Fall is officially here, and along with football and leaves changing colors, that also means it's time for some warm comfort food. Which makes it the perfect time to try three of Martha Stewart's favorite (and easy) fall comfort foods, from her new book "One Pot," that you can make in a slow cooker.
Beef stew with noodles
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into ½-inch cubes
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced lengthwise
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups egg noodles
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over high. Working in batches, add beef and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion begins to soften (reducing heat if necessary), about 5 minutes.
Stir in flour, and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and the water, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a simmer and cook until beef is tender, about 25 minutes.
Add carrots and potatoes; cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add noodles and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and vinegar just before serving.
Skillet macaroni and cheese
Ingredients:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups milk, preferably
- 2 percent
- 3/4 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat broiler. In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Remove 1 tablespoon butter, and combine with breadcrumbs and Parmigiano-Reggiano in a bowl.
Add onion to skillet, and cook until softened, 4 minutes. Whisk in flour; cook, stir-ring, 1 minute. Whisk in milk gradually; bring to a simmer. Add macaroni and cook, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pan, until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cheddar, Gruyère, and mustard; season with salt and pepper. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Broil until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pork chops with bacon and cabbage
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 bone-in pork chops (1 inch thick)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 8 wedges
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large roasting pan set across two burners, heat oil over high. Season pork with salt and pepper; add to pan and cook until brown on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add cabbage, cut-side down, and cook until light golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour, and stir until coated. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then nestle pork chops in sauce. Transfer pan to oven. Bake until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Sweet potato and sausage soup
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 sweet potatoes (1 pound total), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup small pasta shells
- 4 cups coarsely chopped mixed leafy greens, such as kale and Swiss chard
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
In a stockpot, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add sweet potatoes, broth, and water; bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook 3 minutes less than package directions recommend. Reduce to a simmer, add greens, and cook until pasta is tender and greens are wilted, 4 minutes. Serve with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Reprinted from One Pot. Copyright © 2014 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Photographs copyright © 2014. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.