4 1/2 c water
1 (20 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 c shredded carrots
1 c steel-cut oats
1 c raisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
brown sugar, optional
In a 4 qt slow cooker coated with cooking spray, combine the first seven ingredients. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or until the oats are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with brown sugar, if desired.
Makes 8 servings
Serving size 1 cup. 197 calories per serving
1 1/2 c heavy cream
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
pinch of nutmeg
2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8″ thick slices
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 c shredded gruyere cheese
1/4 c freshly grated parmesan
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
In a med saucepan, whisk together heavy cream, garlic, thyme and nutmeg over med heat until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.
Add a layer of potatoes to a 4 qt slow cooker in an overlapping pattern; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour 1/3 cup cream mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with gruyere. Repeat with remaining potato slices, cream mixture and gruyere to create two more layers.
Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with parmesan. Cover and cook until melted, about 5 minutes.
Remove lid and let potatoes rest for 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken as it sits.
Serve, garnished with thyme, if desired.
8 servings
fully- cooked ham, approximately 7-8 lbs (see notes below)
2 c pineapple juice
2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 tbs dijon mustard
1 1/2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbs honey
2 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs water
Remove ham from packaging and discard any flavoring packet. If using a bone-in ham, check the end of the bone for a plastic cap and, if present, discard.
Pour the pineapple juice in bottom of a lg (6.5 to 8 qt), oval slow cooker.
In a med bowl, mix the brown sugar, dijon, balsamic vinegar, and honey into a paste. Spread brown sugar mixture all over ham and place, flat side down, in slow cooker.
Cover slow cooker with lid and set to LOW. Cook ham for 4-6 hours or until the meat is tender and the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. If desired, flip and baste the ham halfway through cooking time and again about an hour before ham is done.
Once ham is done, remove to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Skim any fat and strain the juices from the crockpot into a saucepan. Place the pot on the stove over med heat and bring the juices to a simmer. In a small bowl, use a fork to stir the cornstarch into the water to make a slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the pot while whisking the ham juices. Allow the mixture to bubble and thicken for a minute or two, stirring occasionally. If you desire a thicker sauce, you may stir in a bit more cornstarch slurry. Do not add straight cornstarch to the hot liquid or it will clump, and do not over stir the sauce once the cornstarch has been added or it may not thicken properly.
Serve the ham warm, with the sauce on the side or drizzled on top. If you prefer and oven-cooked ham effect, you may also glaze the entire ham with thickened sauce and pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes (watch it closely!) before serving.
NOTE: YOU MAY USE A BONE-IN HAM (RECOMMENDED) OR BONELESS, WHOLE OR SPIRAL-CUT, CURED OR UNCURED, SMOKED OR NOT, BUTT, OR SHOULDER.
NOTE: TO DETERMINE NUMBER OF SERVINGS, ESTIMATE APPROXIMATELY 1/2 LB OF BONELESS HAM PER PERSON AND 3/4 LB OF BONE-IN HAM PER PERSON.
1 (19 1/2 oz) pkg italian turkey sausage links
1 lg onion, chopped
2 med carrots, chopped
2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) carton reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes
2 (8 oz) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tsp italian seasoning
6 lasagna noodles, broken into 1″ pieces
2 c coarsely chopped fresh spinach
1 c cubed or shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
shredded parmesan cheese and minced fresh basil, optional
In a lg skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles; drain. Transfer to a 5 or 6 qt slow cooker.
Add the onion and carrots to the same skillet; cook and stir 2-4 minutes or until softened. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic; cook and stir 2-4 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened. Transfer to slow cooker. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce and italian seasoning. Cook, covered, on LOW 4-6 hours or until the veggies are tender.
Add the lasagna noodles; cook 1 hour longer or until tender. Stir in spinach. Remove insert; let stand 10 minutes. Divide mozzarella cheese among serving bowls; ladle soup over cheese. If desired, sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and basil.
8 servings
4 1/2 c water
1 can (20 oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
2 c shredded carrots
1 c steel-cut oats
1 c raisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
brown sugar (optional)
In a 4 qt slow cooker coated with cooking spray, combine the first seven ingredients. Cover and ccok on LOW for 6-8 hours or until the oats are tender and the liquid is asbsorbed. Sprinkle with brown sugar if desired.
8 servings
1 c chopped onions (2 small or 1 large)
1 c chopped celery (about 5 stalks)
2 or 4 uncooked Italian sausages (if you like things spicy, feel free to use spicy Italian sausage)
1 medium-sized yellow summer squash, chopped (no need to peel)
1 small to medium zucchini, chopped (no need to peel)
1 c peeled carrot slices, chopped (you can use frozen-crinkle-cut slices, thawed and chopped, if you like)
2″ square of parmesan cheese
1-2 tsp minced garlic
2 (14.5 oz) cans beef broth
1 (24 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
1 c water (to swish around in the sauce jar and then add to the crockpot)
2 (6.5 oz) sliced mushrooms (stems and pieces are okay)
1 c dry, uncooked corkscrew pasta (or any other small dried pasta)
salt and pepper, to taste
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
THE ARE OPTIONAL DEPENDING ON HOW FULL YOUR CROCKPOT IS AND WHETHER YOU HAVE UNEXPECTED COMPANY AND NEED TO STRETCH THE SOUP.
1 c cut green beans (if you use frozen, let them thaw before you add them)
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained
1 c tomato juice
1 beef bouillon cube mixed with 1 cup water
grated parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top when serving
Spray the inside of a slow cooker with Pam or another nonstick spray.
Peel and chop the onions into small pieces. Add them to the bottom of the crock. They will form part of the broth.
Wash and chop the celery into small pieces. Add them on top of the chopped onions.
Cut the Italian sausages into bite-sized pieces. Add those to the crock on top of the celery.
Wash the yellow summer squash, cut it in half lengthwise, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add it to the crock on top of the Italian sausages.
Wash the zucchini, cut it in half lengthwise, and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Add it to the crock on top of the yellow squash.
Cut the carrot slices into bite-sized pieces add them to the crock on top of the zucchini.
Cut a 2″ square of parmesan cheese (or the equivalent) from a wedge of parmesan cheese. Add it to the crock on top of the carrots.
Measure the minced garlic and add that to the crock on top of the parmesan cheese.
Toss the contents of the crock together. mixing it up by hand.
Open the cans of beef broth and pour it over the vegetable and sausage in the slow cooker.
Open the jar of spaghetti sauce and pour that over the top.
Measure out one cup of water. Add it to the spaghetti sauce jar, put on the lid, and swish it around to get the clinging spaghetti sauce off the bottom and sides of the jar.. Pour the contents of the jar on top of the mixture in the slow cooker.
Open the cans of sliced mushrooms and add them, juice and all, to the contents of the slow cooker.
Stir the contents of the crock with a spoon until everything is well mixed, put on the lid, then plug in the slow cooker and set it to LOW.
Cook the soup for six hours, or until the veggies are tender. Give it a stir with a spoon and then add the uncooked pasta.
If you have room in the crock and you want to add any of the additional ingredients, do so now.
Stir to make sure everything is incorporated, replace the lid, and cook of LOW for another hour.
Your soup should be ready to serve in 60 minutes,. but it can hold for two additional hours, or even longer if need be.
To serve, ladle the soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.
2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 oz) cans beef stock
3 tsp oregano
2 tsp pepper
5 tsp parsley
1 tsp tobacco sauce (optional)
1 (20 oz) jar spaghetti sauce
8 oz pasta
In a skillet, partially cook ground beef. Remove fat from it before putting it in the crockpot.
Add remaining ingredients (except pasta). Cook for 7-8 hours on LOW, or 4-5 hours on HIGH.
When there is half an hour (on HIGH) or one hour (on LOW) left in total cooking time, add pasta.
Makes 12 servings
3 lbs meatballs (small, favorite recipe OR frozen)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 c sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 can milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c dry sherry
Cook meatballs and drain (or thaw precooked meatballs). Combine and stir remaining ingredients in a large crockpot. Add meatballs, stirring occasionally until hot.
3 lb chuck roast
1 envelope au jus gravy mix
2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 c water
Place roast in a 6 qt slow cooker and add water.
Sprinkle gravy mix and spread soups on top.
Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours until roast is fork tender.
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 c sour cream
3/4 c white wine
1 c onion, minced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 c mushrooms, sliced
Mix soups, sour cream, white wine, onion, seasonings, and mushrooms together and pour over chicken breasts.
Pour entire casserole into a slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on LOW or place in a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 1-2 hours.
Serve over noodles or rice.
