Manchester Journal Inquirer (Newspaper) - March 2, 2005, Manchester, Connecticut LIVING JOURNAL INQUIRER MARCH 2, 2005 SOUTH AMERICAN BLACK BEAN SOUP Slow Conker Recipes Makes 6 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 finely chopped 2 ribs finely chopped 2 peeled and chopped 2 cloves minced 1 finely chopped jalapeno optional 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 2 tablespoons cumin seeds 2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns % teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons tomato paste 6 cups vegetable stock 2 black and drained Finely chopped cilantro Sour optional optional In a heat oil over medium Add and until vegetables are 5 cumin and 1 Add tomato paste and stir to Transfer contents of skillet to Add vegetable stock and beans and stir to Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 Stir in lime In blender or food puree soup in Spoon into individual bowls and garnish with and/or sour cream and if flavor of improves if made a day CHICKEN IN CREAM SAUCE From Lynn Alley's Gourmet Slow Speed Makes 4 1 cinnamon broken into pieces 1 tablespoon cumin seed 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 yellow finely chopped 4 cloves minced 1 piece peeled and grated or minced 1 small green Serrano seeded 2 1 can crushed tomatoes 1 Into serving pieces and teaspoon saffron threads 'A cup chopped for garnish Combine or coffee fine Heat a large saute pan over add the Add the onions and stirring for 10 to 15, until Add the spice and and stir for 3 to 4 Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5 or until some of the liquid has Place the chicken in the and pour the onion mixture over the Cover and cook on low 3 to 8 until the chicken is At 3 to 4 the chicken will still be firm and hold its shape At 6 to 8 the meat will be falling off the In a small combine the saffron and Let soak for 30 minutes Stir the saffron cream into the chicken 30 minutes before the end of the Season with salt to Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with Richer flavors and lower stress keep crockpots cooking By Gwen Schoen Sacramento Bee Crockery cooking isn't exactly In it's downright But that's one of the good things about it. You can load up the pot in the then go about your day and come home to a dinner that's ready to slow but fast says Jeanette an author and cooking a perfect solution for families who still want to have a hot meal for but frequently don't have time to do a lot of cooking when they get home at the end of the The slow which had waned in popularity in recent is experiencing a It was introduced in the 1970s by which named it the It was an instant hit when consumers realized the convenience and ease of tossing everything into the then leaving it for several hours is so busy these days and Tips for Don't Every time you lift the lid on the slow it takes 20 to 30 minutes to build up steam and start cooking Season before Fresh herbs develop potency in a slow so you will need Ground herbs and spices tend to lose flavor in a slow Either it's best to add seasonings at the end of the cooking Fill it Slow cookers work best when they are at least half Hold the Dairy ingredient lies have such complicated Nuss a crockpot is a real especially for people who have more time in the morning to do the prep Slow cookers are designed for They produce steam that condenses on the then returns to the They work great for and many but are not well-suited for foods that need dry such as baked goods or dishes with a large quantity of dairy When they were first slow cookers came with two low and For most you turned the cooker to low and let it sit for six to eight You had to make it home in time to turn off the pot or the food would be that's all Newer slow cookers have programmable features and often come with several heat settings that allow you to do things such as warm breads or hold foods at a warm pots can be programmed to start on then adjust down to Nuss many will automatically shift to warm h n i ii o * n w * ij * -n n u t + & n n * o n * + n * ft fl 4 * n v and sour cream might curdle or separate when cooked for long Add them during the last half-hour of Layer the Vegetables take longer to cook than Place the vegetables on the the meat on The meat will cook in the steam and the vegetables will slowly simmer in the Cut crunchier such as carrots and slightly smaller than you would if cooking by another Good Dredge beef in flour and adding it to slow when the food is This means the food won't continue cooking if you don't get home in It is also convenient if you want to hold foods at serving temperature for family members or for Slow cookers are safe to according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection A slow cooker cooks foods at a low temperature - generally between 170 and 280 The direct heat from the the lengthy cooking and the steam created within the tightly covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process. The only problem you might run into is a power If the food was completely cooked before the power went it is safe to eat or refrigerate within two hours of the power If you are at home when the power goes finish cooking the ingredients on range or an outdoor If you're away from home and you know the power has gone out before the food could be be Throw away the food even if it looks * f. H n -a a 1, it + l o fi ij 1 * n n V + * t O n. i; h ti J. o w fc and you will have a and thicker Less tender is Use cuts of such as stew round or pot cuts benefit from slow cooking in and they will have lots of When cooking remove the skin to reduce the fat in the Easy Roasting bags work well in a slow cooker when you are cooking on a low Just load them up with meat and vegetables and pop them into the