The Great American Slow Cooker Book Read Online Free PDF Page A

adding a crunchy topping to the oatmeal the next morning.
    • If the can of sweet potatoes doesn’t have enough liquid to make the full amount needed, make up the difference with equal parts water and maple syrup.
    • If you’re prone to morning grogginess, mix the topping ingredients the night before; cover and set aside at room temperature.
    • Consider adding a little minced peeled fresh ginger—no more than 2 teaspoons for the big batch. Or skip the ginger and try a pinch (or two) of grated nutmeg.
    • For richer fare, stir 1 to 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter into the topping ingredients. Believe it or not, the butter will actually cut the sweetness a bit.
    INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Canned yams in syrup (that is, canned sweet potatoes in a sweetened, thickened liquid) are a Southern tradition, often served at the holidays. They can be hard to track down in some parts of the country, or even at other times of the year, so stock up when you see them.
oat, barley, and apple porridge
    EFFORT: NOT MUCH • PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 8 HOURS • KEEPS ON WARM: 3 HOURS • SERVES: 4 TO 12
    2- TO 3½-QUART
    3 cups water
    ¾ cup steel-cut oats
    ½ cup pearled barley
    6 tblsp sliced almonds
    2 tblsp maple syrup
    1 large apple, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, cored and chopped
    ½ tsp salt
    4- TO 5½-QUART
    6 cups water
    1½ cups steel-cut oats
    1 cup pearled barley
    ¾ cup sliced almonds
    ¼ cup maple syrup
    2 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, cored and chopped
    ¼ tsp salt
    6- TO 8-QUART
    9 cups water
    2¼ cups steel-cut oats
    1½ cups pearled barley
    1 cup plus 2 tblsp sliced almonds
    6 tblsp maple syrup
    3 large apples, preferably Gala, Fuji, or Jonagold, cored and chopped
    ¾ tsp salt
    Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker until thoroughly mixed. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the oats and barley are tender and luscious.
    TESTERS’ NOTES
    • Oats and barley are a great combo: creamy and chewy, smooth and toothsome, all at once in every bite.
    • For more flavor, toast the sliced almonds until golden brown in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes.
    • Although tart apples are the standard in many recipes with other sweeteners in the mix, we feel this works best with a medium-sweet apple that will break down a bit and become part of the creamy “sauce” around the grains.
    Serve It Up! For an over-the-top treat, warm some heavy or light cream in a small saucepan until bubbles fizz around the pan’s interior. Ladle the warmed cream over the cereal in the bowls.
    INGREDIENTS EXPLAINED Pearled barley (sometimes labeled
perlato barley
) is a refined grain. The hull and bran have been scored or even removed so the barley cooks quickly. Do not substitute quick-cooking barley, which is processed like instant oatmeal.
sweet rice porridge
    EFFORT: NOT MUCH • PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES • COOK TIME: 7 HOURS • KEEPS ON WARM: 4 HOURS • SERVES: 3 TO 10
    2- TO 3½-QUART
    2 cups water
    1 cup peeled and diced sweet potato
    ½ cup short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
    ½ cup jarred roasted chestnuts
    ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
    1 tblsp mirin
    ½ tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
    4- TO 5½-QUART
    4 cups water
    2 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
    1 cup short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
    1 cup jarred roasted chestnuts
    ½ cup packed light brown sugar
    2 tblsp mirin
    1 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
    6- TO 8-QUART
    6 cups water
    3 cups peeled and diced sweet potato
    1½ cups short-grain rice (sweet rice or sushi rice)
    1½ cups jarred roasted chestnuts
    ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
    3 tblsp mirin
    1½ minced peeled fresh ginger
    Stir all the ingredients in a slow cooker, then cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or until the rice is tender.
    TESTERS’ NOTES
    • This sweet, autumnal breakfast porridge is well stocked and very aromatic. It would pair well with a cup of black tea instead of coffee.
    • A white sweet potato would be