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Chili Verde

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Slow Cooker Chili Verde

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Core Recipe
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 425 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This pork and vegetable green chili is delicious over polenta but you can spoon it over two cups of canned, heated pinto or kidney beans if you prefer.

Ingredients

* 1 medium poblano chile
* 1 Tbsp canola oil, or 1 1/2 tsp each canola and olive oil
* 1 small onion(s), diced (about 1 cup)
* 1 large garlic clove(s), minced
* 1 medium zucchini, trimmed and diced
* 1 pound lean pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch chunks
* 1 cup chopped tomatillos, about 3 small husked tomatillos
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or 1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder
* 1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
* 1 tsp table salt
* 1/4 tsp black pepper
* 1 cup fat-free chicken broth
* 8 1/2 oz polenta, use half of a 17 oz prepared polenta log

Instructions

* Place poblano chile over open flame of stovetop and roast until browned all over, turning with metal tongs, about 5 minutes total. (Note: If you have an electric range, broil chile, turning every few minutes, until browned.) Place chile in a resealable plastic bag; close and set aside.

* Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic and zucchini; sauté over high heat, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Spoon vegetables into a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker; add pork and tomatillos.

* Remove chile from bag and hold chile under running water; scrape off skin with fingers. Chop chile and add to slow cooker; add cumin, cayenne or chile powder, oregano, salt, pepper and broth. Cover and cook stew on low for 6 to 7 hours.

* Cut polenta into small pieces; place in a microwave-safe serving bowl. Microwave on HIGH until polenta is hot and tender, about 2 minutes. Mash polenta and then beat with a spoon to a fluffy consistency. Spoon stew ove

Wednesday, January 03, 2007, 8:01 PM

ACORN SQUASH

I love to make acorn squash in the crockpot. It is so easy and excellent in all ways (calories & health benefits). I buy it cut up in quarters (lazzzzzzzzzy cook), wrap it in foil with a little Brown & Brummel spread and salt and pepper, turn the crockpot on low and it melts in your mouth. Sometimes I add splenda brown sugar if I want a sweet taste.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007, 11:25 PM

oh wow - I love squash! never thought to make it in a slow cooker though... Thanks!

Wednesday, January 03, 2007, 11:45 PM

The squash recipe sounds great but how long do you leave it in the slow cooker? How about the WW soup recipe could you do that in a crock pot?

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 7:34 AM

I make stuff in the crockpot at least once a week. It's so easy and convenient.

Last night I made a pork tenderloin - just marinaded it overnight and popped it in the crock with the marinade and some sliced peppers and onions. 10 hours on low and voila! It also works well with a bottle of bbq sauce.

Chili is a good standby. You can put a whole chicken in, seasoned or with cut up lemons in the cavity, and it comes out like rotisserie at the end of the day. I like to put a whole turkey breast in with broth, wine and veggies. A small roast works well with a big jar of tomato sauce. Beef stew is also great. Lots of possibilities!

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 8:26 AM

Crock pot

The crock pot is the best thing since sliced bread! Go to allrecipes.com and they have thousands of recipes for slow cookers (and everything else too!)

Link

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 10:12 AM

squash in the crock pot

Do you think this would work with any type of squash?, like the butternut squash?

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 10:31 AM

I love beef stew - a package of the cut up stew meat at the meat counter, a bag of frozen stew veggies, a package of mushrooms (if you like mushrooms), a sprinkle of beef bouillion, and water so the water is almost to the top of the food. Leave it on low all day (8+ hours). Yum!

Also, a lot of the crockpot meals that they sell in stores are good. I love the chicken/dumplings crockpot meal - just put 1lb of chicken breasts, plus the contents of the package, plus however much water it says, in the morning. Cook on low all day. Then when you get home, shred the chicken, and add the "biscuits" - a bisquick mix that's included, just add water, and turn up to "high" for 20 minutes. Sooo yummy!

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 12:56 PM

the store bought crock-pot ready meals are loaded with a lot of ingredients that your body does not need, not to mention they are loaded with sodium 7 fat. i suggest making it from scratch instead.

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 1:06 PM

More of Squash

Yes, it works with any kind of squash. I am a gadget girl and I use a light-timer (the kind you use when you go on vacation) with my crockpot. I set it to start at 12N instead of leaving it on all day. I use the timer for other recipes too. There are a lot of recipes that call for cooking 4-6 hours and since I leave my house at 7AM and get back at 6PMish, that doesn't work for me. I fill the crockpot at night and put it in the fridge overnight; the ceramic keeps the food cool until the timer kicks in. The timer and the cool crockpot work great for chicken, pork roast, whatever. My favorite christmas gift was a cookbook that is 200 3-Ingredient crockpot recipes (available at Amazon.com). Very cool for crockpot lovers who aren't really into cooking.

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 1:37 PM

Crockpot Liners

Did you know one can buy crockpot liners now? It makes it very easy; just throw the bag out when you're done. My kind of clean up!

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 1:38 PM

hey, 1/4/07, 1:37pm

2 questions for you:

1) what's a light-timer?
2) do you remember the book's name? my cousin just got a crock pot and as a new mother i think she would definitely benefit from the book you referred to. thanks!

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 1:49 PM

To the 1:06pm poster, not all crock pot meals are loaded with things your body doesn't need, except that most are high in sodium. So, it really depends on your goals and your level of health. I find, based on the size serving that I feel is a good-sized, filling dinner, that it is relatively low calorie, with a good combination of carbs, proteins and fats. Maybe not the best kinds of carbs and fats, but still, not a huge amount of either!

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 3:46 PM

Veggie soup!

Veggie soup (almost any types of veggies will work-- just make sure to cut them up small and they will cook quickly.)

Here are some suggestions. Hard veggies take a longer time to cook, therefore, you need to put them in first, the "soft" veggies should be added towards the end of cooking and the softest veggies should go in about 1/2 hour to 1 hour before you are done cooking, so that they don't get too mushy (I like to have a little texture in my soups). Seasonings should be added towards the beginning of the soup, so that the flavors blend better....

Seasoning veggies/herbs - use the ones you like... (do not all ALL of these!)
Fresh Onions or Shallots or chives or leeks or garlic- finely minced
"green herbs" - parsley or dill or basil or rosemary or cilantro or oregano, etc.- finely minced
Sea salt (tastes much better than regular "iodized salt") - if using canned veggies, you shouldn't add additional salt--it's far better to add it while eating the soup.)
black or white pepper (add towards the end of the soup, and be careful not to add too much

Fresh or frozen veggies tend to work best and have a better flavor and texture.

Hard veggies (need to cook longer - put the following in the pot first):
Carrots (diced or sliced into small slices)
Potatoes (cubed or diced into small pieces)
daikon radish or turnips or parsnips
Corn
Beans: kidney, navy, red, chick peas, etc.

Add a canned or fresh diced tomatoes (yes, they are soft, they will dissolve and help to flavor the soup).

Add chicken soup stock or water to cover the hard veggies and seasonings/herbs.
Cook several hours until the hard veggies are almost soft, but not mushy. Add Soft veggies and continue to cook until they are soft but not mushy.

Soft veggies -
Zucchini or yellow summer squash
Celery
Okra
broccoli
Brussel sprouts
peas or green beans
(or a package of frozen mixed veggies - corn, lima beans, carrots & green beans).

Add the very soft veggies at the end towards the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
Very soft veggies - add at the very end to retain color/texture
frozen or fresh cut Spinach
Bell peppers (red, yellow, green, etc.)
Cabbage (red, green, napa, bok choy, etc.)

If you like your veggies softer, then add everything but the softest veggies into the pot all at once, but make sure that the harder veggies are towards the bottom of the pot, so that they cook faster.

Note-- almost all veggies work well in this soup, you can also add a ham bone, or some chicken, pork, bacon or shrimp, etc. to help flavor the soup. However, if you don't add any of the above, the soup will have a sweet flavor (due mostly to the carrots). I usually salt and pepper my soup as I eat it, to keep sodium levels down.

This is a great soup, very low fat, and a great way to eat your veggies! ;-)

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 4:59 PM

Oh, and you can add almost any kind of veggies to your soup-- if you want difffernt flavors, add some curry spice or chili spice or sesame oil or some hot peppers (jalapenos) to the soup.

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 5:01 PM

Book Title

3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Recipes: 200 Recipes for Memorable Meals by Suzanne Bonet

A light timer is the gadget one uses to turn lights on and off when one goes on vacation. Put "GE Programmable Tiimer" into your search engine and it will give you examples.

Thursday, January 04, 2007, 7:44 PM

hey, thanks so much for the answers to my questions!! much appreciated!!

Friday, January 05, 2007, 9:07 AM

Steel Cut Oatmeal

I make steel cut oatmeal on the weekends overnight. Put in about 3:1 water to oatmeal and cook for about 8 hours. This is NOT your instant type oatmeal, which are rolled oats, they must steel cut (they look like tiny little pellets almost). Trader Joe's has a great can of Irish steel cut oats.

Friday, January 05, 2007, 10:45 AM

the light timer idea is genius! i was always lamenting that i didn't have a fancier crockpot with the built in timer. now i will lament no more!

Friday, January 05, 2007, 11:31 AM

Thank You

Can I tell my children I'm a genius? LOL

Friday, January 05, 2007, 12:23 PM

I just used reynolds slow cooker bags. They are a bit pricey but Sooooo worth it

Saturday, January 06, 2007, 6:47 PM

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