Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (43 page)

Fruited Beef Tagine

Naomi E. Fast

Hesston, KS

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2 lbs. beef, cut into 2” cubes

1 Tbsp. oil

4 cups sliced onions

2 tsp. ground coriander

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground ginger

14½-oz. can beef broth, plus enough water to equal 2 cups

16 ozs. pitted prunes

salt to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

juice of one lemon

1. Brown beef cubes in oil in skillet. Do in batches so beef browns and doesn’t steam. As you finish browning, place beef in slow cooker. Reserve drippings.

2. Sauté onions in drippings until lightly browned, adding more oil if needed. Add to slow cooker.

3. Add remaining ingredients, except lemon juice.

4. Simmer on Low 5-6 hours, adding lemon juice during the last 10 minutes.

Serving suggestion: This recipe, accompanied with a tossed
green salad
and
rolls
, makes a complete meal.

Variations:

1. Mix in a few very thin slices of lemon rind to add flavor and eye appeal.

2. You can substitute lamb cubes for the beef.

Salsa Beef

Sarah Niessen

Akron, PA

Makes 5-6 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.

2-2½ lbs. beef, cut in bite-sized cubes

1 Tbsp. oil

16-oz. jar salsa

8-oz. can tomato sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup canned tomatoes

1. Brown beef in skillet in oil. Do it in batches so beef browns and doesn’t steam. As you finish a batch, place browned cubes in slow cooker.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.

Serving suggestion: I usually serve this over
rice
.

Variation:

For added flavor, use Italian tomato sauce.

Beef Mushroom Casserole

Susan Stephani Smith

Monument, CO

Makes 12 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 4½-5½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

4 lbs. lean beef sirloin, cut into 1” cubes

2 10¾-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup

2 pkgs. dry onion soup mix

¼-1 tsp. pepper, according to your taste preference

½ tsp. salt

1-2 cups red Burgundy wine,
optional

1½ lbs. fresh mushrooms, quartered

¼ cup sour cream,
optional

1. Combine all ingredients except wine, mushrooms, and sour cream in slow cooker.

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

3. Stir in mushrooms and wine. Cook 30 minutes longer.

4. Ten minutes before end of cooking time, stir in sour cream if you wish.

Serving suggestion: This is a treat served over
egg noodles
.

Easy Stroganoff

Vicki Dinkel

Sharon Springs, KS

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 6½-8½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

14½-oz. can beef broth

1 lb. beef stewing meat,
or
round steak, cut in 1” pieces

1 cup sour cream

2 cups cooked noodles

1. Combine soup and broth in slow cooker.

2. Stir in meat.

3. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours. Reduce heat to Low and cook 3-4 hours, or just until beef is fork tender.

4. Stir in sour cream.

5. Stir in noodles.

6. Cook on High 20 minutes, or just until Stroganoff is hot throughout.

Serving suggestion: A
vegetable
or
salad
and some crispy
French bread
make good additions to the meal.

Note:

Since I’m in school part-time and work two part-time jobs, this nearly complete meal is great to come home to. It smells wonderful when I open the door.

Garlic Beef Stroganoff

Sharon Miller

Holmesville, OH

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2 tsp. beef bouillon granules

2 4½-oz. jars sliced mushrooms, drained, with juice reserved

1 cup mushroom juice, with boiling water added to make a full cup

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½-2-lb. boneless round steak, cut into thin strips

2 Tbsp. oil

8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed and softened

1. Dissolve bouillon in mushroom juice/water mixture in slow cooker.

2. Stir in mushrooms, soup, onion, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.

3. Sauté beef in oil in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker and stir into sauce.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours. Turn off heat.

5. Stir in cream cheese until smooth.

Serving suggestion: You’ll love this served over
noodles
.

Beef Burgundy