365 Days of Slow-Cooking

by Karen Bellessa Petersen

Family dinner may be the most important part of the day, and for busy households, a slow-cooker may be the most important item in the kitchen! This volume of slow-cooker recipes offers easy instructions for creating appetizing meals that are prepared on your own time and served at just the right time. With 365 dishes that can be assembled in minutes, including dozens that require just two minutes or less, this collection is the perfect solution for hectic days and crowded schedules. Tempt your family's palate with favorite entrees like golden beef stroganoff and smothered pork chops, hearty side dishes like buttermilk mashed potatoes, and delectable desserts like hot fudge pudding cake. Perk up tired menus with ethnic delights from Thai peanut noodles to Greek pita folds, and find the perfect soup or stew to please a crowd with minimal prep time. Thanks to this user-friendly guide, dinnertime just got a lot more simple, and a lot more delicious.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food

288 pages, Spiral-bound

First published February 14, 2012

Reviews

[Anne Hawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one great book! There are good tips on slow-cooking as well as the recipes. All the recipes I have tried have very ordinary ingredients which you probably have on hand, so it's easy to plan these dishes in the morning before work.

There are some recipes that I never would have dreamed putting in a crock-pot but if you are going to be out all day they are helpful. The author wasn't using her crock-pot, so she decided to try to use it for a week. That turned out so well, she challenged herself to use it every day for a year. While I don't think I will be using it for a year, I did find a lot of recipes that I plan to use.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is loaded with great,"normal", yummy recipes! Its worth getting!

[Alishea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good recipes, but saw too many with canned cream of soups and bullion. I try to avoid those to cut back on salt.

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

According to the beginning of the book, Karen at one time rarely used her slow-cooker. She soon started an experience of cooking every day with the slow-cooker. Her blog, 365DayofCrockpotblogspot.com started and from there her fans base grew. Then of course this cook book followed. This book is a gem among cookbooks out there.

Here are some of the things I loved about this cookbook:

-She has tips for slow-cooking like...

**Buying a Slow-Cooker

**Caring for and Cleaning a Slow-Cooker

**How A slow-cooker works

**Getting to Know your slow-cooker

**Reducing Fat and what to do if food gets runny

-Variety of Recipes:

I loved the different categories that were included in this cookbook:

**Appetizers

**Beverages

**Breads and Spreads

**Breakfast

**Beef Dishes

**Poultry Dishes

**Pasta Dishes and Sauces

**Sides and Salads

**Soups/Stews/Chili

**Desserts

I was surprised by all of the things you really can cook in a slow-cooker, and I am by no means a novice at using a slow-cooker. I have used a slow-cooker a lot the past 20 years. So it was thrilling to see all of the new recipes and with such a great variety.

Another thing I loved in this cookbook was how Karen had coded some of the recipes such as, a star by the recipes that are her personal favorites that she uses over and over again. She has a 2 minute prep box by the recipes that take 2 minutes or less to prepare. Then she has the ALL DAY circle by the recipes you use if you are going to be gone all day. For those of us that work full time, I was especially happy to see this!

When I was asked to review this cookbook, I decided to ask several friends, co-workers, neighbors and family members to help me in testing out recipes. Here are some of the responses I heard from "MY" testers...

"I love the simple and easy recipes. It didn't take long to throw everything together in the morning."

"I was so happy that my kids loved the recipes I tried! I need to buy this book now that I have found things that they'll eat."

"My favorite part of the recipes I tried is they only had a few ingredients AND they were things I had already in my pantry."

"The recipe I tried was yummy and easy to make."

For myself, I eat low-carb, and there were many things I was able to make for my eating style. I also echo what another Mom said above, I found things that my picky eaters at my house want me to make again. They loved the things I made.

With beautiful photographs, great variety of recipes, and easy prep time, this is a cookbook any busy woman/man will want to have on their shelf. I love the spiral bound book that stands by itself as I am putting things together in the crockpot. I can honestly say, out of all of the 6 slow-cooker cookbooks I own, hands down this is the best one out there! I will use these recipes over and over again.

You could read more about Karen and her recipes at http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many recipes to try and have waiting when you come home!!

[Erin]

My friend Amanda recommended this cook book.

[Linda Durst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am using my slow cooker more///great cookbook...got it at costco.I has cafe rio recipes and yummy desserts and everything

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just bought this book to help me with my cooking doldrums.... looks great with a lot of simple recipes that my family is likely to enjoy.

[Frieda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alot of editing errors. I've seen better cookbooks.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite cook books for slow cooking. Full of easy recipes with common ingredients.