Slow Cooker Makes Dinner a Breeze

Fall is in the air. I hate to admit it, but I can feel it every morning when I open the front door. While I’m always sad to think about the lazy days of summer coming to an end, I do look forward to the warm, hearty meals that make their way back into my regular rotation.

With the kids going back to school and regular meetings starting back up, it can be tough to get dinner on the table fast. Once a week I usually put something in the slow cooker. It takes a little advanced planning the night before or in the morning, but it’s worth it to have a meal ready when I get home from work or on a busy weekend.

Slow cookers have been around since the 1960s. They use a heating element in the bottom to cook foods slowly and safely. They’re handy in the summer and early fall, since they won’t heat up the kitchen like the oven. They also use less energy than the oven, which is a plus for the budget conscious. Slow cookers can be used for anything from soups and stews to desserts such as cobblers and bread pudding.

Tough cuts of meat are great for slow cookers because they respond well to slow, lower temperature cooking. The next time you find pot roast on sale at the grocery store, buy it, cut it into cubes, and make Burgundy Beef. This was my mother’s go-to slow cooker recipe. The combination of soup and wine cooks into a rich gravy that’s delicious over brown rice or egg noodles.

Slow Cooker Ribs is another one of my go-to recipes. They’re cooked with a homemade barbeque sauce and a heap of onions, which get so soft they’ll melt in your mouth.

Most slow cooker recipes, including Bugundy Beef, do best if they’re cooked no longer than five or six hours. Left too long, the meat gets dry and the sauce overcooks. These recipes are best reserved for weekends or when you can run home on your lunch break. Slow Cooker Ribs, on the other hand, can be cooked for up to nine hours.

Burgundy Beef
Makes 8 servings
2-3 lbs. beef stew meat
2-3 t. oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 c. red wine
Cooked brown rice or egg noodles

Heat oil in a large skillet. Brown stew meat on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.

Combine soup mix, soups, and wine. Fill one soup can with water; add to mixture. Stir well to combine, then pour over beef. Cook on low setting for 5-6 hours. Serve over cooked brown rice or egg noodles.

Slow Cooker Ribs
Makes 4 servings
1 T. oil
2 lbs. country style pork ribs
2 onions, sliced
1 c. ketchup
1 c. water
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. cider vinegar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 t. ground mustard
1 t. salt
1 t. paprika

Heat oil in a large skillet. Brown ribs on all sides. Place half the ribs in slow cooker. Top with half the onions. Repeat layers. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over ribs. Cook on low setting for 8-9 hours.