Beef Main Dishes
Spicy Beef Roast
Karen Ceneviva
Seymour, CT
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1-2 Tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs. round tip roast, or brisket, trimmed of fat
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dry mustard
1. Rub cracked pepper and garlic onto roast. Put roast in slow cooker.
2. Make several shallow slits in top of meat.
3. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Spoon over meat.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 4-5 hours, just until meat is tender but not dry.
Note:
Once when I had made this roast for friends, my son said—in front of all the guests—“Mom, you always cook so well and you have a smile while you’re doing it.” That’s the kind of comment you don’t forget. And this roast is that good!
Wine Tender Roast
Rose Hankins
Stevensville, MD
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
2½-3-lb. chuck roast
1 cup thinly sliced onion
½ cup chopped apple, peeled, or unpeeled
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup red wine
salt and pepper
1. Put roast in slow cooker. Layer onions, apples, and garlic on top of roast.
2. Carefully pour wine over roast without disturbing its toppings.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.
Shirley Unternahrer
Wayland, IA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
3½-4-lb. beef roast, any cut
12-oz. can cola
½-¾ tsp. salt
1 large onion, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
1 whole clove garlic
2 cups fresh, or canned, plums, cut up
1. Layer first six ingredients into slow cooker in order.
2. Cover. Cook on High 6-8 hours, or just until roast is tender but not dry.
3. Add plums (including juice if they’re canned) for last hour of cooking. Cover.
Cranberry Brisket
Roseann Wilson
Albuquerque, NM
Makes 5-6 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2½-lb. beef brisket
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
16-oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
8-oz. can tomato sauce
½ cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1. Rub brisket with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.
2. Combine cranberry sauce, tomato sauce, onion, and mustard in a mixing bowl. Spoon over brisket, being careful not to disturb seasoning on meat.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.
4. Remove brisket. Slice thinly across grain. Skim fat from juices. Serve juices with brisket.
Machaca Beef
Jeanne Allen, Rye, CO
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 5-7 minutes • Cooking Time: 10-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.
1½-lb. beef roast
1 large onion, sliced
4-oz. can chopped green chilies, undrained
2 beef bouillon cubes
1½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. seasoning salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 cup salsa
1. Combine all ingredients except salsa in slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover meat.
2. Cover cooker and cook on Low 10-12 hours, or until beef is tender but not dry. Drain and reserve liquid.
3. Shred beef using two forks to pull it apart.
4. Combine beef, salsa, and enough of reserved liquid to have the consistency you want.
5. Use as filling for burritos, chalupas, quesadillas, or tacos.
Note:
After living in New Mexico for the past 30 years, I get homesick for New Mexican cuisine now that I live in Colorado. I keep memories of New Mexico alive by cooking foods that remind me of home.
Joy Martin
Myerstown, PA
Makes 4-5 servings
Prep. Time: 10-12 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
2½ lbs. beef brisket
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup ketchup
2 tsp. prepared Dijon mustard
½ tsp. celery seed
1. Cut brisket in half. Rub both pieces with liquid smoke, salt, and pepper.
2. Place brisket halves in slow cooker. Top with onion.
3. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, mustard, and celery seed. Spread over meat.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.
5. Remove brisket and keep warm.
6. Transfer cooking juices to a blender. Cover and process until smooth. (Cover lid of blender with thick towel and hold it on tightly while using.) Serve juices with brisket.
Salsa Chuck Roast
Hazel L. Propst
Oxford, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
3-4-lb. chuck, or round, roast
1 Tbsp. oil
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
2 cups water
1 cup salsa
1. Brown meat in skillet in oil on both sides. Place in slow cooker.
2. Add remaining ingredients to drippings in pan. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Pour over roast in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours.
Serving suggestion: This is a good topping for noodles or rice, along with the roast’s rich broth.
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Mexican Meat Dish
Marlene Bogard, Newton, KS
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
4-lb. chuck roast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1¼ cups diced green chili peppers
½ cup chipotle salsa
¼ cup hot pepper sauce
water
flour, optional
1. Season roast with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides in oil in skillet. Place in slow cooker.
2. In a bowl, mix together remaining ingredients, except water, and spoon over meat.
3. Pour water down along side of the cooker (so as not to wash off the topping) until roast is ⅓ covered.
4. Cover cooker. Cook on High 6 hours. Reduce to Low and cook 2-4 more hours, or until meat falls apart but doesn’t dry out.
5. Thicken hot sauce with several Tbsp. flour, if you like, in the slow cooker.
Serving suggestion: This highly seasoned meat is perfect for shredded beef Mexican tacos and burritos.
Apple and Onion Beef Pot Roast
Betty K. Drescher
Quakertown, PA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-lb. boneless beef roast, cut in half
oil
1 cup water
1 tsp. seasoning salt
½ tsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. garlic powder
1 large tart apple, quartered
1 large onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water
1. Brown roast on all sides in oil in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Add water to skillet. Stir with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Pour over roast.
3. Sprinkle with seasoning salt, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.
4. Top with apple and onion.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.
6. Remove roast and onion. Let stand 15 minutes.
7. To make gravy, pour juices from roast into saucepan and simmer until reduced to 2 cups.
8. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth in small bowl.
9. Stir into beef broth. Bring to boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes, or until thickened.
10. Slice pot roast and serve with gravy.
There’s-No-Easier Roast Beef
Sue Pennington
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
12-oz. bottle barbecue sauce, divided
3-4-lb. beef roast
1. Pour half of barbecue sauce into bottom of slow cooker.
2. Add roast. Top with remaining barbecue sauce.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
4. Slice roast and serve with sauce.
Variation:
Use an 18-oz. bottle of barbecue sauce if you prefer a juicier outcome.
8-Hour Tangy Beef
Mary Martins
Fairbank, IA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3½-4-lb. beef roast
12-oz. can ginger ale
1½ cups ketchup
1. Put beef in slow cooker.
2. Blend ginger ale and ketchup together in a good-sized bowl. Pour over roast.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours.
Serving suggestion: Shred with 2 forks and serve on buns. Or break up into chunks and serve over rice, potatoes, or pasta.
Variations:
1. This recipe produces a lot of juice. You can add chopped onions, potatoes, and green beans in Step 2, if you want. Or stir in sliced mushrooms and/or peas 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
2. For a tangier finished dish, add chili powder or cumin, along with black pepper, in Step 2.
Evelyn Page
Riverton, WY
Makes 5-6 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 8 hours
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
2-3-lb. beef roast
12-oz. can beer
1 onion, sliced
1. Place roast in slow cooker. Poke all over surface with fork.
2. Pour beer over roast. Cover. Refrigerate 8 hours.
3. Add sliced onion to top of roast.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Variations:
1. Brown roast in oil in skillet on top and bottom before placing in cooker.
2. Mix together 1 cup cider vinegar and 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce in slow cooker. Marinate roast in mixture in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. When ready to cook roast, either discard marinade, or add other ingredients to it.
3. To thicken broth, mix together ¼ cup flour and 1 cup water until smooth. Twenty minutes before end of cooking time, remove roast from cooker. Stir flour paste into beef broth in cooker until smooth. Return roast to cooker and continue cooking. When finished, cut roast into chunks and serve with gravy.
Italian Beef au Jus
Carol Sherwood
Batavia, NY
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
3-5-lb. boneless beef roast
4-5-oz. pkg. au jus mix
1 pkg. Italian salad dressing mix
14½-oz. can beef broth
half a soup can water
1. Place beef in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in bowl. Pour over roast.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
Serving suggestion: Slice meat and spoon onto hard rolls with straining spoon to make sandwiches. Or shred with 2 forks and serve over noodles or rice in broth thickened with flour.
Tip:
To thicken broth, mix 3 Tbsp. cornstarch into ¼ cup cold water in small bowl. Stir until smooth. Remove ½ cup beef broth from cooker and blend into cornstarch-water. Stir back into broth in cooker, stirring until smooth. Cook 10-15 minutes on High until broth reaches gravy consistency.
Saucy Italian Roast
Sharon Miller
Holmesville, OH
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-3½-lb. boneless rump roast
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. pepper
4½-oz. jar mushroom pieces, drained
1 medium onion, diced
14-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
¼-½ cup beef broth
1. Cut roast in half.
2. Combine salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub over both halves of roast. Place in slow cooker.
3. Top with mushrooms and onions.
4. Combine spaghetti sauce and broth in a good-sized bowl. Spoon over roast, being careful not to disturb toppings and seasonings covering it.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours.
Serving suggestion: Slice roast. Serve in sauce over pasta.
Anne Townsend
Albuquerque, NM
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 carrots, cut in strips
2 potatoes, cubed
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2-lb. beef roast
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
1½ cups water
1. Place vegetables in slow cooker.
2. Place roast on top of vegetables.
3. Sprinkle with dry soup mix.
4. Combine liquid smoke and water in a small bowl. Pour over roast.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
Serving suggestion: Slice meat and serve with cole slaw and French bread. Lemon pie makes a nice finish.
Note:
This is a welcoming dinner to come home to because the house smells so yummy as you walk in. And the wonderful aroma lingers.
Sunday Roast Beef
Beverly Flatt-Getz
Warriors Mark, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8½-10½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ cup peeled small onions
1 cup carrot chunks
4-lb. beef chuck roast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pkg. George Washington Seasoning
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. garlic salt
1 cup water
few drops Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ cup cold water
1. Place potatoes, onions, and carrots in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Sear beef on all sides in olive oil in skillet. Add to vegetables in slow cooker.
3. Sprinkle with seasonings.
4. Pour water around roast.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
6. Remove meat and vegetables from juice. Season juice with Worcestershire sauce.
7. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water in a small bowl. Stir into slow cooker. Cook on High until thick and bubbly. Serve with juice alongside.
Note:
When I was growing up we often had this for Sunday lunch after church. Mom put it in the oven very early. I adapted the recipe for making it in a slow cooker.
Every year I buy a new game for the whole extended family to play after dinner. Some we’ve especially enjoyed are Pictionary, Guesstures, Family Feud, etc.
Marsha Sabus, Fallbrook, CA
Bavarian Beef
Naomi E. Fast
Hesston, KS
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6½-7½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-3½-lb. boneless beef chuck roast
oil
3 cups sliced carrots
3 cups sliced onions
2 large kosher dill pickles, chopped
1 cup sliced celery
½ cup dry red wine, or beef broth
2 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp. ground cloves
⅓ cup flour
1 cup water
1. Brown roast on both sides in oil in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. Distribute carrots, onions, pickles and celery around roast in slow cooker.
3. Combine wine, mustard, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves in a bowl. Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or until meat and vegetables are tender but not dry or mushy.
5. Remove meat and vegetables to large platter. Cover to keep warm.
6. Mix flour with 1 cup water in bowl until smooth. Turn cooker to High. Stir in flour-water paste, stirring continually until broth is smooth and thickened. Serve with broth alongside.
Serving suggestion: Try serving this over noodles or spaetzle.
Sauerbraten
Leona M. Slabaugh
Apple Creek, OH
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10-20 minutes
Marinating Time: 8 hours, or overnight
Cooking Time: 5-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 cup cider vinegar
¾ cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
3½-lb. boneless top round roast, tied
20 gingersnaps (about 5 oz.), crushed
1. Combine vinegars, salt, pepper, cloves, bay leaves, and mustard seeds in a large bowl.
2. Place roast in bowl. Spoon marinade over it.
3. Cover roast in marinade and refrigerate overnight, turning once.
4. Place roast and marinade in slow cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on High 5 hours or on Low 7 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.
6. Remove roast to platter and keep warm.
7. Strain liquid from slow cooker. Stir crushed gingersnaps into liquid until well blended.
8. Slice roast and serve with sauce alongside.
Beef Pot Roast
Nancy Wagner Graves
Manhattan, KS
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
4-5-lb. beef chuck roast
1 garlic clove, cut in half
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
¾ cup sour cream
3 Tbsp. flour
½ cup dry white wine
1. Rub roast with garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.
2. Add carrots, celery, and onion.
3. Combine sour cream, flour, and wine in a small bowl. Pour into slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours.
Naomi E. Fast, Hesston, KS
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 6½-7½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-3½-lb. arm roast, boneless
2 large onions, sliced
½ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger, or ¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 cup julienned carrots, matchstick size, or baby carrots
2 cups sliced button mushrooms
2-3 cups fresh spinach leaves, or 2 10-oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1. Place meat in slow cooker. Top with onions.
2. Combine brown sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar in a small bowl. Spoon over beef.
3. Scatter bay leaves, garlic, and ginger over roast.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours.
5. Spread carrots, mushrooms, and spinach over beef.
6. Cover. Cook on High 20 minutes.
7. In small bowl, mix cornstarch with ½ cup broth from slow cooker. Return to slow cooker.
8. Cover. Cook 10 minutes more.
Serving suggestion: Serve over rice.
Note:
I can’t count how many times I have used this recipe over the last 15-20 years as a guest meal.
Spicy Short Ribs
Joan Terwilliger
Lebanon, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- to 6-qt.
8 bone-in beef short ribs
15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2-3 Tbsp. hot pepper jam, or horseradish jam
6 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1 Tbsp. dried minced onions
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ cup dry red wine
1. Broil ribs 6 inches from heat until browned, 5-10 minutes per side.
2. Place ribs in slow cooker.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. Pour over ribs. (If you’ve had to stack them, lift the top layer and spoon sauce over bottom layer.)
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.
5. Spoon off fat before serving.
Jean A. Shaner
York, PA
Barbara L. McGinnis
Jupiter, FL
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 9-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
⅔ cup flour
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
4-4½ lbs. boneless beef short ribs, or 6-7 lbs. bone-in beef short ribs
oil, or butter
1 large onion, chopped
1½ cups beef broth
¾ cup wine, or cider vinegar
½-¾ cup packed brown sugar, according to your taste preference
½ cup chili sauce
⅓ cup ketchup
⅓ cup Worcestershire sauce
5 garlic cloves, minced
1½ tsp. chili powder
1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in plastic bag. Add ribs, a few at a time, and shake to coat.
2. Brown meat in small amount of oil, or in butter, in batches in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker. Reserve drippings in skillet.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in skillet. Cook, stirring up browned drippings, until mixture comes to a boil. Pour over ribs.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 9-10 hours.
5. Debone and serve.
Serving suggestion: Serve over rice or noodles.
Tip:
It is ideal to cook these ribs one day in advance of serving. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove layer of congealed fat before serving.
Beef Ribs with Sauerkraut
Rosaria Strachan
Fairfield, CT
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
3-4 lbs. beef short ribs
32-oz. bag, or 27-oz. can, sauerkraut, drained
2 Tbsp. caraway seeds
¼ cup water
1. Put ribs in 6-qt. slow cooker.
2. Place sauerkraut and caraway seeds on top of ribs.
3. Pour in water.
4. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours or on Low 7-8 hours.
Serving suggestion: These need mashed potatoes to complete the meal!
Variation:
If you really enjoy sauerkraut, double the amount of sauerkraut, and divide the recipe between 2 4- or 5-qt. cookers.
Christmas is all year for me. Most of the gifts I give are homemade. This year I made six kinds of jelly, apple butter, chow-chow, and bread-and-butter pickles. This works well for people like me who are on a limited income. Plus I can be done early and share gifts from the heart.
Janet Batdorf, Harrisburg, PA
Miriam Friesen
Staunton,VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 5½-12½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
3 lbs. beef short ribs
2 Tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
1½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1¼ cups water
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 large bay leaf, broken in half
10-oz. pkg. frozen lima beans, or peas
1. Cut ribs into serving-size pieces. Brown ribs in large skillet in batches in oil.
2. Place onions and carrots in slow cooker. Add ribs.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in water and vinegar until smooth. Pour over ribs. Push bay leaf pieces into liquid.
4. Cover. Cook on High 5-6 hours or on Low 10-12 hours.
5. Stir in lima beans.
6. Cover. Cook on High 20-30 minutes.
7. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Serving suggestion: We like this with a citrus salad and crusty rolls.
Tender Texas-Style Steaks
Janice Muller
Derwood, MD
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
6 ½-¾-lb. steaks, or chops
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
salt to taste
pepper to taste
few dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1. Lay steaks in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Combine brown sugar and ketchup in a mixing bowl. Pour over steaks
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
4. Cover. Cook on High 3 hours and on Low 3 hours, or until meat is fork tender but not dry.
Serving suggestion: Serve with wide egg noodles, green beans, and applesauce.
Tip:
I spoon some of the juice from the cooker over the noodles. Sometimes I stir 2-4 Tbsp. flour into the hot broth (after lifting the meat onto a platter) until it becomes smooth. By cooking it a few more minutes, the broth thickens into a gravy.
Swiss Steak
Marie Shank
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2-lb. round steak, cut into serving pieces
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 large onion, sliced, or 1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
16-oz. can tomatoes
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-10 hours or on High 3-4 hours, just until meat is fork tender.
Tip:
You may want to omit the salt if you use the onion soup mix.
Grace W. Yoder
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½-lb. beef round steak, cut ½” thick
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, chopped, or sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large green bell peppers, sliced in ½” strips, divided
29-oz. can whole tomatoes
1 Tbsp. beef flavor base, or 1 beef bouillon cube
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. water
1. Cut beef into strips about 1” wide.
2. In a large bowl, combine ¼ cup flour, salt, and pepper. Toss with beef until well coated. Place in slow cooker.
3. Add onions, garlic, and half the green pepper slices. Mix well.
4. In the large bowl, combine tomatoes, beef base, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour into slow cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
6. One hour before serving, turn to High and stir in remaining green pepper strips.
7. Combine 3 Tbsp. flour and water in a small bowl to make a smooth paste. Stir into slow cooker. Cover. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Serving suggestion: This is a good topping for cooked rice.
Three-Pepper Steak
Renee Hankins
Narvon, PA
Makes 10 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
3 bell peppers—one red, one orange, and one yellow pepper (or any combination of colors), cut into ¼”-thick slices
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
3½-lb. beef flank steak, cut in ¼-½”-thick slices across the grain
salt to taste
14½-oz. can diced tomatoes in juice
jalapeño chilies, sliced, optional
1. Place sliced peppers, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, and bay leaf in slow cooker. Stir gently to mix.
2. Put steak slices on top of vegetable mixture. Season with salt.
3. Spoon tomatoes with juice over top. Sprinkle with jalapeño pepper slices if you wish. Do not stir.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 5-8 hours, depending on your slow cooker. Check after 5 hours to see if meat is tender. If not, continue cooking until tender but not dry.
Serving suggestion: We love this served over noodles, rice, or torn tortillas.
Renee Baum
Chambersburg, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4½-5½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
8-oz. pkg. crushed cornbread stuffing
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
2 eggs
1¼ cups beef broth
5⅓ Tbsp. (⅓ cup) butter, melted
½ tsp. seasoned salt, optional
½ tsp. pepper
1½ lbs. flank steak
1. Combine stuffing, onion, celery, and parsley in large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Stir in broth and butter. Pour over stuffing mixture. Sprinkle with seasoned salt if you wish, and pepper. Stir well.
3. Pound steak to ¼”- thickness.
4. Spread 1½ cups stuffing mixture over steak. Roll up, starting with short side. Tie with string.
5. Place steak in slow cooker.
6. Wrap remaining stuffing tightly in foil and place on top of rolled steak.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 4½-5½ hours, or until meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.
8. Remove string before slicing.
Note:
If you have a helpful butcher, ask him/her to pound the steak for you.
Sometime between Christmas and New Year’s we have a neighborhood dinner which we follow with singing hymns or Christmas songs. One neighbor brings her autoharp and another brings her accordion.
Sara Kinsinger, Stuarts Draft, VA
Fruited Flank Steak
Ruth A. Feister
Narvon, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1½-2-lb. flank steak
salt to taste
pepper to taste
14½-oz. can mixed fruit, or your choice of canned fruit
1 Tbsp. salad oil
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
1 tsp. vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.
2. Drain fruit, saving ¼ cup syrup. Set fruit aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup reserved syrup with remaining ingredients. Pour over steak.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or just until meat is tender but not dry.
5. Add drained fruit during last 15 minutes of cooking time.
6. Lift meat from cooker onto platter. Using sharp knife slice across the grain, making thin slices. Spoon fruit over meat.
Serving suggestion: Top off this meal by serving the steak and fruit with baked rice.
Slow Cooker Beef with Mushrooms
Grace W. Yoder, Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
½ lb. mushrooms, sliced, or 2 4-oz. cans sliced mushrooms, drained
2½-lb. beef flank, or round, steak
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. oil
paprika to taste
1. Place sliced onions and mushrooms in slow cooker.
2. Score top of meat about ½” deep in diamond pattern.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Rub in Worcestershire sauce and oil. Sprinkle top with paprika.
4. Place meat on top of onions.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours, or until meat is tender but not dry.
6. To serve, cut beef across grain in thin slices. Top with mushrooms and onions.
Variation:
Add 1 Tbsp. lemon juice to Worcestershire sauce and oil in Step 3.
Genelle Taylor
Perrysburg, OH
Barbecued Chuck Steak
Rhonda Burgoon
Collingswood, NJ
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1½-lb. boneless chuck steak, 1½” thick
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. prepared mustard
¼ tsp. black pepper
1. Cut beef on diagonal across the grain into 1”-thick slices. Place in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over meat. Stir to mix.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 3-5 hours.
Pigs in Blankets
Linda Sluiter
Schererville, IN
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2-3-lb. round steak, cut about 1” thick
1 lb. bacon
1 cup ketchup
¾ cup brown sugar
1 cup water
half a yellow onion, chopped
1. Cut steak into strips 1” thick x 3” long.
2. Lay a bacon strip down, then a strip of beef on top of the bacon slice. Roll up and secure with toothpick. Place in slow cooker.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour over meat roll-ups.
4. Cover. Cook on High 8 hours.
Elaine Vigoda
Rochester, NY
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
3 large carrots, cut into chunks
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 cup water
3-4-lb. corned beef
1 large onion, cut into pieces
half a small head of cabbage, cut in wedges
4 potatoes, peeled and chunked
1. Place carrots, celery, seasonings, and water in slow cooker. Stir together.
2. Add beef. Cover with onions.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 5-6 hours.
4. Lift corned beef out of cooker and add cabbage and potatoes, pushing them to bottom of slow cooker. Return beef to cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.
6. Remove corned beef. Cool and slice on the diagonal.
7. Serve surrounded by vegetables.
Variations:
1. Scatter 10-12 peppercorns over corned beef and onions in Step 2.
Rosaria Strachan
Fairfield, CT
2. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup water, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard, and a dash of ground cloves. Spread over beef in Step 4, just before cooking on High 2 more hours.
Shirley Sears
Tiskilwa, IL
Apple and Brown Sugar Corned Beef
Mary Seielstad
Sparks, NV
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt. or 2 4- to 5-qt. cookers
2½-3-lb. corned beef brisket
8 small red potatoes
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, cut in 6-8 pieces
1 small head cabbage, cut in chunks
1 qt. apple juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1. Place meat, potatoes, carrots, onion, and cabbage in 6-qt. slow cooker, or divide between 2 4- to 5-qt. cookers.
2. Combine apple juice, brown sugar, and mustard in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker(s).
3. Cover. Cook on High 6-6½ hours or on Low 10-12 hours, or until vegetables and meat are tender.
4. Remove meat and vegetables from slow cooker. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Serve topped with vegetables.
Serving suggestion: We love to eat this with cornbread.
Tip:
If potatoes are not small, quarter them before placing in slow cooker.
Home-Style Beef Cubes
Dorothy Horst
Tiskilwa, IL
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
½ cup flour
1 tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
4 lbs. beef cubes
½ cup chopped shallots, or green onions
2 4-oz. cans sliced mushrooms, drained, or ½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. ketchup
¼ cup water
3 Tbsp. flour
1. In a large bowl, combine ½ cup flour, salt, and pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture to coat. Place in slow cooker.
2. Cover with onions and mushrooms.
3. Combine broth, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker. Mix everything together well.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-12 hours, or until beef is as tender as you like.
5. One hour before serving, make a smooth paste of water and 3 Tbsp. flour in a small bowl. Stir into slow cooker. Cover and continue cooking until broth thickens.
Serving suggestion: This is a treat served over hot buttered noodles.
Fruited Beef Tagine
Naomi E. Fast
Hesston, KS
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 lbs. beef, cut into 2” cubes
1 Tbsp. oil
4 cups sliced onions
2 tsp. ground coriander
1½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ tsp. ground ginger
14½-oz. can beef broth, plus enough water to equal 2 cups
16 ozs. pitted prunes
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste
juice of one lemon
1. Brown beef cubes in oil in skillet. Do in batches so beef browns and doesn’t steam. As you finish browning, place beef in slow cooker. Reserve drippings.
2. Sauté onions in drippings until lightly browned, adding more oil if needed. Add to slow cooker.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except lemon juice.
4. Simmer on Low 5-6 hours, adding lemon juice during the last 10 minutes.
Serving suggestion: This recipe, accompanied with a tossed green salad and rolls, makes a complete meal.
Variations:
1. Mix in a few very thin slices of lemon rind to add flavor and eye appeal.
2. You can substitute lamb cubes for the beef.
Salsa Beef
Sarah Niessen
Akron, PA
Makes 5-6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
2-2½ lbs. beef, cut in bite-sized cubes
1 Tbsp. oil
16-oz. jar salsa
8-oz. can tomato sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup canned tomatoes
1. Brown beef in skillet in oil. Do it in batches so beef browns and doesn’t steam. As you finish a batch, place browned cubes in slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Serving suggestion: I usually serve this over rice.
Variation:
For added flavor, use Italian tomato sauce.
Susan Stephani Smith
Monument, CO
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4½-5½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
4 lbs. lean beef sirloin, cut into 1” cubes
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
2 pkgs. dry onion soup mix
¼-1 tsp. pepper, according to your taste preference
½ tsp. salt
1-2 cups red Burgundy wine, optional
1½ lbs. fresh mushrooms, quartered
¼ cup sour cream, optional
1. Combine all ingredients except wine, mushrooms, and sour cream in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally if you’re home and able to do so.
3. Stir in mushrooms and wine. Cook 30 minutes longer.
4. Ten minutes before end of cooking time, stir in sour cream if you wish.
Serving suggestion: This is a treat served over egg noodles.
Easy Stroganoff
Vicki Dinkel
Sharon Springs, KS
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 6½-8½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
14½-oz. can beef broth
1 lb. beef stewing meat, or round steak, cut in 1” pieces
1 cup sour cream
2 cups cooked noodles
1. Combine soup and broth in slow cooker.
2. Stir in meat.
3. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours. Reduce heat to Low and cook 3-4 hours, or just until beef is fork tender.
4. Stir in sour cream.
5. Stir in noodles.
6. Cook on High 20 minutes, or just until Stroganoff is hot throughout.
Serving suggestion: A vegetable or salad and some crispy French bread make good additions to the meal.
Note:
Since I’m in school part-time and work two part-time jobs, this nearly complete meal is great to come home to. It smells wonderful when I open the door.
Garlic Beef Stroganoff
Sharon Miller
Holmesville, OH
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 tsp. beef bouillon granules
2 4½-oz. jars sliced mushrooms, drained, with juice reserved
1 cup mushroom juice, with boiling water added to make a full cup
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½-2-lb. boneless round steak, cut into thin strips
2 Tbsp. oil
8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, cubed and softened
1. Dissolve bouillon in mushroom juice/water mixture in slow cooker.
2. Stir in mushrooms, soup, onion, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Sauté beef in oil in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker and stir into sauce.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours. Turn off heat.
5. Stir in cream cheese until smooth.
Serving suggestion: You’ll love this served over noodles.
Joyce Kaut, Rochester, NY
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes • Cooking Time: 3¼-4¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
2 slices bacon, cut in squares
2 lbs. sirloin tip, or round, steak, cubed
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. seasoning salt
¼ tsp. dried marjoram
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 cup burgundy wine
¼ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1-1½ cups ketchup
2 Tbsp. cornstarch, optional
2 Tbsp. cold water, optional
1. Cook bacon in skillet until crisp and browned. Remove bacon, reserving drippings.
2. Coat beef with flour and brown on all sides in bacon drippings. (Don’t crowd the skillet so the beef browns rather than steams.)
3. Combine steak, bacon drippings, bacon, seasonings and herbs, garlic, bouillon, and wine in slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours (or 3 hours, if you’ve browned the beef well in Step 2), or until beef is just tender.
5. Stir in mushrooms and ketchup.
6. Dissolve cornstarch in water in a small bowl. Stir into slow cooker—if sauce is not as thick as you wish.
7. Cover. Cook on High 15 minutes, until sauce thickens.
Serving suggestion: Try serving this over noodles.
Italian Beef Stew
Kathy Hertzler
Lancaster, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 6½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 Tbsp. flour
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. salt
¼-½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
2¼ lbs. beef stewing meat, cubed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup beef stock
1 cup red wine
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups frozen peas, thawed but not cooked
1 tsp. sugar
1. Spoon flour into small dish. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Add beef cubes and coat evenly.
2. Heat oil in slow cooker on High. Add floured beef and brown on all sides.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients except peas and sugar.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.
5. Add peas and sugar. Cook an additional 30 minutes, or until beef is tender and peas are warm.
Dawn Day
Westminster, CA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
1 lb. sirloin, cubed
2 Tbsp. flour
oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ lb. button mushrooms, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
3-4 large potatoes, cubed
2 tsp. seasoning salt
14½-oz. can beef stock, or 2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 1⅔ cups water
½-1 cup good red wine
1. Dredge sirloin in flour and brown in oil in skillet. Reserve drippings. Place meat in slow cooker.
2. Sauté onion, garlic, and mushrooms in drippings just until soft. Add to meat.
3. Stir in all remaining ingredients.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours. Test to see if vegetables are tender. If not, continue cooking on Low for another 1-1½ hours.
Tempting Beef Stew
Patricia Howard
Albuquerque, NM
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2-3 lbs. beef stewing meat
3 carrots, sliced thin
1-lb. pkg. frozen green peas with onions
1-lb. pkg. frozen green beans
16-oz. can whole, or stewed, tomatoes
½ cup beef broth
½ cup white wine
½ cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp. instant tapioca
½ cup bread crumbs
2 tsp. salt
1 bay leaf
pepper to taste
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours, or until meat and vegetables are as tender as you wish.
Serving suggestion: Serve over noodles, rice, couscous, or biscuits.
Tip:
Prepare this Tempting Beef Stew before your guests arrive. Give yourself time to relax instead of panicking in a last-minute rush.
Variation:
In place of tapioca, thicken stew with ¼ cup flour dissolved in ⅓-½ cup water. Mix in and turn cooker to High. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Beef Stew with Wine
Andrea O’Neil
Fairfield, CT
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 9-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. stewing meat, cubed
oil
2 onions, quartered
4 carrots, sliced
4-5 potatoes, cubed
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
½ cup wine
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1 cup water
2 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
¼ cup water
1. Brown beef cubes in skillet in oil.
2. Place browned beef in slow cooker. Add all other ingredients except cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Stir to combine.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 9-10 hours.
4. Ten minutes before serving, stir cornstarch into water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into hot Stew.
Beef Stew with Shiitake Mushrooms
Kathy Hertzler, Lancaster, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes • Cooking Time: 8-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
12 new potatoes, cut into quarters
½ cup chopped onions
8-oz. pkg. baby carrots
3-4-oz. pkg. fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, or 2 cups regular white mushrooms, sliced
16-oz. can whole tomatoes
14½-oz. can beef broth
½ cup flour
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
¼ tsp. pepper
1 lb. beef stewing meat, cubed
1. Combine all ingredients except beef in slow cooker.
2. Stir in beef.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours. Stir well before serving.
Variation:
For added zest, add ½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning and 1 rib celery, diced, in Step 2.
Best Ever Beef Stew
Barbara Walker
Sturgis, SD
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
2 cups water
1 pkg. beef stew mix
2 lbs. stewing meat, cubed
3 15-oz. cans whole new potatoes, or 3 lbs. fresh new potatoes
1 cup sliced celery
10-12 small white onions, peeled
1-1½ cups sliced carrots
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, whole, or sliced
1. Combine water and beef stew mix in slow cooker.
2. Place meat in slow cooker.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients.
4. Cover. Cook on High 6-7 hours, or until meat and vegetables are as tender as you like.
I put up a small tree in my kitchen and decorate it with my mother’s old cookie cutters and some of her recipe cards. I enjoy it while I’m in the kitchen during the holidays—which is a lot of time!
Carol L. Miller, Lockport, NY
Janie Steele
Moore, OK
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
5 lbs. stewing meat, cubed
2 onions, chopped
14½-oz. can chopped tomatoes
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
5-6 carrots, sliced
5-6 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup sliced celery
1 bell pepper, sliced
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours.
Serving suggestion: Since this is a nearly complete meal, I usually add only warm bread or cornbread to round it out.
Tip:
This recipe is very adaptable. You can reduce the amount of meat and increase the vegetables as you wish.
After-Work Stew
Vera M. Kuhns
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 5 servings
Prep. Time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
1½ lbs. beef, cut into 1½” cubes
oil
3 medium-sized potatoes, pared and cubed
4 medium-sized carrots, quartered
2 celery ribs, sliced
2 medium-sized onions, sliced
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. pepper
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
half a soup can water
1. Brown beef cubes in oil in skillet. Do in batches so that beef browns and doesn’t steam. Drain off drippings. Return beef to skillet.
2. Meanwhile, layer potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions in slow cooker.
3. Mix browned beef in skillet with salt, basil, and pepper, stirring up any browned bits in the skillet.
4. Place seasoned beef on top of vegetables.
5. Combine soup and water in a bowl. Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.
6. Cover. Cook on Low 8-9 hours, or just until vegetables and meat are tender.
Easy Beef Stew
Janie Steele
Moore, OK
Makes 14-18 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-11 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 2 4-qt. cookers
2-3 lbs. beef, cubed
16-oz. pkg. frozen green beans, or mixed vegetables
16-oz. pkg. frozen corn
2 lbs. carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
10¾-oz. can celery soup
10¾-oz. can mushroom soup
bell pepper chopped, optional
16-oz. pkg. frozen peas
1. Combine all ingredients except peas in 2 4-qt. slow cookers. This is a very large recipe.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 10-11 hours, or until beef and vegetables are as tender as you like them.
3. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir in peas.
Helen Kenagy
Carlsbad, NM
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 8½-10½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 lbs. stewing meat, or steak, cubed, divided
1 Tbsp. oil
5-6 potatoes, cubed, divided
6-8 carrots, diced, divided
other vegetables of your choice, diced, divided
1-2 4¼-oz. cans chopped green chilies, undrained, divided
1½ lbs. raw pork sausage, crumbled, divided
1. Salt and pepper stewing meat. Brown in oil in skillet.
2. Place half the stewing meat in bottom of slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Layer half the vegetables and chilies over beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Crumble half the sausage over top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used.
6. Cover. Cook on High until ingredients begin to boil. Then turn cooker to Low for 8-10 hours. Do not lift lid and do not stir during cooking.
Serving suggestion: With such a complete dish, all you need to add is a green salad and fresh bread if you wish.
Hungarian Beef Stew
Esther Becker
Gordonville, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 lbs. beef cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, sliced
10-oz. pkg. frozen lima beans
2 tsp. parsley
½ cup beef broth
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
16-oz. can diced tomatoes
1. Combine beef, onion, potatoes, carrots, lima beans, and parsley in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours.
Serving suggestion: This is a great meal, especially when served with a tossed salad and homemade rolls.
Hungarian Barley Stew
Naomi E. Fast
Hesston, KS
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1½ lbs. beef cubes
2 Tbsp. oil
2 large onions, diced
1 medium-sized green bell pepper, chopped
28-oz. can whole tomatoes
½ cup ketchup
⅔ cup dry small pearl barley
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. paprika
10-oz. pkg. frozen baby lima beans
3 cups water
1 cup sour cream
1. Brown beef cubes in oil in skillet. Add onions and green peppers. Sauté until no longer crispy. Pour into slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients except sour cream.
3. Cover. Cook on High 5 hours.
4. Stir in sour cream before serving.
Serving suggestion: This goes well with cabbage slaw.
Naomi E. Fast
Hesston, KS
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1½-2 lbs. lean lamb, or beef, cubed
2 15-oz. cans garbanzo beans, drained
2 15-oz. cans white beans, drained
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 qt. water
1 tsp. salt
1 tomato, peeled and quartered
1 tsp. turmeric
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
8-10 pita bread pockets
1. Combine all ingredients except pita bread in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High 6-7 hours.
3. Lift stew from cooker with a strainer spoon and stuff in pita bread pockets.
Note:
I learned to prepare this nutritious meal from a student from Iran, who was attending graduate school at the University of Nebraska. Fatimeh explained to me that her family prepared this dish every wash day.
Very early in the morning, they made a fire in a large rock-lined pit outside. Then they placed a large covered kettle, filled with the above ingredients, over the coals to cook slowly all day. At the end of a day of doing laundry, the food was ready with a minimum of preparation.
Of course, they started with dry garbanzos and white beans, presoaked the night before.
They served this Wash-Day Stew spooned into pita bread and ate it with their hands.
Potluck Beef Barbecue Sandwiches
Carol Sommers
Millersburg, OH
Makes 16 servings
Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6½-8¾ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
4-lb. beef chuck roast
1 cup brewed coffee, or water
1 Tbsp. apple cider, or red-wine, vinegar
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
14-oz. bottle ketchup
15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup sweet pickle relish
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
1. Place roast, coffee, vinegar, salt, and pepper in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High 6-8 hours, or until meat is very tender.
3. Pour off cooking liquid. Shred meat with two forks.
4. Add remaining ingredients. Stir well.
5. Cover. Cook on High 30-45 minutes. Reduce heat to Low for serving.
Barbara Jean’s Junior Beef
Barbara Jean Fabel
Wausau, WI
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3½-5-lb. beef roast
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1 qt. dill pickle juice
4 dill pickles, chopped
8 hamburger rolls
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
2 cups grated cheddar, or Swiss, cheese
1. Combine all ingredients except rolls, mushrooms, and cheese in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours.
3. Shred meat using two forks. Reduce heat to Low and cook 1 hour, or until meat is very tender.
4. Serve on hamburger buns with sautéed, sliced, fresh mushrooms and grated cheddar or Swiss cheese.
Ranch Hand Beef
Sharon Timpe
Mequon, WI
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-3½-lb. boneless beef chuck roast
1 cup thinly sliced onions
10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
12-oz. can beer
½ cup ketchup
1 large bay leaf
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. lemon pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, or 1½ tsp. dried parsley
1. Place roast in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over roast.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours or on medium setting 4-6 hours, until meat is tender.
4. Remove bay leaf.
5. Shred roast with two forks. Mix meat through sauce.
Serving suggestion: This works well two ways: served on buns as sandwiches, or over cooked noodles.
Or, to give this dish a Mexican theme, serve the beef over tortilla chips or fritos and have bowls of shredded lettuce, diced avocado, sliced green onions, sliced ripe olives, sour cream, diced tomatoes, and shredded cheese for garnishing the meat.
Variation:
If you prefer a thicker sauce, stir 2 Tbsp. cornstarch into ¼ cup water. When smooth, stir into hot sauce in cooker, 15 minutes before serving.
Beef Barbecue Sandwiches
Melba Eshleman
Manheim, PA
Makes 12-16 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration Time: 8-10 hours
Cooking Time: 10-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-4-lb. beef roast (bottom round or rump is best)
½ cup water
½ cup ketchup
1 tsp. chili powder
1½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ cup water
1. The night before serving, place roast in slow cooker with ½ cup water.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours.
3. Also the night before serving, combine remaining ingredients (except rolls) and refrigerate 8-10 hours.
4. In the morning, shred roast with fork and return to cooker. Pour remaining ingredients over top. Mix together.
5. Heat on Low until lunch or suppertime.
Serving suggestion: Serve on kaiser rolls.
Rose Hankins
Stevensville, MD
Makes 12-16 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-4-lb. beef roast
12-oz. bottle barbecue sauce
½ cup water
½ cup ketchup
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green pepper
1. Combine ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 12 hours.
3. Shred meat using 2 forks. Mix thoroughly through sauce.
Serving suggestion: This is enough Barbecue to serve on 12-16 sandwich rolls. Offer cole slaw as a side dish, or as an additional sandwich filler.
Herby Beef Sandwiches
Jean A. Shaner
York, PA
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3-4-lb. boneless beef chuck roast
3 Tbsp. fresh basil, or 1 Tbsp. dried basil
3 Tbsp. fresh oregano, or 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1½ cups water
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1. Place roast in slow cooker.
2. Combine basil, oregano, and water in a bowl. Pour over roast.
3. Sprinkle with onion soup mix.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-8 hours.
5. Shred meat with fork. Stir sauce through shredded meat.
Serving suggestion: I like to serve these on crusty Italian rolls. This amount of beef fills 10-12 rolls.
Hot Beef Sandwiches
Evelyn L. Ward
Greeley, CO
Makes 10 servings
Prep. Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3 lbs. beef chuck roast
1 large onion, chopped
¼ cup vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1½ tsp. salt
¼-½ tsp. pepper
1. Place meat in slow cooker. Top with onions.
2. Combine vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour over meat, but don’t disturb the onions.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
4. Drain broth but save for dipping.
5. Shred meat.
Note:
I volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. I don’t do construction, but I provide lunch sometimes for work crews. These sandwiches are a favorite. I make the most colorful tossed salad that I can and serve seasonal fresh fruit and pie along with the sandwiches.
Middle Eastern Sandwiches (for a crowd)
Esther Mast
East Petersburg, PA
Makes 10-16 sandwiches
Prep. Time: 50 minutes
Cooking Time: 6¼-8¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
4 lbs. boneless beef, or venison, cut in ½” cubes
4 Tbsp. cooking oil
2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry red wine
6-oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried rosemary
2 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
pita pocket breads
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1 large cucumber, seeded and diced
8-oz. carton plain yogurt
1. Brown meat, 1 lb. at a time, in skillet in 1 Tbsp. oil. As you finish one batch, place browned beef in slow cooker. Reserve drippings.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in drippings until tender. Add to meat.
3. Stir in wine, tomato paste, oregano, basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
5. Turn cooker to High. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl until smooth. Stir into meat mixture. Cook until bubbly and thickened, stirring occasionally.
6. Split pita breads to make pockets. Fill each with meat mixture, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and yogurt.
Serving suggestion: All you need to top this off is salad or applesauce.
Ground Beef Stroganoff
Janie S. Canupp
Millersville, MD
Makes 5-6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 lbs. ground beef
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1-1½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 cup beef broth, or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup water
3 Tbsp. tomato paste, or ketchup
1½ cups sour cream
¼ cup flour
1. Brown beef in large skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps.
2. When meat is no longer pink, add onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until onion is tender. Put mixture into slow cooker.
3. In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, broth, and tomato paste. Stir into beef mixture in slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 2½ hours.
5. Meanwhile, combine sour cream and flour in a small bowl until well blended. Stir into slow cooker.
6. Cover. Cook 30 more minutes, or until Stroganoff is thickened and bubbly.
Serving suggestion: Serve over buttered noodles or rice.
Variation:
Instead of beef broth or bouillon cube dissolved in water, use 10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup in Step 3.
Bonnie L. Miller
Louisville, OH
Wafi Brandt
Manheim, PA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Meat Loaf:
2 eggs
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped dried cranberries
1 tsp. parsley
1½ lbs. ground beef
Sauce:
16-oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
¾ cup ketchup
½ cup beef broth
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1. Mix all Meat Loaf ingredients together in a good-sized bowl. Shape into loaf and place in lightly greased slow cooker.
2. Mix Sauce ingredients together in another bowl. Pour over meat.
3. Cover. Cook on High 4 hours.
4. Allow to stand 10 minutes before lifting out of cooker and slicing.
Tip from Tester:
After slicing and arranging the Meat Loaf on a platter, I ladled the Sauce over the slices. There was more Sauce than fit on the platter, so I put the remainder in a dish to pass. Then individuals could add more to their slices as a condiment. We loved it!
Meat Loaf
Colleen Heatwole
Burton, MI
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
⅔ cup dry quick oats
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
½-1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. ground mustard
½ cup ketchup, divided
1. Combine ground beef, eggs, dry oats, dry soup mix, liquid smoke, ground mustard, and all but 2 Tbsp. ketchup in large bowl. Shape into loaf and place in slow cooker.
2. Top with remaining ketchup.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 4-6 hours.
Variation:
For a special topping for the Meat Loaf, make your own Sauce:
26-oz. can, or 2 10¾-oz. cans, mushroom soup
6-10 fresh mushrooms, diced
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
half soup can water
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
Combine Sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour over Meat Loaf in Step 2 instead of ketchup.
Betty B. Dennison
Grove City, PA
Magic Meat Loaf
Carolyn Baer
Conrath, WI
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 9-11 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup milk
1½ tsp. salt
2 slices bread, crumbled
1½ lbs. ground beef
half a small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. chopped green bell peppers
2 Tbsp. chopped celery
ketchup
green pepper rings
4-6 potatoes, cubed
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1. Combine egg, milk, salt, and bread crumbs in large bowl. Allow bread crumbs to soften.
2. Add meat, onions, green peppers, and celery. Shape into loaf and place off to the side in slow cooker.
3. Top with ketchup and green pepper rings.
4. Toss potatoes with melted butter in a good sized bowl. Spoon into cooker alongside meat loaf.
5. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour, and then on Low 8-10 hours, or until meat and vegetables are as tender as you want them.
Gourmet Meat Loaf
Anne Townsend
Albuquerque, NM
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-12 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 medium potatoes, cut in strips
Meat loaf:
2 lbs. ground beef
½ lb. bulk sausage
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced, according to your taste preference
½ cup ketchup
¾ cup crushed saltines
2 eggs
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. seasoning salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Sauce:
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
1½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1. Place potatoes in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Combine Meat Loaf ingredients in a large bowl. Form into loaf and place on top of potatoes.
3. Combine Sauce ingredients in a separate bowl. Spoon over Meat Loaf.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 8-12 hours.
Tip:
The potatoes take longer to cook than the meat so make sure you allow enough time.
Note:
My husband has this at the top of his list of favorite Meat Loaf recipes.
Our out-of-state relatives always bring gifts specifically made in their states to share with others.
Annie C. Boshart, Lebanon, PA
Cheese Meat Loaf
Mary Sommerfeld
Lancaster, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 lbs. ground chuck, or ground beef
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, or American, cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. pepper
½ cup chili sauce
2 cups crushed cornflakes
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into loaf. Place in greased slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Serving suggestion: Slice and serve with your favorite tomato sauce or ketchup.
Variation:
Before baking, surround meat loaf with quartered potatoes, tossed lightly in oil.
Jean Butzer
Batavia, NY
Makes 5-7 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2¾-3¾ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef
4½-oz. can deviled ham
⅔ cup evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1 Tbsp. grated onion
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. allspice
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ cup flour
¼ cup water
1 Tbsp. ketchup
2 tsp. dill weed
1 cup sour cream
1. Combine beef, ham, milk, eggs, onion, bread crumbs, salt, allspice, and pepper in large bowl. Shape into 2” meatballs. As you finish making a ball, place it in the slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 2½-3½ hours. Turn to High.
3. In a bowl, dissolve flour in water until smooth. Stir in ketchup and dill weed. Add to meatballs, stirring gently.
4. Cook on High 15-20 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
5. Turn off heat. Stir in sour cream.
Serving suggestion: Serve over rice or pasta.
Easy Meatballs
Carlene Horne
Bedford, NH
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 10¾-oz. cans cream of mushroom soup
2 8-oz. pkgs. cream cheese, softened
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, undrained
1 cup milk
2-3 lbs. frozen meatballs
1. Combine soup, cream cheese, mushrooms, and milk in slow cooker.
2. Stir in meatballs.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over noodles.
Swedish Meat Balls
Zona Mae Bontrager
Kokomo, IN
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 4¼-5¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground pork
½ cup minced onions
¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
½ cup milk
¼ cup oil
Gravy:
¼ cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. garlic powder
⅛ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
2 cups boiling water
¾ cup sour cream
1. In a large bowl, combine meats, onions, bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, egg, and milk.
2. Shape into balls the size of a walnut. Brown in batches in oil in skillet. As you finish a batch, place browned Meatballs in slow cooker. Reserve drippings in skillet.
3. Cover. Cook on High 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make Gravy by stirring flour, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika into hot drippings in skillet.
5. Stir in water and sour cream, stirring continually over medium heat until Gravy thickens. Pour over meatballs.
6. Cover. Reduce heat to Low. Cook 4-5 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over rice or noodles.
Bonnie Miller
Louisville, OH
Makes 6-7 servings
Prep. Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
2 eggs, beaten
¼ cup milk
½ cup dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
⅛ tsp. garlic powder
1 lb. ground beef
½ lb. bulk pork sausage
Sauce:
15-oz. can tomato sauce
6-oz. can tomato paste
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup red wine, or beef broth
⅓ cup water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. sugar
1. Make Meatballs by combining eggs and milk in a large bowl. Add bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings. Add meats.
2. Mix well. Shape into 1” balls. Broil or sauté in batches until brown in non-stick skillet. As you finish a batch, place Meatballs in slow cooker.
3. Combine Sauce ingredients in a good-sized bowl. Pour over Meatballs. (Make sure Meatballs on the bottom of the cooker are covered with Sauce, too.)
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve on rolls, along with creamy red potatoes, salad, and dessert.
We enjoy gathering for a simple meal with friends. We roast hot dogs in the fire place and everyone brings something they have on hand. The meal usually ends up well balanced even though unplanned.
Karen Sauder, Adamstown, PA
Arlene’s BBQ Meatballs
Arlene Groff
Lewistown, PA
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup milk
1½ cup crushed crackers (equal to one packaged column of saltines)
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
oil
1½ cups tomato juice
⅓ cup vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1. Combine beef, eggs, onion, milk, crackers, 1 tsp. mustard, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Form into small balls.
2. Brown in batches in oil in skillet. As you finish a batch, place Meatballs in slow cooker.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a good-sized bowl. Pour over Meatballs, making sure that all are covered with sauce.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours. Stir well. Cook an additional 2 hours on Low.
Kathy Purcell
Dublin, OH
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 50 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
3 lbs. ground beef
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
Sauce:
18-oz. bottle ketchup
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1. Combine beef, soup mix, and condensed milk in a large bowl. Form into about 3 dozen meatballs, each about 1½” around.
2. Place meatballs on baking sheet. Brown in 350° oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain. Place meatballs in slow cooker.
3. Combine Sauce ingredients in a good-sized bowl. Pour over meatballs, making sure all are covered.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Note:
I have made these meatballs for many different parties and events, and they are always a big hit. Everyone asks for the recipe.
Easy Meatballs for a Group
Penny Blosser
Beavercreek, OH
Makes 10-12 main-dish servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5- to 6-qt.
80-100 frozen small meatballs
16-oz. jar barbecue sauce
16-oz. jar apricot jam
1. Fill slow cooker with meatballs.
2. Combine sauce and jam in a bowl. Pour over meatballs, making sure that all are covered with sauce.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours, stirring occasionally if you’re home and able to do so.
Serving suggestion: This works well as an appetizer (served with picks), or as a main dish over rice.
Sweet ’n’ Tangy Meatballs
Donna Lantgen
Rapid City, SD
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef
¼ cup plain dry bread crumbs
3 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
¾ cup water
¼ cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. red-hot cayenne pepper sauce
¾-oz. pkg. brown gravy mix
1. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, mustard, and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Shape into 1” balls.
2. Bake or microwave until browned. Drain. Place Meatballs in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours.
4. Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Pour over meatballs, making sure that all are covered.
5. Cover cooker. Cook 2 more hours on Low.
Variation:
For a fuller flavor, use orange juice instead of water in sauce.
Carol Sommers
Millersburg, OH
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Meatballs:
1½ lbs. ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
oil
Sauce:
28-oz. can tomato purée
6-oz. can tomato paste
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
¼-½ cup grated Romano, or Parmesan, cheese
1 tsp. oil
1 garlic clove, minced
sliced mushrooms, either canned, or fresh, optional
1. Combine ground beef, eggs, and bread crumbs in a large bowl. Form into 16 Meatballs.
2. Brown in batches in oil in skillet.
3. Meanwhile, combine Sauce ingredients in slow cooker.
4. Add Meatballs to slow cooker as you finish browning a batch. Stir gently into Sauce.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
6. Add mushrooms 1-2 hours before sauce is finished.
Serving suggestion: Serve over cooked spaghetti.
Snappy Meatballs
Clara Newswanger
Gordonville, PA
Makes 6-8 main-dish servings, or 25 appetizer servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Meatballs:
2 lbs. ground beef
½ cup chopped onions
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
oil
Sauce:
3½ cups tomato juice
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup vinegar
1 tsp. grated onion
12 gingersnap cookies, crushed
1. Combine Meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into balls.
2. Brown in batches in skillet in oil. As you finish a batch, drain Meatballs and place in slow cooker.
3. Combine Sauce ingredients in large bowl. Pour over meatballs. Mix gently.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.
Note:
Our son married a woman from the West Coast. He brought his new bride “home” on their honeymoon. We held an informal reception for friends who could not attend their wedding. Served with a light lunch, this recipe brought raves! Now we think of our children 3,000 miles away whenever we make these Meatballs.
Meatballs and Peppers
Frances L. Kruba
Dundalk, MD
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
2 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
6-oz. can tomato paste
1½ lbs. (about 48) frozen meatballs
14-oz. pkg. frozen pepper strips
1. Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, meatballs, and pepper strips in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Alice Miller
Stuarts Draft, VA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onions
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
oil
Sauce:
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
13¼-oz. can pineapple chunks, undrained
⅓ cup vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1. Combine Meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into 1½” balls.
2. Brown in batches in oil in skillet. As you finish a batch, drain well and place in slow cooker.
3. Add brown sugar and cornstarch to drippings in skillet. Stir in remaining Sauce ingredients.
4. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Pour over meatballs. Make sure all are covered with Sauce.
5. Cover cooker. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Variation:
If you like pineapples, use a 20-oz. can of chunks, instead of a 13¼-oz. can.
Asian Meatballs
Evelyn L. Ward
Greeley, CO
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
5 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. minced onions
2 cups pineapple juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
½ cup wine vinegar
¾ cup water
½ cup sugar
1 green bell pepper, cut in strips
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1. Combine beef, egg, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, salt, and onions in bowl. Mix well.
2. Shape into 1” Meatballs. Place on baking sheet. Brown on all sides under broiler.
3. Mix remaining cornstarch with pineapple juice in saucepan. When smooth, mix in soy sauce, vinegar, water, and sugar. Bring to boil. Simmer, stirring until thickened.
4. Combine Meatballs and Sauce in slow cooker.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours.
6. Stir in green peppers and water chestnuts.
7. Cover. Cook 1 hour on Low.
Serving suggestion: Serve over chow mein noodles and garnish with pineapple slices.
Applesauce Meatballs
Mary E. Wheatley
Mashpee, MA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
¾ lb. ground beef
¼ lb. ground pork
1 egg
¾ cup soft bread crumbs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
oil
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup water
1. Combine beef, pork, egg, bread crumbs, applesauce, salt, and pepper in bowl. Form into 1½” balls.
2. Brown in oil in batches in skillet. Transfer meat to slow cooker as a batch browns, reserving drippings.
3. Combine ketchup and water in skillet. Stir up browned drippings and mix together well. Spoon over meatballs, making sure that all are covered.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve with steamed rice and green salad.
Holiday Meatballs
Jean Robinson
Cinnaminson, NJ
Makes 20 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3½-6½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 15-oz. bottles ketchup (spicy, if you can find it)
2 cups blackberry wine
2 12-oz. jars apple jelly
2 lbs. frozen, precooked meatballs, or your own favorite meatballs, cooked
1. Heat ketchup, wine, and jelly in slow cooker on High.
2. When hot, stir in frozen meatballs.
3. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours. (If the meatballs are not frozen, cook on High 3-4 hours.)
Variations:
1. For those who like it hotter and spicier, put a bottle of hot sauce on the table to add to their individual servings.
2. If you prefer a less wine-y flavor, use 1 cup water and only 1 cup wine.
Meatballs with Bounce
Arlene Leaman Kliewer
Lakewood, CO
Makes 8-10 servings, or 60 very small meatballs
Prep. Time: 1 hour
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Meatballs:
2 lbs. ground beef
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
Sauce:
12-oz. bottle chili sauce
10-oz. jar grape jelly
½ cup ketchup
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1. Combine ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in bowl. Form into 60 small balls. Place on baking sheet.
2. Bake at 400° for 15-17 minutes. Place in slow cooker.
3. Combine Sauce ingredients in saucepan. Heat and stir until jelly melts. Pour over Meatballs.
4. Heat on Low until ready to serve.
Note:
We often make this recipe for our family’s Christmas evening snack.
Variations:
1. Liven up the Meatballs by adding ⅔ cup chopped onions, 2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley, and 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce in Step 1.
Joan Rosenberger
Stephens City, VA
2. Add juice of half a lemon to the Sauce in Step 3.
Linda Sluiter
Schererville, IN
3. Use ½ cup crushed cornflakes in place of 1 cup bread crumbs in Meatball mixture.
Add 1 Tbsp. bottled lemon juice to Sauce in Step 3.
Alice Miller
Stuarts Draft, VA
Marjorie Y. Guengerich
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
⅔ cup pearl barley
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup soft bread crumbs
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup milk
¼ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
oil
½ cup thinly sliced celery
½ cup finely chopped sweet peppers
10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup
⅓ cup water
paprika
1. Cook barley as directed on package. Set aside.
2. Combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Shape into 20 balls.
3. Brown in batches on all sides in oil in skillet. Drain off drippings as you finish a batch, and place Meatballs in slow cooker.
4. Stir in barley, celery, and peppers.
5. Combine soup and water in a bowl. Pour into slow cooker. Mix all together gently.
6. Sprinkle with paprika.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High 4 hours.
Sloppy Beef Sandwiches
Colleen Konetzni
Rio Rancho, NM
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
1½ lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
½ cup water
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1 jar salsa
1. Cook beef and onion in skillet with ½ cup water until meat is no longer pink. Stir with wooden spoon to break up clumps. Drain off drippings.
2. Place beef mixture into slow cooker. Add olives and salsa. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Serving suggestion: Divide sandwich meat among buns and sprinkle with 2 cups shredded cheese and ½ cup chopped lettuce.
Barbecue Sauce and Hamburgers
Dolores Kratz
Souderton, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
14¾-oz. can beef gravy
½ cup ketchup
½ cup chili sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
6 grilled hamburger patties
1. Combine all ingredients except hamburger patties in slow cooker.
2. Add hamburger patties.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve in buns, each topped with a slice of cheese if you like.
Tips:
1. Freeze leftover sauce for future use.
2. This is both a practical and a tasty recipe for serving a crowd (picnics, potlucks, etc.). You can grill the patties early in the day, rather than at the last minute when your guests are arriving.
No-More-Bottled Barbecue Sauce
Lauren Eberhard
Seneca, IL
Makes 2-2½ cups sauce
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 1½-qt.
1 cup finely chopped onions
¼ cup oil
6-oz. can tomato paste
½ cup water
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed juice is best)
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. prepared mustard
2 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours.
3. Use on hamburgers, sausage, pork chops, ribs, steaks, chicken, turkey, or fish.
Note:
Sauce will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Pizzaburgers
Deborah Swartz
Grottoes, VA
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup chopped onions
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
8 oz. pizza sauce
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1. Brown ground beef and onion in skillet. Drain off drippings. Place in slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix well.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 1-2 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve on hamburger buns.
Don’t apologize if your house is not spotless. Your guests will feel more relaxed when they invite you.
Karen Sauder, Adamstown, PA
Yum-Yums
Evelyn L. Ward
Greeley, CO
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
3 lbs. ground beef
2 onions, chopped
10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1½ cups tomato juice
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1. Brown beef and onions in skillet. Drain off drippings. Place in slow cooker.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve on hamburger buns.
Note:
This is a great recipe for serving a crowd. A club I am a part of serves it when we do fund-raisers. Our menu is Yum-Yums, marinated bean salad, and strawberry short cake. We make the food in our homes and carry it to the meeting site.
Lauren Eberhard
Seneca, IL
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
4 lbs. ground beef
oil
24-oz. bottle ketchup
¼ cup prepared mustard
2 Tbsp. vinegar
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup water
1 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1. Brown ground beef in large skillet, in oil if needed. Drain off drippings. Place beef in slow cooker.
2. Stir in all other ingredients.
3. Cover. Cook on High 1-2 hours or on Low 4 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve in 12 sandwich rolls.
Chili Spaghetti
Clara Newswanger
Gordonville, PA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef
12-oz. dry spaghetti
½ cup diced onions
2 cups tomato juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
¾ cup grated mild cheese
1. Brown beef in skillet, stirring frequently to break up clumps. When no longer pink, place in slow cooker.
2. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti until just softened in large stockpot. Drain and add to slow cooker.
3. Add all remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Mix together gently and well.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours. Check mixture about halfway through the cooking time. If it’s becoming dry, stir in an additional cup of tomato juice.
Variations:
1. Add 8-oz. can sliced mushrooms to Step 3.
2. Use 2 Tbsp. chili powder instead of 2 tsp. chili powder for added flavor.
Dawn’s Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Dawn Day
Westminster, CA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp. oil, if needed
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup grated Parmesan, or Romano, cheese
6-oz. can tomato paste
2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
15-oz. can chopped, or crushed, tomatoes
1. Brown ground beef in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Reserve drippings and transfer meat to slow cooker.
2. Sauté mushrooms, onion, and garlic in drippings until onions are transparent. Add to slow cooker.
3. Mix remaining ingredients into cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve with pasta and garlic bread.
Tip:
This recipe freezes well.
Beverly Getz
Warriors Mark, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef
2 onions, chopped
26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
1, or 2, 14½-oz. cans stewed tomatoes, depending on the consistency you prefer
8-oz. can mushrooms, undrained
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. garlic salt
½ tsp. minced dried garlic
½ tsp. onion salt
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1. Brown beef and onions in skillet, stirring frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings. Place meat and onions into slow cooker.
2. Stir in all remaining ingredients.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over 1 lb. cooked spaghetti.
Spaghetti Sauce for a Crowd
Sue Pennington
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 18 cups
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbsp. oil
5 15-oz. cans tomato sauce
3 6-oz. cans tomato paste
1 cup water
½ cup minced fresh, or 3 Tbsp. dried, parsley
½ cup minced fresh, or 3 Tbsp. dried, oregano
4 tsp. salt
1. Brown meat in oil in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off dripping. Place meat in 6-qt. slow cooker. (A 5-qt. cooker will work, but it will be brimful.)
2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix together thoroughly.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Notes:
1. Add 1 medium onion, chopped, and/or 3 cloves garlic, minced, to Step 1, browning along with the meat.
2. Add 1 can crushed tomatoes, or 2 cups cut-up fresh tomatoes, to Step 2 to add a fresh-tomato taste. (This will make your cooker even fuller, so you may want to switch to two 4- or 5-qt. cookers.)
3. Make the sauce without meat if you prefer.
4. Use as a pizza sauce, especially if you make it meatless.
5. Sauce can be refrigerated for a week, or frozen up to 3 months.
Have a balance of meat and no-meat appetizers/dishes so you’re not worried about vegetarian preferences. Veggie and fruit options allow dieters to enjoy the party as well.
Susan Tjon, Austin, TX
Beef and Sausage Spaghetti Sauce
Sherri Grindle
Goshen, IN
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. Italian sausage, bulk, or cut in thin slices
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. oil, if needed
5 lbs., or 3 28-oz. cans, tomato purée
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. parsley
1 Tbsp. salt
¼ rounded tsp. pepper
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
crushed red pepper, optional
1. Brown meat and onion in skillet in oil, unless they produce enough of their own drippings. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings and place meat in slow cooker.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in slow cooker with meat and onions.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over your favorite pasta.
Variation:
Add 1 box uncooked spaghetti 1 hour before serving. Cook on High for last hour.
Spaghetti Sauce with a Kick
Andrea O’Neil
Fairfield, CT
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
16-oz. can tomato sauce
1-lb. Italian sausage, cut in chunks
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp. dried basil
red pepper flakes to taste
1. Brown beef and onions in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings and place in slow cooker.
2. Stir remaining ingredients into slow cooker.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve over your favorite pasta.
Variation:
Add 1-2 tsp. salt and 1-2 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey to Step 2, if you wish.
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Crystal Brunk
Singers Glen, VA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
oil
4-5 cups spaghetti sauce, depending upon how firm or how juicy you want the finished lasagna
1 egg
24-oz. container cottage cheese
8-10 uncooked lasagna noodles, divided
2-3 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
1. Brown ground beef in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.
2. Stir spaghetti sauce into beef in skillet.
3. Combine egg and cottage cheese in a bowl.
4. Layer half of ground beef mixture into slow cooker.
5. Layer in half the dry noodles (break to fit if you need to), half the cottage cheese mixture, and half the mozzarella cheese in slow cooker. Repeat layers.
6. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours or on Low 6-8 hours.
Variations:
1. Use ricotta instead of cottage cheese.
2. Add 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley to Step 3.
3. Add 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese to Step 3, and sprinkle 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese over top before cooking in Step 5.
Elaine Rineer
Lancaster, PA
Now That’s Lasagna
Shirley Unternahrer
Wayland, IA
Makes 10 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 lb. sausage, or ground beef (if ground beef, add 1 tsp. dried basil, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper)
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
1 qt. tomato juice, divided
15 lasagna noodles, uncooked, divided
12 oz. cottage cheese, divided
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce of your choice, divided
6 oz. sliced pepperoni
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1. Brown sausage or hamburger in skillet. Drain off half the drippings.
2. Add chopped onions and peppers to skillet. Sauté 3 minutes in drippings with meat.
3. Pour 1 cup tomato juice into slow cooker as first layer.
4. Add a layer of 5 uncooked lasagna noodles. Break to fit inside curved edges of slow cooker.
5. Spread with half of cottage cheese as next layer.
6. Spoon half of meat/veggie mix over cottage cheese.
7. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese
8. Spoon half of spaghetti sauce over grated cheese.
9. Add another layer of 5 lasagna noodles.
10. Add remaining cottage cheese, followed by a layer of remaining meat/veggie mix.
11. Add remaining 5 noodles.
12. Top with pepperoni slices, remaining spaghetti sauce, and half of remaining mozzarella cheese.
13. Pour rest of tomato juice slowly around edge of cooker and its ingredients.
14. Cover. Cook on High 3½ hours.
15. Remove lid and top with remaining mozzarella cheese. Cook another 15 minutes.
16. Allow Lasagna to rest 15-20 minutes before serving.
Easy Ravioli
Karen Sauder
Adamstown, PA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
25-oz. bag frozen beef ravioli
45-oz. jar spaghetti sauce of your choice
1 cup Monterey Jack, or mozzarella, cheese, grated
1. Place all of ravioli into slow cooker.
2. Pour in spaghetti sauce. Stir to distribute sauce evenly.
3. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours.
Note:
This is my favorite recipe for a potluck or fellowship meal, or supper on a busy day.
Jeanette Oberholtzer
Manheim, PA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
1 box rotini, or ziti, cooked
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 28-oz. jars pasta sauce with tomato chunks
2 cups tomato juice
½ lb. ground beef
½ lb. bulk sausage, crumbled, or links cut into ¼” slices
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup Italian bread crumbs
3 eggs, divided
2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups ricotta cheese
1½ tsp. parsley flakes
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1. In large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil. Add pasta sauce and tomato juice and mix well. Set aside.
2. Brown beef and sausage together in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings. Remove skillet from heat; keep meat in skillet.
3. Stir 1 cup Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, 1 egg, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese into meat in skillet. Set aside.
4. In separate bowl, beat together ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
5. Pour half of pasta-sauce mixture into slow cooker.
6. Spread entire ricotta mixture over pasta. Top with entire meat-cheese mixture. Cover with remaining pasta-sauce mixture.
7. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
8. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.
Meat Loaf Burgers
Lafaye M. Musser
Denver, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 large onion, sliced
1 rib celery, chopped
2 lbs. ground beef
1 tsp. salt
1¼ tsp. pepper
2 cups tomato juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. salt
1. Place onion and celery in slow cooker.
2. Combine beef, salt, and pepper. Shape into 6 patties. Arrange in slow cooker.
3. In a good-sized mixing bowl, combine tomato juice, garlic, ketchup, Italian seasoning, and salt. Pour over patties.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours.
Serving suggestion: This makes enough to serve on 6 hamburger buns.
Barbecued Hamburgers
Martha Hershey
Ronks, PA
Makes 4 serving
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
¼ cup chopped onions
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs
oil
18-oz. bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce
1. Combine beef, onions, ketchup, salt, egg, and bread crumbs in a good-sized bowl. Form into 4 patties.
2. Brown both sides lightly in oil in skillet. Arrange browned burgers in slow cooker.
3. Cover with barbecue sauce.
4. Cover. Bake on High 2-3 hours or on Low 5-6 hours.
Note:
We first had Barbecued Hamburgers at a 4-H picnic, and they have been a family favorite ever since.
Tip:
Mix the hamburger patties, brown them, and freeze them in advance, and you’ll have little to do at the last minute.
Hamburger-Potato Slow Cooker Dinner
Lafaye M. Musser
Denver, PA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup water
½ tsp. cream of tartar
6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
¼ cup flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1. Brown ground beef in skillet, using oil if necessary. Drain off drippings. Set aside.
2. In separate bowl, combine water and cream of tartar. Toss potatoes in water. Drain.
3. In another bowl, mix together onion, flour, salt, pepper, and half of cheese.
4. Place browned beef in bottom of cooker. Top with sliced potatoes. Add onion-cheese mixture.
5. Dot top with butter.
6. Pour soup over all.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High 3-4 hours.
8. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top, 30 minutes before serving.
Variation:
Spread 2 4¼-oz. cans chopped green chilies, undrained, over potatoes in Step 4.
Colleen Konetzni
Rio Rancho, NM
1-2-3-4 Casserole
Betty K. Drescher
Quakertown, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-9 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
2 onions, sliced
3 carrots, thinly sliced
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup cold water
4 potatoes, thinly sliced
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup milk
½ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
1. Layer in greased slow cooker in this order: ground beef, onions, carrots, ½ tsp. salt, and ⅛ tsp. pepper.
2. Dissolve cream of tartar in water in large bowl. Toss sliced potatoes with water. Drain off water.
3. Combine soup and milk in bowl with potatoes. Stir in remaining salt and pepper.
4. Arrange potatoes in slow cooker over top vegetables.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are as tender as you like them.
Variations:
1. Substitute sour cream for the milk.
2. Top potatoes with ½ cup shredded cheese.
Sue Pennington
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 6-10 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef, divided
1 Tbsp. oil
6-8 potatoes, peeled and sliced, divided
4-6 carrots, sliced, divided
2 medium onions, sliced, divided
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 tsp. salt , divided
¼ tsp. pepper, divided
10-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 cup peas
1. Brown ground beef in oil in skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. Layer half of beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and cheese in cooker. Sprinkle with half of salt and pepper.
3. Repeat layers.
4. Pour cream of chicken soup over top.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
6. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir in 1 cup peas.
Note:
My husband came up with this recipe. Our family loves it and often requests it when I ask them what they want to eat.
Hamburger Casserole
Kelly Evenson
Pittsboro, NC
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 8 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
2 large potatoes, sliced
2-3 medium carrots, sliced
3 medium onions, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
garlic salt to taste
pepper to taste
salt to taste
1 lb. ground beef
oil
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
1 soup can of water
1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained
1. Layer potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery in order given into slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle each layer with garlic salt, pepper, and salt.
3. Brown ground beef in oil in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings.
4. Place meat on top of celery.
5. Combine soup and water in bowl. Pour over all.
6. Cover. Cook on Low 8 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.
7. Fifteen minutes before end of cooking time, stir in peas.
Serving suggestion: Serve this nearly complete meal with applesauce.
Wholesome Hamburger Dinner
Reba Rhodes
Bridgewater, VA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped celery
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup green beans
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
2-3 cups tomato juice
½ lb. grated cheese
1. Brown ground beef in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue browning until pink no longer appears.
2. Drain off drippings. Place meat in bottom of slow cooker.
3. Layer remaining ingredients, except cheese, over ground beef in order given.
4. Cover. Cook on High 3-4 hours or on Low 5-6 hours, or until vegetables are done to your liking.
5. Thirty minutes before end of cooking time, layer cheese on top. Cover and resume cooking.
Serving suggestion: Serve with cornbread.
Tip:
You can double all vegetable amounts, if you wish. If you do so, increase cooking time to 5-6 hours on High or 9-11 hours on Low, or until vegetables are as tender as you like.
Stuffed Baked Topping
Fannie Miller
Hutchinson, KS
Makes 12 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Ideal slow cooker size: 6- to 7-qt.
3 lbs. ground beef
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
½ cup chopped onions
¾ stick (6 Tbsp.) butter
¼ cup flour
3 cups milk
½ cup pimento, or chopped sweet red peppers
¾ lb. cheddar cheese, grated
¾ lb. your favorite mild cheese, grated
½ tsp. hot pepper sauce
¼ tsp. dry mustard
salt to taste
1. Brown ground beef, green peppers, and onions in butter in large skillet. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, reserving drippings.
2. Stir flour into drippings in skillet. Slowly add milk. Stir continually over medium heat until smooth and thickened.
3. Stir pimento, cheeses, and seasonings into white sauce in skillet. Continue stirring until cheese melts and sauce is smooth.
4. Pour sauce over ingredients in slow cooker.
5. Cover. Heat on Low for 1 hour.
Serving suggestion: Serve over baked potatoes, each one split open on an individual dinner plate.
Ground Beef Stew
Ruth Ann Hoover
New Holland, PA
Kim Stoltzfus
New Holland, PA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4½-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
oil
6 medium potatoes, peeled if you wish, and cubed
16-oz. pkg. baby carrots
3 cups water
3 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix
1 garlic clove, minced
1½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1-1½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. pepper
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
6-oz. can Italian tomato paste
1. Brown beef in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps. Continue cooking until all pink disappears.
2. Remove beef from drippings and place in slow cooker.
3. Combine all remaining ingredients in cooker, except tomato soup and tomato paste.
4. Cover. Cook on High 3½-4 hours, or until carrots are nearly tender.
5. Stir in soup and tomato paste.
6. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour more.
Variation:
If you’d like to add color and more vegetables to the stew, stir in 1½ cups frozen peas in Step 5.
Prompt
Fairbank, IA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1½-2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
4-6 medium-sized potatoes, sliced
½-¾ cup uncooked minute rice
1 onion, sliced
1½ lbs. ground beef
1 diced green bell pepper, optional
1 qt. tomatoes with juice
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1. Layer ingredients in order given in greased slow cooker. Salt and pepper each layer to taste.
2. Cover. Cook on High 1½-2 hours.
Variation:
You may substitute 1 qt. V-8 juice for the quart of tomatoes with juice.
Cheeseburger Casserole
Erma Kauffman
Cochranville, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg
tomato juice to moisten
4½ cups mashed potatoes (leftover mashed potatoes work well)
9 slices your favorite cheese
1. Combine beef, onions, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, egg, and tomato juice in a large bowl.
2. Place one-third of mixture in slow cooker.
3. Spread with one-third of mashed potatoes and 3 slices cheese.
4. Repeat layering 2 times.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours.
Have a recycled Christmas. All gifts can be either handmade or bought from a boutique specializing in used items. All wrappings can be either reused gift bags or homemade gift wrap, using brown paper bags or the comics papers.
Katrina Eberly, Wernersville, PA
Hamburger/Green Bean Dish
Hazel L. Propst
Oxford, PA
Makes 4-5 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 qt. green beans, or 2 lbs. frozen green beans, or 2 15-oz. cans green beans
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
6-7 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1. Brown meat and onion in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings and discard.
2. Place meat in slow cooker. Stir in beans, soup, and seasonings.
3. Combine mashed potatoes with egg in large bowl. Spread over meat-vegetable mixture in slow cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours, or until beans are tender.
Meal-in-One
McPherson, KS
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 large bag frozen hash brown potatoes, divided
16-oz. container sour cream, divided
24-oz. container cottage cheese, divided
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and green pepper in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Drain off drippings and discard.
2. Season meat and vegetable mixture with salt and pepper.
3. In slow cooker, layer one-third of potatoes, then one-third of meat mixture, one-third of sour cream, and one-third of cottage cheese.
4. Repeat layers twice.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 4 hours, sprinkling Monterey Jack cheese over top during last hour.
Serving suggestion: Serve with red or green salsa.
Variation:
For a cheesier dish, prepare another cup of shredded cheese and sprinkle ½ cup over first layer of potatoes, meat, sour cream, and cottage cheese, and another ½ cup over second layer of those ingredients.
Cedric’s Casserole
Kathy Purcell
Dublin, OH
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. ground beef
½-¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 cups shredded cabbage, divided
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
1. Sauté onion in skillet in butter.
2. Add ground beef and brown. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps until pink no longer appears.
3. Season meat and onions with salt and pepper.
4. Layer half of cabbage in slow cooker, followed by half of meat mixture.
5. Repeat layers again.
6. Pour soup over top.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve with garlic bread and canned fruit.
Note:
I grew up with this recipe and remember my mother serving it often. It makes a wonderful potluck take-a-long.
Esther J. Yoder
Hartville, OH
Makes 4-5 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-2½ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
half a green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup cooked macaroni
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup
1. Brown beef, onions, and green pepper in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Cook until no more pink appears in meat. Drain off drippings.
2. Place meat and vegetables in slow cooker.
3. Combine all ingredients in cooker.
4. Cover. Cook on High 2-2½ hours, stirring once or twice, if you’re home and able to do so.
Serving suggestion: Serve with broccoli and applesauce.
Plenty More in the Kitchen
Jean Robinson
Cinnaminson, NJ
Makes 12-16 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 5¼ hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.
3 lbs. ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 Tbsp. oil
26-oz. jar tomato sauce, or spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
16-oz. can whole-kernel corn
2 14½-oz. cans beef broth
8-oz. pkg. uncooked elbow macaroni
1 cup grated sharp cheese
1. Brown beef and onion in oil in skillet. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Drain off drippings.
2. Place meat in cooker, along with all other ingredients except cheese.
3. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Turn to Low and cook 4 more hours.
4. Sprinkle with cheese and cook 10 minutes more.
Variation:
You can change the balance of ingredients by using only 1-1½ lbs. ground beef and adding another ½-1 cup uncooked macaroni.
Note:
This is a tried and true recipe adapted from an old 1984 Pennsylvania Grange cookbook. It’s an easy meal to carry outside to the picnic table or to take to a Little League game.
Cheese and Pasta in a Pot
Cathy Boshart
Lebanon, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 35-40 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp. oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
14-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
16-oz. can stewed tomatoes
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, undrained
8 oz. dry shell macaroni, cooked al dente, divided
1½ pints sour cream, divided
½ lb. provolone cheese, sliced
½ lb. mozzarella cheese, sliced thin, or shredded
1. Brown ground beef in oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until all pink disappears. Drain off all but 2 Tbsp. drippings.
2. Add onions, garlic, spaghetti sauce, stewed tomatoes, and undrained mushrooms to beef and remaining drippings in skillet. Mix well.
3. Simmer 10-15 minutes in skillet, or until onions are soft.
4. Pour half of macaroni into slow cooker.
5. Cover with half tomato-meat sauce.
6. Spread half sour cream over sauce.
7. Top with provolone cheese.
8. Repeat macaroni and tomato-meat sauce layers.
9. Top with mozzarella cheese.
10. Cover. Cook on High 2 hours or on Low 3 hours.
Hamburger Rice Casserole
Shari Mast
Harrisonburg, VA
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
½ lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 cup diced celery
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can water
4 cups cooked rice, divided
4-oz. can mushroom pieces, drained, divided
Velveeta cheese slices
1. Brown ground beef, onion, and celery in skillet. Stir frequently to break clumps of meat. Continue browning until no pink remains in meat. Drain off drippings.
2. Season meat in skillet with basil and oregano.
3. Combine soup and water in bowl.
4. In well greased slow cooker, layer half of rice, half of mushrooms, half of ground-beef mixture, and half of soup mixture.
5. Repeat layers.
6. Cover. Cook on High 4 hours.
7. Top with cheese 30 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestion: This casserole, served with cornbread and applesauce, makes a well-rounded meal that is quick and easy to prepare and well-received by children and adults.
Hearty Rice Casserole
Dale Peterson
Rapid City, SD
Makes 12-16 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 6-7 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. loose pork sausage
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
10¾-oz. can creamy onion soup
10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup
1 cup water
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1½ cups uncooked long-grain rice
shredded cheese, optional
1. Brown beef and sausage in large skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until no more pink remains. Drain off drippings.
2. Place browned meat in slow cooker.
3. Add all ingredients except cheese to slow cooker. Mix well.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or until rice is fully cooked.
5. Sprinkling with cheese during last hour if you wish.
Liz Ann Yoder
Hartville, OH
Makes 4-6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-6 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
2 green bell peppers, or 1 green and 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
3 cups water
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1. Brown beef in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Drain off drippings.
2. Place meat in slow cooker.
3. Add all remaining ingredients to slow cooker. Mix well.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours or on High 3 hours, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
Stuffed Green Peppers
Patricia Howard
Albuquerque, NM
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6- to 7-qt.
6 green bell peppers
1 lb. ground beef
¼ cup chopped onions
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1¼ cups cooked rice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
8-oz. can tomato sauce
¼ cup beef broth
1. Cut stem ends from peppers. Carefully remove seeds and membrane without breaking pepper apart. Parboil in water for 5 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
2. Brown ground beef and onions in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Drain off drippings.
3. Place meat and onions in mixing bowl.
4. Add seasonings, rice, and Worcestershire sauce to meat and combine well.
5. Stuff green peppers with mixture. Stand stuffed peppers upright in large slow cooker.
6. Mix together tomato sauce and beef broth in a bowl. Pour over peppers.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.
Variation:
Add ½-¾ cup grated cheddar cheese to Step 4.
Rosaria Strachan
Fairfield, CT
Ask for help. It’s okay to ask someone to bring a dish, bread, or beverage. It’s okay to ask your children to pick up toys and be a “pre-host or hostess,” especially if your get-together is for families with children. Have your family help to decorate. I know this can take longer, but if you keep things simple, you will be enjoying family time together and broader ownership of the event. Next time it will be easier for all, and you will have begun traditions that can be carried to the next generation.
Carol Findling, Carol Stream, IL
Katrine Rose
Woodbridge, VA
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 8-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6- to 7-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
7-oz. pkg. Spanish rice mix
1 egg
¼ cup chopped onions
4 medium-sized green bell peppers, halved lengthwise, cored, and seeded
28-oz. can stewed, or crushed, tomatoes
10¾-oz. can tomato soup
1 cup water
shredded cheese, optional
1. Combine beef, rice mix (reserving seasoning packet), egg, and onions in large bowl.
2. Divide meat mixture among pepper halves.
3. Pour tomatoes into slow cooker. Arrange pepper halves over tomatoes.
4. Combine tomato soup, rice-mix seasoning packet, and water in bowl. Pour over peppers.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
6. Twenty minutes before end of the cooking time, top stuffed peppers with cheese if you wish.
Haystacks
Judy Buller
Bluffton, OH
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
2 lbs. ground beef
oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
2 15-oz. cans chili beans with chili gravy, or red beans
2 10-oz. cans mild enchilada sauce, or mild salsa
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic salt
pepper to taste
Condiments:
raisins
chopped apples
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheese
corn chips
rice, or baked potatoes
1. Brown beef in skillet, in oil if needed, stirring frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Drain off drippings.
2. Combine beef, onion, tomato sauce, chili beans, enchilada sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper in slow cooker.
3. Cover. Bake on Low 2-3 hours or on High 1 hour.
4. Serve over baked potatoes or rice and pass dishes of condiments so everyone can choose their own toppings.
Note:
Because this recipe offers such a wide choice of toppings, all diners are sure to find something they like. Haystacks are easy to serve buffet-style. The wide array of condiments sparks conversation—and becomes an adventure in eating. Members of my family like a little of each topping over the chili.
Guests are often surprised to see how large their haystacks are when they’re finished serving themselves. They frequently fill their entire plates!
The atmosphere can be comfortable when everything is prepared ahead. And with this recipe, the serving time can vary to meet uncertain schedules.
Don’t forget to do the rice or baked potatoes in a second slow cooker.
Sheila Plock
Boalsburg, PA
Makes 8-10 servings
Prep. Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.
1½-2 lbs. ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
28-oz. can whole tomatoes, cut up
6-oz. can tomato paste
4¼-oz. can sliced black olives, drained
14½-oz. can green beans, drained
15¼-oz. can Mexicorn, drained
15-oz. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
diced jalapeño peppers to taste
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. chili powder
3 dashes Tabasco sauce
grated cheddar cheese
1. Brown ground beef in skillet, stirring frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until meat is no longer pink. Reserve drippings and transfer beef to slow cooker.
2. Sauté onions, pepper, celery, and garlic in drippings in skillet. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Add remaining ingredients except cheese to slow cooker. Mix well.
4. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
5. Sprinkle individual servings with grated cheese.
Serving suggestion: Serve with tortilla chips.
Tortilla Bake
Kelly Evenson
Pittsboro, NC
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef, divided
oil
10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup
1½-oz. pkg. dry taco seasoning mix
8 corn tortillas, divided
3 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped, divided
Toppings:
sour cream
grated cheese
thinly sliced green onions
cut-up bell peppers
diced avocado
shredded lettuce
1. Brown ground beef in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until no pink remains in meat. Drain off drippings. Set aside meat in skillet.
2. Combine soup and taco seasoning in bowl.
3. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges.
4. Spoon one-quarter of ground beef into slow cooker.
5. Top with one-quarter of all tortilla wedges.
6. Spoon one-quarter of soup mixture over tortillas.
7. Top with one-quarter of tomatoes.
8. Repeat layers 3 times.
9. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
10. To serve, spoon onto plates and offer toppings as condiments.
We call the local assisted-living facility and ask for names and a list of gift ideas for 3 people who live in the facility but who don’t usually get visitors at Christmas-time. Then on Christmas Day, our family delivers the gifts and visits with each person. Our kids are learning that Christmas is not all about them.
Kendra Dreps, Liberty, PA
Darla Sathre
Baxter, MN
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 4-5 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. oil
16-oz. can pinto beans, drained
16-oz. can kidney beans, drained
15-oz. can black beans, drained
4-oz. can sliced black olives, drained
4-oz. can green chilies, undrained
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
6-8 6” flour tortillas, divided
2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese, divided
1. Sauté onions, green peppers, and garlic in large skillet in oil.
2. Add beans, olives, chilies, tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin to skillet. Stir together well.
3. In greased slow cooker, layer ¾ cup vegetables, followed by a tortilla, followed by ⅓ cup cheese.
4. Repeat layers until all those ingredients are used, ending with vegetable sauce on top.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.
Serving suggestion: Serve with dollops of sour cream on individual servings.
Taco Casserole
Marcia S. Myer
Manheim, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.
1½ lbs. ground beef
oil
14½-oz. can diced tomatoes with chilies
10¾-oz. can cream of onion soup
1 envelope dry taco seasoning mix
¼ cup water
6 corn tortillas, cut in ½” strips
½ cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, sliced, optional
1. Brown beef in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently, breaking up clumps. Continue cooking until no pink remains in meat. Drain off drippings.
2. Place beef in slow cooker.
3. Stir in tomatoes, soup, seasoning mix, and water in slow cooker. Mix together well.
4. Stir in tortilla strips.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.
6. Spread sour cream over casserole. Sprinkle with cheese.
7. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes until cheese melts.
8. Remove cover. Garnish with green onions. Allow to stand 15 more minutes before serving.
Julia Fisher
New Carlisle, OH
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
⅛ tsp. garlic powder
oil
8-oz. can tomato sauce
⅓ cup chopped black olives
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
8-oz. container sour cream
8-oz. container cottage cheese
4¼-oz. can chopped green chilies, drained
12-oz. pkg. tortilla chips, divided
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated, divided
1. Brown ground beef, onions, and garlic in skillet, in oil if needed. Stir frequently to break up clumps. Continue cooking until no pink remains in meat. Drain off drippings.
2. Add tomato sauce, olives, and mushrooms to meat in skillet.
3. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, cottage cheese, and green chilies.
4. In slow cooker, layer in one-third of chips, followed by half the ground beef mixture.
5. Follow with a layer of half the sour cream mixture and half the shredded cheese.
6. Repeat all layers, except reserve last third of chips to add just before serving.
7. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours.
8. Ten minutes before serving time, scatter reserved chips over top and continue cooking, uncovered.
Tiajuana Tacos
Helen Kenagy
Carlsbad, NM
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.
3 cups thinly sliced uncooked beef steak
oil
1-lb. can refried beans
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green bell peppers
½ cup chopped ripe olives
8-oz. can tomato sauce
3 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. paprika
⅛ tsp. celery salt
⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ cup water
1 tsp. salt
1 cup crushed corn chips
6 taco shells
shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
grated cheddar cheese
1. Sauté beef lightly in skillet, in oil if needed. Drain off drippings.
2. Place in slow cooker, along with all ingredients except corn chips, taco shells, lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and grated cheese.
3. Cover. Cook on Low 2 hours.
4. Just before serving, fold in corn chips.
5. Spoon mixture into taco shells.
Serving suggestion: Top with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
