The All-Day Dinner
Some foods fit a particular season especially well, and that's how it is with slow cookers. They were made for cold weather, and they're unbeatable when it comes to cooking soups, stews, chilis, roasts and hearty casseroles.
Experienced cooks and busy parents have come to rely on slow cookers to help them get supper on the table quickly.
If you're new to the whole idea, there are just a few things you need to know.
- Just as the name implies, slow cookers cook slowly. It takes a while for the units to reach a hot enough temperature to kill bacteria, so for that reason, you should never start with frozen food. Your meal will be in the "danger zone" of too-low temperatures for too long.
- Foods touching the bottom of the slow cooker will cook faster. Put dense, heavy foods there—like vegetables.
- When purchasing a slow cooker, look for one with a removable crock. They are much easier to clean.
- Dairy products should be added in the last hour of cooking time so they don't curdle.
- Process American cheese (like Velveeta) works better than regular cheddar cheese. It melts more smoothly.
- It's better to stir in cooked pasta or rice at the end of the cooking time, rather than put it in in the beginning.
- Leave the lid on during the cooking time. If you lift the lid to check on foods, it'll take 20 minutes for the cooker to regain that lost heat.
- Eight hours on low is the most typical time requirement. That will cook most dishes completely.
Some people call them crock pots, but the actual name is slow cooker. Crock pots are a specific brand name of slow cooker produced by the Rival Company. It's like calling facial tissues Kleenexes—that's really a brand name.
Three Beans and Sausage
Prep time: 15 minutes; cook time: 6 hours
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 (1 1/2 lb) package smoked sausage (like Hillshire Farms) cut into 1-inch rounds
1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can white northern or canellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
1 cup water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1 bay leaf
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 5 to 8 hours. Remove bay leaf just before serving.
Nutritional Information:
Calories Per Serving: 227, Fat: 10 g (3 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 54 mg, Sodium: 756 mg, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Fiber: 12 g
© 2007, Brookshire Grocery Co. Nutrient counts are rounded to the nearest whole number. All dietary and lifestyle changes should be supervised by a physician.
