Fix-It and Forget-It Revised and Updated: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes (17 page)

Taco Soup with Pork and Beans

Beth Shank

Wellman, IA

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4-6 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 5-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

half a small onion, finely diced

1 envelope dry taco seasoning

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

⅛ tsp. red cayenne pepper

15-oz. can kidney beans, drained

15-oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

15-oz. can pork and beans

46-oz. can tomato juice

1. Brown beef and onion in skillet. Drain. Place in slow cooker.

2. Stir in taco seasoning, brown sugar, and pepper. Add beans, corn, pork and beans, and tomato juice. Mix well.

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

Serving suggestion: Garnish individual servings with
taco chips
, shredded
cheese
, and a dollop of
sour cream
.

Taco Soup with Pizza Sauce

Barbara Kuhns

Millersburg, OH

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.

2 lbs. ground beef, browned

1 small onion, chopped and sautéed in ground beef drippings

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1½ pkgs. dry taco seasoning

1 qt. pizza sauce

1 qt. water

1. Combine ground beef, onion, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, pizza sauce, and water in 5-quart, or larger, slow cooker.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 3-4 hours.

Serving suggestion: Top individual servings with
tortilla chips
, shredded
mozzarella cheese
, and
sour cream
.

Variation:

Add 15-oz. can black beans and 4-oz. can chilies to mixture before cooking. (Be sure to use one very large cooker, or two medium-sized cookers.)

Easy Chili

Sheryl Shenk

Harrisonburg, VA

Makes 10-12 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 3-8 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 6-qt.

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1½ tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

29-oz. can tomato sauce

3 16-oz. cans kidney beans, drained

14½-oz. can crushed,
or
stewed, tomatoes

6-oz. can tomato paste

1. Brown meat in skillet. Add onion and green pepper halfway through browning process. Drain. Pour into slow cooker.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients.

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

Serving suggestion: Serve in bowls topped with shredded
cheddar cheese
. This chili can also be served over cooked
rice
.

Berenice’s Favorite Chili

Berenice M. Wagner

Dodge City, KS

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-12 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 5½-qt.

2 16-oz. cans red kidney beans, drained

2 14½-oz. cans diced tomatoes

2 lbs. coarsely ground beef, browned and drained

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

1 green pepper, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. pepper

2½ tsp. salt

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker in order listed. Stir once.

2. Cover. Cook on Low 10-12 hours, or High 5-6 hours.

Variations:

1. Top individual servings with green onion, sour cream, and cheese.

Judy Govotsus

Monrovia, MD

2. Increase proportion of tomatoes in chili by adding 8-oz. can tomato sauce before cooking.

Bernice A. Esau

North Newton, KS

Trail Chili

Jeanne Allen

Rye, CO

Makes 8-10 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 4½-6½ hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.

2 lbs. ground beef

1 large onion, diced

28-oz. can diced tomatoes

2 8-oz. cans tomato purée

1,
or
2, 16-oz. cans kidney beans, undrained

4-oz. can diced green chilies

1 cup water

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. mild chili powder

2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. pepper

1. Brown beef and onion in skillet. Drain. Place in slow cooker on High.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook on High 30 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to Low. Cook 4-6 hours.

Serving suggestion: Top individual servings with shredded
cheese
. Serve with
taco chips
.

Best Bean Chili

Carolyn Baer

Conrath, WI

Makes 6 servings

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-6 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4- to 5-qt.

1 lb. lean ground beef

1½ cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 tsp. minced garlic

1-3 Tbsp. chili powder, according to your taste preference

1-2 tsp. ground cumin, also according to your taste preference

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

15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3 14½-oz. cans diced Italian-,
or
Mexican-, seasoned tomatoes

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

soy sauce,
optional

ground ginger,
optional

1. Spray large skillet with cooking spray. Brown beef in skillet over medium heat.

2. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic to skillet. Cook until just-tender.

3. Transfer contents of skillet to slow cooker.

4. Add seasonings, beans, tomatoes, sugar and cocoa powder.

5. Cover. Cook on Low 5-6 hours.

Tip:

Offer a sprinkle of soy sauce and/or ground ginger with individual servings to enhance the flavor of the chili.

Judy’s Chili Soup

Judy Buller

Bluffton, OH

Makes 6 servings

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 7-8 hours

Ideal slow-cooker size: 4-qt.