HUNGARIAN GOULASH

2 lb round steak, cut into bite-size cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
1 can (28-oz) tomatoes
1 cup sour cream
hot buttered noodles for serving

Place the steak cubes, onion, and garlic in the crock pot or slow cooker.  Stir in the flour, stirring to coat all the steak pieces.  Add the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, bay leaf, and tomatoes, including the juice.  Stir to blend well.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low heat for 8 to 10 hours.  May cook 5 to 6 hours on high heat, stirring occasionally.  30 minutes before serving, stir in the sour cream, mixing in thoroughly.  Serve over the hot buttered noodles.

OLD FASHION RICE PUDDING WITH RAISINS

2 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp soft butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 beaten eggs
3/4 cup raisins

Lightly grease or spray with nonstick cooking spray the inside of a crockpot or slow cooker.

In a mixing bowl thoroughly combine the rice with the remaining ingredients.  Pour the mixture into the prepared cooker.  Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting for 4 to 6 hours or on high setting for 1 to 2 hours.  Stir once or twice during the first 30 minutes of cooking to rice from clumping together.

SPARERIBS & SAUERKRAUT

3 - 4 lbs lean pork spareribs, cut into serving-size pieces
salt to your taste
pepper to your taste
2 cans sauerkraut
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, quartered, cored, sliced
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 cup water
1 tsp salt, optional

Sprinkle the salt and pepper to taste on the spareribs and brown ribs in a heavy skillet or the broiler.  Layer half of each of the following; ribs, sauerkraut, onion, and apple.  Repeat with the remaining half.
Add the caraway seeds to the water with additional salt, if using, and pour over the layers.  Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high for about 4 hours.

PORK STROGANOFF

1 1/2 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cubed 

1 tbsp canola oil 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1 cup water 

1 can (3-oz) mushrooms stems and pieces, drained 

1 tbsp instant beef bouillon granules 

1 tsp dillweed 

1/8 tsp pepper 

1/2 cup dairy sour cream 

1/4 cup cooking white wine, optional 

3 tbsp flour 

Hot cooked noodles for 6 servings. 

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet and brown the pork cubes with the garlic and onion; drain. Transfer the meat mixture to the cooker. In a small bowl combine the water, mushrooms, bouillon, dillweed, and pepper; pour over the meat in the cooker. Add lid to the cooker and cook on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Turn cooker heat to high and heat until bubbly, about 15 or 20 minutes. Blend the sour cream, wine-if using, and the flour together until smooth. Stir sour cream mixture into the cooker and cook about another 15 minutes until heated through and slightly thickened. To serve, place stroganoff over the hot cooked noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

file photo for reference

file photo

CHOCOLATE -PEANUT BUTTER FONDUE

1 pkg (12-oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (13-oz)evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup chunky peanut butter
Bananas, Apples, Pears, or Marshmallows for dipping

In cooker combine the chocolate chips, evaporated milk, sugar and peanut butter. Cover and cook on high setting for 30 minutes; stir well to blend.

Serve at once or reduce the heat setting to low or keep warm for 1 to 2 hours. Keep covered and stir occasionally during keep warm time. Dip the "dipper" of your choice into the fondue and swirl to coat.

Yield: 8 servings

HAMBURGER-PEPPERONI CROCKPOT PIZZA

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 lb rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 small pkg sliced pepperoni
10-oz mozzarella cheese
10-oz pkg cheddar cheese
2 cans (8-oz each) pizza sauce

Brown the ground beef with the onion, salt, and pepper until no longer pink; drain. In the crockpot (or slowcooker) put half the ground beef/onion mixture. Top with half the rigatoni, half the bell pepper, half the mushrooms, and half the pepperoni. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the pepperoni and pour 1 can of the pizza sauce over all.

Repeat layer with the remaining ground beef/onion mixture, remaining rigatoni, bell pepper, mushrooms then the sauce, remaining pepperoni and end with the mozzarella cheese.

Cook on low heat in the crockpot for at least 3 hours up to 5 hours or until the cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired, when serving.

MARINATED POT ROAST DINNER

1 approximately 3 lb beef chuck roast
MARINADE:
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup wine vinegar
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp pepper

Trim excess fat from the roast. Cut roast if necessary to fit into the slow cooker or crockpot. Place the meat in a large zippered plastic bag sitting in a bowl.

For the marinade, stir together the tomato juice, vinegar, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, sugar, basil, thyme, and pepper. Pour the marinade over the meat in the bag. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning twice.

6 small onions, halved
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Place the onions and carrots in the bottom of the cooker. Place the meat over the vegetables and add the marinade. Add lid to the cooker and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Before serving, remove the roast and vegetables from the cooker. Skim excess fat from the liquid in the cooker. Measure 2 cups of the cooking liquid and pour into a saucepan. Return the meat and vegetables to cooker and cover to keep warm.

Blend the cold water slowly into the flour until smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the cooking liquid in the saucepan. Cook while stirring until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Place the meat on a warm serving platter and top with the vegetables. Pour some of the gravy over all. Set the remaining gravy on table and pass as needed.

Yield: 6 servings

CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

10 large apples
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 to 1 cup sugar (depends on natural sweetness of the apples)*

Peel, core, and slice apples. Place the apples into crock pot along with the water, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir gently to combine. Cover the cooker and cook on low overnight all all day 8 to 10 hours). Delicious served warm or can be kept in the refrigerator in a sealed container for around a week.

*Make this a diabetic applesauce by substituting Splenda granular for the sugar. You probably won't need a full cup.

OLD-FASHION CROCKPOT BEEF STEW

3 carrots, cut into chunks
3 potatoes, quartered
2 lb beef chuck or stew meat in 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
3 yellow onions, quartered
1 stalk celery, cut up

Put the ingredients into the crockpot in the order listed above. Stir just enough to mix in the spices. Place lid on crockpot and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

CROCKPOT 5 BEAN BAKE

1 large onion, chopped
6 bacon slices, cut into small pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (16-oz) lima beans, drained
1 can (16-oz) pork and beans (with the sauce)
1 can (1 lb) red kidney beans, drained
1 can (1 lb) butter beans, drained
1 can (1 lb) garbanzo beans, drained
3/4 cup catsup
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Cook bacon and onion together in a skillet until bacon is done and onion is crisp tender. Drain the mixture well.

In a big mixing bowl, combine the onion and bacon mixture with the catsup, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and all 5 types of beans stirring to mix well. Pour the mixture into a 3 1/2 to 4-quart crockpot, add the lid and cook beans on low for 10 to 12 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours

Serves 12 to 15.

file photo for reference

ROUND STEAK WITH ONION

2 lb beef round steak about 3/4-inch thick
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
couple dashes black pepper
2 tbsp canola oil
1 medium to large yellow onion, sliced
1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/3 cup cold water
3 tbsp flour

Trim any excess fat from the round steak and cut steak into 6 equal portions. Coat meat in the 1/4 cup of flour; pound gently with a meat mallet. Sprinkle the meat with the salt and pepper.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, on both sides, in the skillet. Remove meat from the skillet and place in slow cooker or crockpot. Discard the drippings from skillet, reserving about a tablespoonful.

Cook the onion in the reserved drippings in the skillet; stir in the celery soup, oregano, and thyme to blend well. Pour the soup mixture over the meat in the cooker. Place the cover on the cooker and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

Measure out 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid and place into a saucepan. Blend the cold water slowly into the 3 tablespoons of flour; stir into liquid. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly. Season, if needed. Serve over the steak pieces.