There’s nothing like coming home from work or school on a cold winter’s day to a hot, wholesome meal — especially if it’s already cooked! That’s what makes slow-cookers — and this month’s recipe page — so nice! Toss a few ingredients in the cooker in the morning, and have the evening’s main course ready and waiting for you when you get home. Pictured is Anita Keith’s “Crock-Pot Sweet and Sour Beef Stew.” A fifth recipe below, for applesauce, makes a warm, healthy side dish.
Crock-Pot Sweet and Sour Beef Stew11⁄2 lbs. beef stew meat (cut in 1 inch cubes)
2 T. cooking oil
1⁄2 cup water
1 t. salt
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup sliced onion
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1⁄4 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup vinegar
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
4 T. cornstarch
Hot cooked noodles or riceBrown meat in oil. Add water and salt. Cover and cook until tender. (We cooked the meat for about 10 minutes.) Put meat and the juices, water and oil from browning in slow cooker. Add carrots, onion, tomato sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and cook on low all day. Before serving, combine cornstarch with 1⁄4 cup cold water. Add to beef mixture. Cook until thickened. Serve over noodles or rice.
Anita Keith, Howe, Ind.Pork Roast in Crock-PotGarlic powder or fresh garlic
Flour
3-4 lbs. pork roast
1 jar (16 oz.) chili sauce
1 jar (16 oz.) pure maple syrup
Egg noodlesRub meat with garlic powder or fresh garlic and flour. Brown meat and set aside. Put chili sauce in slow cooker. Add maple syrup and meat. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Serve over egg noodles.
Joyce Ruehl, Cincinnati, OhioSlow Cooker Barbecued Spareribs4-5 lbs. spareribs, cut into two-rib pieces
1 cup ketchup
11⁄2 T. brown sugar
1 bottle (10 oz.) steak sauce
3 t. cider vinegar
1⁄2 t. salt
1 t. (or to taste) (hickory) liquid smoke
1 T. dried minced onionBrown spareribs in 400 F oven for 15 minutes. Turn and brown on other side for 10 or 15 minutes more. Drain fat and put ribs in slow cooker. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over ribs. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
Valerie Mulhern, New Haven, Ind.Steak Fajitas2 flank steaks, about 1 lb. each (can use round steak)
1-2 pkgs. taco seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chiles
1 green pepper, sliced (optional)
1 T. vinegar
10 flour tortillas (7 inches)
1
1⁄
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1
1⁄
2 chopped seeded tomatoes
3⁄4 cup sour cream
Cut steaks in half. Rub with taco seasoning. Place in slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray. Top with onion, chiles, green pepper and vinegar. Cook on low 8-9 hours or high 3-4 hours. Remove steaks and shred using two forks. Return to cooker. Heat through. Spoon 1⁄2 cup meat mixture down center of each tortilla. Top with cheese, tomato and sour cream.
Cynthia Deckard, Hope, Ind.Spiced Applesauce12 cups pared, cored, thinly sliced cooking apples
1⁄2 cup sugar
3⁄4 t. cinnamon
1 cup water (start with 1⁄2-3⁄4 cup)
1 T. lemon juice
Dash nutmeg
Place apples in slow cooker. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Mix with apples. Stir in water, lemon juice and nutmeg. Cover, cook on low 5-7 hours (or all day) or on high for 4 hours. Stir for a chunky sauce. Serve hot or cold.
Janice Torrence, Warsaw, Ind.