Slow Cooking

 by Paul Birkhead Rowan Public Library

      Over 40 years ago, a cooking appliance debuted and set kitchens on fire around the world.  Well, maybe we should say it slow cooked them.  In the early 1960’s, a simple bean cooker produced by West Bend was a very popular item.  In 1971, another company, Rival, manufactured a device that would not only slow cook beans but other ingredients as well.  They called it a crock pot, it was a hit, and the rest is history.  Crock-pots remain popular today, and the brand name actually evolved over time into a generic name for that type of cooking.  If you are interested in slow cooking, Rowan Public Library has resources you just have to check out.
    One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More is a new book from the editors of Martha Stewart Living and available at the library.  Beautiful photographs accompany easy-to-read recipes that you can use to prepare delicious home-cooked meals.  The best part for some is the simple clean up – just one pot!
    Are you a fan of celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse?  If so, you’ll want to peruse his new book, Emeril’s Cooking with Power, where he showcases meal preparation using four countertop appliances; the slow cooker among them.  Delicious recipes to make using your slow cooker include: Sicilian Eggplant, Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic, Barbecued Baby Back Ribs, and White Chocolate Pots de Crème.  Since it is Emeril, it almost goes without saying that there are several Creole and Cajun dishes to try as well.
    Fix-It and Forget-It New Cookbook, by Phyllis Pellman Good, is another resource you can find at the library.  It is filled with 250 tasty recipes to try in your slow cooker.  The title alone should remind you of one of the best qualities of a slow cooker.  You can be gone for hours at work, at the mall, or the ball field and come home to a hot, delicious meal.  With everyone’s hectic holiday schedules, who wouldn’t want to open their front door after a long day and be met by the aroma of Steak Stroganoff, Chiles Rellenos, or Hearty Beef Barley Soup?
    I knew if I walked through the periodical section of the library this time of year that I’d find an article about slow cooking touted on the front page of one of our magazines.  Sure enough, in the December 2014 issue of Mother Earth News, there is an article titled, “Homemade One-Pot Meals.”  Among the recipes mentioned are ones for Chicken and Dumplings, Short Ribs, and Shepherd’s Pie.  Want to investigate those recipes for yourself?  Come to the library and read through our issue.  Or better yet, go to www.rowanpubliclibrary.org and scroll to the bottom of our home page for a link to Zinio.  Through the library’s subscription to Zinio, all those with a library card can read a digital copy of Mother Earth News (or more than 60 other titles) for free on their own PC or tablet.
    Do you currently own a slow cooker and want to try some new recipes?  Are you new to cooking or don’t feel confident in your abilities?  Are the hectic days and early darkness of winter making you crave hot, home-cooked meals?  Or are you just seeking a good meal with easy clean-up afterwards?  If you said yes to any of those, head over to Rowan Public Library fast and prepare to cook slow.