Fix-It and Forget-It Christmas Cookbook (9 page)

1 lb. sausage with bacon (Farmland offers this)

1½ 10-oz. pkgs. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

⅓ cup, plus 2 Tbsp., grated Parmesan cheese,
divided

8 eggs

⅛ tsp. black pepper, ground
or
cracked

1. Sauté sausage with bacon in skillet until browned. Drain off half the drippings.

2. Coat interior of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place sausage and reserved drippings in slow cooker.

3. Stir spinach into slow cooker.

4. Stir in ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese.

5. Break eggs directly onto mixture in slow cooker. Be careful not to break yolks. Do not stir.

6. Cover. Cook on High 1½ hours, or on Low up to 8 hours (you can turn it on right before you go to bed).

7. Sprinkle with pepper and 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese before serving.

Breakfast Skillet

Sue Hamilton

Minooka, IL

Makes 4-5 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2½-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3½-qt.

3 cups milk

5½-oz. box au gratin potatoes

1 tsp. hot sauce

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. prepared mustard

4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained

8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Combine milk, au gratin-sauce packet, hot sauce, eggs, and mustard in slow cooker until well blended.

2. Stir in dried potatoes, drained mushrooms, and bacon.

3. Cover. Cook on High 2½-3 hours, or on Low 5-6 hours.

4. Sprinkle cheese over top. Cover and let stand a few minutes until cheese melts.

Apple Oatmeal

Sheila Plock

Boalsburg, PA

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

3-4 apples, peeled and sliced

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ stick (2 Tbsp.) butter

½ cup walnuts

3 cups uncooked rolled oats

6 cups milk

1. Layer apples in bottom of slow cooker.

2. Sprinkle with brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

3. Dot with butter.

4. Scatter walnuts evenly over top.

5. Layer oatmeal over fruit and nuts.

6. Pour milk over oatmeal. Stir together until well blended.

7. Cover. Cook on Low 6 hours.

Note:

Wake up to the smell of freshly baked apple pie!

Slow-Cooker Oatmeal

Betty B. Dennison

Grove City, PA

Makes 2 servings

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-8 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 1½-qt.

1 cup uncooked rolled oats

2 cups water

salt

⅓-½ cup raisins

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

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

3. Eat warm with milk and brown sugar.

Oatmeal Morning

Barbara Forrester Landis

Lititz, PA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 2½-6 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 3-qt.

1 cup uncooked steel cut oats

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup walnuts

½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

4 cups liquid—milk, water,
or
combination of the two

1. Combine all dry ingredients in slow cooker. Stir well.

2. Pour in liquid ingredient(s). Mix together well.

3. Cover. Cook on High 2½ hours or on Low 5-6 hours.

Variation:

If you wish, substitute fresh or dried blueberries, or raisins, for the dried cranberries.

Fruit and Grains Breakfast Cereal

Jean Butzer

Batavia, NY

Katrina Eberly

Wernersville, PA

Makes 10 servings

Prep. Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 6-7 hours

Ideal slow cooker size: 5-qt.

5 cups water

2 cups uncooked whole-grain cereal of your choice

1 medium apple, peeled and chopped

1 cup unsweetened apple juice

¼ cup dried apricots, chopped

¼ cup dried cranberries

¼ cup raisins

¼ cup chopped dates

2-4 Tbsp. maple syrup, according to your preference for sweetness

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-7 hours, or until fruits and grain are as soft as you like them.

Note:

This hearty breakfast dish reminds me of the old-fashioned oatmeal that was a winter staple in our country kitchen many years ago. My dad would put it on to cook before he went to the barn to milk cows. It would be cooked to perfection by the time he was done with chores and ready for breakfast.

Jean Butzer

Batavia, NY

Our local historical museum hosts an annual “Wonderland of Trees,” inviting organizations to decorate a tree for display. Our quilt guild decorates one with homemade fabric ornaments and fabric garlands. A kitchen shop uses kitchen notions—whisks, measuring spoons, etc. The garden club does one in a gardening theme. There are usually 20-30 trees on display from November through December for the public to enjoy.

Jean Butzer, Batavia, NY