serves 6
The Ingredients
1 pound brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup water
The Directions
Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Wash and trim the ends off of each Brussels sprout. Cut each sprout in half, and toss into the slow cooker. Add the butter, mustard, salt, pepper, and water. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Stir to distribute the sauce before serving.
The Verdict
My eight-year-old’s favorite vegetable is brussels sprouts. She must have been absent in school the day her classmates announced that liking brussels sprouts at a young age is a tiny bit odd. She will gladly make an entire meal out of these sprouts, and we proudly cheer her on. Adam and I really like the savory component the Dijon mustard provides. If you aren’t normally a fan of this vegetable, you might find yourself won over by this ingredient combination.
serves 10
The Ingredients
4 cups grated carrots
1 small onion, grated
1 cup heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon sugar
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Put the grated carrots and onion into your slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream, egg, salt, nutmeg, and sugar. Pour the mixture into your slow cooker, and stir to mix with the grated carrots and onion. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. When the carrots are tender, blend with a handheld stick blender or in a traditional blender to create a pudding-like consistency. Serve alongside meat and potatoes.
The Verdict
This is a very heavy side dish—just a small amount is plenty. It pairs really well with a juicy steak and a baked potato. I’ve had similar carrot dishes in fancy restaurants, and love how simple and inexpensive it is to make at home in the slow cooker.
serves 4 to 6
The Ingredients
1 head cauliflower
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used Pamela’s Baking Mix)
2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup shredded Swiss or Gruyère cheese
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Wash and separate the cauliflower florets. Place into the bottom of the slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and flour to make a roux. Slowly whisk in the cream. Add the spices and shredded cheese. Pour the milky cheese mixture on top of the cauliflower. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until lightly browned on top and the cauliflower reaches the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
If you’ve got fussy people in the house who insist they don’t like cauliflower, this recipe will win them over. The finished result is gooey and delicious. I like the way the cheese gets a bit crusty along the edges—it’s my favorite part.
serves 4
The Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) package baby carrots
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
The Directions
Use a 2-quart slow cooker. Wash the baby carrots (even though the package says prewashed, I wash them because I promised my dad I would), and dump into the slow cooker. Add the butter, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. I like my carrots al dente.
The Verdict
This is a great accompaniment to a roasted chicken or pot roast. The lemon and dill combination is superb with the sweetness of the cooked carrots. Yum.
serves 6
The Ingredients
4 medium beets, peeled and sliced in ¼-inch slices
¼ cup butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Carefully (and wearing old clothes, beets stain!) peel and slice the beets, and place into the stoneware insert. Add the butter, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. Toss the beets with spoons to distribute the sugar. The butter will still be in a clump, and that’s okay. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Serve when the beets have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
I am not a beet person, and won’t go out of my way to eat them on a regular basis. I don’t mind the flavor as much as I mind the color and texture. Adam really enjoys them, though, so I take one for the team and make them every so often. He really likes them prepared like this, and pretty much ate them all by himself. If you have a white countertop or sink, be careful to not get beet juice everywhere because it stains.
serves 6 to 8
The Ingredients
4 to 6 large russet or Idaho potatoes
1 small onion, diced
2 ounces pepperoni slices, quartered
1 (14-ounce) jar pizza sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Wash the potatoes well and cut into 1-inch chunks. I didn’t peel them. Put the potatoes, onion, and pepperoni into the slow cooker. Pour in the pizza sauce and add the cheese. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for about 3 hours. The potatoes should be bite-tender when served.
The Verdict
The next time you’re asked for a side dish at a potluck and are stumped on what to bring, try this potato recipe—it’s a crowd pleaser. I get excited when it’s buy-one/get-one-free day on five-pound bags of potatoes. Because of this, I sometimes end up with way too many potatoes in the house, and struggle to make my way through them before they begin to sprout. This is a great change of pace from mashed or baked potatoes.