Better Homes - Better Homes and Gardens Year-Round Slow Cooker Recipes

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Includes index. ISBN 978-1-118-21778-8 (pbk.); 978-1-118-33036-4 (ebk.); 978-1-118-33106-4 (ebk.); 978-1-118-33196-5 (ebk.) 1. Electric cooking, Slow. I. Better homes and gardens. II.

Title: Year-round slow cooker recipes. TX827.B46 2012 641.5'884--dc23 2012008098 Printed in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Meredith Corporation Editor: Jan Miller Contributing Editors: Jessica Christensen, Carrie Holcomb, Spectrum Recipe Development and Testing: Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Publisher: Natalie Chapman Executive Editor: Anne Ficklen Senior Editor: Linda Ingroia Production Editor: Abby Saul Production Director: Diana Cisek Manufacturing Manager: Tom Hyland Cover Design: Waterbury Publications Interior Design: Kathryn Finney Layout: Kathryn Finney Our seal assures you that every recipe in Year-Round Slow Cooker has been tested in the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen. This means that each recipe is practical and reliable and meets our high standards of taste appeal. We guarantee your satisfaction with this book for as long as you own it. If blustery winter days are the only time of year you pull out your slow cooker, let us open your eyes to a whole new world of slow cookingone that lasts all year long! Dont get us wrong, we love our slow cookers when its cold outside; you just cant beat a simmering pot of stew or a fork-tender pot roast in the fall or winter.

We have simply discovered that the joys of slow cooking extend through warmer months, and that slow cookers work their same magic on spring and summer produce, too. So when temperatures start to soar and its just too hot to use the oven, turn to your slow cooker for a fresh meal that wont heat up your kitchen. Or, no matter the time of year, if the stove is filled to the max, your slow cooker can save the day with amazing appetizers, beverages, desserts, and sides. This comprehensive collection features more than 500 recipes, including all-time favorite slow-cooked classics as well as dozens of dishes youd never imagine coming from a slow cooker. Additionally, youll find: extensive info on the basics of slow cooking dozens of tips, hints, produce pointers, and shortcuts icons designating special recipes perfect for warm-weather days a years worth of menus for everything from trimming the holiday tree to a summertime picnic in the park... and all of those special events in between.

Happy Slow Cooking! Smart Slow Cooking Theres nothing better than a slow-cooked meal; it takes just minutes to prepare, requires no hands-on cook time, and fills the kitchen with delicious aromas that make good on their promise. To ensure top-notch results every time, put a little extra care into slow-cooking preparation and be aware of safety pitfalls. The tips and hints on the following pages will help you produce a tasty, safe meal every time. smart slow cooking how it works Slow cookers have low-wattage electric coils inside their metal walls that transmit heat to the porcelain or glazed ceramic insert. Low-heat settings are about 200F, and high-heat settings are about 300F. In a properly functioning cooker, the long cooking times (even on the low-heat setting) destroy any unsafe bacteria while condensation and steam keep food moist.

Slow cooking imitates braising, a cooking technique in which foods are tightly covered and cooked in the oven or on the stove. choosing a cooker Theres a wide variety of choices available when choosing a slow cooker, and they come in sizes ranging from 1 quart to 7 quarts. See , to help determine what size cooker best suits your needs. Here are some basic features to look for when buying a slow cooker: * A snug fitting, see-through lid. * A removable ceramic or stainless steel insert or liner. They are much easier to clean if you can remove them from the cooker.

The insert should also have large, sturdy handles to make it easier and safer to remove from the base. A stove-top safe insert is an excellent feature for one-pan browning. Consider a stainless-steel insert if a ceramic insert feels too heavy. * A timer that automatically switches to low or keep-warm mode as soon as the timed cooking ends. (Note: Cookers should not be kept on keep-warm mode for longer than 2 hours.) * A cooker with wraparound heating elementsthey heat more evenly than those with heating elements on the bottom. * For foods to cook properly when using your slow cooker, it should be at least half full but no more than two-thirds full. * For foods to cook properly when using your slow cooker, it should be at least half full but no more than two-thirds full.