Slow Cooker

21

SLOW COOKER

Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili Page 7 ®

8 servings Prep 25 minutes Cook 6 minutes Slow Cook on LOW for 4 hours CooL 30 minutes Makes

Sausage and Veggie Lasagna

1 pound chicken sausage, casings removed 1 pkg (8 ounce) sliced mushrooms 2 large carrots, peeled and grated 1 zucchini (8 ounce), trimmed and grated 1 jar (24 ounce) marinara sauce 1 container (15 ounce) part-skim ricotta cheese 1 bag (7 ounce) 2% shredded Italian cheese blend (such as Kraft) 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped 12 traditional lasagna noodles (not no-boil) 1 Line a 5-quart slow cooker with a slow cooker liner. Coat liner with nonstick cooking spray. Crumble sausage into a nonstick skillet and cook over medium to medium-high heat for 6 minutes, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. 2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine mushrooms, carrots, zucchini and 1 cup of the marinara sauce. Stir remaining sauce into the sausage. 3 In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, 1 cup of the shredded cheese and the basil. 4 Begin layering: Break 3 noodles into thirds and spread on bottom of slow cooker. Top with half the vegetable mixture, spreading level, and 3 more noodles, broken into thirds. Spread noodles with sausage sauce and top with 3 more noodles, broken into thirds. Spread noodles with ricotta mixture and remaining 3 noodles (in thirds). Top noodles with remaining vegetable mixture and remaining shredded cheese. Cover and slow cook on LOW for 4 hours. 5 Remove crock insert from slow cooker and cool for 30 minutes. Uncover and use liner bag to lift lasagna from crock. Remove slow cooker liner and cut lasagna into pieces. per serving 487 calories, 20 g fat (9 g sat.), 33 g protein, 1083 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 91 mg cholesterol

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Slow-Cooker Beer-Braised Smoked Sausages and Onions makes 12

servings Prep 15 minutes minutes Slow Cook on HIGH for 4 hours

1 Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes.

12 smoked sausages with cheese (such as Hillshire Farms cheddar wurst) 3 tablespoon butter, melted 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon grainy mustard 3 large onions, sliced into ¼-inch rings 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 1/2 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 can (12 ounce) beer 12 hoagie rolls, split Mustard and shredded cheddar (optional)

2 Meanwhile, coat the bowl of a slow cooker wit nonstick cooking spray. Place butter, brown sugar and mustard in slow cooker; stir in onions, caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Place sausages over onions and pour beer over the top.

Cook 10

3 Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Serve sausages on rolls wth onions. Top with mustard and cheddar, if desired. per serving 446 calories, 24 g fat (10 g sat.), 43 mg cholesterol, 1,031 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 16 g protein

Pineapple Ginger-Glazed Pork Chops makes 4

servings Prep 10 minutes Cook 7 minutes on HIGH for 3 hours

Slow Cook

1/3 cup crushed pineapple 3 tablespoon ketchup 3 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 11/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick (21/2 pounds) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon cornstarch 11/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks, cut into 1/3-inch pieces 2 cups cooked white rice (optional) 1 In a small bowl, stir crushed pineapple, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger and brown sugar; set aside. 2 Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper; cook 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place chops in slow cooker; top with red pepper. Pour in 2/3 cup ketchup mixture and cover; cook on HIGH for 3 hours. 3 Remove chops to a platter. Combine remaining ketchup mixture, cornstarch and pineapple chunks. Pour liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in ketchup mixture; cook 1 minute. Serve pork with sauce, and rice, if desired. per serving 524 calories, 31 g fat (10 g sat.), 135 mg cholesterol, 135 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 40 g protein

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Slow-Cooker Corn and Crab Chowder makes 4

servings Prep 15 minutes on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 7 hours

Slow Cook

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) low-sodium, 99% fat-free chicken broth (31/2 cups) 1/2 1 1 2 1/2 1/4 5

pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced cup baby carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces medium-size onion, chopped ribs celery, trimmed and diced teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped teaspoon Old Bay seasoning ears corn, husks removed

1 1 2 1/4 1

sweet red pepper, seeded and diced can (12 ounces) evaporated skim milk tablespoon cornstarch teaspoon salt container (8 ounces) pasteurized crab claw meat (such as Phillips)

1 Combine chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, thyme and Old Bay in a large oval slow cooker. Place corn on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours. 2 In a bowl, stir together red pepper,

evaporated milk, cornstarch and salt. 3 Uncover slow cooker and remove corn to a cutting board. Stir red pepper mixture into slow cooker, replace cover and cook on either HIGH or LOW for 1 hour. 4 Meanwhile, when cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cobs. Stir corn kernels and crabmeat into soup and heat through. Serve warm. per serving 340 calories, 5 g fat (0 g sat.), 61 mg cholesterol, 921 mg sodium, 54 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 27 g protein

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Chicken Paprikash makes 6

servings Prep 15 minutes on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 61/2 hours Slow Cook

11/2 2 1/2 1 2 3 1/4 1/4 3/4

pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces tablespoon all-purpose flour pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces cup frozen pearl onions, thawed cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce tablespoon paprika teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper cup reduced-fat sour cream Cooked egg noodles, for serving

1 Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. In medium-size bowl,

toss the chicken thighs with flour. Combine in slow cooker with green beans, onions, tomato sauce and 1 cup water. Stir to blend, then add 1 tablespoon of the paprika, the salt and pepper.

While broiling the ribs makes them less fatty, they’ll still be delicious if you skip this step.

2 Cover slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 61/2 hours. 3 In a small bowl, whisk sour cream with remaining 2 tablespoons paprika. Scoop 1/2 cup sauce from slow cooker and gradually whisk into sour cream. Slowly stir sour cream mixture into slow cooker. Serve paprikash over noodles. per serving 366 calories, 16 g fat (6 g sat.), 189 mg cholesterol, 896 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 39 g protein

Chipotle Baby Back Ribs makes 8

servings Prep 15 minutes BROIL 10 minutes HIGH for 3½ hours or LOW for 7 hours, plus 15 minutes on HIGH Slow Cook on

3 pounds pork loin back ribs or meaty pork spareribs ¾ cup no-salt-added tomato sauce ½ cup bottled barbecue sauce 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped 2 tablespoon cornstarch 1 Heat broiler. Cut ribs into 2-rib portions. Place ribs on unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 6 inches from heat for about 10 minutes or until brown, turning once (see Tip). Transfer ribs to a 4-to-5-quart slow cooker. 2 In a medium bowl, combine tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and chipotle chiles. Pour over ribs in cooker. 3 Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3½ hours or LOW for 6 to 7 hours. 4 Transfer ribs to a serving platter, reserving cooking liquid. Cover ribs to keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid.

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5 In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoon cold water. Stir into liquid in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH about 15 minutes more or until thickened. Top ribs with sauce. If desired, serve ribs over shredded coleslaw mix and/or thinly sliced jalapeños. per serving 286 calories, 8 g fat (3 g sat.), 91 mg cholesterol, 526 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 40 g protein

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Beer-Braised Short Ribs

Balsamic Pot Roast Makes 6

servings Prep 15 minutes on LOW for 10 hours

Slow Cook

1 beef chuck or bottom round roast, about 3¼ lbs ½ tsp salta ½ tsp dried thyme ⅛ tsp black pepper 1 onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 3 ribs celery, chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 cups unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson) ⅔ cup balsamic vinegar Prepared polenta and sautéed sweet peppers (optional) 1 Spray slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Season roast with salt, thyme and black pepper. Place in bottom of slow cooker.

2 Scatter onion, carrots, celery and garlic over roast. Pour stock and balsamic vinegar over top. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours.

3 Remove roast and allow to rest 15

minutes before slicing. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Mash vegetables in cooking liquid to slightly thicken sauce.

4 Serve sliced roast with sauce and, if desired, polenta and sautéed peppers. makes 8

servings Prep 10 minutes Cook 7 minutes Slow Cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 7 hours

4 pounds bone-in short ribs, trimmed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium-size onion, chopped 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth 11/4 cups dark beer (such as Guinness Draught) 1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 cups baby carrots 8 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and quartered 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard Cooked egg noodles (optional) 1 Blot ribs dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Heat oil in a

large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook meat for 5 minutes, turning once halfway through, in batches if necessary. Transfer to slow cooker. 2 Add onion to skillet and cook, 2 minutes, stirring often. Add broth, 1 cup of the beer, the sugar and thyme to skillet. Bring to a boil, then pour over meat. Cover and cook on HIGH for 31/2 hours or LOW for 41/2 hours.

Per serving 371 CAL; 11 g FAT (4 g SAT); 53 g PRO;11 g CARB; 2 g FIBER; 256 mg SODIUM; 103 mg CHOL

Get more beef recipes at familycircle.com/ slowcookerbeef

3 Stir carrots and mushrooms into slow cooker. Cook on HIGH an additional 11/4 hours or LOW an additional 21/4 hours. 4 Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup beer, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the cornstarch and mustard. Whisk into slow cooker. Replace cover and cook 15 more minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve over egg noodles, if desired. per serving 465

calories, 25 g fat (10 g sat.), 134 mg cholesterol, 331 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 44 g protein

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Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

Get more vegetarian recipes at familycircle.com/ slowcookervegetarian Makes

8 servings Prep 20 minutes Slow Cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours

2 large onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 butternut squash (2 lbs) seeded, peeled and cut into 11/2-inch pieces (5 cups) 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cans (14.5 oz each) stewed tomatoes

4 tsp ancho chili powder 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 red sweet pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice 1/2 yellow sweet pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice 1/2 orange sweet pepper,

seeded and cut into 1-inch dice 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1 cup shredded taco cheese 2 scallions, thinly sliced 1 Coat slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. 2 Add onions, garlic, squash, green pepper and jalapeño. Combine tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt. Pour

over squash and peppers. 3 Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours. Add beans and sweet peppers during last 30 minutes. 4 To serve, stir in cilantro. Top with cheese and scallions. Per serving 209 CAL; 5 g FAT (3 g SAT); 10 g PRO; 38 g CARB; 11 g FIBER; 977 mg SODIUM; 13 mg CHOL

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8 servings Prep 15 minutes slow cook on LOW for 8 hours Makes

6 cups vegetable stock or broth

Lentil Chickpea Chili

2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 1 teaspoon salt 1 bag (16 ounces) red lentils(such as Arrowhead Mills) 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes 1 sweet onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 3 garlic cloves, diced 2 bay leaves 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, drained andrinsed 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro Flatbread (such asStonefire naan, optional) 1 Whisk together stock, tomato paste, mustard, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and salt in the base of a slow cooker. Stir in lentils, diced tomatoes, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. 2 Stir in chickpeas and cilantro. Serve with flatbread, if desired. Per serving 341 CAL; 3g FAT (0g SAT); 22g PRO; 57g CARB; 15g FIBER; 778mg SODIUM; 0mg CHOL

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Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup makes 8

servings Prep 15 minutes on LOW for 6 hours

Slow Cook

1 egg, lightly beaten 3/4 pound lean ground beef 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3 large carrots, chopped 1 small head escarole (8 ounces), washed, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch strips 11/2 teaspoons dried oregano 13/4 cups acini di pepe pasta (such as Ronzoni)

1 In a large bowl, stir together egg, beef, onion, bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, 1 tablespoon parsley and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Form into 1-inch meatballs (about 45) and place on baking sheet; refrigerate while preparing soup. 2 Combine broth, carrots, escarole and oregano in slow cooker. Gently add meatballs. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours. Stir in pasta for last 20 minutes of cook time. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle each serving with remaining parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve. per serving 175 calories, 3 g fat (1 g sat.), 41 mg cholesterol, 681 mg sodium, 25 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 12 g protein

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Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable and Chicken Chili makes 6 servings Prep 10 minutes Slow Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, 15 minutes or LOW for 6 hours, 15 minutes Roast at 425° for 35 minutes

2 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 3 2 2 1 1 1/4 1/3

pounds bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed cans (15.5 ounces each) Great Northern beans drained and rinsed can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained tablespoons Greek seasoning teaspoons paprika cup low-sodium chicken broth zucchinis, cut into 1/2-inch pieces red onion, thinly sliced fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and sliced cloves garlic, minced tablespoons olive oil tablespoons lemon juice tablespoon chopped fresh oregano teaspoon lemon zest teaspoon salt cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1 Combine chicken, beans, tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the Greek seasoning and 1 teaspoon of the paprika in slow cooker; add broth and 1 cup water. Cover; cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours. 2 When there is 1 hour of cook time remaining, heat oven to 425°. In a large roasting pan, toss together 2 teaspoons of the Greek seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika, zucchinis, onion, fennel, garlic and olive oil. Roast at 425° for 35 minutes, stirring twice. Stir in lemon juice, oregano and zest. 3 Remove chicken; shred into bite-size pieces. Discard bones and stir chicken back into slow cooker. Stir in vegetables, remaining 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning and salt; cook an additional 15 minutes. Sprinkle with feta cheese, if desired. Get more soup, stew and chowder recipes at familycircle.com/slowcookersoup

per serving 300 calories, 6 g fat (1 g sat.), 71 mg cholesterol, 619 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber, 37 g protein

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Lentil Soup with Beef Makes 6

servings Prep 25 minutes on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours Slow Cook

1 lb boneless beef sirloin steak 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth 1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained 3/4 cup coarsely chopped red

sweet pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup sliced carrot 1/2 cup sliced celery 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/3 cup snipped fresh parsley 1 Trim fat from meat. Cut into

3/4-inch pieces. For a richer soup, cook beef in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned; otherwise, use uncooked meat. Place in a 31/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in broth, lentils, 1 cup water, sweet pepper, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, cumin and cayenne.

2 Cover and cook on HIGH for 31/2 to 4 hours or LOW for 7 to 8 hours. Stir in parsley. Ladle soup into bowls. Per serving 265 CAL; 7 g FAT (2 g SAT); 26 g PRO; 24 g CARB; 11 g FIBER; 353 mg SODIUM; 50 mg CHOL

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Steamed Kielbasa, Sauerkraut and Pierogies 6 servings Prep 10 minutes  on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours, plus 40 minutes on HIGH Makes

Slow Cook

2 tbsp country Dijon mustard 1 tbsp packed brown sugar 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 4 cooked chicken apple sausage links (3 oz each), cut up 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (1/2 cup) 2 cups sauerkraut (16 oz), undrained 7 frozen mini potato and cheese pierogies (from a 12.84 oz pkg of 14) 1 In a large bowl, combine mustard, brown sugar and vinegar. Add sausage and onion

and toss to coat. 2 Place sauerkraut in a 4-quart slow cooker. Spoon sausage and onion mixture on top of sauerkraut. 3 Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. 4 When ready to serve, add frozen pierogies on top. Cover and cook on HIGH about 40 minutes more, until pierogies are heated through. 5 Stir gently to combine and serve. Per serving 196 CAL; 7 g FAT (2 g SAT); 12 g PRO; 22 g CARB; 2 g FIBER; 733 mg SODIUM; 42 mg CHOL

Smoky Brisket Chili 8 servings Prep 15 minutes on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours 1 cup low-sodium beef broth 1 cup dark beer (such as Guinness) 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons molasses 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 2 pounds flat-cut beef brisket, fat trimmed, cut into 11/2-inch chunks 1 sweet onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 can (15.5 ounces) red beans, drained and rinsed Makes

slow cook

1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed Sour cream, sliced scallions and shredded cheese (optional) Cornbread (such as Jiffy, optional) 1 In the base of a slow cooker, combine broth, beer and vinegar. Whisk in cornstarch until dissolved. Stir in tomato paste, molasses, chili powder, paprika, salt andpepper. Stir in beef, onion, garlic and tomatoes. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 8 hours. 2 Stir in beans to heat through. Garnish with sourcream, sliced scallions and cheese and serve withcornbread, if desired. Per serving 308 CAL; 5g FAT (2g SAT); 32g PRO; 30g CARB; 8g FIBER; 612mg SODIUM; 49mg CHOL

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Oatmeal-Banana Maple Parfaits

Makes

6 servings Prep 15 minutes on LOW for 8 hours

slow cook

1/2 cup half-and-half 11/2 cups steel-cut oats 3/4 tsp salt 7 tbsp maple syrup, plus more for drizzling 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 2 ripe bananas 1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 Pour 3 cups water into slow cooker insert. Place a slow cooker liner into slow cooker (on top of water). Combine half-andhalf, 51/2 cups water, the oats and salt into slow cooker liner. 2 Cover and slow cook on LOW for 8 hours. Uncover and stir in 6 tbsp of the maple syrup. Blend ricotta and remaining 1 tbsp maple syrup. 3 Begin layering: Spoon 1/2 cup oatmeal

into 6 cups or bowls. Top each with a heaping tbsp ricotta mixture. Peel and slice bananas. Spread about 4 banana slices onto each serving. Repeat layering with oatmeal, ricotta and banana slices. Drizzle each serving with a little maple syrup and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice. Per serving 320 CAL; 8 g FAT (4 g SAT); 12 g PRO; 54 g CARB; 5 g FIBER; 355 mg SODIUM; 23 mg CHOL

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Apple-Cinnamon Wheat Berries 6 servings  15 minutes  slow cook on LOW for 9 hours Makes Prep

4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk 11/2 cups wheat berries 1 cup apple juice or water 3 Idared, Braeburn or Gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup sliced almonds

6 tbsp sweetened dried cranberries 1 Coat a 4- to 51/2-quart slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray. Combine almond milk, wheat berries, juice, apples, oats, cinnamon and salt in prepared slow cooker. 2 Cover and slow cook on LOW for 9 hours. Uncover and stir in brown sugar. Spoon into bowls and top with sliced almonds and cranberries. Serve warm. Per serving 384 CAL; 6 g FAT (0 g SAT); 10 g PRO; 76 g CARB; 8 g FIBER; 233 mg SODIUM; 0 mg CHOL

Potato and Turkey Bacon Quiche 6 servings Prep 15 minutes  cook 9 minutes slow cook on LOW for 6 hours Makes

1 pkg (6 ounce) turkey bacon (such as Butterball Thin & Crispy), diced 1 pkg (15 ounce) Alexia Oven Reds olive oil, Parmesan and garlic frozen potato wedges, cut into bite-size pieces 1 sweet red pepper, cored and diced 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped 6 oz (11/2 cups) 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded 6 large eggs 11/2 cups skim milk 2 tbsp minced chives, plus more for garnish 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart

1 Coat programmable slow cooker insert with nonstick cooking spray. Cook turkey bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until just crisp, 9 minutes. 2 In a large bowl, toss together potato wedges, turkey bacon, red pepper, onion and 1 cup of the cheese. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, chives, salt and pepper. Whisk in Bisquick. 3 Pour potato mixture into slow cooker. Add egg mixture and top with remaining cheese. Cover and slow cook on LOW for 51/2 to 6 hours (machine will switch to WARM after cooking). Cut into wedges and serve. Per serving 296 CAL; 13 g FAT (4 g SAT); 19 g PRO; 28 g CARB; 2 g FIBER; 783 mg SODIUM; 189 mg CHOL

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Steamed Lemon Cake 8 servings 15 minutes slow cook 4 hours on HIGH 1 package (16 ounces) pound cake mix 3/4 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 2 large eggs 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest frosting 2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened 2 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 1 Coat an 8-cup soufflé dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom with wax paper; spray paper. 2 Beat together the pound cake mix, buttermilk, butter, eggs, lemon juice and zest on low speed for 30 seconds; Makes Prep

increase speed to medium and beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until well blended and smooth. Spread batter into prepared dish. Cover dish tightly with foil and place in a 5-quart oval slow cooker bowl. Add 4 cups boiling water around soufflé dish. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center tests clean and cake springs back when touched. 3 Remove dish to a rack and cool uncovered for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of cake and invert onto wire rack; turn right side up to cool completely. 4 Frosting. In medium-size bowl, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter, milk and lemon extract until smooth. Spread over cake. Per serving 491 calories; 20 g fat (9 g sat.); 4 g protein; 74 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 347 mg sodium; 81 mg cholesterol

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Apple Crisp makes 8 Cook

hours

servings Prep 10 minutes on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4

Topping

1/2 1/4 1/4 1/4 1/8 4 1/2

cup all-purpose flour cup packed light-brown sugar cup granulated sugar teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg Pinch salt tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces cup chopped pecans

Filling

3 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 teaspoons lemon juice 11/2 teaspoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch wedges (10 cups) Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1 Coat 2- to 4-quart slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. 2 Topping. In a small bowl, mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add butter; work into flour mixture using a pastry blender or fingers until coarse crumbs form. Stir in pecans and set aside. 3 Filling. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, ginger and cinnamon. Stir in apples; toss to coat. 4 Spoon apple mixture into slow cooker and sprinkle topping over it. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or LOW for 4 hours, or until apples are tender. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired. per serving 240 calories, 11 g fat (4 g sat.), 15 mg cholesterol, 41 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 2 g protein

Butterscotch Pudding Cake makes 8

servings Prep 15 minutes on HIGH for 21/2 hours

Slow Cook

1 cup all-purpose flour 1 package (3 ounces) cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding mix 1/4 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup butterscotch chips 3 tablespoons butterscotch sauce 1/2 cup sugar 11/3 cups boiling water Whipped cream (optional) 1 Coat slow cooker bowl with nonstick cooking spray. 2 In medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour, pudding mix, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add milk, canola oil and vanilla. Gently stir until batter is smooth. Stir in butterscotch chips. Pour evenly into slow cooker bowl. 3 Topping. In a small bowl, stir the butterscotch sauce and the sugar together; pour in 11/3 cups boiling water and stir until smooth. Pour over batter in slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for about 21/2 hours or until cake is puffed and top layer is set. Let stand, covered, 30 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. per Serving 319 calories, 8 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 2 mg cholesterol, 277 mg sodium, 56 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein

Get more dessert recipes at familycircle.com/ slowcookerdesserts

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