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6 to 8 cups chicken broth

1½ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pour the beans in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Heat the oil in a small skillet over very low heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook for about 10 minutes, taking care that the garlic doesn’t brown.

add the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert and stir in 6 cups chicken broth. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Check to make sure that the beans are not sticking to the pot and add more broth if needed. Cover and cook for an additional 1 hour. Season with the salt and pepper.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6

Veggie Cassoulet

A terrific vegetarian entrée or side dish, cassoulet is usually made with lots of meats, including duck and sausages, but for this cassoulet, we’ll forgo the meats and use legumes, chunky vegetables, and tangy orange zest to fortify the pot. I actually like this better the next day, after the flavors have gotten to know each other.

2 cups Great Northern beans, soaked overnight in water to cover and drained

½ cup brown lentils

½ cup yellow split peas

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of red pepper flakes

4 medium carrots, cut into ½-inch rounds

4 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 parsnips, cut into ½-inch rounds

1 cup red wine, such as Burgundy

Grated zest of 1 orange

One 14- to 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 bay leaf

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley combine the beans, lentils, and split peas in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes and sauté until the onions are softened.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert. Stir in the carrots, celery, parsnips, wine, zest, tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the beans are tender. Check after several hours to see if the beans need additional broth.

remove the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Combine the butter, bread crumbs, cheese, and parsley in a mixing bowl and sprinkle over the top of the cassoulet. Cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.

serve from the cooker set on warm, as a side dish or vegetarian main dish.

serves 8

Cowboy-Style Baked Beans

Robust and bursting with chunks of sausage in a savory sauce, these beans are terrific for a barbecue. Serve alongside burgers, hot dogs, grilled meats, or pulled pork. If you have an outdoor kitchen, plug in the cooker and keep the beans warm.

1½ pounds bulk pork sausage (Jimmy Dean is a good brand)

2 medium onions, chopped

2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced

Four 16-ounce cans plain baked beans

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

brown the sausage in a large skillet over high heat, breaking up any large chunks with the back of a spoon. Add the onions and chiles and sauté until the onions are softened. Drain off any excess fat.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, until the beans are tender.

serve the beans from the cooker set on warm.

serves 8

Garbanzos Tuscan-Style

Garbanzo beans (or chickpeas) are a staple in Mediterranean cooking, and these beans become soft and creamy in your slow cooker. Fragrant with garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, and a bit of red wine, the beans make a terrific side dish to serve with grilled meats or seafood.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped

Two 14- to 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons dry red wine

Four 14- to 15-ounce