Since going gluten-free in March, I’ve learned to cherish my crock pot.   Writing and cooking have never gone hand in hand for me.  And my hypothyroidism made everything worse.  I could barely get through the day, much less cook.   And if I wanted to write, that came first before I would develop a major headache or pass out from sheer exhaustion.    So when my doctor told me to go gluten-free before we upped my thyroid meds, I was baffled on how exactly to do that.   Luckily I found some great websites that directed me to MAKE IT FAST, COOK IT SLOW by Stephanie O’Dea.   It’s become my bible for getting through the week without blowing it with the gluten.   Life is so much easier when you’re prepared, something I haven’t done much of in my four decades.   Which is why I never thought I’d be chopping vegies on Sunday to get the meals ready for the upcoming week.   The best part is, I’ve found some happy button for my husband that I didn’t know existed.   That’s not exactly true.  I knew he liked it when I made dinner and we sat down to eat together.  The meal could be almost anything as long as it was on a plate and looked like a meal.  But with the crock pot, the food is cooking all day and he can smell it, see it and know food will be served that evening.

I know most people think crock pots are for soup or stew but I’ve cooked almost everything in there.   The flavors are amazing because of the slow cooking and you kind of get a sauce without flour.  Here are a few of my favorites from Stephanie O’Dea’s book: Gumbo (and I grew up in Louisiana), Coq Au Vin, Chicken Masala, Java Roast, Tortilla Soup (huge favorite) and today I’m making White Bean and Sausage Soup.   It cooks for up to nine hours so I’ll have it tomorrow and I won’t have to face cooking. I know I said you can make  more than soup, but I really love soup.

I’ll give you the recipe but here is a cool summer song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ

White Bean and Sausage Soup

Start with dragging  a 6 oz slow cooker from somewhere in the garage or storage closet .   The ingredients:

2 (15 0z) cans Cannellini/white kidney beans

2 cups chopped fresh vegetables (I’m using broccoli, carrots, celery)

1/2  yellow onion (I’ll use a whole)

2 to 4 spicy chicken or turkey sausage (I’m using gluten-free Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage from Trader Joe’s)

1 teaspoon dried thyme (I’ll be using fresh from the garden and won’t bother measuring)

1/4 cup raw long grain rice

4 cups chicken broth

Slice the sausage and throw it all into the 6 oz slow cooker.   Cook for 4 to 5 hours on High or 6 to 9 hours on low.   I’ll cook on low this afternoon, take it off,  cram it in the fridge for tomorrow and heat up again before dinner.   You can also add Parmesan cheese on top when you serve it.

Recipe found in MAKE IT FAST, COOK IT SLOW by Stephanie O’Dea.