Applesauce in a Rice Cooker? YUP!

Applesauce in a Rice Cooker

4 large apples, peeled and chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup cider
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

Add all ingredients into the rice cooker.  Cover and set on the cook mode. When cycle is compete, check to see if apples are tender. Add additional cook time if needed. Puree with hand blender or food processor if desired.

If you have a food mill, you can put the apples in wedges and even leave the seeds.  Then run it through a sieve and the food mill when the rice cooker is done.

Greek Inspired Lamb Stew with Feta Crumbles

I love lamb and it is usually too expensive for our budget.  Today, I made up a "stew" that uses ground lamb, cooks in a rice cooker and is luscious.  You could use stew lamb as well.  I served it with crumbled feta cheese on the top and it really is a hit here.  It makes 4 hearty servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 pound ground lamb or 1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat (which usually has bones)
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 large can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 14 ounce can low sodium beef broth
1 cup barley
1/2 pound baby carrots
water
salt and pepper to taste (I don't add any salt to anything, the feta cheese was salty enough for us.)

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (the fat free works just as well as the regular)

In a skillet brown the lamb in olive oil.  Add garlic, onion and seasonings after the lamb has begun to brown so they don't burn.  Pour all of the skillet into a slow cooker or rice cooker.  Add the barley and stir to coat the barley in the moist lamb and olive oil.  Add the crushed tomatoes and the beef broth.  Fill the beef broth can with water and add that too.  Add the carrots and stir to combine.

If in a rice cooker, cook on white rice setting until it turns off.  In a slow cooker, cook for 4-6 hours.

Serve with crumbled feta cheese.