Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (42 page)

5. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.

6. To serve, cut beef across grain in thin slices. Top with mushrooms and onions.

Variation:

Add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to Worcestershire sauce and oil in Step 3.

Genelle Taylor

Perrysburg, OH

Barbecued Chuck Steak

Rhonda Burgoon

Collingswood, NJ

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-5 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

1½-lb. boneless chuck steak, 1½” thick

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. paprika

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ cup ketchup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. prepared mustard

¼ tsp. black pepper

1. Cut beef on diagonal across the grain into 1”-thick slices. Place in slow cooker.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over meat. Stir to mix.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 3-5 hours.

Pigs in Blankets

Linda Sluiter

Schererville, IN

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2-3-lb. round steak, cut about 1” thick

1 lb. bacon

1 cup ketchup

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup water

half a yellow onion, chopped

1. Cut steak into strips 1” thick x 3” long.

2. Lay a bacon strip down, then a strip of beef on top of the bacon slice. Roll up and secure with toothpick. Place in slow cooker.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over meat roll-ups.

4. Cover. Cook on High 8 hours.

Corned Beef

Elaine Vigoda

Rochester, NY

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-12 hours

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

3 large carrots, cut into chunks

1 cup chopped celery

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 cup water

3-4-lb. corned beef

1 large onion, cut into pieces

half a small head of cabbage, cut in wedges

4 potatoes, peeled and chunked

1. Place carrots, celery, seasonings, and water in slow cooker. Stir together.

2. Add beef. Cover with onions.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 5-6 hours.

4. Lift corned beef out of cooker and add cabbage and potatoes, pushing them to bottom of slow cooker. Return beef to cooker.

5. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.

6. Remove corned beef. Cool and slice on the diagonal.

7. Serve surrounded by vegetables.

Variations:

1. Scatter 10-12 peppercorns over corned beef and onions in Step 2.

Rosaria Strachan

Fairfield, CT

2. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup water, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard, and a dash of ground cloves. Spread over beef in Step 4, just before cooking on High 2 more hours.

Shirley Sears

Tiskilwa, IL

Apple and Brown Sugar Corned Beef

Mary Seielstad

Sparks, NV

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-12 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt. or 2 4- to 5-qt. cookers

2½-3-lb. corned beef brisket

8 small red potatoes

3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

1 large onion, cut in 6-8 pieces

1 small head cabbage, cut in chunks

1 qt. apple juice

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

1. Place meat, potatoes, carrots, onion, and cabbage in 6-qt. slow cooker, or divide between 2 4- to 5-qt. cookers.

2. Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and mustard in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker(s).

3. Cover. Cook on High 6-6½ hours or on Low 10-12 hours, or until vegetables and meat are tender.

4. Remove meat and vegetables from slow cooker. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Serve topped with vegetables.

Serving suggestion: We love to eat this with
cornbread
.

Tip:

If potatoes are not small, quarter them before placing in slow cooker.

Home-Style Beef Cubes

Dorothy Horst

Tiskilwa, IL

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-12 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

½ cup flour

1 tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

4 lbs. beef cubes

½ cup chopped shallots,
or
green onions

2 4-oz. cans sliced mushrooms, drained,
or
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced

14½-oz. can beef broth

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. ketchup

¼ cup water

3 Tbsp. flour

1. In a large bowl, combine ½ cup flour, salt, and pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture to coat. Place in slow cooker.

2. Cover with onions and mushrooms.

3. Combine broth, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker. Mix everything together well.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-12 hours, or until beef is as tender as you like.

5. One hour before serving, make a smooth paste of water and 3 Tbsp. flour in a small bowl. Stir into slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking until broth thickens.

Serving suggestion: This is a treat served over hot
buttered noodles
.