I hope you are planning to sign up for Crock Pot Wednesdays with Mister Linky below.
Several years ago I purchased a cookbook entitled Slow Cooker Magic by Linda Rehberg and Lois Conway. You may know them from Bread Machine Magic, but since I don’t own a bread machine (can you believe that?), I do not have that particular book in my library. I have used the slow cooker one often and will be sharing from it today.
It’s not a particularly pretty cookbook…no slick photos with lots of food styling, but it is easy to use and should be of interest to all levels of cooks from the novice to the experienced. One of the reasons I like it is because they use very few processed foods and they offer adaptations and serving suggestions. If you are like me, you have to be careful not to get in a rut with dinner time.
The book is broken down seasonally which may be helpful to you. There are also lots of helpful hints for cooking in the slow cooker. If you want to adapt your own recipes for use in the Crock Pot, you should keep these hints in mind:
“1. Avoid rice, fish, dairy products and pasta.
2.Reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by about one half.
3. Season both before and after cooking, if necessary.
4. Test for doneness after 4 hours, and then every hour after that.
5. Most soups, stews and casseroles take 6 hours to cook on low.
6. Meat will usually be done in 8 hours.
7. Poultry will usually be done in 4 hours.”
This cake recipe is very easy to do and is one we enjoy. I hope you do as well. What’s not to love about a pineapple upside-down or a carrot cake? Why not enjoy them both at the same time!
Pineapple Upside-down Carrot Cake
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 (8-ounce) can pineapple slices, drained
1 (10-ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, with stems removed
1 (18-ounce) box carrot cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours on low
Butter the bottom and sides of a 4-quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup melted butter and brown sugar. Spread in the bottom of the slow cooker. Place pineapple slices on top of sugar mixture and scatter cherries in the open spaces. In a bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil and eggs. Pour batter over pineapple. DO NOT STIR. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until it tests done in the center with a toothpick. Remove the pot from the slow cooker and allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin rubber spatula around the outside of the cake to loosen it. Place a large plate on top and carefully invert the cake onto the serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Variations: Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, shredded coconut or raisins to the cake batter. Also, you can vary the cake mix. Rehberg and Conway suggest trying spice, yellow or white cake mix using the ingredients on the box to replace the water, oil and eggs in this recipe. I have only used the carrot cake mix.
This sounds so good. I’ve never made a dessert in the crockpot. I’ll have to give this a try.
Cake in the crockpot? Wow! I just love my crock and I don’t know what I would do without it!
🙂
I may have to stop back over on Wednesday….
Thanks for the cake recipe, it sounds delicious!
This cake looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing your recipe 🙂
Hi Debbie – thanks so much for the invitation. Your slow cooker cake is very interesting… I’ve never given it a try. Will have to think about doing it sometime!
Hi Debbie,
I don’t think I’ll be playing along this week or next. I did my easy menu plans for the whole month since it was back to work for me the first week of the month, back to work for my hubby this week and next Monday back to school for the kids. I didn’t have any crock pot meals planned but there a a few that will be coming on September’s menus. I’ll definitely play then 🙂
That sounds delicious! Love your site…thanks for the invite!
Won’t be taking part in Crock Pot Wednesday this week. I’m sick and will be resting for a few days. Hugs
Thanks for the invite- I cooked Herbed Sirloin Tip Roast in my CrockPot this week. It was AMAZING! It also made enough for dinner tonight, plus a freezer meal for later- love that cook once, eat twice thing.
Also, I’m in the market for a new slow cooker and need to know what to look for. I would love your input as well as the input of your readers.
Thanks for hosting!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Have a great week!
That cookbook sounds like my kind of cookbook! Have to keep an eye out for it. I’m too late to join in for crockpot Wednesday, maybe next week!
Thanks for visiting! I entered an “old” post of mine, because it’s a yummy crockpot recipe I love 🙂 I’m praying for your friend …
Thanks for the invite! I didn’t have pictures of this week’s recipe, but I posted an old one that is delicious and fool proof! I am looking forward to reading new crock pot recipes each week too.
What a wonderful recipe!