Party Nuts

Party Nuts

Cooker: medium round or oval

Settings: high for 15 min, then low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours

4 c. (1 lb.) pecan halves

3 T. unsalted butter, melted

1 T. dried rosemary, crumbled

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

2-3 t. fine sea salt, to your taste.

Stir to coat leave high for 15 then low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Add salt when done. You get the idea, try whatever spices and nuts you like!

Ginger Ale!

Homemade Ginger Ale (12, 12oz. servings)

1 1/2 pounds fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped or thinly sliced (by hand or food processor) to make 2 c.

2 c. sugar

Four 2” strips lemon zest, removed with vegetable peeler

2 c. water

Seltzer, club soda, sparkling water.

Combine ginger through water on low 5-6 hours.  Cool to room temp and strain.  This syrup will keep refrigerated for 1 week, frozen longer.  To serve put ice in 12-oz. glass then add 1/4 c. syrup and fill to top with selzer.   

Slow cooker Vegetarian Black Bean Soup

Slow cooker Vegetarian  Black Bean Soup

Editors’ Choice Cookbook Collection.  From The Best Make-Ahead Recipe.

Serves 6 to 8.  

Serve this soup with minced red onion, sour cream, and hot sauce, if desired. If the soup becomes too thick as it sits, thin to the desired consistency with either water or broth.

PREP-AHEAD TRIPS: You can store the following ingredients together:
1. Cook the vegetables as described in step 1, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerator.
2. Pick over and rinse the black beans and refrigerate.

INGREDIENTS

2	tablespoons vegetable oil
3	medium onions , minced
3	celery ribs , chopped medium
2	medium carrots , chopped medium
6	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
5	teaspoons ground cumin
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
	Salt
6	cups vegetable broth
1	pound dried black beans (about 2 1/4 cups), picked over and rinsed
2	bay leaves
2	tablespoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/4	cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
	Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, cumin, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. 2. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker insert and stir in the water, broth, black beans, chipotle chiles, and bay leaves until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the soup has thickened and the beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 6 to 7 hours.)
3. 3. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Meanwhile, puree 2 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth, then stir back into the slow cooker insert. Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

SLOW-COOKER CURRIED CHICKPEA STEW

SLOW-COOKER CURRIED CHICKPEA STEW

Serves 6 to 8.   From The Best Make-Ahead Recipe.

This vegetarian stew is great served on its own, but it’s also nice served over rice or couscous. Garnish with plain yogurt.

PREP-AHEAD TIPS: Store the following ingredients separately:
1. Cook the onion and tomato mixture as described in step 1, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
2. Prep the carrots and refrigerate (you can store them with the onion-tomato mixture).
3. Pick over, rinse, and soak the chickpeas (drain before cooking).
4. Let the cauliflower and peas thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

2	tablespoons vegetable oil
3	medium onions , minced
8	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 8 teaspoons)
2	tablespoons curry powder
	Salt
1	(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
6	cups vegetable broth
1	pound carrots , cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2	pound dried chickpeas (1 cup), picked over, rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained
1	pound frozen cauliflower florets , thawed
2	cups frozen peas , thawed
1/4	cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
	Ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the onions, garlic, curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits.
2. 2. Transfer the onion and tomato mixture to the slow cooker insert and stir in the broth, carrots, and chickpeas until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the chickpeas are tender, 10 to 12 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours.)
3. 3. Puree 2 cups of the stew in a blender until smooth, then stir back into the slow cooker insert. Stir in the cauliflower and peas. Turn the slow cooker to high, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is tender and heated through, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

SLOW-COOKER TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SOUP

Serves 6 to 8.   From The Best Make-Ahead Recipe.

For a more authentic soup, place a small slice of lightly toasted Italian bread in the bottom of each bowl and ladle the soup over it. If you can’t find pancetta, substitute 6 ounces bacon, finely minced.

PREP-AHEAD TIPS: Store the following ingredients separately:
1. Cook the pancetta and onion mixture as described in step 1, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
2. Pick over, rinse, and soak the cannellini beans (drain before cooking).

2	tablespoons vegetable oil
6	ounces pancetta , minced
3	medium onions , minced
8	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 8 teaspoons)
	Salt
3	cups water
3	cups low-sodium chicken broth
1	pound dried cannellini beans (2 1/4 cups), picked over, rinsed, soaked overnight, and drained
1	Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
2	bay leaves
1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	sprig fresh rosemary
	Ground black pepper
	Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)
	Extra-virgin olive oil (for serving, optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the pancetta and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onions, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the onions are softened and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. 2. Transfer the pancetta and onion mixture to the slow cooker insert and stir in the water, broth, beans, Parmesan rind (if using), bay leaves, and pepper flakes until evenly combined. Cover and cook on low until the beans are tender, 10 to 12 hours. (Alternatively, cover and cook on high for 8 to 9 hours.)
3. 3. Add the rosemary sprig, cover, and continue to cook until lightly fragrant, about 15 minutes longer. Remove and discard the bay leaves, rosemary, and Parmesan rind (if using). Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, and serve, sprinkling individual portions with the Parmesan and olive oil (if desired).
4. ALTERNATIVE VEGAN:  Drop cheese and pancetta.  Add an onion, puree the cooked beans before beginning, add 2 c. chopped tomatoes, 8 leaves sage instead of Rosemary.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

With its sweet, earthy taste, butternut squash soup is a favorite for Thanksgiving. Here, Williams Sonoma prepares the soup in a slow cooker, which helps to deepen and meld the flavors. It also frees up valuable space on your stovetop. For added convenience, we use a stick blender to puree the soup directly in the slow cooker. 

A slow cooker is handy not just for Thanksgiving dinner but whenever you are entertaining and stovetop and oven space are at a premium. You can prepare a dish hours in advance, be it a soup, stew or braised meat, and let the food cook unattended. Then the cooker keeps the nished dish warm until serving time. This appliance is also ideal for cooking weeknight meals for the family.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
2. 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3. 4 cups butternut squash puree
4. 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and
     thinly sliced
5. 2 cups chicken stock
6. 2 small bay leaves
7. 3 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
8. 1/2 cup crème fraîche
9. 1/4 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
10. 1/4 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger (optional)
11. 8 baguette slices, each 1/2 inch thick,
      lightly brushed with olive oil and toasted
      until golden brown
12. Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer the onion to a slow cooker. Add the squash puree, apple, stock, bay leaves and the 3 tsp. salt to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 2 hours according to the manufacturers instructions. 

Remove the bay leaves and discard. Add the crème fraîche. Using a stick blender, puree the soup directly in the slow cooker until smooth. Stir in the coriander and ginger. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls, garnish each with a toasted baguette slice, andseason the slices with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

BBQ Beans

Slow Cooked Barbecued Baked Beans
From Art of the Slow Cooker: 80 Exciting New Recipes by Andrew Schloss, published by Chronicle Books
Makes 8 servings

1 pound (2 cups) dried beans, white, pinto, or mixed
1 pound smoked ham hock or turkey leg (opt)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 roasted red bell pepper, diced (bottled or homemade--see below, How to Roast a Pepper)
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup bottled spicy barbecue sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon spicy chili powder

Put the beans in a bowl, cover with at least 3 inches of water, and soak overnight. Or put the beans in a saucepan, cover with 3 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Cook at a boil for 3 minutes, remove from the heat, and let soak for 1 hour. Drain.

Place the smoked meat in a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker and pour the soaked beans on top.

Heat the oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté until barely tender, about 3 minutes.  Add the roasted pepper and broth, and bring to a boil.  Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce; pour and scrape into the slow cooker, and mix to coat the beans. Cover the cooker and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, until the beans are tender and the sauce is slightly thickened.

Remove the meat from the beans and set aside until cool enough o handle.  Turn the cooker to high, mix the chili powder and remaining 1/2 cup barbecue sauce in a small bowl, and stir into the beans. Remove the skin and bone from the meat, and break the meat into small pieces. Stir into the beans and cook for 10 minutes.

How to Roast a Pepper
Place the pepper directly onto the grate of a gas burner set on high, under a broiler set to the highest setting, or over a hot grill.  As the skin on one side of the pepper burns, turn it over, and continue this way until the skin is uniformly burnt.  Be careful to keep it moving so that the flesh under the skin doesn’t char.  Place the pepper in a paper bag or a bowl, close the bag or cover the bowl, and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel off the burnt skin with your fingers, and remove the stems and seeds before dicing.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

From Art of the Slow Cooker: 80 Exciting New Recipes by Andrew Schloss, published by Chronicle Books

Ingredients:
2 onions, cut into 1-inch dice
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 celery ribs, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
8 white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
4 large cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cups vegetable broth, divided
1 can (about 15 ounces) diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted, with their juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons couscous, preferably whole wheat

Directions:
1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the onions, carrots, celery, turnip, bell pepper, sweet potato, mushrooms, and garlic with olive oil on a large rimmed sheet pan. Spread out into an even layer and roast for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned at the edges.

2. Scrape the vegetables into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.  Pour 1 cup of the vegetable broth onto the sheet pan and scrape up any browned bits clinging to it; scrape into the cooker.  Add the remaining 5 cups broth, the diced tomatoes and their liquid, salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme, cover the cooker and cook for 2 to 3 hours on high, or 4 to 6 hours on low, until the flavors are blended.

3. Stir in the couscous and parsley and cook for 5 minutes more.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

From the book Art of the Slow Cooker by Andrew Schloss

Serves	6 to 8
Prep Time	10 minutes
Total Time	4 hours

Introduction

Forget your “same old, same old” lentil soup and take a deep breath. Can you smell the cumin, the coriander, the whiff of cinnamon? Open your eyes and take in the burnt-orange glow of turmeric burnished with tomatoes and sweet paprika. Lentil soups may come and go, but this concoction will stick in your memory, not just for its heady aromas and hearty texture, but also for its ease and versatility.

Unlike dried beans, red lentils don’t need to be soaked before they’re cooked. You can substitute 2 cups small dried white beans, soaked overnight, for the lentils. For a meaty soup, sauté 1 pound boneless, skinless dark chicken meat or leg of lamb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, until browned; add the onion and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Ingredients

	2	Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
	2	large onions, cut into medium dice (see Note)
	2	cloves garlic, minced
	2	tsp. ground coriander
	1	tsp. ground cumin, preferably ground from whole seeds toasted in a dry skillet
	1	tsp. ground turmeric
	½	tsp. sweet paprika
	¼	tsp. ground cinnamon
	1½	tsp. kosher salt
	½	tsp. ground black pepper
	7	cups vegetable broth (see Note)
	1	can (about 20 ounces) crushed tomatoes (see Note)
	2	cups dried red lentils, picked over, washed, and rinsed
	~	Pinch of red-pepper flakes
	~	Juice of 1 lemon (see Note)
	3	Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
	1	Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Steps

1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the broth and tomatoes and heat to boiling.
2. Pour the mixture into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the lentils, cover the cooker, and cook for 4 to 5 hours on high, or 8 to 10 hours on low, until the lentils are tender.
3. Stir in the pepper flakes, lemon juice, parsley, and cilantro, cover, and cook on high for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Notes

Culinate editor’s notes: If you don’t have a slow cooker, simply finish cooking the dish in the Dutch oven you start out using; the soup will be done much quicker, in about an hour or so.

One onion is plenty for this recipe. If you don’t have 7 cups vegetable broth, use 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth and 3 cups water (you can also use chicken stock, if you prefer). Since canned tomatoes come in standard sizes of 14 1/2 and 28 ounces, not 20 ounces, use a 14 1/2-ounce can. And if you don’t have a fresh lemon handy, sprinkle some red-wine vinegar into the soup just before serving.

Lasagna Bianco

Lasagna Bianco

serves 6

6 T. olive oil

4 large shallots, chopped

one 16-oz. jar prepared Alfredo Sauce

 1 c. LOW sodium chicken broth

1 c. (4 oz.) fresh grated Parmesan cheese

8 sheets no cook oven-ready lasagna noodles

12 oz. whole milk mozzarella cheese thinly sliced or cubed.

Heat oil and saute shallots until soft.  

In medium bowl, combine sauce, broth, shallots and 1/2 c. parmesan

Coat crock with olive oil.  Spread spoonful of sauce then break pasta sheets to layer. Cover layers with sauce and 1/4 of mozzarella.  Repeat 3 times.  End with remaining alfredo and sprinkle with rest of Parmesan.

Cover and cook on HIGH 3 1/2 to 4. Can leave on warm up to 1 hour.  Can also layer in steamed spinach or pesto if you like. 

3 Mushroom Risotto

Three-Mushroom Risotto

Serves 6-8

1/2 c. dried porcini mushrooms

1 c. hot water

3 T unsalted butter

1 T olive oil

1/2 c. chopped shallots or onion

2 c. short grain rice, such as Arborio

1/2 c. dry red wine

2 c Meat Broth or canned beef or vegetable broth

8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced

4 oz.  oyster mushrooms, sliced

S&P

3/4 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Place dried porcini in bowl with hot water, stand 30 min.  Lift out and squeeze, filter water if necessary and chop porcini.

In large skillet, melt 2 T of butter with oil over medium heat.  Add shallots or onion and cook, stirring until golden and tender, about 5 min.  Add rice, cook and stir 2 minutes, or until the rice is well coated.  Add wine and simmer until it evaporates.  Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker, add broth, porcini, soaking liquid, fresh mushrooms, and s&p to taste.  Cook on high for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.  If the rice seems dry, stir int a little warm water.  Stir in the remaining 1 T. butter and cheese.  Serve hot.

Thai Beef and Pasta Salad

Thai Beef and Pasta Salad 

fabulous and not as long as it looks!

Cooker: Large round or oval

Time: Low for 5-6 hours

Serves: 6

1 large white onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings

1 1/2 lb. flank steak, trimmed of excess fat and patted dry

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. low-sodium soy sauce

3 T. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 T. peeled and minced fresh ginger

1 t. toasted sesame oil

6 grinds black pepper

2x 9 oz. packages fresh linguine

1/4 c. rice wine vinegar

4 t. soy sauce

1 t. ginger juice (from grated, squeezed ginger)

1 t. toasted sesame oil

4 t. Thai sweet chili sauce

1/2 t. cayenne pepper

juice of 2 limes

14 fresh mint leaves, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1/4 c. cilantro, finely chopped

1 bunch water cress

1/4 c. chopped roasted salted peanuts

Spray inside of crock with nonstick and arrange onion slices on bottom.  Make fery shallow horizontal slits against the grain across the top of the steak, lay on onion.  

In small bowl, combine garlic through pepper.  Pour over steak, coating all surfaces.  Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Boil water, cut linguine into 6” pieces, cook 3-4 minutes until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Combine the vinegar through lime juice in a jar and sake.  Toss Pasta with mint, green onions, and cilantro, toss with dressing.  Sit or refrigerate until meat is done.  Let meat stand 10 minutes before cutting across the grain into 1/2” thick slices.  

Make a bed of water cress, top with noodles, sliced meats, sprinkle with nuts.