Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (56 page)

Ideal slow cooker size: 6-qt.

1 box rotini,
or
ziti, cooked

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 28-oz. jars pasta sauce with tomato chunks

2 cups tomato juice

½ lb. ground beef

½ lb. bulk sausage, crumbled,
or
links cut into ¼” slices

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese,
divided

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

3 eggs,
divided

2 cups mozzarella cheese,
divided

2 cups ricotta cheese

1½ tsp. parsley flakes

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1. In large bowl, toss pasta with olive oil. Add pasta sauce and tomato juice and mix well. Set aside.

2. Brown beef and sausage together in skillet. Stir frequently to break up clumps. When meat is no longer pink, drain off drippings. Remove skillet from heat; keep meat in skillet.

3. Stir 1 cup Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, 1 egg, and 1 cup mozzarella cheese into meat in skillet. Set aside.

4. In separate bowl, beat together ricotta cheese, 2 eggs, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

5. Pour half of pasta-sauce mixture into slow cooker.

6. Spread entire ricotta mixture over pasta. Top with entire meat-cheese mixture. Cover with remaining pasta-sauce mixture.

7. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese.

8. Cover. Cook on Low 4-6 hours.

Meat Loaf Burgers

Lafaye M. Musser

Denver, PA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-9 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 large onion, sliced

1 rib celery, chopped

2 lbs. ground beef

1 tsp. salt

1¼ tsp. pepper

2 cups tomato juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. ketchup

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. salt

1. Place onion and celery in slow cooker.

2. Combine beef, salt, and pepper. Shape into 6 patties. Arrange in slow cooker.

3. In a good-sized mixing bowl, combine tomato juice, garlic, ketchup, Italian seasoning, and salt. Pour over patties.

4. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours.

Serving suggestion: This makes enough to serve on 6
hamburger buns
.

Barbecued Hamburgers

Martha Hershey

Ronks, PA

Makes 4 serving

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 2-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

¼ cup chopped onions

3 Tbsp. ketchup

1 tsp. salt

1 egg, beaten

¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs

oil

18-oz. bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

1. Combine beef, onions, ketchup, salt, egg, and bread crumbs in a good-sized bowl. Form into 4 patties.

2. Brown both sides lightly in oil in skillet. Arrange browned burgers in slow cooker.

3. Cover with barbecue sauce.

4. Cover. Bake on High 2-3 hours or on Low 5-6 hours.

Note:

We first had Barbecued Hamburgers at a 4-H picnic, and they have been a family favorite ever since.

Tip:

Mix the hamburger patties, brown them, and freeze them in advance, and you’ll have little to do at the last minute.

Hamburger-Potato Slow Cooker Dinner

Lafaye M. Musser

Denver, PA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup water

½ tsp. cream of tartar

6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

¼ cup flour

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

1 cup grated cheddar cheese,
divided

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1. Brown ground beef in skillet, using oil if necessary. Drain off drippings. Set aside.

2. In separate bowl, combine water and cream of tartar. Toss potatoes in water. Drain.

3. In another bowl, mix together onion, flour, salt, pepper, and half of cheese.

4. Place browned beef in bottom of cooker. Top with sliced potatoes. Add onion-cheese mixture.

5. Dot top with butter.

6. Pour soup over all.

7. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or on High 3-4 hours.

8. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top, 30 minutes before serving.

Variation:

Spread 2 4¼-oz. cans chopped green chilies, undrained, over potatoes in Step 4.

Colleen Konetzni

Rio Rancho, NM

1-2-3-4 Casserole

Betty K. Drescher

Quakertown, PA

Makes 8 servings

Prep. Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-9 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

2 onions, sliced

3 carrots, thinly sliced

½ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup cold water

4 potatoes, thinly sliced

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

¼ cup milk

½ tsp. salt

⅛ tsp. pepper

1. Layer in greased slow cooker in this order: ground beef, onions, carrots, ½ tsp. salt, and ⅛ tsp. pepper.

2. Dissolve cream of tartar in water in large bowl. Toss sliced potatoes with water. Drain off water.

3. Combine soup and milk in bowl with potatoes. Stir in remaining salt and pepper.

4. Arrange potatoes in slow cooker over top vegetables.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours, or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are as tender as you like them.

Variations:

1. Substitute sour cream for the milk.

2. Top potatoes with ½ cup shredded cheese.