Slow Cooker Recipe Book

[Italiancook]

I have 2 slow cookers -- 6 quart and 4 quart. I've never used the larger one. I only use the smaller for slow cooker Irish oatmeal. Does anyone have a slow cooker recipe book that can be recommended to me?

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[NancyG]

I like “Not your mother’s slow cooker recipes for two”,by Beth Hensperger. As the title suggests it is written for smaller slow cookers, and has some creative recipes and ideas.

I’m cooking for one most days and will make a batch of whatever, portion it it out and freeze. Then have meals that are as easy as ones I might buy in the grocery store. My refrigerator tends to be empty and my freezer full.

[skeptic7]

I use my slow cookers a lot. I do a lot of beans from scratch, stews and soups. One thing I've been doing since last summer is baking yeast breads in my slow cooker. It takes about 3 1/2 hours, but I can fit an 8 x3 inch round pan in my 4 quart slow cooker and bake a nice round loaf of bread. I'm willing to let bread cook in the slow cooker unattended while I do something on the computer, and if I had the bread in the oven I would have to watch all the time.
I can bake a normal loaf of bread in my oval slow cooker as a regular size bread pan will fit in there.
I have Beth Hensperger slow crock cookbook for regular recipes and I like it a lot. I will make a larger recipe and either eat it for several days or put some in the freezer.

[Mike Nolan]

About the only thing I ever make in our slow cooker is pulled pork and I haven't made it in several years. We do use it for things like taking chili to a pot luck, but with the limitations the University of Nebraska has placed on bringing in home-prepared foods, I don't know when we'll use it again.

My older son is really into instant pot cooking, he has 2 of them now, a small one and a larger one.

[BakerAunt]

I also rarely use my Montgomery Ward 3 1/2 quart slow cooker. (Yes, it's an oldie but goodie, and the only one I own.) I have tried it with beef roasts and pork roasts in the past, but was disappointed in how the food cooked. That may be due to the old model. I also didn't like having to brown the meat in another pan, or saute vegetables in another pan, and then add them to the ceramic crock, as that meant more dishes to wash.

I have used it to keep spiced cider warm, but since I'm the only one at home and even among our guests who likes it, there seemed little point.

It is easy for me to put food in a Le Creuset or Staub pot and let it cook over low heat or in the oven, while I go about my tasks.

I've thought about the Instant Pot, but I'm not sure that I'd use it that much. I can see how it would be great for busy people or people who are not home most of the day. It also might have possibilities for me for when we go on vacation. However, I've yet to hear first hand testimony from someone I know.

[Italiancook]

Nancy, thanks for the suggestion. I read in reviews that she has info on buying slow cookers. I'll be interested in reading that. I bought the 6 quart cooker on sale at Christmas. My plan was to make Ree Drummand's (Food Network) slow cooker ribs, but that hasn't happened yet.

Skeptic, I've been wondering this since you first mentioned cooking bread in the slow cooker. What do you do about all the water that accumulates on the bottom of the lid and falls back into the pot? Do you cover the cooker with a towel before putting the lid on?

BakerAunt, like you, I haven't had good success with beef and pork in the slow cooker. It's not to my liking. I also haven't been happy with chicken. I recently learned from a Food Network recipe that I've been cooking the chicken too long in the slow cooker. Eventually, I'm going to do a chicken again, following that recipe. If it comes to the proper temp in less time and is better quality, I'll know for sure I was wrong.

I cooked a large chicken breast in the slow cooker from an online recipe. I added a little chicken broth to the bottom of the pot on a friend's suggestion. Recipe didn't say to do that. I cooked it the time the recipe said, and we were pleased with it. Trisha Yearwood (Food Network) has a recipe for a pork roast that I may try to see if my timing was also wrong on that. I won't try another beef roast unless I have a specific recipe, because it's too much money not to be happy with the results.

Overall, I don't mind tending a pot on the stove. I find it fun to stir every once in a while. But I do see the advantages of slow cooker cooking, and would like to expand into that.

[skeptic7]

ItalianCook;
I don't have a problem with the water. The bread doesn't give off that much. I have used a covered pan made for baking in the slow cooker whose lid will shed the water. It has vents to let the steam escape. This is the Rival Bread N Cake Pan for slow cookers.
When I use a more normal pan I just ignore the issue. I did find it handy to tie string around the 8 inch round pan to give myself a handle to remove the pan once the bread is cooked. Also have a trivet underneath the pan to prevent the bottom from overcooking.
I guess if you are worried about water condensing and dripping down you could cover the bread with a little aluminum foil to shield it from falling water.

[BakerAunt]

Skeptic--I was curious about how the bread browns in a slow cooker, as there is no heat on top.

I've wondered if the issues that I have with cooking roasts is that I prefer the way the oven browns them.

When my rice cooker decides to bite the dust, I may explore multi-cookers and see if they do rice and grains well. That way, I would know that I have at least one use for it, without multiplying appliances.

[skeptic7]

BakerAunt;
I'm doing all wholewheat bread these days. They are always a good color!

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