dimanche 20 octobre 2013

How Crock Pot Chicken Recipes Can Take The Fuss Out Of Comfort Food

By Chasity Sheppard


As winter approaches, people are preparing for their tried and trusted methods of keeping warm. They may take out the thick, snuggly clothes and blankets or dust off the heater. Some stock up on warming drinks like hot chocolate, fortified wine and vodka. Most also get ready to prepare those rich, comforting, hearty meals that will drive the winter blues away. With a couple of crock pot chicken recipes, you can prepare great winter comfort food without having to slave away in the kitchen.

A crock pot is a kitchen appliance. While the name officially refers to a specific brand, many people use it to describe any kind of slow cooker. It cooks food at a very low temperature, which means that the cooking time is extended for several hours.

The extended cooking time means that you can't decide to use your slow cooker fifteen minutes before meal time. However, it's a wonderful time-saving appliance. Once you've added the ingredients to the pot, you simply close the lid, set the timer and let the cooker do its work. You don't need to watch it all the time, so you can go to work and tonight come back to a prepared meal. The slow cooker is a godsend for less talented cooks too because it's almost impossible to burn anything in it.

Slow cooking is a good way to turn tough cuts of meat into something tasty. Stews and curries are in fact best when they're cooked over a long time and over low heat. This allows the meat to become tender and the different flavors to develop.

Soups are best prepared slowly too. For extra flavor, simply saute the ingredients first. Then add your stock and let it simmer until the vegetables are tender. You can liquidize part of the soup in a blender before serving to get a creamier consistency. With a slow cooker, you can even make your own chicken soup when you have a cold, since you can just put everything into the cooker and then get back into bed with a hot toddy.

You may use your crock pot for many things, from whole chickens to spaghetti sauces. You can even make sweet dishes like desserts and candy. If you have an abundance of fresh fruit or berries, prevent them from going to waste by turning them into preserves or jams.

When you slow cook food, it's important to remember that liquids don't evaporate as much as they do with regular cooking. If you add too much liquid, you might end up with a watery mess. Another disadvantage is that especially vegetables may lose their flavor and nutritional content if you overcook them. However, blanching or sauteing them beforehand can help prevent this and before serving, it's easy to increase the meal's nutritional value by adding a little lemon or lime juice or vitamin-rich garnishes like parsley or cilantro.

For crock pot chicken recipes and the many other ways that you can use this appliance, simply look online. You may also find ideas in the recipe booklet that often comes with the slow cooker when you buy it. However, one of the most fun ways to use your crock pot is to simply experiment with it.




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