Slow Cooked Kielbasa Bites

sausage

What You Need:

2 lbs. kielbasa sausage, fully cooked and cut into pieces
3/4 C of brown sugar
1 C chunky applesauce
2 garlic cloves, minced

How to Cook It:

Lay the sausages into the bottom of the crock pot.
Sprinkle the sausages with the brown sugar covering them well.
Stir in the applesauce and garlic until blended in well.
Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through.

Makes 12 servings

The ideal slow cooker size is 3 quarts but they can be made in a 4 or 5 quart cooker just be sure to watch them carefully so they don’t over cook. These tasty little bites make a great get together appetizer. Even the kids will love them. The garlic is optional.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 6 hours
Total Time: approximately 6 hours 15 minutes

Kielbasa and Mushroom Stew

kielbasa

kielbasaWhat You Need:

3/4 oz. dried shitake mushrooms
6 C of beef broth
3/4 C of shallots, sliced
1 1/2 lb. white potatoes, chopped
1/2 lb. fully cooked Kielbasa, sliced
1 C lentils, rinsed and drained
1 t dried thyme

How to Make It:

Place the mushrooms into a bowl and pour the broth over the mushrooms.
Let the mushrooms soak in the broth while preparing the remaining ingredients.
Spray the cooker with a non stick cooking spray.
Place the shallots in the prepared cooker and cook on high for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
Add the potatoes, Kielbasa and lentils to the cooker.
Pour the soaked mushrooms and the broth into the cooker.
Sprinkle the thyme over the top.
Place the cooker on medium heat and bring to high temperature.
Cook for 20 minutes then allow the pressure to release on its own.

Shitake mushrooms can be purchased either dried or fresh in most grocery stores. They have a strong garlic flavor so they work well in soups and stews. They have a great nutritional value. Regular mushrooms can be used.

Makes 8 servings