Taste of Home Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups: 515 Hot & Hearty Dishes Your Family Will Love

905 Pages·2015·46.45 MB·English

by  Taste of Home

A TASTE OF HOME/READER’S DIGEST BOOK
©2015 RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC
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All rights reserved.
Taste of Home and Reader’s Digest are registered trademarks of The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.
EDITORIAL
Editor-in-Chief: Catherine Cassidy
Creative Director: Howard Greenberg
Editorial Operations Director: Kerri Balliet Managing Editor, Print & Digital Books: Mark Hagen Associate
Creative Director: Edwin Robles Jr.
Editor: Amy Glander
Art Director: Maggie Conners
Layout Designer: Nancy Novak
Editorial Production Manager: Dena Ahlers Copy Chief: Deb Warlaumont Mulvey
Copy Editors: Mary-Liz Shaw, Dulcie Shoener, Joanne Weintraub Contributing Copy Editor: Steph Kilen,
Valerie Phillips Business Analyst, Content Tools: Amanda Harmatys Content Operations Assistant:
Shannon Stroud Editorial Services Administrator: Marie Brannon Food Editors: James Schend; Peggy
Woodward, RD
Recipe Editors: Mary King; Jenni Sharp, RD; Irene Yeh Test Kitchen & Food Styling Manager: Sarah
Thompson Test Cooks: Nicholas Iverson (lead), Matthew Hass, Lauren Knoelke Food Stylists: Kathryn
Conrad (lead), Leah Rekau, Shannon Roum Prep Cooks: Bethany Van Jacobson (lead), Megumi Garcia,
Melissa Hansen Culinary Team Assistant: Megan Behr
Photography Director: Stephanie Marchese Photographers: Dan Roberts, Jim Wieland Photographer/Set
Stylist: Grace Natoli Sheldon Set Stylists: Melissa Franco, Stacey Genaw, Dee Dee Jacq Photo Studio
Assistant: Ester Robards
Editorial Business Manager: Kristy Martin Editorial Business Associate: Samantha Lea Stoeger
BUSINESS
Vice President, Group Publisher: Kirsten Marchioli Publisher: Donna Lindskog
General Manager, Taste of Home Cooking School: Erin Puariea Executive Producer, Taste of Home
Online Cooking School: Karen Berner THE READER’S DIGEST ASSOCIATION, INC.
President and Chief Executive Officer: Bonnie Kintzer Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, North
America: Howard Halligan Chief Revenue Officer: Richard Sutton
Chief Marketing Officer: Leslie Dukker Doty Senior Vice President, Global HR & Communications: Phyllis
E. Gebhardt, SPHR
Vice President, Digital Content & Audience Development: Diane Dragan Vice President, Brand
Marketing: Beth Gorry Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis: William Houston Publishing
Director, Books: Debra Polansky Vice President, Chief Technology Officer: Aneel Tejwaney Vice
President, Consumer Marketing Planning: Jim Woods For other Taste of Home books and products, visit
us at tasteofhome.com.
For more Reader’s Digest products and information, visit rd.com (in the United States) or rd.ca (in Canada).
International Standard Book Number (Epub): 978-1-61765407-7
Cover Photographer: Dan Roberts
Set Stylist: Grace Natoli Sheldon
Food Stylist: Shannon Roum
Pictured on front cover: Lime Chicken Chili, Beer-Braised Roast with Root Vegetables and Simple Creamy
Chicken Enchiladas.
Pictured on title page: Italian Breakfast Strata, Easy Beans & Potatoes with Bacon, and Stuffing Dumpling
Soup.
Contents
Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups 101
Casseroles
Breakfast
Beef
Pork & Lamb
Poultry
Seafood
Meatless
Sides
Slow Cooker
Appetizers & Beverages
Soups & Sandwiches
Beef
Pork & Lamb
Poultry
Seafood & Meatless
Sides
Desserts
Soups
Beef
Pork
Poultry
Meatless
Beans & Lentils
Chili
Indexes
General Recipe Index
Alphabetical Recipe Index
Casseroles 101
HEARTY, COMFORTING ONE-DISH BAKES
Casserole, hot dish, potpie, strata, bake…no matter what you call it, it
means convenient, comforting, home-cooked food. This book is
brimming with 167 casserole recipes that are guaranteed to be
delicious and satisfying.
WHY CASSEROLES ARE SO POPULAR:
• Many are convenient meals-in-one. Or just add a salad or vegetable, and
dinner is ready!
• Cleanup is easy because everything bakes in one dish. You’ll only have a
few items to wash after dinner.
• You’re free to do other things while it bakes.
• Many can be assembled one day, then refrigerated and baked the next
day.
• Casseroles are great for large family gatherings and potlucks.
• Leftovers make a delicious lunch or quick dinner.
• Most reheat easily in the microwave.
• Full of flavor, casseroles make you feel warm and cozy.
The casseroles in this indispensible cookbook are sure to
become some of your family’s favorite dishes. You’ll be sure to
make them time and again!
Slow Cooker 101
EASY HOME-COOKED MEALS…READY WHEN YOU ARE!
Turn to your slow cooker for the best mix-it-and-forget-it
convenience. With a slow cooker and these 209 recipes on hand, it’s
easy to put a hot, home-cooked meal on the table at the end of the
day, even when you’ve been away.
ADVANTAGES OF SLOW COOKING:
CONVENIENCE. Slow cookers provide people with the ease of safely
preparing meals while away from home. The appliances are readily
available and budget-friendly.
HEALTH. As more people turn to more nutritious food choices to
improve their health, slow cooking has gained popularity. Low-
temperature cooking retains more vitamins in foods, and leaner cuts of
meat become tender in the slow cooker without added fats. Lower-sodium
and lower-fat versions of many canned goods are available, which can help
you create even lighter, healthier meals. And, for many busy folks, knowing
that a healthy meal is waiting at home helps them avoid the temptation of
the drive-thru after work.
FINANCIAL SAVINGS. A slow cooker uses very little electricity because
of its low wattage. For instance, it would cost roughly 21 cents to operate a
slow cooker for a total of 10 hours. If you cook a pork roast for 2 hours in
the oven instead of using the slow cooker for 10 hours, you’ll spend $2.51 to
operate an electric oven or $1.49 to operate a gas one. Also, slow cookers
do not heat up the kitchen as ovens do, which saves on summertime
cooling costs.
Slow Cooker 101
SLOW COOKING BASICS:
• Slow cooker models vary, but all of them usually have at least two
settings, low (about 180°) and high (about 280°). Some models also
have a keep-warm setting.
• The keep-warm setting is useful if you plan to use the slow cooker to
serve hot foods while entertaining. Some slow cookers will
automatically switch to a keep-warm setting after cooking. This
provides added convenience and helps you avoid overcooking the food
while you’re away from home.
• We provide a range in cooking times to allow for variables such as meat
thickness, whether the slow cooker is full and how hot the food should
be when cooked. As you grow familiar with your slow cooker, you’ll be
able to judge which end of the range to use.
• New slow cookers heat up more quickly than older ones. If you have an
older model and your recipe directs you to cook on low, try cooking on
high for the first hour to ensure food safety.
• Slow cookers range in price from $20 to more than $200 and are
available in sizes from 1 1/ to 7 quarts. Select one that fits your budget
2
and choose a size appropriate for your family.
• To learn more about specific models, check online or in reputable
consumer magazines for product reviews.
COOK TIMES:
Conventional Oven Slow Cooker
15 to 30 minutes
Low: 4 to 6 hours
High: 1 1/ to 2 hours
2
Conventional Oven Slow Cooker
35 to 45 minutes Low: 6 to 8 hours
High: 3 to 4 hours
Conventional Oven Slow Cooker
50 minutes or more Low: 8 to 10 hours
High: 4 to 6 hours
TIPS FOR TASTY OUTCOMES
• Be sure the lid is secure over the ceramic insert, not tilted or askew.
Steam during cooking creates a seal.
• Refrain from lifting the lid while using the slow cooker, unless the recipe
instructs you to stir or add ingredients. The loss of steam each time you
lift the lid can mean an extra 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time.
• Slow cooking may take longer at higher altitudes.
• When food is finished cooking, remove it from the slow cooker within an
hour. Promptly refrigerate any leftovers.
• Use a slow cooker on a buffet table to keep soup, stew, savory dips or
mashed potatoes hot.
• Heat cooked food on the stovetop or in the microwave and then put it
into a slow cooker to keep it hot for serving. Do not reheat food in a slow
cooker.
CLEANING TIPS:
Removable inserts make cleanup a breeze. Be sure to cool the insert
1
before rinsing or cleaning with water to avoid cracking or warping. Do not
immerse the metal base in water. Clean it with a damp sponge.
If the insert is dishwasher-safe, place it in the dishwasher. Otherwise,
2
wash it in warm soapy water. Avoid using abrasive cleansers, as they may
scratch the surface.
To remove mineral stains on a ceramic insert, fill the cooker with hot
3
water and 1 cup of white vinegar; cover. Turn the heat to high for 2 hours,
then empty. When cool, wash the insert with hot soapy water and a cloth
or sponge. Rinse well and dry with a towel.