Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (14 page)

14½-oz. can tomatoes

¼ cup tomato juice

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

3 carrots, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 rib celery, sliced

1 cup dry lentils

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

4 tsp. curry powder

1½ tsp. salt

sour cream

1. Combine all ingredients except sour cream in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.

3. Serve with sour cream on top of individual servings and crusty bread as a go-along.

Black Bean and Tomato Soup

Sue Tjon

Austin, TX

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Soaking Time: 8 hours, or overnight

Cooking Time: 8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1-lb. bag dry black beans

2 10-oz. cans Rotel tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

14½-oz. can chicken,
or
vegetable, broth

water

Cajun seasoning to taste

1. Place beans in slow cooker. Cover with water and soak for 8 hours or overnight.

2. Drain well. Add tomatoes, onions, pepper, garlic, and broth to beans in slow cooker.

3. Add water just to cover all ingredients.

4. Stir in Cajun seasoning to taste.

5. Cover. Cook on High 8 hours.

6. Mash some of the beans before serving for a thicker consistency.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
or in
black bean tacos
.

Tip:

Leftovers freeze well.

Black Bean and Ham Soup

Janie Steele

Moore, OK

Makes 5-6 qts., or about 18 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Soaking Time: 8 hours, or overnight

Cooking Time: 7½-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt. or 2 4- to 5-qt.

4 cups dry black beans

5 qts. water

ham bone, ham pieces,
or
ham hocks

3 bunches green onions, sliced thin

4 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. salt

¼-½ tsp. pepper

3 cloves minced garlic

4 celery ribs, chopped

3 large onions, chopped

10½-oz. can consommé

1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter

2½ Tbsp. flour

1 cup Madeira wine,
optional

chopped parsley

1. In 6-qt. slow cooker, soak beans in 5 qts. water for 8 hours or overnight.

2. Rinse. Drain. Pour beans back into slow cooker, or divide between 2 4- or 5-qt. cookers.

3. Add ham, green onions, bay leaves, salt, pepper, garlic, celery, and onions. Pour in consommé. Add water to cover vegetables and meat. Stir well

4. Cover. Cook on High 1½-2 hours. Reduce heat to Low and cook 6-8 hours.

5. Remove ham bones and bay leaves. Cut ham off bones and set meat aside

6. Force vegetable mixture through sieve, if you wish.

7. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Return cooked ingredients and cut-up ham to cooker.

8. In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken and enrich.

9. Prior to serving, add wine to heated soup mixture if you wish. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Party Bean Soup

Jo Haberkamp

Fairbank, IA

Makes 9 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20-22 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 cup dry navy beans

1 qt. water

1 lb. smoked,
or
plain, ham hocks

1 cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped celery

1 garlic clove, minced

8-oz. can tomatoes, cut up

2 14½-oz. cans chicken broth

⅛ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes

1. Place beans and water in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 12 hours.

3. Add ham hocks, onions, celery, garlic, tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, and pepper.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 more hours.

5. Add cheese and parsley just before serving. Stir until cheese is melted.

Red and Green Bean Soup

Carol Duree

Salina, KS

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 6¼-8¼ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. dry navy beans

6 cups boiling water

1 cup sliced carrots

½ cup chopped onion

1½-2 lbs. ham hocks

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 cups chopped kale, spinach,
or
chard

½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped

Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Rinse beans; then place in slow cooker.

2. Add all other ingredients except kale, red peppers, and cheese.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until beans are tender but not mushy.

4. Ten minutes before serving, add kale and peppers. Cover and continue to cook 10 more minutes.

5. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of individual servings.

Navy Bean Soup

Lucille Amos

Greensboro, NC

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes