My Crock Pot Recipe

 (To find out who won Saturday's drawing, go here.)

Yes, I really only have one recipe.

I know, I know.  Some of you are gasping for breath because you love your crock pots and use them regularly.  I think my crock pot is great.  I just don't tend to make food in it.  Instead, it sits on the very top shelf of one of my cabinets and gets brought down only once in awhile during the colder months for one recipe.

Years ago when the adult siblings (and their spouses) of my husband still exchanged gifts, I bought the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook for my sister-in-law.  Before I wrapped it, I very gently turned the pages and copied down a few recipes I thought we would like.  Even then, I greatly under-used my crock pot and thought these recipes would inspire me.

I tried a couple of them over the years and the only one I come back to over and over is the Venison Stew Recipe.  If I remember correctly, the actual recipe notes that you can use beef instead of venison if you like.  Jamey doesn't hunt, but occasionally friends give us deer meat which we readily accept.  This is one of our favorite ways to eat it.

My hope is that my crock pot doesn't ever start talking to your crock pots.  I don't want him to feel bad.

Venison Stew (from Fix It and Forget It)

1 1/2 pounds venison (or beef) cubed
2 tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 rib celery (I leave this out)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
12 ounces stewed or canned tomatoes, undrained
10 1/2 ounces beef or chicken broth
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. parsley
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca or tapioca granules

Brown the venison in oil over meat heat.  Transfer to your crock pot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.

I sometimes don't get everything in and going 8-9 hours before I want dinner, so I cook it on high for an hour or so, then turn it down to low.  Occasionally, I top the stew with dumplings.  Below is a very simple recipe.

Dumplings for Venison Stew

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup milk

Combine until just mixed and dollop spoonfuls on top of stew in crock pot.  Increase heat to high, cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes until a knife inserted in the center of a dumpling comes out clean. Pin It