Pork and Ham Main Dishes
Barbecued Ribs
Virginia Bender
Dover, DE
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
4 lbs. pork ribs
½ cup brown sugar
12-oz. jar chili sauce
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. hot sauce
1. Place ribs in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a good-sized bowl.
3. Pour half of sauce over ribs.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
5. Serve with remaining sauce.
Sweet and Sour Ribs
Cassandra Ly
Carlisle, PA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
3-4 lbs. boneless country-style pork ribs
20-oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
½ cup thinly sliced onions
½ cup thinly sliced green bell peppers
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup tomato paste
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1. Place ribs in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a good-sized bowl. Pour over ribs.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over rice.
Give a basket filled with a recipe, the ingredients to make it, decorative potholders or towels, and a special utensil for preparing the recipe.
Maryann Markano, Wilmington, DE
1-2-3 Barbecued Country Ribs
Barbara Walker
Sturgis, SD
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
18-oz. bottle prepared barbecue sauce
4 lbs. spareribs, or 3 lbs. country-style ribs, cut in serving-size pieces
1. Pour a little sauce into slow cooker. Put in a layer of ribs, meaty side up. Cover with barbecue sauce.
2. Continue layering until all ribs are in the pot. Submerge them as much as possible in sauce.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
Note:
No need to precook the ribs if they’re lean. If they’re fattier than you like, parboil in water in stockpot before placing in cooker, to cook off some of the grease. Drain and place in slow cooker. Follow Steps 1-3.
Tender ’n’ Tangy Ribs
Sherri Grindle, Goshen, IN
Makes 2-3 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes • Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
¾-1 cup vinegar
½ cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. paprika
½-1 tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
2 lbs. pork spareribs, or country-style ribs
1 Tbsp. oil
1. Combine first nine ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cut ribs into serving-size pieces. Brown in batches in oil in skillet. Don’t crowd the skillet or the ribs will steam and not brown. Transfer to slow cooker as you finish browning them.
3. Stir sauce through ribs.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve the ribs with baked potatoes or rice.
Note: I often use this recipe if I am having company for Sunday lunch.
Country-Style Ribs and Sauerkraut
Rhonda Burgoon
Collingswood, NJ
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
16-oz. bag sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 onion, diced
1 red-skinned apple, chopped
2-3 lbs. country-style pork ribs
1 cup beer
1. Combine sauerkraut, onion, and apple in slow cooker.
2. Layer ribs over sauerkraut mixture.
3. Pour beer over ribs just before turning on cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
Serving suggestion: You’ll love this served with homemade cornbread and mashed potatoes, or deboned on kaiser rolls.
Sauerkraut & Pork Ribs
Annabelle Unternahrer
Shipshewana, IN
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15-25 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
2 lbs. country pork ribs
oil
32-oz. jar sauerkraut
1 large apple, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1½ cups tomato juice
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. caraway seeds, optional
1. Cut ribs in 2”-thick pieces. Brown in skillet with small amount of oil.
2. Combine sauerkraut, apple, carrots, juice, brown sugar, and caraway seeds if you wish, in a bowl.
3. Put half of sauerkraut mixture in bottom of slow cooker.
4. Top with browned ribs.
5. Cover with remainder of sauerkraut mixture.
6. Cover cooker. Cook on Low 6 hours, or until meat leaves the bone when pulled with a fork.
Barbara Jean’s Whole Pork Tenderloin
Barbara Jean Fabel
Wausau, WI
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
½ cup sliced celery
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 medium onion, sliced
half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter, melted
2 1¼-lb. pork tenderloins
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
½ cup beef broth
1 Tbsp. flour
1. Place celery, mushrooms, onion, and half a stick melted butter in slow cooker.
2. Brown tenderloins in skillet in 1 Tbsp. butter. Layer browned meat over vegetables in slow cooker.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Combine broth and flour in small bowl until smooth. Pour over tenderloins.
5. Cover. Cook on High 3 hours or on Low 4-5 hours.
Autumn Harvest Pork Loin
Stacy Schmucker Stoltzfus
Enola, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1 cup cider, or apple juice
1½-2-lb. pork loin
salt
pepper
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1½ whole butternut squashes, peeled and cubed
½ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. dried sage
1. Heat cider in hot skillet. Sear pork loin on all sides in cider.
2. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper on all sides. Place in slow cooker, along with pan juices.
3. In a good-sized bowl, combine apples and squash. Sprinkle with sugar and herbs. Stir. Spoon around pork loin in cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.
5. Remove pork from cooker. Let stand 10-15 minutes. Slice into ½”-thick slices.
6. Serve topped with apples and squash.
Cranberry Pork
Barbara Walker
Sturgis, SD
Donna Treloar
Muncie, IN
Makes 9-12 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6¼-8¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
3-4-lb. boneless rolled pork loin roast
2 Tbsp. canola oil
14-oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup cranberry juice
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. ground cloves
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
salt to taste
1. In Dutch oven, brown roast in oil on all sides over medium-high heat. You may need to cut roast in half to fit into your Dutch oven and/or your slow cooker.
2. Place browned roast in slow cooker.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cranberry sauce, sugar, cranberry juice, mustard, pepper, and cloves. Pour over roast.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees in center of roast. Remove roast and keep warm. Keep sauce on Low in slow cooker.
5. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, water, and salt until smooth.
6. Turn cooker to High. Stir cornstarch-water mixture into cooking juices. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Serve with slices of pork roast.
Variations:
1. In place of sugar, use ¼ cup honey.
2. Instead of ¼ tsp. ground cloves, use ⅛ tsp. ground cloves and ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg.
3. Add 1 tsp. grated orange peel to Step 3.
Renee Baum
Chambersburg, PA
4. Create a whole different twist to the Cranberry Pork Loin by dropping the sugar, cranberry juice, ground mustard, pepper, and cloves. Instead, add 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. grated horseradish, and 1 cup chicken stock to the cranberry sauce. Continue with Steps 4-6.
Susan Kasting
Jenks, OK
Pork Loin with Spiced Fruit Sauce
Maricarol Magill
Freehold, NJ
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 25-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
8-oz. pkg. dried mixed fruit (including plums and apricots), chopped
¼ cup golden raisins
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 small onion, chopped
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
¾ cup water
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. salt, divided
½ tsp. pepper, divided
2¼-lb. boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of fat
¾ lb. fresh green beans, ends nipped off
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water
1. In slow cooker, combine dried fruit, raisins, ginger, onion, sugar, vinegar, water, cinnamon, curry powder, and ¼ tsp. each of salt and pepper. Stir.
2. Season pork with remaining ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. Place pork on top of fruit mixture in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours or on Low 3 hours.
3. Layer green beans over pork. Cover.
4. Cook for 2 more hours on High or for 3 more hours on Low—or until meat is tender and beans are done to your liking.
5. When meat and beans are tender but not dry, remove to separate plates. Cover and keep warm.
6. Stir mustard into sauce in cooker.
7. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 Tbsp. cold water until smooth. Stir into sauce.
8. Cover. Turn cooker to High and let sauce cook a few minutes until thickened.
9. Slice pork and serve with sauce and green beans.
Note:
We discovered this to be a great Christmas dinner one year when we were remodeling and had limited kitchen facilities. I put the ingredients in the slow cooker, and we played Scrabble all day while it cooked. I served it with microwaved rice pilaf. It was my most stress-free Christmas ever!
No Fuss Sauerkraut
Vera M. Kuhns
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
3-lb. pork roast
3 2-lb. pkgs. sauerkraut (drain off juice from 1 pkg.)
2 apples, peeled and sliced
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
1. Place meat in large slow cooker.
2. Place sauerkraut on top of meat.
3. Add apples and brown sugar. Add juice.
4. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours.
Serving suggestion: I think this is made to be eaten with mashed potatoes.
Tip:
If your slow cooker isn’t large enough to hold all the ingredients, cook one package of sauerkraut and half the apples, brown sugar, and apple juice in another cooker. Mix the ingredients of both cookers together before serving.
Variations:
1. Replace brown sugar with ¼ cup honey.
2. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp. dried basil over contents of slow cooker at end of Step 3.
Jean Harris Robinson
Pemberton, NJ
Flautas with Pork Filling
Donna Lantgen
Rapid City, SD
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.
1-lb. pork roast, or chops, cubed
¼ cup chopped onions
4-oz. can diced green chilies, drained
7-oz. can green chile salsa, or chile salsa
1 tsp. cocoa powder
16-oz. can chili
1. Brown cubed pork in non-stick skillet. Drain off any drippings. Place in slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except chili.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours.
4. Add chili. Cook on Low 2-3 hours longer.
Tip:
This is especially good served on spinach-herb tortillas with guacamole dip.
Pork Chops and Gravy
Barbara Walker
Sturgis, SD
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-2½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
½ cup flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. dry mustard
6 1”-thick lean pork chops
10¾-oz can condensed chicken broth
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1. Mix first 4 ingredients in a shallow dish. Dredge pork chops in flour mixture then set aside.
2. Combine remaining flour mixture and chicken broth in slow cooker until thoroughly mixed.
3. Pour oil into large skillet. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Cook chops in hot oil just until browned on both sides. Place in cooker, pushing them down into broth.
4. Cover. Cook on High 2-2½ hours, or just until chops are tender.
Pork Chops
Linda Sluiter
Schererville, IN
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
4 boneless pork chops, 1”-thick
½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup ketchup
½ tsp. salt
1. Place pork chops in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over pork chops.
3. Cover. Cook on High 2-3 hours, and then on Low 3-4 hours, or cook on Low 8 hours—just until chops are fork-tender but not dry.
4. Spoon sauce over chops to serve.
Barbecued Pork Chops
LaVerne A. Olson
Lititz, PA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
6-8 thin pork chops
½ cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
⅓ cup vinegar
½ cup water
1 bay leaf
1. Lightly brown chops on both sides in non-stick skillet. Do it in several batches so chops brown and don’t steam each other.
2. Place browned chops in slow cooker.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over chops.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours, or until chops are tender.
5. Remove bay leaf before serving. Top chops with sauce.
Pork Chops Pierre
Genelle Taylor
Perrysburg, OH
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 30-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 4½-6½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
6 pork chops, each ½”-thick
½ tsp. salt, optional
⅛ tsp. pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
14-oz. can stewed tomatoes
½ cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 beef bouillon cube
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water
1. Place chops in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Spoon onions, celery, green pepper, and tomatoes over chops.
3. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and bouillon cube. Pour over vegetables.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours, just until chops are tender but not dry.
5. Remove chops to a platter and keep warm.
6. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into liquid in slow cooker.
7. Cover. Cook on High 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Serving suggestion: Serve over cooked rice if you wish.
Choose a large vase and stick a small pine branch down into it head first. Sprinkle a handful of cranberries or holly berries on top. Fill the vase with a mixture of evergreens stuck in stem first. Lay a few miniature pine cones and cranberries or holly berries around the foot of the vase. Lay some smaller branches around the base, too, if you like.
Juanita Weaver, Johnsonville, IL
Pork Chops and Potatoes
Sherry H. Kauffman
Minot, ND
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 3½-4½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup country-style Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp. dried thyme
¼-½ tsp. salt, according to your taste preference
¼ tsp. pepper
6 medium red potatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 5-oz. boneless pork loin chops
1. In slow cooker, combine soup, broth, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper.
2. Stir in potatoes and onion slices.
3. Top with pork chops. Push down into sauce as much as possible.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 3½-4½ hours, or until meat and potatoes are tender.
Pork Chops on Rice
Hannah D. Burkholder
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
⅔ cup uncooked converted white rice
½ cup uncooked brown rice
half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter
½ cup chopped onions
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. sage
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
4 boneless pork chops, ¾”-1” thick
10½-oz. can beef consommé
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1. Sauté white and brown rice in butter in skillet until rice is golden brown.
2. Remove from heat and stir in onions, mushrooms, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Pour into greased slow cooker.
3. Arrange chops over rice.
4. Combine consommé and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Pour over chops.
5. Combine thyme, paprika, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle over chops.
6. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours or on High 4-5 hours.
Baked Beans and Chops
John D. Allen
Rye, CO
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 16½-oz. cans baked beans
6 rib pork chops, ½” thick
1½ tsp. prepared mustard
1½ Tbsp. brown sugar
1½ Tbsp. ketchup
6 onion slices, ¼” thick
1. Pour baked beans into bottom of greased slow cooker.
2. Layer pork chops over beans.
3. Spread mustard over pork chops. Sprinkle with brown sugar and drizzle with ketchup.
4. Top with onion slices.
5. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours.
Pork Chops in Orange Sauce
Kelly Evenson
Pittsboro, NC
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 5¼-6¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
4 thick, center-cut pork chops
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. oil
1 orange
¼ cup ketchup
¾ cup orange juice
1 Tbsp. orange marmalade
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup water
1. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Brown chops lightly on both sides in skillet in oil. Transfer to slow cooker. Reserve 2 Tbsp. drippings and discard the rest.
3. Grate ½ tsp. orange zest from top or bottom of orange (in order to preserve the main part of the orange for later use). Combine zest with ketchup, orange juice, and marmalade in skillet with reserved drippings. Simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Pour sauce over chops.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours. Remove chops and keep warm on a platter.
6. In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water. Stir into sauce in slow cooker until it becomes smooth. Cook on High 15 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
7. Serve chops with orange sauce on top, along with slices of fresh orange.
Oxford Canal Chops Deluxe
Willard E. Roth, Elkhart, IN
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes • Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
6 6-oz. boneless pork chops
¼ cup flour
1 tsp. powdered garlic
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried basil and/or dried oregano
2 medium onions, sliced
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup burgundy wine
14½-oz. can beef broth
1 soup can water
6-oz. can tomato sauce
8 oz. dried apricots
½ lb. fresh mushroom caps
1. Shake chops in bag with flour and seasonings.
2. Glaze onions in oil in medium hot skillet. Add chops and brown on both sides.
3. Pour any remaining flour over chops in skillet.
4. In large bowl mix together wine, broth, water, and tomato sauce. Pour over meat. Bring to boil.
5. Remove chops from skillet and place in cooker.
6. Layer in apricots and mushrooms. Pour heated broth over top.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 2½ hours, and then on High 1½ hours, or until chops are just tender.
Serving suggestion: This is a great dish to serve with the Celtic specialty Bubble and Squeak—Irish potatoes mashed with green cabbage or brussels sprouts.
Note:
My favorite memory with this recipe was the time I prepared it in the tiny kitchen of a houseboat on the Oxford Canal and then shared it with five friends. It was a hit!
Pork Chop Slow Cooker Casserole
Janice Crist
Quinter, KS
Makes 5 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
4-5 medium potatoes, quartered or sliced
10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup
10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup
2 15-oz. cans green beans, drained
5 pork chops
1. Layer potatoes in slow cooker.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine 2 soups until smooth. Spread over potatoes.
3. Cover with green beans.
4. Place chops on top of beans.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours or on High 4 hours.
Variations:
1. Cover soup layer with 4 slices of your favorite cheese.
2. Sprinkle chops with garlic salt.
Cheryl Hagner
Montague, MI
Teriyaki Pineapple Pork Chops
Kayla Snyder
North East, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 2- to 3-qt.
4 8-oz. bone-in pork loin chops
1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
½ cup teriyaki sauce
1. Put chops in slow cooker.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over chops. If you’ve stacked the chops, lift up the top ones and ladle sauce over bottom ones, too.
3. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours, or until chops are tender but still juicy.
Tip:
For added flavor, marinate chops in sauce 2-3 hours before cooking.
Apples, Sauerkraut, and Chops
Carol Sherwood
Batavia, NY
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1 onion, sliced and separated into rings, divided
⅛ tsp. garlic flakes, or garlic powder, divided
3 cups sauerkraut, drained, divided
1 cup unpeeled apple slices, divided
1½ tsp. caraway seeds, divided
¼ tsp. salt, divided
¼ tsp. dried thyme, divided
¼ tsp. pepper, divided
4 ½”-thick pork chops
¾ cup apple juice
1. Place half of onion rings, garlic flakes, sauerkraut, apple slices, and caraway seeds in slow cooker.
2. Season with half the salt, thyme, and pepper.
3. Brown chops in large non-stick skillet over high heat on both sides. This takes only a few minutes since you’re browning and not cooking.
4. Place pork chops on top of ingredients in slow cooker.
5. Layer remaining ingredients in order given.
6. Pour apple juice over all.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High 4 hours.
Pork Chops with Stuffing
Erma Kauffman
Cochranville, PA
Makes 2 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 1½-qt.
4 slices bread, cubed
1 egg
¼ cup grated, or finely chopped, celery
¼-½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
2 thick pork chops
1 cup water
1. Combine bread cubes, egg, celery, salt, and pepper in a good-sized bowl.
2. Cut pork chops part way through their thick sides, creating a pocket. Fill with stuffing, dividing the stuffing between them.
3. Pour water into slow cooker. Add chops.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours, or until chops are tender but not dry.
Pork Chops and Stuffing with Curry
Mary Martins
Fairbank, IA
Makes 3-4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 box stuffing mix
1 cup water
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp., or more, curry powder, according to your taste preference
3-4 pork chops
1. Combine stuffing mix and water in a large mixing bowl. Place half in bottom of slow cooker.
2. In another bowl, combine soup and curry powder. Pour half over stuffing.
3. Place pork chops on top.
4. Spread remaining stuffing over pork chops. Pour rest of soup on top.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or just until chops are tender.
Moo Shu Pork
Gwendolyn Chapman
Gwinn, MI
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
½ cup hoisin sauce
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. dark Asian sesame oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
16-oz. bag shredded cole slaw mix
half a 10-oz. bag shredded carrots
1 lb. boneless pork loin chops
12 6” flour tortillas
scallion strips, optional
1. In small bowl, stir together hoisin sauce, garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Place cole slaw and carrots into slow cooker.
3. Cut pork into ⅛”-thick slices. Then cut each slice in half lengthwise. Scatter over top of cabbage mixture in slow cooker.
4. Drizzle with ¼ cup hoisin sauce mixture.
5. Cover. Cook on High 2-3 hours or on Low 4-5 hours, or just until vegetables and meat are as tender as you like them.
6. Remove cover. Stir in remaining ½ cup hoisin sauce mixture.
7. Heat tortillas according to package directions.
8. Place ½ cup pork mixture in center of each tortilla. Top with scallion strips if you wish and roll up.
Tip from Tester:
The Moo Shu mixture is also great served over rice instead of rolling it into tortillas.
Give the gift of time. Give certificates for a trip to the movies, a day at the mall, or a visit to a local historical site, with you, of course. Also, find ways to spread gift-giving throughout the holidays, rather than just on one overwhelming Christmas Day.
Sandra Haverstraw, Hummelstown, PA
Pork Roast with Applesauce “Pulled Pork”
Colleen Heatwole
Burton, MI
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
4-6-lb. pork roast, visible fat removed
24-oz. jar unsweetened applesauce
18-24-oz. bottle barbecue sauce of your choice
1. Place meat in slow cooker.
2. Spread applesauce over top.
3. Spoon barbecue sauce over top of applesauce, being careful not to disturb it.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours, or until roast is very tender but not dry.
5. Remove from slow cooker onto platter. Pull apart with forks.
6. Put shredded meat in bowl. Add some of cooking broth so meat is somewhat juicy but not swimming in sauce.
Serving suggestion: Serve on sandwich or hamburger buns.
Tip from Tester:
I cooked rice in the leftover sauce. I mixed some water with it; the proportion of the liquid was about ⅔ roast-pork sauce and ⅓ water. It was delicious rice!
Zesty Pulled Pork
Sheila Plock
Boalsburg, PA
Makes 10 servings
Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4½-10¾ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2½-3½ lbs. boneless pork shoulder roast, or pork sirloin roast
salt to taste
pepper to taste
½ cup water
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. cumin
18-oz. bottle barbecue sauce of your choice
1. Trim fat from roast. Fit roast into slow cooker.
2. Season meat with salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, combine water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and cumin. Spoon over roast, being careful not to wash off the seasonings.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 4-5 hours, just until pork is very tender but not dry.
5. Remove meat onto a platter. Discard liquid.
6. Shred meat using 2 forks. Return to slow cooker.
7. Stir in 1-2 cups barbecue sauce to taste.
8. Cover. Cook on High 30-45 minutes.
Serving suggestion: Serve on split hamburger buns.
Note:
This is a great recipe when having friends over to watch Christmas and New Year’s Bowl games.
Pulled Pork BBQ
Marsha Sabus
Fallbrook, CA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. paprika
2-lb. pork butt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
12-oz. can beer
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce
½ cup ketchup
3-4 drops hot pepper sauce
1. Rub or pat salt, pepper, and paprika on pork butt.
2. In large skillet, brown each side of meat in olive oil. Place browned butt in slow cooker.
3. Add onion to skillet. Sauté just until tender. Add to slow cooker.
4. Mix remaining ingredients in a good-sized bowl. Pour over pork in slow cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours. Turn to Low and cook 6 more hours.
6. Remove pork from slow cooker to platter. Shred meat with 2 forks.
7. Return pulled pork to slow cooker. Mix thoroughly with sauce.
Serving suggestion: Serve the meat on toasted buns with cole slaw—either inside the rolls, or alongside.
Note:
This recipe can easily be doubled for a large group.
Rob’s Sweet and Sour Joe
Sue Hamilton
Minooka, IL
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
1 lb. ground lean pork
8 oz. cocktail sauce
8 oz. orange marmalade
¼ tsp. Chinese five spice
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 cups cole slaw mix, or shredded cabbage
ground black pepper to taste
1. Brown pork in saucepan, stirring frequently to break up clumps. Drain off drippings. Place meat in slow cooker.
2. Add sauce, marmalade, spice, garlic powder, cole slaw mix, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours, or until heated through.
Serving suggestion: This makes enough to fill 12 sandwich rolls.
Tip:
If you can’t find Chinese 5 spice in your grocery store, you can make your own:
2 tsp. fresh peppercorns
1 star anise
½ Tbsp. ground cloves
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
Grind all together in a coffee or spice grinder until fine.
Use only ¼ tsp. in Rob’s Sweet and Sour Joe, but store the rest in a tightly covered container for the next time.
Savory Sausage Sandwiches
Mary Jane Musser
Manheim, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.
2 lbs. fresh sausage, cut into bun-length pieces
2 pkgs. dry spaghetti sauce mix
12-oz. can tomato paste
3 cups water
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup vinegar
1. Cook sausage in skillet in water for 10 minutes.* Drain. Place in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour over sausage.
3. Cover. Cook on High 3 hours or Low 6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve in rolls topped with grated cheese.
*You can skip this step. But pre-cooking the sausages lightly in this way cooks off much of their grease.
Variation:
Use 1 qt. spaghetti sauce, either homemade or bought, instead of sauce mix, tomato paste, and water.
Italian Sausage
Lauren Eberhard
Seneca, IL
Makes 15 servings
Prep. Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt., or 2 4-qt. cookers
5 lbs. Italian sausage in casing
4 large green bell peppers, sliced
3 large onions, sliced
1, or 2, garlic cloves, minced
28-oz. can tomato purée
14-oz. can tomato sauce
12-oz. can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried basil
½ tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1. Cut sausage into 4” or 5” pieces and brown on all sides in batches in skillet.
2. Sauté peppers, onions, and garlic in drippings.
3. Combine tomato purée, sauce, and paste in bowl. Stir in seasonings and sugar.
4. Layer half of sausage, onions, and peppers in 6-qt. slow cooker, or in 2 4-qt. cookers. Cover with half the tomato mixture. Repeat layers.
5. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour and then on Low 5-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over pasta, or dip mixture with a straining spoon onto Italian sandwich rolls.
Dawn’s Sausage and Peppers
Dawn Day
Westminster, CA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
3 medium onions, sliced
1 sweet red pepper, sliced
1 sweet green pepper, sliced
1 sweet yellow pepper, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. oil
28-oz. can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2-3 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, cut into 3” pieces
1. Sauté onions, peppers, and garlic in oil in skillet. When just softened, place in slow cooker. (Or skip this step, but check that the vegetables are cooked to your liking at the end of the 6-hour cooking time.)
2. Add tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Mix well.
3. Add sausage links.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve on rolls, or over pasta or baked potatoes.
Variation:
For a thicker sauce, stir 2 Tbsp. cornstarch into 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl until smooth. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir into slow cooker, stirring until well mixed. Cover and cook 15 minutes.
Super-Simple Sausage and Sauerkraut
Eileen Lehman
Kidron, OH
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2-3 lbs. fresh sausage, cut in 3”-lengths, or removed from casings
3 32-oz. cans sauerkraut
1. Brown sausage in large non-stick skillet. (Don’t crowd the skillet or the sausages will steam and not brown.)
2. Combine sausage and sauerkraut in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-8 hours, or until meat is fully cooked.
Note:
It is traditional to serve sauerkraut with mashed potatoes on New Year’s Day in Kidron!
Bratwurst in Sauce
Joyce Shackelford
Green Bay, WI
Makes 6-10 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2-3 lbs. uncooked bratwursts
6-oz. can tomato paste
½ cup ketchup
12-oz. can beer
½ small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1. Place bratwursts in saucepan. Barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 5-10 minutes. Drain well. Cut into bite-size pieces.
2. Combine tomato paste, ketchup, beer, onion, and garlic in slow cooker. Add partially cooked brats.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-10 hours, or until brats are cooked through and as hot as you like them.
Serving suggestion: Serve over cooked rice or pasta. Or serve with wooden picks, accompanied with a good dark bread.
Brats and Spuds
Kathi Rogge
Alexandria, IN
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
5-6 bratwurst links, cut into 1” pieces
5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
27-oz. can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 medium-sized tart apple, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
⅓-½ cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1. Brown bratwurst on all sides in skillet.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Stir in bratwurst and pan drippings.
3. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours, or until potatoes and apples are tender.
Variation:
Add a small amount of caraway seeds or crisp bacon pieces, just before serving.
Sausage and Scalloped Potatoes
Carolyn Baer
Conrath, WI
Makes 5 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2½ lbs. potatoes, sliced ¼” thick, divided
1 lb. fully cooked smoked sausage links, sliced ½” thick, divided
2 medium onions, chopped, divided
10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup, divided
10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup, divided
1. Layer one-third of potatoes, one-third of sausage, one-third of onions, one-third of cheddar cheese soup, and one-third of celery soup into slow cooker.
2. Repeat 2 times.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 10 hours or on High 5 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.
Serving suggestion: Serve with peas, a salad, and dessert.
Note:
I like to prepare this delicious dish when I will be gone for the day, but know I will have guests for the evening meal. When I get home, the meat and potatoes are already cooked.
Sausage-Potato Slow Cooker Dinner
Deborah Swartz
Grottoes, VA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
¾ lb. sausage, casings removed, divided
1 cup water
½ tsp. cream of tartar
6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced, peeled or not, divided
1 onion, chopped, divided
¼ cup flour, divided
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1½ cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. Combine water and cream of tartar in a good-sized mixing bowl. Place potatoes in water as you slice them. When finished slicing, toss potatoes in water to keep them from turning brown. Drain off water.
3. Layer half of potatoes, sausage, onion, flour, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and half of cheddar cheese in slow cooker.
4. Repeat layers of potatoes, sausage, onion, flour, salt and pepper until completely used.
5. Dot butter over top. Pour soup over all.
6. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours or on High 3-4 hours, or until potatoes and onions are tender.
7. Sprinkle reserved cheese over top just before serving.
As Christmas comes near, my husband and I spend seven different evenings with each one of our seven married children. It’s so special to see their reactions as they open their gifts. On Christmas Day we all gather together to eat and sing.
Mary B. Sensenig, New Holland, PA
Sausage and Sweet Potatoes
Ruth Hershey
Paradise, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. bulk sausage
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup water
1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. Layer sausage, sweet potatoes, and apples in slow cooker.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until well mixed.
4. Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 4 hours.
Harvest Kielbasa
Christ Kaczynski
Schenectady, NY
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 lbs. smoked kielbasa
3 cups unsweetened applesauce
½ cup brown sugar
3 medium onions, sliced
1. Slice kielbasa into ¼” slices. Brown in skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. Combine applesauce and brown sugar in a good-sized mixing bowl.
3. Layer kielbasa, onions, and applesauce mixture in slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4-8 hours.
Note:
The longer it cooks, the better the flavor.
Kielbasa Stew
Fannie Miller
Hutchinson, KS
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 40-45 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
6 strips of bacon
1 onion, chopped
1-1½ lbs. smoked, fully cooked kielbasa, thinly sliced
2 15½-oz. cans great northern beans, drained
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
4¼-oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. black pepper
1. Fry bacon in skillet until crisp. Crumble bacon and place in large slow cooker.
2. Add onions and sausage to drippings in skillet. Cook until onions are soft. Drain off drippings.
3. Transfer onions and sausage to slow cooker.
4. Add all remaining ingredients to cooker and stir together well.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.
Kielbasa and Cabbage
Mary Ann Lefever
Lancaster, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1 lb. kielbasa cut into 4 chunks
4 large white potatoes, cut into chunks
1-lb. head green cabbage, shredded
1 qt. whole tomatoes (strained if you don’t like seeds)
onion, thinly sliced, optional
1. Layer kielbasa, then potatoes, and then cabbage into slow cooker.
2. Pour tomatoes over top.
3. Top with sliced onions if you wish.
4. Cover. Cook on High 8 hours, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are as tender as you like them.
Rice and Beans—and Sausage
Marcia S. Myer
Manheim, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1¾ cups tomato juice
2 16-oz. cans kidney beans, drained
¾ tsp. dried oregano
¾ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. pepper
½ lb. (or more) fully cooked smoked turkey sausage, or kielbasa, cut into ¼”-thick slices
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over rice. Garnish with shredded cheese if you wish.
Election Lunch
Alix Nancy Botsford
Seminole, OK
Makes 6-12 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt., or 2 4-qt. cookers
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. sausage, cut into thin slices, or with casings removed and meat crumbled
1 rib celery, sliced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ cup honey
10-oz. can tomatoes with green chili peppers
1-lb. can lima, or butter, beans, drained, with liquid reserved
1-lb. can red kidney beans, drained, with liquid reserved
1-lb. can garbanzo beans, drained, with liquid reserved
1. Brown onion and sausage in skillet. Stir frequently. Continue cooking until pink disappears from meat. Drain off drippings.
2. Place meat and onions in 6-qt. slow cooker, or divide between 2 4-qt. cookers.
3. Stir in all other ingredients, combining well. Add reserved juice from lima, kidney, and garbanzo beans if there’s enough room in the cooker(s).
4. Cover. Cook on Low 2-4 hours.
Note:
I mixed up this hearty stew the night before an Election Day and took it to the voting site the next morning. I plugged it in, and all day long we could smell the Lunch cooking. I work at a very sparsely populated, country polling place and ended up giving out the recipe in little water-cup samples to many voters!
I have four different sizes of slow cookers. One is very tiny, with only an on and off switch, for keeping cheese sauce hot. One I use for heating gravy. Another I often use to keep mashed potatoes warm.
Sausage Pasta Stew
Betty K. Drescher
Quakertown, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 30-35 minutes
Cooking Time: 7¼-9¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
4 cups water
26-oz. jar meatless spaghetti sauce
16-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium yellow summer squash, cut in 1” pieces
2 medium carrots, cut in ¼” slices
1 medium red, or green, sweet pepper, diced
⅓ cup chopped onions
1½ cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1. Sauté sausage in skillet until no longer pink. Drain off drippings. Place sausage in slow cooker.
2. Add water, spaghetti sauce, kidney beans, squash, carrots, pepper, and onions. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well.
5. Cover. Cook on High 15-20 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
Note:
Add 1 Tbsp. tapioca in Step 5 if you like a thicker stew.
Golden Autumn Stew
Naomi E. Fast, Hesston, KS
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 30-40 minutes • Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 cups cubed Yukon gold potatoes
2 cups cubed, peeled sweet potatoes
2 cups cubed, peeled butternut squash
1 cup cubed, peeled rutabaga
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
1 lb. smoked sausage
2 cups apple juice, or cider
1 tart apple, thinly sliced
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. sugar, or honey
1. Combine vegetables in slow cooker.
2. Place ring of sausage on top. Or arrange sausage links or pieces over top of vegetables.
3. Pour in apple juice. Place apple slices over top.
4. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, and then on Low 4 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Do not stir.
5. To prepare to serve, remove sausage and keep warm. Season vegetables with salt, pepper, and sugar as desired. Place vegetables in bowl. Slice meat into pieces and place on top.
Serving suggestion: I like to serve the Stew with hot baking-powder biscuits and honey, and a green salad or cole slaw.
Tip:
Don’t omit the rutabaga! Get acquainted with its rich uniqueness. It will surprise and please your taste buds.
Chili Casserole
Sharon Miller
Holmesville, OH
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
2 cups water
15½-oz. can chili beans, drained
14½-oz. can diced tomatoes
¾ cup uncooked brown rice
¼ cup chopped onions
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. prepared mustard
¾ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. garlic powder
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Brown sausage in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.
2. Spoon meat into slow cooker.
3. Add all other ingredients, except cheese, to slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 7 hours.
5. Stir in cheese during last 10 minutes of cooking time.
Pizza Rigatoni
Tina Snyder
Manheim, PA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1½ lbs. bulk sausage, divided
3 cups rigatoni, lightly cooked, divided
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup, divided
1 small onion, sliced, divided
15-oz. can pizza sauce, divided
8-oz. can pizza sauce, divided
3½-oz. pkg. sliced pepperoni, divided
6-oz. can sliced ripe olives, drained, divided
1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. Place half the sausage in the slow cooker.
3. Place half of pasta, cheese, soup, onion, pizza sauce, pepperoni, and olives in layers over sausage. Repeat layers.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.
Tip:
If your store doesn’t carry 8-oz. cans pizza sauce, substitute an 8-oz. can tomato sauce with basil, garlic, and oregano.
Slow-Cooker Pizza
Sharon Miller
Holmesville, OH
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1½ lbs. bulk sausage, divided
1 small onion, chopped, divided
1-lb. pkg. pasta, or noodles, uncooked, divided
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
16-oz. can tomato sauce
¾ cup water
4-oz. can mushrooms, drained
8-oz. pkg. pepperoni, chopped
16-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Brown sausage and onion in skillet. Drain.
2. Place one-third of mixture in slow cooker.
3. Layer in one-third of uncooked pasta.
4. Combine spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, water, and mushrooms in a good-sized bowl. Ladle one-third of that mixture over noodles.
5. Repeat the above layers 2 more times.
6. Top with pepperoni. Top pepperoni with shredded cheese.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until pasta is cooked to your liking and pizza is hot throughout.
Ham in Foil
Jeanette Oberholtzer
Manheim, PA
Vicki Dinkel
Sharon Springs, KS
Janet Roggie
Lowville, NY
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
½ cup water
3-4-lb. precooked ham
liquid smoke
1. Pour water into slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle ham with liquid smoke. Wrap in foil. Place in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour, and then on Low 6 hours.
4. Cut into thick chunks or ½”-thick slices and serve.
Easy and Elegant Ham
Lorraine Pflederer
Goshen, IN
Makes 18-20 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Standing Time: 10-15 minutes
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 20-oz. cans sliced pineapple, divided
1 fully cooked boneless ham (about 6 lbs.), halved
6-oz. jar cherries, well drained
12-oz. jar orange marmalade
1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Set juice aside.
2. Place half of pineapple in ungreased slow cooker.
3. Top with ham. Add cherries, remaining pineapple, and reserved juice.
4. Spoon marmalade over ham.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours or until heated through. Remove to serving platter and let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
6. Serve pineapple and cherries over sliced ham.
We ask the youngest child present on Christmas Eve to place baby Jesus in the crib or nativity as we all sing “Away in a Manger” and other Christmas carols.
Donna Treloar, Muncie, IN
Honey-Dijon Holiday Ham
Robin Schrock
Millersburg, OH
Makes 10 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
5-lb. bone-in fully cooked smoked ham
⅓ cup apple juice
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1. Place ham in slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl, mix juice, brown sugar, honey, and mustard together. Spread over ham.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours or until ham is hot through.
4. Slice ham and serve.
5. Pass sauce to top ham slices.
Glazed Ham in a Bag
Eleanor J. Ferreira
North Chelmsford, MA
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
5-lb. cooked ham
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1. Rinse meat.
2. Combine orange juice and mustard. Spread over ham.
3. Place in cooking bag. Seal bag with twist tie. Poke 4 holes in top of bag. Place in slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
5. To serve, remove ham from bag, reserving juices. Slice ham and spoon juices over.
Tip:
Serve additional juice with ham in small pitcher.
Raspberry-Glazed Ham
Gloria Frey
Lebanon, PA
Makes 16-20 servings
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.
8-10-lb. boneless ham, fully cooked
¼ cup apple juice
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
⅓ cup seedless raspberry jam, divided
1 Tbsp. butter
1. Place ham in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours.
2. While ham is cooking, blend apple juice, lemon juice, and cornstarch together in saucepan.
3. Stir in about half of jam after liquid is well blended.
4. Cook and stir until hot and bubbly. Add butter. Stir in remaining jam.
5. Spoon glaze over ham after it has cooked 2 hours.
6. Cover. Cook 2 more hours on Low.
7. Slice ham and serve.
Tip:
If you wish, double the amount of glaze. Place half in a serving bowl. Pass alongside ham slices so individuals can add more glaze to the meat if they wish.
Ham with Pineapple Sauce
Kayla Snyder
North East, PA
Makes 14-16 servings
Prep. Time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
20-oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 tsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
2 cups brown sugar
¾ tsp. dry mustard
4 Tbsp. flour
7-8-lb. ham, precooked and sliced in ¼”-thick slices
1. Mix together pineapple, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, brown sugar, mustard, and flour in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Cook, stirring frequently until slightly thickened.
2. Layer several slices of ham into slow cooker. Ladle some of sauce over top of each slice. Continue layering until all ham and sauce are stacked in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on High 3 hours, or until heated through.
Note:
We served this recipe at our wedding, so it is especially special to us.
New England Boiled Dinner
Leona M. Slabaugh
Apple Creek, OH
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 5-qt.
2 lbs. boneless smoked ham piece
1 lb. potatoes, halved
1-lb. bag baby carrots
1 lb. cabbage, cut in wedges
¼ cup water
1. Place meat in slow cooker. Fit vegetables around meat.
2. Add water
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours or on High 3 hours, or just until meat and vegetables are as tender as you like.
Ham, Bean, and Potato Dish
Hazel L. Propst
Oxford, PA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
8-10 small potatoes
3-4 cans string beans, undrained
ham hock, or leftover ham
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1. Place potatoes in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Alternate layers of beans and ham over potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours if using ham hock; 6 hours if using leftover ham, or until meat and potatoes are tender but not dry or mushy.
Schnitz und Knepp
Jean Robinson
Cinnaminson, NJ
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Soaking Time: 2-3 hours
Cooking Time: 5¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Schnitz:
¾-1 lb. dried sweet apples (also known as “schnitz”)
3 lbs. ham slices, cut into 2” cubes
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Knepp (dumplings):
2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 egg, well beaten
3 Tbsp. melted butter
scant ½ cup milk
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1. Cover apples with water in large bowl and let soak for a few hours.
2. Place ham cubes in slow cooker. Cover with water.
3. Cover cooker. Cook on High 2 hours.
4. Add apples and water in which they have been soaking.
5. Add brown sugar and cinnamon stick. Mix until sugar dissolves.
6. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours.
7. Combine dumpling ingredients in bowl. Drop into hot liquid in cooker by tablespoonfuls.
8. Turn cooker to High. Cover. Do not lift lid for 15 minutes.
9. Serve piping hot on a large platter.
Note:
This was my grandmother’s recipe and she had no slow cooker. I was allowed to drop in the dumplings. Schnitz und Knepp cooked on the back of the woodstove while Grandma quilted.
Ham with Sweet Potatoes and Oranges
Esther Becker, Gordonville, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 7-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼” thick
1 large ham slice
3 seedless oranges, peeled and sliced
3 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate
3 Tbsp. honey
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1. Place sweet potato slices in slow cooker.
2. Arrange ham and orange slices on top of potatoes.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over ham and oranges.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours.
Serving suggestion: Delicious served with a fruit salad.
Serving suggestion:
Ham and Hash Browns
Evelyn Page, Riverton, WY
Anna Stoltzfus, Honey Brook, PA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
28-oz. pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes
2½ cups cubed cooked ham
2-oz. jar pimentos, drained and chopped
10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup
¾ cup half-and-half, or milk
dash of pepper
salt to taste
1. Combine potatoes, ham, and pimentos in slow cooker.
2. In a bowl, combine soup, half-and-half, and seasonings. Pour over potatoes and ham. Stir well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours. (If you turn the cooker on when you go to bed, you’ll have a wonderfully tasty breakfast in the morning.)
Variation:
Add a 4-oz. can of mushrooms, drained, or ¼ lb. sliced fresh mushrooms, to Step 1.
Creamy Ham Topping (for baked potatoes)
Judy Buller
Bluffton, OH
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.
half a stick (¼ cup) butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
¼ cup half-and-half
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon granules
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
2 cups diced cooked ham
¼ cup Romano cheese, grated
1 cup sliced mushrooms
baked potatoes
shredded cheese
sour cream
1. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Add milk and half-and-half.
2. Continue stirring until sauce thickens and becomes smooth.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients (except baked potatoes, shredded cheese, and sour cream). Pour into slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 1-2 hours.
5. Serve over baked potatoes. Top with shredded cheese and sour cream.
Ham and Lima Beans
Charlotte Shaffer
East Earl, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Soaking Time: 8 hours, or overnight
Cooking Time: 4-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. dry lima beans
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ lb. ham, finely cubed
1 cup water
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
1. Cover beans with water. Soak 8 hours or overnight. Drain.
2. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7 hours or on High 4 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.
4. If mixture begins to dry out, add ½ cup water or more and stir well.
Serving suggestion: We think this is delicious served with hot cornbread.
Black Beans with Ham
Colleen Heatwole
Burton, MI
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Soaking Time: 8 hours or overnight
Cooking Time: 10-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
4 cups dry black beans
1-2 cups diced ham
1 tsp. salt, optional
1 tsp. cumin
½-1 cup minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 bay leaves
1 qt. diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1. Cover black beans with water and soak 8 hours, or overnight, in slow cooker.
2. Drain and pour beans back into slow cooker.
3. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir well. Cover with water.
4. Cover cooker. Cook on Low 10-12 hours, or until beans are as tender as you like them.
Note:
This is our favorite black bean recipe. We usually serve it over rice. It’s good any time of the year, but we make it especially frequently in the winter.
Ham ’n’ Cabbage Stew
Dede Peterson
Rapid City, SD
Makes 4-5 servings
Prep. Time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
½ lb. cooked ham, cubed
½ cup diced onions
1 garlic clove, minced
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, undrained
4 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups sliced carrots
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. caraway seeds
⅔ cup beef broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water
1. Combine all ingredients except cornstarch and water in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours, or until vegetables are cooked as you like them.
3. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch into water until smooth. Stir into slow cooker during last hour to thicken Stew slightly.
Ham and Corn Slow-Cooker Casserole
Vicki Dinkel
Sharon Springs, KS
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) butter
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup flour
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dry mustard
4 cups milk
8-oz. can cream-style corn
2 cups diced, slightly cooked potatoes
4 cups diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Sauté green pepper and onion in butter in skillet.
2. Stir in flour and seasonings.
3. Gradually stir in milk and cook over medium heat. Stir continually until thickened. Pour into slow cooker.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours or on High 4 hours.
Cheesy Ham and Broccoli
Dolores Kratz
Souderton, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1 bunch fresh broccoli
1½ cups chopped ham
¾ cup uncooked rice
4-oz. can mushrooms, drained
1 small onion, chopped
10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup
¾ cup water
¼ cup half-and-half, or milk
dash of pepper
½-1 can chow mein noodles
1. Cut broccoli into pieces and steam for 4 minutes in microwave. Place in slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker except noodles. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle with noodles.
Serving suggestion: This is a good main dish, with a tossed salad or applesauce as a go-along.
Broccoli Casserole
Rebecca Meyerkorth
Wamego, KS
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
16-oz. pkg. frozen broccoli cuts, thawed and drained
2-3 cups cubed, cooked ham
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz. of your favorite mild cheese, cubed
1 cup milk
1 cup instant rice, uncooked
1 rib celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1. Combine broccoli and ham in slow cooker.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine soup, cheese, milk, rice, celery, and onion. Stir into broccoli and ham.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.
Ham and Broccoli
Dede Peterson
Rapid City, SD
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 3¼-4¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
¾ lb. fresh broccoli, chopped, or 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
8-oz. jar cheese sauce
2½ cups milk
1¼ cups long-grain rice, uncooked
1 rib celery, sliced
⅛ tsp. pepper
3 cups cooked and cubed ham
8-oz. can water chestnuts, drained and sliced
½ tsp. paprika
1. Combine all ingredients except ham, water chestnuts, and paprika in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours.
3. Stir in ham and water chestnuts. Cook 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
4. Sprinkle with paprika just before serving.
Underground Ham and Cheese
Carol Sommers
Millersburg, OH
Makes 12-16 servings
Prep. Time: 30-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 2 4- to 5-qt. cookers
half a stick (4 Tbsp.) butter
½ cup chopped onions
4 cups cooked ham, cut into chunks
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
2 cups Velveeta cheese, cubed
4 qts. mashed potatoes
1 pt. sour cream
browned and crumbled bacon
1. Combine butter and onions in saucepan. Cook until onions are tender.
2. Place sautéed onions, ham, and Worcestershire sauce in large slow cooker, or divide between 2 4- or 5-qt. cookers.
3. In saucepan, heat together soup, milk, and cheese until cheese melts. Pour into cooker(s).
4. In a large bowl, fold mashed potatoes and sour cream together. Spread over mixture in slow cooker(s).
5. Sprinkle with bacon.
6. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours, or until cheese mixture comes to top when done (hence, the name “Underground”).
Verenike (or Creamy Lasagna)
Jennifer Yoder Sommers
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
24 ozs. cottage cheese
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream
2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups cubed cooked ham
7-9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1. Combine all ingredients except noodles in a good-sized mixing bowl.
2. Place half of creamy ham mixture in bottom of cooker.
3. Stack in uncooked noodles. Break them to fit if you need to.
4. Cover with remaining half of creamy ham sauce. Push noodles down so that they are fully submerged in the sauce.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours, or until noodles are tender but not mushy.
Serving suggestion: Serve it with green salad, peas, and zwiebach (a favorite Mennonite food), or small dinner rolls.
Note:
This is an easy way to make the traditional Russian Mennonite dish—verenike.
Shepherd’s Pie
Melanie Thrower
McPherson, KS
Makes 3-4 servings
Prep. Time: 30-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground pork
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. hot pepper
1 tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 small onion, chopped
15-oz. can whole-kernel corn, drained
3 large potatoes
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. butter
¼ tsp. salt
dash of pepper
shredded cheese
1. Combine pork, vinegar, and seasonings in skillet. Cook until meat browns.
2. Add onions and cook until they begin to glaze.
3. Spread mixture into slow cooker.
4. Spread corn over meat.
5. Cook potatoes in water on stovetop until soft. Mash with milk, butter, ¼ tsp. salt, and dash of pepper.
6. Spread mashed potatoes over meat and corn.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours.
8. Sprinkle top with cheese a few minutes before serving.
Variation:
You can substitute ground beef for the pork.
Note:
This is my 9-year-old son’s favorite dish!
Ham Balls
Jo Haberkamp
Fairbank, IA
Makes 12-16 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
Ham Balls:
3 eggs
3 cups crushed graham crackers
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 lbs. ground ham
1½ lbs. ground beef
1½ lbs. ground pork
Topping:
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup water
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup, plus 2 Tbsp., apple cider vinegar
½ tsp. dry mustard
1. Beat eggs slightly in large bowl. Add graham crackers, milk, salt, onion salt, pepper, and ground meats. Mix well.
2. Form into 24 balls, using ½-cup measuring cup for each ball.
3. In a separate bowl, combine Topping ingredients.
4. Layer Ham Balls and Topping in greased slow cooker. Make sure each layer of Ham Balls is well covered with Topping.
5. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and cook 3-4 hours more, or until meat is cooked through but not dried out.
Beside each dish of food on the buffet, place a stack of cards with its recipe written on them. Then guests can take the recipe if they wish.
Anita Troyer, Fairview, MI
Ham Loaf or Balls
Michelle Strite
Goshen, IN
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
Ham Loaf or Balls:
1 lb. ground ham
1 lb. ground pork, or ground beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk
1¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
Glaze:
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup water
1. Combine ingredients for Ham Loaf or Ham Balls. Form into Loaf or Balls and place in slow cooker.
2. Combine dry ingredients for Glaze in bowl. Mix in vinegar and water until smooth.
3. Pour Glaze into saucepan. Cook uncovered until slightly thickened.
4. Pour over meat.
5. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours, or until meat is cooked through.
Variations:
1. For a firmer Loaf, or Balls, use dry bread crumbs instead of soft. Use only ¾ cup milk instead of 1 cup.
2. Form meat mixture into 1” balls. Brown lightly by baking on cookie sheet in 400° oven for 5-10 minutes. Place browned Balls in slow cooker. Pour cooked Glaze over Balls. Cover. Cook on High 2-4 hours.
Julia A. Fisher
New Carlisle, OH
Pork Barbecue
Barbara L. McGinnis
Jupiter, FL
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
3-4-lb. pork loin
2 cups cider vinegar
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 tsp. sugar
½ cup ketchup
crushed red pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste
sandwich rolls
1. Place pork in slow cooker.
2. Pour vinegar over meat. Sprinkle salt, pepper and sugar over top.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
4. Remove pork from cooker and shred meat. Reserve drippings.
5. In large mixing bowl, stir together ketchup, red pepper, Tabasco sauce, and ½ cup vinegar-sugar drippings from slow cooker. Stir in shredded meat.
6. Serve on sandwich rolls.
Serving suggestion: Cole slaw is a good accompaniment to these sandwiches. Serve it either alongside them, or pile it into the rolls with the meat.
Variation:
To increase the tang, add 1 tsp. dry mustard in Step 5. Use ¼ cup ketchup and ¼ cup orange juice, instead of ½ cup ketchup.
Barbecued Pork and Beef Sandwiches
Sherry L. Lapp
Lancaster, PA
Makes 6-8 sandwiches
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½ lbs. cubed pork
1 lb. stewing beef, cubed
6-oz. can tomato paste
¼ cup vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1. Combine ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
3. Shred meat with fork before serving on rolls.
Serving suggestion: Bring to the table with sandwich rolls and creamy cole slaw.
Ham Barbecue
Amber Swarey
Honea Path, SC
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
2 lbs. thinly sliced deli ham
1 cup water
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1. Place ham in greased slow cooker.
2. In bowl, combine water, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and mustard. Pour over ham and stir well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours, or until heated through.
Serving suggestion: This Ham Barbecue will fill 12 hamburger buns. They’re especially good if you’ve split and toasted them.
Super-Bowl Little Smokies
Mary Sommerfeld
Lancaster, PA
Alicia Denlinger
Lancaster, PA
Makes 9-10 main-dish servings, or 15-20 appetizer servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3 1-lb. pkgs. Little Smokies
8-oz. bottle Catalina dressing
splash of liquid smoke
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours.
3. Use toothpicks to serve. Or pile into sandwich rolls for a lunch or supper.
Note:
These are always a hit at parties, whether it’s Christmas, New Year’s, or the Super Bowl. They are good any time that you’d like to serve food beyond dessert, but you don’t want to have a formal sit-down meal.
I have a few antique Christmas ornaments, but they tend to get lost on the tree with everything else. So I put them in a glass bowl with evergreens, and they are noticed and appreciated much more.
Carol L. Miller, Lockport, NY
Cranberry Franks
Loretta Krahn
Mountain Lake, MN
Makes 15-20 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
2 pkgs. cocktail wieners, or little smoked sausages
16-oz. can jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High 1-2 hours.
Note:
Great picnic, potluck, or buffet food.