CAT S CHUCK ROAST Catherine Lancaster contributed this recipe. The roast completely broke down and just melted in my mouth. Plus the couscous absorbed the liquid and turned this into a very meaty stew, not soupy. And the mushrooms add a really intense meaty flavor as well, she writes. All the ingredients for this meal cost me around $11, with the mushrooms being the most expensive part. After it was cooked, I ate one serving, and had 6 servings left over that I put into individual containers. With a small salad and a slice of sourdough bread, you can t get any cheaper than that. Serves 6-8 2 pounds chuck roast 1 2 bottle Merlot wine 6 tablespoons of crushed garlic 3 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tablespoons dried tarragon Salt and pepper Olive oil 16 ounces pearl onions 3 portobello mushrooms 1 4 pound porcini mushrooms 1 4 pound brown button mushrooms 1 4 stick of butter 2 tablespoons flour 3 cups cooked couscous In a sauté pan, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Take the roast and coat with salt and pepper, and half of the garlic on each side. Put the roast in the sauté pan, and cook on each side until the garlic has browned and formed a nice crust, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. 190
In the crockpot, put the roast, the wine, thyme, and tarragon. Blanch the onions for about 2 minutes, peel and put into the pot with the other ingredients. Cook on high for 1 hour and then low for approximately 3 to 4 hours. Clean and slice mushrooms. Over medium-high heat, melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan, and add mushrooms. After mushrooms have sweated and released most of their liquid, add the flour and stir well. After the flour has been cooked for about 2 minutes, add the mushroom mixture to the crockpot. Half an hour to 45 minutes later, add the couscous. Couscous should stay in the crockpot with the other ingredients for about a half an hour on low, to get warmed. Serve with a small salad and bread. 191
VALLEY OF THE MOON WINERY WINTER STEW Tina Vierra submitted this recipe, adapted from one by Linda G. Kittler, executive chef at the Valley of the Moon Winery. Serves 12 3 to 4 pounds of beef (rib roast meat recommended), cut into cubes 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons pepper 1 4 cup flour 1 4 cup olive oil 1 small can tomato paste 2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet 1 bottle dry red wine 1 can vegetable stock 1 can beef stock 1 2 cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped 4 cups Swiss chard, cleaned and coarsely chopped 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons dried thyme 3 sprigs dried rosemary 10 whole garlic cloves 1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 large potatoes, coarsely chopped 2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced 3 cups shiitake (preferred) or crimini mushrooms 2 cups turnips, cut into small cubes 2 cups string beans, cut into 1-inch pieces Dredge the meat cubes in a Ziploc bag containing the flour, salt, and pepper. In a large pot on the stovetop, sear the meat in olive oil until browned. Add tomato paste and Kitchen Bouquet, then whisk in red wine and stocks, breaking up any lumps. Add Swiss chard and 192
cabbage, bring to a boil, and cook down for 2-5 minutes. In a 6-quart crockpot, place all remaining ingredients. Pour the stovetop mixture over all. Cook on low heat for 8 hours. Serve in large bowls over white rice or mashed potatoes. 193
CROCKPOT BEEF ROAST Laurie Thompson submitted this Stroganoff-esque recipe. It is fast, easy, and the gravy is spectacular! she writes. Serves 6 1 2-3 pound chuck or rump beef roast 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 8-ounce carton sour cream 1 packet onion soup mix Sliced onions Sliced mushrooms Salt and pepper to taste Place ingredients in crockpot. Cook all day. Serves 8 ROUND STEAK SUPREME 4 pounds round steak, cut in serving-size pieces 1 cup fresh mushrooms 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can mushroom soup 1 2 cup undiluted evaporated milk Brown meat either in a small amount of oil in a skillet or baked on the rack of a broiler pan (at 425 F) for 30 minutes, and place in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over meat. Cook on low heat 8 to 10 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice. 194
HUNGARIAN GOULASH Bob Pastorio submitted this and the remaining recipes in this chapter--as a collection of crockpot recipes originally posted to the list a hundred years ago by husband-and-wife members Harry Cohen and Shoshana Baumgarten. Serves 8 2 pounds stew meat, cut in 1-inch cubes 1 large onion, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 2 cup catsup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons paprika 1 2 teaspoon dry mustard 1 cup water 1 2 cup flour Place meat in slow-cooking pot; cover with sliced onion. Combine garlic, catsup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, paprika, and mustard. Stir in water. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 9 to 10 hours. Turn control to high. Dissolve flour in small amount of cold water; stir into meat mixture. Cook on high 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Serve goulash over noodles or rice. 195
CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND RICE CASSEROLE Serves 4 4 large chicken breasts 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of celery soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 2 cup diced celery 1 cup minute rice Mix in a crockpot the 3 cans of soup and rice. Place the chicken on top of the mixture, then add the diced celery. Cook for 3 hours on high or 4 hours on low. Serves 6 CROCKPOT CHICKEN STROGANOFF 6 boneless chicken breasts 1 16-ounce container of sour cream 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or any cream soup) 1 package Lipton s dry onion soup mix Mix all together and put into crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until chicken is tender. Serve over cooked noodles or rice. 196
Serves 4 CROCKPOT SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 1 medium onion, quartered 4 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca 4 boned chicken breasts, cut in pieces 8 ounces unsweetened pineapple chunks 1 3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar 1 3 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 4 teaspoon garlic powder 1 4 teaspoon ground ginger Cooked rice Put vegetables in bottom of crockpot; sprinkle with tapioca. Place chicken atop vegetables. Combine all other ingredients except rice in a small bowl. Pour over chicken. Cover crockpot, turn to low, and cook for 8-10 hours. Before serving make rice. Serve chicken over hot rice. Leftovers can be reheated in microwave. Notes: Recipe can be made in a 300 F oven by placing vegetables in bottom of a greased pan, sprinkling with tapioca, adding chicken, pouring in remaining ingredients (except rice), covering pan tightly with foil, and baking for two hours. 197
Serves 8 POACHED CHICKEN 1 stewing chicken (5 to 6 pounds), or 2 broiler-fryers water 1 stalk celery (with leaves), halved 1 carrot, peeled and halved 1 small onion, halved 1 teaspoon salt 4 sprigs parsley 1 small bay leaf 2 whole cloves 1 2 teaspoon thyme leaves Sauce: 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 4 cup flour 1 cup chicken broth or bouillon 1 2 teaspoon salt 1 8 teaspoon pepper 1 4 cup chopped parsley 1 2 cup heavy cream 2 tablespoons butter or margarine In a crockpot, cover chicken with water. Add celery, carrot, onion, and salt. Tie parsley, bay leaf, cloves, and thyme in a small square of cheesecloth. Add to pot. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in medium saucepan. Stir in flour and cook over low heat several minutes. Gradually stir in broth; simmer until smooth. Add salt, pepper, parsley, and cream. Just before serving, beat in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove chicken from pot; slice and serve with creamy sauce. 198
PORK CHOPS GOLDEN GLOW Serves 5-6 5 or 6 pork chops 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 4 teaspoon cloves 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 29-ounce can cling peach halves 1/4 cup vinegar Salt and pepper Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Lightly brown pork chops on both sides in large skillet or crockpot with browning unit. Pour off excess fat. Drain peach halves and reserve syrup. Combine in a medium bowl brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, tomato sauce, 1 4 cup syrup from peaches, and vinegar. Arrange chops in slow-cooking pot. Place drained peach halves on top. Pour tomato sauce mixture over all. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, being careful not to overcook. 199
Serves 2 CROCKPOT PORRIDGE 1 4 cup cracked wheat 3 4 cup rolled oats (do not use instant or quick oats) 3 cups water 1 2 cup raisins 1 4 cup wheat germ 1 2 cup grated apple 1 4 teaspoon cinnamon In a slow cooker, combine the cracked wheat, oats, water, raisins, wheat germ, apple and cinnamon. Turn to the lowest setting and cook the porridge overnight. Spoon into serving bowls, and serve with milk and honey. Serves 4 SPICED RHUBARB BAKE 11 2 pounds fresh rhubarb, in 1-inch pieces 3 4 cup sugar (or less to taste) 1 cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves 1 teaspoon grated orange or lemon peel 1 4 cup butter or margarine 1 4 cup flour 1 3 cup sugar In crockpot, combine rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and grated peel. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Remove cinnamon and cloves. Spoon rhubarb into a shallow baking dish. Combine butter, flour, and sugar with fork or pastry blender; sprinkle over rhubarb. Bake in 400 F oven for about 20 minutes. 200