Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (57 page)

Hamburger Potato Casserole

Sue Pennington

Bridgewater, VA

Makes 6-10 servings

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 8-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef,
divided

1 Tbsp. oil

6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced,
divided

4-6 carrots, sliced,
divided

2 medium onions, sliced,
divided

1 cup grated cheddar cheese,
divided

1 tsp. salt,
divided

¼ tsp. pepper,
divided

10-oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 cup peas

1. Brown ground beef in oil in skillet. Drain off drippings.

2. Layer half of beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and cheese in cooker. Sprinkle with half of salt and pepper.

3. Repeat layers.

4. Pour cream of chicken soup over top.

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

6. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir in 1 cup peas.

Note:

My husband came up with this recipe. Our family loves it and often requests it when I ask them what they want to eat.

Hamburger Casserole

Kelly Evenson

Pittsboro, NC

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2 large potatoes, sliced

2-3 medium carrots, sliced

3 medium onions, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

garlic salt to taste

pepper to taste

salt to taste

1 lb. ground beef

oil

10¾-oz. can tomato soup

1 soup can of water

1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained

1. Layer potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery in order given into slow cooker.

2. Sprinkle each layer with garlic salt, pepper, and salt.

3. Brown ground beef in oil in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.

4. Place meat on top of celery.

5. Combine soup and water in bowl. Pour over all.

6. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.

7. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir in peas.

Serving suggestion: Serve this nearly complete meal with
applesauce
.

Wholesome Hamburger Dinner

Reba Rhodes

Bridgewater, VA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

1 medium onion, sliced

1 cup green beans

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

2 tsp. sugar

2-3 cups tomato juice

½ lb. grated cheese

1. Brown ground beef in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue browning until pink no longer appears.

2. Drain off drippings. Place meat in bottom of slow cooker.

3. Layer remaining ingredients, except cheese, over ground beef in order given.

4. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours or on Low 5-6 hours, or until vegetables are done to your liking.

5. Thirty minutes before end of cooking time, layer cheese on top. Cover and resume cooking.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
cornbread
.

Tip:

You can double all vegetable amounts, if you wish. If you do so, increase cooking time to 5-6 hours on High or 9-11 hours on Low, or until vegetables are as tender as you like.

Stuffed Baked Topping

Fannie Miller

Hutchinson, KS

Makes 12 servings

Prep. Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

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

3 lbs. ground beef

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

½ cup chopped onions

¾ stick (6 Tbsp.) butter

¼ cup flour

3 cups milk

½ cup pimento,
or
chopped sweet red peppers

¾ lb. cheddar cheese, grated

¾ lb. your favorite mild cheese, grated

½ tsp. hot pepper sauce

¼ tsp. dry mustard

salt to taste

1. Brown ground beef, green peppers, and onions in butter in large skillet. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, reserving drippings.

2. Stir flour into drippings in skillet. Slowly add milk. Stir continually over medium heat until smooth and thickened.

3. Stir pimento, cheeses, and seasonings into white sauce in skillet. Continue stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.

4. Pour sauce over ingredients in slow cooker.

5. Cover. Heat on Low for 1 hour.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
baked potatoes
, each one split open on an individual dinner plate.

Ground Beef Stew

Ruth Ann Hoover

New Holland, PA

Kim Stoltzfus

New Holland, PA

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4½-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

oil

6 medium potatoes, peeled if you wish, and cubed

16-oz. pkg. baby carrots

3 cups water

3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix

1 garlic clove, minced

1½ tsp. Italian seasoning

1-1½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. pepper

10¾-oz. can tomato soup

6-oz. can Italian tomato paste

1. Brown beef in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps. Continue cooking until all pink disappears.

2. Remove beef from drippings and place in slow cooker.

3. Combine all remaining ingredients in cooker, except tomato soup and tomato paste.

4. Cover. Cook on High 3½-4 hours, or until carrots are nearly tender.

5. Stir in soup and tomato paste.

6. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour more.

Variation:

If you’d like to add color and more vegetables to the stew, stir in 1½ cups frozen peas in Step 5.