Slowly bring the flour mixture into the liquid. Stir gently to combine into a slightly sticky dough that can be formed into a rather soft ball, adding more liquid if needed. Knead lightly, right in the bowl, not more than 5 or 6 times, forming into a ball.

4 Place ball of dough in center of slow cooker. Dough should ideally be of a consistency to flatten itself just slightly to a diameter of roughly 6 inches and a height of about 2 1/2 inches. With sharp knife, cut a 1/4-inch deep "+" on top of dough (helps the bread to cook through and not have a doughy middle). 

5 Set slow cooker on High and cook for about 3 1/2* hours, or until it tests done. To test: 1. stick a toothpick in the center and see if it comes out clean and 2. tap it on the bottom and see if it sounds hollow; or 3. see if it registers close to 195 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. To cool, place the loaf on a wire rack and cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing, or it may be too crumbly and not hold together well.

* Added 03/15/15: One reader found that 3 1/2 hours was a little too long in her slow cooker and thought she'd check it at 3 hours next time.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake - Slow Cooker

Cheesecake is the dessert we order most often when dining out. Since I started making cheesecakes in the slow cooker, I make them much more frequently; so we can Just Say No to expensive desserts at the restaurant and go home to homemade cheesecake!

It is pumpkin season, so pumpkin cheesecake was in order. But I like vanilla so much I thought I'd compromise with a pumpkin swirl cheesecake. Of course, as usual, I just made it up as I went along. 

I thought 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree mixed into 3/4 cup of the cheesecake batter would be about right for the swirl. Took a stab at the spice amounts; couldn't go by taste because I do not eat anything with raw eggs in it. Turned out well!

Do you think this might make a change from pumpkin pie on your autumn celebration menus? Or an addition? Think I'll have just a tiny sliver of each!

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

(Makes one 7-inch cheesecake, 8 servings)

The Crust

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (for pan)
1 cup crushed crisp ginger cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

The Filling

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, each cut into 8 squares, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
Pinch of ground cloves

1 Butter bottom and sides of a 7-inch springform pan with the softened butter. Cut a circle of parchment paper to fit the pan, press it in the buttered pan, then turn it over and press it into place. 

2 Combine crumbs, and melted butter until the mixture comes together. If you used a food processor to make the crumbs, you can mix the crust in it as well. If you used your fingers or the rolling pin/plastic bag method to make the crumbs, you can mix the crust with a fork in a small bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly and firmly over the bottom of the pan.

Note: The ginger cookies I used would have been impossible to crush without a food processor!

3 With electric mixer on medium speed, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until perfectly smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beaters/paddle. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. On low speed, mix in sour cream just until well combined. Remove 3/4 cup of the cheesecake batter; set aside. Pour half the remaining batter into the prepared pan.

Note: Don't get in a hurry like I did and not allow enough time for your cream cheese to come to room temperature and soften, or you end up with little chunks of cream cheese throughout the batter. Even if it all smooths out as it bakes, I don't like it! Do as I say, not as I do!

4 Stir together the reserved 3/4 cup of cheesecake batter and the pumpkin puree and spices until thoroughly combined. Place spoonfuls of the pumpkin batter on top of the filling in the pan; pour the remaining half of the batter into the pan. Place spoonfuls of the remaining pumpkin batter on top of the filling in the pan; cut through batter several times with a knife to make swirls (being careful not to disturb the crust).

5 Place rack in bottom of cooker, and add water to just below the rack (that's about 2 1/2 cups in the Cuisinart MSC-600 Multicooker). Set the cheesecake on the rack. Cover the slow cooker with a triple layer of paper towels and the lid. (The paper towels will prevent condensation falling from the lid onto your cheesecake.) Set to Slow Cook on High for 2 hours; do not lift lid. Turn off the heat and let stand for 1 hour; do not lift lid until the hour is up.

6 Remove the lid and paper towels, and remove cheesecake to wire rack. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake; cool for 1 hour. Run the knife around the edge again and remove the sides of the pan. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours (or up to 3 days) before serving.

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