Read Online Make It Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Stephanie O'Dea
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and balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours. The vegetables are done when the potatoes reach the desired tenderness. The cabbage on the edge of the stoneware will caramelize and get a bit crispy. This is a good thing.
The Verdict
It’s no secret to my family that I don’t like corned beef. I also don’t like boiled vegetables. I tolerate them out of respect to whomever prepared the meal, but it’s just not my thing. I happily ate three platefuls of these slow-cooked vegetables for St. Patrick’s Day. They were perfect—not soggy—and didn’t taste like salty meat.
ROASTED WINTER ROOT VEGETABLES
serves 12
The Ingredients
2 pounds carrots
2 pounds rutabagas
2 pounds parsnips
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Peel the vegetables, and cut them into 2-inch chunks. I’m usually a huge fan of the baby carrot (because of laziness), but wanted a more rugged look for this dish. If you would like to use baby carrots, go for it, but don’t cut them. Put all the vegetables into your stoneware, and add the parsley, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to fully coat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The vegetables are done when they have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
I love the ease of roasting vegetables in the slow cooker. Not only do they taste marvelous, I would have needed to make quite a few batches in the oven for this much food and would have risked burning them (I am no good with the oven!), but in this case, I put the veggies on in the morning and was out for most of the day. The kids picked out a few carrots, but found them to be spicy.
SEASONED POTATO WEDGES
serves 8
The Ingredients
12 brown baking potatoes, such as Idaho or Russet
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
cooking spray
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Scrub the potatoes well with a vegetable brush (this is a great job for children) under cold running water. Slice the potatoes into long wedges; no need to peel. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the seasoned salt, basil, and chipotle chili powder to taste. Spray the inside of your stoneware with cooking spray, and add the seasoned potatoes. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, discarding accumulated liquid after 2 hours. Drain again before serving. The potatoes are done when they have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
This was our contribution to a family barbecue. These are remarkably similar to oven-baked French fries. The wedges weren’t overly moist, and the ones on the side of the crock even got a bit of a crust on the skin—an unexpected happy bonus. I was happy not to have to heat up the oven on an unseasonably warm day, and I was able to fit more food into the slow cooker than would have fit on baking sheets.
SOUTHWESTERN SWEET POTATO AND CORN MEDLEY
serves 6
The Ingredients
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1-inch chunks
1¼ cup diced onion
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon chili powder
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
juice of 2 limes
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Plop the sweet potato into the stoneware. Add the onion, corn, and basil. Sprinkle in the chili powder and salt. Add the lime juice, and then toss everything so the seasoning is dispersed somewhat evenly. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The medley is done when the potatoes have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
This is a great side dish. The flavors dance in your mouth—which is a saying I never, ever thought I’d ever say (or type), but there you go. That’s what they do. This is simple to put together, but looks great on a buffet table.
STEWED
The Verdict
It’s no secret to my family that I don’t like corned beef. I also don’t like boiled vegetables. I tolerate them out of respect to whomever prepared the meal, but it’s just not my thing. I happily ate three platefuls of these slow-cooked vegetables for St. Patrick’s Day. They were perfect—not soggy—and didn’t taste like salty meat.
ROASTED WINTER ROOT VEGETABLES
serves 12
The Ingredients
2 pounds carrots
2 pounds rutabagas
2 pounds parsnips
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Peel the vegetables, and cut them into 2-inch chunks. I’m usually a huge fan of the baby carrot (because of laziness), but wanted a more rugged look for this dish. If you would like to use baby carrots, go for it, but don’t cut them. Put all the vegetables into your stoneware, and add the parsley, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss with your hands to fully coat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The vegetables are done when they have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
I love the ease of roasting vegetables in the slow cooker. Not only do they taste marvelous, I would have needed to make quite a few batches in the oven for this much food and would have risked burning them (I am no good with the oven!), but in this case, I put the veggies on in the morning and was out for most of the day. The kids picked out a few carrots, but found them to be spicy.
SEASONED POTATO WEDGES
serves 8
The Ingredients
12 brown baking potatoes, such as Idaho or Russet
1 tablespoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
¼ to ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder
cooking spray
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Scrub the potatoes well with a vegetable brush (this is a great job for children) under cold running water. Slice the potatoes into long wedges; no need to peel. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the seasoned salt, basil, and chipotle chili powder to taste. Spray the inside of your stoneware with cooking spray, and add the seasoned potatoes. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, discarding accumulated liquid after 2 hours. Drain again before serving. The potatoes are done when they have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
This was our contribution to a family barbecue. These are remarkably similar to oven-baked French fries. The wedges weren’t overly moist, and the ones on the side of the crock even got a bit of a crust on the skin—an unexpected happy bonus. I was happy not to have to heat up the oven on an unseasonably warm day, and I was able to fit more food into the slow cooker than would have fit on baking sheets.
SOUTHWESTERN SWEET POTATO AND CORN MEDLEY
serves 6
The Ingredients
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1-inch chunks
1¼ cup diced onion
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon chili powder
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
juice of 2 limes
The Directions
Use a 4-quart slow cooker. Plop the sweet potato into the stoneware. Add the onion, corn, and basil. Sprinkle in the chili powder and salt. Add the lime juice, and then toss everything so the seasoning is dispersed somewhat evenly. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The medley is done when the potatoes have reached the desired tenderness.
The Verdict
This is a great side dish. The flavors dance in your mouth—which is a saying I never, ever thought I’d ever say (or type), but there you go. That’s what they do. This is simple to put together, but looks great on a buffet table.
STEWED
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