86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 4, 1995
Crockpot Specialties
Coming home on a cold winter’s
evening to the inviting smells of
beef stew simmering in a crockpot
is a welcoming feeling.
Crackpots or slow cookers are
great for providing hot meals on a
busy day. The Penn State Coopera
tive Extension warns that it is
important to keep safety in mind
when using a slow cooker or
crockpot.
Because the heat is direct and is
combined with steam within a
tightly-covered container, the slow
cooker does a better job killing
disease-causing microbes than
does long-time, low-temperature
cooking in a conventional oven.
Still, precautions must be taken to
avoid holding foods in the bacter
ial danger zone (40- to 140-degtee
s) too long.
To maximize the safety of the
slow cooker:
• Thaw meat or poultry in the
refrigerator or microwave oven
before placing in the slow cooker.
If placed in the slow cooker while
still frozen, meat may remain in
the danger zone more than three
hours.
• Keep perishable foods
refrigerated until preparation time.
If you cut up meats and vegetables
in advance, store them separately
in the refrigerator.
• Choose recipes with high
moisture content for preparation in
your slow cooker. Examples aire
chili, soup, stew and spaghetti
sauce. Cut food in chunks or small
pieces to ensure thorough cooking.
It’s best not to use the slow cooker
for large pieces such as roasts or
whole chickens because the food
will cook so slowly that it could
remain in the bacterial danger zone
too long.
• Fill the slow cooker no more
than two-thirds full. Heat may not
adequately penetrate to all parts of
the food if the container is too full.
• Keep the lid on securely. Since
considerable heat is lost when the
cover is lifted, remove the lid only
to stir food or check for doneness.
• If possible, set the cooker on
the highest setting fro the first hour
or cooking. This will speed up the
heating process. Then, set the con
trol as directed in the recipe. If pre
preparation time is limited, it’s
safe to cook foods on low for the
entire time if the the food being
cooked has a high moisture content
and the slow cooker will heat water
on the low setting to 140 degrees in
two hours or less.
• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.
Reheat on the range or in a micro
Recipe Topics
If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please
share them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that
you include accurate measurements, a complete list of
ingredients and clear instructions with each recipe you sub
mit. Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farm
ing, P.O. Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should
reach our office one week before publishing date.
March 11- Muffin Favorites
18- Barley & Other Grains
25- Lentils, Dried Beans
April 1- Recipes Using Nuts
wave oven, not in the slow heat of a
slow cooker.
• If using a slow cooker to keep
food warm for a party or buffet,
bring the food to a boil on the range
and use the slow cooker to keep it
hot
DINNER IN A CROCK-POT
2 pounds ground turkey or beef
1 tablespoon cooking oil
14 cup onion, chopped fine
3 pints cut green beans
2 cups raw potatoes, sliced
% -inch thick
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 teaspoon salt
Brown meat in oil. Put one can
of soup in bottom of 4 or S-quart
crock-pot. Add about one-third
meat, one-third onion, one-third
potatoes, and one-third beans. Add
one can soup. Repeat layers and
top each with one can soup. Cover
and cook on high 4 hours or low 8
hours.
Note: Do not dilute soup. To
keep potatoes from becoming dis
colored while cooking slowly, first
toss them in solution of one-half
teaspoon cream of tartar and 1 cup
water. Drain and add to other
ingredients.
SLOPPY JOES
3 pounds ground chuck or
hamburger
1 to 2 onions, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and
chopped, .optional
2 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
V, cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
14 teaspoon pepper
'/ teaspoon garlic powder
Brown ground meat in skillet;
pour into colander and rinse well.
Put into crock-pot. Add remaining
ingredients. Stir thoroughly. Cov
er and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or
on high for 3 to 4 hours.
Pam Zebley
Northeast, Md.
BARBECUE MEATS
Place uncooked, seasoned, and
cut-up chicken, ham, pork chops or
rabbit in a crockpot. Pour a little
barbecue sauce on each piece. Add
no water. Cover and cook on low 8
to 10hoursorhighfor4to6hours.
For added flavor, put cooked
meat in broiler pan; pour remain
ing sauce and drippings over top.
Place under broiler for 5 to 10
minutes.
Pam Zebley
Northeast, Md.
Stews taste great when slow-cooked in a crock-pot. Try to adapt your favorite stew
by following directions for a crock-pot recipe but adapting the seasonings and Ingre
dients to fit your favorite taste.
COUNTRY CHICKEN SOUP
2 onions, chopped
2 to 3 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 teaspoons salt
'/ teaspoon pepper
'A teaspoon basil
'A teaspoon leaf thyme
3 tablespoons dry parsley flakes
10-ounce package frozen peas,
optional
2'A pound whole fryer
4 cups water
1 cup noodles
Place all ingredients in crockpot
except noodles in order listed.
Cover and cook on low 8 to 10
hours or high for 4 to 6 hours. One
hour before serving, remove
chicken and cool slightly. Remove
meat from bones and return to
crockpot Add noodles. Turn to
high. Cover and cook one hour.
Pam Zebley
Northeast, Md.
BAKED HAM IN FOIL
Pour 'A cup water in crockpot.
Wrap precooked 3 to 4 pound ham
in foil; place in crockpot. Cover
and cook on high one hour, then
low 6 to 7 hours or until ham is hot
If desired, sprinkle ham with liquid
smoke before wrapping in foil.
Pam Zebley
Northeast, Md.
(Turn to Page B 7)
Featured Recipe
Thanks to tender American lamb and convenience food, Irish stew
has just joined the list of quick and easy meals for today’s easy cooks.
Stews taste great and are good for us but trying to And the time to
code a hearty stew is a challenge.
There are many shortcuts to make stew easy to prepare cand cut
cooking and preparation time. Use prepared gravy for thickening. Sub
stitute frozen stew vegetables for the potatoes, carrots, and celery,
which will shorten preparation time.
The flavor of the stew will get better each time it is reheated. Make
your lamb stew ahead, store in the refrigerator and quickly reheat to
receive raves from your family and friends.
QUICK AND EASY LAMB STEW
1 pound lean American lamb, cubed
Non-stick spray coating
2 medium onions, cut in wedges
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon prepared or brown mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram, or rosemary,
crushed
IS ounces stewed tomatoes, undrained
3 or 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, cut in A -inch slices
2 stalks celery, cut in '/> -inch slices
VA cups small fresh mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
12-ounce jar brown gravy
Spray a large saucepan or kettle with non-stick spray. Brown lamb
cubes and add onion, garlic, horseradish, and herb; mix well. Stir in
tomatoes, cover and simmer IS minutes.
Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Cover and cook 15 to
20 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Stir in peas and
gravy; heat through.
Serve with a crisp green salad and warm comtoead.