SLOW-COOKER RECIPES
The beauty of the online world is that space is virtually unlimited, while we an only squeeze so much into our printed Food section. We're taking advantage of this today by sharing a bunch of slow-cooker recipes that came across our wire today. They're from a Los Angeles Daily News story on how these handy appliances just keeping getting better and better, and busy cooks love them.

If you have a great slow-cooker recipe to share, post it in our comments section; we'll award a cookbook to one of you.

TACO PIZZA DIP
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (8- to 12-ounce) container French onion dip
1 pound ground beef
½ of an envelope dry taco seasoning mix
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Green pepper, diced (optional)
Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
Combine cream cheese and onion dip. Spread in 2- to 3-quart slow cooker. Brown ground beef in a skillet. Drain off excess fat. Stir taco seasoning into meat. Place seasoned meat on top of cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese on top of meat. Top with peppers and mushrooms, if desired.Cover and cook on the low heat setting 1 ½ to 2 hours. Serve with white corn chips.
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Shared by Arlene Snyder, Millerstown, Pa., from “Fix-It and Forget-It: 5-Ingredient Favorites, Comforting Slow-Cooker Recipes,” by Phyllis Pellman Good

PULLED PORK WITH BARBECUE SAUCE
Pulled pork with barbecue sauce is a southern classic — true comfort food. It’s delicious in sloppy Joe sandwiches or all by itself over rice. For a lighter version, use half a turkey breast instead of pork.
2 pounds pork roast (any cut)
2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Place pork in a 4 -or 5-quart slow cooker. In a bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, water, onion, garlic, chili powder and Worcestershire sauce and stir well. Pour sauce over roast. Cover and cook on the low heat setting 8 to 10 hours, until meat falls apart. Remove pork from cooker and allow to cool slightly. Remove and discard any bones. Pull meat into shreds using your fingers or two forks. Return meat to cooker and stir into sauce. Serve warm in buns for sandwiches or over rice, as desired.
Makes 4 servings
From “The Gourmet Slow Cooker, Volume II, Regional Comfort-Food Classics,” by Lynn Alley

BALSAMIC BRAISED CHICKEN WITH OLIVES
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 ½ pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken breast
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes, including juice if canned
½ cup chicken stock OR broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped pitted black olives
2 tablespoons drained capers (optional)
In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat 30 seconds. Add chicken in batches and brown on all sides. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker stoneware insert. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to pan and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, salt, peppercorns and thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stock and balsamic vinegar and bring to a boil. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover and cook on the low heat setting 5 hours, or on the high heat setting 2 ½ hours, until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Add olives and capers and stir well. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings
From “175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics,” by Judith Finlayson

WHOLE WHEAT SODA BREAD
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
In a large bowl, mix together whole wheat and all-purpose flours, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center, pour buttermilk into well and mix just until blended. Spread into a lightly greased 8x4-inch loaf pan or a 6-cup souffle or baking dish (that will fit into slow cooker insert).Cover pan (or dish) tightly with foil and secure with string. Place pan in a 5-quart (or larger if necessary) oval slow cooker stoneware and pour in enough boiling water to come 1 inch up sides of dish. Cover and cook on the high heat setting 2 ½ to 3 hours, until bread springs back when touched lightly in the center. Unmold and serve warm.
Makes 1 loaf, 8 servings
From “175 Essential Slow Cooker Classics,” by Judith Finlayson

ALE-BRAISED SHORT RIBS
4 to 5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, cut into 3-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 thinly sliced yellow onions
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 (2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
1 (14 ½-ounce) can diced plum (Roma) tomatoes
1 (12-ounce) bottle ale OR dark beer
3 tablespoons flour
Water

Brown short ribs: Preheat broiler or grill. Generously season ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches if necessary, arrange ribs on a broiler pan and place under the broiler. Broil (grill) ribs, turning once, until well-browned, about 3 minutes on each side.
Transfer ribs to an oval 7-quart slow cooker. Scatter onions and garlic over ribs. Add squash. Pour in tomatoes with their juice and ale. Cover and cook on the high heat setting 5 to 6 hours, or on the low heat setting 7 to 8 hours. The meat should be separating form the bones, and squash should be tender.Using a slotted spoon, transfer ribs and squash to a shallow bowl or platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Skim off excess fat from surface of sauce. Put slow cooker on high heat setting. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and ¼ cup water. Whisk flour mixture into sauce and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over ribs and squash and serve.
Makes 6 servings
From “Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast: Slow Cooker,” recipes by Norman Kolpas

MOM’S BEST BBQ BRISKET
3 ½ pounds beef brisket
Salt and ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, sliced
1 jalapeno chile pepper, diced
1 (1-ounce) packet onion soup mix
1 (14-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce
Trim fat from brisket. Sprinkle brisket with salt and black pepper; set aside. In a 5-quart slow cooker, arrange onion slices. Place brisket on top. Add jalapeno pepper and onion soup mix. Pour barbecue sauce over all.Cover and cook on the high heat setting for 1 hour. Turn to the low heat setting; cook 8 to 10 hours more.
Makes 6 servings
From “Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Slow Cooker Recipes”

PORK CHOPS WITH SAUERKRAUT AND NEW POTATOES
Serve this with whole-berry cranberry sauce, or applesauce and creamed horseradish. If you want to make this like szekely goulash, a Hungarian specialty, simply remove the pork chops when done, then stir 1/3 cup sour cream mixed with 2 tablespoons buttermilk into the sauerkraut and potatoes.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (1-inch-thick) boneless center-cut pork chops OR shoulder chops
4 red OR white new potatoes, thickly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Paprika to taste (use sweet, hot OR smoked)
1 shallot OR white boiling onion, minced
1 (16-ounce) bag OR jar fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon dry white wine OR champagne
In a heavy skillet over high heat, heat olive oil and quickly sear and brown pork chops on both sides. Place potatoes in bottom of a 1 ½- to 3-quart slow cooker. Place pork chops on bed of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika and shallot. Arrange sauerkraut over pork chops, then sprinkle with wine. Cover and cook on the low heat setting 6 to 7 hours, until meat is tender. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings
From “Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker: Recipes for Two,” by Beth Hensperger