Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (18 page)

Curried Carrot Soup

Ann Bender

Ft. Defiance, VA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

1 garlic clove, minced

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. oil

1 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. curry powder

1 Tbsp. flour

4 cups chicken,
or
vegetable, broth

6 large carrots, sliced

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground red pepper,
optional

1½ cups plain yogurt,
or
light sour cream

1. In skillet cook minced garlic and onion in oil and butter until vegetables are limp but not brown.

2. Add curry and flour. Cook 30 seconds. Pour into slow cooker.

3. Add chicken broth and carrots. Mix together well.

4. Cover. Cook on High for about 2 hours, or until carrots are soft.

5. Purée mixture in blender. Hold top on tightly with a thick towel. (The heat tends to push the lid of the blender off.)

6. Return to slow cooker and add seasoning. Keep warm until ready to serve.

7. Add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream to each serving.

Corn Chowder

Betty Moore

Plano, IL

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2½ cups milk

14¾-oz. can cream-style corn

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1¾ cups frozen corn

1 cup frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

1 cup cooked ham, diced

1 medium-large onion, diced

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

2 tsp. parsley flakes

salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

2. Cover and cook on Low 6 hours.

Note from Tester:

I would garnish each individual bowl of soup with diced red and green bell peppers. Looks like the holidays!

Variations:

1. Replace ham with 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled. Add just before serving in order to keep the bacon crisp.

2. Stir ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce in with Step 1.

Orpha Herr

Andover, NY

Green Chile Corn Chowder

Kelly Evenson

Pittsboro, NC

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 7¼-8¼ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

16-oz. can cream-style corn

3 potatoes, peeled or not, and diced

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

4-oz. can diced green chilies, drained

2-oz. jar chopped pimentos, drained

½-¾ cup chopped cooked ham

2 10½-oz. cans chicken broth

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Tabasco sauce to taste

1 cup milk

shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1. Combine all ingredients except milk and cheese in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours or until potatoes are tender.

3. Stir in milk. Heat until hot.

4. Top individual servings with cheese.

Chicken Corn Soup

Moreen Weaver

Bath, NY

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 1 hour

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

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

4-5 lbs. chicken leg quarters

3 qts. water

1 tsp. salt

1½ cups chopped celery

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cups fresh,
or
frozen, corn

3 chicken bouillon cubes

pepper to taste

12-oz. bag fine noodles, uncooked

1. If you wish, remove skin from chicken. Put chicken in large stockpot. Add salt and water. Cover and cook until tender.

2. Remove chicken. Allow to stand until cool enough to debone. Meanwhile, strain broth and pour into slow cooker.

3. Remove chicken from bones and cut in small pieces. Place in slow cooker.

4. Stir celery, onion, corn, bouillon, and pepper into slow cooker.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.

6. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir in noodles.

Note:

My mother-in-law makes this recipe every Christmas. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without it!

Red French Onion Soup

Marilyn Mowry

Irving, TX

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.

5 large red onions

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

1 cup dry red wine

4 cups beef broth

½ tsp. dried thyme

2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

French baguette

½ cup grated Swiss cheese

1. Cut onions into thin slices. Add with butter to cooker.

2. Turn to High. As butter melts, stir into onions.

3. Add wine, broth, thyme, and parsley. Stir well.

4. Cover. Cook 4-5 hours on Low, or until onions are tender.

5. Prepare bread toppers 30 minutes before Soup is finished cooking. Slice French bread into 1”-thick slices. Lay slices on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until bread is dry and crisp.

6. Sprinkle cheese over each slice of warm bread.

7. To serve, float a cheesy bread topper on top of each bowl of soup.

Variations:

1. Add 1½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce to Step 3.

2. Place cheese on top of bread slices before baking. Then broil them to make the cheese brown and bubble. Watch carefully so the cheese doesn’t burn.

3. Instead of Swiss cheese, use ⅓ cup grated mozzarella mixed with ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Lucille Amos

Greensboro, NC

Betty Drescher

Quakertown, PA

Note:

This is a handy recipe at holiday-time when you need to do last-minute shopping.