The slow cooker can become your best friend in the kitchen. It can be used on a hot summer day to avoid having the oven on, or on a cold winter day to fill your house with delicious smells and comfort food. Either way, the slow cooker saves you valuable time in the kitchen as you put your meal together and forget about it until dinnertime.
A slow cooker is invaluable for days you know you are going to be rushed around dinnertime, yet want a home-cooked meal for your family. And don’t forget the best part about cooking with a slow cooker: Only one dish has to be cleaned!
Stews, soups, roasts, chicken, pork, beef, desserts, drinks. The possibilities of cooking with a slow cooker are endless. It’s also a great way to use old vegetables as well as cheaper or tougher meats. You just throw it in all together, add your favorite seasonings and let the meal cook on low throughout the day.
As tempting as it may be, don’t lift the lid of the slow cooker when you have it on low. The heat that escapes will extend your cooking time by as much as 30 minutes. If you are short on time, you can cook on high — just remember one hour on high is equal to two hours on low.
Here is a slow cooker recipe courtesy of Stephanie O’Dea, NYT best-selling author of the “Make It Fast, Cook It Slow” cookbooks and “Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life,” who blogs slow cooker recipes at http://www.ayearofslowcooking.com/.
Honey Garlic Chicken Slow Cooker Recipe
Servings: 4
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup honey
- Use a 4-quart slow cooker. (If using a 6-quart, this will cook faster. Check after 3 hours on high, 5 hours on low.)
- Put the chicken into your cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, then pour evenly over the top.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Serve with basmati rice and steamed or roasted vegetables.
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