Slow-Cooker Favorites - Cooking Lightsubscription-assets.cookinglight.com/.../pdf/CK/slowcooker0914.pdf · Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili This hearty slow cooker pork chili with pinto beans

1. Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili

2. Sweet and Sour Chicken

3. Company Pot Roast

4. Thai Red Curry Beef

5. Butternut Squash-Parsnip Soup

6. Curried Lentil-Tomato Soup

7. Beef Burgundy with Egg Noodles

8. Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya

9. Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

10. Chicken Cacciatore

11. Plum Pork Tenderloin

12. Mediterranean Chicken

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Smoky Slow-Cooked ChiliThis hearty slow cooker pork chili with pinto beans gets its smoky flavor from the combination of chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomatillos, and Mexican-style hot tomato sauce.

Ingredients 1 pound ground pork 1 pound boneless pork shoulder, cut into ½-inch pieces 3 cups chopped onion 1¾ cups chopped green bell pepper 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup lager-style beer (such as Budweiser) 3 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 6 tomatillos, quartered 2 bay leaves 2 (14½-ounce) cans plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained 1 (7¾-ounce) can Mexican hot-style tomato sauce (such as El Paso) 1 smoked ham hock (about 8 ounces) 1½ tablespoons sugar ½ cup finely chopped cilantro ½ cup finely chopped green onions 2 ounces crumbled queso fresco (about ½ cup)

8 lime wedges

Preparation1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add ground pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to slightly crumble. Drain well. Transfer pork to an electric slow cooker.

2. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add pork shoulder; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning occasionally. Transfer pork to slow cooker.

3. Recoat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper; sauté 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in beer; cook 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Add chili powder, and next 9 ingredients (through ham hock) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 hours or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves and ham hock; discard. Stir in sugar. Ladle about 1⅓ cups chili into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon cilantro, 1 tablespoon green onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Serve each serving with 1 lime wedge.

Note: You can also cook the chili in a slow cooker on LOW for 8 hours. For cooking chili on the stovetop, use a total of 12 ounces beer and simmer, covered, for 2½ to 3 hours or until the pork shoulder is tender.

Note: Pork shoulder is usually sold in weights greater than a pound. Ask your butcher to trim off the amount you need, or look for pork shoulder steaks. Serve with corn bread.

SERVES 8CALORIES 357; FAT 14.4g (sat 5.2g, mono 5.6g, poly 2g); PROTEIN 27.7g; CARB 27.7g; FIBER 6.8g; CHOL 84mg; IRON 3.4mg; SODIUM 594mg; CALC 113mg

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1

Sweet and Sour Chicken The grated fresh ginger in this classic Chinese recipe makes the chicken extra sweet.

Ingredients 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium) ¹⁄³ cup sugar ¹⁄³ cup ketchup ¼ cup orange juice 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 (8-ounce) cans pineapple chunks in juice, drained 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 3 cups hot cooked white rice

Preparation1. Combine first 12 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Serve over rice.

Note: To grate ginger quickly, we recommend using a Microplane grater. It’s a kitchen must-have.

SERVES 6 (serving size: ²⁄3 cup chicken mixture and ½ cup rice)CALORIES 332; FAT 3.4g (sat 0.9g, mono 1g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 18.4g; CARB 57g; FIBER 1.8g; CHOL 63mg; IRON 2.3mg; SODIUM 348mg; CALC 38mg


2

Company Pot Roast You may substitute dried shiitake mushrooms for the morels in this pot roast dish. Leftover meat and gravy make great hot roast beef sandwiches the next day.

Ingredients 1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut in half ¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup beef broth 1 (.35-ounce) package dried morels 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper 3 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste 2 medium onions (about ¾ pound), quartered 1 (16-ounce) package carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces 16 small red potatoes (about 2 pounds), halved 1 tablespoon canola oil 1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons water Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation1. Combine roast, soy sauce, and garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator at least 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.

2. Bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan; add mushrooms. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms through a cheesecloth-lined colander over a bowl, reserving broth mixture.

3. Remove roast from bag, reserving marinade. Sprinkle roast with pepper, gently pressing pepper into roast. Combine reserved marinade, mushroom broth mixture, and tomato paste; stir well, and set aside.

4. Place mushrooms, onion, carrot and potato in a 6-quart electric slow cooker; toss gently.

5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast, browning well on all sides. Place roast over vegetables in slow cooker. Pour tomato paste mixture into pan, scraping to loosen browned bits. Pour tomato paste mixture over roast and vegetables. Cover with lid; cook on high-heat setting 1 hour. Reduce to low-heat setting, and cook 8 hours or until roast is tender. Place roast and vegetables on a serving platter; keep warm. Reserve liquid in slow cooker; increase to high-heat setting.

6. Place flour in a small bowl. Gradually add water, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add flour mixture to liquid in slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring frequently. Serve gravy with roast and vegetables.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 3 ounces roast, 1 onion wedge, about 3 carrot pieces, 4 potato halves, and about ¼ cup gravy)CALORIES 318; FAT 6.8g (sat 1.6g, mono 2.7g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 30.5g; CARB 33.1g; FIBER 5.2g; CHOL 40mg; IRON 3.9mg; SODIUM 552mg; CALC 70mg


3

Thai Red Curry Beef Jalapeño seeds add a slight kick to this Thai beef dish. If you want to decrease the heat, seed the jalapeño before mincing.

Ingredients 2 pounds lean beef stew meat ¹⁄8 teaspoon salt 2 cups finely chopped onion (1 onion) 4 garlic cloves, minced ¾ cup lower-sodium beef broth 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar 3 tablespoons red curry paste 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves 4 cups hot cooked jasmine rice ½ cup fresh basil leaves

Preparation1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Drain. Place beef in a 4-quart electric slow cooker; sprinkle with salt.

2. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Spoon onion mixture over beef. Combine beef broth and next 6 ingredients (through jalapeño); pour over beef. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

3. Stir in spinach. Cover and cook on LOW for 15 minutes or just un-til spinach wilts. Serve beef mixture over rice; sprinkle with basil leaves.

SERVES 8 (serving size: about ¾ cup beef mixture, ½ cup rice, and 1 tablespoon basil)CALORIES 245; FAT 5.5g (sat 2.3g, mono 2g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 27.4g; CARB 20g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 50mg; IRON 2.8mg; SODIUM 624mg; CALC 42mg


4

Butternut Squash-Parsnip Soup This soup is simple, savory, and extremely soothing on a cold winter night. To serve twelve to sixteen, make two batches of soup instead of doubling the recipe.

Ingredients 2 cups chopped sweet onion (1 large) 2 cups chopped parsnip (3 large) 1½ cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 large) ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 cups water 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 3 (12-ounce) packages frozen butternut squash, thawed 2 tablespoons whipping cream ¹⁄8 teaspoon paprika ¹⁄8 teaspoon ground cumin ½ cup light sour cream (optional) 8 teaspoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

Preparation1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

2. Place one-fourth of squash mixture in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Stir in whipping cream, paprika, and cumin. Ladle soup into bowls; top each serving with sour cream and chives, if desired.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1½ cups soup)CALORIES 132; FAT 1.5g (sat 0.8g, mono 0.4g, poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 3.7g; CARB 29.7g; FIBER 4g; CHOL 4mg; IRON 1.4mg; SODIUM 228mg; CALC 60mg


5

Curried Lentil-Tomato Soup If it’s buried under bacon, then you know it’s got to be good. This is a yummy comfort food perfect for the winter months and appropriate for all members of your family.

Ingredients 4 center-cut bacon slices 1½ cups chopped sweet onion (1 onion) 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 1 cup dried lentils ½ cup chopped carrot ½ cup chopped celery 2 teaspoons curry powder ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained ½ cup half-and-half 2 tablespoons dry sherry

Preparation1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add onion and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 3 minutes. Transfer onion mixture to a 4-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in broth and next 7 ingredients (through tomatoes). Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

2. Stir in half-and-half and sherry. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

SERVES 6 (serving size: about 1 cup soup and 2 teaspoons bacon)CALORIES 218; FAT 3.7g (sat 1.9g, mono 1.2g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 13.5g; CARB 32.8g; FIBER 10.6g; CHOL 11mg; IRON 5mg; SODIUM 445mg; CALC 102mg


6

Beef Burgundy with Egg Noodles For the red wine, try a Chianti or zinfandel. The beef mixture tastes even better after it's been refrigerated a day or two, and then reheated.

Ingredients 2 pounds lean beef stew meat 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (about 1 ¾ ounces) 2 cups (1-inch-thick) slices carrot 1 (16-ounce) package frozen pearl onions, thawed 1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, stems removed 2 garlic cloves, minced ¾ cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth ½ cup dry red wine ¼ cup tomato paste 1½ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon dried rosemary ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces uncooked egg noodles ¼ cup chopped fresh thyme

Preparation1. Place beef in a large bowl; sprinkle with flour, tossing well to coat. Place beef mixture, carrot, onions, mushrooms, and garlic in an electric slow cooker. Combine beef broth and next 6 ingredients (through pepper); stir into beef mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Serve beef mixture over noodles; sprinkle with thyme.

SERVES 8 (serving size: about 1¼ cups beef mixture, ½ cup egg noodles, and 1½ teaspoons thyme) CALORIES 357; FAT 9.3g (sat 3.3g, mono 3.8g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 28.4g; CARB 38.9g; FIBER 2.5g; CHOL 94mg; IRON 4.7mg; SODIUM 637mg; CALC 53mg


7

Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya Get ready to serve a crowd! Baguette pieces continue the French-Cajun theme.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cups chopped onion 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 cup chopped celery 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 ounces turkey kielbasa, halved and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices 2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning ½ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (optional) 2 (14 ½-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with onion and

green peppers, undrained 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 2 (3 ½ ounce) bags boil-in-bag long-grain rice 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon hot sauce Fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Preparation1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place chicken in an electric slow cooker.

2. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add onion mixture, turkey kielbasa, and next 5 ingredients (through chicken broth) to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.

3. Cook rice according to package directions. Add cooked rice and remaining ingredients except parsley garnish to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 15 minutes or until shrimp are done. Garnish with parsley leaves, if desired.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 ¼ cups)CALORIES 373; FAT 6.4g (sat 1.4g, mono 2.4g, poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 39.7g; CARB 37.1g; FIBER 3.9g; CHOL 158mg; IRON 5.6mg; SODIUM 660mg; CALC 117mg


8

Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili This soup has a mild chile flavor. If you want more heat, increase the amount of chili powder and don't seed the jalapeños.

Ingredients 1¾ cups organic vegetable broth 1 cup chopped onion ¼ cup chopped seeded jalapeño pepper (2 peppers) 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon salt 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained ½ cup reduced-fat sour cream 2 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers

(about ½ cup) ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation1. Combine first 12 ingredients in a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

2. Ladle soup into bowls; top with sour cream, cheese, and cilantro.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 cup soup, 1 tablespoon sour cream, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1½ teaspoons cilantro)CALORIES 197; FAT 3.8g (sat 2.3g, mono 1.1g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 11.2g; CARB 28.9g; FIBER 8.9g; CHOL 8mg; IRON 2.8mg; SODIUM 591mg; CALC 129mg


9

Chicken Cacciatore The Italian word cacciatore translates to hunter in English, referring to a dish prepared with tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions — hunter-style.

Ingredients 8 bone-in chicken thighs (2¼ pounds), skinned 8 bone-in chicken drumsticks (1¾ pounds), skinned ½ teaspoon salt, divided ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Cooking spray 1 (8-ounce) package mushrooms, quartered 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 large onion, sliced 1 green bell pepper, vertically sliced 1 red bell pepper, vertically sliced ½ cup dry white wine 1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about ¹⁄3 cup) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped 4 cups hot cooked fettuccine Chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Preparation1. Sprinkle chicken with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place chicken in a 5-quart electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Place mushrooms on top of chicken.

2. Add garlic, onion, and bell peppers to pan; sprinkle vegetables with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring often. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Cook 1 minute. Stir in flour. Stir in oregano, thyme, and tomatoes.

3. Pour tomato mixture over mushrooms in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours or until chicken is very tender. Serve over fettuccine. Sprinkle with additional thyme, if desired.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 1 thigh and 1 drumstick, about 1 cup vegetable mixture, and ½ cup pasta)CALORIES 361; FAT 7.6g (sat 1.7g, mono 2.9g, poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 32.5g; CARB 35.6g; FIBER 3.4g; CHOL 106mg; IRON 3.5mg; SODIUM 476mg; CALC 59mg


10

Plum Pork Tenderloin Serve with jasmine rice to help soak up some of the sauce. Snow peas make a great side dish for rounding out your meal.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon ground allspice 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed Cooking spray 1 (9.3-ounce) jar plum sauce ½ cup water 2 plums, each cut into 6 wedges

Preparation1. Combine cinnamon and allspice; rub over pork. Place pork in a 5-quart electric slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Pour plum sauce over pork; add ½ cup water and plum wedges. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or until tender. Serve pork with sauce.

Ingredient Tip: Ripe plums yield slightly to the touch, but don't squeeze them. Let the fruit sit in your palm. It should give a little. If you buy firm fruit, don't put it in the refrigerator or the kitchen window — put it in a paper bag in a dark place for a day or two to ripen.

SERVES 8 (serving size: 3 ounces pork and ½ cup sauce)CALORIES 199; FAT 2.9g (sat 0.8g, mono 1g, poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 24.3g; CARB 17.6g; FIBER 1.3g; CHOL 74mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 238mg; CALC 23mg


11

Mediterranean Chicken Capturing the simplicity found in sun-drenched Mediterranean cuisine, these braised chicken thighs melt under the influence of bright, vibrant lemon, briny olives and capers, and juicy plum tomatoes. Serve with rosemary mashed potatoes or over hot basmati rice.

Ingredients 1 small lemon 1¾ cups coarsely chopped onion ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved (12 olives) 2 tablespoons drained capers 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely

chopped 12 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds), skinned ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil Chopped fresh rosemary (optional) Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation1. Grate rind and squeeze juice from lemon to measure 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon, respectively. Place lemon rind in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Combine lemon juice, onion, and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes) in a 5-quart electric slow cooker.

2. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Place half of chicken in pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place chicken in slow cooker. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or until chicken is done.

3. Place chicken thighs on plates. Stir reserved lemon rind into sauce. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with rosemary and parsley, if desired.

Flavor Tip: Piquant, sharp, and tangy are just a few words to describe capers. Use capers sparingly to infuse sauces, salads, pizzas, dressings, and pasta or vegetable dishes with flavor.

SERVES 6 (serving size: 2 chicken thighs and ½ cup sauce)CALORIES 220; FAT 8.9g (sat 1.8g, mono 4.4g, poly 1.7g); PROTEIN 26.5g; CARB 7.2g; FIBER 1.4g; CHOL 107mg; IRON 1.8mg; SODIUM 387mg; CALC 35mg


12

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Slow-Cooker Favorites - Cooking Lightsubscription-assets.cookinglight.com/.../pdf/CK/slowcooker0914.pdf · Smoky Slow-Cooked Chili This hearty slow cooker pork chili with pinto beans