This hearty chowder cooks conveniently in a slow cooker so I can spend more time fishing and less in the kitchen. Adding fresh taste and lively color to the rich cheesy broth is broccoli. -Linda Kesselring, Corning, New York
Kidney beans, baked beans and butter beans are combined with ground beef, bacon and onion in this hearty meal. You can also put the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook for about 8 hours on low.
Inexpensive veal shanks become a succulent meal in the slow cooker. Even if you aren't an anchovy lover, don't omit the anchovy paste--it adds immeasurably to the flavor. Use the remaining broth mixture in soups and stews.
It took all summer to grow your tomatoes, now use a slow cooker to make them into a versatile tomato sauce flavored with sauteed onion, garlic and bell pepper, and seasoned with oregano, basil, parsley, sugar and tomato paste.
Whatever you call this all-American, family-pleasing hot dish -- American goulash, beefy mac, American chop suey, Johnny Marzetti, or anything else -- it's an easy stove-top version of the classic. You can also make it in the slow cooker -- see the notes.
Brisket is rubbed with spices and liquid smoke and then cooked in a slow cooker with barbeque sauce until tender and juicy. This calls for just enough barbecue sauce for that smoky flavor while still allowing the flavor of the meat to come through.
This is an amazing shredded pork recipe similar to what you would eat in a rice bowl (or in an enchilada) at a Mexican restaurant. It is easy to prepare and simmers in a slow cooker all day, ready to enjoy when you arrive home. I serve it over rice (laced with lime juice and fresh cilantro), Cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, and a dollop of sour cream. Amazing!
You'll find many uses for this versatile pasta sauce. Let tomatoes, garlic, sugar, parsley, garlic powder, oregano and basil go for a nice, slow simmer with zesty jolt of flavor from capers and crushed red pepper.
Sweet red bell peppers are sauteed with garlic and spicy cayenne pepper, then simmered with sour cream and chicken broth to make a hot and luscious pasta sauce. Finish with Parmesan cheese and toss with cooked pasta.
Penne pasta tossed in a creamy sauce spiked with Parmesan cheese and pancetta, the Italian version of bacon, makes a marvelously satisfying dish for weeknight suppers.
This is a traditional minestrone complete with leeks and zucchini in a tomato soup base with cannellini beans and pasta. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Layers of ziti pasta, beefy tomato sauce, sour cream and Italian cheeses get a final dash of flavor with a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh basil before baking.
Italian-inspired rice balls made with lean ground beef are rolled in crumbs and baked, not fried. They are flavored with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, and served with prepared pasta sauce.
Satisfy your favorite vegetarians with this hearty, stove-top orzo pasta dish that combines shredded zucchini and carrots with stewed tomatoes and green onions. Flavored with Italian seasonings, fresh herbs, and a hit of lime juice and zest, it's a thumbs-up winner.
