Slowcooker Recipe Cookbook Recommendation

[kitchenelf]

I'll have to check out some of these books mentioned - it's slow-cooker weather!! The BEST chocolate dessert I ever had was from a slow cooker - it was absolutely awesome!

Thanks for all the book recommendations everyone!

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

I'll have to check out some of these books mentioned - it's slow-cooker weather!! The BEST chocolate dessert I ever had was from a slow cooker - it was absolutely awesome!

Thanks for all the book recommendations everyone!

Do you have that particular recipe Kitchenelf? I'm a complete newbie to this (meal number 2 is in the crockpot as we speak) and so far have thought desserts a silly extension of a good idea. But I'm wrong, you say?

[kitchenelf]

Originally Posted by Ayrton

Do you have that particular recipe Kitchenelf? I'm a complete newbie to this (meal number 2 is in the crockpot as we speak) and so far have thought desserts a silly extension of a good idea. But I'm wrong, you say?

I have not gotten it from my friend yet but I will - let me tell you - it was wonderful!!!!!!!

[Ayrton]

I've got two slow-cooker cookbooks on order, chosen based on reviews on amazon.co.uk -- one is the "Not Your Mother's ..." which does get rave reviews all round, and the other is "Real Food From Your Slo-Cooker" (Annette Yates & Wendy Hobson). I thought the "Real Food ..." looked good because at least one reviewer noted that the recipes within had lengthy -- as in full-day -- cooking times, which is something particularly desirable if you're hoping to put something in the pot in the morning and next check it after work.

Happy to let you know what I think of these once I get delivery, but by then you may have already solved this problem!

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted by kitchenelf

I have not gotten it from my friend yet but I will - let me tell you - it was wonderful!!!!!!!

Well if you remember to, Kitchenelf, please post or PM it!

[boufa06]

Ayrton, I managed to find my long forgotten crockpot cookbook. I have not tried any of the recipes in there which include desserts as well. As I'm not comfortable baking cakes in a slow cooker just like an oven, without any water, I will not be recommending them to you in case something drastic happens. However, you might want to try the recipe below:

BEEF STEW

3 carrots, cut up
3 potatoes, cut up
2 lbs beef chunk or stew meat cut in 1-1/2 inch cubes
1 cup water or beef stock
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
3 onions, quartered
1 stalk celery with tops, cut up

Put all ingredients in crockpot. Stir just enough to mix spices. Cover and set to low for 10 to 12 hours. (High 5 to 6 hours).

[beaulana2]

I have a few suggestions a cookbook called ;best-loved slow cooker recipes no author it is by publications international, or any by the fix-it and forget it cookbook by phyliss pellman good and dawn ranck. I just got recently the pillsbury slow cooker cookbook I would personally not suggest that book

[thegrova]

Thanks for the comments and feed back. It is always good to hear what others think - particularly which books are worth looking at and which should be avoided. I might do some amazon shipping tonight!

[Ayrton]

Since it's obvious that this issue is still alive and kicking for you, thegrova, I'll go ahead and give you my impressions of the two cookbooks I mentioned I had on order -- just received day before yesterday.

"Real Food ..." is the U.K. book, very small and very straightforward, but seems very sound with a nice selection of recipes -- not too modern, and not too traditional. It's inexpensive so seems overall to be worthwhile. Again, I'd selected it because it had lengthy cooking times which is still something I need as I work. Very clear, international measurements -- overall, a good little book.

The "Not Your Mother's ..." is much larger, and much more comprehensive, and I have to admit, very, very impressive. I sat for hours the night I received it reading through it. The recipe selection is spot-on, the whole presentation is excellent, the information about slow-cooking in general leaves nothing out from what I could see. It's leagues ahead of "Real Food ..." but I don't mean to slander "Real Food ..." as they're just very different types of cookbooks. Comparing them is unfair, like comparing "Joy" with a slim paperback on a limited subject.

Back to the recipe selection: I think I feared considering the title that this book might go a bit too far in the direction of non-traditional recipes -- you know, heavy on Thai and far too embarrassed to present a recipe for plain stew. I was very pleased indeed to see it did no such thing, in fact managed to hit a to-me perfect balance between the two. In fact, I'm not a recipe follower and I ended up making mental notes on any number of recipes within that I plan to try, they sounded that good. (And by the way, "good" to me also means not a huge number of particularly weird ingredients, ingredients I get the feeling sometimes are added in just to make a recipe look hip and special. I like both recipes and cooks who dare to stand up and say "hey, what's wrong with traditional?")

Anyhow, best of luck! Order several if you can return easily -- after all, everybody has their own personal likes and dislikes so who's to say that my taste, or the taste of any other reviewer, is yours?

[thegrova]

Hi Ayrton - I had my eye on both of these books - but need to order them online to get them to New Zealand! Which one has the best range of chicken recipes? Should I just buy both!