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Busy families who do not have the time to spend an hour or more in the kitchen preparing weeknight dinners can turn to slow cookers to do the work for them. Slow cookers cook foods on a low temperature over several hours. Slow cookers do not require constant attention, making them ideal for people who want to prep meals before leaving the house and then return to a hot meal in the evening.
Many foods, from breakfasts to appetizers to desserts, can be prepared with slow cookers. But slow cookers are perhaps best suited for hearty meals, such as this recipe for “Creamy Ham ‘n’ Broccoli” from “Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups” (RDA Enthusiast Brands) by Taste of Home editors.
Creamy Ham ‘n’ Broccoli
Ingredients: Makes 8 servings
3 cups cubed, fully cooked ham
1 10-ounce package frozen
chopped broccoli, thawed
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 jar processed cheese sauce
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
11⁄4 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup milk
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1⁄8 to 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions:
In a 3-quart slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or until the rice is tender. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with paprika.
Pairing:
Primo Amore Moscato
Primo Amore Wines — Italy
This is a busy time of year for everybody. End of year financial reports. Holiday shopping. Family gatherings. The occasional snow storm to shovel yourself out of. We get it. So, we figured that if you could use a break from the kitchen, the slow cooker is our best friend.
To go along with that frame of thought, we decided to go with a fun and tasty moscato to go along with this meal. This sweet white wine is a treat, and there’s nothing like treating yourself to a simple scoop out of your slow cooker and a pour of moscato.
The sweetness of this wine pairs well with the savory elements from this dish.
Of course, wine parings are often times a matter of personal taste. Let us know what you think of this paring online at TheSpot518.com, and let us know what other wines you would try in its place.