Nothing beats a slow cooker as a time saver for the busy cook.
If you spend your days working at the office, its wonderful to come home and open the door to the delicious aroma of a dinner ready to eat. For those who work at home, or the hardworking moms home all day with little children, a crockpot can be a great time saving tool.
Slow cooking is the perfect way to braise meat and it can tenderize even the most inexpensive cuts. But if you think crockpots are only for beef stew, you would be surprised by how many delicious Italian dishes can be made in a crockpot.
Many of you already know that soups and stews are easy to do in a slow cooker, but have you ever tried lasagna? With a little imagination you would be surprised what you can cook up in a crockpot.
Now keep in mind, if you have a newer model it will cook hotter than the older versions due to more stringent food safety regulations. I did not realize this when I first bought my new crockpot and burned a few things before learning to adjust the times.
The best thing about these new crockpots, however, is the programmable timer. This is a great advantage for anyone who uses their crockpot when they are not home. You set the temperature and cooking time, and the crockpot will revert to a warming setting for up to 4 hours after the cooking time is finished. This has saved me from burning many dinners!
If you don't have a crockpot, you need to get one. They are not old fashioned devices our grandmothers used to use. These are invaluable tools for the busy, modern cook!
Here are some other Italian crockpot recipes ...
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