I have so many crockpot recipes, I love to use it year round! During the school year, it's great to have everything nearly ready for dinner on a busy day, and during the summer I love to use it so I don't heat up the house with the stove or oven.

I've had this guide for years! Some of the newer crockpots cook hotter than the older ones, so you may have to play around with the times stated to customize it to your own crockpot.

Guide for Adapting Recipes

In most cases, all ingredients can go into your Crock Pot in the beginning
and cook all day. Many prepetory steps are unnecessary when using the
crock pot. A few hints:
1. Allow sufficient cooking time
2. Cook with cover on
3. Remember liquids don't "boil away" as in conventional cooking. Usually
you'll have more liquid at the end of cooking instead of less.
4. It's "one step" cooking: many steps in the recipe may be deleted.
Simply add ingredients to the crock pot at one time and cook 8 to 12 hours
(add any liquid last)
5. Vegetables do not over-cook as they do when boiled in your oven or in
your range. Therefore, everything can go into your crock pot at one time.
Exception: milk, sour cream or cream should be added during the last hour.

Time Guide:
If recipe says:
15 to 30 minutes: 1 1/2 to 2 hours on HIGH, or 4 to 6 hours on LOW*
35 to 45 minutes: 3 to 4 hours on HIGH, or 6 to 10 hours on LOW*
50 minutes to 3 hours: 4 to 6 hours on HIGH, or 8 to 18 hours on LOW*

*Most uncooked meat and vegetable combinations will require at least 8 hours on low.

Liquids:
Use less in slow cooking -- usually about half the recommended amount. One cup liquid is enough for any recipes unless it contains rice or pasta.

Herbs and Spices:
Leaf or whole herbs and spices are preferred, but their flavour power may increase -- use half recommended amount. If you use ground herbs and
spices, add during the last hour of cooking.

Beans:
Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, should be boiled before adding to a recipe. Cover the beans with 3 times their volume of unsalted water and bring to a boil. boil 10 minutes. Discard water after boiling.
Beans must be softened completely before combining with sugar and/or acid foods.
Note: sugar and acid have a hardening affect on beans and will prevent softening.)
After boiling beans 10 min., reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Soaking in water, if desired, should be completed before boiling. discard water after soaking or boiling.

Sautéing vegetables:
Generally not necessary. Stir in chopped or sliced vegetables with other ingredients. Only exception: egg plant should be par-boiled or sautéed, due to strong flavour. Since vegetables develop their full flavour potential with slow cooking, expect delicious results even when you reduce quantities. Because vegetables take longer to cook than meat, slice or chop them when possible.

Pasta and rice:
If recipes calls for cooking noodles, macaroni, etc. cook before adding to crock pot. Don't overcook - just till slightly tender. If cooked rice is called for, stir in with other ingredients. Add 1/4 cup extra liquid per 1/4 cup of raw rice. Use long grain converted rice for best cooking results in all-day cooking.

Milk: Milk, cream and sour cream tend to break sown during extended cooking. When possible add during last hour of cooking. Condensed soups
may be substituted for milk etc and can cook for extended times.

Soups:
Some soup recipes call for 2 to 3 quarts of water. Add soup ingredients to crock pot then add water only to cover. If thinner soup is desired, add more liquid at serving time. If Milk-based recipes have no other liquid for initial cooking, add 1 to 2 cups water. Then during last hour of cooking, stir in milk or cream as called for.

Pam
"Stressed is desserts spelled backwards!"

E PLURIBUS UNUM

Eventually
Peace Love Unity and Respect Inevitably Blossom
in the Understanding Spirit:
Universal Nexus Underlying the Matrix
A Dh original!

Meddle thee not in the affairs of Dragons, for thou art crunchy and wouldst be tasty with ketchup.