If you've seen my Sunday Slow Cooker [1] series, you probably know by now that I consider the electric slow cooker indispensable for convenient, low-maintenance cooking. Naturally, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy of Slow and Easy: Fast-Fix Recipes For Your Electric Slow Cooker ($15.61 [2]), by the Los Angeles Daily News [3] food editor, Natalie Haughton.
Haughton has penned five other cookbooks, including The Best Slow Cooker Cookbook Ever, so she's clearly spent a lot of time with her Crock-Pot. To find out what I thought of the book, .
Pros:
- The introduction has helpful information from choosing and getting to know your slow cooker to which foods are most forgiving and which are most demanding.
- There's a wide range of recipes, from smoky roasted cashews to gingerbread for dessert, and although the the book contains over 250 recipes, it's surprisingly light.
- A "cook's notes" sidebar proves helpful, explaining nuances such as the differences in types of paprika available at the grocery store.
Cons:
- The book contains no pictures.
- If you don't have interest in a slow cooker, then this book isn't for you.
- Many of the seafood recipes require adding in the protein near the end of cooking time, which requires more attentiveness on your part.
Recipes: The recipes cover just about everything. Here are some that caught my attention:
- Caponata, Edamame Cheese Dip
- Shrimp Chowder, Vegetable Stock
- Artichoke Pasta Sauce
- Shortcut Lasagna
- Mac and Cheese
- Turkey Molé
- Shrimp Veracruz Style
- Beef Lettuce Wraps
- Tagine of Lamb With Apricots
- Asian-Flavored Quinoa With Broccoli and Chard
- Spanish Pistou
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Green Pepper Jelly
- Flourless Chocolate Torte
Imagery: None.
Overall Rating: If you're a fan of the slow cooker (and aren't bothered that it doesn't contain pictures), then this informative yet innovative slow-cooker guide would be a useful, go-to book to add to your repertoire.