Slow Cooker_ The Best Cookbook Ever - Diane Phillips [171]
2 cups whole or low-fat milk
6 shakes Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
8 cups torn soft-crusted French bread (if the crust is crispy, remove it and use the center of the bread)
8 ounces sliced Black Forest ham, cut into matchsticks
3 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line the insert with a slow-cooker liner according the manufacturer’s directions.
whisk together the eggs, milk, Tabasco, and mustard in a large bowl until blended. Add the bread and ham to the bowl and stir to saturate the bread and distribute the ham.
spoon half the bread mixture into the slow cooker and sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat the layers and drizzle with the melted butter.
cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until the strata is cooked through (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
serve the strata from the cooker set on warm.
serves 8
Salmon and Dill Strata
Not quite bagels with lox, this strata uses leftover grilled or poached salmon, and bagels as the bread. If you have no bagels on hand, egg bread or a white bread with some structure, like Pepperidge Farm, would be fine.
6 large eggs
1 cup whole or low-fat milk
1 cup sour cream (low fat is okay), plus additional for serving
3 cups cooked salmon in chunks
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
6 plain or egg bagels, cut into ½-inch pieces
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
½ cup drained and chopped capers for serving
Lemon wedges for serving
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line the insert with a slow-cooker liner according the manufacturer’s directions.
whisk together the eggs, milk, and sour cream in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Fold in the salmon, dill, onion, lemon zest, and pepper. Add the bagel pieces and mix, saturating the bread.
transfer half the mixture to the slow cooker and dot with half the cream cheese cubes. Repeat the layers. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until the strata is cooked through (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
serve the strata from the cooker set on warm with the additional sour cream, capers, and the lemon wedges on the side.
serves 6–8
Sausage and Hash-Brown Casserole
This south-of-the-border dish is filled with nuggets of sausage, cheese, and green chiles. A great wake-up call any day of the week, it also makes a fine light dinner along with a fruit salad and corn muffins.
1½ pounds bulk pork sausage
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 Anaheim chile, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
One 16-ounce package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, defrosted, or 2 cups fresh shredded hash browns
6 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup prepared salsa (your choice of heat)
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese, or 1 cup shredded mild Cheddar mixed with 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
coat the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or line the insert with a slow-cooker liner according the manufacturer’s directions.
cook the sausage in a large skillet over high heat until it is no longer pink, breaking up any large pieces with the side of a spoon.
remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions, chile, bell pepper, cumin, and oregano and sauté until the onions are softened and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool.
add the potatoes to the bowl and stir to blend. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and mayonnaise. Pour over the sausage and potato mixture and stir to combine.
transfer half the mix ture to the slow-cooker insert,