Slow Cookery Meshes Well with Life in the Fast Lane

Old standby finds renewed favor with busier-than-ever modern families

Slow cooking is nothing new; but today’s time-saving, economical slow cookers are freeing up time for busy families who still want to share a delicious, home-cooked family meal at the end of the day.

Slow cookers have been around since the early 1970s (an early model by Rival was marketed under the trade name Crock-Pot®), but there’s no need to label these countertop wonders as archaic. When something works – and works this well – you shouldn’t disregard (or discard) it just because it’s been around awhile.

Slow cookers are self-contained countertop appliances that have evolved over the years from simple bean cookers to state-of-the-art culinary equipment. They can help you prepare a wide variety of healthful, delicious meals and may even revolutionize the way today’s families think about supper!

With more folks juggling full-time jobs, kids’ multiple extra-curricular activities and assorted other responsibilities (grocery shopping, getting to doctor visits, vet appointments, the dry cleaner, dog groomer), coordinating everyone’s schedule can be as complex and daunting as choreographing a Broadway show!

What do you do when you’ve just retrieved Patrick from soccer practice at 5:15 on Tuesday evening and you’ve got to get home, feed everybody, then drop Katie at dance class and Erin at karate by 7:00?

While steering toward the nearest fast-food restaurant’s drive-thru lane might seem like the ideal solution to your weeknight-dinner dilemma, guess again. Feeding a family of five could cost $30 or more, depending on where everybody’s food preferences (and appetites) lie. That comes out to a budget-busting $150 or more just in weeknight dinners.

On the other hand, with just a little prep time, you can feed that same family of five for well under $20 – and still have plenty left over for dinner tomorrow night. Wouldn’t it be great to assemble five or six ingredients in one container and leave for work, knowing dinner would magically be ready when you got home?

Lest you think you need something akin to the Jetsons’ maid, Rosie, to accomplish that, let’s put that notion to rest right now. All you need is a slow cooker, a bit of imagination and five to 10 minutes in the morning to pull it all together.

Suppose your family is hankering for a rich, hearty, homemade beef stew. No problem. Cut up some veggies (carrots, celery, parsnips, onions, a few potatoes) and put them in your slow cooker. Add a couple pounds of stew meat, some freshly ground pepper, a generous pinch of salt and whatever seasonings you like (sage and thyme are excellent aromatic herbs). Pour in a can of beef broth, or even some inexpensive but tasty red wine. Lid it up and set the temperature control to “Low” before you grab your keys and dash out the door. (Putting it on “High” will ensure your meal is cooked to perfection in five to six hours.)

When you arrive home, you’ll be met by some of the most delicious aromas you can imagine, perhaps some you haven’t smelled since you were a youngster. You’ll swear someone’s been home all day, cooking. Even better, there’s only one pot to clean up afterward!

Plus, anyone can be a successful slow-cooker user. With some simple ingredients and a few minutes’ prep work, you’ll always have perfectly cooked meals waiting when you get home – how much easier could it be?

But here’s the best news: Your slow cooker consumes less energy than a conventional oven (yes, even though it cooks all day); and because it’s so effective at tenderizing less-expensive cuts of meat, you save on your grocery bill, as well.

To find out more about one of the most versatile slow cookers available today, and to add one to your list of favorite countertop appliances, visit http://stores.shop.ebay.com/KitchenAid_SLOW-COOKERS.