Cooking Time: 3½–4 hours Standing Time: 15 minutesMakes 1 8" loaf
Prep. Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4 hours Standing Time: 15 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart oval
1 egg
⅔ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
⅔ cup orange juice
½ tsp. grated orange rind
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup fresh, or frozen, blueberries, thawed
1. Place egg in large mixing bowl and beat well.
2. Add sugar, oil, orange juice, and orange rind, and continue beating till well mixed.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients. Mix only a few strokes until barely combined.
4. Gently stir in blueberries. Do not overmix.
5. Pour into well-greased 8 × 4 loaf pan, or whatever size loaf pan fits in your slow cooker. You can also use small, individual bakers.
6. Place pan or bakers into dry inner crock on top of a small trivet or 2 metal jar rings. Prop lid open at one end with a chopstick or wooden spoon handle. Cook for 3½–4 hours on High, or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. The top of the loaf may not look set because it won’t brown the way it would in the oven, so be sure to start checking at 3½ hours.
7. Carefully remove hot loaf pan or bakers from hot cooker and let bread cool in the pan or bakers at least 15 minutes. Run a table knife around the loaf and carefully turn pan upside down.
8. Serve slices warm with butter or whipped cream cheese.
TIP
You may use up to 1 cup of whole wheat flour in this bread without sacrificing the nice, moist texture.
Healthy Pumpkin Bread
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 25 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4 hours Standing Time: 10 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
⅓ cup oil
1 cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin
2 Tbsp. water
⅓ cup raisins
⅓ cup nuts
1½ cups + 2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1. In a small mixing bowl, mix oil, honey, eggs, pumpkin, water, raisins, and nuts.
2. In a larger mixing bowl, mix rest of ingredients.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring briefly, just until mixed.
4. Pour into greased 9 × 5 or 8 × 4 loaf pan, whatever size will fit in your slow cooker.
5. Place loaf pan on small trivet or metal jar rings in slow cooker. Prop lid open at one end with a wooden spoon handle or chopstick.
6. Cook on High for 3½–4 hours, until tester inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean.
7. Carefully, wearing oven mitts, remove hot loaf pan from hot crock. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the loaf and turn out onto cooling rack. Wait as long as you can, at least 10 minutes, before slicing.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4 hours Standing Time: 40 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart oval
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins, or dried cranberries, or some of both
* ¾ cup plain yogurt
¾ cup oil
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN YOGURT, SEE PAGE 368.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine both flours, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
2. In another bowl, combine zucchini, nuts, raisins, yogurt, and oil.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Mix briefly and carefully just until mixed—streaks of flour are okay. Overmixed quick breads are tough!
4. Pour batter into greased loaf pan, whatever size will fit in your slow cooker. Place a trivet or metal jar rings in the bottom of the slow cooker and place loaf pan on it.
5. Vent slow cooker lid at one end by propping it open with a wooden spoon handle or chopstick.
6. Cook on High for 3½–4 hours, until tester inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean.
7. Carefully, wearing oven mitts, remove hot loaf pan from hot cooker. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn loaf out onto rack. Cool for at least 30 more minutes before slicing.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4 hours Standing Time: 10 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup brown sugar
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. (half stick) butter, melted
1 egg
¾ cup milk
½ tsp. almond extract
1 cup fresh cranberries
½ cup sliced almonds
1. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In another bowl, combine butter, egg, milk, and almond extract. When well-mixed, add cranberries and almonds.
3. Combine wet and dry mixtures, stirring lightly and carefully until just mixed.
4. Spread batter (it will be stiff) in greased loaf 9 × 5 or 8 × 4 pan, whatever size fits into your slow cooker.
5. Place pan on small trivet or metal jar lid/rings in bottom of slow cooker. Vent slow cooker lid at one end with a wooden spoon or chopstick.
6. Cook on High for 3½–4 hours, until tester inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean.
7. Carefully, wearing oven mitts, remove hot pan from hot cooker. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge and turn out loaf to finish cooling on cooling rack. Slice when cool.
TIP
Whole milk will give the best moisture and texture in this recipe.
Why I like this recipe —
Sure, cranberries pair beautifully with oranges and I love that combination, but putting cranberries with not-too-sweet almond bread is a revelation. A slice of this bread with a cup of hot chocolate is one of my favorite Thanksgiving-is-coming treats.
Why I like this recipe —
I love strawberries and this is a uniquely delicious way to use them. Sometimes I just can’t help myself and I put a drop of red food coloring in the icing.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart oval
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
½ cup + 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped fresh, or frozen and thawed, strawberries
FROSTING:
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ tsp. vanilla
4 Tbsp. (half-stick) butter, softened
1¼ cups confectioners sugar
chopped pecans, optional
1. In a large bowl, combine both flours, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. When well mixed, form a well in the center of the mixture.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and vegetable oil. Add strawberries. Pour into well in dry ingredients and stir gently just until mixed.
3. Pour into well-greased 8 × 4 loaf pan or whatever size fits in your slow cooker.
4. Place pan into inner crock on top of a small trivet or metal jar lid. Prop lid open at one end with a chopstick or wooden spoon handle.
5. Cook for 3½–4 hours on High, or until toothpick inserted in middle of loaf comes out clean. The top of the loaf may not look set because it won’t brown the way it would in the oven, so be sure to start checking at 3½ hours.
6. Carefully remove hot loaf pan and let bread cool in the pan at least 15 minutes. Run a table knife around the loaf and carefully turn pan upside down to get loaf out.
7. To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, vanilla, and butter together until creamy in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in confectioners sugar.
8. Spread frosting over top and part of the way down the sides of the cooled bread. Sprinkle evenly with pecans if you’re using them and press in lightly.
TIP
This bread freezes well.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 3½–4½ hours Standing Time: 10 minutes
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup whole wheat flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup mashed, very ripe banana (2–3 medium)
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup buttermilk
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1. In a mixing bowl, combine flours, baking soda, and salt.
2. In another mixing bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. When well-mixed, stir in chocolate chips.
3. Add wet ingredients to dry (or the other way around) and be very careful to stir briefly until just mixed. A few streaks of flour may remain.
4. Pour batter in greased loaf pan, 9 × 5 or 8 × 4, whatever size fits in your cooker. Or use small, individual bakers.
5. Place loaf pan or bakers on metal jar rings or small trivet in cooker. Prop slow cooker lid open at one end with a wooden spoon handle or chopstick.
6. Cook on High for 3½–4½ hours, until tester inserted in middle comes out clean.
7. Carefully, wearing oven gloves, remove the hot loaf pan or bakers from the hot cooker. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the bread and turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Slices best when cool, if you can wait that long!
Why I like this recipe —
What's better than banana, peanut butter, and chocolate? I love these three together. This is a wonderfully flavored bread that you don't have to feel guilty eating—serve it for breakfast or an after-school snack. I usually eat it straight up, but you could spread cream cheese on it, too.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Standing Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 2½–3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart oval
¾ cup boiling water
½ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup shortening
3 Tbsp. mild molasses, or honey
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (1 Tbsp.) dry yeast
¼ cup warm water
1 egg
1 cup whole wheat flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
TIP
Use this bread anywhere you would use regular cornbread.
1. In a mixing bowl, pour boiling water over cornmeal, shortening, molasses and salt. Stir until shortening melts. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes.
2. When the cornmeal mixture is just lukewarm, add yeast, warm water, and egg. Whisk well.
3. Using hands or a wooden spoon, stir in whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. The dough will be thick and unwieldy. Knead a few turns if you wish, but it’s not necessary.
4. Shape dough into loaf and place in well-greased bread pan, whichever size will fit in your slow cooker.
5. Place bread pan on a small trivet or metal jar lid in inner crock. Lay 4 paper towels on top of crock (to catch the condensation). Put lid on slow cooker, right on top of the paper towels.
6. Cook on High for 2½–3 hours, until the middle top of the loaf springs back when touched and the whole loaf has pulled away from the sides of the pan and is lightly brown. The loaf may not puff up in the middle completely.
7. Carefully remove hot loaf pan from hot crock. Run a knife around the loaf and turn it out onto a rack to finish cooling. Delicious sliced and served warm, or toasted the next morning for breakfast.
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 2–3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 2- or 3-quart
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
4½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 Tbsp. honey
1 cup milk
⅓ cup melted butter, or oil
½ tsp. orange liqueur
1. Cut a piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom of the inner crock, and then put it in the crock. Spray the inside of the crock, including the parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together egg, honey, milk, butter, and orange liqueur until well mixed. Pour into well in dry ingredients.
4. Mix into the dry mixture until just moistened. Spread out with a spoon or spatula so the batter covers the bottom of the crock evenly.
5. Cover. Cook on High 2–3 hours, or until tester inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
TIP
When you lift the lid, swoop it off at a sharp angle so no water drips off the inside of the lid onto the cake.
Why I like this recipe —
This is so easy and so tasty, you don’t really need a boxed mix to make your own cornbread. Just make sure to pick up some cornmeal the next time you’re in the grocery store. And some orange liqueur, too, although you can skip that if you get a sudden urge to make this and don’t have it on hand. It’s there as a subtle hint, not to over-power the bread.
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10–15 minutes Cooking Time: 1½–2½ hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3-quart
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg
* 1 cup sour cream, or plain yogurt
½ cup milk
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN YOGURT, SEE PAGE 368
1. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg well, and then add sour cream or yogurt, milk, and melted butter. Mix well.
3. Pour wet ingredients into flour mixture. Stir just until mixed.
4. Pour into greased slow cooker.
5. Cook on High for 1½–2½ hours or until tester inserted in middle comes out clean.
TIP
Leftovers can be split into pieces, buttered lightly, and placed under the broiler until browned. Delicious!
Cook’s Note —
•For breakfast, serve the Cornbread with sausage gravy and fried apples on the side.
•For a main meal, serve it with smoked sausage, steamed cabbage, pinto beans, and applesauce.
Why I like this recipe —
The slow cooker makes a whole-grain cornbread moist and delicious. Dry cornbread is terrible stuff to have in your mouth, but this recipe will keep you coming back for more!
Maple-Nut Cornbread with Country Bacon
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 2 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3-quart
6 strips double-smoked, or regular if you can’t find this high-octane kind, bacon
1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup maple syrup
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
½ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
vanilla yogurt, or maple syrup for topping, optional
1. Fry the bacon over medium heat in a skillet. When the bacon is crisp, reserve the drippings and remove the bacon to drain on a paper towel. Then crumble the bacon into chunks.
2. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a good-sized bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the maple syrup, buttermilk, oil, and eggs.
4. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix well.
5. Combine the pecans with the crumbled bacon. Stir them into the batter.
6. Pour just enough reserved bacon drippings into your greased slow cooker to coat the bottom with a thin film. Then pour the batter into the cooker.
7. Cover. Cook the Bread on High for 2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
8. Serve warm. Vanilla yogurt or maple syrup makes a good topping.
Why I like this recipe —
This has got texture, plus a mix of salty and sweet that makes me want to eat this bread straight out of the cooker. This is good brunch food, or stick a wedge in your lunch. It’s also a good go-along with chili or soup.
Makes 12–15 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 2½–3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-quart
3 cups yellow cornmeal
1½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup cream-style corn
4-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
1¼ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
1¾ cups milk
paprika
1. In large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Mix in onion, corn, chilies, and cheese.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together oil, eggs, and milk. Pour wet ingredients into cornmeal mixture and blend gently just until mixed.
3. Spoon mixture into greased slow cooker. Sprinkle with paprika.
4. Cook on High for 2½–3 hours, until tester inserted in middle comes out clean.
5. Serve by spooning out portions (the fast, but not pretty, method), or run knife around the edges and invert crock over cutting board to get bread out. Slice.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 15–20 minutes Cooking Time: 2–3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart oval
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt, optional
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup creamed corn
1 small onion, chopped
1–2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, depending on how much you like heat
half stick (¼ cup) butter
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
Why I like this recipe —
I love the zing in this innocent-looking bread. And you won’t heat up your kitchen if you make the bread in your slow cooker.
1. In a good-sized bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt if you want, and cilantro.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the egg, milk, and corn until thoroughly combined.
3. In a small skillet, or in a microwave-safe bowl, cook the onion and jalapeño in butter until the onion is transparent.
4. Add the milk mixture, the onion mixture, and the cheese to the dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.
5. Pour into a 2-qt. greased baking pan if it fits into your slow cooker. Or use an 8 × 4 loaf pan if it fits into your cooker.
6. Cover the baking pan securely with tin foil. Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on High 2–3 hours, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
TIP
The baking pan doesn’t need to sit the whole way on the bottom of your cooker. If the cooker holds the pan level, it’s okay to have it hang on the edges of the crock.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 2½–3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart
1 Tbsp. (1 pkg.) active dry yeast
¼ cup warm water, heated to 110–120°
1 cup skim milk, or 1 cup buttermilk, heated to 110–120°
½ cup rolled, or quick, dry oats
2 Tbsp. peanut oil, or melted butter
2 Tbsp. honey
1 egg
¼ cup wheat germ
1 tsp. salt
2¾ cups whole wheat flour from hard wheat, also called bread flour, divided
3 Tbsp. wheat gluten
1. Grease a loaf pan that fits into your slow cooker, or a 1-lb. can that will stand upright in your cooker with the cooker lid on.
2. Put yeast, water, milk, oats, oil or butter, honey, egg, and wheat germ in good-sized mixing bowl. Mix together. Let stand until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in salt, about 2 cups flour, and gluten. When the mixture becomes too stiff to stir with a wooden spoon, use your hands to scrape and turn the dough until it forms a ball. If it remains too sticky, add a bit of the remaining flour.
4. When a ball forms, turn it onto a lightly floured countertop. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 5–8 minutes. Work in more of the remaining flour if you need it.
5. Turn dough immediately into the loaf pan or coffee can. Cover with greased aluminum foil. Let stand 5 minutes.
6. Place covered pan or can into the slow cooker on top of a trivet or metal jar rings. Cover the cooker. Bake on High 2½–3 hours. You’ll know the bread is done when its sides brown and look crispy and its top is lightly brown and soft.
7. Remove pan from cooker. Let stand uncovered for 5 minutes. Then turn the pan or can upside down and take the bread out. Let it cool before slicing it.
Why I like this recipe —
This bread smells so absolutely tempting, you’ll have a hard time not lifting the lid or pulling back the tin foil while it’s cooking. But don’t. This is great Saturday relaxation with a very satisfying pay-off.
Makes 8–10 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 2–3 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-quart
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup + 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
1 egg
1 Tbsp. honey
* 1 cup plain yogurt
* TO MAKE YOUR OWN YOGURT, SEE PAGE 368.
TIP
This bread goes great with soups, but top it with jam or lemon curd for breakfast.
1. In a mixing bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, salt, baking soda, and cardamom.
2. In a small bowl, beat the egg well. Add honey and yogurt to the egg and beat again.
3. Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon.
4. Clean the dough off the spoon and get ready to knead! Knead the dough for a few minutes, until it becomes satiny.
5. Place a large piece of parchment paper on the counter—it needs to be large enough so you can grab the corners and lift the bread out of the slow cooker when it’s done.
6. Shape the dough into a round, low loaf. Set it in the middle of the parchment paper.
7. Use a sharp knife to make a large, shallow cross on the top of the loaf. Sprinkle the top of the loaf especially in the cross indentation with the remaining 1 Tbsp. flour.
8. Lift up the parchment paper, carrying the loaf in it like a sling, and place in slow cooker. Prop lid open at one end with a wooden spoon handle or chopstick.
9. Cook on High for 2–3 hours, until loaf is firm when tapped and tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Use the parchment paper to lift the finished loaf out of the cooker. Allow to cool 10 minutes or more before slicing. Best served warm, or toast it on day 2.
Why I like this recipe —
it’s the perfect rustic bread with a beautiful craggy appearance—but because it’s a quick bread leavened with baking soda, it’s so easy and fast.
Why I like this recipe —
I love homemade bread, so I thought maybe the slow cooker could help me out with it. It does! I am not a proficient or confident bread-baker, but this method works for me and I hope you love it, too. Bread from the slow cooker tends to be heavy but moist, which is fine with me as I like hearty bread.
Makes 1 loaf
Prep. Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 2½–3 hours
Standing Time: 15–30 minutes Rising Time: 1 hour
Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-quart oval
½ cup dry rolled oats
1 cup boiling water
1 Tbsp. (1 pkg.) dry yeast
3 Tbsp. warm water
3 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
1 cup whole wheat flour
1–2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Place rolled oats in medium mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over oats. Stir. Allow to cool for 15–30 minutes or until room temperature.
2. Add yeast, warm water, honey, salt and whole wheat flour.
3. Whisk vigorously.
4. With wooden spoon or your hands, stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour. Start to knead, although the dough will be quite sticky. Gradually add up to another cup of all-purpose flour, kneading all the while.
5. When dough is smooth and firm, lift it up and pour a little oil underneath. Turn the ball of dough in the oil and use it to grease the bowl, turning dough ball so it’s oiled completely.
6. Cover bowl with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rise until double, about 1 hour.
7. Press dough flat with hands or a rolling pin, and roll up into a loaf, tucking in ends securely. Place in greased 8 × 4 or 9 × 5 pan, whichever size will fit in your slow cooker. Or use a round baking dish.
8. Prick loaf all over with a fork to pop any air bubbles.
9. Place loaf pan or baking dish on a small trivet or metal jar lid or rings in slow cooker. Put lid on. Cook on High for 2½–3 hours, until loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
10. Remove loaf from pan or baking dish and allow to cool on rack before slicing—if you can wait that long!
