Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (59 page)

Beef and Macaroni

Esther J. Yoder

Hartville, OH

Makes 4-5 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-2½ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

half a green bell pepper, chopped

1 cup cooked macaroni

½ tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup

1. Brown beef, onions, and green pepper in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Cook until no more pink appears in meat. Drain off drippings.

2. Place meat and vegetables in slow cooker.

3. Combine all ingredients in cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on High 2-2½ hours, stirring once or twice, if you’re home and able to do so.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
broccoli
and
applesauce
.

Plenty More in the Kitchen

Jean Robinson

Cinnaminson, NJ

Makes 12-16 servings

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 5¼ hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

3 lbs. ground beef

1 cup chopped onions

1 Tbsp. oil

26-oz. jar tomato sauce,
or
spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

16-oz. can whole-kernel corn

2 14½-oz. cans beef broth

8-oz. pkg. uncooked elbow macaroni

1 cup grated sharp cheese

1. Brown beef and onion in oil in skillet. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Drain off drippings.

2. Place meat in cooker, along with all other ingredients except cheese.

3. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Turn to Low and cook 4 more hours.

4. Sprinkle with cheese and cook 10 minutes more.

Variation:

You can change the balance of ingredients by using only 1-1½ lbs. ground beef and adding another ½-1 cup uncooked macaroni.

Note:

This is a tried and true recipe adapted from an old 1984 Pennsylvania Grange cookbook. It’s an easy meal to carry outside to the picnic table or to take to a Little League game.

Cheese and Pasta in a Pot

Cathy Boshart

Lebanon, PA

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 35-40 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-3 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

2 lbs. ground beef

1 Tbsp. oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

14-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

16-oz. can stewed tomatoes

4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, undrained

8 oz. dry shell macaroni, cooked al dente,
divided

1½ pints sour cream,
divided

½ lb. provolone cheese, sliced

½ lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced thin,
or
shredded

1. Brown ground beef in oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking
until all pink disappears. Drain off all but 2 Tbsp. drippings.

2. Add onions, garlic, spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes, and undrained mushrooms to beef and remaining drippings in skillet. Mix well.

3. Simmer 10-15 minutes in skillet, or until onions are soft.

4. Pour half of macaroni into slow cooker.

5. Cover with half tomato-meat sauce.

6. Spread half sour cream over sauce.

7. Top with provolone cheese.

8. Repeat macaroni and tomato-meat sauce layers.

9. Top with mozzarella cheese.

10. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours or on Low 3 hours.

Hamburger Rice Casserole

Shari Mast

Harrisonburg, VA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

½ lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 cup diced celery

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1 soup can water

4 cups cooked rice,
divided

4-oz. can mushroom pieces, drained,
divided

Velveeta cheese slices

1. Brown ground beef, onion, and celery in skillet. Stir frequently to break clumps of meat. Continue browning until no pink remains in meat. Drain off drippings.

2. Season meat in skillet with basil and oregano.

3. Combine soup and water in bowl.

4. In well greased slow cooker, layer half of rice, half of mushrooms, half of ground-beef mixture, and half of soup mixture.

5. Repeat layers.

6. Cover. Cook on High 4 hours.

7. Top with cheese 30 minutes before serving.

Serving suggestion: This casserole, served with
cornbread
and
applesauce
, makes a well-rounded meal that is quick and easy to prepare and well-received by children and adults.

Hearty Rice Casserole

Dale Peterson

Rapid City, SD

Makes 12-16 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 lb. loose pork sausage

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

10¾-oz. can creamy onion soup

10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 cup water

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1½ cups uncooked long-grain rice

shredded cheese,
optional

1. Brown beef and sausage in large skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until no more pink remains. Drain off drippings.

2. Place browned meat in slow cooker.

3. Add all ingredients except cheese to slow cooker. Mix well.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or until rice is fully cooked.

5. Sprinkling with cheese during last hour if you wish.