Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (71 page)

Sausage Pasta Stew

Betty K. Drescher

Quakertown, PA

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 30-35 minutes

Cooking Time: 7¼-9¼ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed

4 cups water

26-oz. jar meatless spaghetti sauce

16-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium yellow summer squash, cut in 1” pieces

2 medium carrots, cut in ¼” slices

1 medium red,
or
green, sweet pepper, diced

⅓ cup chopped onions

1½ cups uncooked spiral pasta

1 cup frozen peas

1 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1. Sauté sausage in skillet until no longer pink. Drain off drippings. Place sausage in slow cooker.

2. Add water, spaghetti sauce, kidney beans, squash, carrots, pepper, and onions. Mix well.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

4. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.

5. Cover. Cook on High 15-20 minutes, or until pasta is tender.

Note:

Add 1 Tbsp. tapioca in Step 5 if you like a thicker stew.

Golden Autumn Stew

Naomi E. Fast
, Hesston, KS

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 30-40 minutes • Cooking Time: 6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

2 cups cubed Yukon gold potatoes

2 cups cubed, peeled sweet potatoes

2 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash

1 cup cubed, peeled rutabaga

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

1 lb. smoked sausage

2 cups apple juice,
or
cider

1 tart apple, thinly sliced

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. sugar,
or
honey

1. Combine vegetables in slow cooker.

2. Place ring of sausage on top. Or arrange sausage links or pieces over top of vegetables.

3. Pour in apple juice. Place apple slices over top.

4. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, and then on Low 4 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Do not stir.

5. To prepare to serve, remove sausage and keep warm. Season vegetables with salt, pepper, and sugar as desired. Place vegetables in bowl. Slice meat into pieces and place on top.

Serving suggestion: I like to serve the Stew with hot
baking-powder biscuits
and
honey
, and a
green salad
or
cole slaw
.

Tip:

Don’t omit the rutabaga! Get acquainted with its rich uniqueness. It will surprise and please your taste buds.

Chili Casserole

Sharon Miller

Holmesville, OH

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 20-25 minutes

Cooking Time: 7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

2 cups water

15½-oz. can chili beans, drained

14½-oz. can diced tomatoes

¾ cup uncooked brown rice

¼ cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. prepared mustard

¾ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. garlic powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Brown sausage in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.

2. Spoon meat into slow cooker.

3. Add all other ingredients, except cheese, to slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 7 hours.

5. Stir in cheese during last 10 minutes of cooking time.

Pizza Rigatoni

Tina Snyder

Manheim, PA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1½ lbs. bulk sausage,
divided

3 cups rigatoni, lightly cooked,
divided

4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese,
divided

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup,
divided

1 small onion, sliced,
divided

15-oz. can pizza sauce,
divided

8-oz. can pizza sauce,
divided

3½-oz. pkg. sliced pepperoni,
divided

6-oz. can sliced ripe olives, drained,
divided

1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings.

2. Place half the sausage in the slow cooker.

3. Place half of pasta, cheese, soup, onion, pizza sauce, pepperoni, and olives in layers over sausage. Repeat layers.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.

Tip:

If your store doesn’t carry 8-oz. cans pizza sauce, substitute an 8-oz. can tomato sauce with basil, garlic, and oregano.

Slow-Cooker Pizza

Sharon Miller

Holmesville, OH

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

1½ lbs. bulk sausage,
divided

1 small onion, chopped,
divided

1-lb. pkg. pasta,
or
noodles, uncooked,
divided

28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

16-oz. can tomato sauce

¾ cup water

4-oz. can mushrooms, drained

8-oz. pkg. pepperoni, chopped

16-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Brown sausage and onion in skillet. Drain.

2. Place one-third of mixture in slow cooker.

3. Layer in one-third of uncooked pasta.

4. Combine spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, water, and mushrooms in a good-sized bowl. Ladle one-third of that mixture over noodles.

5. Repeat the above layers 2 more times.

6. Top with pepperoni. Top pepperoni with shredded cheese.

7. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until pasta is cooked to your liking and pizza is hot throughout.

Ham in Foil

Jeanette Oberholtzer