Crock Pots: Magically Delicious!

I am such an old lady. But I adore the crock pot! Yes, that item that everybody puts on their wedding registry (along with the KitchenAid mixer) but never uses. Shame, shame! Don't you know what a wonderful tool of cooking prowess you have sitting right under your nose? I know, I know, you say you can't cook. But the awesome thing about the crock pot is that even a monkey could make a delicious meal using one of these things. You just throw a bunch of crap in there, set it on low, and 8 hours later you have a yummy concoction. 

Take for example, this recipe:

Ashley's W.T. Mexican Stew

A few frozen chicken breasts or tenderloins

1/4 packet low-sodium taco seasoning

1 can condensed reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup

1  cup of salsa

1 can of black beans, drained

1 can chopped green chilies

Put the frozen chicken tenderloins into the crock pot and sprinkle with the taco seasoning. Throw everything else in. No need to stir. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours. Shred the chicken and stir. Makes 3-4 bowls.

This is a recipe I adapted from some a couple of similar recipes I found on Sparkrecipes.com. I realize the combination of ingredients sounds a little nasty and oh-so pedestrian, but it turns out to be kind of like a creamy, spicy black bean soup.  And you can't tell me that you can't make it because there is zero prep work involved. Unless you count opening cans as prep work. By the way, I made that in my mini-crock pot, so you could double the recipe to use for a bigger one.

Speaking of crock pots, I found my dream crock pot in my new Williams Sonoma catalog. Behold the All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker ($279):

How pretty and amazing is this thing??? Not only can you remove the inner liner, but you can actually put it on your stove to brown meats, as in for a beef stew, and then transfer the liner back into the cooker, eliminating the need for an extra pan. Genius!

I think it's time for me to start my own registry. Or if you own the pretty All-Clad Slow Cooker, a KitchenAid mixer, or any other useful kitchen gadget that's still in its box and collecting dust and taking up valuable storage room in your kitchen cabinets, I will gladly accept these items as a donation from you and put them to good use. I might even use them to bake you some cookies or any other number of delightful treats at Christmas time. You're welcome.

The Lazy Hostess: Pretty, Easy Cocktails

Summer's not over yet, and this upcoming Labor Day Weekend is the perfect excuse to enjoy some fruity cocktails by the pool (given your pool has not been infested by Crypto). Lucky for you, the great country of Mexico was kind enough to share their delicious fruit nectars with the gringo. Jumex Nectars come in a blue can and can easily be found (in Texas at least) in either the Mexican foods section or the funky soda aisle of your local grocer. Available flavors include Apricot, Peach, Guava, Apple, Pineapple, Mango, Pear, Plum, Papaya-Pineapple, and Strawberry Banana. At only 33 cents a can (which is what my local store was charging), you can afford to pick up one of each and start mixing.






Mango, Guava, Peach or Pineapple would be delicious with some bubbly. Pour a little bit of nectar into a champagne flute, top off with some André, and you're good to go. Or, if you adore you some pear-flavored vodka, you could a shake up shot or two with some of the Pear nectar for a martini that is muy delicioso.

If you are fortunate enough to live in the vicinity of a Target that sells alcohol, you can also fake some homemade sangria. The super-cute Wine Cubes offer both red and white sangria. My favorite is the white sangria. Just pour some into a glass of ice, add some fresh fruit, and everyone will think that you actually made an effort. You could even kill two birds with one stone and use frozen fruit instead of both ice and fresh fruit. How fun!

You can even attempt to recreate my beloved Sparkling Mango Sangria from La Cubanita. Fill a large wine glass with ice, pour in a few splashes of Mango Jumex, followed by some Target white sangria, then top it all off with some sparkling wine. It doesn't taste exactly like the real thing, but it's close enough.

Now that I have given you all these ridiculously simple drink ideas, there's no excuse why you shouldn't greet me at the door this weekend with a fabulous cocktail. Oh, and don't forget to wear one of these: