Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [158]
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons Lawry’s seasoned salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons sugar
4 cups pecan halves, walnut halves, or whole almonds
combine the butter, seasoned salt, garlic salt, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes.
add the nuts and stir to coat with the butter mixture. Cook uncovered for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.
sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over the nuts, toss to coat, and remove the nuts to a baking sheet to cool completely before serving.
serves 8
The Best Artichoke Spinach Dip on the Planet
Everyone has a recipe for this terrific dip, and my new favorite is this one, which includes bacon and white Cheddar cheese along with the usual suspects. Serve this with bagel chips, pita chips, or baguette slices.
6 strips bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
One 16-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained thoroughly (see savvy)
One 16-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, drained, and coarsely chopped, or two 14- to 15-ounce cans artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups mayonnaise
2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese
cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp and remove it to paper towels to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings from the pan and heat over mediumhigh heat.
add the onion and sauté until it begins to sof ten, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and artichoke hearts and sauté until the water in the pan has evaporated. Season the mixture with the pepper and turn it out into the insert of a 1½- to 3-quart slow cooker. Add the mayonnaise and cheese to the cooker and stir until blended. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours.
garnish the dip with the bacon bits and serve from the cooker set on warm.
serves 8
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spinach savvy
A potato ricer has a lot of uses, and squeezing spinach dry is just one of them. If you don’t have a potato ricer, press the spinach in a sieve. The sauté will take the rest of the moisture out of the vegetables, ensuring that the dip isn’t watery.
Hot Broccoli Dip
This dip gives new meaning to the phrase “eat your veggies.” Filled with broccoli and mushrooms in a cheesy sauce, this dip is terrific served with pita chips.
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces broccoli florets (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian dip)
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
6 drops hot sauce
3 cups finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
coat the insert of a 3- to 5-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
add the onion and celery and sauté until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms begin to color, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert and add the broccoli. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet over meduim heat.
add the flour to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, sherry, and milk and bring to a boil. Stir in the salt and hot sauce.
transfer the contents of the skillet to the slow-cooker insert and fold in the cheese. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the broccoli is tender and the cheese is melted. serve the dip from the cooker set on warm.
serves 8
Refried Bean Dip
This simple dip is a real crowd pleaser; the smooth beans are balanced by chunky pieces of hot sausage, vegetables, and melting cheeses, giving the dip