Recipes

[HappyDaze]

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Hi @HappyDaze!

I will post a link for you to some "Fix It and Forget It" slow cooker recipes. There is one there for a large quantity of ham and bean soup. That recipe will come up on the linked page for you.

It mentions that you should soak the dry beans for the soup recipe overnight, and then cook them for 30 minutes before putting them in the cooker. You then cook the ham and bean soup as you normally would in the cooker, for that recipe. The instructions are included in the recipe. 

I am posting it just to give you some idea of the cooking information for the beans, not necessarily for the recipe, unless of course you want to make it, as it makes a large amount of soup. :

http://fix-itandforget-it.com/blog/?s=bean+soup

There is no cost to use these recipes from the site.

I have a couple of these "Fix It" cookbooks that I bought at discount bookstores in the past, and they are great!

They have recipes in them that were submitted by regular home cooks. 

Also, you can always use canned beans instead in a slow cooker recipe.

Then you most likely would not need as much cook time in your slow cooker if you used them.

It depends on the kind of canned beans you use, too, as to how well they'll hold up to slow cooking, as to how long you can cook them before they start getting too soft.

For example, if you make Chili in your slow cooker, canned kidney beans hold up really well to being cooked for a longer period of time in your slow cooker. 

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@Toppers I will defiinitely check out this site and perhaps try to find the books online. Sounds like great information!

I make chili alot using various beans and veggies but for some reason, I never though to just put it in the slow cooker and forget about it! I don't know why, lol! I think I will make some this weekend and  try out the slow cooker method. I do use canned beans for my chili- so much easier-so that is good to know they hold up well during long periods of cooking time.

Regarding soups, I have never made this many soups before but with having to go lower sodium and trying to be even more healthy with my cooking, I am forgoing restaurant/store made soups as well as box and canned soups altogther and making my own (they taste soooo much better too). It has been a fun journey but I still need to do some tweaking (obviously, lol) with my recipes.

Thanks again, you are too sweet!

[Toppers]

Thanks for your kind words, @HappyDaze! That's so kind of you! 

I have been using a slow cooker for a very long time, so if you have any questions about transitioning your recipes over to slow cooking, please ask and I will do my best to help you. I am by no means an expert, but I will certainly try to do my best to lend a hand! 

There are some really great cooks on the Kitchen/Recipe forum, and I am sure anyone who posts here would be happy to answer any questions that you have. 

I have to watch my sodium too, for my heart/circulation.

I am sure that you know this, but there are different ways that you can cut the sodium while you cook.

You can literally rinse your canned veggies if you are using canned veggies. You can use no salt/low salt canned veggies if you desire, if you are using canned veggies. 

You can also lower/cut the amount of salt that you put into a recipe that you are following as well, and just tailor it to suit your needs/taste buds.

You can also use salt-free blends like Mrs. Dash to add flavor to your foods, or other herb/spice blends that you like, too. 

If you like different flavored peppers, there are some yummy pepper combinations that taste really good in foods, like lemon pepper, as in lemon with black pepper, and pink peppercorns, and white pepper. 

I know that it takes some getting used to, as you adjust to cooking this way.

[HappyDaze]

Just wanted to thank everyone for all your suggestions. I made chili the other day and used a lid and didn't keep stirring it or lifting the lid and yay, I didn't need to keep adding liquid nor did it thicken up too much. So happy and it turned out great. Now to try it with my soups!

[HappyDaze]

@Toppers I am perfectly fine with not using salt in recipes- I was never a huge salt user anyway but my husband has to cut back and he is the one who is having to get used to it. He is not a huge salt user either but definitely misses salt in, say, mashed potatoes or soups and such. BUT he IS getting used to the taste without so I think we are doing good! We even use unsalted tortilla chips now  and he is fine with them!

Thanks again for the great info and tips!