Let’s face it: if you’re going to skip a meal, it’s breakfast. Before you really get a chance to think about it, you’re out the door.
Head back inside. Missing the morning meal is not the best choice. Your blood sugar levels are out of whack after your sleep-enforced fast. A few hours later, when they’ve fallen even further, plunk will go your energy—and your productivity. University studies the world over have shown that children who go without breakfast seriously underperform those who’ve had something to eat. What’s more, we know that adults who skip breakfast suffer memory deficiencies by mid-morning. Everyone knows that guy who drags himself into work with an artificially sweetened coffeehouse frappawhatever in hand and can’t even remember yesterday’s bottom-line discussion until he bums an apple off of someone.
Of course, some of the more earnest among us go without breakfast in a misguided attempt to cut calories. But those who do tend to chow down on 300 to 500 more calories a day. If you don’t eat breakfast, you’re famished by mid-morning, foraging in the break room or running to the convenience store, although lunch is fast approaching.
In truth, the fault lies with our ridiculously accelerated world. Back in the day—sadly, not forty years ago—nine o’clock was a decent time to roll in to work and five P.M. was quitting time. But everything moves more quickly over longer hours. Breakfast gets tossed out the window. Look out below.
Fortunately, there’s a way to catch an extra hour of sleep and still eat breakfast: the slow cooker. You can have a hot breakfast without much fuss—and a healthy meal, too, stocked with whole grains, no processed and packaged this or that in the mix. As you’ll see, the slow cooker was seemingly made for whole-grain porridges, a comforting breakfast any day of the year. But you needn’t stop there. You can also use the slow cooker for egg casseroles and (yes!) decidedly more decadent fare, all without standing over a hot stove. There are also a few fruit compote and applesauce recipes that’ll stand you in good stead for many mornings to come (or even for dessert some evening).
A slow cooker is perfect for breakfast. It blends flavors, muting bitter notes in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, all the while foregrounding the natural sweetness of everything from oatmeal to bacon, apples to polenta. Those mellower tastes are a better fit for the morning.
A slow cooker is also the most convenient breakfast tool: you can set it up the night before and look forward to a hearty meal when the alarm goes off. Or you can set up a tasty brunch casserole and have it ready when your friends arrive.
With a slow cooker on the counter, give breakfast a try. Then begin to morph these recipes into your own signature breakfasts. Try one, then figure out how to adapt it. Don’t like maple syrup? Try honey or agave nectar. Don’t like chives? How about thyme? Just remember the basic rule: keep the liquid-to-dry ratio intact. (Granulated white and brown sugars are tough—they count on both sides of the ratio, measured as dry ingredients in a batter but acting as liquids as they melt. We recommend leaving their quantities intact; besides, we’ve tried to keep these recipes fairly low in sugar.) After that, you’re free to create a breakfast that’ll set you up right. And that’s a win/win situation you can set your alarm for.
If there’s a stellar example of how a slow cooker works, it’s probably found among these hot cereals. Yes, the slow cooker can be a blunt instrument, smashing the subtle notes of individual flavors. But to soften steel-cut oats into a luxurious meal, morph the bitter accents in quinoa into a sweet porridge, and smooth the crags of cornmeal into a creamy breakfast polenta, these are the reasons you bought the appliance in the first place! Okay, maybe you weren’t thinking of breakfast when you got yours. But almost all of these hot cereal recipes are overnight wonders.
Before we jump to these recipes, we should say a word here about whole grains. Within reason, we use them in this section so breakfast can be as nutritious as possible. But looks can be deceiving. Pearled barley is like white rice—a refined grain. Even standard polenta made from ground corn can lack some of the components of whole-grain goodness, although corn itself is the only whole grain we can digest completely, even in its raw form. If you’re concerned about these issues, look at our “Testers’ Notes” to find ways to add even more whole grains to the mix.
We also began developing these recipes with fat-free milk—and in truth, they were just about as creamy as the ones we later tried with whole or low-fat milk. We don’t call for fat-free sour cream in baking or cooking because it can separate over prolonged heat, resulting in a watery mess rather than a satisfying meal. But we like to save fat and calories where we can (mostly so we can butter the toast).
So hop to. Stir everything together the night before and let the slow cooker do its work. Forget watching the pot of hot cereal, praying it doesn’t boil over. Skip that irritating volcano of oatmeal in the microwave. Instead, wake up to some of the best (and most nutritious) comfort food around.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup steel-cut oats
¼ cup maple syrup
pinch salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 cups water
4 cups milk
2 cups steel-cut oats
½ cup maple syrup
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups water
6 cups milk
3 cups steel-cut oats
¾ cup maple syrup
½ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until the maple syrup is distributed evenly throughout. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the oats are tender and creamy.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• If you’ve skipped steel-cut oats because (1) you didn’t want to cook breakfast for an hour when you’re barely conscious, or (2) you’ve tried preboiling them for a couple of minutes the night before and then finishing the next morning, only to end up with gummy glue, you’re in for a treat. The slow cooker can turn steel-cut oats into a smooth and creamy breakfast cereal, no stirring or consciousness needed.
• For a treat for later in the week, butter or grease the inside of an 8- or 9-inch baking pan and spread the leftover oatmeal in it; cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days. When you’re ready, cut the block into wedges, and fry them in butter in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat under they are golden and brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve with more maple syrup on the side (of course).
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Steel-cut oats (often called “Irish oats” or “pinhead oats”) are hulled oat groats sliced into smaller segments, loaded with fiber and all the essential nutrients in the whole grain. The more familiar rolled oats are actually processed, steamed, and flattened oats—in effect, precooked so they don’t take so long at the stove. And in the United States, so-called Scottish oats are actually steamed, ground oat groats. Use only steel-cut oats in this recipe (as well as many of the ones to follow).
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW The longer a whole-grain cereal sits, the thicker it becomes. The cereal may also brown a bit at its edges. Some of us like this stiffer part; other late-sleepers may want to scoop the cereal right out of the cooker’s center. In any event, if you let most hot cereals and porridges stay on warm for more than a couple of hours, be prepared to thin them out with more milk or water.
Serve It Up! Top bowls of oatmeal with chopped, pitted dates, sliced and cored apples, crumbled graham crackers, apple butter, any preserve or jam you like, dried fruit, sliced bananas, orange zest, or a pat of butter.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1¼ cups water
¾ cup coconut milk (regular or lite)
½ cup steel-cut oats
½ ripe medium bananas, chopped
2½ tblsp chopped dried pineapple
2½ tblsp unsweetened shredded coconut
2½ tblsp packed light brown sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
pinch grated nutmeg
4- TO 5½-QUART
2½ cups water
1½ cups coconut milk (regular or lite)
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 ripe medium bananas, chopped
⅓ cup chopped dried pineapple
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
6- TO 8-QUART
3¾ cups water
2¼ cups coconut milk (regular or lite)
1½ cups steel-cut oats
2 ripe medium bananas, chopped
½ cup chopped dried pineapple
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ tsp vanilla extract
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until the brown sugar has dissolved. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the oats are tender and the bananas have begun to melt into the sauce.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Make sure the bananas are as ripe as they can be, with plenty of dark spots mottled across their yellow skins, no green bits in sight.
• Use a fork to stir the coconut milk right in the can, thereby reincorporating the solids into the liquid.
• Cut the bananas and pineapple into very small bits, between ¼- and ½-inch pieces. That way, they’ll almost melt into the porridge.
• It wouldn’t hurt to stir 1 to 3 tablespoons rum into the mix with the other ingredients. Don’t want the booze first thing in the morning? Try a drop or two of rum extract.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Coconut milk is a favorite ingredient for vegans who want a creamy, buttery flavor. It’s a thick, viscous liquid pressed out of chunks of coconut. So-called lite coconut milk is actually a second (or third or even further) pressing of the original coconut solids to create a less indulgent, less viscous, and (darn it) healthier ingredient.
Unsweetened shredded coconut—sometimes labeled as “desiccated coconut flakes”—is available in larger supermarkets, often not in the baking aisle but in either the international section or the health-food aisle. It’s also available in almost all health-food stores. If the flakes are large, about the size of old-fashioned washing soap flakes from 1950s sitcoms, pulverize them in a cleaned spice grinder or a mini food processor until the bits are about the consistency of modern laundry detergent.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1½ cups milk
½ cup steel-cut oats
½ cup chopped canned yams in syrup, drained, liquid reserved
½ cup canning liquid from yams
¼ tsp salt
3 tblsp packed light brown sugar
3 tblsp chopped pecans
½ tsp ground cinnamon
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 cups milk
1 cup steel-cut oats
1 cup chopped canned yams in syrup, drained, liquid reserved
1 cup canning liquid from yams
½ tsp salt
6 tblsp packed light brown sugar
6 tblsp chopped pecans
1 tsp ground cinnamon
6- TO 8-QUART
4½ cups milk
1½ cups steel-cut oats
1½ cups chopped canned yams in syrup, drained, liquid reserved
1½ cups canning liquid from yams
¾ tsp salt
½ cup plus 1 tblsp packed light brown sugar
½ cup plus 1 tblsp chopped pecans
1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 Stir the milk, oats, sweet potato bits, syrup from the can, and salt in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the oats are tender.
2 Combine the brown sugar, pecan pieces, and cinnamon in a bowl. Sprinkle on the oatmeal just before serving, either while it’s still in the slow cooker or over individual bowlfuls.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This recipe mimics a very sweet Southern coffee cake by using canned yams (or sweet potatoes) and then adding a crunchy topping to the oatmeal the next morning.
• If the can of sweet potatoes doesn’t have enough liquid to make the full amount needed, make up the difference with equal parts water and maple syrup.
• If you’re prone to morning grogginess, mix the topping ingredients the night before; cover and set aside at room temperature.
• Consider adding a little minced peeled fresh ginger—no more than 2 teaspoons for the big batch. Or skip the ginger and try a pinch (or two) of grated nutmeg.
• For richer fare, stir 1 to 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter into the topping ingredients. Believe it or not, the butter will actually cut the sweetness a bit.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Canned yams in syrup (that is, canned sweet potatoes in a sweetened, thickened liquid) are a Southern tradition, often served at the holidays. They can be hard to track down in some parts of the country, or even at other times of the year, so stock up when you see them.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 cups water
¾ cup steel-cut oats
½ cup pearled barley
6 tblsp sliced almonds
2 tblsp maple syrup
1 large apple, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, cored and chopped
½ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 cups water
1½ cups steel-cut oats
1 cup pearled barley
¾ cup sliced almonds
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, cored and chopped
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
9 cups water
2¼ cups steel-cut oats
1½ cups pearled barley
1 cup plus 2 tblsp sliced almonds
6 tblsp maple syrup
3 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, cored and chopped
¾ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until thoroughly mixed. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the oats and barley are tender and luscious.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Oats and barley are a great combo: creamy and chewy, smooth and toothsome, all at once in every bite.
• For more flavor, toast the sliced almonds until golden brown in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Although tart apples are the standard in many recipes with other sweeteners in the mix, we feel this works best with a medium-sweet apple that will break down a bit and become part of the creamy “sauce” around the grains.
Serve It Up! For an over-the-top treat, warm some heavy or light cream in a small saucepan until bubbles fizz around the pan’s interior. Ladle the warmed cream over the cereal in the bowls.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Pearled barley (sometimes labeled perlato barley) is a refined grain. The hull and bran have been scored or even removed so the barley cooks quickly. Do not substitute quick-cooking barley, which is processed like instant oatmeal.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups water
1 cup peeled and diced sweet potato
½ cup short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
½ cup jarred roasted chestnuts
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tblsp mirin
½ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 cups water
2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
1 cup short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
1 cup jarred roasted chestnuts
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tblsp mirin
1 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups water
3 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
1½ cups short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
1½ cups jarred roasted chestnuts
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
3 tblsp mirin
1½ minced peeled fresh ginger
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker, then cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the rice is tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This sweet, autumnal breakfast porridge is well stocked and very aromatic. It would pair well with a cup of black tea instead of coffee.
• A white sweet potato would be the best, although a yellow or orange variety will do just as well. Cut the sweet potato into ½-inch cubes.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Short-grain rice is sometimes called “sweet rice” or “sushi rice” in North America. It’s often available in the Asian aisle of larger supermarkets packed by brands such as Kalrose. It’s a sticky rice, short not necessarily in length but “short” of a certain dry starch that keeps long-grain rice fluffier.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 cups water
3 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed pumpkin or kabocha squash
3 tblsp short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
2½ tblsp packed light brown sugar
1½ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
pinch salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 cups water
4 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed pumpkin or kabocha squash
⅓ cup short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups water
6 cups peeled, seeded, and cubed pumpkin or kabocha squash
½ cup short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
6 tblsp packed light brown sugar
1 tblsp minced peeled fresh ginger
¼ tsp salt
1 Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker, stirring until the brown sugar has dissolved into the mix. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the pumpkin and rice are tender.
2 Use a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon to mash the vegetable and rice into a creamy, thick, hot cereal.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Although excellent at breakfast, this porridge can also be served at dinner, particularly as the first course of a more formal dinner party. Or consider it a side dish at a holiday meal—perhaps a little bit of pumpkin sweetness before the turkey at Thanksgiving.
Serve It Up! For crunch in the bowls, sprinkle plain granola on top.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 ripe medium pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
1¾ cups water
1½ cups milk
¾ cup medium-ground bulgur (or #2)
½ cup finely chopped walnuts
3 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
3 ripe medium pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
2½ cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup medium-ground bulgur (or #2)
⅔ cup finely chopped walnuts
⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
5 ripe medium pears, peeled, cored, and chopped
5 cups water
4 cups milk
2 cups medium-ground bulgur (or #2)
1⅓ cups finely chopped walnuts
⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the porridge is thick.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Despite the brown sugar and the pears, it’s amazing how savory bulgur keeps this breakfast cereal from tasting too sweet.
• Mince the walnut pieces into small bits so there are no chunks in the spoonfuls. Rock a large knife through the walnuts on a cutting board, gathering them together after they spread out and going at it several more times.
• Although milk adds a lovely sweetness, you can substitute almond milk, prized for its delicate flavor.
• Soft, mushy pears will dissolve into the porridge and lose much of their oomph. Choose firm but very sweet-smelling pears. That said, the pear’s fragrance is key. Better a sweet-smelling, soft pear than a firm pear with no fragrance whatsoever.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Use a melon baller to core a pear before you peel it. Start at the blossom end—opposite the stem—and slowly turn the melon baller into the pear, scooping out tiny bits at a time, moving slowly up into the fruit, and eventually taking out the seeds and their fibrous membranes inside. Then peel the pear and chop it into ½-inch bits.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups milk
1½ cups water
6 tblsp honey
6 tblsp creamy natural-style peanut butter
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup medium-ground bulgur (such as #2)
½ ripe medium banana, peeled and chopped
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 cups milk
3 cups water
¾ cup honey
¾ cup creamy natural-style peanut butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1½ cups medium-ground bulgur (such as #2)
1 ripe medium banana, peeled and chopped
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups milk
4½ cups water
1 cup honey
1 cup creamy natural-style peanut butter
1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¾ tsp salt
2¼ cups medium-ground bulgur (such as #2)
2 ripe medium bananas, peeled and chopped
Whisk the milk, water, honey, peanut butter, cinnamon, and salt in the slow cooker until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Stir in the bulgur and banana bits. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• We prefer this classic-sandwich-made-into-a-breakfast-cereal with creamy “natural-style” peanut butter, rather than the traditional peanut butter with its added fat and sugar. However, the porridge can be made with either—and is richer with the latter.
• This cereal will get stiff as it sits; it may also singe at the sides of the cooker. If you sleep late and the cereal keeps warm for 2 hours, thin it out by stirring some milk into it; cover and cook on low for 20 minutes to warm the milk through.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Most often made from durum wheat, bulgur is common in Middle Eastern dishes like tabbouleh, a parsley salad. Although sometimes confused with cracked wheat, bulgur is actually parboiled crushed grains. We prefer the whole-grain variety for its nuttiness. In any case, bulgur is available in four grinds in North America: fine, medium, coarse, and extra-coarse. For the best consistency, use a medium-ground bulgur here, sometimes labeled #2. The recipes in this book will always indicate the grind of the bulgur to be used.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 cups water
½ cup long-grain white rice
1 tblsp soy sauce
2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
4- TO 5½-QUART
8 cups water
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 tblsp soy sauce
4 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
6- TO 8-QUART
12 cups water
1½ cups long-grain white rice
3 tblsp soy sauce
5 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker, then cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or until the rice has partially dissolved into a thin gruel.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• By swamping long-grain white rice with plenty of water and cooking the mixture for a very long time with low heat, you’ll create a rich and starchy, if thin, rice porridge.
• This cereal is sometimes called “congee,” eaten by Chinese immigrants on their way to work in North America. The recipe replicates a Cantonese version, fashioned here for the slow cooker.
Serve It Up! Although this rice porridge is a simple thing of beauty, it’s also an excuse for the garnishes. For a traditional Chinese version, offer sliced scallions or chives as well as chopped, salted peanuts to sprinkle on the bowls. Beyond those, you might consider some cooked and chopped shrimp; cooked, skinned, boned, and chopped chicken meat (particularly if you snagged a rotisserie chicken for dinner the night before); or even some finely diced smoked tofu. If you want to spend a little time at the stove, fry slivered garlic in a little peanut oil in a medium skillet until crisp and brown.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3⅓ cups milk
1 cup quinoa (white or red)
⅓ cup sugar
1½ tblsp instant tapioca
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, the seeds scraped into the cooker and the pod added
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
5 cups milk
1½ cups quinoa (white or red)
½ cup sugar
2 tblsp plus 1 tsp instant tapioca
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise, the seeds scraped into the cooker and the pod added
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
6¾ cups milk
2 cups quinoa (white or red)
⅔ cup sugar
3 tblsp instant tapioca
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, the seeds scraped into the cooker and the pod added
½ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the mixture is rich and thick. Discard the vanilla pod before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Although cooked quinoa is sometimes dry, it becomes a moist cereal in a slow cooker. Its slightly bitter notes are offset in this recipe by a little sugar and lots of vanilla.
• Tapioca gives the porridge its body, since quinoa will not thicken it the way oats would. Use only instant tapioca, often available in the baking aisle and commonly used as a thickener in pie fillings. Don’t substitute larger tapioca pearls.
• Feel free to add some chopped dried fruit to this porridge: golden raisins, stemmed dried figs, dried nectarines, or the like. However, keep the additions small, no more than ½ cup for a large slow cooker. You don’t want that added fruit to mute the flavor of the quinoa.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Quinoa is naturally coated in a bitter, defensive compound (saponin) to keep animals from eating it. Most quinoa sold today is washed to remove the rank taste, but check your package to make sure. If its directions say you should rinse the quinoa, do so in a fine-mesh sieve or a colander lined with paper towels (otherwise the grains will fall through the larger holes of a standard colander). Shake dry over the sink; then as a precaution, give the grains a second rinse under cool water.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW To split open a vanilla bean, lay it on your cutting board and draw a paring knife down its length, opening it up. Use the blunt back of the knife tip to scrape the inside of the bean, scooping out the sticky mass of tiny seeds in each half. Add the pods to your mix for more flavor.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1⅓ cups water
1⅓ cups milk
⅔ cup buckwheat groats
3 tblsp diced pitted dates
1 dried fig, stemmed and diced
2 tblsp honey
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
pinch salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 cup buckwheat groats
¼ cup diced pitted dates
2 dried figs, stemmed and diced
3 tblsp honey
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
3½ cups water
3½ cups milk
1¾ cups buckwheat groats
⅓ cup diced pitted dates
4 dried figs, stemmed and diced
¼ cup honey
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until the honey has dissolved. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the groats are tender, if still sticky.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Buckwheat groats are a tasty, rich source of fiber, always a great way to start the day. Look for the groats in the natural- or organic-food section of your supermarket.
• Buckwheat groats will get quite sticky over time; the longer this porridge sits, the pastier it becomes. It’ll keep well for several hours; but serve it as soon as it’s ready if you prefer a chewier, less gummy texture.
• Cut the dried fruit into tiny bits so that they’re evenly distributed throughout the porridge.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED All dates are not created equal! Try soft and luscious Medjool dates here, cut into tiny bits that almost melt into the cereal. Keep in mind the rule for dates, figs, and all dried fruit: they should be juicy and plump.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Dicing dried fruit can be a difficult job; your knife has to be continuously washed to get rid of the sugary stickiness. To counter (but not stop) the problem, spray your knife with nonstick spray before you begin chopping.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 cups water
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries
½ cup pearled barley
½ cup packed light brown sugar
⅓ cup walnut pieces, toasted and coarsely ground
¼ cup medium-ground bulgur (or #2)
¼ cup corn (or hominy) grits
¼ cup millet
¼ cup maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 cups water
1½ cups chopped fresh cranberries
¾ cup pearled barley
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup walnut pieces, toasted and coarsely ground
6 tblsp medium-ground bulgur (or #2)
6 tblsp corn (or hominy) grits
6 tblsp millet
6 tblsp maple syrup
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
8 cups water
2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
1 cup pearled barley
1 cup packed light brown sugar
⅔ cup walnut pieces, toasted and coarsely ground
½ cup medium-ground bulgur (or #2)
½ cup corn (or hominy) grits
½ cup millet
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until the maple syrup has dissolved and all the grains are moistened. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the porridge is creamy and the grains are tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• For more whole-grain goodness, use whole-grain corn grits, a specialty item not always available in supermarkets but certainly offered by online suppliers. They’ll give a much more intense, sweet, even earthy corn taste to the cereal.
• Fresh cranberries are not necessarily available year-round. When you see them in the supermarket around the holidays, buy a few extra bags and toss them into the freezer. There’s no need to thaw the cranberries before using them in a cooking or baking recipe.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Grind walnuts in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, pulsing repeatedly until the consistency is a little coarser than sand, but with no chunks in the mix. For more flavor, first toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes, then cool for 30 minutes before grinding. Save any leftover nuts in a zip-sealed plastic bag in the freezer to add to cookie and bread batters, or to coatings for pan-fried or oven-fried fish or chicken.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Millet is the smallest grain available in the modern supermarket—tiny little yellow specks that can turn into a pain in the neck if you spill the bag. Unless otherwise specified, use whole millet, not finely ground millet grits. Because millet goes rancid quickly at room temperature, store it in a well-sealed bag in the freezer for up to 5 months. But always smell it first. It should smell grassy and sweet, not bitter or acrid.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 cups milk
⅔ cup wheatberries
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup finely chopped pecans
3 tblsp farina, such as Cream of Wheat
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
4½ cups milk
1 cup wheatberries
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup finely chopped pecans
¼ cup farina, such as Cream of Wheat
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups milk
1⅓ cups wheatberries
⅔ cup maple syrup
⅔ cup finely chopped pecans
6 tblsp farina, such as Cream of Wheat
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until the maple syrup is evenly distributed throughout. Cover and cook the mixture on low for 8 hours, or until the wheatberries are tender and the mixture has turned into a porridge.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• There’s not one kind of wheatberry but several, based on the wheat variety. For the creamiest texture befitting a breakfast porridge, look for soft spring white wheatberries. By contrast, hard red winter wheatberries will offer more far more chew.
• You can save any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge. Stir in plenty of milk the next morning to loosen up the cereal, then heat it slowly in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Wheatberries are minimally processed grains of wheat, just minus their hulls and dried for storage. They’re a nutritious whole grain, usually available near the quinoa and brown rice in your supermarket, or sometimes in the health-food aisle.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Ground cinnamon has a shelf life: about nine months if stored in a dark, cool place. After that, it loses much of its zip. Smell yours to make sure it’s fresh and irresistible. Double its shelf life by storing it in the freezer, although the ambient humidity means you can never “thaw” it without its clumping. You’ll have to forgo sprinkling it on cinnamon toast, but you can scoop it out frozen for most recipes.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2½ cups milk
½ cup long-grain brown rice (such as brown basmati or brown Texmati)
¼ cup chopped golden raisins
2½ tbls sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 large egg yolks
4- TO 5½-QUART
5 cups milk
1 cup long-grain brown rice (such as brown basmati or brown Texmati)
½ cup chopped golden raisins
⅓ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
3 large egg yolks
6- TO 8-QUART
7½ cups milk
1½ cups long-grain brown rice (such as brown basmati or brown Texmati)
¾ cup chopped golden raisins
½ cup sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
4 large egg yolks
1 Combine the milk, rice, raisins, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a slow cooker, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours, or until the rice is tender.
2 Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl until creamy, then whisk 1 to 2 cups of the rice porridge into the egg yolks, beating fairly furiously to keep the egg yolks from curdling.
3 When the mixture is mostly smooth, whisk it back into the rest of the porridge in the slow cooker. Serve at once.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This is like a thicker, richer version of rice porridge, here made with brown rice (so it’s a whole-grain breakfast). There are also eggs in the mix; they’ll make the dish even heartier, sort of a creamy rice pudding.
• Use only long-grain brown rice here. Short- or medium-grain brown rice will clump.
• The eggs will have been warmed to a safe temperature by the time the whisked mixture is incorporated back into the slow cooker. If you’re concerned, cover the cooker and cook for 5 minutes—but no more, as the egg yolks may “scramble” in the porridge.
• The golden raisins are really for aesthetics—to better complement the color of the brown rice. If you’ve got only black on hand, substitute at will!
2- TO 3½-QUART
1¾ cups canned reduced-sodium diced tomatoes, with juice
1¾ cups canned hominy, drained and rinsed
¾ cup thinly sliced celery
¾ cup chopped red onion
⅓ cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
¼ cup canned chopped green chiles (hot, medium, or mild)
1 tsp dried oregano
¾ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground black pepper
pinch ground cloves
½ pound turkey sausage meat, any casings removed
4- TO 5½-QUART
3½ cups canned reduced-sodium diced tomatoes, with juice
3½ cups canned hominy, drained and rinsed
1½ cups thinly sliced celery
1½ cups chopped red onion
⅔ cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
½ cup canned chopped green chiles (hot, medium, or mild)
2 tsp dried oregano
1½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground cloves
1 pound turkey sausage meat, any casings removed
6- TO 8-QUART
5¼ cups canned reduced-sodium diced tomatoes, with juice
5¼ cups canned hominy, drained and rinsed
2 cups thinly sliced celery
1¾ cups chopped red onion
1 cup reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
¾ cup canned chopped green chiles (hot, medium, or mild)
1 tblsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground cloves
1½ pounds turkey sausage meat, any casings removed
1 Stir the tomatoes, hominy, celery, onion, broth, chiles, oregano, cumin, pepper, and cloves in the slow cooker. Crumble the sausage into quarter-size chunks over the stew; gently stir it in without breaking it up.
2 Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the vegetables have softened and the flavors have blended.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Breakfast stews like this one are popular in small eateries across the American Southwest. It’s a big taste in the morning, laced with chile and onion.
• A 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice or of drained hominy yields about 1¾ cups; a 28-ounce can of either yields about 3½ cups.
Serve It Up! Offer warmed corn or flour tortillas on the side—and perhaps a poached or fried egg to “float” in the bowl.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED: Hominy is made from dried field corn that has been soaked in an alkali solution to loosen the hulls and tenderize the kernels. Even the oil and protein structure of the grain is changed. Hominy has been a staple of North American diets for centuries, a chewy, sweet way to relish the corn harvest all year long. It should definitely be a breakfast staple in your home.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups water
½ cup whole-grain corn grits
½ cup chopped, peeled, and cored tart apple
2 tblsp minced scallions (white and pale green parts only)
½ tsp Cajun spice blend
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 cups water
1 cup whole-grain corn grits
1 cup chopped, peeled, and cored tart apple
¼ cup minced scallions (white and pale green parts only)
1 tsp Cajun spice blend
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups water
1½ cups whole-grain corn grits
1½ cups chopped, peeled, and cored tart apple
6 tblsp minced scallions (white and pale green parts only)
1½ tsp Cajun spice blend
¾ tsp red pepper flakes
1½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the grits are smooth and creamy.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Skip the instant grits and instead use whole-grain, yellow grits, made from dried field corn and available at larger supermarkets and most health-food stores.
• Although we’ve campaigned for sweeter, softer apples in some porridges, these grits benefit from tart, firm apples like Granny Smith or Empire.
• Look for Cajun spice blends that aren’t simply doctored cayenne, but instead include a wide range of herbs and spices.
• Because the Cheddar has plenty of sodium, and also because Cajun spice blends often include salt in the mix, there’s none added in this recipe.
Serve It Up! Most Southerners wouldn’t consider this a breakfast on its own. It needs a fried egg (or two) to round out the meal.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 cups water
2 cups pitted and sliced fresh apricots
¾ cup polenta
6 tblsp apricot nectar
6 tblsp ground almonds
6 tblsp packed light brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 cups water
4 cups pitted and sliced fresh apricots
1½ cups polenta
¾ cup apricot nectar
¾ cup ground almonds
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
½ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
9 cups water
6 cups pitted and sliced fresh apricots
2¼ cups polenta
1 cup plus 2 tblsp apricot nectar
1 cup plus 2 tblsp ground almonds
1 cup plus 2 tblsp packed light brown sugar
½ tsp salt
Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker, stirring until the polenta is thoroughly moistened. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the polenta is thick and creamy.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Breakfast polentas have a delicate creamy texture, less hearty than the more familiar side dish.
• Although this is a sweet dish, you can add an elegant touch by stirring in 1 to 2 teaspoons stemmed fresh thyme leaves before cooking.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 cups water
½ pound smoked ham, chopped
1 cup polenta
½ cup chopped dried cherries, minced
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions (white and pale green parts only)
1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
½ tsp ground black pepper
¾ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 cups water
¾ pound smoked ham, chopped
1½ cups polenta
¾ cup chopped dried cherries, minced
6 tblsp thinly sliced scallions (white and pale green parts only)
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
¾ tsp ground black pepper
1 cup plus 2 tblsp grated Monterey Jack cheese
6- TO 8-QUART
8 cups water
1 pound smoked ham, chopped
2 cups polenta
1 cup chopped dried cherries, minced
½ cup thinly sliced scallions (white and pale green parts only)
1 tblsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems
1 tsp ground black pepper
1½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 Mix the water, ham, polenta, cherries, scallions, thyme, and pepper in the slow cooker until the polenta is moistened. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours in a small cooker, 7½ hours in a medium cooker, or 8 hours in a large cooker, until the liquid has been absorbed and the cereal is almost velvety.
2 Stir in the cheese just before serving.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Chop the ham, cherries, and scallions so they are all about the same size; that way, they’ll “balance” each other in every spoonful. Yes, you should further cut up the chopped dried cherries; otherwise, they end up as bloated bombs of searingly hot juice.
• Because there’s so much sodium in the ham and cheese, we’ve not included any additional salt in this recipe.
• For more zip in your cheese topping, use pepper jack or even jalapeño jack.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Although so-called instant polenta is a boon for quick cooks, it doesn’t work too well in the slow cooker: the texture is compromised after long cooking. For this dish and all others that use polenta, search out the standard Italian variety, a slightly coarser grind of cornmeal that normally requires hours of stirring over a hot stove. Don’t substitute regular cornmeal. Or look for whole-grain polenta from online suppliers like Anson Mills. Slightly coarser grinds of whole-grain polenta, often labeled “corn polenta or grits,” work best.
Now we come to the decadent breakfasts—most of them sweet, all of them potential family favorites, and every one a great use of the slow cooker. Yes, you can even “bake” in a slow cooker, although as you can tell from the quotes around the word, there are some caveats.
For one thing, nothing will brown. In baking, browning occurs because of (1) the caramelization of sugars; and (2) the breakdown of proteins found naturally in milk, butter, and even some flours. Both effects require dehydration, and the slow cooker is famous for keeping every drop of moisture under the lid; so you’ll have to make some adjustments to keep up the browning, as we’ll discuss. You just have to face facts and work around them—you know, as you do in the rest of life.
Although the lack of evaporation can be a problem, it can also be a bonus. Coffee cakes and breakfast puddings come out incredibly moist. Yes, we also need to balance the flavors carefully; subtle tastes get lost over a long cooking time. But once these problems are solved, you can use the slow cooker to make some pretty fine morning fare.
That said, no recipe in this section is an overnighter; most take just a few hours. You can’t set up the cooker before bed—unless you’ve pulled an all-nighter and think you can power-nap your way into coherence while the coffee cake cooks. For the rest of us, we’ll have to plan on a later breakfast, which isn’t all that bad given that these recipes are perfect for weekend mornings. Head to the kitchen, toss together some simple ingredients, then go to your workout or the shower. By the time you’re back, the feast will be in sight. Or better yet, make a coffee cake the night before, have the first piece for dessert, then save the rest in the fridge for breakfast the next morning (and maybe for a snack that afternoon, too). A coffee cake’s not just for breakfast. Or what’s a heaven for?
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, plus additional for buttering the inside of the slow cooker
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 medium apples, preferably Braeburn, Empire, Granny Smith, or Pippin, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup milk
4 large eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 tblsp (¾ stick) unsalted butter, plus additional for buttering the inside of the slow cooker
¾ cup plus 1 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
4 large apples, preferably Braeburn, Empire, Granny Smith, or Pippin, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1¾ cups milk
7 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tblsp all-purpose flour
½ cup plus 1 tblsp granulated sugar
1½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
8 tblsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus additional for buttering the inside of the slow cooker
1 cup plus 2 tblsp packed dark brown sugar
6 large apples, preferably Braeburn, Empire, Granny Smith, or Pippin, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2½ cups milk
10 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
1 Generously butter the inside of the slow cooker.
2 Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the brown sugar; stir until bubbling, about 1 minute. Add the apples and cinnamon. Cook until the apples have softened a bit, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Pour and scrape the apples into the cooker.
3 In a large bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, flour, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together until there are no lumps or pockets of dry flour in the mix. Pour over the apples.
4 Cover and cook on low for 2½ hours to 3 hours, or until the cake has puffed and set, until it feels somewhat firm to the touch, and until a flatware knife inserted into the center comes out without any eggy liquid on it. (There may be some buttery, syrupy liquid on top of the cake, but the interior should be cooked.)
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Here’s a reinvention of the classic skillet breakfast using the slow cooker to keep the apples luscious. You won’t be able to turn the cake out onto a plate, as with the traditional recipe. Instead, scoop out the servings with a large spoon; make sure you get all the way to the bottom for all the apples, cake, and sauce.
• The cake will be somewhat softer than the traditional “pancake,” since the moisture is kept inside the cooker as the pancake bakes. It’s no sweat really—just a more luxurious consistency. The apples will also rise to the top, with the custard-like cake on the bottom.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Buttering or greasing the inside of a slow cooker isn’t much of a chore. Save the wrapper from a stick of butter, then use the butter-coated side to grease the insert. Take care to butter the angle where the side meets the bottom. If you don’t have a butter wrapper, put a little softened butter on a paper towel or a piece of wax paper to rub around the inside of the cooker.
FOR THE CAKE
2- TO 3½-QUART
⅔ cup granulated sugar
3½ tblsp Canola oil
1 whole plus 1 white large eggs/white
⅔ cup (about 1½ medium) mashed ripe bananas
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup Canola oil
2 whole large eggs/white
1 cup (about 2¼ medium) mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
1⅔ cups granulated sugar
½ cup plus 1 tblsp Canola oil
4 whole large eggs/white
1⅔ cups (about 3½ medium) mashed ripe bananas
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
FOR THE TOPPING
2- TO 3½-QUART
4½ tblsp finely ground pecan pieces
1½ tblsp packed light brown sugar
2 tsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
4- TO 5½-QUART
½ cup finely ground pecan pieces
2 tblsp packed light brown sugar
1 tblsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
6- TO 8-QUART
¾ cup finely ground pecan pieces
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 tblsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Spray the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick baking spray.
2 Beat the granulated sugar and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy and light, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, then the mashed bananas and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3 Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a second bowl until the leaveners are evenly distributed throughout. Use a wooden spoon to stir the flour mixture into the beaten egg mixture just until well incorporated.
4 Mix the topping ingredients in a medium bowl: the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
5 Pour half the banana batter into the slow cooker; sprinkle half the topping mixture on this first layer. Then pour the remaining batter into the cooker, smoothing it out into an even layer. Top with the remaining topping, taking care to cover the cake evenly and as thoroughly as possible.
6 Cover and cook on low for 2½ to 3 hours for a small cooker, 3 to 3½ hours for a medium cooker, or 4 to 4½ hours for a large cooker, or until the cake is set and firm to the touch.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• The bananas will cause the batter to break. Don’t worry; the problem will be fixed when you stir in the flour mixture.
• Pulse the pecan pieces in a small food processor or spice grinder until the consistency of standard cornmeal. For even more flavor, toast (and cool) the pecans before you grind them.
• Because of varying sizes among the slow cookers—oval or round, of course, but also varying volumes—we have to give a range of timings on many baking recipes, as in this one. Check the cake at the lowest time marker to see if a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. If the batter is not yet set, continue baking, checking in 15-minute increments.
Serve It Up! Cut slices right out of the cooker, using a knife suitable for nonstick surfaces. If the insert to your cooker can be removed, cool the cake in the insert on a wire rack, uncovered, for 1 hour. Then set a cutting board over the cooker and turn the cake upside-down to release the cake. Remove the canister and set another cutting board on the cake; invert the whole kit and caboodle to stand the cake upright on the second cutting board.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
8 tblsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus additional for greasing the slow cooker
½ cup sugar
1 whole large egg plus 1 egg white, at room temperature
¼ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1 tsp vanilla extract
4- TO 5½-QUART
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
12 tblsp (1½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus additional for greasing the slow cooker
¾ cup sugar
2 whole large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
1¼ tsp vanilla extract
6- TO 8-QUART
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
20 tblsp (2½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus additional for greasing the slow cooker
1¼ cups sugar
4 whole large eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup sour cream (regular or low-fat)
2½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Lightly butter the inside of a slow cooker.
2 Combine the flour, chocolate chips, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until the chips are evenly distributed throughout.
3 Beat the butter and sugar in a second bowl with a mixer at medium-high speed until creamy and rich, almost fluffy, 6 to 10 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the inside of the bowl and beat in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
4 Use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour ingredients until a fairly thick and moist batter forms. Pour the mixture into the cooker.
5 Create an even layer of paper towels over the opening of the cooker, with no gaps where moisture can escape. Set the lid in place and cook on low for 3 to 3½ hours for a small cooker, 3½ to 4 hours for a medium cooker, or 4 to 5 hours for a large cooker, or until the cake is set enough that a toothpick or cake tester inserted into its center comes out with no crumbs attached. (The cake will feel moist to the touch, but be done throughout.)
TESTERS’ NOTES
• The layer of paper towels keeps any moisture from dripping back onto the cake from the slow cooker’s lid, so there are no soggy bits across the top.
• Although the cake will taste great warm, it will be quite moist. It will continue to firm up, particularly if you remove it from the cooker and allow it to cool on a cutting board before slicing it into wedges. See the “Serve It Up” note for the previous recipe with exact instructions on how to do that maneuver.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4½ tblsp unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing the slow cooker
12 ½-inch-thick slices cinnamon-raisin bread
½ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
4 cups milk
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 tblsp (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing the slow cooker
16 ½-inch-thick slices cinnamon-raisin bread
⅔ cup chopped pecans
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
5⅓ cups milk
4 large eggs
1½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
10 tblsp (1 stick plus 2 tblsp) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing the slow cooker
24 ½-inch-thick slices cinnamon-raisin bread
1 cup chopped pecans
½ cup packed light brown sugar
8 cups milk
6 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 Butter the inside of a slow cooker. Butter one side of each of the slices of the bread.
2 Layer the bread slices buttered side up in the slow cooker along with the pecans and brown sugar, making a layer of bread, then sprinkling it with pecans and brown sugar, before making another layer—and even more. The top layer should be only bread, buttered side up.
3 Whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until smooth and creamy; pour over the layers in the cooker, pressing the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon to make sure the egg and milk mixture has soaked through the layers.
4 Cover and cook on low for 2½ to 3 hours, until the casserole is puffed up and a flatware knife inserted into the center of the pudding comes out clean.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Bread puddings for breakfast? You bet! This one cooks up into a fluffy, sweet, and moist cake.
• The best bread for this dish will in fact be slightly stale, certainly day-old—maybe even two-day-old. It’ll add extra firmness to balance all that butter.
• Because of varying sizes and shapes among slow cookers, there’s no way to predict the number of layers you’ll make in Step 2. The count is actually less important than an even top layer.
• Whisk those eggs in the milk for a good while, until the whole thing is uniform, even foamy, with no bits of egg white floating in the mix.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW Ingredient lists call for light or dark brown sugar to be “packed.” That’s because brown sugar has added moisture (molasses) that keeps the sugar grains separated a bit. A true, dry measure is then hard to come by. To pack brown sugar into a measuring cup, mound it, then press down gently—not firmly—with the back of a flatware tablespoon, pushing the grains together to be able to add a little more sugar to the measure and thereby end up with the right amount.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 cups small cubes of French baguette
12 ounces breakfast sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large eggs
1⅓ cups milk
⅓ cup maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 cups small cubes of French baguette
1 pound breakfast sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 large eggs
2 cups milk
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
6- TO 8-QUART
8 cups small cubes of French baguette
1½ pounds breakfast sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large eggs
2⅔ cups milk
⅔ cup maple syrup
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on one or two baking sheets, then toast (one sheet at a time if necessary) until light browned and crisp, about 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
2 Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage bits and brown completely, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage pieces to a plate lined with paper towels, discarding any grease in the skillet.
3 Toss the bread cubes and sausage bits in the cooker. Whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy, then pour over the contents of the slow cooker, pressing down to submerge the bread cubes as much as you can.
4 Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2½ hours, until the bread pudding has set and the liquid has been absorbed, with no excess liquid around the inside surfaces of the cooker.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This is certainly a hearty meal, rich and filling. You’ll want some strong coffee on the side.
• Because of differences in the size of breakfast sausages—varying thickness of the links—it’s important you buy them by weight and use the appropriate amount. Choose mild or hot breakfast sausage, as desired. Or use your favorite breakfast sausage, even ones with cheese or chiles in the mix.
• You can substitute honey for the maple syrup for a sweeter, brighter flavor.
SHORTCUTS If you don’t want to make your own bread cubes, look for plain fresh croutons in your supermarket’s bakery section. (The ingredient list on the package should say “bread cubes,” period—no seasonings and no oil.)
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Maple syrup is sold in at least two grades in North American supermarkets: grade A (also labeled grade 1) and grade B (also labeled grade 2). Grade A is further divided into three categories: light, medium, and dark amber. Although we prefer the dark, rich, slightly bitter grade B for most baking, its punch can cancel out other flavors in a slow cooker, so we feel grade A (or 1) dark amber is the best choice.
Serve It Up! A poached egg on each serving would certainly be welcome. Or toast pecan halves in a skillet with melted butter and season them with a little brown sugar and a pinch of cayenne before spooning them over the servings.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, diced
4 medium corn muffins (about 5 ounces each), quartered
1 medium red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
½ cup canned chopped green chiles, hot or mild
4 ounces (about 1 cup) Monterey jack, shredded
2 large eggs
2 cups milk
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, diced
8 medium corn muffins (about 5 ounces each), quartered
2 medium red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1 cup canned chopped green chiles, hot or mild
½ pound (about 2 cups) Monterey jack, shredded
4 large eggs
4 cups milk
6- TO 8-QUART
6 ounces dried Spanish chorizo, diced
12 medium corn muffins (about 5 ounces each), quartered
3 medium red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and diced
1½ cups canned chopped green chiles, hot or mild
¾ pound (about 3 cups) Monterey jack, shredded
6 large eggs
6 cups milk
1 Lightly grease the inside of a slow cooker with unsalted butter.
2 Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo bits to the slow cooker.
3 Add the corn muffins, bell pepper, chiles, and cheese. Toss well.
4 Whisk the eggs and milk in a large bowl until smooth, no bits of white floating in the mix. Pour into the casserole, moistening the corn muffin quarters.
5 Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, until the custard has set.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Here’s a Southwestern breakfast casserole that sort of takes on the flavors of migas, or scrambled eggs with peppers, chiles, and cheese, often served with corn tortillas (or here, corn muffins). Dice the chorizo and bell pepper into tiny bits so you can eat the casserole with a spoon, not a knife and fork.
• Buy corn muffins without any added sugar so that the casserole stays savory, rather than becomes too sweet.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Spanish chorizo is a dried sausage, quite red from paprika and ready to eat right out of the package. It needs to be browned for more flavor here before it’s added to this casserole. You can also use Mexican chorizo, a fresh (that is, raw) sausage that tastes much like a spicy bratwurst; however, it should be cut into thin rounds and fully cooked before adding it to the slow cooker.
FOR THE GRAVY
2- TO 3½-QUART
½ pound mild or hot breakfast sausage, any casings removed
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 tblsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
1½ cups evaporated milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 pound mild or hot breakfast sausage, any casings removed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 tblsp all-purpose flour
½ tsp grated nutmeg
3 cups evaporated milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
6- TO 8-QUART
1½ pounds mild or hot breakfast sausage, any casings removed
2 large yellow onion, chopped
½ cup plus 1 tblsp all-purpose flour
¾ tsp grated nutmeg
4½ cups evaporated milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)
FOR THE BISCUITS
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2½ tblsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
6 tblsp milk
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
5 tblsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup milk
6- TO 8-QUART
2 tblsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
8 tblsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1¼ cups milk
1 Make the gravy: Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat, then crumble in the sausage. Cook, stirring often, until well browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onion; continue cooking until the onion softens, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
2 Sprinkle the flour and the nutmeg over the sausage mixture, then stir well just to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Pour in the evaporated milk, raise the heat to medium-high, and stir until the sauce bubbles and thickens slightly. Scrape and pour the contents of the skillet into a slow cooker.
3 Make the biscuits: Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter, then the milk, just until all the flour has been incorporated and a soft dough has formed.
4 Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Gently press out the dough until it’s about ½ inch thick. Cut the dough into 3-inch circles; lay these on top of the sausage mixture in the cooker.
5 Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the biscuits have set and firmed up.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Although this is a fairly traditional casserole, keep in mind that the biscuits will not brown as they “bake” in a slow cooker. If you want pitch-perfect aesthetics, thin a little bit of Worcestershire sauce with an equal amount of water and brush the biscuits’ tops just before baking.
• A large, round slow cooker will have less available surface area than an oval one, so you may have a little extra dough. If you’re concerned, use the dough ingredient list sized for the slow cooker below the one you’re actually working with and leave a few extra gaps in the biscuit topping.
Consider these brunch items—or the dishes you’ll make on the weekend when time is not so precious. Here, you’ll find many strata (STRAH-tah, or egg casseroles layered with bread or tortillas). You may have a favorite recipe for one of these that you bake in the oven on a holiday morning. Using a slow cooker can make that morning less busy and more celebratory. In fact, if you grate and chop things in advance, strata are great dishes for the kids to make, layering the ingredients in the slow cooker before you pour in the beaten milk mixture.
But the world doesn’t turn on egg casseroles. We’ve also got two hearty hash brown recipes. In these last, the potatoes won’t brown, but they will turn luxuriously soft. Serve these alongside fried or scrambled eggs—or even on their own if it’s a more substantial recipe.
Before we get started, let us offer one bit of advice. Most of the egg dishes here are not meant to be kept warm for very long. Eggs can break in the slow cooker; that is, they tighten up so much that their natural moisture slips out of the protein bonds and ends up as a watery mess. There’s no way to fix that mess if you let the dish sit too long. So once these strata are done, dig in. Or if you need time before serving, turn off the slow cooker, keep it covered, and give yourself fifteen minutes—the final dish will not be as tender, but you’ll have bought yourself a little time on a busy morning.
Most of these dishes are not overnight affairs. They’re also not as forgiving as some of the other breakfast fare. But they take only a few hours to cook—and that’s a good thing, too. Because these are the dishes that will keep your house guests and family contented for hours.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 slices of thin-cut bacon
3 ounces (about ¾ cup) Swiss cheese, grated
½ whole scallion, thinly sliced
½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem
¼ tsp ground black pepper
4 ½-inch-thick slices white bread
¾ cup milk
1 whole large egg plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
4- TO 5½-QUART
10 slices of thin-cut bacon
7 ounces (about 1¾ cups) Swiss cheese, grated
1 whole scallion, thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem
½ tsp ground black pepper
8 ½-inch-thick slices white bread
2 cups milk
3 whole large eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
6- TO 8-QUART
16 slices of thin-cut bacon
12 ounces (about 3 cups) Swiss cheese, grated
3 whole scallions, thinly sliced
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem
¾ tsp ground black pepper
14 ½-inch-thick slices white bread
3¼ cups milk
4 whole large eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
1 Slather the inside of the slow cooker with unsalted butter.
2 Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the bacon in batches as necessary to avoid overcrowding, turning often, about 4 minutes per batch, until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; blot dry. Let cool for a few minutes.
3 Crumble the bacon into a big bowl; stir in the cheese, scallions, thyme, and pepper.
4 Lay a single layer of bread slices in the cooker, then spoon a thin, even layer of the bacon mixture over the bread. Soldier on, repeating this layering as you use up the ingredients, ending with a layer of the bacon mixture on top to protect the bread as it “bakes.”
5 Whisk the milk, eggs, and egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth and velvety; pour evenly and gently over the ingredients in the cooker, pressing the bread down with the back of a wooden spoon so it’s soaked in the liquid mixture.
6 Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2½ hours, until the eggs are set enough that a flatware knife inserted into the center comes out clean and almost no liquid remains around the casserole.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Traditional quiche Lorraine has no cheese, but many American versions do. We just couldn’t resist.
• If possible, use nitrate-free bacon. Yes, it’s brown, not pink; but you won’t be ingesting the chemicals that keep bacon unnaturally pink.
• How long you cook the bacon is really a matter of preference. If you like extra-crunchy bits of bacon in the strata, then fry it until it breaks into shards on the plate when cooled. If you prefer a softer finish to the dish without crunchy bits in the mix, then fry until it’s browned but still soft.
ALL-AMERICAN KNOW-HOW For any strata, the eggs should be at room temperature prior to cooking so they cook evenly. Either leave the eggs out on the counter for 20 minutes or submerge them (in their shells) in a bowl of warm—not hot!—tap water for 5 minutes.
2- TO 3½-QUART
8 ounces breakfast sausage, any casings removed
4 cups small cubes of fresh Italian bread
½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¾ cup drained and rinsed canned pinto beans
3 ounces (about ¾ cup) Cheddar cheese, grated
½ tsp crumbled dried sage
1½ cups milk
2 whole large eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
4- TO 5½-QUART
1 pound breakfast sausage, any casings removed
8 cups small cubes of fresh Italian bread
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1½ cups drained and rinsed canned pinto beans
6 ounces (about 1½ cups) Cheddar cheese, grated
1 tsp crumbled dried sage
3 cups milk
4 whole large eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
6- TO 8-QUART
1¾ pounds breakfast sausage, any casings removed
14 cups small cubes of fresh Italian bread
1½ cups chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2¾ cups drained and rinsed canned pinto beans
11 ounces (about 2¾ cups) Cheddar cheese, grated
1½ tsp crumbled dried sage
5¼ cups milk
7 whole large eggs plus 3 yolks, at room temperature
1 Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for a couple of minutes, then crumble in the sausage meat. Cook, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage meat to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off the excess fat.
2 As the sausage cooks, preheat your broiler and position the oven rack about 5 inches away. Spread the bread cubes on a rimmed baking sheet. (If you’re using a large slow cooker, you may need to toast the bread cubes in two batches.) Broil until the bread cubes are toasted on all sides, turning and stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
3 Mix the browned sausage, toasted bread cubes, tomatoes, pinto beans, cheese, and sage in the slow cooker.
4 Whisk the milk, eggs, and egg yolks in a large bowl until smooth and foamy. Pour the mixture over the ingredients in the cooker, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon to make sure the bread cubes are moistened throughout.
5 Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2½ hours, until the eggs are set or until a flatware knife inserted into the center of the strata comes out without any eggy milkiness.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Skip the sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and look for dry-packed vibrant, pliable sun-dried tomatoes in a bin in the produce section of a larger supermarket or on the salad bar.
• Should you take the crust off the bread cubes? We say no because the crust adds more texture.
• Check after 2 hours and then continue cooking until the liquid has been absorbed and the strata sets in the cooker. In general, larger cookers will take longer for the eggs to set.
• Substitute grated Swiss or even Gruyère for the Cheddar cheese.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 pound mild Italian or turkey breakfast sausage, any casings removed
2 cups milk
4 large eggs, at room temperature
4 8-inch flour tortillas
8 ounces (2 cups) pepper jack cheese, finely grated
2 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 pounds mild Italian or turkey breakfast sausage, any casings removed
4 cups milk
8 large eggs, at room temperature
8 8-inch flour tortillas
1 pound (4 cups) pepper jack cheese, finely grated
4 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
6- TO 8-QUART
3 pounds mild Italian or turkey breakfast sausage, any casings removed
6 cups milk
12 large eggs, at room temperature
12 8-inch flour tortillas
1½ pounds (6 cups) pepper jack cheese, finely grated
6 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
1 Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook, stirring often, until well browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate lined with paper towels.
2 Grease the inside of the slow cooker well with unsalted butter. Whisk the milk and eggs in a large bowl until smooth.
3 Layer the tortillas, sausage, cheese, and red peppers in the cooker, starting with some of the tortillas and ending with a layer of cheese. Alternate the ingredients to create several layers, tearing the tortillas so they’ll fit the contours of the slow cooker without creeping up the sides, then use the leftover bits of tortilla to plug holes in the next layer. Pour the milk mixture over everything. Make sure the tortillas are completely moistened by pressing down with the back of a wooden spoon where necessary.
4 Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, or until the eggs are set and a flatware knife inserted into the center of the strata comes out clean (with the possible exception of a couple of cheese threads).
TESTERS’ NOTES
• There’s no heat from chiles here because the acids in some chiles can curdle the milk as it cooks. If you want more pop, pass pico de gallo on the side.
SHORTCUTS Rather than having to remove sausage casings, you can often find bulk sausage meat in the deli case of larger supermarkets. Or you can buy your favorite ground pork, meat, or chicken and season it as you prefer.
Serve It Up! If you turn the cooker off and keep it covered for 30 minutes, you can take this strata out whole—or in large chunks. Save leftover pieces wrapped in foil in the fridge, then reheating them, still wrapped, on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. (Or unwrap individual servings and microwave them on high for 2 minutes.)
2- TO 3½-QUART
8 ½-inch-thick slices of oat bread
1 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
1½ cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
6 ounces (about 1½ cups) Manchego cheese, grated
2⅓ milk
4 whole large eggs plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
½ tsp mild smoked paprika
4- TO 5½-QUART
14 ½-inch-thick slices of oat bread
2 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
2½ cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
11 ounces (about 2¾ cups) Manchego cheese, grated
4 cups milk
7 whole large eggs plus 2 yolks, at room temperature
¾ tsp mild smoked paprika
6- TO 8-QUART
20 ½-inch-thick slices of oat bread
3 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
4 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas
1 pound (about 4 cups) Manchego cheese, grated
6¼ cups milk
10 whole large eggs plus 3 yolks, at room temperature
1¼ tsp mild smoked paprika
1 Dab some olive oil on a paper towel and grease the inside of the slow cooker.
2 Layer the bread slices, red peppers, chickpeas, and cheese in the cooker, starting with the bread and ending with the cheese, but making two, three, or even more layers of ingredients depending on the size and shape of your cooker. You’ll need to cut or tear the bread so that it fits.
3 Whisk the milk, eggs, egg yolks, and paprika in a large bowl until foamy but creamy. Gently pour this mixture over the ingredients in the cooker, taking care to pour it all over, not just in one spot. Press down with the back of a wooden spoon to make sure the bread is thoroughly moistened.
4 Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, until the egg mixture has set and is firm, and a flatware knife inserted into the center comes out with some moist bits on it but no eggy milkiness.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Because of the way the oat bread soaks up and holds the milk mixture, this strata can actually be kept warm for a bit—in case everyone’s alarm clock didn’t go off at the same time.
• This strata is modeled on the basic flavors of some typical Spanish egg dishes. The chickpeas—a bit of a surprise for some—add lots of body plus a creamy mellowness.
• There’s no added salt here because the cheese, chickpeas, and jarred roasted red peppers add plenty of sodium. You can always pass some flakey salt or sea salt at the table.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Manchego is a Spanish sheep’s-milk cheese from the La Mancha region. It actually comes in three varieties: fresco (or fresh), curado (or cured), and viejo (or aged). Avoid the fresh Manchego here—it’s difficult to find in North America—and go for either the creamy beige curado for a sweeter, richer casserole or the more expensive viejo for a refined, slightly bitter taste.
2- TO 3½-QUART
6 ounces fresh Italian sausage, turkey sausage, or Mexican chorizo, any casings removed
6 ounces russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup seeded and thinly sliced Cubanelle peppers
⅓ cup chopped ripe tomatoes
¼ cup pitted and sliced black olives
⅓ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
4- TO 5½-QUART
¾ pound fresh Italian sausage, turkey sausage, or Mexican chorizo, any casings removed
¾ pound russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
¾ pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2¼ cups seeded and thinly sliced Cubanelle peppers
¾ cup chopped ripe tomatoes
⅓ cup pitted and sliced black olives
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6- TO 8-QUART
1 pound fresh Italian sausage, turkey sausage, or Mexican chorizo, any casings removed
1 pound russet or other baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups seeded and thinly sliced Cubanelle peppers
1 cup chopped ripe tomatoes
½ cup pitted and sliced black olives
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crumble in the sausage meat and cook, stirring often, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2 Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to the slow cooker, taking some or even all of the fat as well. Stir in the potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and olives. Continue tossing until everything is well mixed. Pour the broth over the top of the ingredients in the slow cooker.
3 Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This is a main-course hash, stocked with lots of sausage and vegetables. You don’t need much else—except maybe a bottle of hot pepper sauce at the table.
• There’s no need to seed the tomatoes. The extra juice will just add more moisture to the hash as it cooks.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINEDs Cubanelle peppers (also called Italian frying peppers) are long, thin, sweet peppers reminiscent of bell peppers, but with a thinner skin and a little more brightness in the flavor. When immature, they are green and a tad more sour. They can mature to a deep red with a mellower flavor. We prefer the green ones in slow cooker dishes, although either will do.
Serve It Up! Of course, you’ll want fried eggs and crunchy, whole-grain toast to round out the plates. Together, they’re a welcome meal even for dinner. Or skip the heartier fare and just offer applesauce on the side. Or even a green salad for a late-summer supper.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 slices of thick-cut bacon
¼ cup roughly chopped yellow onion
1 pound waxy white potatoes, washed and cut into ½-inch pieces
2 tblsp thinly sliced scallion
¼ tsp caraway seeds
¼ tsp celery seeds
4- TO 5½-QUART
5 slices of thick-cut bacon
½ cup roughly chopped yellow onion
2 pounds waxy white potatoes, washed and cut into ½-inch pieces
¼ cup thinly sliced scallion
½ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp celery seeds
6- TO 8-QUART
8 slices of thick-cut bacon
¾ cup roughly chopped yellow onion
3 pounds waxy white potatoes, washed and cut into ½-inch pieces
⅓ cup thinly sliced scallion
¾ tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp celery seeds
1 Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown and crunchy, turning occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the slices to a cutting board, but do not drain the skillet.
2 Add the onion and cook, stirring often, just until barely softened, about 2 minutes. Scrape and pour the bacon fat and onion into the slow cooker; chop the bacon and add it to the cooker.
3 Stir in the potato cubes, scallion, and caraway and celery seeds. Toss well, ensur-ing all the potatoes are coated in the bacon grease.
4 Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• Hash browns don’t brown in the slow cooker. But they do get incredibly creamy. If you’d like some crusty bits, spoon the hash browns out of the cooker and into a skillet, add a generous pour of olive oil, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for up to 10 minutes.
• If your supermarket doesn’t offer thick-cut bacon, buy a chunk of slab bacon (or smoked pork belly) and cut it into ½-inch slices. Use 2 ounces for a small slow cooker, 3 ounces for a medium model, or 5 ounces for a large one.
Serve It Up! Since these hash browns are not a main course, you’ll need some scrambled eggs or smoked salmon, cream cheese, and whole-grain toast to go with them.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Don’t use Idaho or other baking potatoes for this recipe. Rather, you want small white new potatoes, like Irish creamers or white fingerlings, sliced into ½-inch-thick disks.
2- TO 3½-QUART
1 tblsp olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
½ cup seeded and diced Cubanelle peppers
Up to 1 tblsp seeded and minced fresh jalapeño chile
½ tblsp minced garlic
1½ pounds tomatillos, husked and chopped
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
½ tblsp cider vinegar
½ tblsp dried oregano
1½ tsp ground cumin
4- TO 5½-QUART
2 tblsp olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 cup seeded and diced Cubanelle peppers
Up to 2 tblsp seeded and minced fresh jalapeño chile
1 tblsp minced garlic
3 pounds tomatillos, husked and chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tblsp cider vinegar
1 tblsp dried oregano
2½ tsp ground cumin
6- TO 8-QUART
3 tblsp olive oil
4 medium yellow onions, chopped
1¾ cups seeded and diced Cubanelle peppers
Up to ¼ cup seeded and minced fresh jalapeño chile
1½ tblsp minced garlic
4½ pounds tomatillos, husked and chopped
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
1½ tblsp cider vinegar
1½ tblsp dried oregano
3½ tsp ground cumin
1 Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the oil, then add the onions. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions begin to soften, stirring often, about 3 minutes.
2 Reduce the heat further, cover, and continue cooking, stirring every once in a while, until the onions are very soft and luxurious, about 10 minutes.
3 Stir in the peppers, chile, and garlic. Raise the heat to medium; cook until the peppers begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
4 Scrape every last bit from the skillet into the slow cooker. Stir in the tomatillos, broth, vinegar, oregano, and cumin. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the tomatillos are tender and the mixture has morphed into a thick sauce.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This sauce is based on sofrito, a Spanish favorite sauce that now finds incarnations across the American Southwest, as well as in Portugal, Haiti, the Philippines, Greece, and even some Sephardic communities.
• Store any leftover sauce in a covered glass or plastic container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Serve It Up! Poach, fry, or even hard-boil the eggs and then ladle this sauce over them when serving. Or bake the eggs right in the sauce—although not in the slow cooker. Ladle the sauce into a 9-inch square or 9 × 13-inch baking dish, then make wells in it with the back of a tablespoon. Crack eggs into each of these wells, then bake in a 375°F oven for about 15 minutes, until the eggs are set.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Tomatillos are like small, firm green tomatoes, sometimes sold still covered in their papery hulls. They have a slightly sour but still sweet taste and a crisp texture that softens into a rich sauce. Look for firm, vibrantly colored fruit without any mushiness (although there may still be a little stickiness on the skin).
Nothing beats applesauce that you make yourself. The fresh and tart apples are the perfect foil for the sweeteners and spices. The sauce also will be missing any unpronounceable chemicals! All these dishes pair well with plain yogurt for a morning starter. But don’t stop there. The compotes can also morph into a sophisticated dessert at the end of the day.
There’s only one rule for fruit dishes like these: pick the freshest fruits you can find. Despite all the pinching, shaking, or squeezing people do to the fruit in the grocery store or at a farmstand, there’s really only one way to pick the best out of the bin—use your nose. The fruit should smell sweet and irresistible. Otherwise, it won’t taste sweet and irresistible.
The same goes for dried fruit: it should still smell fresh and sweet, like its fresh kin. Okay, perhaps not exactly as sweet, but certainly within a small range. It should also be pliable and even sticky, with no signs of mold or brown rot anywhere in the package. If you find the dried fruit is subpar at your market, take your money and shop elsewhere. You deserve a store that offers you solid ingredients for your hard-earned cash.
With good fresh and dried fruit, the slow cooker can work its magic, slowly softening it into a luscious sauce or compote. There’s no threat of scorching these sauces, a boon to busy cooks; but there’s also no chance of its getting too thick, since every drop of tasty moisture will stay right in the cooker where it belongs.
2- TO 3½-QUART
4 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, peeled, cored, and chopped
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ 4-inch cinnamon stick
⅛ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
8 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, peeled, cored, and chopped
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
12 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, peeled, cored, and chopped
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1½ 4-inch cinnamon stick
¼ tsp salt
1 Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker, stirring until the brown sugar has completely coated the apple slices.
2 Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the apples are tender enough to mash.
3 Remove the cinnamon stick and mash the apples with a potato masher. Spoon into plastic or glass containers, seal, and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 4 months.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This thick sauce benefits from apples that break down a bit over the heat. Chop them into fairly small bits, about ½ inch each.
• No, you don’t have to use a potato masher. Mash the apples with the back of a wooden spoon in the cooker, although the applesauce will not be as smooth and luscious. Or you can skip the mashing entirely for a chunkier sauce.
• You can also substitute honey for the brown sugar, but the sweetener’s taste will be more pronounced. Consider using only one-half to two-thirds the amount of honey as a substitute for the sugar, depending on how sweet your apples are.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 medium nectarines or peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
⅔ cup dried apricots, halved
½ cup orange juice
⅓ cup dried cherries
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
1 tblsp unsalted butter, cut into tiny bits
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
6 medium nectarines or peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1½ cups dried apricots, halved
1 cup orange juice
¾ cup dried cherries
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2½ tblsp unsalted butter, cut into tiny bits
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
8 medium nectarines or peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
3½ cups dried apricots, halved
1½ cups orange juice
1¼ cups dried cherries
1¼ cups packed light brown sugar
4 tblsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into tiny bits
1½ tsp vanilla extract
1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
1 Combine all the ingredients in a slow cooker, stirring until the brown sugar coats the fruit completely.
2 Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, until all the fruit is soft and tender. Ladle into plastic or glass containers, seal closed, and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• You can use either California or Turkish apricots, depending on whether you prefer a tartness (the former) or a sweet mellowness (the latter).
• To keep the butter from melting and pooling on top of the compote, make sure the pieces are submerged in the mix before you set the lid on the cooker.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Dried apricots come in two basic types: Turkish apricots, usually brown and quite sweet; and California, very orange (sometimes vibrantly so) and a little tarter. Either will do here. If a recipe is developed for a specific kind, it’ll be so noted in the ingredient list.
Serve It Up! A compote like this is great when served on top of plain yogurt for breakfast, or save it for dessert and offer some crunchy gingersnap cookies on the side.
2- TO 3½-QUART
2 cups water
6 tblsp sugar
¼ cup sweet white wine, such as Riesling or Spätlese
¼ tsp salt
2 cups dried mission figs, stemmed and quartered
2 cups dried Turkish figs, stemmed and quartered
1 tblsp finely grated lemon zest
4- TO 5½-QUART
4 cups water
¾ cup sugar
½ cup sweet white wine, such as Riesling or Spätlese
½ tsp salt
4 cups dried mission figs, stemmed and quartered
4 cups dried Turkish figs, stemmed and quartered
1½ tblsp finely grated lemon zest
6- TO 8-QUART
6 cups water
1 cup plus 2 tblsp sugar
¾ cup sweet white wine, such as Riesling or Spätlese
¾ tsp salt
6 cups dried mission figs, stemmed and quartered
6 cups dried Turkish figs, stemmed and quartered
2 tblsp finely grated lemon zest
1 Whisk the water, sugar, wine, and salt in the slow cooker until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
2 Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the figs are tender, the syrup is thick, and much of it has been absorbed.
3 Spoon any leftovers into a plastic or glass container, seal, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This one is probably for the adults. For one thing, the alcohol will not cook away. (It never does in any dish, by the way, but it’s more concentrated here.) For another, the fig flavor is intense, like the best fig cookie filling ever. To that end, those dried figs should be luscious and soft, not dry or crumbly.
• Grate the lemon zest as fine as possible, preferably by using a microplane. You want the bits of zest to melt into the compote over time.
INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED There are several varieties of dried figs available in supermarkets. mission figs—sometimes called Black mission figs—are dark blue or almost black, small and quite sweet, and prized for their ethereal aroma. dried Turkish figs—sometimes called dried Adriatic figs—are brown and wrinkled, quite sticky as well, often used to make pastes and confections. If you can’t find Turkish figs, substitute the more common dried Calimyrna fig, a greenish-beige fruit that’s not so sweet as the Turkish figs but is a North American descendant of the Smyrna fig of the Middle East.
Serve It Up! Beyond breakfast, layer the cooled compote with vanilla custard in wine glasses; or with lady fingers, mandarin orange segments, and vanilla custard in a glass serving bowl; top with whipped cream and chill for a couple of hours to make an easy trifle. Or crush some vanilla meringues and mix a little compote with them and lots of whipped cream (otherwise known as an Eton Mess). Or make figgy short cakes by splitting open some biscuits and topping them with the compote and whipped cream.
2- TO 3½-QUART
3 cups roughly chopped pitted dried fruits, preferably apples, peaches, prunes, pears, and/or nectarines
1 4-inch cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
2 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
2⅓ cups water
1 cup sugar
⅛ tsp salt
4- TO 5½-QUART
4½ cups roughly chopped pitted dried fruits, preferably apples, peaches, prunes, pears, and/or nectarines
1½ 4-inch cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
3 green cardamom pods
1 star anise
3½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
¼ tsp salt
6- TO 8-QUART
8 cups roughly chopped pitted dried fruits, preferably apples, peaches, prunes, pears, and/or nectarines
2 4-inch cinnamon sticks
12 whole cloves
5 green cardamom pods
2 star anise
6¼ cups water
2⅓ cups sugar
½ tsp salt
1 Combine the fruit and spices in the slow cooker.
2 Whisk the water, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the fruit.
3 Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the dried fruit is tender and luscious, the syrup is thick, and much of the liquid has been absorbed.
4 Remove the cinnamon sticks and star anise before ladling the compote into glass or plastic containers, sealing shut, and storing in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
TESTERS’ NOTES
• This compote uses only dried fruit to make a very rich, sumptuous mélange. If possible, have at least three different kinds of fruit in the mix.
• Chunk the dried fruit into fairly large pieces, about 2 inches each. (Pitted prunes, for example, can be left whole.)
• We leave the cloves and cardamom pods in the compote because they continue to flavor it in storage—and we’re quite partial to them. Remove them in Step 4 for a milder flavor—or before you dish up the compote if you want to avoid big hits of flavor in individual spoonfuls.
Serve It Up! For a great breakfast, ladle this compote into bowls, then add a splash of cream as well as some plain granola for crunch.