10 lbs of dried blueberries and a crock pot

[noamnety]

I've acquired (don't ask don't tell) 10 pounds of dried blueberries. What can I do with them if my only cooking source is a crock pot?

The ingredients need to be relatively cheap, so I can sell servings for somewhere between 50 cents to a dollar, max. My customers are used to 50 cent bowls of soup from me.

Suggestions?

[The empressof all]

1. Blueberry Crisp

I don't know what sugar water ratio you would need to use to reconstitute them. I'd try a cup of blueberries to a cup of water to 1/2 cup sugar. You can always add more water and sugar if it's not enough. When the berries get soft you can taste and adjust the sugar and add some cinnamon and some lemon zest. I don't know if the crock pot will get hot enough for you to use a corn starch slurry to thicken. :shrug: You may want to try another thickener like arrowroot. Then you can top with an oatmeal/brown sugar/cinnamon top. I don't think the crisp part will get really crisp in a crock pot but it should taste good anyway.

You also could probably pour the cooled blueberry filling over angel food or pound cake and top with whipped cream for blueberry shortcake.

[noamnety]

2. the other catch - I can't taste it before it's served

that part is the extra challenge.

I can set it up in the morning, and then my students will serve it before I get out of my classroom - the lunch line is usually running about 5 minutes before I can get to the cafeteria to help. This led to quite a bit of fun when the crockpot was new - I served the entire school a soup with raw carrots in it, and not one kid complained - when I asked them why they didn't say anything, they said "we figured it was supposed to be that way."

That's the great thing about being at an art school. :)

I can cook it the day before, but then it would be guaranteed the crisp part would be soggy the next day - or would it be better to cook the berries with the starch on day one but don't serve it, taste test at the end of the day, add the crisp on day two, after the spices are adjusted?

[OldLeftieLawyer]

3. Boy, this is just impossible

I've looked everywhere, and there are lots of things to do with dried blueberries, but not in a crock pot.

Frankly, you'll cook the living daylights out of them, I think, in a crockpot.

Cookies? Muffins?

But, what a great item - 10# of the most wonderful snack in the world.

You might try auctioning the whole bag. Hell, I'd buy it from you.

[noamnety]

5. I can't sell it

there's an ethics problem with that.

I could throw them away. I can leave them in the mouse's office til the mouse finds them and then throw them away. Or I can save them for a few years in the mouseproof walkin fridge til they spoil and then throw them away. I can find a way to serve them at the school. I could make something out of them at school and throw out the leftovers (which I sometimes liberally interpret as take home the leftovers cause I hate to throw things out).

But they're part of the US government food program - I think the school got them for free back when we actually had a lunch program, but I can't legally just sell them, nor can I legally exchange them.

It sucks, because the logical thing would be to sell them and use the money to buy food that I can reliably prepare and serve.

Also, I wish they were in smaller separate bags - not one giant 10 pounder, where once I open it, I have to use them up at a reasonable pace.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

4. Could you make oatmeal or something

& put the blueberries on top?

[noamnety]

6. I thought about oatmeal

but there is another DU thread about how impossible it is to cook oatmeal in a crockpot.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

7. Does it have to be cooked?

Could you sell them as snacks, in small bags? Half a buck for blueberries, in the winter?

Jeez, this is hard werk.............

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

8. Okay, how about something

with rice? I know that Asians use rice as a sweet. So, something rice with sugar & cinnamon & blueberries? Man, I'm really reaching here, but trying to help.

[noamnety]

9. Can you do rice in a crockpot?

Maybe I should look for rice pudding crockpot recipes.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

10. I don't know.

I've never used a crockpot. You could google. or better yet, start a new thread asking. Someone will be able to help. Or even better, do both: start a thread & google too. I'll help google.

:hi:

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

11. here's one

Crock Pot Rice Recipe
Description Such an easy to make rice recipe for when you want to just put everything in a pot and come back later
Recipe type Sidedish
Ethnic type American
Holiday category N/A
Preparation time Over 1 hour, less than 1 day
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon 2% milk
- 1 c. rice
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 c. sugar
Directions
1. Bring all ingredients to a boil on stove.
2. Pour into crock pot and cook for 2 hours on HIGH.
3. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon.
4. Serve hot or cold. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

12. here's another

Crockpot RICE PUDDING WITH CHERRIES AND ALMONDS:

This family favorite is delicious enough to serve at an elegant dinner party. Spoon into crystal goblets and serve warm or cold.

LIGHTLY GREASED SLOW COOKER STONEWARE:

3/4 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
1/2 CUP ARBORIO RICE (SEE TIPS, BELOW)
1/4 CUP DRIED CHERRIES (SEE TIPS)
2 TABLESPOONS GROUND ALMONDS
1 TEASPOON GRATED LEMON ZEST
PINCH SALT
4 CUPS MILK (SEE TIPS)
2 EGGS
1 TEASPOON ALMOND EXTRACT
TOASTED SLICED ALMONDS, OPTIONAL
WHIPPED CREAM, OPTIONAL

IN PREPARED SLOW COOKER STONEWARE, MIX TOGETHER SUGAR, RICE, CHERRIES, ALMONDS, LEMON ZEST AND SALT. WHISK TOGETHER MILK, EGGS AND ALMOND EXTRACT, AND STIR INTO RICE MIXTURE. COVER AND COOK ON HIGH FOR 4 HOURS, UNTIL RICE IS TENDER AND PUDDING IS SET. SERVE WARM, GARNISHED WITH TOASTED ALMONDS AND WHIPPED CREAM, IF DESIRED.

TIPS:

LONG-GRAIN WHITE RICE CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY USED IN THIS RECIPE, BUT THE PUDDING WILL NOT BE AS CREAMY AS ONE MADE WITH ARBORIO RICE.

USE 1 CUP FRESH PITTED CHERRIES IN PLACE OF THE DRIED CHERRIES, IF DESIRED. OR SUBSTITUTE AN EQUAL QUANTITY OF DRIED CRANBERRIES, INSTEAD.

FOR A RICH PUDDING, USE HALF MILK AND HALF CREAM. SERVES 6.

Delicious & Dependable Slow Cooker Recipes

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

14. Okay, I had to split but I'm back

Neither of these recipes is exactly what you're looking for & the second one would cost more than you can spend. But they both tell you how to cook rice in a crockpot & both are sweetened. So if you can't find a recipe for blueberry crisp, these might just possibly be an alternative.

best

[NMDemDist2]

13. here's a crockpot recipe that might work-reconstitute the berrys first

i'd think (one web site says cover them with warm water for 5-8 minutes) and you may not need the extra sugar since dried berries will be sweeter than fresh

try it at home first


Blueberry Cobbler

1/2 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 C. sugar, divided
1/2 t. baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 egg, beaten
1 T. milk
1 T. vegetable oil
2 C. blueberries (or any other berry you want to use)
1/4 C. water


In a bowl, combine flour, half of the divided sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, milk and oil. Stir this into the dry ingredients until moistened.

Grease the crockpot well and spread the batter evenly on the bottom. In a saucepan, combine blueberries, water and the other half of the divided sugar, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Pour into crockpot and cook on high for 2 hours, then turn off crockpot, uncover and let set for 30 minutes before eating.

[The empressof all]

15. Doing the Berries in water first is a good idea

That would be a great way to go. I've seen crock pot cobbler or crisp recipes. Google Crock Pot recipes and I'm sure you'll find one. Once your berries are soft then you can just follow one of those.

Why don't you get the school to buy a Nesco Oven for these kids. They are not that expensive and it will increase your options a thousand fold over all.

[noamnety]

16. I have to use only a crockpot

I can be in the kitchen from 7:25-8am during which I'm prepping the salad bar, then I am teaching without a break right up until the moment lunch is actually being served by kids volunteering for me.

We have a full kitchen with industrial ovens, but I can't be there and teaching photography at the same time. I don't even get a two minute break to pee until 2:30 in the afternoon. And I don't have time to clean multiple pans from cooking - I have to clean up after school, and still make it to the bakery for our fresh bread before they close, on the other side of town. So no pre-cooking in saucepans, no cooking something in an oven for an hour before lunch ... raw ingredients can get dumped into the crockpot at 8am, turned on, and get served at 11.

Making lunch for a hundred people when you only get a half hour to prep everything, and can only cook things for 3 hours, no more, no less, is its own special adventure. Which I volunteered for, in my spare time. Cause I'm an idiot. :)

[hvn_nbr_2]

17. Jam, jelly, blueberry syrup?

But with ten pounds of them, you'd probably have to can the results. Unless you use them at a pretty fast pace.

[noamnety]

18. I can't can them, that's out.

It's a time issue, so if it goes beyond sticking in the crock pot and serving it from the crockpot, I can't do it.

And you're probably right about not being able to cook all of them at once because they'd go bad - or if I tried to cook a really small amount, they'd probably scorch in three hours.

If I were cooking them at home, though, I'd do that in a heartbeat - make cheese crepes and make some blueberry sauce to pour on top of them. But legally I can't do any cooking or food prep at my house - the health code requires that I do all the food prep in the inspected facility, not at my house, since the inspector doesn't have access to my house.

[Shakespeare]

19. Here's a recipe for a crock pot blueberry (quick) bread:

A little maceration should have the dried blueberries up to a similar enough consistency to use in place of fresh or frozen.

http://www.recipelink.com/mf/31/3051

Crock-Pot Blueberry Coffee Cake

2 c flour
1 c sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c oil
1/4 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 c fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

Crumb Topping

1/4 c softened butter
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Add eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Pour into greased 2 qt mold. Combine topping and sprinkle on top of batter. Place in slow-cooking pot. Cover mild with 4 to 5 paper towel. Cover pot and cook on high 3 to 4 hours. Cool on rack. Remove from mold. Serve warm.

[noamnety]

20. ooh, I'm gonna test that this weekend

along with a crockpot lasagna recipe I found.

[politicat]

21. Okay, you can reconstitute the blueberries in the fridge overnight.

1.5 water to 1 fruit ratio, put it in a plastic tub and drop 'em in the fridge. 24 hours later, they're really blueberries. (This is according the the self-sufficiency guides I inherited from my parents and it works with dried cherries and dried cranberries. I'll try it this weekend with dried blueberries.)

As an aside: DH, a Gulf War Vet, said to locate a military field cook and pick zer brain - put a notice in Craig's List or even the lounge. The situation you're in is exactly the situation that most field messes deal with - weird supplies, limited time, inexperienced hands, and a budget that would make a miser blanch. He was not a field cook, but said that given your restraints, he'd do a steamed cobbler (like I've listed below)

Once they're blueberries, then drain them of any excess water (there won't be much). Grease the crockpot. Drop half the berries in the bottom, then mix a plain cake or a cheap cake or a one-egg cake recipe (and these are exactly what they sound like - very inexpensive cake recipes) and drop half the cake recipe on top of the cake. Repeat. (Cake recipe below.) Don't sweeten the berries - that's what the cake is for.

Basically, what you're doing here is making a steamed pudding that will work like a cobbler. (I've copy-pasted a steamed blueberry pudding from SOAR below; very similar concept, but you wouldn't need to do the coffee can thing - though you could - then just fill the crock pot with water and put it on high.)

Another option would be blueberry cornbread - especially if for any reason you can think of a tie-in with an American History class. Dried blueberries mixed into corn cakes pretty much were a winter staple in the New England colonies. So a sweetened corn polenta with blueberries would be very appropriate, inexpensive and tasty. (I like stewed blueberries in various porridges so...)


STEAMED BLUEBERRY PUDDING

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Puddings Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 c Sifted flour
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 c Shortening
1/2 c Dry bread crumbs
1/2 c Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
2/3 c Milk
1 1/2 c Blueberries

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Cut in shortening and add
bread crumbs and sugar. Add egg and milk, mix thoroughly and carefully
fold in blueberries. Pour into greased mold, cover and steam for 2 hours.
Serve with any sweet pudding sauce.


This is the blueberry-polenta mix I make (I just don't use bananas because I don't like them and I use vanilla yogurt instead, increasing the yogurt to about 1 cup.)

That Blueberry Banana Polenta Thing

2 very ripe bananas
1 cup corn flour (maybe *fine* ground corn meal, at your own risk)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (might add wheat germ to increase fiber)
2 T. honey (sorry, I think I've seen honey used before on this list)
1 T. Succanat (or 3 T. Succanat and no honey for vegans) (or plain sugar...)
1/2 cup water (or use *nonfat* milk, juice, or soy moo)
1 1/2 tsp. Ener-g egg replacer (or 1 egg white)
1/2 tsp. baking soda (or slightly less)
2 T. nonfat yogurt (this is needed to make the baking soda work)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or as much as you can handle, ie. more...)
1/2 tsp. cardamom (ditto)
1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh)

Preparation: Mash bananas with a potato masher, add all remaining ingredients,
except for blueberries. Stir well. Lightly oil crockpot. Pour batter into crockpot Sprinkle top with blueberries, the more the better. Blueberries won't sink to the bottom, so you have to press them down if you want to get even more of them in. Cook for 3-4 hours. Serve warm.
This will taste quite rich, the warm melted blueberries get runny and yummy!

(Note: if you use yogurt and serve with yogurt on the side, it would be a complete meal.)

Cheap Cake:
3/4 c Sugar
1/4 c Shortening
1/4 ts Salt
1 ts Vanilla
1 Egg
1 1/2 c Flour
1/2 c Milk
2 ts Baking powder
Instructions:
Cream shortening and sugar.
Add unbeaten egg.
Add flavoring.
Beat thoroughly.
Sift flour, measure, and sift with salt and baking powder.
Add alternately with milk to creamed shortening and sugar.
Pour into well-oiled loaf pan.
Bake in moderate oven (375 F) 35 minutes.

[noamnety]

22. The polenta sounds great

I like the tie-in with the american history - sometimes I do a big handwritten sign on the wall explaining what I've made. When I did mulligatawny soup, I explained the derivation of the word (pepper water) and a little about its history.

Maybe I could pass it off as a thanksgiving special.

[politicat]

23. Easily as a Thxgvng Special.

Blueberry cornbread is my father's family's traditional Thanksgiving morning breakfast, and they're utterly proud of their DAR history.

[noamnety]

24. side note about crockpot lasagna

I didn't test out the polenta yet because my crockpot was filled with a test case of lasagna, but that went swimmingly.

I made up two crockpots of it this morning before school, and kids were raving about it. It was a vegetarian one I did without a formal recipe - I just threw eggs, raw spinach, and ricotta into a food processor, and layered it with a gallon can of sauce that was $3, sliced mozzarella and the raw broken up noodles. I threw a bunch of parmesan on top because I forgot to mix it into the other filling, and some layers got out of order because I'm too absent minded to do sauce, noodles, filling, mozzarella over and over while having a conversation without screwing up. :)

I sold it for 75 cents a bowl, and we easily sold out. They're asking to have that every Monday now, since we don't have time to make sandwiches on Mondays because my crew is too busy unloading my car from the weekend bulk purchases.