Kielbasa and Cabbage

It's that time of the year when you're starting to run out of variety in the garden.  This week I harvested the last of the items before I start to get ready for fall.  I got five heads of red cabbage and about half a bucket of carrots.  The carrots I'm planning on freezing, but what can I do with red cabbage?  This is where one of my favorite kitchen gadgets comes into play.  I love my electric pressure cooker!

Ingredients

• Cabbage (Red or White)
• Kielbasa
• Carrots*
• Onion*
• Celery*
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried Garlic

*optional ingredients

Directions

1. Cut up the kielbasa into slices.  Brown in the electric pressure cooker.  (Most have a "sear" setting.)
2. Add cabbage and other ingredients until full.  I use the heat of the freshly browned kielbasa to help wilt down the cabbage.  Also, don't be afraid to fill it past the "max fill" line.  It's amazing how much the cabbage will wilt.
3. Add seasonings.  I prefer a ton of pepper, some salt, and a pinch of dried garlic.
4. Cook for 10 minutes at 10 psi.  (Most electric cookers have a manual setting.)  Then release the pressure using the pressure release knob.

Slow Cooker Chicken Creole

The stewed tomatoes and jalapeno pepper give this slow cooker recipe its Creole zing, along with seasoning and other veggies. This is an easy and tasty Creole chicken recipe. Just put all ingredients into the slow cooker and let it simmer all day. It's perfect over egg noodles. Add extra water and veggies to the leftovers to make a tasty afternoon soup.

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• salt and pepper to taste
• Creole-style seasoning to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

Directions

1. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole-style seasoning to taste. Stir in tomatoes with liquid, celery, bell pepper, garlic, onion, mushrooms, and jalapeno pepper.
2. Cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 5 to 6 hours.

Slow Cooker Spanish Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef stew meat
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped Spanish onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chopped red potatoes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (12 ounce) jar sofrito
• 1/2 cup pitted and halved green olives

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook beef in hot skillet until completely browned, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer beef to a slow cooker, retaining some of the beef drippings in the skillet.
2. Return skillet to heat and heat the retained drippings. Saute onion and garlic in hot drippings until softened, about 5 minutes; add to beef in slow cooker.
3. Stir potatoes, diced tomatoes, sofrito, and olives into the beef mixture.
4. Cook on Low until beef and potatoes are fork-tender, 4 to 5 hours.