“What’s for dinner?” Those three dreaded words most of us don’t want to hear! By the end of the day we are tired, fresh out of ideas, and probably often don’t care. Many families find themselves in the drive-through as a quick solution. The convenience can’t be denied but it comes with less nutrition and is more expensive than eating at home.
Imagine if after a long day you walk into your house greeted by the smell of a roast in the slow cooker or a hot bowl of soup? Complete your dinner by serving it with a side salad. Furthermore, as a bonus your family gets to all sit down together and reconnect after a long day.
Utilizing your slow cooker in the fall and winter seasons has many benefits. By placing all your ingredients in the slow cooker, you save preparation time and cut down on cleanup. Therefore, cooking at a low temperature for a long period of time allows meat to be tenderized while enhancing the flavor. Slow cookers are budget friendly and often lead to leftovers. It is a win-win!
Basic Food Safety Rules for the Slow Cooker:
- Wash your hands before beginning and throughout your preparation process.
- Know the size of your slow cooker appliance before preparing a dish.
- Fill your slow cooker to at least 1/2 full and no more than 2/3 full leaving room for expansion.
- Overfilling your cooker increases the risk of food born illness because it prevents foods from reaching the proper temperature.
- A 3-quart will work for a family of two while a 5 quart is ideal for four people.
- Thaw meat and poultry in the refrigerator before placing in the slow cooker.
- To save time, cut up any meat and vegetables the night before. Store items separately in food safe containers.
Water or liquid is needed to create steam to reach the needed temperature for food safety. Make sure that you cover your meat or vegetables with liquid.- Slow cooking at high elevation can also extend the cooking time one hour on low for every 4,000 feet. It is recommended to utilize the HIGH setting for the first hour to help compensate for higher elevations.
- Follow the recommended safe internal temperatures:
- 145° F – Beef, lamb, veal, pork (steaks, roast, chops); allow a three -minute rest time after removing from heat.
- 160° F- Ground meat or meat mixtures (beef, pork, veal, lamb, turkey, chicken)
- 165° F- Casseroles; poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, goose)
- Avoid lifting the lid unnecessarily; each time the lid is raised the internal temperature drops 10-15 degrees.
- The warm setting is safe to use to hold food that has been cooked for up to 4 hours.
Safely Store Leftovers:
Cooking in a slow co
oker often leads to leftovers. Remove leftovers promptly and allow them to cool. Store leftovers in shallow containers (two inches in depth) within two hours of finished cooking. Reheat to an internal temperature of 165° F on the stove or in the microwave.
To get you started enjoy this easy soup recipe! The University of New Hampshire has more slow cooker recipes. Enjoy hot drinks, yummy desserts, casseroles, and much more.
Slow Cooker Taco Soup
- 1 lb. lean or extra-lean ground beef, chicken or turkey, cooked
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 (16-oz.) can chili beans, with liquid
- 1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, with liquid
- 1 (15-oz.) can whole-kernel corn, with liquid
- 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce (low-sodium)
- 2 (14.5-oz.) cans peeled and diced tomatoes (low-sodium)
- 1 (4-oz.) can diced green chili peppers
- 1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (low sodium)
- 2 c. water
In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain. Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chili peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend and cook on low setting for eight hours. If you want to add some flare serve over corn chips. Top with sour cream, avocado and cheese.
Makes 10 servings. Each serving has 220 calories, 3 grams (g) fat, 30 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber and 500 mg sodium.
