Slow Cooker Vegetable Casserole

This was a really hard dish to get a good picture of. It was nicely stacked in the slow cooker, but when I dished it up, it all kinda fell apart. The pics don't do it justice. Just try to imagine beans mixed with pesto, layered with polenta, zucchini, mushrooms, cheese and then spinach and pesto on top. Oh and don't forget the tomatoes. I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious this ended up being. This was a tasty, easy dish that was full of flavor and veggies. I added a sliced zucchini because I had one and we had this on a busy weekend. If you need a side dish that is full of veggies, this is a good one. But, I am not going to lie, this is the only part of the meal that I ate.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Casserole adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine
2 19-oz. cans cannellini beans
1 19-oz. can garbanzo or fava beans
1/4 cup purchased basil pesto
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 16-oz. pkg. refrigerated cooked plain polenta cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 zucchini, sliced

1-8 oz pkg mushrooms, presliced
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 8-oz. pkg. finely shredded Italian cheese blend (2 cups)
2 cups fresh spinach

Directions
1. Rinse and drain beans. In large bowl combine beans, 2 tablespoons of pesto, onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning.
2. In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker layer half of bean mixture, half of polenta, zucchini, and half of cheese. Add remaining beans and polenta. Cover; cook on low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or on high heat setting 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Add tomato, remaining cheese and spinach. Combine remaining pesto and 1 tablespoon water. Drizzle pesto mixture on casserole. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Slow Cooker- Cook Once, Eat Twice

Cook 2 pot roasts in your slow cooker one day and a few days later...

Add a few more ingredients to the leftovers and you have Cheesesteak Sandwiches

I love meals like this, where you cook once and can make 2 dinners. This pot roast was very tender and delicious, and that is coming from a non-beef lover. It was tasty and the sandwiches were great as well. I added a little more liquid than the recipe called for originally and also added some onion for flavor.

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast (adapted from Southern Living Magazine)

2 (2 1/4- to 2 1/2-lb.) eye-of-round roasts, trimmed

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 (1-lb.) package baby carrots

1 (28-oz.) can petite diced tomatoes

1 cup chopped celery
1/2 large red onion, chopped

2 cups beef broth

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1. Rub roasts evenly with 2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper.
2. Brown roasts on all sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat (about 10 minutes). Place roasts, side by side, in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Add carrots and remaining ingredients.
3. Cook, covered, on LOW 10 to 12 hours or until tender. Remove roasts from slow cooker; shred 1 roast, and serve with 2 cups vegetable-and-gravy mixture. Shred remaining roast. Store remaining roast and 2 cups vegetable-and-gravy mixture in separate airtight containers in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.

Cheesesteak-Style Sandwiches

1 medium-size sweet onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cooked and shredded Slow-cooker Pot Roast

5 (6-inch) hoagie rolls, split
10 provolone cheese slices (about 6 oz.)

2 cups Slow-cooker Pot Roast gravy

1. Sauté first 3 ingredients in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 15 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with Creole seasoning and Worcestershire sauce.
2. Spoon shredded pot roast and bell pepper mixture evenly onto bottoms of split rolls, and top with provolone cheese; replace tops of split rolls. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet.
3. Broil 6 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and top of rolls are toasted.
4. Microwave Slow-cooker Pot Roast gravy in a glass measuring cup at HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve sandwiches with gravy for dipping.

Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Pretty peppers are so colorful and delicious.

These stuffed peppers were so easy. I just mixed the ingredients, stuffed 'em up, put a little sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker and a few hours later, the peppers were tender and the filling was bubbly. My kids gobbled these up. Sprinkle some cheese on top and you have a warm, cozy dinner. I love a dinner that relies on something besides meat as the star of the show!


Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers (from Taste of Home magazine)

Ingredients:
6 large sweet peppers
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 small tomatoes, diced
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 small sweet onion, diced
1/3 cup canned red beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4-1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions: Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the rice, tomatoes, corn, onion and beans. Stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, olives, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon into peppers. Combine spaghetti sauce and water; pour half into an oval 5-qt. slow cooker. Add the stuffed peppers. Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Cover and cook on low for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until peppers are tender and filling is heated through. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Makes 6 servings.