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S E R V I C E A G R I C U L T U R E

Rosie Allen, Cooperative Extension Service Easy Beef Roast

8-10 servings

3½ - 4 pounds beef roast (chuck, round or rump) cut into 3-inch chunks 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 thinly-sliced onion, optional 1/2 cup water or beef bouillon Put meat in slow cooker. Sprinkle with rest of ingredients. Add sliced onion, if desired. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then low for 10 to 12 hours. Or cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. There is liquid for gravy. Per 3 oz. serving: 296 calories; 22gm fat; 0gm carbohydrates; 50mg sodium

Classic Swiss Steak

6 servings

1 round steak 2 cups flour 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper 2 Tbsp. butter or oil 1 (4 oz.) can tomato sauce 1 onion, sliced 1 green pepper, sliced Cut steak into serving portions. Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Roll steak pieces in flour mixture, coating both sides. Brown meat in oil on both sides, but do not cook. Place browned meat in slow cooker. Add tomato sauce, onion, and green pepper. Cook on high for 6 hours. Per serving: 213 calories; 2gm fat; 35gm carbohydrates; 141mg sodium

Lazy-Day Stew

8 servings

3 Tbsp. flour 2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper 2 lbs. stew beef, (cut into 1-inch cubes) 1/2 cup sliced onion 1 cup hot water 1 cup diced celery 2 cups sliced carrots 2 cups cubed potatoes Combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat meat cubes with flour mixture and brown. Add water and rest of ingredients. Start on high for 1 hour, then low for 10-12 hours or on high 5-6 hours.

2 to 2½ lbs. boneless round steak 1 to 2 envelopes dry onion soup mix 1 can (10¾ oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup 1/2 cup water Cut steak into 6 serving-size pieces; place in a crock pot. Combine soup mix, soup and water; pour over beef. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then cook on low for 7-8 hours or until meat is tender. Served with mashed potatoes, if desired.

Per serving: 402 calories; 23gm fat; 13gm carbohydrates; 955mg sodium

Per serving: 298 calories; 10gm fat; 7gm carbohydrates; 1011mg sodium

Beef in Mushroom Gravy

Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES • FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES 4-H/YOUTH DEVELOPMENT • COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

6 servings

Sloppy Joe’s in the Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Lasagna 8 servings

This recipe is so easy, you may never go back to the conventional method with boiled noodles and complicated assembly

2 lbs. ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 small green pepper, chopped 1 tsp. salt 1½ tsp. chili powder 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup vinegar 3 Tbsp. mustard 1 cup ketchup 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup rolled oats Brown meat in skillet; drain. Put meat, onions and green pepper into 2½-quart slow cooker. Add all other ingredients, except rolled oats. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in rolled oats.

1 lb. ground chuck 1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 1 (28 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce 1/3 cup water 8 lasagna noodles, uncooked 1 (4½ oz.) jar mushrooms, optional 1 (15 oz.) carton Ricotta cheese or cottage cheese 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided Cook beef and Italian seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles; drain. Combine spaghetti sauce and water in a small bowl. Place 4 uncooked noodles in bottom of a lightly greased 5-quart electric slow cooker. Layer with half each of beef mixture, spaghetti sauce mixture, and mushrooms. Spread ricotta cheese over mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining noodles, meat, sauce mixture, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on high setting 1 hour, reduce heat and cook on low setting 5 hours.

Per serving: 390 calories; 19gm fat; 25gm cholesterol; 820mg sodium

Porcupine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

6 servings

6-8 servings

Per serving: 375 calories; 20gm fat; 55gm carbohydrates; 1240mg sodium

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. ground thyme 1/2 cup water 1¼ lbs. lean ground beef 1/2 cup rice (not instant or minute rice) 2 Tbsp. chopped onion 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Combine tomato sauce, garlic powder, thyme and water in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine beef, rice, onion, salt, and pepper, mixing well. Shape into 24 to 26 balls about the size of golf balls. Place meatballs in tomato mixture in slow cooker. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until rice is tender. Serve sauce over meatballs.

Veggies on the Bottom Cut vegetables into smaller pieces for the slow cooker than you would for top-of-the stove or oven cooking. Vegetables like potatoes and carrots often take longer to cook than meat, so put them in the bottom of the pot at the beginning of cooking time.

Shredded Beef Sandwiches

12 servings

1 boneless beef roast (3 lbs.), cut into 3-inch chunks 1 medium onion, chopped 1/3 cup vinegar 3 bay leaves 1/2 tsp. salt, optional 1/4 tsp. ground cloves 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 12 hamburger buns, split Place meat in a crock pot. Combine onion, vinegar, bay leaves, salt if desired, cloves and garlic powder; pour over meat. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then cook on low for 10 - 12 hours or until the meat is very tender. Discard bay leaves. Remove meat and shred with a fork. Serve on buns.

Per meatball: 80 calories, 4gm carbohydrate; 5gm total fat; 118mg sodium

Reducing Bacterial Risks When using a slow cooker, you can reduce any bacterial risk by following these practices: Keep raw ingredients refrigerated until you are ready to put them in the cooker. Thaw frozen meat or poultry before cooking. Don’t overload the cooking vessel. And don’t use a slow cooker for warming leftovers.

Per serving: 173 calories; 6gm fat; 2gm carbohydrates; 52mg sodium

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Fall-Apart Tender Slow Roast Pork

Keilbasa Sauerkraut Supper

12 servings

8 servings

Recipe can be halved 1 pork butt roast (3-7 lbs; 4 lbs. feeds 8) 1/3 cup Lea & Perrin® 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1 cup apple juice 1/2 tsp. salt Sprinkle pork on all sides with Lea & Perrin®. Then, press brown sugar coating on all sides of the pork. Pour the apple juice down the side to the bottom of the casserole. Cover tightly. Set on high for 1 hour, then turn down to low for the day or night (8 to 10 hours) until the meat is so tender that it falls apart. Stir in salt. Do not omit this salt. It is vital for the taste of the dish. Serve immediately.

4 cups carrot chunks (2-inch pieces) 4 cups potato chunks (try red potatoes) 2 (14 oz.) cans sauerkraut, rinsed and drained 2 - 2½ lbs. Keilbasa 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1½ cups chicken broth 1 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. caraway seed, optional In a 5-quart slow cooker, layer carrots, potatoes and sauerkraut. Top with Kielbasa (slow cooker will be full). Saute onion and garlic until tender. Gradually add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; stir to loosen browned bits. Stir in pepper and caraway. Pour over sausage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until vegetables are tender and sausage is no longer pink.

Per serving: 169 calories; 7gm fat; 10gm carbohydrates; 56mg sodium

Barbecued Pork and Potatoes 6 servings

Per serving: 349 calories; 23gm fat; 20gm carbohydrates; 962mg sodium

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1½-inch cubes 2 lbs. boneless pork loin, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 tsp. dry mustard 2 cups prepared hickory-flavored barbecue sauce Place the potatoes in a 4-quart electric slow cooker. Top with the pork cubes. Mix the mustard into 1 cup of the barbecue sauce. Spoon evenly over the pork and potatoes. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then cook on the low heat setting 7 to 8 hours, or until the potatoes and pork are tender. Stir in the remaining 1 cup barbecue sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Tender ‘N’ Tangy Ribs

1/2 - 1 cup vinegar 1/2 cup ketchup 3 Tbsp. sugar 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tsp. ground mustard 1 tsp. paprika 1/2 to 1 tsp. salt 2 lbs. pork spareribs 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil Combine the first nine ingredients in a slow cooker. Cut ribs into serving-size pieces; brown in a skillet in oil. Transfer in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or until tender.

Per serving: 685 calories; 40gm fat; 42gm carbohydrates; 770mg sodium

Sausage Bean Quickie

4 servings

4 servings

4 to 6 cooked Brown ‘n Serve® sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tsp. cider vinegar 2 (16 oz.) cans each of red kidney or baked beans, drained 1 (7 oz.) can pineapple chunks, undrained 2 tsp. brown sugar 3 Tbsp. flour Combine sausage, vinegar, beans and pineapple in crock pot. Mix brown sugar with flour and add; stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 10 hours, and then on high setting for 2 to 3 hours.

Per serving: 493 calories; 32gm fat; 18gm carbohydrates; 837mg sodium

Browning Meats...here Meats...here’’s why Some recipes created for the slow cooker call for browning the meat beforehand on top of the stove. The purpose of browning is to melt off excess fats because they do not “bake off. Lean, well-trimmed meats do not usually need to be browned beforehand; but highly-marbled, fattier cuts should be.

Per serving: 353 calories; 8gm fat; 61gm carbohydrates; 1235mg sodium

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Chicken-Fried Chops

Chicken

6 servings

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp. salt 1½ tsp. ground mustard 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 6 pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick), trimmed 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 can (10¾ oz.) cream of chicken soup 1/3 cup water In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, mustard and garlic powder; dredge pork chops. In a skillet, brown the chops on both sides in oil. Place in a slow cooker. Combine soup and water; pour over chops. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.

6-8 servings

4 to 5 lb. chicken, cut up 1½ cups water Salt and pepper, to taste Lightly grease crock pot and place chicken pieces in bottom. Add salt and pepper. Pour water over chicken. Turn pot on high. When water begins to boil, turn pot to simmer. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours. Substitute: 4 to 5 lbs. de-boned, cut up turkey breast. Per 3 oz. serving: 162 calories; 6gm fat; 0gm carbohydrates; 73mg sodium

Chicken A la King

6 servings

Per serving: 263 calories; 12gm fat; 11gm carbohydrates; 1240mg sodium

Ham and Noodle Casserole

1 can (10¾ oz.) cream of chicken soup 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. pepper Dash cayenne pepper 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes 1 celery rib, chopped 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed 2 Tbsp. diced pimientos, drained (optional) Hot cooked rice In a slow cooker, combine soup, flour, pepper and cayenne until smooth. Stir in chicken, celery, green pepper and onion. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat juices run clear. Stir in peas and pimientos. Cook 30 minutes longer or until heated through; Serve over rice.

6 servings

2 cups uncooked noodles 2 cups cubed cooked ham 2 (10¾ oz.) cans cream of chicken soup 1 (16 oz.) can whole-kernel corn, drained 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup chopped green pepper Cook noodles according to package directions until barely tender; drain and toss with just enough oil to coat. Add noodles and remaining ingredients to greased slow cooker; stir to mix. Cover and cook on low setting for 7 to 9 hours. Per serving: 350 calories; 16gm fat; 30gm carbohydrates; 1699mg sodium

Tuna Noodle Casserole

6 servings

Per serving: 183 calories; 284mg sodium; 16gm carbohydrate; 3gm fat.

1 (8 or 10 oz.) pkg. noodles, cooked and drained* 2 (10 oz.) cans condensed cream of celery soup 2/3 cup dry milk powder 1/3 cup milk 1 pkg. frozen mixed vegetables, thawed 2 Tbsp. parsley flakes 2 (7 oz.) cans tuna, drained 2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine 1 tsp. dried marjoram, optional 1/4 cup blanched, slivered almonds, optional In a large bowl, thoroughly combine soup, milk, vegetables, parsley flakes and tuna. Fold in noodles. Pour into greased slow cooker. Top with almonds and butter. Cook covered on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. *Cook noodles just until tender. Do not overcook. Per serving: 408 calories; 12gm fat; 45gm carbohydrates; 1118mg sodium

Chicken and Rice Casserole

2 servings

This recipe can easily be doubled 1 (10¾ oz.) can cream of celery soup 1 (2 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, undrained 1/2 cup raw long-grain converted rice (not instant rice) 2 chicken breasts, halved, skinned and boned 1 Tbsp. dry onion soup mix Combine soup, mushrooms and rice in greased crock pot; stir well. Lay chicken breasts on top of mixture and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Cover and start on high for 1 hour, then cook on low setting for 7 to 9 hours. Per serving: 406 calories; 12gm fat; 43gm carbohydrates; 1776mg sodium

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Minestrone Soup

Vegetable Beef Soup

4 servings

8 servings

1 lb. ground beef, (optional) cooked and drained 1 large can tomatoes, whole or diced 1 can tomato soup 1 small onion, chopped 2 cups water 1 can lima beans or green beans, drained 1 can whole-kernel corn, undrained 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup potatoes, cubed 1 cup diced celery, or other vegetable mixture 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Combine beef, tomatoes, soup, and onion in cooker. Add water, beans, and vegetables. Add salt, pepper, and other spices of preference. Stir well. Cook on low 6 - 8 hours.

Minestrone soup bean mix* 1 onion, chopped 1 garlic clove 6-8 cups water 1 can tomatoes (about 2 cups) Italian seasonings to taste (such as oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram) 1 meaty ham bone Spaghetti Soak bean mix overnight. Rinse. Put in pot with all the other ingredients except spaghetti. Cook in crock pot for about 6-8 hours on high. About 45 minutes before serving, add a handful of uncooked spaghetti. Serve with parmesan cheese. *If minestrone soup mix is not available in your area, mix your own using several kinds of dried beans, barley and split peas. Use about 2 cups for the soup.

Per serving: 326 calories; 12gm fat; 36gm carbohydrates; 626mg sodium

Per serving: 70 calories; 1gm fat; 13gm carbohydrates; 691mg sodium

Taco Soup A Bit About Beans

1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained of grease 1 large (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel tomatoes 1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans 1 (16 oz.) can pinto beans 1 (11 oz.) can niblet corn 1 pkg. taco seasoning 1 pkg. Hidden Valley® Ranch dressing 1 small onion, chopped Cook on low in crock pot for 6 to 8 hours. Serve with tortilla chips instead of crackers. Can also serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

• Sugar and acidic foods, such as tomatoes, tend to have a hardening effect on beans; therefore, always soften beans thoroughly before using them in baked beans, chili and similar recipes. • Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled before adding to a recipe. Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of unsalted water and bring to a boil. Boil 10 minutes, reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer 1½ hours or until beans are tender. Soaking in water, if desired, should be completed before boiling. Discard water after soaking or boiling.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

8 servings

8 servings

Per serving: 367 calories; 20gm fat; 28gm carbohydrates; 720mg sodium

3 carrots, peeled and sliced 2 stalks celery, sliced 1 medium onion, chopped 1-1½ lbs. chicken breasts, skinned, de-boned and chopped 3 small cans or 1 large can (39-42 oz.) chicken broth (or) make with 5 bouillon cubes plus 5 cups water 2/3 cup long cooking brown rice or white rice 1½ tsp. parsley, optional 1/4 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. salt Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir thoroughly. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low 7 hours or on high 3½ hours.

Ham and Bean Soup

8 servings

1 small bag dried northern beans Leftover ham chunks (OR) ham bone 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped 2 tsp. salt The night before preparing soup, wash beans and water (3 times amount of beans) in a large bowl. Soak overnight. Rinse beans, put in a slow cooker and add water (3 times amount of beans) again. Add remaining ingredients to beans. Cook until beans are tender on high for 5½ hours.

Per serving: 231 calories; 4gm fat; 258mg sodium

Per serving: 170 calories; .6gm fat; 30gm carbohydrates; 584mg sodium

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8 servings

Cheesy Hash Brown Potatoes 8 servings

4 cubes chicken bouillon 5 cups water 1 cup carrots (4 carrots), sliced 1 cup celery (4 small stalks), sliced 1 cup onions (1 large onion), chopped 6 medium potatoes - cubed (1 medium potato = 1 cup) 2 cans cream of chicken soup 3/4 to 1 lb. Velvetta® cheese Crumbled bacon, optional Add bouillon to water. Add carrots, celery, onion and potatoes. Cook in slow cooker until tender, 7-8 hours on low, 4 hours on high. Add soup and cheese, turn temperature to low or simmer. Cook 30 minutes to 1 hour longer or until cheese melts. Garnish with crumbled bacon pieces.

2 cans cheddar cheese soup, undiluted 11 3 cups buttermilk 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted 1/2 tsp. seasoned salt 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, slightly thawed 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 tsp. paprika In crock pot, combine the first six ingredients; stir in hash browns. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Cover and cook on low for 4 - 4 ½ hours or until potatoes are tender.

Cheryl’s Cheesy Potato Soup

Per serving: 389 calories; 25gm fat; 21gm carbohydrates; 536mg sodium

Per serving: 286 calories; 14gm fat; 29gm carbohydrates; 1197mg sodium

Baked Potatoes No oven to heat up--and they stay hot until you need them

arkening? Darkening? Potatoes D Potatoes may be kept from darkening by rinsing in a solution of 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. Drain and proceed as recipe directs.

Potatoes Perfect

Prick potatoes with fork and wrap in foil. Fill the slow cooker with 6 to 12 potatoes. Cover and cook on low 810 hours or on high 2½-4 hours. Do not add water. May be kept until serving time on low setting without drying. Note: Use same method for baking sweet potatoes, squash, rutabagas, and turnips.

6 servings

1/4 lb. bacon, diced 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced 1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, thinly sliced Salt and pepper, to taste Butter Line slow cooker with aluminum foil, leaving enough to overlap potatoes when finished. Layer half each of the bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese in slow cooker. Season to taste and dot with butter. Repeat layers of bacon, onions, potatoes and cheese. Dot with butter. Overlap with remaining foil. Cover and cook on low setting for 10-12 hours, then on high setting for 3-4 hours.

eeking No PPeeking Do not remove the lid from the slow cooker during cooking. Curious cooks must learn to resist the urge to peek and sniff while cooking. The secret of the slow-cooking process is to seal in juices and flavors. Lifting the lid permits moisture and nutrients to escape. It will also lenghten cooking time by as much as 30 minutes.

Maple-Candied Sweet Potatoes

4 servings

1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup apple juice 1 Tbsp. butter 4 small sweet potatoes, peeled 1/2 cup raisins Mix the syrup and juice in an 3½-4 quart slow cooker. Add the butter, potatoes, and raisins. Cover and cook on low until the potatoes are tender, 8-10 hours. Serve with the syrup from the cooker and raisins spooned over the potatoes.

Per serving: 353 calories; 23gm fat; 23gm carbohydrates; 429mg sodium

High vs. LLow ow Remember Remember: One hour of high-heat cooking equals about 2½ hours of low-heat cooking. You may use a combination of high and low settings. Instead of 8 hours on low, for example, you can cook something for 2 hours on high and 3 hours on low.

Per serving: 253 calories; 3gm fat; 8mg cholesterol; 45mg sodium

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Beans Slow Cooker Style

Fool Proof Rice

6-8 servings

Follow directions on rice package for proportion of rice to water. (Up to 4 cups raw rice may be prepared in slow cooker--makes 10 cups cooked). Lightly grease slow cooker and pour in rice, water and salt. Cover and cook on high 1½ - 2½ hours, stirring occasionally. Note: When turned off, slow cooker will keep rice warm for serving for 1-2 hours. To “cook all day” (low: 8-10 hours) use 2-3 cups long grain converted rice, 4-6 cups water or broth, 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Salt to taste before serving.

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried beans, rinsed and picked over 5 cups very hot tap water In a 3½-quart crock pot, combine the beans and water. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours (or on low 5 to 7 hours) until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain the beans into a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain well before using. Per serving: 193 calories; .6gm fat; 36gm carbohydrates; 5mg sodium

BBQ Cowboy Pinto Beans

Per 1/2 cup serving: 103 calories; .2gm fat; 22gm carbohydrates; 0mg sodium

6-8 servings

1 (16 oz.) pkg. dried pinto beans, rinsed 4 cups hot water 2 medium onions, chopped 1 Tbsp. chili powder 3/4 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce 1/2 cup ketchup 1½ Tbsp. prepared yellow mustard Dash of Tabasco® sauce, or more to taste In a 3½-quart slow cooker, mix together the beans, hot water, onions, and chili powder. Cover and cook on low about 7 hours, or until the beans are tender but not falling apart. Drain off all the cooking liquid. Stir in barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, and Tabasco sauce. Cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes longer, until heated through.

Warm-Up S essions Sessions To reheat breads, cakes or puddings, wrap securely in aluminum foil and place in slower cooker. Cover and heat on High setting for 1 - 1½ hours (on Low setting for 2 - 3 hours).

Apple Butter Cut the blemishes and worm holes from your apples. Definitely use your less-than-perfect fruit for apple butter. Cut the apples into quarters or sixths (no need to peel or core). Fill your 3½-quart slow cooker with apples, adding about 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup apple cider and the juice of one lemon. Cook covered, on low heat, about 8 hours. Stir the apples, add 1 tablespoon cinnamon and cook 10 more hours, stirring occasionally. The mixture should reduce to be quite thick and dark. Put the mixture through a Foley food mill (or another type of strainer) to puree and strain out the seeds and skins. If the mixture isn’t thick enough for your taste, put it back in the slow cooker and cook until it’s thick enough for your taste. Taste it to see if it needs seasoning. If the apples were bland, or not too sweet, you may need to add a little more lemon juice, or vanilla, or sugar. Refrigerate.

Per serving: 237 calories; 1.5gm fat; 45gm carbohydrates; 425mg sodium

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

8 servings

1 small onion, diced 1/4 cup butter, melted 2 cups quick cooking rice 2 cups water 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1/2 tsp. salt 1 (5 oz.) jar sharp cheese spread 2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, partially thawed Corn flake crumbs browned in butter, for topping, optional Combine all ingredients, except corn flake crumbs in greased casserole; stir thoroughly. Sprinkle crumbs over top just before serving. Cook in a slow cooker on low for 7 to 10 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours. May be covered and baked at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes.

Per tablespoon: 37 calories; 10gm carbohydrates

Operating Costs Cooking with a slow cooker costs about the same, in terms of energy consumption, as cooking on top of an electric range. Low uses 75 watts of electricity and hig requires approximately 150 watts. The cooking temperature is 200° F - 240 ° F on low and 300° F - 340 ° F on high.

Per serving: 220 calories; 11gm fat; 23gm carbohydrates; 540mg sodium

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Minister’s Delight

Cereals Cook through the night...wake up to an “Instant Breakfast”

10 servings

1 (21 oz.) can cherry or apple pie filling 1 (18¼ oz.) yellow cake mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional Place pie filling in a slow cooker. Combine dry cake mix and butter (mixture will be crumbly); sprinkle over filling. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Oatmeal (OR) grits (OR) cornmeal mush and water Lightly grease slow cooker. Follow package directions for quantity of water and salt per cup of cereal. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours. Do not use quick-cooking varieties. (Most varieties of cereals work best using a 2 to 1 ratio: 4 cups water to 2 cups cereal).

Per serving: 371 calories; 14gm fat; 59gm carbohydrates; 472mg sodium

Apple Cobbler

4 servings

Bread Pudding 4 medium tart apples, peeled and sliced 1/4 cup honey, optional 2 Tbsp. melted margarine 2 cups low-fat granola cereal 1 tsp. cinnamon Combine apples with honey, margarine, granola and cinnamon in slow cooker; mix well Cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 7-9 hours. Serve with milk.

8 cups cubed day-old unfrosted cinnamon rolls (or) 8 slices bread, cubed 2 cups milk 4 eggs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1 cup raisins Place cubed cinnamon rolls in a crock pot. In a mixing bowl, combine the next six ingredients; beat until smooth. Stir in raisins. Pour over cinnamon rolls; stir gently. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.

Per serving: 370 calories; 74gm carbohydrates; 9gm fat

Hot Spiced Fruit

6 servings

12 servings

1 can sliced peaches, with liquid 1 can pears, with liquid 1 can pineapple chunks, with liquid 1/2 cup orange marmalade 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg Dash ground cloves, optional Mix together ingredients with the fruits undrained. Simmer for 1 hour or try fixing in a slow cooker on low for 3 hours.

Per serving: 468 calories; 20gm fat; 62gm carbohydrates; 401mg sodium

Sources & Special Thanks To: Nellie Buchanan, Morgan Co. FCS Agent Cheryl Case, Harrison Co. FCS Agent Brenda Cook, Green Co. FCS Agent Debra Cotterill, Mason Co. FCS Agent Stephanie Derifield, Lawrence Co. FCS Agent Pat Duncan, EFNEP Assistant Nancy Eckler, Former Grant Co. FCS Agent Lora Lee Frazier-Howard, Clay Co. FCS Agent Donna Fryman, Fleming Co. FCS Agent Carolyn Ham, Muhlenberg Co. FCS Agent Karen Davis-Parker, FormerPendleton Co. FCS Agent Pennyrile Area FCS Agents Kathy Roesel, Kenton Co. FCS Agent Cookwise by Shirley O. Corriher KY Gets Foodwise, Slow Cook Suppers lesson Rival Crock-Pot Cooking 1-2000

Per serving: 105 calories; 28gm carbohydrates; .13gm fat

Adapting Recipes to Slow Cooking Almost any recipe that you can bake or simmer (covered) can be adapted to slow cooking, with a few adjustments: • Add less liquid than the original recipe calls for-half the amount is usually enough. • You can skip many steps, such as sauteing vegetables, by adding most ingredients at one time. • Cook with cover on, except when you want to simmer off excess liquid near the end of the cooking period.

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