Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Hot Fudge Cake

Still no oven, but I wanted cake the other day so I started looking around.  I have always been a fan of hot fudge cake, but it tends to have a short shelf-life.  I had people coming over, so I decided to try out an idea that I had and make hot fudge cake in the slow cooker.  It was delicious, but I do recommend smaller servings since the cake is very rich.  As it cooks in the slow cooker over the course of an hour and requires very little prep, it would be fantastic for a dinner party or group gathering.

Serves 6

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cup very hot water
Ice cream, for serving
Cool whip or whipped cream, for serving

1. In medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Measure milk, oil, and vanilla together in a measuring cup.  Add milk mixture and peanut butter to flour mixture in bowl.  Stir until smooth.  Add peanut butter chips.  Spread batter in the bottom of a greased slow cooker.
2. In small bowl, mix brown sugar with 1/4 cup cocoa.  Pour in hot water and mix until sugar dissolves and cocoa mixes in evenly.  Pour hot water mixture over batter in slow cooker.
3. Place paper towels over top of slow cooker, then top with lid.  Cook cake on high for 60-90 minutes.  Check the cake every 15 minutes after the 60 minutes are off.  Cake is done when a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  As the cake bakes, hot fudge collects under the cake, so be sure to only check the cake for cooking.  Allow cake to cool for 15-30 minutes once it tests done.
4. To serve, spoon cake into bowls and top with ice cream.  Spoon hot fudge sauce from underneath cake over ice cream. Top with whipped cream as desired.  Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Turkey and Stuffing

I am still without oven and it has now been long enough that I am getting tired of traditional slow cooker food.  I was thumbing through a slow cooker cookbook I have and decided to try something different.  There was a recipe for basic turkey and stuffing, but it seemed like the turkey would be dry and/or flavorless.  I decided to take the basic idea and mix it up a bit.  What I came up with was pretty flavorful and moist, so I think it was a winner.

Serves 4

2 strips bacon
1/4 cup diced onion
4 cups sage and onion stuffing mix
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 egg
1 1/2-2 lb boneless skinless turkey breast
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Cut one strip of bacon into bite-sized pieces.  In skillet or microwave, cook bacon until it just starts to brown.  Add onion and continue cooking until onion is soft and bacon is cooked through, about 1-2 minutes.  Add stuffing mix and stir well.  Stir in a bit of chicken broth and the egg.  Continue adding broth to the stuffing mix until it is desired consistency, but try to keep it as dry as possible.  Stuffing should just hang together when stirred.  Pour stuffing into greased slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle turkey breast with salt and pepper. Take the remaining strip of bacon and stretch it slightly between your hands.  Wrap bacon strip around turkey breast, placing ends under the turkey so that the weight holds it down.  Nestle turkey breast in stuffing.
3. Cover slow cooker.  Cook turkey and stuffing on low for 6-7 hours. 
4. To serve, remove turkey from slow cooker to platter or plate.  Turn off slow cooker and allow stuffing to sit for five minutes.  Stir well and spoon stuffing into serving bowl.  Slice turkey and serve.