Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (30 page)

4. Season to taste with pepper and salt.

Serving suggestion: Serve alone, or over
rice
with
grated cheese
on top.

Everyone’s Hungry Soup

Janie Steele

Moore, OK

Makes 20-25 servings

Prep. Time: 45 minutes

Cooking Time: 8-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 2 6- to 7-qt. cookers

6 thick slices bacon

3 lbs. boneless beef stewing meat, cubed

1 lb. boneless pork, cubed

3 14½-oz. cans stewed,
or
diced, tomatoes

10-oz. can Rotel tomatoes with chilies

3 celery ribs, chopped

3 large onions, chopped

garlic to taste

salt to taste

pepper to taste

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 cups water

6-8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 lb. carrots, sliced

15-oz. can peas, undrained

14½-oz. can green beans, undrained

15¼-oz. can corn, undrained

1 lb. cut-up okra,
optional

1. Fry bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove bacon, but reserve drippings. Crumble bacon and divide between 2 large (6-qt. or larger) slow cookers.

2. Brown stewing beef and pork in skillet in bacon drippings. Drain off drippings.

3. Divide beef and pork between two cookers.

4. In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and mix well. Divide between slow cookers.

5. Stir each cooker’s ingredients well. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.

Serving suggestion: Serve with loaves of
homemade bread
or pans of
cornbread
.

Hamburger Sausage Soup

Esther Becker

Gordonville, PA

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 20-25 minutes

Cooking Time: 8-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. Polish sausage, sliced

½ tsp. seasoning salt

¼ tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. dried basil

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

6 cups boiling water

16-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ cup sliced celery

¼ cup chopped celery leaves

1 cup pared, sliced carrots

1 cup uncooked macaroni

1. Brown ground beef and sausage in skillet. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps of beef. When meats are no longer pink, drain off drippings.

2. Place meats in slow cooker. Add seasoning salt, oregano, basil, and onion soup mix to cooker.

3. Stir in boiling water, tomatoes, and soy sauce.

4. Add celery, celery leaves, and carrots. Stir well.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.

6. One hour before end of cooking time, stir in dry macaroni.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
cornbread
or
corn muffins
.

Delicious Sausage Soup

Karen Waggoner

Joplin, MO

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage

5½ cups chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

3 carrots, grated

4 potatoes, sliced,
or
cubed

4 cups kale, chopped

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1. Slice sausage into thin pieces, or squeeze out of casings. Place in skillet. Cook, stirring frequently to brown all sides. When no more pink remains in meat, drain off drippings.

2. Place meat in slow cooker. Add broth, cream, and vegetables.

3. Sprinkle spices over top.

4. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally if you’re home and able to do so.

Spicy Sausage Soup

Janie Steele

Moore, OK

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. bulk spicy sausage, casings removed

half a large onion, chopped

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

1 green,
or
red, bell pepper, chopped,
optional

2 tsp. salt,
or
to taste

¼ tsp. pepper,
or
to taste

1 tsp. dried oregano,
or
to taste

2
or
3 garlic cloves, minced

14½-oz. can stewed tomatoes with chilies

14½-oz. can green beans

¼ tsp. chili powder

1 cup instant rice, uncooked

1. Combine beef, sausage, and onions in a large bowl. Form into balls. Place in slow cooker.

2. Place all remaining ingredients, except rice, in another large bowl. Stir together well.

3. Stir vegetable mixture and meatballs together gently so as not to break up the meatballs.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours. Stir in rice 20 minutes before serving.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
rolls
or
cornbread
.

Sauerkraut-Sausage Bean Soup

Bonnie Goering

Bridgewater, VA

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes