Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking

My husband surprised me with a crockpot when he found one on sale during a trip to the hardware store. I had been toying with the idea of one but wasn't sure how much I'd use one and knew then I would need to find a cookbook where I would find recipes I'd actually use. After sifting through all kinds of reviews for the many books available I chose Stephanie O'Dea's "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow". I have NOT been disappointed yet.First, I love her writing, after many of the recipes, there is a verdict, how much she liked it, what her kids thought, what they added, etc. I am tending to try her ones with a verdict section first. Her ingredients are items that are easily found already in your pantry in many cases, so there is no need to go on an extra trip to find something delicious to make. The crockpot is generally used over the weekend for me until I kind of get a feel for it. Somehow, I just don't like to leave anything cooking too long by itself...but that is just me. However, on a Saturday or Sunday, putting in my ingredients and forgetting them for several hours, with nary a need to stir, well, HEL-LO, I am all over that.I have a 3 Qt. Crockpot, and first thing I noticed is that the recipes seem to be for 2, 4 or 6 Qt. Crocks. I wasn't sure if I could just split the recipe in half on the larger ones or if that would affect anything, but it seems to work out fine, so no worries there.So far, I have tried the pumpkin lattes-tasty, basic chili (our favorite, and my first time making any type of chili), tortilla soup (spicy and delicious) and breakfast risotto (which tastes like a delicious rice pudding, suitable for dessert with a little cream or for breakfast with some cranberries and chopped nuts on top. I have already bought ingredients to try french onion soup, tamale pie and lasagna. I am completely hooked. I sit with my book cradled on my lap placing post-it tags on the pages and making recipe lists so I can try something new each week.One of my resolutions this year is to try a new recipe each week, and with my new crock pot and Stephanie's book, I think I'll be able to keep this resolution.Oh, and for those of you that want to go a little outside the box, you can flip to the end of the book where you get recipes for fun stuff, like crayons, soap, playdough, candles, salt dough creations, etc.This is just a flat out, good book. Buy a copy, add your own flair where needed and write in the margins what worked for you.What a great gift this would be for any slow cooker owner or along with a cooker for someone just starting out!

I love this book! This is truly the only crock pot cookbook I have used and really loved. The author has a child with celiac disease and my family has dairy and gluten allergies as well so I really really appreciate her notes about how to make things gluten free. I love her homemade alternatives to the typical convenience foods and this book has really opened up a new world of crock pot cooking for me and my family.Not everyone in my family eats the food. My boy who has gluten/casein intolerance is also very very picky and sensory defensive when it comes to food so I have to accept that I will not find a cookbook to satisfy his limited tastes. I'm allergic to dairy and have been able to substitute dairy with great results whereever it is in the recipes. Everybody else has loved everything I've made from this book. I just made the Turkey Wild Rice Soup with our turkey carcass from Thanksgiving and it's amazing.I guess I really don't understand the poor reviews of this book. Perhaps those people have a more sophisticated palette than I?? Or perhaps they are so used to processed convenience food that anything lacking a ton of salt will taste bland?? Not sure. In my opinion, if you're an adventurous cook, you can use these recipes as a springboard for modifications. That's been the best part. I may not be able to create a recipe from the ground up, but if I have a good base, I can doctor it up in endless ways. For example, our favorite way to eat Brown Sugar Chicken is over rice and broccoli. It's excellent! Because of our allergies, and because it's just the way I am, I have cooked most of our meals from scratch for many many years. This does not mean I am a slave to the kitchen. I'm a fan of Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals and just a basic fan of simple good food (I'm from MN so it's what we do best). The crock pot and this cookbook is a way for me to keep providing great homemade meals for my family even though our late afternoons/evenings can be hectic with all the kids' activities.I especially don't understand the poor reviews given by people who say they followed Stephanie's blog. The blog should have served as a way to try the recipes for yourself before buying the book. I followed the blog too and if something looked good, I tried it, and had enough successes to know that the book would be worth it for me and my family. I also appreciate that she kept the book inexpensive. It's just great!

This is full of delicious sounding recipes using common ingredients that are easy to find in the grocery store. The recipes are also gluten free (but gluten breads can easily be used). I can't wait to get started trying them. Be aware, however, that most of the recipes are for a 4 quart cooker.

i got this book a few weeks ago and keep using it a few times a week. its not like one of the books that you buy and look and then gets put on the shelf. we really like the recipes so far for what we have tried. I made the apple butter, pumpkin spice latte, gingerbread latte, hot buttered rum, the baked oatmeal, baked potatoes, corn on the cob,rice, basic beans, bbq beans, taco soup, chicken pot pie(this one was a shocker as i had no idea that the topping would brown and be crispy and it was!), buffalo wing soup,chicken stock, meatloaf, maple ham, and in the next few days will be making sweet and sour soup as well as thai coconut soup. I have to say Stephanie says it like it is! throw your meat in frozen, use frozen veggies if you want, whatever it takes to make it easier to get supper in the crock pot with out all the prep before hand. personally i get a bit miffed when i see books for recipes that say you always have to brown your meat first or have it thawed out before making the meal, not everyone remembers to take it out of the freezer. and stephanie tells you if its freezer burnt meat what sauce to put on it to bring it back to life and make it edible. this is the book that i will be gifting for the next year to everyone who loves their crock pot as much as i do. Also check out her web page, it is wonderful and has some recipes as well to try. oh and before i finish, the author will tell you the verdict of the meal, if it was ok, what she changes, even if her kids ate it! awsome idea! everyone else should follow suit.

excellent thankyou. No problems with posting. Recommended.

The story of the 'genesis' of this book is as brilliant as the book itself - a New Year resolution made in December 2007 to use the slow cooker every day of 2008 turned into a phenomenally successful blog and ultimately into this book. This story is remarkable, not only because it's tangible evidence of the only New Year resolution I've ever known to have lasted beyond January but because it's a rare example of a spark of an idea growing to something which touches so many people in a profoundly positive way! The recipes vary from staple, everyday classics like shepherd's pie & traditional beef stew to a whole chapter devoted to "Takeout Fake-Out" - replicating takeaway favourites. O'Dea is a refreshingly unapologetic wife and mother with an infectious enthusiasm, her writing style is a delight, one of my favourite quotes being, "There are as many different variations of stew as there are missing Barbie shoes." The recipes are simple and delicious and a great reason to dust off that slow cooker or run out and buy a new one. I can't say I'll be using mine every day but this book certainly given me ample inspiration for at least a weekly outing!

Ok

Originally obtained book from library. Had lots of good recipes so had to buy it

I use this recipe book on a regular basis - lots of great recipes using healthy items and easy to buy ingredients.