Fix-It and Forget-It Revised and Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes (55 page)

Family Favorite Casserole

Lizzie Weaver

Ephrata, PA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-5 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 5½-qt.

1½ lbs. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1½ cups diced potatoes

1½ cups sliced carrots

1½ cups peas

1½ cups macaroni, cooked

10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup

½ lb. cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups milk

1½ tsp. salt

1. Fry beef and onion in saucepan until brown. Drain.

2. Cook vegetables just until soft.

3. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, or on Low 4-5 hours.

Variation:

Skip pre-cooking the vegetables; add them raw to the slow cooker. Increase cooking time to 4 hours on High, or 8-10 hours on Low.

Add the cooked macaroni and the milk during the last 15 minutes if cooking on High, or during the last 30 minutes if cooking on Low.

Tastes-Like-Turkey

Lizzie Weaver

Ephrata, PA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-8 hours

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

2 lbs. hamburger, browned

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 10¾-oz. cans cream of chicken soup

10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup

4 scant cups milk

1 large pkg. bread stuffing,
or
large loaf of bread, torn in pieces

1. Combine all ingredients in large buttered slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on High 3 hours, or on Low 6-8 hours.

Meatball Stew

Nanci Keatley

Salem, OR

Ada Miller

Sugarcreek, OH

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 20-25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

2 lbs. ground beef

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

6 medium potatoes, cubed

1 large onion, sliced

6 medium carrots, sliced

1 cup ketchup

1 cup water

1½ tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1. Combine beef, ½ tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Brown meatballs in saucepan over medium heat. Drain.

2. Place potatoes, onion, and carrots in slow cooker. Top with meatballs.

3. Combine ketchup, water, vinegar, basil, oregano, ½ tsp. salt, and ½ tsp. pepper. Pour over meatballs.

4. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours, or until vegetables are tender.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs with Vegetables

Barbara Katrine Rose

Woodbridge, VA

Makes 4-6 servings (24 small meatballs)

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 3½-4½ hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup drained, unsweetened, crushed pineapple

2 slices crumbled whole wheat bread

2 tsp. instant minced onion

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. dry mustard

¼ tsp. pepper

Sauce:

4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. pepper

2 4-oz. cans sliced mushrooms, undrained

2 cups sliced carrots

3 cups tomato juice

4 tsp. instant minced onion

4 Tbsp. minced green peppers

1. Combine all meatball ingredients. Shape into meatballs, using 1 heaping tablespoon mixture for each. Place on rack in baking pan.

2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until done.

3. Combine all sauce ingredients and meatballs in slow cooker.

4. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours.

Serving suggestion: Serve over
rice
.

BBQ Meatballs

Kathryn Yoder

Minot, ND

Makes 12-15 main-dish servings, or 20-25 appetizer servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-10 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

Meatballs:

3 lbs. ground beef

5-oz. can evaporated milk

1 cup dry oatmeal (rolled,
or
instant)

1 cup cracker crumbs

2 eggs

½ cup chopped onions

½ tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

2 tsp. chili powder

Sauce:

2 cups ketchup

1 cup brown sugar

1½ tsp. liquid smoke

½ tsp. garlic powder

¼ cup chopped onions

1. Combine all meatball ingredients. Shape into walnut-sized balls. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheets. Freeze. When fully frozen, place in plastic bag and store in freezer until needed.

2. When ready to use, place frozen meatballs in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on High as you mix up sauce.

3. Pour combined sauce ingredients over meatballs. Stir.

4. Cover. Continue cooking on High 1 hour. Stir. Turn to Low and cook 6-9 hours.

Variation:

Instead of using barbecue sauce, cook meatballs with spaghetti sauce or cream of mushroom soup.

Mary Ellen’s Barbecued Meatballs

Mary Ellen Wilcox

Scatia, NY

Makes about 60 small meatballs

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 2-qt.

Meatballs:

¾-lb. ground beef

¾ cup bread crumbs

1½ Tbsp. minced onion

½ tsp. horseradish

3 drops Tabasco sauce

2 eggs, beaten

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

butter

Sauce:

¾ cup ketchup

½ cup water

¼ cup cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. minced onion

2 tsp. horseradish

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

3 drops Tabasco

dash pepper

1. Combine all meatball ingredients except butter. Shape into ¾-inch balls. Brown in butter in skillet. Place in slow cooker.

2. Combine all sauce ingredients. Pour over meatballs.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 5 hours.