My friend's mother from the Ukraine taught me this recipe for the classic beet soup. It's as authentic as it gets. It can be served vegetarian style by omitting the sausage.
Start with a skillet and finish with a slow cooker. A saute of onion, garlic and ground beef is simmered with tomato and oregano, then layered in a slow cooker with raw lasagna noodles and a creamy blend of cottage cheese, Parmesan and mozzarella.
No need to slave over the stove to prepare a delicious jambalaya! Toss the chicken, sausage, shrimp, vegetables, and seasonings in the slow cooker, and forget about it until dinner time.
'These cute little sausage and bacon bites are finger-licking good,' promises Cara Flora from Kokomo, Indiana. 'They have a sweet and salty taste that's fun for breakfast or as an appetizer.'
A roux cooked to a deep reddish-brown is what gives gumbo it 's distinctive flavor. This gumbo incorporates andouille sausage, cubes of beef, crab and shrimp in a highly seasoned stew with okra.
'We enjoyed a hearty breakfast bake during a visit to an Amish inn,' recalls Beth Notaro of Kokomo, Indiana. 'When I asked for the recipe, one of the ladies told me the ingredients right off the top of her head. I modified it to create this version my family loves. Try breakfast sausage in place of bacon.'
Prepared in a pressure cooker, kidney beans are cooked with fennel seed and cayenne pepper. This is very good mixed with cubed ham, or in red beans and rice.
Something of a chicken salad casserole, with rice, almonds, celery, and water chestnuts in a mayonnaise dressing. The almond and corn flake topping provides additional crunch. Bake ahead, as this freezes well.
Fresh spring asparagus, spinach, and leeks from the garden are the ideal way to enjoy this hearty soup, but it's great any time of year! Potatoes, rice, and carrots round out this creamy favorite.
