Chapter 16
Taking It Easy with One-Pot Meals
In This Chapter
Simplifying your life with a slow cooker
Baking your meal in a casserole dish
Taking your one-pot meal to the stovetop
Recipes in This Chapter
Slow Cooker Ratatouille
Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie
Shepherd’s Pie
Taco Casserole
Hungry Family Lasagna
T Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese
Spanish Paella
You can love to cook and hate to clean up. Who says all cooks think it’s fun to do dishes and scrub out pots and pans? It’s certainly not our favorite way to digest dinner. So why use two pots (or more) when one will do? If you’re busy (and who isn’t?), the concept of the one-pot meal is more than charming — it’s indispensable.
A meal in one pot is an ancient concept. What could be more traditional than a big iron pot over a slow fire filled with a little meat, a lot of vegetables, herbs and spices, and water? A large enough pot could feed a small village.
Not every one-pot meal actually uses only one pot. Sometimes, you need a few other dishes to prepare individual ingredients to go into the final pot, such as a skillet to brown the ground beef or a pasta pot to pre-boil noodles. However, serving is a matter of putting the crock or casserole dish on the table and urging the family to dig in.
Whether you want to save time or just love the comfort-food appeal of one-pot meals, this chapter shows you how to become an expert at this delicious form of culinary minimalism.
Slow Cookers: Small Input, Big Output
Slow cookers, which consist of a ceramic crock with a lid that fits into an electric holder, cook food slowly over a period of 6 to 12 hours. Unlike with many other forms of cooking, you don’t have to keep watching the food to save it from burning. You can even leave the house while the slow cooker does all the labor at a relaxed and steady pace.
The slow cooker, also known as the Crock-Pot, may seem so old-fashioned, but it’s actually a miracle of modern technology. Fill it up in the morning with a roast and veggies; a yummy stew or chili; raw rice and broth; a layered casserole; or even a frozen chicken. Head off to work, and when you get home, voila! Dinner is served.
Slow cookers can also do many things besides prepare dinner: They can bake, make hot apple cider or cheese dip for a party, and even make gravy while your Thanksgiving turkey is resting.
While you can cook a lot of things in a slow cooker, they can’t do absolutely everything (we’re sorry to say). There are a few rules to remember:
Slow cookers can’t brown ground meat. Slow cookers don’t get hot enough to cook ground meat safely. For dishes like chili or spaghetti sauce, brown ground meat in a skillet before putting it into the slow cooker. You can put steak, roasts, poultry, and fish into the slow cooker without cooking them first — you can even put them in frozen solid — but ground meat is the exception.
Slow cookers can’t cook pasta. They don’t boil water, so the pasta won’t cook properly. If a slow cooker recipe calls for pasta, cook it first according to package directions (in boiling water), and then add it to the slow cooker toward the end of cooking so it doesn’t get mushy.
Treat beans the same way as pasta: If your dish calls for canned beans (such as for chili or bean soup), add them toward the end of cooking so they doesn’t turn to mush.
Slow cookers cook everything at the same pace. For best results, cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces for even cooking. Vegetables that take longer to cook, like potatoes, should be in smaller pieces than vegetables that cook quickly, like tomatoes.
You should always follow the manufacturer’s directions for your individual slow cooker. Cookers vary, some running hotter or cooler than others.
Most slow cookers come with a recipe book to get you started, and you also can find some great recipes and general slow cooking tips in Slow Cookers For Dummies by Tom Lacalamita and Glenna Vance (published by Wiley). Also check out the video at www.dummies.com/go/slowcooking.
Later in the chapter, we offer a slow cooker recipe that we love: Ratatouille is a traditional French vegetable dish cooked until the vegetables form a rich, jammy blend. It makes a great side dish to meat, or you can serve it over rice as a meat-free main course. Ratatouille is a dish that benefits from long cooking, making it perfect for the slow cooker. Our Slow Cooker Ratatouille tastes even better the next day, so save the leftovers!
From Oven to Table: Simplicity in a Casserole Dish
Another great way to make a one-pot meal is with the good old-fashioned casserole dish. Load up the dish with ingredients, from chicken with potatoes to a layered lasagna, and let the oven do most of the work. There is something homey and comforting about dinner out of the oven. If you have kids who don’t like their foods to touch each other, they may not appreciate the charm of the casserole, but for the rest of us, it’s love in a dish.
Casserole dishes can contain everything from an old-style casserole to a piece of meat surrounded by potatoes and other vegetables to homey dessert like fruit baked with a crumbly topping, all in one dish. Later in the chapter, we offer some tasty recipes to bake in your oven:
Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie: You may remember those frozen chicken pot pies from childhood, but our version is made from scratch and oh-so-much tastier. The recipe takes a little time, but the end result is worth every warm, homey bite. We hope you’ll try it.
Shepherd’s Pie: In Ireland, the classic Shepherd’s Pie is made with beef, not lamb. We prefer the more distinctive flavor of lamb, so that’s what our recipe uses. If you want to try it with beef, simply substitute the same amount of meat.
Taco Casserole: Spicy, easy, filling, and delicious, this crowd pleaser (shown in the book’s color section) may become a family favorite.
Hungry Family Lasagna: An easy way to make your family happy, this layered meat-and-noodle dish is even easier if you use the lasagna noodles that don’t need to be pre-boiled. Look for them in your store.
You can make lasagna unique by adding a variety of ingredients to the essential layers of noodles, cheese, and sauce. For example, combine 1⁄4 to 1⁄3 cup cooked, chopped, drained, fresh or frozen spinach or broccoli with the cheese mixture. Or, sprinkle the layers with 1⁄3 to 1⁄2 pound cooked ground beef or cooked shredded chicken or turkey. Or, sprinkle the layers with 1 cup cooked chopped vegetables, such as mushrooms, zucchini, or carrots.
Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese: You could make the stuff out of the box, but why do that when this easy recipe is so much creamier, cheesier, and more delicious? This is comfort food at its ultimate.
Simmering a Slow-Cooked Meal
Sometimes, your single pot will sit on the stove and contain everything you need for a meal. We’re talking about everything from the classic pot roast to a savory stew to dishes that combine grains, meats, and vegetables.
Be sure to check out Chapter 7, where we feature recipes for Pot Roast with Vegetables, Old-Fashioned Beef Stew, and Mediterranean Seafood Stew, all of which are one-pot meals made on your stovetop. Another recipe to try is for savory and exotic Spanish Paella, coming up later in this chapter.
Slow Cooker Ratatouille
Prep time: About 20 min • Cook time: 6–8 hrs • Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14 ounces each) whole tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
Hot cooked rice
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1 Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the eggplant, zucchini, onion, red and green bell peppers, and garlic until the vegetables look golden but not dark brown, about 15 minutes.
2 Put the cooked vegetable mixture, tomatoes, salt, basil, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf in the slow cooker. Turn on low and cook for 6 to 8 hours.
3 Remove the bay leaf and serve over rice. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
Per serving: Calories 156 (From Fat 79); Fat 9g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 4mg; Sodium 682mg; Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 5g); Protein 5g.
Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie
Prep time: About 15 min • Cook time: About 1 hr 10 min • Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 cups chicken broth
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, trimmed of leaves and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
3 carrots, trimmed, scraped, and sliced
1 medium boiling potato, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 tablespoon sherry (optional)
1 can (10 to 12 ounces) refrigerated biscuit dough (8 to 10 biscuits)
Directions
1 Combine the chicken breasts, broth, onion, celery, and garlic in a 4-quart pot. Add water to just cover the chicken and vegetables. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
2 Uncover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces, and return the pieces and any juice to the pot.
3 Add the carrots and potato to the pot. Bring the broth back to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes more, or until the chicken and vegetables are just tender. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the liquid.
4 Carefully pour the broth with the chicken and vegetables into a large colander set over a larger pot (such as a Dutch oven) to catch and reserve the liquid. Put the pot with the liquid back on the stove over medium heat.
5 Melt the butter in a pot or large saucepan over medium heat. (You can use the same pot that you used to make the stock.) Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 1 minute. Stir in the hot broth, whisking occasionally and cooking about 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Add the cream and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
7 Stir the chicken, vegetables, peas, and sherry (if desired) into the sauce. Spoon the mixture into a 3-quart or 9-x-13-inch shallow baking dish.
8 Arrange the refrigerated biscuits on top of the chicken mixture and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly browned. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories 371 (From Fat 146); Fat 16g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 86mg; Sodium 940mg; Carbohydrate 28g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 28g.
Shepherd’s Pie
Prep time: About 25 min • Cook time: About 1 hr 20 min • Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
21⁄2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons butter
About 1 cup milk
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
11⁄2 pounds cooked, chopped lamb (or raw, ground lamb)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup homemade or canned beef or chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped thyme or sage, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Dash of ground nutmeg
Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2 Put the potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return the potatoes to the pot.
3 Mash the potatoes along with 2 tablespoons of the butter and enough milk to make them smooth and fluffy. Season with the salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
4 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and wilted. (Don’t let the garlic brown.)
5 Turn up the heat to medium and add the lamb. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring. (If using raw ground lamb, cook about 10 minutes, stirring often, until browned.) Pour off and discard any fat in the pan.
6 Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg.
7 Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
8 Transfer the lamb mixture to an oval gratin dish (about 13 inches long). Spread the mashed potatoes over everything. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and bake for 45 minutes or until nicely browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Per serving: Calories 474 (From Fat 173); Fat 19g (Saturated 9g); Cholesterol 125mg; Sodium 589mg; Carbohydrate 38g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 37g.
Taco Casserole
Prep time: 10 min • Cook time: 35 min • Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds ground chuck or lean ground beef, or ground turkey
1⁄2 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 cans (4 ounces each) mild green chiles, drained and chopped, or 1⁄2 cup jarred jalapeño peppers, drained
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups slightly crushed tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups store-bought salsa
1⁄2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, chopped, including some of the green part
Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2 Put the ground meat and onion in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Drain.
3 Stir in the taco seasoning mix, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, green chiles, pinto beans, and 2 cups of the tortilla chips.
4 Put the mixture into a 3-quart casserole or 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Top with the cheese and the remaining 1 cup tortilla chips.
5 Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly. Serve immediately, garnishing each serving with salsa and sour cream sprinkled with green onions.
Per serving: Calories 476 (From Fat 230); Fat 26g (Saturated 12g); Cholesterol 114mg; Sodium 1,154mg; Carbohydrate 28g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 35g.
Hungry Family Lasagna
Prep time: About 20 min • Cook time: About 1 hr • Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
12 lasagna noodles
1 pound mozzarella cheese (reduced-fat variety, if desired)
2 cups (one 15-ounce container) ricotta cheese (reduced-fat variety, if desired)
1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Salt and pepper
5 cups (approx.) tomato sauce or jarred red pasta sauce (two 26-ounce jars)
Directions
1 Bring an 8-quart pot filled with about 6 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.
2 Add the lasagna noodles a few at a time. Cover the pot to bring the water back to a boil and then cook uncovered, according to package directions, until barely tender, not soft.
3 As the noodles cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
4 Cut the mozzarella cheese into 1⁄2-inch cubes.
5 In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, 1⁄3 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and 1 tablespoon of water taken from the boiling pasta pot. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
6 When the noodles are cooked, drain them in a colander and run cold water over them.
7 To assemble the lasagna, spread a heaping cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 13-x-9-x-3-inch ovenproof pan. Place three noodles over the sauce so that they completely cover the bottom of the pan (they should touch but not overlap). Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture evenly over the noodles. Sprinkle one-third of the mozzarella cheese cubes over the ricotta. Spread a heaping cup of the sauce over this layer. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper.
8 Continue making layers, following the same order as Step 7 and ending with a thin layer of sauce. Sprinkle the top layer with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.
9 Bake in the preheated oven, checking after 30 minutes. If the top layer appears to be dry, cover with foil. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the lasagna is bubbly. Let stand, covered, for 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Per serving: Calories 464 (From Fat 216); Fat 24g (Saturated 13g); Cholesterol 73mg; Sodium 1,116mg; Carbohydrate 36g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 27g.
Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese
Prep time: About 20 min • Cook time: About 35 min • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
2 cups elbow macaroni
21⁄2 cups milk
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
Generous dash of Tabasco sauce, to taste
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper
1⁄2 cup cubed Italian fontina cheese
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2 Bring a 4- or 5-quart pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until just tender.
3 As the macaroni cooks, make the cheese sauce. Heat the milk almost to the boiling point in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
4 Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not let it brown.
5 Gradually whisk in the hot milk and then add the paprika and Tabasco. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens, whisking occasionally. Whisk in the grated cheddar cheese and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper.
6 Drain the macaroni as soon as it is done, return it to the pot, and add the cheese sauce and the cubes of fontina cheese, stirring well to blend.
7 Use 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a deep, 2- to 3-quart casserole dish fitted with a lid. Add the macaroni and cheese mixture. Cover and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot.
8 Meanwhile, melt the last tablespoon of butter in a small skillet. Add the bread crumbs and sauté over low heat, stirring constantly, until they’re moistened but not browned.
9 Remove the casserole from the oven and raise the temperature to broil. Spread the bread crumbs evenly over the macaroni and cheese. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the crumbs are crisp and browned. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories 732 (From Fat 392); Fat 44g (Saturated 27g); Cholesterol 134mg; Sodium 743mg; Carbohydrate 55g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 30g.
Spanish Paella
Prep time: About 15 min • Cook time: About 1 hr 10 min • Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
1⁄4 cup olive oil
1 chicken, cut into pieces (about 2 pounds)
8 ounces kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, minced, including some of the leaves
5 cups chicken broth
2 cups raw white rice
1 pinch of saffron threads
1 cup frozen peas
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
Directions
1 In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
2 Add the chicken pieces and sauté, turning the chicken to cook all sides, for about 10 minutes.
3 Add the sausage, onion, garlic, and celery and continue to sauté until the chicken is golden brown and the vegetables are soft, about 10 additional minutes.
4 Add the chicken broth, rice, and saffron. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat.
5 Add the peas and stir. Cover and simmer over medium-low until the rice is cooked through and has absorbed all the liquid and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 45 minutes. (Check after the first 25 minutes of simmering; if the rice looks dry, add more broth.)
6 Stir in the shrimp and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink. Serve immediately.
Per serving: Calories 543 (From Fat 241); Fat 27g (Saturated 7g); Cholesterol 151mg; Sodium 1,104mg; Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 33g.
Tip: Find saffron threads with the herbs and spices at the grocery store.