Photo courtesy of mommyhatescooking.com

Autumn is just around the corner (September 22nd, in fact) and for some, that means PUMPKIN SPICE EVERYTHING(!). Let’s face it. We’ve all indulged in the cinnamon-seasoned, orange squash-like cultivar every now and then, but there is so much more to Autumn eats than burying every bit of food in pumpkin spice flavoring.

Picture it. You’ve put in a full day at the office. Meetings, deadlines, being pulled apart at all four corners like the infamous Stretch Armstrong doll. You masterfully navigated through 2 hours of bumper-to-bumper traffic to pick the kids up from school on time. How would you like to come home to piping hot, rich and hearty split pea with ham soup? Or maybe, you’d prefer a robust and meaty bowl of chili? What about a succulent Southern-style pot roast? The rustic home goodness of a tender and juicy roast chicken with gravy, a taste of the bayou with a bowl of rib-sticking shrimp and sausage gumbo, or even a full platter of mouthwatering maple honey ribs? Sounds good, doesn’t it? Of course, it does. But after all the hustle and bustle of the day’s regularly-scheduled activities, who has time to cook? These platters must require hours upon hours of kitchen time! Well, you’re right. They do. But, what if there’s a way to have these dishes made for you and ready to serve--all while you’re on the job and the kids are at school? Lucky for you, we and our friends at VitaClay Chef have a solution.

VitaClay Chef offers a lineup of dependable and easy-to-use slow cookers, multi-cookers, and rice cookers to make delicious, homemade food yourself. Just add the ingredients, set the temperature and timer, and go about your normal daily schedule. Come home to a fully-cooked meal without putting in extra hours behind a stove or oven. We’re proud to showcase VitaClay Chef’s revolutionary crock pots and slow cookers. Think of them as your own personal kitchen staff.

In today’s feature, we’ll showcase some popular Autumn feasts that you can make yourself in a slow cooker.

SLOW COOKER SPLIT PEA SOUP

Photo courtesy of fromvalerieskitchen.com

This recipe comes to us from Valerie Brunmeier and her website, fromvalerieskitchen.com.

Split pea soup is a Fall favorite and a healthy and delicious way to get your essential vitamins and minerals. Green peas are rich in vitamin K, B1, B2, C, and a good source of protein, iron, potassium, as well as fiber. Plus, you can dress it up with bits of ham and bacon for a touch of smokey pork flavor.

Prep time for this one is a short 10 minutes with an overall cooking time of 8 hours. That’s a full day of work for you and school for the kids and dinner will be ready by the time everyone comes home.

For the complete recipe, click this link and head on over to Valerie’s blog where she’ll list every ingredient and complete step-by-step directions to make this Autumn classic.

SLOW COOKER CHILI

Photo courtesy of recipiesthatcrock.com

Chili is a full meal in itself; a delightful dish to warm the bones for when the weather turns cooler. Recipes That CROCK has put a unique spin on this traditional Southwestern American stew. There’s even a surprise ingredient that you’d never even think to add, yet its inclusion makes total sense.

Total cooking time is a bit shorter than the previous split pea soup recipe. Put aside 10 extra minutes beforehand to do your preparations, adjust the crock pot settings, and leave it be for 4 hours. In the meantime, think about how you're going to serve your chili. Over pasta? With saltine crackers? Smothered with cheese and with a side of cornbread? As a side served to complement a fried chicken dinner? As a hot dog topping, perhaps. Whether it's an appetizer or a main course, chili is a surefire hit.

Visit recipesthatcrock.com and check it out for yourself. Try to resist the urge to lick your computer screen.

MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST

Photo courtesy of belleofthekitchen.com

Mmm-mmm! Just like how Mom used to make--or, maybe, even better! Ashlyn Edwards, the blogger behind Belle Of the Kitchen, says that this is “the most delicious pot roast you will EVER eat” and having tried it ourselves, we’re inclined to agree (Sorry, Mom.)! All this recipe requires is five simple ingredients and two easy steps. Who knew home cooking could be this easy?

Ingredients:

• 1 3 to 4 pound chuck roast
• 1 packet of ranch dressing mix
• 1 packet of au jus gravy mix
• ¼ cup of butter
• 4 or 5 pepperoncini peppers (or cherry peppers, if you prefer)

Directions:

1. Place the roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle the top with the ranch dressing mix and au jus mix. Place the peppers on top of the powder mixes, then add butter. DO NOT ADD WATER!
2. Cook over low heat for 8 hours. Serve with noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.

TIP: Boiled potatoes and/or fresh carrots would pair up nicely with this roast.

SLOW COOKER WHOLE CHICKEN WITH GRAVY

Photo courtesy of spendwithpennies.com

Holly Nilsson’s Slow Cooker Whole Chicken with Gravy is so tantalizing, so heavenly, and so easy to make, your family won’t believe it was done without spending all day in the kitchen! This featured recipe from Holly’s website, spendwithpennies.com, is a complete Sunday supper in just one pot.

Ingredients:

• 1 small chicken, about 4 pounds
• 2 slices of onion
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Cornstarch
• Chicken broth (optional)

Seasoning Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt (or salt to taste)
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of parsley
• ½ teaspoon of thyme

Directions:

1. Combine all seasoning mix ingredients into a small bowl.
2. Rinse chicken under cold water and pat dry with clean paper towel. Brush the chicken with olive oil and rub your seasoning into the chicken.
3. Roll up balls of foil and place in the bottom of your slow cooker with 2 thick slices of onion. Place chicken on foil, breast side up, so that it’s slightly lifted off of the bottom of the slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. If using the high setting, 4 to 5 hours.
5. Remove the chicken and place on a small pan. For crispy skin, you can choose to broil the chicken in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Let sit for 10 minutes, then slice.

Gravy Directions:

1. Remove the foil and onion from the bottom of the slow cooker and turn onto high. If necessary, add chicken broth to create about 2 cups of liquid.
2. In a small bowl, add 4 tablespoons of cornstarch with 4 tablespoons of water.
3. Whisk about ⅔ of the cornstarch into the drippings/broth and let cook on high. Depending on the amount of liquid, you may need to add more cornstarch slurry to reach the appropriate consistency.
4. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve.

TIP: Mushrooms, either canned or fresh, are a welcome addition to chicken gravy!

SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE & SHRIMP GUMBO

Photo courtesy of adashofsanity.com

Let’s take a trip down to the Bayou State of Louisiana and savor the flavors of French, Creole, West African, and Southern cooking with Sandra McCollum’s slow cooker sausage and shrimp gumbo recipe. Originally featured on Sandra’s website, A Dash of Sanity, this recipe is the perfect blend of spicy and smoky with a well-rounded balance of shrimp and sausage. You’ll be wanting seconds, I guarantee!

Ingredients:

• 1 14 ½ ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 ¼ cup of chicken broth
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ¾ pound of smoked sausage, cut into ½ pieces
• 1 pound of shrimp
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 2 celery ribs (chopped)
• 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons of dried thyme
• ⅛ teaspoon of ground red pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the tomatoes with juice and broth in a slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle flour evenly over bottom of a small skillet. Cook over high heat without stirring for 3 to 4 minutes or until the flour begins to brown. Reduce heat to medium, stir flour about 4 minutes. Stir in oil until smooth, then whisk the flour mixture (roux) into the slow cooker.
3. Add sausage, onion, bell pepper, celery, oregano, thyme, and red pepper. Stir well. Cover, then cook on low for 3 ½ hours.
4. Add the shrimp. Cook for an additional hour.
5. Serve gumbo over long grain white rice.

TIP: Andouille sausage and boudin are staples in Cajun cooking. If you cannot find either andouille or boudin at your local grocery store, you can substitute with kielbasa. For a slightly spicier taste, try chorizo.

SLOW COOKER MAPLE HONEY RIBS

Photo courtesy of mommyhatescooking.com

Ribs in a slow cooker? Is THAT even POSSIBLE??? Kristy Still made it possible and her website, the ironically named Mommy Hates Cooking, is a smorgasbord of surprising and scrumptious recipe ideas. Kristy’s recipe for slow cooker maple honey ribs allows for this open grill favorite to be made with the simplest of ease. Five ingredients, five steps, full tummies. The quintessential Fall season food!

Ingredients:

• 6 country-style ribs
• 1 cup of sweet honey barbecue sauce
• ½ cup of real maple syrup
• 1 cup of sweet onion (sliced)
• Parsley to garnish

Directions:

1. Spray a 6 quart slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place the ribs in the slow cooker.
2. Evenly pour the barbecue sauce and maple syrup over the ribs.
3. Top with sliced onions.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
5. Serve with parsley garnished over the top and, if desired, additional barbecue sauce.

Bon appétit, everybody!

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