The Ingredient: Rosemary

We decided to ask our readers:  Which HERB would you like to see thrown in the crock?  Below are the results.

ROSEMARY: 2
CILANTRO: 2
OREGANO: 1
MINT: 1

Since there was a tie, I chose ROSEMARY.

Rosemary is one of my favorite scents and flavors!  I normally use rosemary when cooking poultry, however, many people use this herb with fish, beef and lamb dishes as well.  The pungent flavor will enhance any recipe.  According to my research, rosemary is good for boosting the immune system, increasing memory and improving circulation and digestion.

Looks like we can congratulate ourselves for picking this herb!

Tips & Tricks:

• Growing & Using Rosemary
• Rosemary for your hair

- Chef Mimi

The Consumption: Pork n Peaches!

This crock recipe was the easiest to make! I came home for my lunch break and prepared this meal in less than 10 minutes.  I added all of the ingredients, including 1 whole peach, turned the crock on LOW and headed back to work.

I was so pleased to arrive home to a sweet and tangy aroma in my kitchen.  I feel so spoiled when I come home from work and a home-cooked meal has already been prepared.  There was nothing left to do but unwind and eat!

The peaches added a sweet and savory flavor to the pork.  Since we used green chiles, crushed red pepp and Newman's Own Peach Salsa this dish was sweet, tangy and spicy.  I served with low sodium seasoned yellow rice because it's my fav.  No need for a knife with this recipe, the pork just fell apart.  I expected the pieces of peaches to turn to mush, however, they remained solid and soaked in the juices from all the ingredients.  I thought the fruit pieces were the best!  ENJOY!

 - Chef Mimi

The recipe: Spare Ribs in Fiery Peach Salsa

Prep:  15 mins

Cook:  Low 6 hours, High 4 hours

Serving Size:  4

Category:  Beef, Pork & Lamb

Ingredients:

• 2  pounds boneless spare ribs
• 1 fresh peach, sliced 
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2 jars Newman's Own Chunky Peach Salsa 
• 1/2 can chopped green chilies
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:

Chop onions and throw in the crock. Place ribs (mine were frozen) on top of the chopped onion. In a large bowl mix salsa, sliced peaches, green chilies, garlic, pepper, garlic salt and crushed red pepper.

Pour mixture over the ribs; cover and cook low 4 to 6 hours, or until ribs are cooked through and tender.

Serve over a bed of white rice or with a side of mashed pots. 

Tips & Tricks:

- Peach Cooking Tips and Hints 

- How to Chop Onions Without Tears
- The Different Cuts of Ribs

- Chef Tiffany

The Ingredient: Peaches

Welcome Back!!

Crock-N-Roll is kicking off its resurrection with delicious peaches! July and August are in the peak season for this sweet and juicy ingredient; which is more than appropriate for the Welcome Back recipe, since both chefs are from the Peach state.

A few changes have taken place during the chefs intermission, including the relocation of Chef Tiffany back to New Smyrna Beach, FL (she could no longer spend time away from her bestie...).  The challenge will stay the same and the chefs will still be cooking separately, each of them creating a masterpiece in their Kitchens by the Beach.

Peaches are normally thought of as a snack or a dessert, but research shows a creative chef will use peaches in poultry, pork and seafood recipes as well.

Peaches may not look delicious (since they oddly resemble someone's butt cheeks), but I have learned a well-defined cleft is a sign of maturity.  Choosing peaches with firm skin and a good crack will deliver sweet savory flavor to any meal!

- Chef Mimi

The Consumption: Jammin' Jumbalaya

This crock recipe was a complete success!  I absolutely loved all of the flavors that melted together in this one.

As I previously posted, shrimp is my favorite type of seafood.  I only used shrimp for this recipe because I wanted that flavor to stand out the most.  I chopped all the veggies so I could simply dump everything in the crock during my lunch break from work. I got home, poured everything in and flipped the switch to LOW for the next 5 hours.

When I came home from work, I peeled and deveined the shrimp myself (something I will never do again)! I added the shrimp to a skillet, with a couple cloves of garlic, and organic peppers from my boyfriend's Grandmother's garden.  I added the rest of the ingredients to my slow cooker and waited as my kitchen filled with spicy, cheesy aromas.

EVERYTHING was covered in cheesy hot sauce!  Words can not express how much I love that combination.  Every bite had a little piece of shrimp in it! I served with "butter-me-not" biscuits.

I would recommend cooking this on a cool Autumn night for friends.  The recipe made plenty of food as I still have a dish or two in my freezer.

Tips & Tricks:

• How to easily peel and devein shrimp

- Chef Mimi

The Recipe: Cheesy Shrimp & Chicken Jambalaya

Prep:  20 mins
Cook:  Low 5 hours, High 3.0 hours
Serving Size:  6
Category:  Seafood/Poultry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 14.5-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
• 1 14-ounce can chicken broth
• 1/2 of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or 1 recipe *Homemade Cajun Seasoning (ingredients listed; recipe below)
• white pepper
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• ground red pepper
• paprika
• black pepper
• 1.5 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 cup instant rice
• 1 box Rice-a-Roni Creamy Four Cheese Rice
• 8 ounces cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp 
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons Texas Pete Hot Sauce
• 3 teaspoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Salt Free Magic Seasoning Blend

Preparation:

*Homemade Cajun Seasoning:  In a small bowl combine 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 ground red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.  

Combine celery, onion, undrained tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and Cajun seasoning in the crock. 

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2.5 to 3 hours. 

Stir in instant rice, the entire rice-a-roni box, shrimp and peppers. Cover and cook 10-15 mins or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

- Chef Tiffany

The Ingredient: Shrimp

Shrimp is one of my favorite crustaceans of the sea!

I chose this ingredient because over and over again the crock is proving to be so versatile.

This of course made me think of the most notorious scene from, Forrest Gump; when Bubba starts listing all the different ways shrimp can be prepared. Watch this clip below:

Tips & Tricks:

• Apparently, Americans love shrimp.
• Bubba Gump Shrimp Company & Market

- Chef Mimi