crockpot delights

We've tried this both on the stove-top and in the crockpot and while the depth of flavor is a little more complex when cooked on the stove, the crockpot version is so easy and just as delicious that it's worth the time and effort saved to be able to make it on a weeknight.

Sweet Potato Soup with Rum Cream

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed (1 3/4 to 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground red pepper
Rum Cream or caramelized onions

Stove-top directions:
Melt butter in pot over medium-high heat; add onion, and saute until tender. Stir in chicken broth and next 4 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until potato is tender. Remove and discard thyme sprigs. Cool slightly.

Use an immersion blender to process until smooth in the pot. Stir in whipping cream and next 4 ingredients. Serve with Rum Cream or caramelized onions.

Crockpot directions:
Add butter and onions to the crockpot. Stir in chicken broth and next 4 ingredients. Cook in crockpot for 10 hours on low. Remove and discard thyme sprigs. Cool slightly.

Use an immersion blender to process until smooth in the crockpot. Stir in whipping cream and next 4 ingredients. Serve with Rum Cream or caramelized onions.

Rum Cream

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum

Directions:
Beat all ingredients at high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.

The above recipes are adapted (barely) from Southern Living

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:
5 lb bag of white onions or vidalia onions - sliced
1/2 half stick of butter
2 tbsp of olive oil

Throw all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low for 10 hours.

Result: The onions weren't as browned as I expected, though they tasted wonderful, if not as sweet as we would have liked. We used regular spanish onions, so next time I will add some sugar to help with the sweetness, or use vidalias. I will also aim to cook them for closer to 12 hours and see how much more that browns them and breaks them down.