ONLINE EXTRA — THAT'S A CROCK: Slow-Cooked Beef Stew with Sweet Potato and Thyme . . . Braised Basque Chicken . . . Tamale Pie, etc.

Slow-Cooked Beef Stew with Sweet Potato and Thyme

2½ pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

2 potatoes, cut in ¾-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 sweet potato, cut into ¾-inch pieces

1 carrot, cut into ¾-inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 14½-ounce can beef broth

2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1½ teaspoons salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 sprigs each: fresh thyme, parsley

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Combine beef, potatoes, garlic, sweet potato, carrot, onion, tomatoes, broth, tapioca, Worcestershire, salt and pepper in a slow cooker.

Tie herb sprigs and bay leaves together with kitchen string. Add to slow cooker. Cook cov-ered 6 hours on high setting or 8 hours on low setting. Remove tied herbs. Stir in chopped parsley and thyme leaves. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 415 calories, 29 percent ofcalories from fat, 14 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 115 milligrams cholesterol, 1,335 milligrams sodium, 33 grams carbohydrates, 40 grams protein, 5.1 grams fiber.

Braised Basque Chicken

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 chicken thighs, skin removed

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 medium onions, sliced into half-rounds

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 red and 1 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 cup chicken broth

4 ounces Spanish chorizo or sopressata, cut into ½-inch dice

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet, in batches, if necessary, and brown on all sides. Transfer the meat to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, paprika and thyme to the skillet and saute until soft, 7 to 8 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add to the slow cooker, along with the chorizo, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours (or on high for 3 to 4 hours), until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Tamale Pie

Cooking spray

15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

15 ounce can corn, drained

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ cup diced onion

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

CORNBREAD TOPPING:

¾ cup cornmeal

1¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

¼ cup sugar

1 large egg

Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour in the filling ingredients — the beans, tomatoes, corn, spices, onion and cheese — and stir well, taking care to evenly distribute the spices.

In a separate bowl, mix the cornbread topping. Pour the batter evenly over the filling, spreading it with a spatula. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 7 hours, or on high for 2 to 4 hours.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 380 calories, 6 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 50 milligrams cholesterol, 630 milligrams sodium, 68 grams carbohydrates, 8 grams fiber, 15 grams sugars, 15 grams protein.

Country-Style Pork Ribs with Tomatoes and Peppers

4 pounds country-style pork ribs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup tomato puree

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 medium red bell peppers, seeded, in ½-inch slices

Pat ribs dry and sprinkle them with salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add as many ribs as fit without crowding. Cook the meat, turning occa-sionally, until nicely browned on all sides. Place the browned ribs in the slow cooker. Re-peat until done.

Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in wine and tomato paste and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the liquid begins to simmer. Stir in tomato puree, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.

Scatter the peppers over the pork in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until the meat is tender and coming away from the bones. Discard any loose bones and skim off the fat.

Yield: Serves 6.

Basic Polenta

1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1½ teaspoons salt

5 cups water (or half water and half broth)

Additional water, milk, broth or cream (optional)

In a large slow cooker, stir together the cornmeal, salt and water. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Stir the polenta. If it seems too thick, add a little extra liquid. Cook for 30 to 60 minutes more, until thick and creamy. Serve hot.

Yield: Serves 6.

Crockpot Oatmeal

½ cup barley flakes

½ cup rye flakes

1½ cups steel-cut oats

½ cup brown rice

¼ cup wheat germ

6½ cups water

1 large grated apple (unpeeled)

1 tablespoon vanilla

A pinch of cinnamon

Dried fruit or unsalted nuts (optional)

At night, add ingredients to slow cooker and set for 3 to 4 hours on low. Set auto-warm op-tion.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 241 calories, 7 grams protein, 46 grams car-bohydrates, 3 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 7 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber, 3 grams sugar, 11 percent calories from fat.

Greek Stew

4 chicken breasts

2 cans stewed diced tomatoes

1 can quartered artichoke hearts with juice

15 to 20 pitless Kalamata olives

1 box of instant couscous

Feta cheese (optional)

Lightly spray slow cooker with nonstick spray. Place chicken breasts in bottom of the pot. Pour in stewed diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts and olives, and stir. Cover and cook on me-dium for 6 hours or on low for 8 hours.

To serve, prepare some five-minute instant couscous and put a serving in a bowl.

Place one piece of chicken on top, spoon broth over the meat and then lightly sprinkle with feta cheese, if desired.

Yield: Serves 4.

Vegetarian Black Bean Mole

4 cups black beans

10 cups water

1 jar La Costena mole

5 vegetable bouillon cubes

However many triangles of Abuelita Marqueta Mexican chocolate cubes to suit your fancy

2 onions

Pinch of cumin

Pinch of nutritional yeast

A couple sprigs of cilantro

Put the beans, water, mole, bouillon cubes and chocolate in the crockpot (on high) and stir as thoroughly as possible. Peel and chop the onions in half and add the four pieces to the pot. Now either keep the crockpot on high or turn to low and let sit (3 to 4 hours on high, a lot longer on low).

One hour and 15 minutes before you serve, add the cumin and nutritional yeast. Fifteen minutes before serving, add the cilantro.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Chili Colorado

1 onion, chopped

3 pounds chuck roast, trimmed and cubed

1 16 ounces can red chili sauce or red enchilada sauce (same thing)

1 8-ounces can tomato sauce

Add onion to slow cooker. Brown meat. Add to slow cooker. Pour chili sauce and tomato sauce into pan used to brown meat. Deglaze pan, scraping up all bits of beef and meat juices. Add to slow cooker. Simmer on low for 8 hours. Serve with tortillas, rice and salad. Leftovers can be made into tacos, burritos or rice bowls.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Pork Stew in Tomatillo Sauce

3 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed

6 to 8 serrano chilies, stemmed and seeded

1 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 corn tortilla, chopped

2 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed

Pinch ground fennel

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2½ pounds lean pork stew meat, cut into 1½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Salt

4 ounces Mexican queso fresco or feta cheese, crumbled (optional)

To prepare vegetables: Preheat broiler. Put tomatillos, chilies, onion and garlic on baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until blackened. Remove from broiler. Transfer to cutting board. When cool enough to handle, chop vegetables.

To make sauce: Transfer vegetables to blender. Add tortilla, chicken stock and fennel. Pu-ree until almost smooth. Add more stock as needed to reach consistency you prefer.

To prepare meat: Heat large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Working in batches if necessary, add pork. Cook, turning cubes, for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned on all sides.

To assemble and cook: Using tongs, transfer meat to slow cooker. Add sauce and cover. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is very tender. About 10 minutes before serving, stir in cilantro and salt to taste.

To serve: Transfer to serving dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Italian Pot Roast

1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces

4 whole cloves

3 allspice berries

6 black peppercorns

3 tablespoons olive oil

3½ pounds beef pot roast, trimmed of excess fat

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 celery stalks, sliced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup hearty dry red wine

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Salt

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

To prepare spice mixture: In mortar or coffee grinder, combine cinnamon, cloves, allspice and peppercorns. Grind to fine powder.

To prepare meat: Heat large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add meat. Cook, turning roast, for 10 to 15 minutes or until browned on all sides. Using tongs, transfer to slow cooker.

To make sauce: Add onion to saute pan. Saute, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic, celery and carrots. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add spice mixture. Cook for 2 minutes. Add red wine. Cook for 10 minutes or until reduced by one-third. Stir in crushed tomatoes and salt to taste.

To cook: Pour sauce over meat in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours or until meat falls away from bone.

To serve: Transfer to warmed serving dish. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Horseradish Pot Roast

3- to 4-pound boneless chuck roast

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 carrots, peeled and sliced ¾-inch thick

3 stocks celery, sliced ¾-inch thick

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 cup dry red wine

Salt and pepper

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

8 to 12 cloves garlic, peeled (about one head)

12 to 16 ounces prepared horseradish

To prepare meat: Sprinkle both sides of roast liberally with salt and pepper. Heat heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons oil. When just about to smoke, add meat. Brown both sides.

To assemble and cook: Place carrots, celery and onions in bottom of slow cooker. Lay roast on top of vegetables. Add wine. (Note: For extra flavor, use wine to deglaze bottom of skillet, then add to cooker.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with garlic and thyme. Spoon horseradish over top of roast, spreading until it covers surface with thick, even layer. Cover. Cook on high temperature for 4 to 5 hours or until tender.

To make gravy: Carefully remove meat from pot, trying not to disturb horseradish crust. Using slotted spoon, remove vegetables. Scatter around roast. Cover with foil. Keep warm. Strain juices. Drizzle juices over meat at table.

Yield: Serves 6.

New Potato Curry

2 tablespoons clarified butter or vegetable oil

1 pound (about 10) small new potatoes (see cook’s note)

2 onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns

½ cup water or vegetable or chicken stock

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

To prepare potatoes: In skillet, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. Add potatoes. Cook until just beginning to brown. Transfer to slow cooker.

To make sauce: Reduce heat to medium. Add onions. Cook, stirring, until softened. Add garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add water or stock. Bring to a boil. Pour over potatoes.

To cook: Cover. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, or until potatoes are tender.

To serve: Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro. Serve.

Cook’s note: Leave skins on potatoes. Scrub thoroughly. Dry on paper towels. If larger than 1 inch in diameter.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Greek Beef Stwe with Onions and Feta Cheese

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes

3 large onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1½ cups tomato sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1 bay leaf

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cooked macaroni, noodles or mashed potatoes

In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, adding more oil if nec-essary, and transfer with slotted spoon to slow cooker stoneware.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to pan and cook until soft. Add garlic, cinnamon and allspice and cook 1 minute. Add vinegar, tomato sauce, sugar and bay leaf and stir to com-bine.

Pour mixture over meat and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until beef is tender.

Add feta cheese and cook on high for 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Spoon over hot buttered macaroni, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Jerk Chicken

1 large onion, cut into 8 pieces

1 generous tablespoon candied ginger

1½ tablespoons minced canned chipotle chiles, or more, to taste

½ teaspoon ground allspice

2 tablespoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons garlic oil (available in many supermarkets and gourmet stores)

1 3½-pound chicken, skin removed and cut into 8 pieces, or 3½ pounds chicken tenders

To prepare sauce, place onions and ginger in work bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, and process to chop into very fine pieces. Add everything but chicken and pulse to combine.

Place chicken in slow cooker and coat with sauce. Cover, set on low, and cook for 6 to 8 hours, or set on high and cook until chicken is tender, 2 to 3 hours.

Yield: Serves 4.

Braised Pork Loin with Port and Prunes

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 boneless pork loin roast (4 pounds)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, peeled and sliced

1 large leek (white part only), rinsed well and finely chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 cup port

¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock

1½ cups (10 ounces) pitted prunes

2 bay leaves

In small bowl, combine pepper, salt, sage, mustard and thyme. Trim excess fat from pork and rub surface of roast with spice mixture. Tie roast at 2-inch intervals with heavy kitchen string.

Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium heat. Brown pork on all sides and transfer to plate. Add onions, leek, and carrot to pan. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Scrape vege-tables into stoneware insert of slow cooker. Add port, broth, prunes and bay leaves. Cover and cook on high 5 to 8 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center regis-ters 170 degrees. Remove bay leaves. Transfer roast to carving board and slice. Place sliced pork on serving platter and keep warm while preparing sauce.

Scoop 8 to 10 prunes and some of the cooking liquid (a few tablespoons) into food proces-sor or blender. Process until smooth. Return pureed prunes to remaining cooking liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over pork before serving, or pass it sepa-rately.

Yield: Serves 8.

Cranberry Pork Roast

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

3 pounds boneless, center-cut pork loin roast, rolled and tied

1 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 5.5-ounce can apricot nectar

1 cup pearl onions

½ cup coarsely chopped dried apricots

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Place potatoes in bottom of slow cooker, then place roast over potatoes. In large bow, com-bine remaining ingredients. Mix well and pour over roast. Cover and cook on low setting for 5 to 6 hours. Remove roast to cutting board and thinly slice. Serve with potatoes and sauce.

Yield: Serves 6.

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

6 chicken thighs (with skin and bone)

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine

¼ cup fresh marjoram

2 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup peeled and diced parsnips

6 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

In skillet, lightly brown chicken thighs in olive oil. Place chicken thighs in slow cooker stoneware. Mix cornstarch and water, and pour mixture into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low 10 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours. Remove bones from chicken and cut into smaller pieces before serving.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Lemon Cheesecake

1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon lemon zest

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Pinch of salt

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup sour cream

In bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, sugar, salt, butter, lemon zest and vanilla. Press mixture into bottom of well-greased, 7-inch springform pan or baking dish lined with greased heavy-duty foil. Place in freezer until ready to use.

To make cheesecake, combine cream cheese and sugar in food processor, and process un-til smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla, lemon zest and salt, and mix well. Blend in lemon juice and sour cream.

Spoon mixture over crust and cover tightly with aluminum foil, securing with a string. Place pan in stoneware and pour in enough boiling water to come 1 inch up the sides. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or until edges are set and center is just slightly jiggly. Re-move from slow cooker and chill thoroughly, preferably overnight.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10.

Rum-Croissant Bread Pudding with Fantasy Cherry Sauce

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups whole milk

2 cups whipping cream

4 extra-large eggs

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup rum

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup pecan halves

5 large plain stale croissants, cut lengthwise into thirds

Fantasy cherry sauce (see recipe)

Use softened butter to generously coat inside of slow cooker stoneware.

In large bowl, combine milk, cream, eggs, dark brown sugar, rum, vanilla and pecans. Stir well to mix.

Divide croissant pieces into four portions. Overlap one portion in bottom of stoneware. Pour in a third of milk mixture. Add another overlapping layer of croissant pieces, then pour in half of remaining milk mixture. Make a third layer of croissants, then pour in remaining milk mixture. Layer last part of croissants on top.

Cover slow cooker and cook on high 1 hour, then reduce heat to low and cook until custard is set and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding registers 190 degrees, about 3 hours. Serve hot or at room temperature with fantasy cherry sauce.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Fantasy Cherry Sauce

2 cups packed dried pitted Bing or other sweet cherries

3 cups orange juice

1/3 cup kirsch (black cherry liqueur)

Place cherries, orange juice and kirsch in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Let sauce cool in pan. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature. Store in tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to six months.

Yield: 2 cups.

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