Better homes and gardens year-round slow cooker book

578 Pages·2013·144.04 MB·English

by  Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens
®
year-round
slow
cooker
recipes
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
This book is printed on acid-free paper. Meredith Corporation
Editor: Jan Miller
Copyright © 2013 by Meredith Corporation,
Contributing Editors: Jessica Christensen,
Des Moines, IA.
All rights reserved Carrie Holcomb, Spectrum
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Recipe Development and Testing: Better Homes and
Hoboken, New Jersey Gardens® Test Kitchen
Published simultaneously in Canada John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Publisher: Natalie Chapman
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Executive Editor: Anne Ficklen
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:
Better homes and gardens year-round slow cooker recipes.
p. cm.
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 Our seal assures that
2012008098 Oeuvre srey arle acsipseu riens you that every recipe in Year-Round
36S5l oVwe gCeotoarkiearn hMaes ablseen tested in the Better Homes and
P10ri n9t e8d 7 i n6 C5h 4in 3a 2 1 BethtearsGpta rHbasaTotreceedmet seianctena p Ktsslpe iaaTestcenntaehsddl.det WrG nKein.aeliit arc tgdhbhueeleean n rsa®a ®.n nTdthe mies e ymeoteusar onsusar t tihhsifagathc et isaotcnah nw dreiathcrdi ptshe io sisf
book for as long as you own it.
contents
4 Introduction
5 Smart Slow Cooking
25 Appetizers & Beverages
89 Breakfast & Brunch
123 Soups & Stews
203 Sandwiches
241 Casseroles
chicken fajita chili,
page 127
277 Skinny Slow Cooker
317 Meat
399 Poultry
447 Meatless
477 Sides
515 Unexpected
539 Desserts
559 Index
561 Recipe Index by Occasion
563 Warm-Weather Favorites
564 Index
573 Metric Information
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 cooking—
one that lasts all year long!
Don’t get us wrong, we love our slow cookers when it’s
cold outside; you just can’t 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 it’s just too hot
to use the oven, turn to your slow cooker for a fresh meal
that won’t 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 you’d never imagine coming from a
slow cooker. Additionally, you’ll 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 year’s 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!
s
m
a
r
t
s
lo
w
c
o
o
k
in
g
smart
slow
cooking
There’s 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.
g
n
ki
o
o
c
w
o smart slow cooking
sl
rt 7 how it works
a
m 7 choosing a cooker
s
8 safety rules
9 cleaning your slow cooker
10 adapting slow cooker recipes
12 more tips for successful slow cooking
Don’t Lift the Lid, 12
Lower the Fat, 12
Vegetable Know-How, 12
Produce Pointers, 13
Buy the Best, 13
Safe Handling, 13
Careful Cleaning, 13
Meat Magic, 15
Browning Meats, 15
Prep Ahead 16
Liners Save the Day, 16
Spray It, 16
Altitude Adjustments, 16
Turn It, 16
Adding Acid, 16
Liquid Levels, 17
Using Fresh Herbs, 17
Dairy Products, 17
18 make-it-mine one-pot meal
20 make-it-mine chili
22 make-it-mine soup
24 cooker size and function
s
m
a
r
t
s
h ow it works lo
w
c
o
Slow cookers have low-wattage low-heat setting) destroy any unsafe o
k
electric coils inside their metal walls bacteria while condensation and in
that transmit heat to the porcelain steam keep food moist. Slow g
or glazed ceramic insert. Low-heat cooking imitates braising, a cooking
settings are about 200°F, and technique in which foods are tightly
high-heat settings are about 300°F. covered and cooked in the oven or
In a properly functioning cooker, on the stove.
the long cooking times (even on the
c hoosing a cooker
There’s a wide variety of choices * A timer that automatically switches to
available when choosing a slow cooker, low or keep-warm mode as soon as the
and they come in sizes ranging from timed cooking ends. (Note: Cookers
1 quart to 7 quarts. See the chart on should not be kept on keep-warm
page 24 to help determine what size mode for longer than 2 hours.)
cooker best suits your needs. * A cooker with wraparound heating
elements—they heat more evenly
Here are some basic than those with heating elements
features to look for when on the bottom.
buying a slow cooker:
* A snug fitting, see-through lid. Also look for these more
* A removable ceramic or stainless advanced features:
steel insert or liner. They are much * Lid-securing mechanism and
easier to clean if you can remove large handle (for safe toting)
them from the cooker. The insert * Insulated carrying case
should also have large, sturdy * Sectioning for cooking
handles to make it easier and safer multiple dishes
to remove from the base. A “stove- * Digital programmable functioning
top safe” insert is an excellent * Meat thermometer probe
feature for one-pan browning. * Warming stand
Consider a stainless-steel insert if * Hinged lid
a ceramic insert feels too heavy. * Ladle/spoon notch
g
n
ki
o
o
c
w safety rules
o
sl
rt * Cut roasts larger than 21⁄2 pounds * Hot steam will gather on the
a in half to ensure they cook all the inside of the lid. To avoid burns,
m
s way through within the time listed. lift the lid gently and straight up
* For foods to cook properly when without tilting it until it’s clear of
using your slow cooker, it should the cooker.
be at least half full but no more * Slow cookers can fail to heat
than two-thirds full. Most of the properly as they age. To ensure
recipes in this book give a range your cooker is safe to use, fill the
of cooker sizes. Be sure to use one cooker one-half to two-thirds
that is within the range so the food full of water. Heat it on the
cooks to the right doneness within low-heat setting for 8 hours with
the time listed. the lid on. Quickly check the
* Never place frozen raw meat in the water temperature with an
cooker. Bacteria grow most rapidly accurate food thermometer. The
between 40°F and 140°F. Because water temperature should
the slow cooking process brings be about 185°F. If the
meat up to temperature at a very temperature is lower,
slow rate, frozen meat hovers in it’s time to replace
that danger zone for too long. your cooker.
* Never place a slow cooker insert
that has been in the refrigerator
directly into a hot base unit.
Likewise, never place a hot insert
onto a cool surface. The sudden
change in temperature could
cause cracking.