Ski house cuisine

Ski house food tips

One of the best tools for cooking at a ski house is a slow cooker!

No one wants to come home after a long day of skiing or snowboarding to worry about what is for dinner. So a slow cooker pretty much takes the worry and the work out of cooking.

Just about anything can be made in a slow cooker, but for cold days on the mountains, comfort food is what you want. So prepare hearty soups, stews, chili, casseroles, and roasts.

If you have a large group of people to cook for you may want to have two slow cookers to prepare a couple of different items. The benefit of a slow cooker is that you can pretty much put all the ingredients for your meal in it in the morning (or even the night before) and your dinner will be perfectly cooked by the time you get home.

To accompany your simple slow cooker meal prepare a side or two like a fresh green salad, garlic bread, or roasted seasonal vegetables. As for beverages, warm up while cooking with some hot cocoa or hot toddies-both can be made with or without alcohol. Red wine or winter beers also go perfectly with comfort food. As for dessert, even that can be prepared in the slow cooker. Crisps, cobblers, and even cakes can be made in advance in a slow cooker. Some favorites for après ski are chocolate or caramel fondue, bread pudding, and rice pudding which all are delicious ways to end your day on the slopes.

All day slow cooker chili

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 (8-ounce) can red beans, drained
• 1 (8-ounce) can white beans, drained
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes and chilies
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Cook beef and pork in a skillet until browned; drain fat.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a slow cooker except cheese. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Serve with grated cheese.

Three cheese mac & cheese

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 eggs
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup white Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon butter, cubed

Directions

1. Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Whisk eggs well with both milks and season with salt and pepper; stir in macaroni and 3 cups of cheese.
3. Pour macaroni into slow cooker and top with butter and remaining cheese. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Slow cooker apple cobbler

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash salt
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 6 cups peeled, sliced apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Combine flour with brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using two knives or your finger, crumble butter into flour mixture to make coarse crumbs then stir in pecans.
2. Combine remaining sugar with cornstarch, and ginger. Arrange apples in slow cooker and combine with cornstarch mixture then sprinkle with lemon juice. Top apples with brown sugar topping.
3. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours then remove lid halfway and continue cooking 1 hour or until crumb topping has hardened.

More winter recipes

• Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes
• Low-Fat Creamy Soups
• Warm Up with a Hot Cocktail