Fix-It and Forget-It Revised and Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes (58 page)

1. Cook beef, onion, and garlic together in saucepan until browned. Drain.

2. Stir in tomato sauce, water, tomato paste, salt, and oregano. Mix well.

3. Spread one-fourth of meat sauce in ungreased slow cooker. Arrange one-third of noodles over sauce.

4. Combine the cheeses. Spoon one-third of cheese mixture over noodles. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining meat sauce.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.

Variation:

For a fuller flavor, use 14-oz. can tomato sauce instead of 6-oz. can tomato paste and water. Add ½ tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. dried basil, and ¼ tsp. pepper.

Dolores S. Kratz

Souderton, PA

Violette’s Lasagna

Violette Harris Denney

Carrollton, GA

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 5 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.

8 lasagna noodles, uncooked,
divided

1 lb. ground beef,
divided

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce,
divided

⅓ cup water,
divided

4-oz. can sliced mushrooms,
divided

15 oz. ricotta cheese,
divided

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese,
divided

1. Break noodles. Place half in bottom of greased slow cooker.

2. Brown ground beef in saucepan. Drain. Stir in Italian seasoning. Spread half over noodles in slow cooker.

3. Layer half of sauce and water, half of mushrooms, half of ricotta cheese, and half of mozzarella cheese over beef. Repeat layers.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 5 hours.

Rigatoni

Susan Alexander

Baltimore, MD

Makes 10 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-qt.

28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce

12 oz. rigatoni, cooked

1-1½ lbs. ground beef, browned

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

½ lb. pepperoni slices

sliced mushrooms,
optional

sliced onions,
optional

1. In slow cooker, layer half of each ingredient in order listed. Repeat.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.

Variation:

Use 1 lb. ground beef and 1 lb. sausage.

Taco Bake

Shelia Heil

Lancaster, PA

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time: 1½-4 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

¾ cup water

15-oz. can tomato sauce

1¼-oz. envelope taco seasoning

8-oz. pkg. shell macaroni, uncooked

1. Brown beef and onion in a skillet.

2. Drain off drippings.

3. Add water, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning.

4. Mix well.

5. Simmer 15 minutes in skillet.

6. Transfer to slow cooker.

7. Stir in uncooked macaroni.

8. Cover. Cook on High 1½ hours, or on Low 4 hours, or until macaroni are fully cooked but not mushy.

Serving suggestion: Just before serving, top with shredded
cheddar cheese
.

Beef Enchiladas

Jane Talso,
Albuquerque, NM

Makes 12-16 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-5 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.

4-lb. boneless chuck roast

2 Tbsp. oil

4 cups sliced onions

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. cumin seeds

2 4½-oz. cans peeled, diced green chilies

14½-oz. can peeled, diced tomatoes

8 large tortillas (10-12 inch size)

1 lb. cheddar cheese, shredded

4 cups green,
or
red, enchilada sauce

1. Brown roast on all sides in oil in saucepan. Place roast in slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients except tortillas, cheese, and sauce.

3. Cover. Cook on High 4-5 hours.

4. Shred meat with fork and return to slow cooker.

5. Warm tortillas in oven. Heat enchilada sauce. Fill each tortilla with ¾ cup beef mixture and ½ cup cheese. Roll up and serve with sauce.

Variation:

Use 2 lbs. ground beef instead of chuck roast. Brown without oil in saucepan, along with chopped onions.

Slow-Cooker Enchiladas

Lori Berezovsky

Salina, KS

Tracy Clark

Mt. Crawford, VA

Mary E. Herr
and
Michelle Reineck

Three Rivers, MI

Marcia S. Myer

Manheim, PA

Renee Shirk

Mt. Joy, PA

Janice Showalter

Flint, MI

Makes 4 servings

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-7 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped green peppers

16-oz. can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

⅓ cup water

1½ tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 cup (4 ozs.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup (4 ozs.) shredded Monterey Jack,
or
pepper Monterey Jack, cheese

6 flour tortillas (6-7 inches in diameter)

1. Cook beef, onions, and green peppers in skillet until beef is browned and vegetables are tender. Drain.

2. Add next 8 ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Combine cheeses.

4. In slow cooker, layer about ¾ cup beef mixture, one tortilla, and about ⅓ cup cheese. Repeat layers.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 5-7 hours or until heated through.

6. To serve, reach to bottom with each spoonful to get all the layers, or carefully invert onto large platter and cut into wedges.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
sour cream
and/or
guacamole
.