Tom Lacalamita

A slow cooker is truly a pleasure to use. Manufacturers seem determined to outdo themselves in making slow cookers more user-friendly and convenient, so you have plenty of options when picking out a slow cooker: Shape: Slow cookers are available in two shapes: round and oval. The traditional round shape is perfect for making soups, chilis, and stews.

You can cook virtually anything in a pressure cooker — from meats and main courses to rice, potatoes, and vegetables of every description, to dessert. Better yet, pressure cooking allows you to prepare foods up to 70 percent faster, on average, than conventional cooking methods do, which means you save energy in addition to your precious time.

You can make easy and delicious meals in your slow cooker, with some helpful tips, you can even convert your favorite traditional recipes to the slow cooker. Make sure you use the slow cooker temperature guide to cook dishes thoroughly and convert temperatures, if necessary.Tips for using your slow cookerYou can prepare great food in your slow cooker without a lot of fuss.

Celebrate New Year's Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or any day you need some of the luck of the Irish with traditional corned beef and cabbage. Corned beef needs long, slow cooking for tenderness, but it's easy work with a slow cooker. In the morning, put everything in the pot, and you'll come home to a delicious, hot meal.

Pressure cookers can save you time and money, helping you prepare delicious meals that retain nutritional values often lost in other cooking methods. Pressure cooking does require some adjustments, however. Follow these tips for the best pressure-cooking results: Brown meats, poultry, and even some vegetables — like chopped onions, peppers, or carrots — first and then deglaze the pot for more intense flavor.

The suggested cooking times in the following list begin when the pressure cooker reaches high pressure. Always bring the pressure cooker up to high pressure over high heat, then lower the heat to stabilize the pressure depending on the type of stove-top pressure cooker you’re using. Your electric pressure cooker with automatically do this for you.

Egg-lemon chicken soup dates to the days of the ancient Greeks and is enjoyed around the Mediterranean. In traditional egg-lemon chicken soup, the egg adds body and silkiness, while the lemon adds a nice tang to the broth. Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 8 to 10 hours on Low, plus 25 minutes Yield: 6 servings 1 chicken (4 to 5 pounds) 4 chicken wings 1 clove garlic 1 large onion 2 carrots 2 stalks celery 1/2 bunch parsley 1 bay leaf 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 chicken bouillon cube 4 quarts cold water 1/3 cup uncooked rice 3 large eggs 1 large lemon Salt Cut the chicken into quarters.

An authentic slow cooker is a simple, uncomplicated appliance with no moving parts. Even though you most likely know what a slow cooker looks like, this list breaks down the parts of every slow cooker: Transparent cover: Most slow cookers have a heavy glass lid, but some are plastic. Always cover the slow cooker when cooking, to retain heat.

Whoever Betty was, she must have been a creative, thrifty cook with some day-old bread, butter, and apples on hand. Apple Brown Betty transforms simple ingredients into a really cozy, homey dessert. Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on High Yield: 6 servings 5 medium Granny Smith apples 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 3 cups fresh white bread crumbs 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg Peel and core the apples.