Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (46 page)

New Mexico Stew

Helen Kenagy

Carlsbad, NM

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8½-10½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 lbs. stewing meat,
or
steak, cubed,
divided

1 Tbsp. oil

5-6 potatoes, cubed,
divided

6-8 carrots, diced,
divided

other vegetables of your choice, diced,
divided

1-2 4¼-oz. cans chopped green chilies, undrained,
divided

1½ lbs. raw pork sausage, crumbled,
divided

1. Salt and pepper stewing meat. Brown in oil in skillet.

2. Place half the stewing meat in bottom of slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3. Layer half the vegetables and chilies over beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

4. Crumble half the sausage over top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used.

6. Cover. Cook on High until ingredients begin to boil. Then turn cooker to Low for 8-10 hours. Do not lift lid and do not stir during cooking.

Serving suggestion: With such a complete dish, all you need to add is a
green salad
and
fresh bread
if you wish.

Hungarian Beef Stew

Esther Becker

Gordonville, PA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-12 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2 lbs. beef cubes

1 onion, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 carrots, sliced

10-oz. pkg. frozen lima beans

2 tsp. parsley

½ cup beef broth

2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt

16-oz. can diced tomatoes

1. Combine beef, onion, potatoes, carrots, lima beans, and parsley in slow cooker.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours.

Serving suggestion: This is a great meal, especially when served with a
tossed salad
and
homemade rolls
.

Hungarian Barley Stew

Naomi E. Fast

Hesston, KS

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1½ lbs. beef cubes

2 Tbsp. oil

2 large onions, diced

1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped

28-oz. can whole tomatoes

½ cup ketchup

⅔ cup dry small pearl barley

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. paprika

10-oz. pkg. frozen baby lima beans

3 cups water

1 cup sour cream

1. Brown beef cubes in oil in skillet. Add onions and green peppers. Sauté until no longer crispy. Pour into slow cooker.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except sour cream.

3. Cover. Cook on High 5 hours.

4. Stir in sour cream before serving.

Serving suggestion: This goes well with
cabbage slaw
.

Wash-Day Stew

Naomi E. Fast

Hesston, KS

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1½-2 lbs. lean lamb,
or
beef, cubed

2 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained

2 15-oz. cans white beans, drained

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

1 qt. water

1 tsp. salt

1 tomato, peeled and quartered

1 tsp. turmeric

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

8-10 pita bread pockets

1. Combine all ingredients except pita bread in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on High 6-7 hours.

3. Lift stew from cooker with a strainer spoon and stuff in pita bread pockets.

Note:

I learned to prepare this nutritious meal from a student from Iran, who was attending graduate school at the University of Nebraska. Fatimeh explained to me that her family prepared this dish every wash day.

Very early in the morning, they made a fire in a large rock-lined pit outside. Then they placed a large covered kettle, filled with the above ingredients, over the coals to cook slowly all day. At the end of a day of doing laundry, the food was ready with a minimum of preparation.

Of course, they started with dry garbanzos and white beans, presoaked the night before.

They served this Wash-Day Stew spooned into pita bread and ate it with their hands.

Potluck Beef Barbecue Sandwiches

Carol Sommers

Millersburg, OH

Makes 16 servings

Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6½-8¾ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

4-lb. beef chuck roast

1 cup brewed coffee,
or
water

1 Tbsp. apple cider,
or
red-wine, vinegar

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

14-oz. bottle ketchup

15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup sweet pickle relish

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup brown sugar

1. Place roast, coffee, vinegar, salt, and pepper in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on High 6-8 hours, or until meat is very tender.

3. Pour off cooking liquid. Shred meat with two forks.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well.

5. Cover. Cook on High 30-45 minutes. Reduce heat to Low for serving.

Barbara Jean’s Junior Beef

Barbara Jean Fabel

Wausau, WI

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

3½-5-lb. beef roast

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cayenne pepper