Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (7 page)

4-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained

assorted crackers and/or bread cubes

1. Grease interior of slow cooker.

2. Combine milk and salsa in slow cooker.

3. Stir in cream cheese, crabmeat, onions, and chilies.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes if you’re home and able to do so.

5. Serve with crackers and/or bread.

Cheese and Crab Dip

Donna Lantgen
, Rapid City, SD

Makes 5 cups

Prep. Time: 10 minutes • Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 2-qt.

3 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened

2 6-oz. cans crabmeat, drained

1 can broken shrimp, drained

6 Tbsp. finely chopped onions

1 tsp. horseradish

½ cup toasted almonds, broken

assorted crackers and/or bread cubes

1. Combine all ingredients, except crackers and/or bread cubes, in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours.

3. Serve with crackers or bread cubes.

Variation:

Add 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce to Step 1 for added zest.

Dorothy VanDeest •
Memphis, TN

Liver Paté

Barbara Walker

Sturgis, SD

Makes 1½ cups paté

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Cooling Time: 1-2 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 1½-qt.

1 lb. chicken livers

½ cup dry wine

1 tsp. instant chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp. minced fresh,
or
dry, parsley

1 Tbsp. instant minced onion

¼ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. seasoning salt

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

¼ tsp. dry mustard

half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter, softened

1 Tbsp. brandy

crackers and/or toast cubes

1. In slow cooker, combine all ingredients except butter, brandy, crackers, and/or toast cubes.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours. Let stand in liquid until cool.

3. Drain. Place in blender or food grinder.

4. Add butter and brandy. Process until smooth.

5. Serve with crackers and/or toast cubes.

Snack Mix

Yvonne Boettger

Harrisonburg, VA

Makes 14 cups

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

8 cups Chex cereal, of any combination

6 cups from the following: pretzels, snack crackers, goldfish, Cheerios, nuts, bagel chips, toasted corn

¾ stick (6 Tbsp.) butter, melted

2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. seasoning salt

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion salt

½ tsp. onion powder

1. Combine 14 cups of dry ingredients in slow cooker.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and seasonings.

3. Pour over dry ingredients in slow cooker. Toss until well mixed.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.

Variation:

To liven up the Snack Mix a bit more, increase Worcestershire sauce to 4 Tbsp. and add a dash of Tabasco sauce.

Dorothy van Deest

Memphis, TN

Spicy Party Mix

Sharon Miller

Holmesville, OH

Makes 13 cups

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.

¾ stick (6 Tbsp.) butter, melted

1-oz. packet taco seasoning mix

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

⅛-¼ tsp. cayenne, depending on your taste preferences

2 cups pecan halves

2 cups roasted cashews, unsalted

2 cups walnut halves

2 cups whole almonds, unblanched

3 cups goldfish,
or
bite-size cheese, crackers

2 cups pretzel nuggets
or
sticks

1. Mix butter and seasonings in slow cooker.

2. Add all remaining ingredients and toss together gently.

3. Cook uncovered on Low 3-4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes until nuts are toasted. Turn off heat.

4. Serve from slow cooker with large spoon, or pour into big serving bowl.

Tip:

You can make this a day before your party. Just be sure to store it in an airtight container.

Christmas Sugared Walnuts

Lavina Hochstedler

Grand Blanc, MI

Makes 3-4 cups

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-3 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 2- to 3-qt.

1 lb. walnut pieces

1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup confectioners sugar

1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground ginger

¼ tsp. ground allspice

⅛ tsp. ground cloves

1. In slow cooker, stir walnuts and butter together until combined.

2. Add confectioners sugar, stirring to coat nuts evenly.

3. Cover. Cook on High 15 minutes. Then reduce heat to Low.

4. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until nuts are coated with a crisp glaze, about 2 hours.

5. Transfer nuts to a serving bowl.

6. In a small bowl, combine spices. Sift over nuts, stirring to coat evenly.

7. Cool nuts completely before serving.

Caramel Peanut Butter Dip

Genelle Taylor

Perrysburg, OH

Makes about 1½ cups