Slow and steady

Of all the time-saving and energy-saving kitchen appliances to emerge during the past 40 years, the tried and true slow cooker has enjoyed staying power long after the hottest new kitchen gadget has landed in the yard sale.

Slow cooking has so many advantages. I love the ease of a one-pot, ready-to-eat entrée. Cleaning up is no problem, and on days when I arrive home only to head out to a meeting, church or a ball game, a healthy dinner ready to go means we’re not eating expensive, unhealthy fast food.

Think past using your slow cooker only for winter soups and stews. A light entrée prepared in a slow cooker means not heating up the stove and oven on summer days, a real drain on your air conditioner and power bill.

For overnight visitors, I like to prepare a breakfast dish such as French Toast Bread Pudding to entice my visitors out of bed and to the table. Sausage gravy, kept warm in the slow cooker and served over hot biscuits, is always a big hit with guests. For the holidays, I often mix a hot cheese dip or spiced apple cider in a slow cooker, ready in no time to add to the buffet. For potluck celebrations, your dish arrives warm and ready to serve.

Chicken and Artichokes

All you’ll need to complete this easy meal is a tossed salad and a big loaf of crusty bread.

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (13-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker; stir to mix. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
If necessary, uncover and allow to cook for ½ hour or more to thicken the sauce.

Note: You can use thawed frozen artichoke hearts in place of canned ones. Or, if all you have on hand are marinated artichoke hearts, drain them and add them to the recipe; simply omit the thyme and garlic if you do.

Serves 4

From “The Big Book of Slow Cooker Recipes” by Rachel Rappaport. Copyright © 2013 F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

French Toast Bread Pudding

Bits of apple and sausage dot this casserole, which can be assembled in advance and put in the cooker just before going to bed. Because it cooks in about six hours, however, it’s best made in a slow cooker that has an automatic “keep warm” setting if you like to sleep in. It can also be served for brunch, lunch, or as a light supper.  

• 4½ cups cubed French or Italian bread
• 3 large cooking apples such as Granny Smith or Rome Beauty, cored, peeled and chopped.
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•  ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups regular or soy milk
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 12 ounces pork or soy sausage, cooked and crumbled

Press half the bread cubes into the bottom of a lightly oiled 4-quart slow cooker.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, cinnamon, allspice, brown sugar and salt. Pour on the milk and maple syrup, stirring to blend.

Carefully pour half the apple mixture over the bread and push the bread pieces down beneath the mixture to moisten them. Top with half the sausage, the remaining bread, the remaining sausage, followed by the remaining apple mixture. Press down to be sure the bread is moistened. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Serves 4 to 6.

Adapted from “Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker” by Robin Robertson. (The Harvard Common Press © 2004). Used with permission.