Receta Review and Giveaway: 1,001 Slow Cooker Recipes
The Winner of Last Week's Review and Giveaway: Shannon Morris
This Weeks Review and Giveaway:
1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes
Recipes by Sue Spitler
Published by Agate Surrey
I really enjoy owning my slow cooker. When I first purchased it years back, I thought it might end up being a waste of money but it has become an essential item in my home. From traditional soups, stews and braised meats to the more adventurous whole roast chickens, pad thais, and chocolate molten lava cakes, I use my slow cooker at least once a week and I have a blast trying out so many different recipes.
All slow cookers are easy to use and the meals you prep in them literally cook themselves. You arrive home to an incredible aroma filling the air and all you have to do is lift the lid and dinner is served. Convenience and a hot meal all in one little kitchen appliance. How brilliant is that?
When I received 1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Sue Spitler in the mail, I knew I would need to find a good hour just to look through it and at least another hour more to actually read it. Over 600 pages long divided into 11 well organized chapters (two for vegetarians alone and a good amount of soups and stews too), there truly is 1,001 recipes in this book. Each recipe also includes nutritional data as well as food exchange information and coding for vegetarian recipes (vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, lacto vegetarian and ovo vegetarian). Sue has also made a concious effort to use more healthy, lower fat ingredients in her recipes, which is helpful for those aiming to eat healthy.
I must admit, when I saw there were no pictures to be found of the recipes listed, my first thought was, "Aw, no pictures?" but that disappointment soon turned into excitement once I started reading. Designed with time and convenience in mind, 1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes are easy to follow, rely on minimal prep and basic ingredients (many that can be found in your pantry) and the recipes we've tried so far have turned out absolutely delicious.
The Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs caused a lot of excitement of the three recipes we featured on Can I get the Recipe? Only 7 ingredients were needed and the prep time, barely 10 minutes. And that was about how long it took everyone at the table in my family to eat them. Meal times in our house are usually quite boisterous and full of chatter. We have two boys, aged three and five, who like to share their daily activities with us every night at dinner time. But on this rib night? Silence. And my oldest son, who is a bit finicky, devoured his ribs then asked for more. And THAT is unheard of.Another meal we tried out and then featured was The Irish Lamb Stew and it was another keeper. My husband and I love lamb but it is something I don't cook very often, mostly because it can be a hit or miss meal with the kids if the lamb is too tough or strong tasting. When I saw this recipe, I knew I'd have to try it not only because I thought the lamb would become tender and mellow after 8 hours of cooking (which it was) but also because the potatoes and carrots would be large enough for me to seperate out for oldest who doesn't like things mixed up. I also omitted adding the peas and cooked them to the side (see reason above). The result? Success!The final and third recipe we featured from 1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes was the Nova Scotia Seafood Chowder. What I loved most about this recipe was that since it was a chowder, I could use frozen fish, which is much more economical than fresh and it turned out delicious. I also liked that it required milk not cream, which is better for the waistline. I did have to hunt down clam juice, as fish stock was not readily available, but that was only a small bump in my cooking adventure.The best part of the meal was the end, when we got to soak up the last of the chowder with big, fluffy chunks of fresh bread. My youngest son loved this chowder, although he did avoid the peppers, which I happily spooned into my bowl. It was a cold, wintery night when we gobbled up this meal and it truly did hit the spot.
Other recipes from the book that I have yet to try but are on my list to make: Wine Braised Beef Stew, Lamb, Fresh Salmon and Potato Chowder, White Bean and Sausage Stew, Braised Short Ribs, Pork Chops with Apricot Hoisin Sauce, Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Boston Brown Bread (to go with the stews and chowders!), Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cake, and the list goes on!
Want to buy it?
For those interested in purchasing Sue Spitler's 1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes, browse our "store", visit your favorite local bookstore or purchase it from one of many online retailers including Amazon.com ($13.57 USD), Amazon.ca ($16.26 CDN), or Chapters Indigo ($17.12 CDN/$16.26 CDN for irewards members).
Want to Win it?
One lucky Can I get the Recipe? reader will be receiving their own copy of 1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes.
How to enter:
Go here to the review/giveaway page at Can I get the Recipe? and follow the directions at the bottom of the review.
Giveaway Rules
•Contest will close at 8:00 p.m. PST on Tuesday, February 16th, 2010. Any entries after this time will not be considered.
•Contest open to Canadian (excluding Quebec) and continental U.S. residents only.
I received the cookbook 1,001 Best Slow Cooker Recipes by Sue Spitler to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine. Please read the disclaimer posted here for more information.