The Budget Chef
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Entertaining with a Slow-Cooker
Entertaining with a Slow-Cooker
by Patricia Mendez
Copyright 2009
Entertaining with a slow-cooker (or crock pot) is a timesaver for hosts with very busy lives. Assemble the ingredients in the morning, turn the heat on low and within hours, your slow-cooker will reward you with the tempting aroma of delicious fare just waiting for you to enjoy.
When cooking for a crowd, these recipes will satisfy and nurture your guests with welcome and comfort. Try serving the Savory Fork-Tender Beef Stew and Chocolate Cherry Cream Cheese Cake to your guests for an informal dinner party or for a birthday.
Slow-cooker tips:
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Using a slow-cooker is easy on your budget. Since meat is cooked on low over many hours, you may purchase inexpensive cuts and still have the same tender results as pricier types of meat.
Using a slow-cooker is easy on your budget. Since meat is cooked on low over many hours, you may purchase inexpensive cuts and still have the same tender results as pricier types of meat.•You use less liquid when using a slow-cooker. When cooking on low, the liquid won’t boil away, so the food will be moist and delicious.
You use less liquid when using a slow-cooker. When cooking on low, the liquid won’t boil away, so the food will be moist and delicious.•Slow-cookers are eco-friendly because they use very little electricity. And they don’t heat the kitchen as an oven does; a benefit in hot months!
Slow-cookers are eco-friendly because they use very little electricity. And they don’t heat the kitchen as an oven does; a benefit in hot months!•You may chop all of the ingredients the night before and keep in the fridge in airtight containers to save time in the morning.
You may chop all of the ingredients the night before and keep in the fridge in airtight containers to save time in the morning.•Pre-browning the meat is optional. It gives color to the meat and enhances the stew’s presentation, but is not necessary for flavor. You may elect to simply throw all your ingredients in the slow-cooker and omit the pre-browning stage if you are short on time.
Pre-browning the meat is optional. It gives color to the meat and enhances the stew’s presentation, but is not necessary for flavor. You may elect to simply throw all your ingredients in the slow-cooker and omit the pre-browning stage if you are short on time.Savory Fork-Tender Beef Stew
Serves 8
2 lbs. beef stew meat, trimmed of fat, cut into 1” cubes
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
10 small red potatoes, halved
3 large carrots, peeled & chopped into 1” pieces
8-10 small white onions, peeled or 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into 1” pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped into ½” pieces
2 cups beef broth, purchased
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped or ½ teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped or ½ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish
To pre-brown meat, heat large skillet to medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Combine flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Dredge half of beef stew meat in flour mixture and brown in hot oil, turning as needed, about 3-4 minutes total. Pour stew meal into slow cooker and add about ¼ cup beef broth into pan and scrape to remove brown bits and add to slow cooker. This is called de-glazing the pan. Repeat with remaining oil and stew meat. De-glaze and add to slow cooker.
Place potatoes, carrots, onions and celery in slow-cooker. Add remaining broth, oregano, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper and pour into slow-cooker. Cook on LOW for 9-10 hours.
Twenty minutes before serving, mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and stir into stew. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes until stew is thickened. Sprinkle fresh parsley over stew before serving.
Chocolate Cherry Cream Cheese Cake
1 package (18-19 ounces) chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients needed on package
1 (8 ounce) package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can cherry pie filling
Pre-heat oven and spray 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray and dust with cocoa. Prepare cake mix according to package directions and pour into sheet pan. In small bowl, mix cream cheese, egg, and sugar, salt and chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls on cake and bake according to package directions. Cool and top with cherry pie filling.
Patricia is the author of the book, Easy Entertaining for Beginners. The book is an award-winning finalist in the cookbook: general category of the National Best Books 2008 Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.
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