Slow Cooker Herbed Stuffing

Happy Thanksgiving!  We love our stuffing on Thanksgiving, with turkey and gravy!  This recipe is for stuffing in a crock pot.  It actually gives you a nice crust and moist stuffing.

Slow Cooker Herbed Stuffing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick)  unsalted butter
4 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
2 medium onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 12-oz. bag cubed country-styled stuffing
4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Add celery and onions, and cook, stirring until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the parsley, sage, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the skillet, cooking for an additional minute.  Add the chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the skillet, cooking for an additional minute.  Remove from the heat and cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled mixture with the stuffing cubes and beaten eggs and mix well. Transfer the mixture to slow cooker coated with cooking spray and cover.

Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until stuffing is set.  Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Enchilada Stack

An easy Mexican dish to make.  Prepare all ingredients and stack them up.  I may leave the green olives next time and just use the black olives. I prefer the corn tortillas. Try it and see what you think!

Enchilada Stack

Ingredients:

6 soft tortillas (flour or corn)
1 lb. ground beef
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
1 4-oz. can green chilies, chopped
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
1/4 cup sliced green olives
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Taco hot sauce

Directions:

Brown ground beef and drain.  In a bowl mix the tomato sauce and enchilada sauce.  Remove half of the sauce and save for later.  To the remainder add the browned meat, green chilies, ripe olives, green olives and mix together.  In a pie plate, place 1 tortilla and spread with 1/6 the meat.  Sprinkle with 1/6 green onions and 1/6 of cheese.  Repeat layers until 6 tortillas are used.  End with onion and cheese on the last layer.  Pour second half of sauce over the stack.  Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes until heated through.  Cut in pie wedges and top with sour cream and hot taco sauce.

Wild Rice Hot Dish

With Thanksgiving on our doorstep the prospect of leftover turkey is a possibility.  When I was young I always looked forward to leftover turkey to make this hot dish.  Of course with the conveniences we have today, we can run to the store and get a roasted chicken and use that for the meat.  I have used a box of Uncle Ben's wild and long grain rice for this dish and that works well.  Any mixture of rice may work, except for minute rice.

Wild Rice Hot Dish

Ingredients:

1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 T. butter
2 cups cut up cooked chicken, turkey or wild duck
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 small jar pimento
2 hard cooked eggs
1/2 cup almonds, slivered
3 T. butter
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Directions:

Saute green pepper in 2 tablespoons butter.  Chop egg whites only.  Reserve yolks.  Combine all ingredients except egg yolks, almonds and 3 tablespoons butter.  Place in a greased casserole dish.  Press egg yolks through a sieve and add to the top of the dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Saute almonds in butter and drizzle over top of hot dish.  Return to oven for 15 minutes more.

Makes 6 servings.