Recipe of the Week: Slow Cooked Peach Cobbler

When it comes to your summer cookouts, don't forget about the desserts! This Slow Cooked Peach Cobbler can cook all day long and then be enjoyed with ice cream after dinner.

Peach Filling:

3 lbs fresh or frozen peaches, sliced

3/4 cup Apple Butter

4Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

Place the peaches, apple butter, vanilla, sugar, and salt in a 6 Quart Slow Cooker. Stir to coat. Then spread evenly.

For the crust: In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix in the milk. Then mix in the melted butter on a low setting until smooth. Pour the batter over the peaches making sure it coats the entire surface.

Place a long piece of paper towel over the Slow Cooker and cover with the lid to absorb condensation and allow crust to crisp. Pull the paper towel tight so it doesn’t sag. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours. Once the middle of the top has puffed up and is golden around the edges, the cobbler is ready. Check the center with a toothpick to be sure it’s cooked through. Spoon the cobbler into bowls and top with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.

Recipe of the Week: Green Chile Pork Carnitas

Green Chile Pork Carnitas

Ingredients

2-3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 6-8 pieces

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 large jalapeño, seeded and stem removed

1 green bell pepper, seeded and stem removed

1 poblano pepper, seeded and stem removed

1 lb tomatillos, husks removed and quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 onion, quartered

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

2 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

Toppings

Tortillas (a flour/corn hybrid works best)

Queso Fresco

Red onion, diced

Cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions

Rub pork shoulder pieces with salt and pepper then place in your NESCO Pressure Cooker with the olive oil and brown for 2-3 minutes.

Add in jalapeño, green pepper, poblano, quartered tomatillos, garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, chicken broth, and bay leaves.

Mix the ingredients and lock lid. Set to high pressure for 55 minutes.

Do a natural release and then release remaining pressure with a quick release after 10 minutes.

Remove meat from pressure cooker. Take out bay leaves and add broth with peppers to a blender and puree the mixture. This will yield a large amount of green chile sauce.

Shred meat with fork. Mix in desired amount of green chile sauce.

Serve in tortillas topped with crumbled queso fresco, red onion, and cilantro.

Recipe of the Week: Bloody Mary Jerky with a Nesco Dehydrator

Our first Recipe of the Week is an interesting twist on a NESCO classic, with a Wisconsin twist. 

Bloody Mary Jerky with a Nesco Dehydrator

Ingredients:

·         2 lbs of lean beef or venison, prepared in strips or ground if using a Nesco Jerky gun

·         1 cup thick Bloody Mary mix, we like Major Peters’

·         1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

·         1 tbsp horseradish

·         2 tsp salt

·         1 tsp black pepper

·         ½ tbsp celery salt

·         ½ tsp Cajun seasoning

·         ¼ tsp cayenne

  

Instructions:

1.      Place meat, Bloody Mary mix, Worcestershire, horseradish, salt and pepper in a large vacuum seal bag or zip top bag. Vacuum seal the bag on the marinate setting and seal the top, and the move everything around inside the bag to make sure it's coated. Refrigerate at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

2.      Combine dried tomato powder, celery salt, cayenne and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl.

3.      Remove strips from bag, patting excess liquid off with a paper towel, and sprinkle each side of the meat with the dry spice mix. If you are using ground meat, load your jerky gun and release the meat mixture on your dehydrator tray and sprinkle dry mixture on the strips.

4.      Seasoned meat should be put on the dehydrator trays immediately.

5.      Allow the meat to dry. This process will take anywhere from 7-10 hours, depending on many factors including humidity, temperature and the thickness of the meat. Keep checking the meat after the 7-hour mark.

6.      Enjoy in your Bloody Mary or on its own.

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients:

6 Qt. Pressure Cooker

5 lb. Tart apples, peeled, sliced and cored

3/4 tsp. cinnamon 

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/4 c. water

1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice (prevents browning)

Add apples, cinnamon and sugar to Pressure Cooker. Add water and lemon juice and stir gently. Set Pressure Cooker to Slow Cook and cover. Let cook for 3 to 4 hours or until apples are soft. When finished cooking, mash with a potato masher to get to desired texture. 

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Salty, sweet and savory flavors combine to make this cheesecake one of the most rich and flavorful desserts you'll every try. Using a Pressure Cooker to bake compared to a traditional oven, leaves a soft, velvet texture compared to the more dense, traditionally baked cheesecakes. This recipe will have you sneaking back for seconds.... and thirds. 

Salted Caramel Cheesecake:

Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crust
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
2 8 oz. packages cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Topping: 
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
Caramel syrup for drizzling

Mix graham crackers and melted butter in a bowl and press evenly into the bottom of an 8" spring form pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Set aside. Beat cream cheese on medium high until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla while continuing mixing. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Pour filling into the prepared crust. 
Place the wire rack and 2 cups of water into 11 Qt. Pressure Cooker. Fold a 12" piece of foil into thirds to create a "sling" for easy removal of the pan. Using the sling, lower pan into the Pressure Cooker and lock the lid. Set pressure valve to "pressure" and cook on HIGH for 25 minutes. When timer is up, use Quick Release to lower the pressure. Remove cheesecake from Pressure Cooker and let cool slightly. Sprinkle sea salt on top of cheesecake and drizzle with caramel syrup. Chill for at least 3 hours, or up to 2 days. 

Mashed Potatoes: 3 Ways

Use your Nesco Pressure Cooker instead of the old-fashioned method of boiling them on the stovetop. Pressure cooking guarantees your potatoes will be done perfectly every time, faster than traditional boiling.

Add 2 cups of water and 5 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and quartered. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes. When time is up, use the quick release to release pressure. Use a Hand Mixer on Speed 14 to mash potatoes to desired texture while adding other ingredients.

Standard Mashed Potatoes:

½ cup butter

¾ cup milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fold all ingredients into potatoes and serve.

Rich and Creamy Mashed Potatoes:

5 Tablespoons Butter, divided

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature and cubed

8 oz. sour cream

1 teaspoon onion salt

½ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

Add 3 tablespoons of butter, cream cheese, sour cream, onion salt, garlic salt, and pepper to mashed potatoes. Spread mixture into baking dish and brush with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Jalapeno Popper Mashed Potatoes

8 oz, cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

½ cup milk

1 ½ teaspoon garlic salt

2 jalapenos, deseeded and finely chopped

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Bread crumbs

Fold cream cheese, sour cream, milk, garlic salt, jalapenos and one cup of shredded cheese into potatoes. Spread into 9x13 pan and sprinkle with remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  

Black Friday Slow Cooker Turkey Soup

3 cups cooked turkey, chopped (no bones)

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

4 medium white potatoes, chopped

1 large white onion, chopped

6 cups broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon thyme

12 ounces egg noodles

Add all ingredients except noodles to 6 quart Nesco Slow Cooker. Cook on High for 4 hours, or Low for 8 hours. Add noodles in the last half hour of cooking. For extra flavor, top with leftover stuffing when serving.