| I tend to have the most energy in the morning, and my | | | | before adding to the slow cooker, although there are |
| ability to do five things at once during these early | | | | exceptions, roasts can be added frozen but will need |
| hours, is why I love my slow cooker. While the kids are | | | | longer cooking times. As well, when you are cooking |
| eating breakfast, and I'm enjoying my morning coffee, | | | | with ground beef, it is best to brown the meet before |
| handing my husband his lunch and kissing him goodbye, | | | | adding it to the slow cooker. |
| I add a few ingredients to the slow cooker and walk | | | | Vegetables |
| away feeling confident that there will be a healthy | | | | Fresh, raw vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots |
| dinner on the table at five o'clock. | | | | tend to take longer to cook than meats, so they should |
| However, as convenient and simple as slow cookers | | | | be thinly sliced or cut into smaller pieces and placed at |
| are, there are a few tips that will help you avoid the | | | | the bottom of the slow cooker. Canned or frozen |
| morning rush. If you are more of a night owl, most | | | | vegetables don't take as long and can be added on |
| ingredients can be prepared the night before and put in | | | | top of the meats you are cooking. |
| the fridge till morning. Pasta and rice are the exception | | | | Breads and Cakes |
| to this rule. Be sure to read your slow cooker recipes | | | | I was surprised to that slow cookers can successfully |
| carefully and note when these ingredients are meant | | | | bake breads and cakes. However, the appearance |
| to be added. | | | | does tend to be somewhat different then using a |
| Temperature and Time | | | | conventional oven. Because some moisture is held |
| Most slow cookers only use two settings, High and | | | | onto in a slow cooker, cakes and breads tend to have |
| Low. I tend to cook all of my meals on low, since it is | | | | large air holes and a coarser consistency. You can |
| practically impossible to overcook foods at this | | | | also use your slow cooker to warm dinner roles, but |
| temperature. One tips when cooking on low is to | | | | be sure to wrap them in foil wrap. |
| refrain from taking the lid off to often, since it causes | | | | Dairy Products |
| the recipe to not only lose moisture, but also heat | | | | Dairy products tend not to tolerate high temperatures |
| (creating a longer cooking time). | | | | for very long. When possible, add any dairy products |
| Most slow cooker recipes will give you an | | | | during the last hour of cooking. Hard cheese is |
| approximate cooking time. It is important to remember | | | | especially temperamental to long periods of heat, so |
| that approximate is just that, and cooking times aren't | | | | use processed cheese when feasible. |
| set in stone. Depending on your slow cookers size and | | | | Have fun with your slow cooker. There are literally |
| temperature settings cooking times will vary. | | | | thousands of creative and delicious slow cooker |
| Meats | | | | recipes available. You can serve a nutritious and |
| Tougher, less tender, cuts of meat work really well in a | | | | mouth-watering home cooked meal every night with |
| slow cooker, since longer cooking time and increased | | | | little preparation and plenty of extra time to spend on |
| moisture works to break down the meat. The other | | | | your other responsibilities. What an amazing and handy |
| benefit of cooking meat over a long duration is that | | | | invention! |
| there is less shrinkage. Most meat should be defrosted | | | | |