Serves: 5

1. Cookers should be at least half full to get best results.

2. Don't remove the cover for a 'look see' until at least one hour before the meal is supposed to be ready to eat as heat will escape when you lift the lid and the cooking time will be lengthened as mush as 15-20 minutes.

3. It is not necessary to pre-brown any meats unless they are fatty. If necessary, brown your meat in a separate frying pan and pour off any excess fat before putting the meat in your pot.

4. You'll probably end up with more liquid than when you started because almost nothing boils away in a slow cooker, and the foods you have been cooking will have given up some of there own natural juices. Sauces in the slow cooker will, therefore, tend to be on the thin side. To thicken them slightly (for gravies, etc.) ladle out the sauce into a saucepan, boil it down to reduce the liquid volume, add a little flour (or your own heavy gravy recipe) and stir to prevent burning.

5. Milk, cream, cheese, pasta, rice and fish usually cook in a short time. These types of ingredients should not be added to the cooker until shortly before you are ready to serve. Milk and cream can curdle during long cooking periods and as far as timing for putting in cheese, rice, fish and the like this will generally be included in the recipe.

6. Always try to use fresh vegetables when required. If you are forced to use frozen vegetable in any recipe, add them durning the last hour of cooking, otherwise they'll lose their bright colors and taste overcooked.

7. If your recipe calls for meat and vegetables cooked in a little liquid, place the vegetables on the bottom. Position does not matter all that much if your making a stew or chowder which calls for a large amount of liquid.

8. The more liquid (juice) the faster the cooking process will be.

9. An extra hour on low does not mean that your dinner will be burned, but it may produce slightly mushier vegetables and softer meat.

10. To vary time at different settings, one hour on high is equal to 2 1/2 hours on low.

11. You may find that your family prefers a bit more seasonings (salt, pepper, hot sauces, etc.) with long cooking times.

12. Spices tend to lose their purgency during long cooking so either add whole spices and leaf herbs at the start or, if you are using ground condiments, add them during the last hour of cooking time.

The crockpot is ideal for working people who must be away from home all day (or for those days when you must run errands or attend meetings, or for when you're entertaining and want to get the food preparation done early). The food will simmer for 10 to 12 hours on Low if you must be gone all day or you may cook the food in 5 to 6 hours on High. If you are single, you can purchase a crockpot as small as 1-quart size. It is a very simple appliance to operate and you will find that the cooked food is very tasty. If you are a working person or one who knows they will have a very busy day, you can do most of the chopping and measuring the night before. Then refrigerate these ingredients until the next morning. If your crockpot has a REMOVABLE liner, you can assemble and refrigerate the food right in the liner which will be easy to pop into the crockpot the next morning. Be sure you don't fill the crockpot so full that the food pushes up on the lid. The crockpot depends on the heat that builds up in the container itself. The lid must stay securely on the crockpot while it cooks. Resist the temptation to take a quick peek or stir frequently. Protect the crockery liner. Do not subject it to sudden temperature changes. Do not preheat the cooker and then add food. Do not pour cool water into the crockery liner while it is still hot after food has been removed. The crockpot is great for cooking less expensive cuts of meat such as beef chuck pot roasts, brisket, and pork shoulder roasts, because the long cooking at low heat tenderizes the meat. The low temperature also keeps the meat from shrinking as much as it does during other cooking methods. For recipes that call for small cuts of meat (especially recipes reduced to fit into 1 quart cookers), keep your eyes peeled for specials at the meat counter. When meat is on sale, it is usually sold in large pieces. Buy these cuts and divide them into smaller portions. Wrap individually, label and freeze for later use. Also be on the lookout for packed smaller cuts of meat. If your store offers only large roasts, ask the butcher to cut a 1 to 1 1/2 pound piece for you. Freezing chicken pieces before cooking in the crockpot slows cooking of the chicken and assures tenderness without overcooking when the rest of the foods are done.

As soon as possible, transfer any leftover food to a storage container and refrigerate or freeze. For extra covenience, use an automatic timer to start the cooker while you are away. However, the food should NOT stand more than 2 hours before the crockpot switches on. If using the timer, assemble the recipe and THOROUGHLY chill it. When time to leave the house, place chilled food in the crockpot. EXCEPTION: If the recipe calls for frozen chicken or fish, do NOT use an automatic timer! The standing time would give the forzen food a chance to thaw, resulting in overcooked fish or chicken. CLEANUP: As soon as you remove the food from the crockpot, uplug it and fill the liner with VERY HOT soapy water (DO NOT ADD COOL WATER!!). Let the liner soak while you eat. NEVER IMMERSE THE OUTSIDE PART OF THE COOKER OR LET THE CORD GET IN THE WATER!! Wipe the outside metal shell with a damp soft cloth and dry with a towel. MAKE AHEAD TIP: The night before, brown the meat, drain well, and wrap in foil. Clean and chop vegetables. Place vegetables, seasonings and liquids into a bowl (or liner, if removable) and chill overnight. Lifting meat loaf into and out of the crockpot is easy if you use foil "handles." Tear off 3 18x2-inch strips of HEAVY foil (or use regular foil folded to double thickness). Criscross the foil strips in a spoke design on top of a large sheet of waxed papper. Shape the meat loaf in the center of the spoke. Lift the ends of the foil strips to transfer the meat loaf to the cooker. Leave strips under meat during cooking. The strips will enable you to remove the cooked meat without destroying its shape. Layer foods for best result. First, place vegetables in the bottom of the crockpot. Next, sprinkle quick-cooking tapioca over the vegetables. The tapioca will thicken the juices as the meal cooks, making a delicious, ready-to-serve gravy. Finally, set the meat on top of the vegetables and place the lid on the crockpot securely. For soup toppers, use crushed crackers, shredded cheese, toasted bread cubes or seasoned croutons, plain or cheese-flavored popcorn, shredded carrot, sour cream and snipped parsley or chives. For more elaborate toppers, cut shapes from toast with cookie cutters (fun to float on a soup). For extra flavor, spread the toast with flavored butter, cheese spread or pesto before cutting. Freeze leftover foods in freezer containers with tight-fitting lids. Food expands when frozen. Leave 1/2" head room below rims of containers.You can also cool soup or broth in ice cube trays.