Cooking Time: 4–5 hoursMakes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 20–30 minutes Cooking Time: 4–5 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
½ cup apple juice, or apple cider
1½ lbs. sweet potatoes, sliced ½” thick
3 medium onions, peeled, sliced and separated into rings
4 medium apples, sliced
2 lbs. center-cut boneless pork roast, trimmed of fat
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. black pepper
6 fresh sage leaves, snipped, or ½ tsp. dried sage
¼ cup cold water
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1. Pour apple juice into slow cooker.
2. Add sweet potatoes slices in a layer, followed by onion rings, and then sliced apples. (I don’t peel mine; you certainly can if you want.)
3. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, brown pork on all sides.
4. Settle pork onto the apple slices.
5. Brush mustard over the roast. Sprinkle with pepper and sage.
6. Cover and cook on Low 4–5 hours, or until the roast is done and registers 145° on an instant-read thermometer.
7. Move the roast to a platter and cover it with foil to keep it warm.
8. Using a slotted spoon, lift the sweet potato, onion and apple slices into a bowl. Cover to keep the mixture warm.
9. In a small bowl, stir together the water, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
10. Stir cornstarch mixture into the juice in the cooker.
11. Cook, stirring often until thickened, about 5–10 minutes.
12. Slice the pork. Top with the sweet potato, onion, and apple slices. Spoon the sauce over everything.
Why I like this recipe —
Years ago butchering was done in the autumn when the sweet potatoes were being dug and the apples were being picked. And so a menu came together. Of course, now we can eat this year-round, and we do.
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 3–4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup honey
2½- to 3-lb. pork loin
2–3 garlic cloves, sliced
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, or 1 tsp. dried
1. Mix together soy sauce, ketchup, and honey. Set aside.
2. Cut slits into pork loin. Insert slices of garlic into slits. Place pork in slow cooker.
3. Pour soy sauce mixture over pork.
4. Sprinkle pepper over pork. Lay rosemary sprigs on top of roast, or sprinkle with dry rosemary.
5. Cook on Low 3–4 hours, or until meat registers 140–145° on an instant-read thermometer when it’s stuck into the center of the roast.
6. Remove to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Let stand for 10–15 minutes.
7. Slice the meat. Top with soy sauce mixture from the cooker.
TIP
Pork loin can overcook easily, just like chicken breasts. I relaxed a whole lot more about whether a roast was under-done or over-done, once I began using an instant-read meat thermometer.
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 4½–5½ hours Standing Time: 25–30 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
2½–3-lb. pork roast
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. oil
16-oz. can whole-berry cranberry sauce
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup brown sugar
½ tsp. grated orange peel
pinch ground cloves
1. Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Rub the roast with salt and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet and sear the roast on all sides.
3. Combine rest of ingredients in slow cooker.
4. Place seared pork roast in slow cooker and spoon some of the sauce over it.
5. Cover and cook on Low for 4–5 hours, until the roast registers 145° on a meat thermometer.
6. Remove the roast from the pan and place it on a serving platter. Cover with foil and allow to stand for 25–30 minutes to allow the roast to gather its juices and firm up.
7. Slice thinly and serve with the remaining sauce.
Why I like this recipe —
I love fruit with meat, and I love the flavor of this roast in the middle of winter on one of the holidays. It makes the house smell so good, too!
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 4–6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
5 slices bacon
1 medium onion, sliced
2 lbs. sauerkraut
1½–2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 lb. kielbasa, cut on the diagonal into ¾”-thick slices
1. Sauté the bacon in a skillet until it’s crisp. Keep the drippings, but remove the bacon and lay it on a paper-towel-covered plate to drain. When it’s cool, crumble it coarsely.
2. Saute the onions in the bacon drippings until they’re transparent. Remove the onions from the skillet and allow them to drain, too, on a paper-towel-lined plate.
3. Mix the sauerkraut, onion and bacon slices, the brown sugar, and kielbasa slices together in your slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low for 4–6 hours.
Pork Roast with Sweet Sauerkraut
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 5–7 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
2 3-lb. pork shoulder roasts
27-oz. can sauerkraut
¼ cup brown sugar
2 large apples, peeled or not, and sliced
½ tsp. caraway seeds
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
½ cup water
1. Place roasts in slow cooker.
2. Drain sauerkraut. In a good-sized bowl, combine sauerkraut, brown sugar, apple slices, caraway seeds, and onion soup mix. Layer over roasts. Pour water over all.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 5–7 hours.
4. Lift out roasts and slice or chunk. Place on large platter along with piles of sauerkraut.
Why I like this recipe —
If you’re a little wary of sauerkraut, try this slightly sweet version. We call it more-ish. You can barely stop eating once you’ve started. The caraway seeds elevate the flavor, too. Get your mashed potatoes ready, and you’ve got a complete meal with very little fuss.
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 8½–10½ hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- or 5-quart
3-lb. ham (or larger; whatever fits your slow cooker)
4 cups cider, or apple juice
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground cloves
1¼ cups golden seedless raisins
TIP
The sliced leftover ham makes great sandwiches.
1. Place ham in slow cooker. Pour cider over meat.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8–10 hours.
3. While the ham is cooking, make a paste by mixing brown sugar, dry mustard, cloves, and a few tablespoons of hot cider from the cooker in a bowl. Set aside.
4. At the end of the cooking time, remove ham from cider and place in a 9 × 13 baking pan, or one that’s big enough to hold the ham.
5. Brush paste over ham. Then pour a cup of juice from the slow cooker into the baking pan. (Don’t pour it over the ham; you don’t want to wash off the paste.) Stir raisins into the cider in the baking pan.
6. Bake at 375° for 20–30 minutes, or until the paste has turned into a glaze.
7. Let the ham stand for 10–15 minutes, and then slice and serve. Top the slices with the cider-raisin mixture.
Why I like this recipe —
This is special enough for a holiday meal. But it’s simple enough to make anytime.
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 4–6 hours Standing Time: 2–12 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. dried rosemary
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
½ tsp. dried sage
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika
pinch–1 tsp. crushed red pepper, depending on the heat you like
½ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. ground allspice
3 lbs. pork ribs
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, salt, fennel seeds, pepper, sage, thyme, paprika, red pepper, coriander, and allspice.
2. Rub spice paste all over ribs and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight.
3. Place ribs in slow cooker, cutting if needed to fit.
4. Cook on Low for 4–6 hours, until tender.
5. Remove ribs from slow cooker and place on rimmed baking sheet. Preheat broiler. Brush meaty side of ribs with balsamic vinegar and broil 6 inches from heat until browned, about 2 minutes.
6. Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut between ribs, or serve in slabs.
Why I like this recipe —
The flavor combination is delicious. I have read that some people have balsamic vinegar tastings, just the way people taste wine! After enjoying these ribs with their balsamic vinegar, I can understand the attraction.
Makes 4–5 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 4–6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
4 lbs. pork spareribs, or country-style ribs
1–2 Tbsp. oil
1½ cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup ketchup
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground mustard
2 tsp. paprika
1–1½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1. Cut ribs into serving-size pieces. Brown tops and bottoms in oil in a large skillet.
2. Combine rest of the ingredients in a slow cooker. Put ribs into slow cooker, submerging the ribs in the sauce.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4–6 hours, or until the meat is tender and starting to fall off the bones.
4. Lift ribs onto a platter. Spoon sauce over top. Pass any remaining sauce in a small bowl.
Why I like this recipe —
You’ve got all of these sauce ingredients in your pantry already. So add the ribs to your next grocery list. This is a wow recipe with a little sting.
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4½ hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- or 5-quart
2 Tbsp. oil
2 lbs. pork spareribs, cut in pieces
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
¾ cup vinegar
¾ cup water, divided
2 Tbsp. ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1. Brown spareribs in oil in large skillet. Remove meat and place in slow cooker.
2. Pour off all but 2 Tbsp. drippings from the skillet.
3. Add onion and green pepper and cook until tender. Stir in pineapple, vinegar, ½ cup water, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Bring to boil.
4. Pour hot sauce over spareribs in slow cooker.
5. Cover and cook on Low for 3–4 hours, until ribs are falling-off-the-bone tender.
6. Whisk together the remaining ¼ cup water with the cornstarch. Whisk into sauce and ribs in slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for an additional 10–20 minutes, until thickened.
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 4½ hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
2 Tbsp. oil
2 medium onions, sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. coarse (kosher) salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried basil
6 6-oz. bone-in blade pork chops, ¾” thick
1 cup burgundy wine
* 14½-oz. can, or 1¾ cups, beef broth
1 broth can filled with water, or 1¾ cups water
6-oz. can tomato sauce
8 ozs. dried apricots
½ lb. fresh mushroom caps
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN STOCK, SEE PAGE 357.
1. Saute onions in oil in medium-hot, large skillet. Stir frequently.
2. When softened, spoon onions into slow cooker. Reserve drippings in skillet.
3. Meanwhile, place flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and basil in strong plastic bag. Squeeze to mix well.
4. One at a time, put chops in bag. Shake well to coat with seasoned flour.
5. As you finish coating each chop, add to the hot skillet and brown quickly on top and bottom. (Rather than crowd the skillet, do the browning in batches. Otherwise, the chops will steam in each other’s juices instead of browning quickly.)
6. Pour any extra seasoned flour over the chops in the skillet.
7. In large bowl mix together wine, broth, water, and tomato sauce, then pour over meat. Bring to a boil.
8. Remove chops from skillet and place in cooker. Top with apricots and mushrooms. Pour broth over top.
9. Cover. Cook on Low for 2½ hours. Then cook on High for 1½ hours.
Why I like this recipe —
I made this for my mom on her birthday. She’s a pork-chop lover, and this exceeded her standard.
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 2–7 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- or 5-quart
4–6 ¾”-thick, blade pork chops
3 cups water
½ cup white long-grain rice, uncooked
½ cup brown long-grain rice, uncooked
* 10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tsp. dried, optional
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN CREAM SOUP, SEE PAGES 370-371.
1. Rub skillet with fatty side of pork chop. Saute chops in skillet until brown. Don’t crowd the skillet, or they’ll just steam rather than browning. So do them in batches. Flip over when the first side is browned and brown the other side. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. While the chops are browning, mix the water, rice, mushroom soup, salt, and pepper together in a good-sized bowl. Pour over chops when you’ve put them in the cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 5–7 hours, or on High 2–3 hours.
4. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving if you wish.
TIP
Don’t skip the browning step. But if you try to squeeze too many chops in the pan at once, it’s not worth the effort. They’ll just steam in each other’s juices.
Makes 8–10 servings
Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes Cooking Time: 4 hours Chilling Time: 8 hours or overnight
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
4- or 5-lb. pork loin
2 cups apple cider
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. onion salt
¾ tsp. chopped fresh oregano, or ¼ tsp. dried
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves, or 1 tsp. dried
1 bay leaf
1. Place roast in baking pan.
2. Mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over roast.
3. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. When you think of it, spoon some of the marinade over the roast.
4. Place roast in slow cooker. Pour marinade over roast.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 3½–4 hours, or until meat registers 140–145° on an instant-read thermometer when it’s stuck into the center of the roast.
6. When the meat is finished cooking, lift out of cooker onto a platter. Cover with foil to keep it warm. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.
7. Slice and serve topped with marinade. (Fish out the bay leaf before serving.)
Why I like this recipe —
Squash is such a neutral, yet creamy ingredient. I like its quiet manners next to the bolder apples and seasonings in this dish.
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 4½–5½ hours Standing Time: 10–15 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
1½ whole butternut squashes, peeled and cubed
1 cup cider, or apple juice
2-lb. pork loin
salt
pepper
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and quartered
⅓ cup brown sugar
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. dried sage
TIP
Don’t overcook the pork. Think of it as being as delicate as chicken breasts or white fish. Treat it nicely.
1. Put peeled and cubed squash into slow cooker. Pour in cider. Cover and cook on Low 1½ hours.
2. Sprinkle pork loin with salt and pepper on all sides. Settle into slow cooker on top of the squash.
3. Lay apple quarters around the meat.
4. Sprinkle everything with brown sugar, cinnamon, thyme, and sage.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 3–4 hours. Stick your instant-read thermometer into the center of the loin. The meat is done the minute the thermometer reads 140°.
6. Remove pork from cooker. Cover with foil to keep warm. Continue cooking the squash and apples if they’re not as tender as you like them.
7. You can cut the loin into ½”-thick slices after it’s stood 10–15 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve.
8. Serve topped with apples and squash. Pass the cooking juices in a small bowl to spoon over the meat, squash, and apples.
Makes 10–12 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Soaking Time: 1 hour Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. brandy, or apple juice
6 strips bacon
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup chicken broth
4- to 5-lb. boneless pork loin, a short and wide one so it fits in your slow cooker
salt and pepper
TIP
If it’s convenient, you can make this a day ahead of when you want to serve it. The roast improves in flavor and texture if it’s been made ahead of time and chilled before you slice it. You can serve it cold or re-heated.
1. Soak apricots in brandy or apple juice for 1 hour. They should absorb most or all of the liquid.
2. In the meantime fry bacon strips in a skillet. Reserve the drippings, but lift the bacon out onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. When the bacon has cooled, snap it into small pieces.
3. Sauté the chopped onion in the bacon drippings.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the softened onion with the drained apricots, bacon pieces, bread crumbs, and chicken broth to make the fruit stuffing.
5. Slice the pork loin lengthwise, but stop just before cutting through the other long side. You should be able to open the loin and lay it flat.
6. Spread the stuffing along the inside of pork. Then roll it snugly, starting from the one long side. Keep tucking in the stuffing as you roll. Tie the roll securely with kitchen twine in 3 or 4 places to hold it shut.
7. Put the stuffed loin into your greased slow cooker, fat side up. Sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
8. Cover the cooker. Cook the meat on Low about 4 hours, or until your instant-read meat thermometer registers 140–145° when stuck into the center of the meat.
9. Let the meat stand for about 10 minutes before cutting the twine and removing it. Then slice the stuffed meat and serve.
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 2–4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
2–3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. sausage—your choice of flavors—links, or casings removed and meat crumbled
1 large onion, chopped
10-oz. can tomatoes with green chili peppers
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. dry mustard
¼ cup honey
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. Place oil in a large skillet. Brown the sausage in the oil. Using a slotted spoon, lift the crumbled sausage into the slow cooker. If you’re using links, lift them out of the cooker with a slotted spoon and let them cool until you can stand to hold them. Then cut them into thin slices and put them in the cooker.
2. Brown the onion in the drippings in the skillet. Add them to the cooker.
3. Stir the tomatoes and peppers into the skillet. Heat them up, and then stir loose any brown bits stuck on the bottom of the skillet. The acid in the tomatoes will help to lift the bits so you can add them to the slow cooker, too. Pour the tomatoes-drippings mixture into the cooker.
4. Add everything else and stir well. Mix in the reserved juice from the lima, kidney, and garbanzo beans if there’s enough room in the cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 2–4 hours. This holds well on Warm if you aren’t ready to eat at the end of the cooking time.
Why I like this recipe —
This is the story: My friend mixed up this Stew the night before her garage sale. Early in the morning, she plugged it in in a corner of her garage. All morning long, people commented on the delicious smell, and she ended up giving away most of the Stew as samples in paper cups! Talk about community spirit!
Kielbasa and Cheese Pasta Sauce
Makes 4–5 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 6–8 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
* 1 cup beef stock
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
4 oz. cheese, of your choice, shredded
1 lb. kielbasa, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, diced
2 carrots, grated
2-oz. jar pimentos
12-oz. box pasta, of your choice
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN STOCK, SEE PAGE 357
1. Heat beef stock in microwave or on stove-top until boiling.
2. Add the boiling stock to slow cooker. Add rest of ingredients, except for the pasta, stirring gently until well mixed.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6–8 hours, or until vegetables are as soft as you like them.
4. As you near the end of the cooking time, cook pasta on the stove-top. Drain and keep warm.
5. Mix the finished sauce with the pasta.
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
2 lbs. smoked kielbasa
* 1¾ cups unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup brown sugar
3 medium onions, sliced
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN APPLESAUCE, SEE PAGE 367
1. Slice kielbasa into ¼” slices. Brown in skillet. Stir often to make sure all sides brown. Drain the kielbasa of any drippings.
2. Combine applesauce and brown sugar in slow cooker.
3. Stir in the kielbasa and onions.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 4–6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
1 lb. bulk, or link, sausage
2 medium raw sweet potatoes, peeled or not
3 medium apples, peeled or not
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup water
1. If you can’t find bulk sausage, just buy links and squeeze it out of the casing. Brown the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up into small clumps as it cooks. Drain off the drippings.
2. If you’re peeling the potatoes and apples, now’s the time to do that.
3. Layer the sausage, then the sweet potatoes, and finally the apples into your greased slow cooker.
4. In a small bowl, combine all the other ingredients until smooth. Pour the sauce over the layers.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 4–6 hours, or until the sweet potatoes are as tender as you like them.
Makes 30 meatballs
Prep. Time: 20–30 minutes Cooking Time: 4–6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
HAM BALLS:
1 lb. ground ham
1½ lbs. ground pork
2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 cup milk
SAUCE:
¾ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
½ tsp. paprika
¼ cup vinegar
4 oz. pineapple chunks
1. In a good-sized bowl, combine all ham ball ingredients. Shape into 30 balls. Stack the ham balls into your greased slow cooker.
2. Stir all of the sauce ingredients together. Pour the sauce over the ham balls.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4–6 hours, or until the meatballs are tender. If you wish, you may gently stir at the 4-hour mark to put the topmost ham balls down into the sauce.
4. Move the balls onto a rimmed platter and spoon the sauce over top before serving. Lovely served over rice.
Here’s a different sauce you can try —
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
½ cup water
½ cup vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. prepared mustard
Why I like this recipe —
This was my mother-in-law’s main dish when she still cooked a full Christmas for her tribe of kids and grandkids. Now that my generation cooks the holiday meals, we often still make this. But it’s a great anytime-meal. Ask the butcher to grind the ham and pork if you don’t see it at your meat counter.
Sweet Potatoes, Ham, and Oranges
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 4–5 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3- or 4-quart
2–3 raw sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼” thick
1 large ham slice, cut into 4 pieces
3 seedless oranges, peeled and sliced
3 Tbsp. orange juice concentrate
3 Tbsp. honey
¼ tsp. ground allspice
⅛ tsp. pepper
½ cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
TIP
Be sure to use orange juice concentrate, rather than juice, for the best flavor.
1. Place sweet potatoes in slow cooker.
2. Arrange ham and orange slices on top.
3. Combine remaining ingredients. Drizzle over ham and oranges.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4–5 hours, or just until the sweet potatoes are as tender as you like them.
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes Cooking Time: 5–6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
1–2 Tbsp. oil
5–6 bratwurst links, cut into 1” pieces
5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed
27-oz. can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 medium tart apple, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
⅓–½ cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1. Brown bratwurst in oil on all sides in a skillet.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Stir in bratwurst and pan drippings.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 5–6 hours, or until potatoes and apples are tender.
TIP
Not sure about bratwurst? Switch in Italian sausage if you want—sweet or hot.
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
2 lbs. sweet Italian sausage, cut into 5” lengths
24-oz. jar of your favorite pasta sauce
6-oz. can tomato paste
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little more
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, or 2 tsp. dried parsley
1. Place sausage pieces in skillet. Add water to cover. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain. (This cooks off some of the fat from the sausage.)
2. Combine pasta sauce, tomato paste, chopped green pepper, sliced onion, 1 Tbsp. grated cheese, and water in slow cooker. Stir in sausage pieces.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.
4. Just before serving, stir in parsley.
5. Serve in buns, or cut sausage into bite-sized pieces and serve over cooked pasta. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.
Why I like this recipe —
When you’re tired or can’t think anymore, this is the dish to make. It bucks everyone up, it’s so satisfyingly good. I love its versatility, too. Buns or pasta. Or rice or potatoes.
Creamy Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 30–40 minutes Cooking Time: 6–8 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
6–8 slices ham, cut ¼” thick, cubed, divided
8–10 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced, divided
1 large onion, sliced, divided
salt and pepper to taste, divided
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
* 10½-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
paprika
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN CREAM SOUP, SEE PAGES 370-371.
1. Put half of the ham, half of the potatoes and half of the onion into your greased slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and half the grated cheese. Repeat the same layers in the same order.
3. Pour the soup into a bowl and stir it briskly until it gets all creamy and saucy. Then spoon it over top of the ingredients in the cooker.
4. Cover and cook on Low 6–8 hours, or until the potatoes and onions are as tender as you like them.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle with paprika.
Why I like this recipe —
This is an old classic. But I hardly ever made it, because I’m too impatient to slice this many potatoes thin. I skipped peeling the potatoes (after cooking them for 6–8 hours, no one ever notices the peels), but the endless slicing still tripped me up. Until I got a mandolin. Now I zip through the potatoes—yes, using the guard faithfully! It’s a welcome-home dish.
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 3–3½ hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
¼ cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 quart frozen, or fresh corn, thawed and drained
1 cup soft bread crumbs
4 eggs, well beaten
½ cup ketchup
⅛ tsp. ground allspice
pinch cayenne
1. In a skillet, fry together sausage, onion, and salt until sausage is mostly browned. Discard drippings.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine sausage, onions, corn, and bread crumbs. Mix well.
3. The mixture should be cool enough to add eggs without scrambling them on contact. If not, stir and spread out the mixture in the bowl until it is just warm. Add eggs and stir again.
4. Pour mixture into lightly greased slow cooker.
5. In a small bowl, mix ketchup with allspice and cayenne.
6. Spread ketchup mixture over corn and sausage mixture.
7. Cover and cook on Low for 3–3½ hours, until set in the middle.
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15–20 minutes Cooking Time: 5–6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
3- to 4-lb. boneless pork loin roast
1½ tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
dash of pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce, your choice
1 cup cola, regular or diet
1. Cut the roast in half. Place both halves in your slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
3. Cover. Cook 4 hours on Low.
4. Put the cooked meat on a good-sized platter. Skim the fat from the broth remaining in the slow cooker and discard it.
5. Shred the pork using 2 forks. Return the shredded pork to the broth in the slow cooker.
6. Combine the barbecue sauce and cola in a small bowl. Stir it into the meat in the cooker.
7. Cover. Cook on High 1–2 hours, or until the meat’s heated through and bubbly.
8. Serve it on rolls.
