Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (69 page)

Super-Simple Sausage and Sauerkraut

Eileen Lehman

Kidron, OH

Makes 12 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2-3 lbs. fresh sausage, cut in 3”-lengths, or removed from casings

3 32-oz. cans sauerkraut

1. Brown sausage in large non-stick skillet. (Don’t crowd the skillet or the sausages will steam and not brown.)

2. Combine sausage and sauerkraut in slow cooker.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 4-8 hours, or until meat is fully cooked.

Note:

It is traditional to serve sauerkraut with mashed potatoes on New Year’s Day in Kidron!

Bratwurst in Sauce

Joyce Shackelford

Green Bay, WI

Makes 6-10 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2-3 lbs. uncooked bratwursts

6-oz. can tomato paste

½ cup ketchup

12-oz. can beer

½ small onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Place bratwursts in saucepan. Barely cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook 5-10 minutes. Drain well. Cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Combine tomato paste, ketchup, beer, onion, and garlic in slow cooker. Add partially cooked brats.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 6-10 hours, or until brats are cooked through and as hot as you like them.

Serving suggestion: Serve over cooked
rice
or
pasta
. Or serve with wooden picks, accompanied with a good
dark bread
.

Brats and Spuds

Kathi Rogge

Alexandria, IN

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

5-6 bratwurst links, cut into 1” pieces

5 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed

27-oz. can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1 medium-sized tart apple, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

⅓-½ cup packed brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

1. Brown bratwurst on all sides in skillet.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Stir in bratwurst and pan drippings.

3. Cover. Cook on High 4-6 hours, or until potatoes and apples are tender.

Variation:

Add a small amount of caraway seeds or crisp bacon pieces, just before serving.

Sausage and Scalloped Potatoes

Carolyn Baer

Conrath, WI

Makes 5 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

2½ lbs. potatoes, sliced ¼” thick,
divided

1 lb. fully cooked smoked sausage links, sliced ½” thick,
divided

2 medium onions, chopped,
divided

10¾-oz. can cheddar cheese soup,
divided

10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup,
divided

1. Layer one-third of potatoes, one-third of sausage, one-third of onions, one-third of cheddar cheese soup, and one-third of celery soup into slow cooker.

2. Repeat 2 times.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 10 hours or on High 5 hours, or until vegetables are as tender as you like them.

Serving suggestion: Serve with
peas
, a
salad
, and
dessert
.

Note:

I like to prepare this delicious dish when I will be gone for the day, but know I will have guests for the evening meal. When I get home, the meat and potatoes are already cooked.

Sausage-Potato Slow Cooker Dinner

Deborah Swartz

Grottoes, VA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 25-30 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-9 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

¾ lb. sausage, casings removed,
divided

1 cup water

½ tsp. cream of tartar

6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced, peeled or not,
divided

1 onion, chopped,
divided

¼ cup flour,
divided

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1½ cups grated cheddar cheese,
divided

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings.

2. Combine water and cream of tartar in a good-sized mixing bowl. Place potatoes in water as you slice them. When finished slicing, toss potatoes in water to keep them from turning brown. Drain off water.

3. Layer half of potatoes, sausage, onion, flour, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and half of cheddar cheese in slow cooker.

4. Repeat layers of potatoes, sausage, onion, flour, salt and pepper until completely used.

5. Dot butter over top. Pour soup over all.

6. Cover. Cook on Low 7-9 hours or on High 3-4 hours, or until potatoes and onions are tender.

7. Sprinkle reserved cheese over top just before serving.

As Christmas comes near, my husband and I spend seven different evenings with each one of our seven married children. It’s so special to see their reactions as they open their gifts. On Christmas Day we all gather together to eat and sing.

Mary B. Sensenig, New Holland, PA

Sausage and Sweet Potatoes

Ruth Hershey

Paradise, PA

Makes 4-6 servings

Prep. Time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-10 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.

1 lb. bulk sausage

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

3 apples, peeled and sliced

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. flour

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. salt

¼ cup water

1. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain off drippings.

2. Layer sausage, sweet potatoes, and apples in slow cooker.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Stir until well mixed.

4. Pour over ingredients in slow cooker.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 4 hours.