Synopses & Reviews
Slow cookers are popular for good reason: They’re the ultimate kitchen problem solvers. If you’re watching your budget, they’re well worth the $30 they cost since they can turn the cheapest cuts of meat into unctuous, mouth-watering results worthy of a five-star restaurant. Slow cookers also do the hard work, cooking for hours while you’re out of the house only to come home to a meal just about ready to eat. And since slow cookers keep food warm, they allow different family members to eat at different times: a practical option in a world of staggered schedules.
Yet, slow cookers have an image problem. Most home cooks use them for cold weather meals only, while others think slow cookers can only produce food that’s mushy, bland, and watery or rely solely on shortcut ingredients like spice packets, bouillon cubes, and bottled sauces.
No longer does this must-have kitchen tool deserve to be stored away when spring months hit. In Year-Round Slow Cooker, home cooks will find 100 delicious, modern, practical slow cooker recipes featuring seasonal produce. Recipes speak to the home cook whose palate is more sophisticated and who wants to incorporate seasonal produce into all of her meals.
Organized by season, Year-Round Slow Cooker features notes about the featured seasonal ingredients as well as invaluable tips throughout to help cooks maximize the power of the slow cooker.
Synopsis
Make more than stew in your slow cooker! Year-Round Slow Cooker gives you an eye-opening look at 100 amazing recipes you can make in this handy device. See how the crock pot you depend on for chilly-weather soups and stews is so much more versatile than you may think.
25 innovative recipes for each season. Author and cooking teacher Dina Cheney taps into the growing trend for eating fresh and uses her know-how to make it easy for the home cook. She has developed 25 slow-cooker recipes for each season that feature fresh, seasonal ingredients. Along with classics like corned beef and cabbage, you can also enjoy summer Greek-style brisket, peach and apricot bread pudding, Asian-style short ribs, and more.
Get the most from your slow cooker. With Year-Round Slow Cooker you can simplify meal prep, prepare make-ahead dishes, and eat fresh from January to December.
About the Author
Dina Cheney, a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Educqation, is the author of Meatless All Day, Year-Round Slow Cooker, Tasting Club, and Wiliams-Sonoma New Flavors for Salads. She is a regular contributor to Clean Eating and Specialty Food. For more than three years, Dina was the "Taste Test" columnist for Every Day with Rachael Ray. Dina also has written for Parents, Fine Cooking, Prevention.com, Dr. Oz The Good Life, Coastal Living, Cooking Light, The Huffington Post, and more.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: Fresh ingredients meet the slow cooker
Winter recipes
Capturing the sweet-tart flavor of citrus and tropical fruits, plus hearty root vegetables, slow cooker recipes for wintertime never tasted so vibrant. Featured recipes include:
Short ribs with star anise, scallions, and oranges
Curried chicken with ginger, mango, and lemon
Cassoulet with crispy duck skin and croutes with garlic and lemon oil
Cuban-style black beans with smoky pork, chile en adobo, and avocado-tropical fruit salsa
Teriyaki chicken thighs with bok choy and rice
Lentils with cumin, coconut, and pomegranate seeds
Spring
Spring time vegetables and fruits like fava beans, asparagus, peas, and rhubarb take center stage in the slow cooker. Recipes include:
Lamb shanks with fava beans, garlic, and mint
Veal stew with asparagus, lemon, and spinach
Chicken fricassee with morels
Stuffed Vidalia onions with ground pork, dried currants, and garlic-parsley breadcrumbs
Slow-cooked egg strata with asparagus, cheese, and chives
Arroz con pollo with peas, saffron, and prosciutto
Sweet cherry bread pudding with lemon crème fraiche
Summer
Summer's heat means fresh corn, fragrant tomatoes, crisp peppers, and juicy stone fruit. Your slow cooker is the perfect way to capitalize on the flavors of the season without heating up the kitchen. Look for recipes like:
Braised Sicilian-style chicken with tomatoes, roasted red peppers, raisins, and olives
Jambalaya with sweet peppers, tomatoes, and leeks
Veggie chili with edamame, chiles, squash, and corn
Chicken mole with chiles and blackberries
Indian chickpeas with ginger and turmeric
Bell peppers stuffed with beef and corn
Pulled chicken with cherry-chile barbecue sauce
Slow-cooked ratatouille over cheesy polenta
Slow-cooked fig jam
Fall
Look for classic fall fruits and vegetables prepared in unique and delicious ways. Recipes include:
Coq au vin with mushrooms and Brussels sprouts
Winter squash, chickpeas, and Swiss chard with tomato and raisins
Mushroom and barley stew with collard greens
Chicken stew with bacon, turnips, and rutabagas
Lentils with beets, carrots, mushrooms, and parsnips
Hungarian beef goulash with sweet potatoes and caramelized onions
Chicken adobo with lime, soy sauce, purple potatoes, and garlic
Indian cauliflower, potato, and kohlrabi curry
Afghani pumpkin stew