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.
The name 'crock pot' is actually a brand name for a specific kitchen appliance. However, many people use it simply to refer to a slow cooker in general. It's a special device that uses low temperatures to cook your food very slowly.
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.
If your idea of heavenly winter food is a thick, hearty soup, slow cooking is just the method for you. This helps the flavors to blend so that you won't be left with a watery soup. If you want it to be even creamier, simply liquidize a few ladles full of soup at the end of the cooking time and then mix it in with the rest. With a crock pot you don't even need to rely on your gran to feed you chicken soup, since you can let the cooker do the work while you curl up in bed.
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.
When you buy your slow cooker, you'll usually find that he packaging includes a booklet with recipe ideas. Use these as a basis and then experiment until you find the crock pot chicken recipes that work best for your tastes. You'll also find lots of inspiration online on cookery websites.
The name 'crock pot' is actually a brand name for a specific kitchen appliance. However, many people use it simply to refer to a slow cooker in general. It's a special device that uses low temperatures to cook your food very slowly.
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.
If your idea of heavenly winter food is a thick, hearty soup, slow cooking is just the method for you. This helps the flavors to blend so that you won't be left with a watery soup. If you want it to be even creamier, simply liquidize a few ladles full of soup at the end of the cooking time and then mix it in with the rest. With a crock pot you don't even need to rely on your gran to feed you chicken soup, since you can let the cooker do the work while you curl up in bed.
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.
When you buy your slow cooker, you'll usually find that he packaging includes a booklet with recipe ideas. Use these as a basis and then experiment until you find the crock pot chicken recipes that work best for your tastes. You'll also find lots of inspiration online on cookery websites.
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