Menu Ideas for February 2010
Two big dates in February that always go better with good food–Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day!
Barbecued Ribs
Especially for Valentine’s
Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining, p. 67
Makes 6 servings
Barbecued Ribs
4 lbs. pork ribs
½ cup brown sugar
12-oz. jar chili sauce
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. hot sauce
1. Place ribs in slow cooker.
2. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour half of sauce over ribs.
3. Cover. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
4. Serve with remaining sauce.
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Especially for Valentine’s
Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, p. 224
Makes 8-10 servings
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup cooked rice
¼ cup chopped celery
10¾-oz. can cream of chicken soup
4-oz. jar cheese sauce
4-oz. can mushrooms, optional
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
¼-½ tsp. salt
1. Mix together all ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low 1½ hours, or until heated through.
Apple-Honey Tea
Especially for Valentine’s
Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, p. 251
Makes 6 1-cup servings
Ideal slow cooker size: 3- to 4-qt.
12-oz. can frozen apple juice/cider concentrate
2 Tbsp. instant tea powder
1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1. Reconstitute the apple juice/cider concentrate according to package directions. Pour into slow cooker.
2. Add tea powder, honey, and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
3. Heat on Low 1-2 hours. Stir well before serving since cinnamon tends to settle on bottom.
Chili-Cheese Dip
Especially for the Super Bowl
Fix-It and Forget-It 5-Ingredient Favorites, p. 205
Makes 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. American cheese, cubed
8-10-oz. can tomatoes and green chilies
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. chili powder
1. Brown ground beef in non-stick skillet. Drain.
2. Place browned beef in slow cooker. Add all remaining ingredients. Stir well.
3. Cover and cook on High 1 hour, stirring occasionally until cheese is fully melted.
4. Serve immediately or turn to Low for serving up to 6 hours later.
Tips:
1. Serve with tortilla or corn chips.
2. For a thicker dip, stir 2 Tbsp. flour and 3 Tbsp. water together in a small bowl until smooth. When dip is hot and cheese is melted, stir paste into slow cooker. Continue to stir until thoroughly blended.
Cherry Crumble
For Valentine’s and the Super Bowl
Fix-It and Enjoy-It 5-Ingredient Recipes, p. 205
Makes 6 servings
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-qt.
Prep Time: 15-30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35-45 minutes
10 2/3 Tbsp. (2/3 cup) butter, softened
¾ cup brown, or granulated, sugar
1½ cups flour
1 cup dry quick oats
1 can cherry pie filling, or flavor of your choice
extra butter, optional
whipped topping or cream, optional
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together except cherry pie filling, extra butter, and topping.
2. Reserve 1½ cups of the crumbs for topping.
3. Line an ungreased 9 × 9 baking pan with remaining crumbs.
4. Spoon cherry pie filling over top of crumbs.
5. Top with reserved crumbs.
6. Dot with extra butter, if you wish.
7. Bake at 350-degrees for 40–45 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Serve warm or cold, with whipped topping or cream, if you wish.