The Everything Kosher Slow Cooker Cookbook (7 page)

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cup (
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stick) margarine, melted

1 recipe Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce (see recipe in sidebar)

Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce

Whisk together 3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard, 2 tablespoons honey, and 3 tablespoons mayonnaise until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Makes approximately
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cup.

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with the cooking spray. Set aside.
   
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lime juice, and the mustard.
   
3. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs, coconut, salt, pepper, curry powder, and oregano.
   
4. Dip the chicken strips in the mustard mixture, followed by the bread crumb mixture. Place in the prepared slow cooker. Drizzle the melted margarine over the chicken.
   
5. Cover and cook on high for 2–4 hours, or until the chicken fingers are fully cooked. Serve with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce alongside.
   

Eggplant Caviar

A simple yet tasty dip. Serve with toasted Italian bread slices.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8

2 medium-sized eggplants, peeled and cut across into
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" slices

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cup plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

Cooking spray

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cup olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into
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" slices and toasted

1. Place the eggplant slices in a colander in the sink. Use the
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   cup of the kosher salt to evenly salt both sides of eggplant slices. Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse the slices and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1" chunks.
   
2. Spray the insides of a 4-quart slow cooker with the cooking spray. Add in the eggplant chunks. Stir in the olive oil, onion, garlic, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours, or until eggplant is very tender.
   
3. Mash eggplant mixture with a fork. Mix in red wine vinegar. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve warm or chilled with toasted slices of Italian bread.
   

Black Bean Salsa

If making this addicting salsa in advance, add cilantro just before serving. Alternatively, this salsa can be served as a cool side dish for 8.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12 AS A DIP

1 cup dried black beans

Water, as needed

2 teaspoons salt

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red pepper

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green pepper

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small red onion

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packed cup cilantro, leaves and stems

1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons juice)

2–4 tablespoons olive oil, depending on taste

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

2 drops Tabasco sauce, or to taste

Large bag of tortilla chips

Cilantro

Don’t discard the cilantro stems! They are just as flavorful, if not more so, than the leaves. And unlike most fresh herbs, cilantro stems retain their flavor during long cooking times, making them perfect for slow cooker recipes. The stems can be tossed in at the beginning of a recipe; add the leaves just before serving.

1. Rinse the black beans in water. Place the beans in a container, then add water to cover by at least an inch; let soak overnight.
   
2. The next day, drain the water, rinse beans again, then add to a large pot and cover with water. Boil on high heat for 10 minutes, then drain.
   
3. Add black beans, enough fresh water to cover by 1 inch, and 2 teaspoons of salt to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours. Check the beans to see if they are tender after about 5 hours; continue cooking if necessary, checking every 30 minutes.
   
4. When the beans are done, drain in a colander; set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
   
5. Meanwhile, seed and finely chop the red and green pepper halves, the onion, and the cilantro.
   
6. Place beans in a large mixing bowl. Add the vegetables, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and Tabasco sauce. Gently combine. Taste and add more oil and/or salt if necessary.
   
7. Transfer to a 2-quart serving bowl. Add cilantro just before serving. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.
   

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

For a different presentation, scrape cooked dip into broiler-safe dish. Top with
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cup of bread crumbs and heat under the broiler for 1–2 minutes or until bread crumbs just start to brown.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Cooking spray

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1
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cups part-skim ricotta cheese

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teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon lemon zest

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teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained well

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cup grated Parmesan cheese

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teaspoon salt

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cup shredded mozzarella

Draining Frozen Spinach

Defrosted spinach contains a lot of water. Place defrosted spinach in a paper towel–lined colander over a bowl. Top with another paper towel and press down to extract as much water as possible.

1. Spray the inside of a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
   
2. Heat the olive oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and cook until fragrant and pale golden, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the garlic to cool while proceeding with next step.
   
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, thyme, lemon zest, and cayenne pepper.
   
4. Add the artichokes, spinach, Parmesan, salt, and cooled garlic. Stir well to combine.
   
5. Transfer the artichoke mixture into the prepared cooker and sprinkle evenly with the mozzarella.
   
6. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours. Serve hot or warm.
   

CHAPTER 3

Breakfast and Brunch

Nutty Breakfast Pilaf

Almond and Dried Cherry Granola

French Toast Casserole

Challah French Toast Casserole

Breakfast Quinoa with Maple, Walnuts, and Apples

Barley Porridge with Blueberries and Pecans

Overnight Oatmeal

Cheese Grits

Banana Walnut Frittata

Cheese Soufflé

Spinach Quiche

Apple Cherry Granola Crisp

Hash Brown Casserole

Shakshuka

Pear, Apple, and Cranberry Pancake Topping

Hot and Fruity Granola

Individual Spinach Florentine Cups

Nutty Breakfast Pilaf

If you don’t have fresh oranges, substitute ¹∕
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cup orange juice for the zest.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 4

Baking spray

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cup chopped pecans

1 cup brown rice

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cup golden raisins

1
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teaspoons grated orange zest

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teaspoon cinnamon

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

1
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cups water

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teaspoon salt

1 banana, cut up (optional)

1 cup blueberries, rinsed (optional)

Make It Pareve

Make this recipe pareve by substituting 2 cups soy, almond, or rice milk for the evaporated milk and by reducing the water to 1 cup.

1. Spray the inside of a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker with baking spray.
   
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the chopped pecans. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until pecans just begin to toast and smell nutty.
   
3. Immediately remove from heat and mix in rice. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared slow cooker. Sprinkle with the raisins, orange zest, and cinnamon. Do not clean saucepan.
   
4. Combine the evaporated milk, water, and salt in the used saucepan. Bring just to a boil over medium heat. Pour the liquid carefully over the rice mixture.
   
5. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until liquid is totally absorbed. Turn off cooker.
   
6. Fluff pilaf with a fork, re-cover, and allow the rice to sit for 5 minutes. Serve hot with optional blueberries and/or bananas.
   

Almond and Dried Cherry Granola

Using the slow cooker virtually eliminates any chance of overcooking or burning the granola.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 24

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

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cup mild honey

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cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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cup dried tart cherries

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cup unsweetened flaked coconut

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cup sunflower seeds

1. Place the oats and almonds into a 4-quart slow cooker. Drizzle with honey, oil, and vanilla. Stir the mixture to distribute the syrup evenly. Cook on high, uncovered, for 1
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   hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes.
   
2. Add the cherries, coconut, and sunflower seeds. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 4 hours, uncovered, stirring every 20 minutes.
   
3. Allow the granola to cool fully, and then store it in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
   

French Toast Casserole

This recipe is great for breakfast, and it’s a wonderful way to use bread that is slightly stale.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8