Customer Reviews

Slow and Easy: Fast-Fix Recipes for Your Electric Slow Cooker

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've owned a crock pot for approximately 30 years, and I find it invaluable for a few things, like beans, certain soups, and pot roast. However, this means that most of the time it sits there unused, and I thought surely there must be more I could be doing with it than checking every so often that the lid is stored partway off the liner.

So I read through the reviews and decided to buy this cookbook. While I can't fault the author for her sincerity and desire to (a)expand uses for the slow cooker and (b)streamline wherever possible, I just didn't find that the recipes and techniques were really any simpler or faster than stovetop or oven cooking.

If your vision of crock pot cooking is "throw the stuff in before I leave for work and then take it out when I get back," this is not the cookbook for you. Only a tiny fraction of the recipes cook longer than a few hours. To me this does not make sense, since I could cook them on the stove in the same amount of time and with, quite frankly, a better flavor. The crock pot's major limitation--that stews and soups come out watery and insipid--is very apparent in this comparison. The recipes that I tried had this problem, and one (polenta) didn't turn out at all.

Another problem is that each recipe calls for a different size or shape cooker. So if you see a recipe you like, you must read carefully, and then, if necessary, scale back the ingredients to fit the size cooker you have. My arithmetic is good, but calculating quantities to 2/3 to fit a 6-quart recipe in my 4-quart cooker isn't something I really want to do when it's time to assemble a recipe.

I would say if you are interested in using your slow cooker in a greater variety of ways, and you are home all day to make recipes that only cook for several hours, this book might be for you. If you were hoping for a bunch of new "set it and forget it" recipes, then this is definitely not the book you want.

I enjoy cooking with the slow cooker. This is an excellent book with many easy recipes. If you like good, easy to put together, meals this is a good cookbook to have on your bookshelf.

"Slow & Easy" has been a fast-fix for my family's mealtimes, which had hit the doldrums of SOS "Same-Ol'-Stuff". Now, armed with our first slow cooker [an oval 6-Quart Crock Pot SCCPTM600S with manual settings] and this cookbook, we have a spirit of adventure in the kitchen again. Who would have thought of doing Ginger Bread in a slow cooker?! I did the Pot Roast, too, and bought Cauliflower today to do the curried Cauliflower with potatoes and peas. So many interesting recipes to try! Beautifully designed and printed book. This like any other cookbook depends to a certain extent on the ingredients used; for example, the first time I did the whole chicken recipe (doing one chicken, not two), it came out beautifully -- almost like oven baked. The next time I used a different brand whole chicken, which apparently had a high water content, and it turned out a non-appetizing boiled mess.

I just started using a crock pot last winter and was looking forward to a collection of easy recipes. Since receiving this book for Christmas a few days ago, so far I've mostly previewed and am impressed by the variety in this book: appetizers such as smoky artichoke dip, Greek spinach dip, taco dip, hummus, BBQ chicken wings; soups and chilis including cheddared potato soup, spiced pumpkin soup, sweet potato soup; vegetarian and carnivore-friendly dishes; sides; pasta; breakfast; salsas, and desserts. One thing that's disappointing to me is that there are no photos. And while the notes and tips are helpful, nutritional info would've been nice.

In light of another reviewer's comments about the flavor, I will say, I made the grilled chicken and black bean chili and feel that it could've used a little more kick. Next time, I'd use medium salsa instead of mild (my mistake) and might sprinkle in some taco seasoning.

I'll update this review when I've had the opportunity to try out more of the recipes. For now, I give it a C+.

Slow cookers and crock posts are an invaluable addition to the kitchen of any time-stressed family chef who would like to have dinner ready for the table when their loved ones come home from work or school. Now such kitchen cooks can have access to more than 250 thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes specifically designed for the electric slow cooker or crock pot with "Slow & Easy". This simply outstanding compendium of superb recipes compiled by Natalie Haughton showcase recipes for everything from appetizers, dips and drinks; to soups and chowders; to pasta and pasta sauces; to chicken, turkey and seafood; to beef, pork, and lamb; to one-pot meals; to vegetables, grains, and side dishes; to breakfast and brunch repasts; to great slow cooker desserts; and even preserves, chutneys, and salsas. Ranging from Roasted Red Pepper Cheesecake; French Onion Soup; and Chunky Italian Beef Sauce with Zucchini; to a Hot Dog-Pineapple Bean Bake; Balsamic-Glazed Onions; and Wild Rice with Apricots and Almonds; each delicious and nutritious recipe is provided with service size estimates an a bit of preparation advice and commentary, along with the ingredient list and cooking instructions. "Slow & Easy" is a welcome, practical, and highly recommended addition to both family and community library cookbook collections.

This book was very disappointing to me. Everything I've made so far is bland and boring; not worth the ease of using the slow cooker.

Wonderful time-saving recipes for those of us who have too few minutes in a day!

If you enjoy using your "crock pot"; you will want this cookbook ...

RPH