Budget Travel: November 2017

Slow Cooker Nacho Dip

SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 1 Hour 20 Min

1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, or more
1 (15.5 ounce) jar chunky mild salsa, (or hot)
1 (32 ounce) brick Velveeta cheese, sliced into 4 smaller logs

Add ground beef to hot, 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet, over high heat. Don't break down the beef right away, let it cook for 3-4 minutes first, this way it caramelizes first. Start breaking it down after that, add 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning to it, or just salt and pepper and cook for 5-6 more minutes stirring often, or until the beef is fully cooked and nicely browned. Drain excess fat.

Transfer cooked and drained beef to the slow cooker, add diced onion, diced green chiles, salsa and Velveeta cheese.

Cook on high for 1 hour or on Low for 1 1/2-2 hours. Stir the mixture every 30 minutes.

The dip is done when the cheese is fully melted and combined with the other ingredients when stirred. Place slow cooker on warm to keep the dip creamy and melty and serve with corn chips.

Garnish dip with sour cream and homemade or store bough Pico de Gallo, chopped fresh parsley and green onions.

Recipe developed by Catalina Castavet for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

One-Pot Creamy Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Pasta

SERVES 6 | ACTIVE TIME 5 MIN | TOTAL TIME 20 Min

3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1 pound angel hair pasta
1 cup parmesan
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a wide deep skillet (I love this 4-qt braiser), melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until lightly golden.

Pour the water, milk, cream, salt, and pepper in the skillet and whisk together. Bring to a simmer, then add in the angel hair pasta. Cover and cook until almost al dente, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Top with the shrimp and sprinkle with parsley. Re-cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through, pasta is tender, and sauce is thickened. Serve immediately.

Recipe developed by Jacqueline DiNuoscio for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Christmas Pinwheel Cookies

SERVES 24

Christmas sugar cookie dough (click for recipe)
red food coloring (gel is best)
Christmas nonpareil sprinkles

Separate prepared dough into 2 halves. Add red food coloring to one half. Add 1/2 of your cookie dough to a stand mixer and add red food coloring until your mixture reaches your desired color. You can also knead food coloring into dough until completely combined if you do not have a stand mixer.

Place red cookie dough on parchment paper. Roll red cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Set aside.

Place plain cookie dough on a parchment paper (or wax paper). Roll plain cookie dough out to about 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Stack cookie dough sheets on top of one another with the parchment on the outside. Remove the top parchment and roll over the dough gently with a rolling pin (to help the 2 doughs become one). Begin on one end and roll the cookie dough into a log (removing the remaining paper as you go). If dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate for 30 minutes and then try again.

Once dough is formed into a log, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour . Meanwhile: pour sprinkles into a cookie sheet. Unwrap dough and roll into sprinkles. Rewrap and refrigerate 3 hours to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Slice cookies and place on cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake according to your sugar cookie directions or until the cookies feel set. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2015 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Spaghetti Carbonara

SERVES 4 | PREP TIME 5 Min | TOTAL TIME 15 Min

8 ounces dry spaghetti
4 slices bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (plus more for garnish)
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
Flat leaf parsley, minced (optional)

Cook spaghetti in heavily salted water (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) as directed on box. Reserve about 1 cup starchy pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon over medium in a medium skillet, until almost crisp. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk parmigiano and eggs together. Set aside.

After draining the pasta, add it to the egg mixture and toss quickly to coat the noodles. Add a little starchy pasta water at a time to achieve desired consistency (about 1/4- 1/2 cup). Mix in the bacon/garlic and serve immediately topped with fresh parsley and more Parmigiano.

Recipe developed by Melanie Dueck for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Slow Cooker Beef Brisket

SERVES 8-10 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 8 Hours 40 Min

4-5 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of excess fat

1 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon beef bouillon
1/2 cup homemade barbecue sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with sides/jelly roll pan with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Set aside. Spray 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

Trim brisket of excess fat and rinse and pat dry.

Add 1 tablespoon Spice Rub to a medium bowl for the barbecue sauce and set aside.

Rub all remaining Spice Rub evenly all over the meat then place brisket on prepared baking sheet. (You can let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 24 hours if desired). Bake for 30 minutes at 425°F to sear meat.

Meanwhile, add all of the Barbecue Sauce ingredients (recipe to follow) to the 1 tablespoon reserved Spice Rub and whisk to combine. Remove 1/2 cup barbecue sauce and add to slow cooker along with water, Worcestershire, reduced sodium soy sauce and beef bouillon. Whisk to combine (the bouillon will not be completely dissolved but will dissolve during cooking).

Using tongs (so you don’t burn yourself) carefully transfer the brisket to slow cooker. It will be large so you will have to squish it in. Not all of it will be under the liquid.

Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours until brisket is very tender, flipping over half way through cooking. Remove brisket to a foil lined baking sheet. Brush with barbecue sauce and broil 5-10 minutes, until slightly caramelized. Meanwhile, simmer barbecue sauce until warmed through.

Brush brisket again with barbecue sauce and slice across the grain. Serve with remaining barbecue sauce.

Spice Rub
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for more heat)

In a medium bowl, whisk together Spice Rub ingredients.

Barbecue Sauce
1 tablespoon Spice Rub (recipe above)

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup seedless blackberry preserves
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke (optional but recommended)

MAKE AHEAD: I often will cook my brisket until tender then remove the removable ceramic insert and refrigerate the brisket in the juices. The next day, I skim off all the hardened fat then cook on low for 1-2 hours until warmed through.

RECIPE NOTES: Liquid smoke can be found next to the barbecue sauce in most grocery stores. It adds a wonderfully smoky flavor.

Recipe developed by Jen Sattley for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Slow Cooker Mashed Sweet Potatoes

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 4 Hours 30 Min

4-5 large sweet potatoes
1 cup water
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp celtic sea salt
1 tbsp fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Wash potatoes and stab each 4-6 times with a sharp knife to create steam vent holes.

Add water to slow cooker cover and cook 4 hours, until potatoes are soft.

In a small bowl, add butter , honey, and all herbs and spices (everything but the nuts), blend well to create compound butter. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in refrigerator.

Remove potatoes and drain water. Wait until potatoes are cool enough to touch (but still very warm), and remove peels. They should slide right off when sweet potatoes are cooked. Add peeled sweet potatoes back to slow cooker.

Add 1/2 compound butter mix to potatoes and using a handheld mixer, whip potatoes and butter until soft, fluffy, and creamy.

Optional: Cook potatoes in slow cooker another 30 minutes to bring out the rich flavors from the compound butter even more!

Mix nuts into potatoes, serve, and top with pats of compound butter for extra-indulgent sweet potatoes your guests will love!

Recipe developed by Courtney O'Dell for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Best Ever Bacon Jalapeno Popper Dip

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 5 MIN | TOTAL TIME 25 MIN

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound bacon, (cooked and crumbled) divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Colby Jack Cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded pepperjack cheese, divided
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapenos , well drained (or 2 fresh jalapenos, deveined, deseeded and diced)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 or 2 (4.5 ounce) packages Crunchmaster Roasted Garlic Multi-Grain Crackers

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, New Mexico chili powder, ground cumin, pepper, garlic powder. Stir with a spoon until well mixed. Add 3/4 of the bacon, 1 cup Colby Jack cheese, 1 cup pepperjack cheese, and drained jalapenos.

Spread into a 10" cast iron skillet (or (2) 5" skillets for the perfect party plate). Top with the remaining cheese.Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley.

Serve with a bag of Crunchmaster Crackers. I love the garlic with this dip!

Enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

SERVES 6 | PREP TIME 10 Min | COOK TIME 8-9 Hours

1 1/2 pounds cut beef stew meat

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups (about 6 ounces) coarsely chopped white mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping tablespoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (12 ounce) package egg noodles
1 cup sour cream (light or regular)

Place beef in 6-quart crockpot, add salt and pepper. Then add beef broth, mushrooms, onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Dijon mustard, parsley and thyme. Mix well.

Cook on low 8-9 hours, or high 4-5 hours. I prefer cooking the beef on low to make sure it's nice and tender.

Cook egg noodles according to the package directions.

Add the cooked and drained noodles to the crockpot as well as sour cream. Mix well. Let simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Recipe developed by Erin Henry for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Slow Cooker Sausage and Ravioli

SERVES 6 | PREP TIME 5 Min | COOK TIME 4 Hours

1 pound Italian sausage links, cut into bite size pieces
1 pound frozen cheese ravioli
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Salt to taste
Fresh Parmesan for garnish

Add sausage, ravioli, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and basil to the slow cooker.

Set slow cooker to LOW for 4 hours, or until sausage is fully cooked.
Salt to taste.

Remove from slow cooker and serve with a garnish of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Recipe developed by Kat Jeter and Melinda Caldwell for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Crazy Caramel Apple Pie Bombs

SERVES 12 | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 45 Min

4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided
2 medium apples, peeled cored and diced (I used gala)
6 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
30 caramels, unwrapped and divided (I use Kraft)
All-purpose flour, (for dusting)

12 frozen white dinner roll dough balls, (I used Rhodes)
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 x 8-inch
baking pan with 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside.

Combine the apples, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and the cinnamon in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside. Unwrap the caramels and cut 18 of them into quarters. Set aside. Lightly flour your counter top.

Flatten each dough ball into a circle about 3 inches across. You can use a
rolling pin or you can pull the dough around the edges like you are making a mini
pizza. Add 1 tablespoon of the apple mixture and 6 of the cut caramel pieces.

Carefully pull each side over the center to create a “package,” and then roll the
dough into a ball. Be careful to make sure you cannot see through the dough. If you
have any tears or can’t seal the dough, tap your fingertips in flour, pinch any tears
and roll again.

Place the dough ball in the prepared dish, seam side down. Repeat until all of the
apple pie bombs are in the dish. Brush the apple pie bombs with the remaining
2 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 4 tablespoons
of brown sugar. Bake the bombs for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tops are
golden brown and they are no longer doughy.

Meanwhile, place the remaining 12 caramels and the heavy cream in a microwavesafe
bowl and microwave until melted, 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each
interval. Once you have a smooth mixture, set aside to cool.

Remove the apple pie bombs from the oven and drizzle with the caramel sauce.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2013 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Chicken Tetrazzini

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 55 Min

1/2 cup butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted
8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced (can substitute 1 tsp dried thyme leaves)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
16 ounces egg noodles, cooked according to package directions
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or 2 large chicken breasts cooked and shredded – see recipe notes below)
2 cups frozen peas
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat a large cast iron (or other oven safe pot) skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of butter and cook until melted. Add mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in thyme, salt and pepper, then add flour, stirring to coat completely.

Add chicken stock and cream, stirring frequently to remove any lumps. Cook, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes, or until thickened.

Stir in cooked egg noodles, shredded chicken, peas and Parmesan cheese.

In a small bowl, stir together melted butter and panko breadcrumbs, then sprinkle over the top of the dish. Season with additional pepper if desired, then bake 35-45 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.

COOK'S NOTES: To make using fresh chicken breasts, add a drizzle of olive oil to pot over MED heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook 5-6 minutes per side, until cooked through and golden. Remove chicken from skillet and drain excess grease. Shred chicken with two forks and set aside. Preheat oven, add butter and cook recipe as directed, starting with step 2 above.

Recipe developed by Amanda Batcher for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pumpkin Roll

SERVES 12 | PREP TIME 25 Min | COOK TIME 15 Min

3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Powdered sugar for dusting

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line a 15”x10” jelly roll pan with parchment paper, set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk together your eggs, sugar, pumpkin, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and flour until no lumps remain.

Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and spread it out to the sides.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the top springs back when touched, remove from oven.
Liberally sprinkle the hot cake with powdered sugar. Place a tea towel that is slightly larger than your cake over top. Top with a cooling rack or larger baking sheet on top of that. Hold the stack together firmly and flip the cake over onto the cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper.

While the cake is still hot, fold the towel over the short edge on the cake. Slowly roll up your cake (with the tea towel inside) and leave it rolled until it is completely cooled, about 1-1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile to make your filling beat your cream cheese in a medium bowl until it is light and fluffy.
Add in your butter, powdered sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth, set aside.

Carefully unroll your cooled cake roll, remove the towel and spread your filling all over the cakes surface. Then roll the cake back up tightly. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Once chilled, dust with powdered sugar, slice and serve.

Recipe developed by Allison Miller for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Easy Roasted Garlic No Knead Skillet Bread

SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 3 Hours | COOK TIME 45 Min

600 grams all-purpose flour (about 4 cups, lightly packed and leveled off)
2 cups (473.18mL) lukewarm water
1½ tablespoons salt
1 envelope dry active yeast (7g, about 2¼ teaspoons)
1/4 cup lightly roasted garlic - whole or diced, depending on preference (pat dry if using jarred or deli-style pre roasted garlic)
1 tbsp celtic sea salt (optional, but great sprinkled on top for extra crunch).
2 tsp Italian herb seasoning blend (rosemary, oregano, thyme), optional for topping

In a small bowl, add water and stir yeast packet in (make sure water is warm, but not too hot - if it is too cold or too hot it will not bloom properly).

Let yeast bloom for about 5 minutes - it will have a light foam on it. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt with a spoon.Make a small well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and when yeast is proofed, slowly pour into flour.

Mix by hand (either with your hands, or a spoon). The dough will turn begin to come together and pull away from the bowl.

If the dough is too sticky, add more flour in small increments, about 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too dry, add more water, 1 teaspoon at a time. (Be sure to reference high altitude directions for water above if you live over 4,000 feet.) Once the dough has come together, cover it and let it rise until it doubles in size (about 1.5 to 2 hours).

Uncover the dough and give it a few pokes with your finger. If the dough has risen correctly, it should indent under the pressure of your fingers and slowly deflate.Add roasted garlic to dough, mix well.

Gently scoop up the dough and make sure to remove it from the sides of the bowl (you want it to fully rise again, if it is still stuck to the sides of the bowl in parts, it won't). Place back in bowl, cover, and allow the dough to continue to rise for another 1.5-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (230 degrees C, gas mark 8) and add skillet to it, (you want it to be incredibly hot). Punch down dough. Generously flour a sheet of parchment paper; transfer dough to parchment and, with floured hands, shape into a ball.

Place dough on parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour. Top with any extra herbs or a sprinkle of celtic sea salt. Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes. Remove skillet from oven.

Uncover dough and carefully transfer to skillet, with or without parchment paper beneath (if bottom of skillet is not coated with enamel, keep parchment paper beneath dough- I always use parchment paper because it is just the easiest and I never have to worry about anything sticking).

Bake bread 45 minutes covered, then another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered until dough is baked through and golden brown on top. Cool slightly before slicing

Recipe developed by Courtney O'Dell for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pumpkin Spice Latte Rice Pudding

SERVES 6 | ACTIVE TIME 10 Min | TOTAL TIME 30 Min

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 cups water
2 cups International Delight French Vanilla Creamer
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon espresso coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove

Combine ingredients in a large (8 quart) saucepan over high heat. Stir to combine. Bring to 'medium' boil. *SEE NOTE. Reduce to simmer (on medium-low temperature) for 20 minutes. Cover.

Remove cover, increase temperature to medium-high and stir constantly until rice is tender and pudding is thick and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Pour into serving dishes. Serve warm immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: Do not bring to a full rolling boil and then cover. It will boil over and you will be left with a nasty stove to clean. Don't ask me how I know, just trust me on this one.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Simple Cranberry Sauce

MAKES 4 Cups

12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice

Place cranberries in a strainer and rinse. Then pick through them for any bad cranberries. Remove any sticks or stems.

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. As the cranberry sauce comes to a boil, the berries will begin to burst, about 5-7 minutes.

Reduce the heat to simmer. Stir occasionally as the cranberry sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

Refrigerate and serve cold or at room temperature.

DONNA'S NOTES: If you prefer your cranberry sauce smooth, you can use a stick blender in the pot and blend until smooth. You can also transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2016 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Wings

from The Simple Kitchen Cookbook by Chad and Donna Elick

SERVES 6 | ACTIVE TIME 15 Min | TOTAL TIME 2 Hours 15 Min

1/4 cup good honey
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2–3 tablespoons chili pepper paste, to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds fresh chicken wing drumettes*

In a 5-quart slow cooker on low, add the honey, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, chili pepper, salt and garlic. Stir to combine. Add the chicken wings. Stir until the wings are well-coated. Cover and cook for 1 to 2 hours on high (or 2½ to 3 hours on low), until the wings are cooked through.

Remove the wings from the slow cooker and place on a baking sheet lined with foil.

Transfer the sauce from the slow cooker to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then slather the thickened sauce over the wings.

Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce starts to darken and caramelize. And don’t leave the oven. Broiling can go from caramelized to burned in a blink, just trust me on this one. Open the oven and brush another layer of sauce on the wings and broil again. Repeat until you have three layers of sauce on the wings. Remove from the oven.

*You can use frozen wings; the cook time will be 2 to 3 hours on high (4 to 6 hours on low).

DONNA’S SIMPLE KITCHEN TIP: I use the “stir-in” chili pepper paste from a tube; it is found in the produce department by the herbs. You can also find chili pepper paste in tubes in the Italian food aisle.
Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Cheesy Bacon Green Bean Casserole

SERVES 8 | ACTIVE TIME 20 Min | TOTAL TIME 60 Minutes

1 pound Jones Dairy Farm Dry Aged Hickory Smoked Bacon, cut into 1/2"-3/4" pieces
8 ounces sliced baby bella (aka crimini) mushrooms
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour *see gluten-free notes
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1-2 pinches red pepper flakes, to taste
2 cups whole milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
24 ounces frozen green beans, thawed

In a cold large (12") cast iron skillet add bacon. Turn heat to medium and cook until crisp. Stirring occasionally. This will take about 25 minutes. See the shortcut method if you want to make this quicker.

Remove bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Pour bacon drippings into a jar to save for later use and return 4 tablespoons bacon drippings to the pan.

Return skillet to medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they are browned, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, into the pan (or butter if you are out of bacon drippings). Add flour, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir until the flour dissolves into the vegetables. Cook 1 minute to cook out the floury taste.

Add milk and stir to combine. Remove from the heat, add the cheese a handful at a time and stir between each addition. Once the cheese is completely melted into the sauce add green beans and half of the cooked bacon. Stir to combine, cook until green beans are warmed through, about 2 minutes. Top with remaining bacon.

Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S NOTES: You can also use blanched fresh green beans, when available.

Shortcut method: bake bacon in the oven until crisp. Cool and crumble. Set aside. Add 4 tablespoons butter to skillet. Once the butter is melted add mushrooms, onions and garlic. Continue with recipe as written above.

Gluten-free instructions: Mix 1/4 cup of corn starch with 1/2 cup of milk in a resealable container. Seal and shake the living tar out of it to create a slurry. Omit the flour called for in the recipe. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk to the recipe. Cook until it starts to bubble. Add the slurry and stir to combine. Proceed with the recipe.

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Pumpkin Slab Pie

SERVES 24

For the Pie Crust:

4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups + 2 TBS (3 sticks + 2 TBS) cold butter, cubed
3/4 cup ice water

For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:

1 29oz can (or 2 15oz cans) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp salt
4 eggs

For the Egg Wash:

1 egg
1 TBS water or milk

To Make the Pumpkin Pie Crust:

Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add in the butter pieces. Using a pastry cutter (or two forks - though its much harder), cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea sized pieces.
Drizzle the cold water in about 1 tablespoon at a time and stir with a rubber spatula. Continue kneading the dough together with your holds until the flour and butter are fully incorporated together into a nice dough. It shouldn't be too sticky.
Separate about 1/4 of the dough (this will be for the top decorative leaves if you want them. Flatten each section into 1 inch thick discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 2 hours.

To Make the Pumpkin Pie Filling:

In a large bowl combine your pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt and eggs. Stir until mixed. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge till needed.

To Make the Pumpkin Slab Pie:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Remove the larger piece of pie crust from the fridge. Roll that out evenly into an approximately 18x13 rectangle. Place the pie crust into a greased 10x15 jelly roll pan (it should be about 1inch thick so you can fit more of the filling) Smooth the crust so it fits into the corners and crimp the edges with your fingers.
Pour the pumpkin pie filling into the crust. Carefully place the pie in the oven to bake, make sure not to spill any of the filling. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the middle is barely jiggly.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack completely.
Roll out the second disc of pie crust to be about 1/8 inch thick. Using leaf or pumpkin shaped cookie cuters, cut into the shapes. Cut veins with a sharp knife if desired. Brush each with egg wash (beat egg and water together in a small bowl). Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and place on pie when serving.
Serve pie with fresh whipped cream.
Cover any leftovers and store in the fridge for 5-6 days.

Recipe developed by Aimee Berrett for The Slow Roasted Italian
Copyright ©2017 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.

Bacon Beer Cheese Stuffing

SERVES 8 | PREP TIME 15 Min | COOK TIME 70 Min

3/4 cup butter
2 stalks celery, chopped (roughly 1/2 cup)
1 large sweet onion, chopped (roughly 1/2 cup)
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1/2 cup beer (such as Blue Moon)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 cups French bread, cubed, dried out overnight
10 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked, drained, and chopped, divided
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese, divided
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped and divided
2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add celery and onions and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add beer to skillet and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is reduced by 1/2 and an opaque golden color. Remove skillet from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs until well beaten, then pour in Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth. Stir until mixed, then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add French bread, 1/2 of the bacon, 1/2 cup mild cheddar, 1/2 tablespoon thyme, and sage, then toss to mix. Pour beer buttery veggies and chicken broth mixture in the bowl and then gently mix until bread is thoroughly saturated.

Pour stuffing in prepared baking dish and gently smooth into an even layer. Garnish the top of the stuffing with the remaining bacon, mild cheddar, and thyme.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and cook for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the top of stuffing is lightly crisp and golden brown.

Serve Bacon Beer Cheese Stuffing immediately.

Recipe developed by Chrisy Elliott for The Slow Roasted Italian
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