Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever (44 page)

The aroma of tomatoes and oregano coming from your slow cooker will have your family clamoring to know what’s for dinner! These potatoes are layered with onion, oregano, tomato sauce, and cheeses for a delicious side dish to pair with roasted or grilled meats and chicken.

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

One 28- to 32-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

½ medium red onion, cut into thin half rounds (about ¼ cup)

2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and oregano and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ½ teaspoon of the pepper and stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Put the potatoes, onion, remaining 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large mixing bowl and toss until the potatoes and onion are coated. In another bowl, mix together the cheeses.

pour ½ to ¾ cup of the sauce to cover the bottom of the slowcooker insert. Top with half the potatoes and sprinkle with half the cheese. Spoon an even layer of sauce over the top. Repeat the layers with the remaining potatoes, cheese, and sauce (see savvy). Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

slow-cooker savvy

It’s important to remember that the cookers are different sizes and shapes, so the amount of the sauce and number of layers will differ with each, but there should be an even number of layers.

Asian five-spice powder has a smoky, complex flavor and pairs well with sweet potatoes. The addition of a bit of soy sauce and rice wine to the pot gives you a delicious side dish to serve with pork or poultry.

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine (mirin) or dry sherry

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

arrange the sweet potatoes in the slow-cooker insert. Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour over the potatoes in the slow-cooker insert.

cover and cook on low for 5½ to 6 hours, until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife.

serve the sweet potatoes from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

Wedges of sweet potatoes glazed with smoky chipotle chile and sweet maple syrup are a wake-up call for your appetite! Serve these at your next potluck, and wait for the compliments!

8 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into wedges

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced

¼ cup maple syrup

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

arrange the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl, pour over the potatoes, and stir to coat the wedges. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours, until the wedges are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife.

serve the potatoes from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

Baking sweet potatoes in the slow cooker will save you the hassle of turning on the oven. You can arrange the potatoes in the slow cooker and then go off and enjoy the next six hours without worrying. The potatoes are delicious split open and slathered with butter, especially maple or honey-flavored, or you can mash them with your favorite seasonings.

6 to 8 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed

prick each potato a few times with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Arrange the potatoes in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife.

serve the potatoes split open.

serves 6–8

This simple gratin-with-a-twist combines sweet potatoes, tart apples, and pecans in an apple cider and brown sugar glaze. It’s more of a pie than a side dish. Equally at home on the weeknight table as it is on a holiday buffet, it’s delicious paired with ham, roasted pork, chicken, or turkey.

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch-thick slices

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup dark corn syrup

½ cup apple cider or apple juice

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup pecans, toasted, for garnish

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

layer the sweet potatoes and apples in the slow cooker. Combine all the remaining ingredients except the pecans in a small mixing bowl and pour over the potatoes and apples in the cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife.

sprinkle the top of the casserole with the pecans. Serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

Carrots are a kid-friendly option for side dishes, and this dish uses so-called baby carrots, with orange, honey, and thyme to glaze them. These are a winner at holiday meals.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

¼ cup honey

1 cup orange juice

Grated zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ cup chicken broth

Two 16-ounce bags baby carrots (see savvy)

coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a slow-cooker liner according to the manufacturer’s directions.

combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir to coat the carrots. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, until the carrots are tender.

serve the carrots from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

carrot savvy

If you would prefer to use large whole carrots, you will need 2 pounds, and I recommend that you peel and cut them into 1-inch lengths.

Sweet, golden brown, and melting into their own sauce, these onions are a terrific addition to soups or stews and make a terrific topping for burgers, grilled meats, or sandwiches. Make sure to use sweet onions, like Vidalia, Walla Walla, Texas 1015’s, or Maui onions; these onions have 6 percent sugar and are the only ones that can carry the label “sweet.” Ordinary brown onions will give you a harsh-flavored dish. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sugar

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

¼ cup chicken broth

6 large sweet onions, cut into half rounds (see savvy)

combine all the ingredients except the onions in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the onions and toss to coat. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, until the onions are golden brown.

stir several times during the cooking process, and check them at 10 hours, to make sure they don’t burn. Remove the onions from the cooker and cool before serving.

makes about 5 cups

onion savvy

Brown onions are stored for months, and do not add a sweet flavor to dishes. Yellow onions are sometimes labeled “sweet (and are
not
okay to use),” and red onions are a fair substitute for the sweet onions called for. Once cooked, the onions may be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to two months.

A tradition for my family at Thanksgiving dinner is to have creamed onions in a sherry and mushroom sauce. This dish doesn’t contain any cream; instead the onions become tender and creamy in the low and slow braise and are mixed with with cremini mushrooms and sherry.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup double-strength chicken broth

1½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¹
/
₈
teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 pound pearl onions, peeled (see savvy)

1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

combine all the ingredients in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the onions are tender and ready to serve.

serves 8

onion savvy

To peel pearl onions, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop the onions in the water, and bring back to a boil. Drain the onions and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut the root end from each onion and slip off the peels.

Stuffed onions were a staple of the 1950s and 1960s when onions were inexpensive and could be stuffed with everyday ingredients. I love what the slow cooker does to make them tender, caramelized, and scrumptious, and they can be stuffed with a variety of fillings. Follow the basic instructions for preparation, and make a filling that will suit your main course. I like to serve these on a platter surrounding grilled or roasted meats.

8 medium sweet onions, such as Vidalia

Fillings (facing page)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup double-strength chicken broth

cut the top off each onion and peel back the skins to the root end. Cut off the skins, leaving the root end intact. Place the onions in a large skillet and add enough water to come halfway up the onions. Bring the water to a boil and continue to boil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are tender but not cooked through. You just want the onions to be pliable so that you can scoop out the center. Remove the onions from the pan and cool.

using a sharp paring knife, cut around the center of the onion on the stem end, leaving at least two layers of the onion on the outside. Reserve the centers to use for the filling. Stuff the onions with one of the fillings.

combine the butter, oil, sugar, and broth in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and arrange the stuffed onions in the cooker. Spoon some of the liquid over the onions. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours, until the onions are tender.

serve the onions ladeling any juice from the cooker over them.

serves 6–8

stuffed onion savvy

Since all onions are not alike, you may have a bit of stuffing left over; I usually surround the stuffed onions with the leftover stuffing in the bottom of the cooker, and serve those bits as well.

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1½ cups finely chopped reserved onions

2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced

3 cups fresh bread crumbs

2 cups finely shredded white Cheddar cheese

melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and chiles and sauté until the onions begins to turn golden, 5 to 6 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to a mixing bowl and allow to cool a bit. Add the bread and cheese and mix together.

8 ounces bulk pork sausage

1½ cups finely chopped reserved onions

3 cups fresh bread crumbs

2 cups finely shredded Swiss cheese

brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking up any large pieces. Add the chopped onions to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to a mixing bowl and allow to cool a bit. add the bread and cheese and mix together. Stuff the cooked onions with the mixture.

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1½ cups finely chopped reserved onions

3 cups fresh bread crumbs

2 cups crumbled blue cheese

2 tablespoons Ruby Port

melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until the onions begin to soften and turn translucent, about 5 minutes.

transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool a bit. Add the bread, blue cheese, and port and mix together.