crockpot steel cut oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
4.5 cups of whatever liquid you prefer (water, milk, some combo of both)

Cook in crockpot overnight on 'warm' (for me this is usually 8-10 hrs), when you get up turn the crockpot on 'high' for up to 1 hr if it needs to thicken up a bit (which I prefer to do rather than worry about it getting to thick)

crockpot lentils and sausage stew

2 Italian sausage links (mine were fresh from the butcher), pick whatever flavor you want in the stew

1.5 cups dried lentils

1/2 of a large onion (diced)

1 can diced tomato

Heat olive oil in a pan and saute onions ~5 mins.  Add sausage links (whole) and brown on all sides.  Place in the crockpot with lentils.  Add 2 cups water and heat on low ~4 hrs until lentils are soft.  Add diced tomatoes and stir.  Cook another 2-4 hrs to meld the flavors (the Italian spiced in the sausage were all the flavoring needed).  Serve as a stew, or over rice, or with crackers.

crockpot mushroom barley risotto

1/4 cup dried mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
1/3 of a large onion (diced small)
1 large garlic clove (minced)
1 1/4 cups barley
2 cups cremini mushrooms (can probably increase to 2.5 or 3 cups) diced
2 3/4 cups water (or sub some sort of broth)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Reconstitute dried mushrooms in boiling water while prepping everything else.  Saute onion in olive oil a few mins to soften, add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add barley to pan and stir to coat barley with the oil and toast a couple minutes while chopping mushrooms.  Add everything except parmesan to the crockpot (including add the reconstituting water for mushrooms) and set to 'high' for 2 hrs.  (It was actually done in 1.5 hrs and I turned it to 'low' for 30 mins and then 'warm' until ready to eat).  Stir in parmesan before serving.

Adapted from http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2010/03/20/wild-mushroom-risotto/

spanish chickpeas with spinach

1/2 of a large onion (diced small)
1 large clove garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 can chickpeas (drained)
1/2 bag frozen spinach
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp tomato paste
salt to taste

rice to serve

Saute onion in olive oil 3-5 mins, then add garlic and paprikas and saute another minute or so.  Add drained chickpeas, cook 10ish minutes until they turn golden brown/toasty color.  Add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, mix together and then add spinach.  Cover and let spinach defrost/mix in (stir and add a bit of water so things don't burn).  Serve over rice.

Adapted from food52.com

eggplant soup

1 large eggplant

1/2 of a head of garlic

1 onion

Roast eggplant (coat with a smidge of oil) and garlic (cut off the top of the head, add a smidge of oil, wrap in foil) at 425 for 45 mins or so, until eggplant is tender.  Remove from the oven and let cool ~5-10 mins.  Meanwhile dice onion and sauté.  Once eggplant is handle-able, peel off the skin and roughly dice/chop.  Squeeze garlic from the head.  Put eggplant and garlic in the pan with the onion and add 1.5 cups or so of water.  Bring to a simmer.  Puree the mixture with a hand blender (or in a blender) until smooth.  Add salt/pepper to taste.  Serve with shredded cheese, rolls, and any other toppings you wish.

adapted from allrecipes.com

hungarian mushroom stroganoff

1 lb mushrooms (chopped)
1 onion (diced)
2 tbsp butter

1 package soft silken tofu (pureed in a small food processor until smooth-looks like heavy cream)
2 tsp dry dill
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tbsp hot paprika
1 tbsp soy sauce

ground pepper/salt to taste
1/2 lb egg noodles

Melt butter and saute onion ~5 mins, then add mushrooms and saute another 10 mins or so.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until pasta finishes cooking.  Add a little pasta water to the mushrooms, drain pasta, mix together and bring to a quick simmer, turn off heat and let sit ~5 mins before serving.

adapted from allrecipes.com

red beans and rice

1 lb kidney beans
8 cups water

2 medium onions
6-8 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks
2 tbsp cajun type seasoning of your choice (make sure to add some cayenne to make it spicy)
1 bay leaf

Soak kidney beans overnight in the water.  The next day bring to a rapid boil (more than just a simmer) and boil 1.5 hrs (do not change water).  While coming up to boil, in a saute pan saute 1 onion 3-4 garlic cloves and celery.  After softened, add to the beans and include bay leaf.  After 1.5 hrs chop up the other onion and garlic, sauté until soft, add in your spices and saute another minute or so.  Add this into the beans and drop the beans to a simmer.  Simmer another 1.5 hours (or more depending on your taste).  Beans should form a nice broth/gravy and break apart.