S-L-O-W cooking in January

1/2/2013 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

S-L-O-W cooking in January

The introduction of the Crock-Pot in 1971 changed my life and I’ll bet it did yours too. No longer did I have to stay home all day while a pot of chili bubbled on the stovetop. Nope. My new fangled s-l-o-w electric cooker sat on the counter cooking with safe low-watt heat that made stirring unnecessary. With a little planning (and lots of preparation!) I could load the Crock-Pot in the morning and come home to a simmering dinner in the afternoon.

The original Crock-Pot liner wasn’t removable. Twenty years later, in 1991, I bought another cooker with a removable crock. I thought it would last forever. Not so. Recently, my daughter said, “Mom, yuck! That crock has got to go!” So she went out and bought me pot number three that should last forever or as long as I live.

Of course, I kept the cookbooks that came with each of the cookers. I was surprised when I opened them up to compare recipes. I thought I had made them all: Pot roast, chicken, spaghetti sauce, minestrone soup, etc. All the old standbys were cooked it in that original pot.

Ah, but that old cookbook held recipes for hunters that I ignored. An all-purpose recipe for preparing Venison-Rabbit-Squirrel or Duck was sub-titled “A handy recipe to memorize…” A Game Meatloaf was subtitled “Why waste so much game…” And of course, “Pride of the Ozarks” pot roast was Roast Venison.

The following recipes are both old and new. Taco Soup is not printed in any of the books but it is made for a Crockpot. The Western Omelet recipe is great for early risers. And the gingerbread Pudding Cake from Better Homes and Gardens will make your mouth water.

Then we’ll move on to recipes from the old Rival Cookbook. Baked apples are a great idea for the slow cooker and how about some Hot Mulled Cider for a cold afternoon treat? Finally, for any hunters out there, we’ll finish with the all-purpose game recipe. Enjoy!

TACO SOUP

1-1/2 pounds ground turkey or hamburger

2 cans of kidney beans

2 cans of pinto beans

2 cans of corn

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 can tomatoes and chilies

1 packet taco seasoning

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1-3 cups water as desired

Garnishes:

Fritos or tortilla chips

Sour cream

Chopped Cilantro

Chopped green onions

Cheddar cheese, grated

First, open all the cans (8!). Drain and rinse the beans. Set all aside.

Brown meat and drain well. Put meat in Crock-Pot and sprinkle seasoning packets on top of meat. Add the drained beans, the entire contents of corn and tomato cans. “Eyeball” the amount of water needed to add. Add extra if needed.

Stir to combine ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5. Stir once, midway through cooking. Taste for seasonings. Add a few red pepper flakes and Tabasco if you like. The longer you cook soup, the better, so if you have the time, opt for cooking on low. Stir well, and garnish as above.

Serves a crowd. At least 8 people.

SLOW COOKER WESTERN OMELET CASSEROLE

32 oz bag frozen hash brown potatoes

1 lb. cooked sausage or cubed ham

1 medium onion, diced

1 1/2 C shredded cheese

12 eggs

1 C. Milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Layer one third each of frozen potatoes, meat, onions, and cheese in bottom of slow cooker. Repeat two times. Beat together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over mixture in slow cooker. Cover.

Cook on low 8-9 hours.

GINGERBREAD PUDDING CAKE

Nonstick cooking spray

1 14 1/2 ounce package gingerbread mix

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup raisins

2 1/4 cups water

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

Vanilla ice cream

Lightly coat the inside of a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine gingerbread mix and milk until mix is moistened. Stir in raisins (batter will be thick). Spread gingerbread batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared cooker.

 In a medium saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, and butter. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Carefully pour sugar mixture over batter.

Cover and cook on high-heat setting (do not use low-heat setting) for 2 hours (center may appear moist but will set up as it stands).

Remove liner from cooker, if possible, or turn off cooker. Let cake stand, uncovered, for 45 minutes to cool slightly before serving.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

BAKED APPLES

6-8 medium baking apples, washed and cored

2 tablespoons raisins

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Mix raisins and sugar; fill center of apples. Make more filling in needed. Sprinkle with cinnamon and dot with butter. Place in Crock Pot; add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on Low overnight or 8 hours.

HOT MULLED CIDER

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 quarts cider

1 teaspoon whole allspice

1-1/2 teaspoon whole cloves

2 pieces stick cinnamon

Orange slices

Put all ingredients in Crock-Pot. Cover and set on High,1 hour; turn to Low, 2-8 hours. Serve from pot with ladle. Delicious.

VENISON-RABBIT-SQUIRREL-DUCK

3-4 pounds game meat (very fresh or frozen)

1 large onion, cut up

1/2 large bell pepper, cut up

1-2 stalks celery, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 tablespoon dry parsley (or fresh sprigs)

3 tablespoons catsup or tomato sauce

1 cup liquid (sauterne, cider, tomato sauce or water)

Soak fresh or frozen meat overnight in marinade. Cut up meat and brown with vegetables in hot skillet 5-10 minutes. Place all meat and other ingredients in Crock-Pot. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! 

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare. 

Contact her at bchatty@bettykaiser.com