Slow-Cooked Sides
Rounding out a meal is easy with these veggie, pasta, and rice choices.
Company’s Coming
Barbecue Baked Beans
This recipe’s 12-hour cook time allows you the flexibility to go to work, come home, fire up the grill, and entertain guests—the beans will be done just in time for dinner to be served.
1 (20-ounce) package dried Cajun 15-bean soup mix (we tested with Hurst’s HamBeens brand)
1 (12-ounce) package diced cooked ham (we tested with Hormel)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
1 (18-ounce) bottle hickory smoke barbecue sauce (we tested with KC Masterpiece)
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
• Reserve spice packet in soup mix for other uses. Place beans in a large glass bowl; add water 2 inches above beans. Microwave at HIGH 15 minutes; cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain.
• Combine beans, ham, broth, and onion in a 4-quart slow cooker. Combine barbecue sauce and remaining 4 ingredients; stir into bean mixture.
• Cover and cook on LOW 12 hours or until beans are tender and sauce is slightly thickened. Makes 9 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 4-quart
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 12 hours
Other: 1 hour
Test Kitchen Secret
The tenderness of beans varies depending on the age and type of the beans. Each package may cook differently.
Barbecue chicken or ribs to accompany these tangy-sweet beans.
Editor’s Favorite
Creamy Ranch Cauliflower
If cauliflower is a “forgotten” vegetable in your home, this recipe is sure to bring it back to your dinner table.
1 (15.25-ounce) can Mexican-style corn, drained
1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of onion soup
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) container chive-and-onion cream cheese, softened
1 (1-ounce) envelope Ranch-style dressing mix
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
3 (10-ounce) packages fresh cauliflower florets
3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (optional)
• Combine first 6 ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Add cauliflower, stirring well to coat.
• Cover and cook on LOW 5½ to 6 hours or until tender. Sprinkle with bacon, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 4-quart
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Fresh Florets
Cauliflower florets are available both fresh and frozen in 10-ounce packages, but be sure to use the fresh packages from the produce department— you’ll have better results.
Ranch-style dressing makes cauliflower rich and creamy.
Comfort Food • Editor’s Favorite
Peppered Corn on the Cob
6 tablespoons butter, softened
4 garlic cloves, pressed
6 ears fresh corn, husks removed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
12 fully cooked bacon slices (we tested with Ready Crisp Bacon)
½ cup chicken broth
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
• Combine butter and garlic in a small bowl. Rub garlic butter evenly over ears of corn. Sprinkle evenly with pepper and salt. Wrap each ear of corn with 2 bacon slices, and secure with wooden picks. Place corn in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add broth and jalapeño pepper.
• Cover and cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours or until corn is tender. Remove bacon before serving, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 5-quart
Prep: 13 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Bacon Bit
If you don’t want to wrap the bacon around the corn, simply chop the bacon and sprinkle on top of the corn in the cooker.
Bacon imparts a smoky flavor that makes this corn dish like no other.
Editor’s Favorite • Southern Classic
Slow-Cooked Collard Greens
1 smoked turkey wing (about 1¼ pounds)
2 (14-ounce) cans Italian-seasoned chicken broth
2 (1-pound) packages chopped fresh collard greens
5 green onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Pepper sauce
• Remove skin and meat from turkey wing, discarding skin and bone. Coarsely chop meat.
• Combine chopped turkey and next 6 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW 9 hours or until greens are tender. Serve with pepper sauce. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 6-quart
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 9 hours
Soppin’ Up
Have some corn bread or rolls handy for sopping up the juices.
Dual Slow-Cooker Menu
• Ready-to-bake macaroni and cheese
• Hot-and-Spicy Black-Eyed Peas
• Deli cornbread
A sprinkling of pepper sauce is the ultimate Southern condiment for these greens.
Company’s Coming • Freeze It!
Myra’s Burgundy Mushrooms
3 pounds fresh button mushrooms
1½ cups Burgundy or other dry red wine
1 (14-ounce) can beef broth
½ cup butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried dillweed
½ teaspoon pepper
• Place mushrooms in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add Burgundy and remaining ingredients to slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon. Makes 8 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 6-quart
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 hours
Leftover Delight
The delicious juices left over after cooking the mushrooms can be used for a multitude of other dishes. Try thickening 1½ cups liquid with 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour for a tasty sauce with French dip sandwiches. You can also pour the juices into ice cube trays, freeze, and pop out later to flavor soups or vegetables.
Quick Menu
• Grilled filet mignon
• Baked potatoes
There’ll be no last-minute tending to the mushroom side dish with this slow-cooker technique.
5 Ingredients or Less • Editor’s Favorite
Caramelized Onions
2 bacon slices
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 medium-size sweet onions, sliced (about 4½ cups)
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
• Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp; remove bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Reserve bacon for another use.
• Combine drippings, melted butter, and remaining ingredients in a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir well to coat onions.
• Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Makes 2 cups.
French Onion Soup: Stir 2 (10½-ounce) cans beef consommé and ¼ cup dry white wine into cooked onions in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 15 minutes or just until heated. Sprinkle with shredded Gruyère cheese and restaurant-style croutons. Makes 5 cups.
Slow-Cooker Size: 3- or 4-quart
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Serving Suggestion
These savory onions are great served as a side dish for grilled steak or chicken, piled on a roast beef sandwich, or used as a pizza topping.
This French Onion Soup variation received our Test Kitchen’s highest rating.
Big Batch
Hot-and-Spicy Black-Eyed Peas
1 (16-ounce) package dried black-eyed peas
4 green onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
1 (3-ounce) package pepperoni slices, diced
2 cups hot water
1 chicken bouillon cube
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14½-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
¾ cup uncooked quick rice
• Place peas in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover with water 2 inches above peas; let stand 8 hours. Drain.
• Combine peas and next 8 ingredients in slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until beans are tender. Stir in tomatoes and rice. Cover and cook on LOW 30 more minutes or until rice is tender. Makes 12 cups.
Slow-Cooker Size: 5-quart
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 8 hours, 30 minutes
Others: 8 hours
Quick Menu
• Deli coleslaw
• Cornbread
Jalapeño pepper and Mexican-style stewed tomatoes spice up these black-eyed peas.
Comfort Food
Mexican Spoonbread-Stuffed Poblanos
Poblano chile peppers range in heat. They are usually mild but can sometimes be surprisingly spicy.
6 poblano chile peppers
¾ cup self-rising cornmeal mix (we tested with Martha White)
⅔ cup chopped frozen onion, thawed
1 (8-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded colby-Jack cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons canned chopped green chiles
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon hot sauce
• Lay peppers on sides. Lengthwise slice off top quarter of peppers to create shells. Reserve removed portions of peppers for other uses. Scrape out seeds using a small spoon; discard seeds.
• Combine cornmeal mix and remaining 9 ingredients in a medium bowl. Spoon cornmeal mixture evenly into pepper shells. Arrange peppers in a 6-quart oval slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Makes 6 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 6-quart oval
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Test Kitchen Secret
We used frozen chopped onion to make sure it was tender after cooking. If you use freshly chopped onion, cook it briefly in the microwave or finely chop it before cooking.
Southern Classic
Apple-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
Many sweet potato dishes taste very sweet because lots of sugar and sometimes marshmallows are added. This creamy version is subtly sweet with a hint of tart apple—perfect for those people who prefer to truly enjoy the taste of sweet potato.
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch cubes
1½ cups peeled and chopped Granny Smith apple (1 large apple)
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup whipping cream
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
½ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ cup chopped pecans, toasted
• Combine first 3 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours or until potatoes are tender; drain, discarding broth.
• Add whipping cream and next 4 ingredients; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth and blended. Stir in pecans. Makes 6 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 5-quart
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Quick Menu
• Honey-glazed ham
• Green beans
This simple side allows you to reserve the oven for the “Quick Menu” accompaniments.
Big Batch
Ratatouille
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1½ pounds)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 medium zucchini, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup tomato paste
1 (4½-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Combine first 11 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.
• Stir in tomato paste, olives, and basil. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 6-quart
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 8 hours
Serving Suggestion
Pair this dish with creamy polenta to turn this veggie side into a hearty meatless main dish.
Company’s Coming • Editor’s Favorite
Spinach-Artichoke Casserole
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon pepper
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10¾-ounce) can reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 (8-ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream
3 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and next 3 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, drain spinach well, pressing between paper towels. Stir together spinach and next 7 ingredients.
• Stir mushroom mixture into spinach mixture. Add 1 cup cheese, stirring well. Spoon into a 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.
• Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours or on LOW 4 hours. Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 4-quart
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours or 4 minutes
Party Tip
Choose to serve this casserole as a side dish or as an appetizer. Toasted Melba rounds make sturdy dippers for serving this dish straight out of the pot.
Comfort Food
Glazed Winter Vegetables
¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon pepper
4 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
½ medium rutabaga, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• Stir together first 5 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker; add vegetables, tossing to coat.
• Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours or until vegetables are tender. Makes 8 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 6-quart
Prep: 21 minutes
Cook: 7 hours
Quick Menu
• Roasted turkey breast
• Sautéed green beans
15 Minutes or Less to Prep
Mexican Macaroni
1 (8-ounce) package elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 cup water
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican four-cheese blend
• Stir together first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir in 1½ cups cheese. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 3-quart slow cooker; top with remaining ½ cup cheese.
• Cover and cook on LOW 4½ hours or until macaroni is done. Makes 6 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 3-quart
Prep: 7 minutes
Cook: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Spicy!
This dish is an interesting spin on the typical macand-cheese recipe. Green chiles give this dish just enough kick to make it spicy.
There’s no need to precook the macaroni for this easy mac-and-cheese dish.
15 Minutes or Less to Prep
Toasted Herb Rice
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1¾ cups uncooked converted long-grain rice (we tested with Uncle Ben’s)
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
¼ teaspoon salt
6 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
⅓ cup pine nuts, toasted
Garnish: fresh basil sprig
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add rice, and sauté 4 minutes or until golden brown. Combine sautéed rice, broth, and next 3 ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on HIGH 2 hours or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Stir in pine nuts. Garnish, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Slow-Cooker Size: 4-quart
Prep: 7 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Fresh Is Best
If you have fresh basil on hand, use 1 tablespoon fresh instead of 1 teaspoon dried basil.
Toasted pine nuts dress up rice with a pleasant crunch.
5 Ingredients or Less • Kids Love It!
Applesauce
12 large Granny Smith apples (about 5½ pounds)
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1½ cups sugar
• Peel, core, and cut apples into 1½-inch chunks. Place chunks in a large bowl. Toss apple with lemon juice and sugar. Place apple mixture in a 6-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours. Stir until desired consistency. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Makes 8 cups.
Slow-Cooker Size: 6-quart
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Pick an Apple
We like the tanginess of Granny Smith apples in this recipe. If you use sweeter apples, you may need to adjust the sugar and cook time.
These apples hold their shape well during cooking, so the sauce ends up chunky. Stir the sauce to smooth it to the consistency you like.
Comfort Food
Fresh Mango Chutney
6 whole cloves
4 whole allspice
4 whole cardamom seeds
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken
1½ cups peeled, diced ripe mango (about 2 large)
¾ cup coarsely chopped onion
¾ cup cider vinegar
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup golden raisins
1½ teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 jalapeño pepper, cut in half lengthwise
1 garlic clove, minced
• Place first 4 ingredients in a 4-inch square of cheesecloth; tie with string.
• Combine mango and remaining 7 ingredients in a 3-quart slow cooker. Add spice bag.
• Cover and cook on HIGH 10 hours or until thickened. Remove and discard jalapeño pepper halves and spice bag. Stir chutney to blend flavors. Cool. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Makes 1⅔ cups.
Slow-Cooker Size: 3-quart
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 hours
Serving Suggestion
This sweet and spicy condiment complements a wide variety of meats. Serve it over a spice-rubbed pork, honey-glazed ham, minted lamb, or grilled chicken.
Comfort Food
Tomato Relish
Serve over garlic-toasted baguette slices, pork, or your favorite cracker.
4 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
• Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on LOW 10 hours or until thickened and liquid is almost absorbed. Cool. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. Serve with a slotted spoon. Makes 2¾ cups.
Slow-Cooker Size: 4-quart
Prep: 21 minutes
Cook: 10 hours
Homegrown
Making this relish is a great way to use tomatoes from your garden.
Dual Slow-Cooker Menu
• Grilled pork tenderloin