Six Layer Dinner

Six Layer Dinner 

Serves 6-8
Prep time 3 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 pound of your favorite potato, thinly sliced (we used sweet potatoes)
3 medium-sized tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 cups zucchini, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
7 cloves garlic, minced into a paste
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
Pepper to taste 

Directions:

In a 6-quart slow cooker, add in ground beef, tomato paste, garlic, 1½ teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Mix well so that tomato paste is fully incorporated into the meat. Even out the top with a spoon.

Layer by layer: Top with onions. Top with tomato. Top with basil.  Layer on sweet potato. Layer on zucchini. Sprinkle on the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.  Drizzle olive oil on top. 

Cook on high for 3 hours.

Remove pot from base. Allow to cool with lid partially open for 5-10 minutes. Serve.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 large onion

2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 large potatoes, cut into 1/2" chunks

1 cup fresh green beans cut into bite-sized pieces

1lb stew-meat beef chunks

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 clove garlic, crushed

3 cups beef stock

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Pepper to taste

3 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons tomato paste

Directions:

Put the ingredients except for the flour and tomato paste into the slow cooker and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 5 until the beef is tender and potatoes are fork-tender.

Stir the stew once or twice as it cooks if possible.

30 minutes before serving, transfer a ladle-ful of broth to a small mixing bowl.

Add the flour and tomato paste. Whisk until smooth, then stir the mixture back into the stew and cook for the remaining half hour.

Slow Cooker Creamed Spinach

SLOW COOKER CREAMED SPINACH

Serves 6

Ingredients
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup American cheese, grated
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
3 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

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Directions
In a large bowl, mix together spinach, cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan cheese, American cheese, cream cheese and flour.

Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then mix in cubed butter, just so that it’s distributed.

Transfer mixture to greased slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH for 1-1 1/2 hours (or on LOW for 3-4), or until edges are just starting to brown.

Stir mixture all together, taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve hot.

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

Slow Cooker Creamed Corn

(makes 6 servings)
Ingredients
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
3 15oz cans whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
8oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

Directions
In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook 2-3 minutes until translucent. Transfer the onion to the slow cooker.

Place the corn in the slow cooker over the onion. Stir in the milk, sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper until well combined. Without stirring, top with butter and cream cheese. Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours.

Uncover and stir until the butter and cream cheese are well combined. Cover and cook on high for an additional 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Vegetable Farro Stew With Figs And Pine Nuts

Vegetable Farro Stew With 

Figs And Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

2 rosemary sprigs

5 oregano sprigs

5 thyme sprigs

2 small artichokes

1 cup farro

1/4 cup extra-virgin, plus 

  more for drizzling

1 1/2 cups tomato juice

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons Kosher salt

   more for seasoning

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 heads garlic, 1/4 cut off the tops

1 lemon, sliced 1/8" thick

1 Cubanelle pepper, sliced 1/3" thick

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced 1/3" thick

1/2 yellow pepper, sliced 1/3" thick

1 medium onion, quartered

1 large Japanese eggplant, 

   cut in 6 wedges

1 cup dried Black Mission figs, 

   stemmed

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 fennel bulb, trimmed and 

   cut in six wedges

1/2 lb. large cherry tomatoes, 

   halved

1 small green zucchini, cut 

   into 1/2" pieces

1 small yellow squash, cut into 

   2" pieces

6 oz. kale, stemmed and 

   leaves quartered 

Toasted pine nuts

Chopped fresh oregano

Lemon wedges 

Freshly grated Parmigiano-

  Reggiano

Sherry vinegar for garnish

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Directions:

Using kitchen twine, tie the rosemary, oregano and thyme sprigs in a bundle.  Snap the small leaves off around the stem of the artichokes.  Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise.  With a spoon scrape out the hairy chokes, and discard them. 

Turn a 6 to 6 1/2 quart slow cooker to high and set the timer for 6 hours.  Add the artichokes and the next 17 ingredients, up to the cherry tomatoes, then add the herb bundle: spread the ingredients in even layers.  Cover the slow cooker and cook for four hours.

Srit the stew gently and add the zucchini, yellow squash and kale, stirring to submerge them in the liquid.  Cover and cook for 2 hours longer.

Discard the herb bundle, season the stew with salt and serve with the garnishes at the table.

Wine: Herb scented, light bodied Italian red.  (2012 Allegrini Valpolicella)

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

Ingredients:

1lb dry white beans
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 6oz can tomato paste
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2lb salt pork cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

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Directions:

1. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with 2" of water. Soak overnight and drain.
2. Mix the molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and cloves with the tomato paste, chicken broth, and hot water.
3. Line the bottom of the slow cooker with half the salt pork (choose the fattiest pieces). Layer over it with half of the dried beans. Add all of the onions and garlic in a layer, then top with the remaining beans and remaining salt pork. Pour the water/tomato sauce mixture over the beans.
4. Cover and cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-12 hours, or until the beans are tender. Check the water level a few hours in. If the beans need more water, add some. Add salt to taste if needed.

Wendy's Chili

Wendy's Chili

A cousin posted this recipe on Facebook.  With the cooler weather approaching, I thought this would be a great recipe to have on hand.  Thanks Ann for sharing.

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Wendy's chili

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh ground beef
1 quart tomato juice
1 (29-ounce) can tomato purée
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained
1 medium-large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup chili powder (use less for milder chili)
1 teaspoon ground cumin (use more for real flavor)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain off the fat. Put the beef and the remaining ingredients in a 6-quart pot. Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes. You can also cook this in a slow cooker on low for 3 to 4 hours.

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin

 
 Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
2 pound Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 TBS Yellow Mustard
2-3 TBS maple syrup
2 TBS olive oil
2 TBS Diced dried onions
1 1/2 TSP Garlic Salt or Powder
Mix ingredients above. Pour over Tenderloin in the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours.