Special Appliances Books

Cooking Light Slow Cooker (Cooking Light)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Odd Recipes 2 out of 5 stars.
15 of 19 people found this review helpful.

I got this cookbook because I was looking for healthy recipes for my slow cooker. While the recipes are no doubt healthy, few-to-none of them are for what I would consider "common" dishes. I ended up getting the Betty Crocker Slow Cooker cookbook (which gives you a nutritional breakdown for every recipe at the bottom of each page) and like that one a lot better.

Yummy but Non-Complicated Recipes w. Ingredients in your Pantry 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I recently bought a new crockpot with the thought of fixing meals that would be ready when I returned home from work. I was delighted to find this cookbook, which I hoped would combine convenience with lighter, healthier meals than you typically find with traditional crock-pot recipes.

So far, I've tried a few recipes which have been delicious. However, my hopes of stuffing the crockpot as I headed out the door were a bit naïve, as the ones I've tried have all required at least 30-60 minutes of preparation time. As a result, I've adjusted my methods and have begun preparing the meals on the weekend for reheating and serving during the first part of the week. Another alternative might be to measure and chop everything the night before for assembling the next morning. It's not that these recipes are complicated or difficult - it's simply that when I last used the crock-pot, my repertoire of recipes was quite limited and confined to only those that featured few ingredients and were extremely simple. An example is the one with boneless pork chops that you toss in the crockpot and throw a can of cream of mushroom over. Not exactly gourmet fare, but it doesn't get much easier and was quite tasty, believe it or not.

Most of the recipes are for 6 servings and since there is just the two of us, I freeze the rest in two serving containers to enjoy at another time. For the most part, the ingredients are those that are easily found in the grocery store or even in your pantry -nothing exotic or expensive. The crock-pot size indicated in all the recipes I've encountered so far is either a 3 or 4 quart. I recently replaced my crock-pot with a Hamilton Beach model that comes with 3 different quart size crocks - 2, 4 and 6 - which has proven to allow a lot of flexibility and perhaps even doubling the recipes.

For those wishing to watch the bottom line, the book provides the per-serving count of calories, fat, protein, carbohydrate, cholesterol, fiber , iron, sodium and calcium for each recipe that includes the side dish - such as rice or noodles - that they suggest serving with the entree.

We're fairly big eaters and the sad reality is that what some recipes consider a serving is about half of what we'd actually like to eat. So far, we've found the portion they've indicated to be a serving is adequate. Knowing how many servings each dish is supposed to provide helps us with portion control, which is our downfall.
I've enjoyed the results of this cookbook and am having fun trying different recipes and having most of the work done up front with little clean-up afterward.

Editorial Review:

Beautiful to display and practical to use, Slow Cooker is truly a godsend for time-challenged cooks who want to prepare healthy, tasty, and satisfying meals but don’t have hours to spend hovering over their stoves. Replete with all the high standards that have made Cooking Light a trusted favorite, this new edition provides over 58 beautifully photographed recipes with useful, easy-to-follow instruction.

The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook : 250 No-Fail Recipes for Pilafs, Risottos, Polenta, Chilis, Soups, Porridges, Puddings and More, from Start to Finish in Your Rice Cooker

Beth Hensperger, Julie Kaufmann

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 70 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Inaccurate and vague 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I've been using rice cookers for about 20 years with both white rice and mixed grains (brown rice, beans, oat groats, etc). I just received this book hoping to learn some new tricks. Reading the first chapter, describing how the different types of rice cookers work, I'm amazed at inaccuracies/vagueness.

On page 1, they write that the sensor detects when the water is boiled off and the amount of rice doesn't affect the cooking time. This is clearly wrong--these types of rice cookers prevent all but a small amount of steam from escaping so almost all the water is absorbed. Both the quantity and type of rice affect the rate of water absorption.

On page 5, they describe the induction heating type cooker (the most recent technology, which I own and was hoping for a little insight into) as being fitted with "state-of-the-art microm technology designed for sensitive sensor timing and temperature detection...it delivers a finished product that is the most evenly cooked of any method available because of the accuracy of the microm technology controlled by a microcomputer (think microchip)." So they've said the induction machines differ from the fuzzy logic ones by the inclusion of a microm microcomputer which is like a microchip. However, the other type--fuzzy logic--so they haven't explained how they're different. It's as if a non-technical person speculated on how, say, a helicopter works. You'll get an answer but it won't be very useful--it almost sounds like they're saying something but the gleaning of actual information are few and far between.

On page 9, they acknowledge that "some machines have separate settings for both brown and (white) rice". (Note, all the machines I've used for the last eight years have had brown rice settings.) However, most of the recipies ignore this distinction. For example, the four-grain pilaf on page 154 says either regular or brown rice cycle. They're implying that there's no difference between the white rice and brown rice setting? Their lack of rigor in areas I know a little about, makes me suspicious of everything else. For example, I suspect they don't at all understand the difference between these cycles and didn't experiment with it much in their test kitchen.

Editorial Review:

This book unlocks the rice cooker's true potential. It thoroughly explains how this appliance works and how to prepare every kind of rice, grain, and dried bean.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

Beth Hensperger, Julie Kaufmann

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 101 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Disappointing! Lots of variety, but not the kind I'm seeking. 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Disappointing. I wish I hadn't spent the money. Speaking of money's worth, the binding is of poor quality. I've only had mine for a few months and already pages are falling out. Overall, I'm not happy with this purchase. Here's why.

1- There are no pictures. Isn't part of enjoying a meal the visual appeal? What's a cookbook with no pictures? Photographs of the finished meal encourage me to try recipes I might otherwise have ignored. Without photos, I've ignored a lot of these recipes.

2- A huge portion of this book is devoted to secondary courses: sauces, breads, sides and desserts. If I want to make a cake, I'm going to use my oven, not my crockpot. Maybe I'm being too traditional. I understand the point of this book is to be less traditional, so I guess these recipes are consistent with that purpose, but many take only 1-2 hours to cook. Isn't the point of a slow cooker to make your meal in the morning and eat it later? I want recipes that make main courses and give me at least 5 hours of "down time" between prep and serve.

3- The recipes I did try were not great. In fact, there are only two recipes from this book that I've marked "keepers." The Corned Beef and Cabbage is fantastic and recurs frequently on our menus; the Pork with Apples was also good. Other than these two, I've not found much we like from this book.

If you're looking for 16 different ways to make oatmeal and 14 different chili recipes or you want your slow cooker to be an all-purpose appliance, this may be the best cookbook for you. Otherwise, try another.

Editorial Review:

The slow cooker is perfect for today's lifestyle, in which everyone is time- and energy-conscious, economy-wise, concerned about nutrition, and demanding of great flavor. This book offers a way of traditional cooking that's new and fresh.

The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World

Lynn Alley

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

My favorite slow cooker cookbook! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

This is my favorite slow cooker cookbook. I just made the Tarragon Chicken last night for the first time and I thought it was wonderful! I've liked every recipe I've tried so far, and they have been very very tasty. My husband particularly likes the Italian Pot Roast. I also feel like they are different then a lot of the other dishes I cook regularly so it really breaks things up. I would feel comfortable serving anything from this cookbook that I've made so far to my mother in law, a rather gourmet cook herself (Who I find a little intimidating on the cooking score... Plus you know in-laws, you want to look like you have your stuff together when they come for dinner!).

I will say that I have been somewhat selective about which recipes I have made. The recipes in the England/Ireland sections don't sound as appealing to me so I haven't tried them. (I just don't think the ingredients sound as good)I'm thinking that if you found the ingredients appealing you would probably like the recipe; they are probably lovely recipes for that type of dish, just not my thing.

My one complaint would be that a lot of the dishes require a little bit of "precooking" (example: simmer the sauce, cook the the veggies, or grill the meat before placing it in the slow cooker; nothing that will take a million years to do, but enough extra that not all the dishes are super quick.) I will say that if you have the time they vastly improve the dishes. If you are in a rush this doesn't work so well... it does add a fair bit of time to the cook time. What I like about the slow cooker is that I can toss a few things in quickly, and everything is done when I get home from work. It acts as my back up when I don't really have time to cook, but need to anyway! The author does say that you can skip this a lot of times if you want to, which is ok, it doesn't ever seem to ruin the dish, but as I mentioned it does vastly improve the dish to follow the "precook" instructions.

Over all I think the recipes are yummy yummy yummy! They are well worth the extra effort when you have the time. Just don't expect this to be your quick, dump a few cans into the crock pot any your done type of cookbook, the recipes do involve a little more effort then that. Nothing hideous but a little more effort, but hey if you can serve it to you mother in law you know its a winner!

Editorial Review:

Use your slow cooker to raise the standards of your everyday dining from the mundane to the gourmet. This cookbook brings an upscale approach to this new-old phenomenon, using fresh ingredients in imaginative recipes that you can create during a day's work. Focusing on traditional one-pot meals from various cultures, recipes such as Apricot Chicken from India, Neopolitan Truffle Risotto from Italy, and Boston Baked Beans from the United States, are delicious meals truly fit to serve guests.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two: For the Small Slow Cooker

Beth Hensperger

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A great cookbook for working folks who like to cook in small amounts!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought this cookbook because I was tired of cooking enough food to feed an army and because I liked the idea of a meal cooking while I'm at work. So far, I've tried at least half the recipes and have liked all of them. At first I was halfing even the recipes in this book (I really, really was tired of leftovers) but discovered that the whole recipe was just a couple of meals or a dinner and a lunch. Even the meatloaf which seems like it might make a lot is still manageable for one or two people and a sandwich or two. It really is much smaller than the traditional meat loafs in traditional cookbooks. I select recipes that require longer cooking times during the week while at work and choose the shorter cooking recipes for weekends when I'm more available so I like the fact she included both time frames. I own the 1.5 and 3.5 qt. crock pots and use both. It is such a pleasure to come home to a hot meal.

I enjoy good food and love to cook so I have a well stocked pantry. When I want to try a recipe and don't have an ingredient I just add it to my next shopping list. After cooking for a long time however, I have learned that it is possible to make substitutions. For instance regular bacon can be substituted for pancetta. The taste will be different but not unpleasantly different. Pancetta, once bought, can be divided and frozen for future use. Regular ole yellow onion can be used instead of other onion, but again, the taste will be different. For some recipes, Ms. Hensberger offers alternatives to the original. All instructions are clear and useful. Some of my favorites from this cookbook are BBQ pulled chicken, the lamb shanks, the meatloaf, the spaghetti sauce (I don't always have white wine so I substitute dry vermouth, yummmm), the chicken/dumplings, several of the chili recipes are good, the beans and sausage, skirt steak which I'd never had before, the ribs are wonderful as are all the soups I've tried. Well, actually, I'm back to having tried at least half the recipes and liked all of them. I love this cookbook and use it 2 to 4 times a week. Good job, Beth Hensberger.

Editorial Review:

Today, 58 percent of American households consist of only one or two people, yet most cookbooks still contain recipes designed to serve 6-8. In this follow-up to the bestselling Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, Beth Hensperger offers 125 new recipes specifically designed for the increasingly popular 1 1/2 to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. This is the perfect book for busy singles and small families who want the convenience of a small slow-cooker-made meal without sacrificing wholesomeness and flavor.

Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes (Fix-It and Forget-It)

Phyllis Pellman Good

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fix It & Forget It Big Cookbook Review 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.

I received my order in a timely fashion. The cookbook appears to be just what I was looking for--it's complete, it uses common ingredients, it has easy to follow directions--a good cookboook choice for gift-giving. Thanks

Read It and Eat It 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Great Book with some fun and interesting recipes. But like anything else, they are all starting points for everyones' own taste. Dont be afraid to experiment!

Best Slow-Cooking Book on the market 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

It's going to take some time to try out all 1400 recipes in this book.
Thanks -Marilyn Butler

Editorial Review:

Fix-It and Forget-It Big CookbookBy Phyllis Pellman Good"Finally, all in one handsome volume, the best 1400 slow-cooker recipes! New York Times bestselling author Phyllis Pellman Good has gathered the biggest collection of tantalizing, best-ever slow-coo

Betty Crocker's Best Bread Machine Cookbook: The Goodness of Homemade Bread the Easy Way

Betty Crocker Editors

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 68 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Everyone loves fresh bread, but not the time it takes to make it. Bread machines are hot items in the kitchen because they take the work out of making homemade bread. Even better, Betty Crocker takes the mystery out of the bread machine and brings you easy-to-use recipes for both 1 1/2-pound and 2-pound loaves that work for all the popular bread machine models. We've packed this book with over 100 recipes to tempt your tastebuds. There are delicious bread recipes for classic favorites, rustic breads, sweet doughs, coffeecakes and buns. Betty Crocker's Bread Machine Cookbook also offers a host of recipes for doughs to mix, then shape and bake in a conventional oven -- such as foccacia, breadsticks and pizza doughs -- with easy-to-follow illustrations on how to shape and trim the loaves. Best of all, you can trust these recipes will work in your bread machine because the Betty Crocker kitchens have tested the recipes in several different machines to ensure success at home. We've also loaded up this book to include information on bread machine ingredients; glossary of bread machine ingredients, techniques, and terms; and a breakdown of the various features found on different models of machines and how to use them. There's nothing better than the taste of homemade bread -- and no one brings it to you better than Betty Crocker.

Rival Crock Pot: 3 Books in 1: Slow Cooker Favorites/Winning Slow Cooker Recipes/Slow Cooker Recipes for All Occasions (Digest 3 in 1)

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Yum! 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 20 people found this review helpful.

I like this cook book a lot. Having the spiral binding and glossy surface makes it super easy to use in the kitchen while cooking. There are many great Crock Pot reciepes that anyone can use - easy and tastey too!

Git for a single an 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 22 people found this review helpful.

This book is so comprehensive. It is fabulous for someone that wants to cook in a slow cooker. It covers everything from appetizers to desserts!

Good basic crock pot book, lots of useful, easy recipes 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 9 people found this review helpful.

If I only had two crock pot books they would be this one and the Fix and Forget it party cookbook. This book has many, many easy recipes, lots of photos (which give good ideas about how to present the food) and slow-cooking tips. A winner!

Crock Pot Recipes 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 10 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this as a gift for my daughter. WHen she works long hours it's nice to come home to a cooked meal. She says the recipes are easy and they taste great. No better words than those!

Crockpot Cooking 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Another Crockpot cookbook with some great recipes to start from - go ahead and have some fun too - I like to use all these recipes as a suggestion and see what else is in the kitchen!
These are great too:
50 Liners only $14.99! OVEN SAFE FOOD SAFE Disposable Liners for All Crock Pot Style Slow Cookers

Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals That Are Ready When You Are

Robin Robertson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 69 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Yum, Yum and more Yum! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is one of my favorite cookbooks. I love it! I've made so many recipes out of it and all have turned out great. My absolute favorite is the southwest potpie with cornbread crust. We also like the mac and cheese, orange flavored beets, potpie with biscuit crust, and others. If you are interested in, or already like, crockpot cooking then this book is a good find. I really enjoy it and will be on my shelf for years to come.

Nice and easy 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Too many vegatarian cookbooks are difficult using ingediants I don't have on hand. This book, so far, has been simple to use and delicious results.

Love this book! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I think this is a wonderful book! I had looked for a slow cooker recipe book that was vegetarian and my mom found this one for me. I love the variety of meals offered and also the beverages, breakfast foods, desserts, and so many others. I look forward to fall and winter to pull out the crock pot and the cook book, throw everything in the crock pot before work, and come home to dinner ready for me! I recommend this cook book to any vegetarians looking for some meatless crock pot dinners!

Editorial Review:

By now the remarkable convenience of the slow cooker is no secret. It keeps the kitchen cool on warm days and is inexpensive and durable. At last, vegetarians and anyone looking for healthy meal alternatives can take full advantage of this amazing appliance.

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with Your Slow Cooker

Dawn J Ranck

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 198 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

My favorite crock pot cookbook! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is my all-time favorite crock pot/slow cooker cookbook! It has tons of recipes, all very easy to prepate, not too many ingredients, and all very tasty! Yummy! :-)

Editorial Review:

Who's hungry? EVERYONE. Who has time to cook? NO ONE.

Dig out the slow cooker. Add a second and a third if you wish. Fill one with main-dish fixins and the others with go-alongs. Do it in the morning--or between work and after-school events.

Come home to richly-flavored, ready-to-serve food.

Slow cookers are having a comeback. With good reason. They are friends on a day of running errands. They allow easy entertaining with no last-minute preparation. And vegetarians won't find a better way to work with dried beans.

Slow cookers are gentle with the food budget--less expensive ingredients flourish in their slow, moist heat.

Fix-It and Forget-It offers the range of recipes slow cookers do well: Appetizers and Snacks, Soups and Stews, Main Dishes (with and without meat), Vegetables and Go-Alongs, Desserts and Beverages.

Bring an element of simplicity--and quality--to your pressured life! Let your slow cooker work for you.