15 Slow Cooker Dinners for Seniors Living Alone Who Hate Wasting Food

My book, The Appalachian Kitchen (323 pages, ebook, prints at home) https://ritsyjean.com/ 15 slow cooker suppers for one in a 2-quart pot, each starting with something you were about to throw away. Each makes 2 to 3 suppers; for two, double it. Times are a range, so check at the short end. 1. BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP 1 small butternut squash (about 4 cups, peeled, cubed), ½ onion, 1 carrot, 2 cups broth, salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg. Low 6–7 hrs. Mash or blend, add a splash of milk. Freeze before the milk. 2. CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP 8 oz mushrooms sliced, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, pinch of thyme, 2 Tbsp butter, 2 cups chicken broth. Low 4–5 hrs. Whisk 2 Tbsp flour into ¾ cup cold milk, stir in, high 20–30 min. Don't boil. Freeze a cup before the milk for #6. 3. STICKY DRUMSTICKS Shake 2 Tbsp vinegar in a nearly empty ketchup bottle. Mix with the last 3 Tbsp of any jam, 1 minced garlic clove, pepper. 4 drumsticks, skin off, thawed. Low 4–5 hrs, to 165°F. Broil a few minutes to make them sticky. Freezes. 4. POACHED PEARS 2 pears, peeled, halved, cored. 1 cup water or apple juice, 1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey, cinnamon stick, strip of lemon peel. Low 2–3 hrs. Freezes in its syrup. 5. BEEF AND NOODLES ¾ lb chuck steak cubed, ½ onion, 2 cups beef broth, splash of Worcestershire, salt, pepper. Low 7–8 hrs, shred. Take out your freezer portion, then 1½ cups wide egg noodles, high 20–30 min. 6. CHICKEN AND GRAVY OVER RICE 3 boneless chicken thighs, ½ onion, ½ cup broth, 1 cup mushroom soup from #2. Low 4–6 hrs, to 165°F. Shred, serve over rice. Quick version: heat the soup, stir in a drained can of chicken. Freezes (rice separately). 7. SAUSAGE, POTATO AND KALE 1 smoked or turkey sausage link sliced, 2 potatoes cubed, ½ onion, 1 garlic clove, 3 cups broth, pepper, no salt. Low 6–7 hrs. Kale or collards in for the last 30 min. Mash the potatoes in before freezing. 8. LENTIL SOUP ¾ cup brown or green lentils, 2–3 cups chopped soft vegetables, 1 can diced tomatoes (or 1 more cup broth), 4 cups water or broth, pinch each cumin and thyme, salt, pepper. Low 7–8 hrs. Splash of vinegar at the end. Freezes. 9. MACARONI AND TOMATOES 1 can stewed tomatoes, ½ onion, 1 Tbsp butter, pinch of sugar, salt, pepper. Low 2 hrs. Then ¾ cup elbow macaroni and ½ cup water, high 25–35 min, stir once. Doesn't freeze. 10. SUCCOTASH 1 cup each frozen lima beans and corn, ½ onion, 1 Tbsp butter, ½ cup broth, salt, pepper, can of diced tomatoes if you like. Low 4 hrs. Freezes. 11. OVERNIGHT OATMEAL Butter the pot. ½ cup steel cut oats, 2 cups water, ½ cup milk, 1 chopped apple, pinch of salt and cinnamon. Low 7–8 hrs (add ½ cup water if your cooker runs hot). Freeze in muffin tins. 12. CORNBREAD DRESSING 3 cups crumbled stale cornbread, 1–2 bread heels, celery and ½ onion chopped, 1 tsp sage, pepper, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp melted butter, 1½ cups low-sodium broth. Butter the pot. Low 3–4 hrs, lid cracked the last 30 min. Freezes. 13. HAMBURGER PIE ½ lb ground beef or turkey, browned to 160°F and drained, 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, 1 Tbsp flour, ½ cup broth, splash of Worcestershire. Spread 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes on top. Low 3–4 hrs. Freezes. 14. BANANA BREAD Mash 2–3 black bananas. Stir in ⅓ cup oil or melted butter, ½ cup sugar, 1 egg, then 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt, 1½ cups flour, just until mixed. Buttered pot with a parchment strip. Towel under the lid. High 2–2½ hrs, until a toothpick comes out clean. Slices freeze. 15. EGG CUSTARD 2 eggs, 1 cup milk that still smells sweet, 3 Tbsp sugar, vanilla. Pour into 2–3 small jars, set in the pot, hot water halfway up. Towel under the lid. Low 2–2½ hrs, until just set. Nutmeg on top. Keeps 3 days. Doesn't freeze. SAFETY: Never put frozen meat in a slow cooker. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat on the stove or in the microwave until steaming. Chapters 0:00 Mamaw's sampler 0:55 1. Butternut squash soup 2:20 2. Cream of mushroom soup, no can 4:00 What we carried up the road 5:50 3. Sticky drumsticks 7:15 4. Poached pears 8:25 5. Beef and noodles 9:50 6. Chicken and gravy over rice 11:10 7. Sausage, potato and kale 12:30 8. Lentil soup 13:50 9. Mamaw's macaroni and tomatoes 15:00 10. Succotash 16:05 11. Overnight oatmeal 17:15 12. Cornbread dressing 18:25 13. Hamburger pie 19:40 14. Banana bread 21:05 15. Egg custard 22:20 Five things that make it work 25:10 What's going bad in your kitchen?