Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Bacon

Have I mentioned that I love my Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker? I really need to do a review on it because I really do love using it.

Anyway, I originally was going to make a bacon wrapped, slow roasted leg of lamb, but since temps are in the triple digits again, and my AC has been running practically non-stop, I didn't think running the oven for several hours was a good idea. So I used the slow cooker instead and I will make the slow (oven) roasted leg of lamb in the fall when it's a bit cooler outside.

what you need:

• 1 boneless lamb leg (mine weighed 5.5 lbs)
• 8 cloves of garlic
• 6 slices uncured, unseasoned bacon (seasoned will work, too)
• 1 medium organic onion
• rosemary powder
• salt
• pepper

what you do:

Place the 6 bacon slices in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle liberally with Celtic sea salt. Omit this step if you are using seasoned bacon. Slice your onion and place on top of bacon.

Season the leg of lamb on all sides with rosemary powder, salt, and pepper, then place on top of the onions and bacon. Cut 8 slits into top of lamb and stuff garlic cloves inside those incisions.

Slow Cooker Chicken Gizzards

I just got my new Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker in the mail last week so I wanted to try it out. Our old crock was smaller and had lead in it. This one supposedly doesn't. Let's hope that's true.

I still had a bag of chicken gizzards from Good Earth Farms and figured I use those for my first recipe in the slow cooker. I buy the gizzards mostly because I love the rendered chicken fat, but I love the gizzards themselves as well.

what you need:

• 5 lb bag of chicken gizzards
• 1 quart filtered water
• 2-3 large tomatoes, cut into large chunks
• 2 large onions, cut into large chunks
• 3 green onions, green tops included, chopped 
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half or quartered
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon curry (depends on how curry-ish you like food)
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 
• 1/2 tablespoon rosemary powder
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme

what you do:

Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Turn on high until it starts bubbling, set to low and let it cook 6 to 8 hours or until chicken gizzards are tender. If you don't like mushy vegetables, add them about 20 to 30 minutes before cooking time is done. That's it. Enjoy...

ways to serve this dish:

• as is by itself
• with homemade sauerkraut (put the sauerkraut in the bowl with this "stew" - yum)
• over cauliflower rice
• over mashed fauxtatoes (regular or smoked)
• with a salad
• over steamed or baked sweet potatoes

This post was shared on Monday Mania, Fat Tuesday, Whole Food Wednesday, and Freaky Friday.