Slow Cookers
As an antidote to all the rich food that is consumed over the holidays and the labour-intensive meals that require hours of preparation time, your local library suggests one of the many slow cooker cookbooks that are available. Toss a few ingredients into the pot in the morning and by dinner time you’ll have a mouth-watering, nutritious meal. The lengthy cooking time tenderizes almost anything so you can save money by using less expensive cuts of meat. Whether you slow cook in the oven or use an electric crock-pot, there’s no better way to take the drudgery out of meal preparation.
Diane Phillips, author of “Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever With More Than 400 Easy-to-Make Recipes”, says that she can help you produce glorious meals at the flip of a switch. Her new book shows you how your slow cooker can be your new best friend. It’s versatile, easy to use, and economical. Plus you aren’t limited to dinners alone. Phillips shows you how to create delicious breakfasts, lunches, and even desserts.
For the more adventurous cook, “Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking: Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share” by Paul Wolfert offers a treasure trove of scrumptious recipes. Wolfert, an expert on Mediterranean food, claims that food tastes better when it has been cooked in clay because clay is softer than glass or metal and causes the flavours to blend together differently. Hype or truth? Pick up the book and decide for yourself.
“The Slow Cooker Collection” by Elizabeth Baird has been tested by the Canadian Living kitchens so you know that the recipes are both tasty and reliable. The recipes emphasize healthy, easy-to-find ingredients, such as bountiful local vegetables, whole grains, beans and lentils, and reasonably priced cuts of meat and poultry. Packed with tips and informative sidebars, including how to adapt your favourite recipes to the slow cooker, this book offers plenty for new and experienced cooks alike.
Judith Finlayson is a Canadian food journalist who lives in Toronto. The author of nine cookbooks, Finlayson’s latest book “Slow Cooker Comfort Food: 275 Soul-Satisfying Recipes” will help you provide wholesome, homespun meals.
“Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes!” by Phyllis Pellman Good has been called the only slow cooker cookbook you ever need and it gets full marks for having the most recipes. One useful feature is that the book uses icons to identify special recipes that are lighter, healthier, or meatless. The recipes are simple to make and use simple ingredients. Good also offers variations of recipes so that home cooks can choose their favourite recipe based on the ingredients they have available and close at hand.
The Library’s online catalogue is available on the internet at www.city.kawarthalakes.on.ca/library and allows you to place a hold on any item in the system.
Linda Kent is the Chief Librarian at the City of Kawartha Lakes Public Library
