7166137's blog: "The Most Interesting Cook Book"

Ingredients:

About 2 pounds give or take stew meat or cut up tri-tip or London Broil. You pick what you like.

One potato unpeeled, cut up in to cubes

One onion (white, yellow, you choose) cut up into chunks

Half package of 3 different frozen vegetables (again, pick what you like).

Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Basil, Chili powder, Paprika, Ground Ginger, Diced Garlic, Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Parsley to taste

Eat your heart out, Colonel Sanders, I use 12 herbs and spices.

Some water, I don't know how much.

Put in a 15 year old crock pot on the lowest possible setting, for 8-12 hours.

When almost done, turn off the crock pot and make rice. I only measure rice and this time it's 3-1/2 cups with 7 cups water. I add a half stick butter (nothing but cream and salt). I know exactly where to put my stove between 3 and 4 and simmer for exactly 27 minutes.

Sometimes I'll make 2 one-pound packages of egg noodles or make half each so I can freeze different meals for future consumption.

Serves between 6 and 8.

Yum, Ooh it's So Good.

Most recent thing I cooked was in the crock pot, and it's never the same. It has two titles depending on what I make with it.

2-3 Pounds (give or take) Chicken breasts (or Ham) cut into cubes 

2 Large or 5 Small cans of "Cream of" soups. I made this one with one each Mushroom and Chicken.

Half of each of three bags of frozen vegetables. Combine what's not used into a freezer bag for next time. I chose peas, broccoli crowns, and uncut stringbeans and carrots. Next time, it wil be different.

Seasoned it with some basil, oregano, diced garlic. Note the word "some" because there is only one thing I measure.

This filled that crock pot most of the way. I probably could have cut up some more chicken, or added some more vegetables. The amount of soup was plenty for this.

I start this about 8-9AM on the lowest setting and aim for it to be ready about 6-7 PM. I'll check throughout the day making sure the vegetables are still a little crispy, because I don't want them to be soggy and overcooked.

Now, for the title.

If I make rice with this, I call it Unbaked Chicken (or Ham) Casserole.

If I make egg noodles with this, I call it Chicken Noodle Stew.

Rice is the only thing I measure. The brand I choose is the easiest to remember. 1 part rice to 2 parts water. 3 cups rice in this case with 6 cups water, add a half stick real butter, cover and set that burner to the perfect spot that over time I have finely tuned in. 27 minutes exactly and it's perfect.

Sometimes I'll make both rice and noodles, so when I freeze meals, I have more of a variety.

I'm going to put this on top of ever posting, because this post being first, will always be on the bottom and not be read much.

I am part Jonathan Goldsmith, who portrayed the Most Interesting Man in the World on Dos Equis commercials.

I am part Art Ginsburg, who portrayed Mr. Food starting in the 1970's on WGRB Channel 6 Schenectady, NY and led to a nationally syndicated television spot that played on noon time news shows.

I am also part Bob Ross. While I am not artistic at all, I am able to do things my own way when cooking, and I have no cookbook or recipe cards in my house. I also can work with Happy Little Accidents when it comes to adding too much of a seasoning, figuring a way to make it work, after all, the most important part of how I cook is I want everything to come out, "Ooh It's So Good", in a Most Interesting way.

What started this was when I got married the first time, my first was only 18, and her mother must have never taught her a single thing in the kitchen. She said her specialty was making an awesome tray of ice cubes. I had to become the cook of the house from the start. Some was calling my mom and writing down what she could tell me, and over time just trying to make what mom made that I liked, and making it better in my own way.