Setting the tone of Slow & Easy, the opening chapter is entitled "Celebrating a Great Way to Cook." Award-winning food writer, Natalie Haughton, is a slow cooker fan of long standing and her enthusiasm infuses the book. In Slow & Easy, she takes the slow cooker to gourmet heights and uses this economical and convenient tool to open new avenues of use. True to her experience as a food columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News, the recipes are written to give the most instruction in the fewest words. And there are over 250 recipes packed into the book.
Sharing both her enthusiasm and her expertise, Haughton's introduction is crammed with advice on how to put your pot to good use, tricks of the trade, slow-cooking savvy, safety, differences between slow cookers, and stoneware inserts. There are dozens of expert tips and shortcuts scattered through the books as well. If your skill level is not high, she'll raise it to expertise.
The recipes are imaginative and easy to follow, and Haughton blazes new trails for the slow cooker, using it for lasagna, chocolate cake, cheesecake, chutneys and jams. While finding new uses, Haughton does not forget the traditional, though they reflect her exuberance in dressing up the basic. You'll find recipes in every category.
Appetizers, dips, and drinks: Greek Spinach Dip, Cheese Fondue Stuffed Bread, BBQ Chicken Wings, Rich Hot Chocolate
Soups and chowders: Ribollita, Mexican Turkey Tortilla Soup, Shrimp Chowder
Pasta and pasta sauces: Gorgonzola and Walnut Ravioli Bolognese, Wild Mushroom Sauce with Pancetta and Rosemary
Chicken, turkey, and seafood: Pulled Barbecued Chicken, Lemony Chicken with Olives and Capers, Turkey Molé
Beef, pork, and lamb: Thai-Style Beef with Peanut Sauce, Easy Black Bean Chili with Beer, Asian-Style Country Ribs
One-pot meals: Hungarian Goulash, Sweet-and-Sour Pineapple Chicken, Red Lentil and Vegetable Curry
Vegetables, grains, and side dishes: Curried Cauliflower with Potatoes and Peas, Artichoke-Parmesan Risotto
Breakfast and brunch: Overnight Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Bananas, Ham and Cheese Brunch Strata
Preserves, chutneys, and salsas: Apricot-Pineapple Jam, Maple-Pumpkin Butter, Mango-Ginger Chutney, Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Great slow cooker desserts: Warm Chocolate Lava Cake, Pineapple-Coconut-Macadamia Cheesecake
This exuberant book will have you cooking with verve, even as you master techniques.
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