Slow-Cooker Cranberry Sauce

 

It wouldn't be the holiday dinner without cranberry sauce. This recipe frees up your time because it is cooked in a slow-cooker. The sweet-tart taste you love and expect from the fresh and dried cranberries make a deeper complex cranberry sauce flavor.

2 (12-oz.) packages fresh cranberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 tablespoon orange zest

Stir together first 5 ingredients and 1/2 cup water in a lightly greased 3 1/2- to 4-qt. slow cooker.

Cover and cook on HIGH 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until cranberries begin to pop.

Uncover and cook 30 minutes. Stir in dried cranberries and orange zest. Cool completely, stirring often (about 1 hour; mixture will thicken as it cools). Cover and chill 8 hours. Store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

A Southern Living Recipe

Photo Credit Iain Bagwell

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Best Slow-Cooker Grits

 

Use stone-ground grits, the slow cooker's steady moist heat released the starch with minimal stirring. Rich and creamy texture with little to no added dairy products. Add salt to taste, cheese, butter, or other ingredients of your choice.

I have a co-worker that makes slow-cooker grits for our breakfast get-togethers. They are delish.

Stir together 1 cup of grits and 3 cups of water in a 3-qt. slow-cooker. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes, allowing grits to settle to the bottom.

Tilt slow-cooker slightly, and skim off solids using a fine-wire mesh strainer.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1⁄2 to 3 hours or until grits are creamy and tender, stirring every 45 minutes. Then stir in salt to taste, as well as any cheese, butter, or other ingredients.

A Southern Living Recipe found here

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Classic French Onion Soup - Slow Cooker

 

There is nothing like a classic French onion soup. I like the idea that I can control the salt, it is made in the slow cooker and you can add your favorite cheese topping. You can also choose if you want beef or chicken broth. You can definitely change up the taste of this classic recipe.

1/4 cup butter

3 large yellow onions, sliced

1 cup dry white wine

3 cans (about 14 ounces each) beef or chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 loaf of French bread, sliced and toasted

4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Fresh thyme for garnish

Melt butter in large skillet over high heat. Add onions; cook and stir 15 minutes or until onions are soft and lightly browned. Stir in wine.

Combine onion mixture, beef broth, thyme, salt and Worcestershire in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Lale soup into 4 individual bowls; top with bread slice and cheese. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Slow Cooker Recipe Collection

Picture Credit My Recipes

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Slow-Cooker Chicken Buffalo Dip

Slow-Cooker Party Dip with bragging rights, same big flavors but with fewer calories and less fat.

Two 8-ounce packages reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into small pieces

2 cups shredded white meat from a rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded

2 cups shredded low-fat Cheddar (about 6 ounces)

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup hot sauce, such as Frank's

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Celery and carrot sticks, for serving

Put the cream cheese, chicken, Cheddar, buttermilk, hot sauce, flour, Worcestershire, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder in a slow cooker, and stir to roughly combine.

Cover, and cook on high for 2 hours; the mixture should be bubbling and the Cheddar melted. Stir until smooth and combined. Sprinkle with the parsley and blue cheese, reduce the heat to warm, and serve with celery and carrot sticks.

Recipe from Food Network

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Four-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

 

Easy budget-friendly delicious slow cooker pot roast. 

1 (3- to 4-lb.) chuck roast, trimmed

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 (12-oz.) can beer

1 (0.7-oz.) envelope Italian dressing mix

Brown roast in hot oil in a skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes on each side; transfer to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Whisk together beer and dressing mix; pour over roast. Cover; cook on LOW 8 to 10 hours or until tender. Remove roast from slow cooker. Skim fat from sauce; serve with roast.

A Southern Living Recipe

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Spinach-and-Broccoli Breakfast Bread Pudding Recipe

The slow-cooker does all the work for this light and cheesy bread pudding. Prep the ingredients the night before and assemble in the next day. Don't skimp on the cheese topping. Allow 3 hours for cooking. Serve for brunch or serve it for dinner with a salad. Serves about 10. 

1 (10-oz.) package fresh baby spinach

Vegetable Cooking Spray

1 pound loaf Cuban bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 (10-oz.) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk

1 cup milk

12 large eggs

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 cups (8-oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Place spinach and 1 Tbsp. water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute and let stand, covered, until spinach is wilted. Drain well and chop.

Lightly grease a 6-qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. Layer half of bread and all spinach, broccoli, and chives in slow cooker. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes, pressing down gently to fit.

Whisk together evaporated milk and next 5 ingredients until frothy. Pour evenly over bread. Top with shredded cheese. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours or until set. Remove lid, and cook 10 minutes.

A Southern Living Recipe

 

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Slow-Cooker Spaghetti Casserole

 

Family-friendly dinner that is so easy to make. Parmesan and Cheddar cheeses, two of my favorites make this gooey goodness. Don't forget the garlic bread.

2 pounds ground round

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken into pieces

1 (26-oz.) jar tomato-and-basil pasta sauce

1 (14.5-oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook ground round and onion in a large skillet, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain the meat, and return to skillet.

Spoon half of the meat mixture into a lightly greased 5-qt. slow cooker. Top with spaghetti. Spoon the remaining half of the meat mixture over top.

Combine pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, ½ cup water, and Italian seasoning. Pour mixture over the meat, and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.

Cover and cook on Low 4 hours. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

A Southern Living Recipe

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Slow-Cooker Ham

 

Ham for the Holidays
Slow-Cooker Ham frees your time to make your sides and desserts. Leftover ham opens the door for other meals. Omelets, soup, casseroles and sandwiches. 

1 cup honey

⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp whole-grain mustard

2 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 (10-lb) Spiral Sliced Ham

Mix all ingredients, except ham, in a small bowl. Move ⅓ of the glaze to a separate smaller bowl; set aside. Brush the remaining glaze onto the ham and in between the spiral cut slices. Place ham in a large slow cooker flat/face side down. Cover (for a large ham, you might need to fold down the slices so the lid fits) and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours, or to a recommended internal temperature of 140 F.

Turn on oven to broil. Remove the ham from the slow cooker and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Brush the reserved glaze over the ham. Broil in the oven, several inches from the heat element, for 3 to 4 minutes. (Do not allow the ham to burn.) Remove and serve. Makes 15 servings.

Recipe Julie Tran Deily

Photo courtesy of Smithfield

The Costco Connection

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Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms Recipe

 

Comfort food and your skillet. This Chicken Pot Pie with leeks and mushroom is creamy and full of flavor. A whole chicken is slow-cooked in a crockpot or if you are pressed for time, chicken breast and/or thighs will do. Carrots and onions that go in the crockpot can be eliminated if you are going to saute chicken breast or thighs. Celery can be added to the skillet when cooking the potatoes. 

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (4 1/2-lb.) whole chicken

1 lemon, halved

4 garlic cloves

4 small yellow onions (about 1 lb.), quartered

2 large carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 celery stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups peeled and diced russet potatoes

1 1/2 cups chopped leeks

1/2 cup chopped carrots

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth (or reserved strained stock)

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 10-inch square puff pastry sheet, thawed

1 large egg, 

Stir together olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, paprika, thyme, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub mixture on outside and under skin of chicken. Stuff cavity with lemon, garlic cloves, and 4 onion quarters.

Place 2 inverted shallow ramekins in a 6-quart slow cooker. Place carrots, celery, and remaining onion quarters around ramekins; pour water over vegetables. Place chicken, breast side up, on top of ramekins. Cover and cook on HIGH until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of breast registers 165°F, about 3 1/2 hours. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and let rest 15 minutes.

Preheat broiler to HIGH with oven rack 6 inches from heat. Remove ramekins, and pour stock mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids. Reserve stock for later use. Cut chicken into 6 pieces, and place, skin side up, on an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until skin is golden brown and crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Set chicken aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium and cook potatoes, chopped leeks, and chopped carrots until slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, chopped garlic, and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until potatoes and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes, adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if vegetables stick to skillet. Stir in 12 ounces shredded, skinless Chicken and thawed green peas; remove from heat.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth (or reserved strained stock); cook until thickened, about 6 minutes. Add heavy cream and hot sauce. Stir cream mixture into chicken mixture. Place the thawed puff pastry sheet over filling, letting corners drape over edge. Brush lightly with egg wash (from 1 large egg), and cut 3 to 4 slits in top of pastry sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and bubbly, 20 to 22 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes.

A Southern Living Recipe HERE

By Paige Grandjean

CREDIT: VICTOR PROTASIO; FOOD STYLING: TORIE COX; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE

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Slow Cooker Macaroni and Creamy Cheddar Cheese

If you are like me I don't particularly care for boxed mac & cheese. They are super handy and I do serve them once in awhile when I am in a hurry. But check this recipe out, in the crock-pot. Smells like creamy goodness. 

Cooking spray

8 ounces cooked elbow macaroni

One 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick ) of butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

Dash of pepper

2 large eggs, beaten

Two 10-ounce bricks sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (about 5 cups)

Dash of paprika

In a large 4-quart slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray, mix the macaroni, evaporated milk, milk, butter, salt, pepper, eggs and all but 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Sprinkle the reserved cheese over the top of the mixture and then sprinkle with paprika. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 15 minutes. Turn off the slow cooker, stir the mixture and serve hot.

Cook's Note: If you don't have a slow cooker, grease a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan with butter, add the mixture and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood (c) Clarkson Potter 2010

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Slow-Cooker Navy Bean and Ham Soup Recipe

 

Super easy soup recipe. Chop, dump, and let it cook. 

1 (16 oz.) package dried navy beans, soaked overnight according to package directions, drained, and rinsed

4 cups water

2 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small onion)

½ cup chopped peeled carrot (2 carrots)

½ cup chopped celery (3 celery stalks)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 large, meaty roasted ham bone

Place beans, water, broth, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and pepper in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker; stir to combine. Place ham bone in center of mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH 6 hours or LOW 8 to 10 hours until beans are tender. Remove ham bone and any gristle. Return any ham meat to soup.

Credit: Photo: Hector M. Sanchez

Southern Living Recipe Here

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Slow-Cooker Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

This sweet and salty dish will become a favorite and it will free up your stovetop.

4 pounds slender sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick slices

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

4 tablespoons butter, melted 

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon orange zest

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

Place sweet potatoes in a 5- to 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir together orange juice concentrate and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over sweet potatoes, tossing to coat.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 1/2 to 6 hours or until potatoes are tender.

Transfer potatoes to a serving dish, using a slotted spoon. Increase slow cooker to HIGH. Whisk together cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. cold water until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture into cooking liquid in slow cooker. Cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Spoon sauce over potatoes.

Stir together parsley, orange zest, and garlic. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley mixture and crumbled bacon.

A Sothern Living Recipe

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Slow Cooker Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

 

Upside-down cake has never been easier. Simply stir ingredients together and pour into a greased, 5-quart slow cooker.

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 (14-oz.) can whole-berry cranberry sauce

1 (12-oz.) package fresh cranberries

1 (16-oz.) package pound cake mix

3/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Lightly grease a 5-quart slow cooker. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a small bowl until blended. Pour mixture into prepared slow cooker. Top with cranberries.

Beat pound cake mix, milk, and next 2 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on low speed 2 minutes. Pour batter over cranberries. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Turn off slow cooker; let cake stand, covered, 20 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving platter. Cut into wedges, and serve with ice cream, if desired.

A Southern Living Recipe

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Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwiches

 

Easy Cuban Pulled Pork Sandwiches. I love a good Cuban sandwich and the fam is like wow you made these! 

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lime juice

12 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons spiced rum, optional

2 tablespoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons white pepper

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

5 to 6 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, cut into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

SANDWICHES:

2 loaves (1 pound each) French bread

Yellow mustard, optional

16 dill pickle slices

1-1/2 pounds thinly sliced deli ham

1-1/2 pounds Swiss cheese, sliced

In a 6- or 7-qt. slow cooker, combine first 9 ingredients. Add pork; cook, covered, on low until tender, 8-10 hours. Remove roast; shred with 2 forks. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook meat in batches until lightly browned and crisp in spots.

Cut each loaf of bread in half lengthwise. If desired, spread mustard over cut sides of bread. Layer bottom halves of bread with pickles, pork, ham and cheese. Replace tops. Cut each loaf into 8 slices.

Recipe and Photo Credit Taste of Home

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Slow Cooker Pineapple Upside-Down Dump Cake

Dump Cakes have been a favorite and now a pineapple upside-down dump cake in a slow-cooker! Awesome.

3/4 cup butter, divided

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 jar (6 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple tidbits or crushed pineapple, undrained

1 package yellow cake mix (regular size)

Vanilla ice cream, optional

In a microwave, melt 1/2 cup butter; stir in brown sugar. Spread evenly onto bottom of a greased 5-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with cherries and pecans; top with pineapple. Sprinkle evenly with dry cake mix. 

Melt remaining butter; drizzle over top.

Cook, covered, on high until fruit mixture is bubbly, about 2 hours. (To avoid scorching, rotate slow cooker insert one-half turn midway through cooking, lifting carefully with oven mitts.)

Turn off slow cooker; let stand, uncovered, 30 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with ice cream.

Tips

Let the cake stand, uncovered, after cooking to allow the steam to escape. As it cools, the cake and saucy pineapple mixture set up a bit.

Sprinkle the cake mix in an even layer over the pineapple. If it’s piled high in the center, the middle of the cake may be undercooked.

A large slow cooker is used to keep the ingredient layers thin and promote even cooking.

To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Recipe Credit Taste of Home

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Slow-Cooker Mexican Pot Roast

This pot roast, richly flavored with Mexican spices

1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced

1lb baby red potatoes (about 8 potatoes)

1 boneless beef chuck roast (2 1/2 to 3 lb)

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

2 teaspoons ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained

Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Arrange onion and potatoes in slow cooker. Place beef over vegetables. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix, cumin, red pepper, salt and pepper. Pour tomatoes over beef and vegetables.

• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours or until beef is tender. Serve beef and vegetables with sauce.

Betty Crocker Recipe

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Ropa Veija Slow-Cooker

This is a new recipe for us and it was very good. I think I will use a pot roast instead of flank steak (personal choice). the flank steak did come out tender. I served as a side dish frozen sweet plantains and baked then in the oven for 20 minutes. They were so good. Ropa vieja, which is Spanish for "Old Clothes," is a popular dish of the Canary Islands, Cadiz, Greater Miami and the Caribbean, especially Cuba, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. This recipe came from the Cortese family.

1 lb flank steak

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

1 green pepper

1 15oz jar of tomato sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vino seco (white wine in the latino section of grocery store, white wine will suffice)

1 can pimentos.

Chop onion and green pepper. Add all ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with yellow rice and plantains.

Photo Slender Kitchen 

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Slow-Cooker Cheesy Bean Dip

Now this is easy! Cheesy Bean Dip in the slow-cooker. 

1 package (16 ounces) mild Mexican pasteurized prepared cheese product with jalapeño peppers, cut into cubes

1 can (16 ounces) Old El Paso™ refried beans

1 can (4.5 ounces) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles, undrained

2 pounds tortilla chips, if desired

Mix cheese, beans and chiles in cooker.

Cover and cook on Low heat setting 2 to 3 hours or until cheese is melted. 

Stir until cheese is smooth.

Scrape down side of cooker with rubber spatula to help prevent edge of dip from scorching. 

Serve with tortilla chips. 

Dip will hold on Low heat setting up to 2 hours; stir occasionally.

A Betty Crocker Recipe

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Slow-Cooker BBQ Pork

This super-simple recipe delivers big flavor. Serve on buns with slaw or over hot toasted cornbread.

Reduce the fat but not the flavor in this juicy cut of pork by preparing a day ahead. Cool the barbecue, and refrigerate overnight. Remove and discard any solidified fat before reheating.

1 (3 to 4 lb) shoulder pork roast

1 (18 oz.) bottle barbecue sauce

1 (12 oz.) can cola soft drink

Place pork roast in a 6 quart slow cooker; pour barbecue sauce and cola over roast. Cover and cook on high 8 hours or until meat is tender and shreds easily.

Super easy and taste great. This is a Southern Living Recipe

Photo Southern Living

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