Fix-It and Forget-It

One of the great pleasures—and tortures—of my life is proofreading cookbooks that I’ve written.

We’re going to be publishing Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly, Revised and Updated in early May. The revised book has 600 healthy, low-fat recipes to make in your slow cooker (100 of these recipes are brand-new to this cookbook). And the recipes are so temptingly good that I’m hungry all the time as I proof the pages.

Check out the new cover:

As I go, I keep copying recipes I want to make again, and then I go truckin’ home with my fat pile of pages and put together my grocery list.

When I went to our farmers market early Friday morning, I saw fresh cabbage and potatoes at the first stand where I stopped. They both went into my basket, just as I had a flash about the Italian sausage I had tucked into the freezer a little while ago.

Then a recipe came back to me that I had just proofed. I was sure it called for these hearty ingredients.

I tore home and quickly defrosted the sausage.

Into my cooker went potato chunks, cabbage wedges, sausage lengths, and onion slices.

The recipe called for topping things off with water. I had another flash—this time of a pint of home-canned stewed tomatoes which Merle’s big-gardening brother and sister-in-law had given us for Christmas. The red jewels looked back at me whenever I dug in my pantry—and now I needed them to bring the robust flavors together that were waiting in the slow cooker.

I can’t bear over-cooked cabbage, mushy potatoes, or wrung-dry sausage. So I packed the filled cooker into the car and flipped it on when I got into the office. I planned to watch over it and stop the cooker just when things got tender.

Two hours later, a rumble built in the larger office. “What is that extraordinary smell?” everyone was asking. I closed the door firmly, feeling a little guilty and a little proud.

We loved our dinner that evening. I loved the fact, too, that I added no salt to these lovely vegetables, seasoned only with gusto from the chunks of Italian sausage.

We ate like earthy peasants—and we have sturdy leftovers.

Cabbage with Kielbasa
Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Revised and Updated
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time:15-20 minutes
Cooking Time: 3-4 hours

1½ medium-sized heads of cabbage, cut into wedges
¾ lb. kielbasa or sausage of your choice, cut into chunks
8 medium-sized potatoes, cut into small pieces
1 good-sized onion, sliced
2 cups water

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on low 3-4 hours, or until cabbage and potatoes are done to your liking.

Variation: Instead of water, use 1 pint stewed or diced tomatoes.

For more information and to pre-order a copy, click here:

Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Revised and Updated