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[Bar-B-Lew]

Love that the kids get involved!  Hopefully they are learning to cook.  And modifying recipes is always the way to go to make it fit your needs.

Great thought.  To enhance that thought a bit, anyone have any method to teach someone how to cook by taste?  I think it is something I may have inherited (if that is even possible) from my Dad and his Mother.  For example, my first BBQ rib rub used some ingredients that I had read, but then I used my tastebuds to determine how much more of something to put in the rub to get it to what I liked.  My wife used to make a hamburger spaghetti sauce and would always tell me it needs something else.  I would taste it, go to the cabinet and grab what I thought it needed more of or was missing, throw it in the pot, stir it up good, and let her taste again until our liking.  Now, my wife even does that after she follows a recipe she found that she thought we may like.  I believe once you learn how to do this it makes cooking more enjoyable.

Back to original topic, hats off to JD for the wonderful community work he continues to do across multiple communities.

[BigDave83]

Here is the new masterpiece. I think I may make this one. Lasagna.

Figured I would share it because he is wrapped up i super bowl ideas now.

https://youtu.be/98CAlF5XquM?si=GHQmuFAj9jAEqiHI

[jdmessner]

Here is the new masterpiece. I think I may make this one. Lasagna.

Figured I would share it because he is wrapped up i super bowl ideas now.

https://youtu.be/98CAlF5XquM?si=GHQmuFAj9jAEqiHI

Thanks Dave, I am not sure about masterpiece, but I appreciate your posting it. I will apologize in advance for the lasagna/Garfield joke!

The recipe is basically the same as the one Kristin posted. I ended up using 45 oz. of spaghetti sauce and 6 oz. of tomato paste.  The cheese mixture also had 6 oz of grated Parmesan. After doing some research, I found one hint that made sense to me. When you start layering, begin with the sauce. That will keep the noodles from cooking unevenly and drying out on the bottom.

Next week is Beef Stroganoff.

[Bar-B-Lew]

That looked like something I could even do!  Thanks for sharing.

[BigDave83]

I used to put things in the slow cooker for Man when Woman was in the hospital and I had to work. He wanted mac n cheese, the way we all ways had mac  cheese was the pasta was cooked, some in a baking dish slices of longhorn cheese maybe a few fine diced onions salt and pepper, then more pasta and cheese onions and S&P more pasta and cheese. Now the dish is full, so milk was poured in until it hit the top and baked. I did the same thing in the slow cooker but did not spray anything, it turned out well but cleaning the cooker was a mess. I would change it up at times and use V8 juice instead of milk.

The lasagna may get made over the weekend or next week. She will like that.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I dont like cottage or ricotta cheese.  Anyway have any thoughts on a grated cheese mixture to use instead?

[BigDave83]

I would try softened cream cheese and some sour cream or heavy cream and just use grated parm if you are looking for something close in texture, or just use a nice pizza cheese blend along with the cream cheese and sour cream.

[pmillen]

I did the same thing in the slow cooker but did not spray anything, it turned out well but cleaning the cooker was a mess. the weekend or next week. She will like that.

I use the disposable plastic slow cooker liners to eliminate the cleanup grief.

[jdmessner]

I did the same thing in the slow cooker but did not spray anything, it turned out well but cleaning the cooker was a mess. the weekend or next week. She will like that.

I use the disposable plastic slow cooker liners to eliminate the cleanup grief.

I have been amazed at how well the spray works with clean-up efforts. I have never used the plastic liners. I have thought about it and even purchased some. However, when push comes to shove, I have a hard time wrapping my head around cooking food in plastic. I know it should be okay, but I guess it is just one of those personal quirks.

[BigDave83]

I have used the liners for things like dips, chili, cabbage and noodles, things that can be mixed or stirred, not sure how well they would work with a layered recipe.

[pmillen]

I have a hard time wrapping my head around cooking food in plastic. I know it should be okay, but I guess it is just one of those personal quirks.

I’m thinking that you’ll never be a sous vide fan.   

[jdmessner]

I have a hard time wrapping my head around cooking food in plastic. I know it should be okay, but I guess it is just one of those personal quirks.

I’m thinking that you’ll never be a sous vide fan.   

You make a good point, there is not a lot of difference. I have never tried sous vide. However, that will change. We got a sous vide machine for Christmas and I am looking forward to playing around with it.

[jdmessner]

Here is this weeks instalment. A couple of families opted to use their wild card this week. It simply means they were able to substitute ham and scalloped potatoes for the beef stroganoff.

Judging from the comments and feedback, I think the lasagna has been the favorite dish so far.

Next week I may include a Superbowl special. A bonus snack they can make in the crockpot for the big game. I am leaning toward drumsticks, but it isn't set in stone yet.

The regular meal is going to be a pork loin in a cherry sauce, which should be good for Valentines Day. The timing was good for this dish. The local grocery store ran a special buy one pork loin and get a second one for a dollar.

Beef Stroganoff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Jk31I_vvw

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
https://youtu.be/bGvFiv06DxQ?si=WDufYJlcj14BHoP_

[Bar-B-Lew]

Interesting as my cousin just texted me last night and said he got two pork loins on sale at tha grocery store and wanted to know what he could make with them in a crock pot.  I sent him a link to a recipe for pork chops italiano.

[Kristin Meredith]

I saw a "sweets" recipe in the crockpot.  Take one can of cinnamon rolls, slice in half and distribute on bottom of pot.  Then one can of pie filling -- they used apple.  Repeat each layer.  Add about a 1/2 cup of heavy cream, maybe a bit more (it was an eyeball thing, just enough to mix with everything.)  Stir, put on lid, turn to high for four hours. When you open, take the "frosting" from the cinnamon rolls and spread over it.  Looked good and I may have to try.