Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (39 page)

2 large kosher dill pickles, chopped

1 cup sliced celery

½ cup dry red wine,
or
beef broth

⅓ cup German-style mustard

2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

2 bay leaves

¼ tsp. ground cloves

⅓ cup flour

1 cup water

1. Brown roast on both sides in oil in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.

2. Distribute carrots, onions, pickles and celery around roast in slow cooker.

3. Combine wine, mustard, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves in a bowl. Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender but not dry or mushy.

5. Remove meat and vegetables to large platter. Cover to keep warm.

6. Mix flour with 1 cup water in bowl until smooth. Turn cooker to High. Stir in flour-water paste, stirring continually until broth is smooth and thickened. Serve with broth alongside.

Serving suggestion: Try serving this over
noodles
or
spaetzle
.

Sauerbraten

Leona M. Slabaugh

Apple Creek, OH

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 10-20 minutes

Marinating Time: 8 hours, or overnight

Cooking Time: 5-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

1 cup cider vinegar

¾ cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

6 whole cloves

2 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. mustard seeds

3½-lb. boneless top round roast, tied

20 gingersnaps (about 5 oz.), crushed

1. Combine vinegars, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, and mustard seeds in a large bowl.

2. Place roast in bowl. Spoon marinade over it.

3. Cover roast in marinade and refrigerate overnight, turning once.

4. Place roast and marinade in slow cooker.

5. Cover. Cook on High 5 hours or on Low 7 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.

6. Remove roast to platter and keep warm.

7. Strain liquid from slow cooker. Stir crushed gingersnaps into liquid until well blended.

8. Slice roast and serve with sauce alongside.

Beef Pot Roast

Nancy Wagner Graves

Manhattan, KS

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

4-5-lb. beef chuck roast

1 garlic clove, cut in half

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 carrot, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

1 small onion, sliced

¾ cup sour cream

3 Tbsp. flour

½ cup dry white wine

1. Rub roast with garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.

2. Add carrots, celery, and onion.

3. Combine sour cream, flour, and wine in a small bowl. Pour into slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours.

Pot-Roast Complete

Naomi E. Fast
, Hesston, KS

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 6½-7½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

3-3½-lb. arm roast, boneless

2 large onions, sliced

½ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup soy sauce

⅓ cup cider vinegar

2 bay leaves

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger,
or
¼ tsp. ground ginger

1 cup julienned carrots, matchstick size,
or
baby carrots

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves,
or
2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1. Place meat in slow cooker. Top with onions.

2. Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl. Spoon over beef.

3. Scatter bay leaves, garlic, and ginger over roast.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours.

5. Spread carrots, mushrooms, and spinach over beef.

6. Cover. Cook on High 20 minutes.

7. In small bowl, mix cornstarch with ½ cup broth from slow cooker. Return to slow cooker.

8. Cover. Cook 10 minutes more.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
.

Note:

I can’t count how many times I have used this recipe over the last 15-20 years as a guest meal.

Spicy Short Ribs

Joan Terwilliger

Lebanon, PA

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- to 6-qt.

8 bone-in beef short ribs

15-oz. can crushed tomatoes

3 Tbsp. tomato paste

2-3 Tbsp. hot pepper jam,
or
horseradish jam

6 cloves garlic, peeled

¾ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1 Tbsp. dried minced onions

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ cup dry red wine

1. Broil ribs 6 inches from heat until browned, 5-10 minutes per side.

2. Place ribs in slow cooker.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. Pour over ribs. (If you’ve had to stack them, lift the top layer and spoon sauce over bottom layer.)

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.

5. Spoon off fat before serving.