What do you think?
Rate this book
Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker: 110 Recipes for Flavorful, Foolproof Dishes (Including Desserts!), Plus Test-Kitchen Tips and Strategies: A Cookbook
Cook it slow, cook it smart
Leave it to the experts at Martha Stewart to figure out the best ways to use this favorite appliance. The 110 recipes in this book make the most of the slow cooker’s assets (low heat, hands-off cooking), while also uncovering its hidden potential. Readers will find that they can not only braise cuts of meat until meltingly tender and let soups and stews simmer away untended, but also gently poach fish, cook up creamy scalloped potatoes, and bake a perfect cheesecake. This book has everything home cooks need to maximize flavor and make life a whole lot easier.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2017
236 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Martha Stewart
456 books572 followersMartha Helen Stewart is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. As the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, focusing on home and hospitality, she gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing publishing, broadcasting, merchandising and e-commerce. She has written numerous bestselling books, was the publisher of Martha Stewart Living magazine and hosted two syndicated television programs: Martha Stewart Living, which ran from 1993 to 2004, and The Martha Stewart Show, which ran from 2005 to 2012.
In 2004, Stewart was convicted of felony charges related to the ImClone stock trading case; she served five months in federal prison for fraud and was released in March 2005. There was speculation that the incident would effectively end her media empire, but in 2005 Stewart began a comeback campaign and her company returned to profitability in 2006. Stewart rejoined the board of directors of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 2011 and became chairwoman of her namesake company again in 2012. The company was acquired by Sequential Brands in 2015. Sequential Brands Group agreed in April 2019 to sell Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, including the Emeril brand, to Marquee Brands for $175 million with benchmarked additional payments.
In 2004, Stewart was convicted of felony charges related to the ImClone stock trading case; she served five months in federal prison for fraud and was released in March 2005. There was speculation that the incident would effectively end her media empire, but in 2005 Stewart began a comeback campaign and her company returned to profitability in 2006. Stewart rejoined the board of directors of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia in 2011 and became chairwoman of her namesake company again in 2012. The company was acquired by Sequential Brands in 2015. Sequential Brands Group agreed in April 2019 to sell Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, including the Emeril brand, to Marquee Brands for $175 million with benchmarked additional payments.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
September 21, 2017
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
If you follow my reviews you know that I generally try to make something from any new cookbook I receive. This one actually arrived a couple of weeks ago and I even have all of the ingredients ready to make this . . . . .
But Mother Nature has decided to be a real turdburger and it’s been about 12,000 degrees with 1,000,000% humidity since it got here so I’m saying screw it and my family is living on cereal until the heat wave breaks. (If you’re just dying with anticipation to see what kind of godawful concoction I can churn out, you’ll have to settle for the Great Goat Sacrifice of 2016. Oh, and YOU’RE WELCOME Cubs fans – my family’s misery is what ended a 108 losing streak and 71-year-old curse.)
Tomorrow is the first official day of Fall and *crossing fingers* sweater weather will be here any second. Of course, with sweater weather brings my most hated basic white girl obsession of them all . . . .
But today we’re going to ignore all that and focus on the glory which is Martha.
I’ve been a Martha Stewart fan since Jesus was a toddler. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that back in the day I didn’t really tune in to her show for the food – since it was super uppity and I am super trailer parky – but I luuuuuuuuurved all the dang craft segments. Martha is the reason I know what a “cloche” is and how I should shove a bunch of miniature shit in one in order to make a tiny “winter wonderland.” Speaking of tiny, just when I thought I was really kicking ass with my “Hobbit Haven” . . . . .
Martha one-ups me by making a fairy garden with Mary Effing Poppins!
All the above is to say that I’ve been a superfan since way back when Martha came off with this kind of air about her . . . .
But when she came out of the pokey???? Now that is a girl I want to hang with . . . .
I’ll be 100% honest and admit I was a tad bit apprehensive at the idea of Martha Stewart tackling a crockpot recipe book since she isn’t what you’d necessarily call relatable. However, the very first line addressed the giant pink elephant in the room . . .
“To tell the honest truth, I have never, ever, really used a slow cooker.”
Awesome. OF COURSE YOU DIDN’T! You’re Martha (Fucking) Stewart FFS! Since she’s Martha (Expletive Deleted) Stewart, she knocked this one out of the ballpark. Her (way more advanced palate than my family’s) had her attempting things like slow cooker versions of Vietnamese Short-ribs or Chicken Tagine, while also (maybe surprisingly) going with tons of basics such as . . . . .
Or . . . .
It has stuff my kids would happily gobble down . . . .
As well as stuff they wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole, but that I will eat when they piss me off in order to fart them out of the house . . . .
Obtaining a Martha Stewart selection for zero dollars was pretty much my only bucket list item when it comes to reviewer copies. I am so happy it did not disappoint. It had everything I want in a cookbook – pretty pictures, ingredients that are either already in my pantry or easily obtainable and most importantly EDIBLE recipes. And really, the $26.00 price point isn’t horrible either compared to other, lesser-known, foodie books I’ve obtained in the past.
Endless thanks to the publisher for making all of my wildest dreams come true!
If you follow my reviews you know that I generally try to make something from any new cookbook I receive. This one actually arrived a couple of weeks ago and I even have all of the ingredients ready to make this . . . . .
But Mother Nature has decided to be a real turdburger and it’s been about 12,000 degrees with 1,000,000% humidity since it got here so I’m saying screw it and my family is living on cereal until the heat wave breaks. (If you’re just dying with anticipation to see what kind of godawful concoction I can churn out, you’ll have to settle for the Great Goat Sacrifice of 2016. Oh, and YOU’RE WELCOME Cubs fans – my family’s misery is what ended a 108 losing streak and 71-year-old curse.)
Tomorrow is the first official day of Fall and *crossing fingers* sweater weather will be here any second. Of course, with sweater weather brings my most hated basic white girl obsession of them all . . . .
But today we’re going to ignore all that and focus on the glory which is Martha.
I’ve been a Martha Stewart fan since Jesus was a toddler. That being said, I’ll be the first to admit that back in the day I didn’t really tune in to her show for the food – since it was super uppity and I am super trailer parky – but I luuuuuuuuurved all the dang craft segments. Martha is the reason I know what a “cloche” is and how I should shove a bunch of miniature shit in one in order to make a tiny “winter wonderland.” Speaking of tiny, just when I thought I was really kicking ass with my “Hobbit Haven” . . . . .
Martha one-ups me by making a fairy garden with Mary Effing Poppins!
All the above is to say that I’ve been a superfan since way back when Martha came off with this kind of air about her . . . .
But when she came out of the pokey???? Now that is a girl I want to hang with . . . .
I’ll be 100% honest and admit I was a tad bit apprehensive at the idea of Martha Stewart tackling a crockpot recipe book since she isn’t what you’d necessarily call relatable. However, the very first line addressed the giant pink elephant in the room . . .
“To tell the honest truth, I have never, ever, really used a slow cooker.”
Awesome. OF COURSE YOU DIDN’T! You’re Martha (Fucking) Stewart FFS! Since she’s Martha (Expletive Deleted) Stewart, she knocked this one out of the ballpark. Her (way more advanced palate than my family’s) had her attempting things like slow cooker versions of Vietnamese Short-ribs or Chicken Tagine, while also (maybe surprisingly) going with tons of basics such as . . . . .
Or . . . .
It has stuff my kids would happily gobble down . . . .
As well as stuff they wouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole, but that I will eat when they piss me off in order to fart them out of the house . . . .
Obtaining a Martha Stewart selection for zero dollars was pretty much my only bucket list item when it comes to reviewer copies. I am so happy it did not disappoint. It had everything I want in a cookbook – pretty pictures, ingredients that are either already in my pantry or easily obtainable and most importantly EDIBLE recipes. And really, the $26.00 price point isn’t horrible either compared to other, lesser-known, foodie books I’ve obtained in the past.
Endless thanks to the publisher for making all of my wildest dreams come true!
April 16, 2024
The luxury of working in a library is seeing what everyone else is reading. I am always looking for good recipes with great flavors and when I saw three slow cooker books roll in, I checked them out immediately.
There is no shortage of cookbooks in the library, but finding flavorful recipes is hard. There are numerous easy to cook but not very tasty recipes. One of the three books was a goldmine for straightforward recipes and tantalized the tongue.
Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker had a range of dishes with different meats and fish that hit the spot.
Porchetta, Duck with Sour Cherries, Carbonnade, and Ropa Vieja. Our most recent dish, Persian Lamb Stew with saffron, dried lime and thyme was fantastic.
If you want great slow cooking, Martha is your best resource.
--Tom L.
There is no shortage of cookbooks in the library, but finding flavorful recipes is hard. There are numerous easy to cook but not very tasty recipes. One of the three books was a goldmine for straightforward recipes and tantalized the tongue.
Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker had a range of dishes with different meats and fish that hit the spot.
Porchetta, Duck with Sour Cherries, Carbonnade, and Ropa Vieja. Our most recent dish, Persian Lamb Stew with saffron, dried lime and thyme was fantastic.
If you want great slow cooking, Martha is your best resource.
--Tom L.
January 4, 2018
Martha Stewart admits she did not grow up with a slow cooker nor did she ever use a slow cooker until she decided to write this book. But she's a convert now.
The second cookbook I received (after, of course, the ubiquitous Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook) at my wedding shower was a crockpot recipe book. This was the 70's and I was determined to both work and cook well for my man. The crockpot cookbook was perfect for us. I'd start it up at seven before I left for work and, when we arrived home at five, we had a pot of amazing food.
So we (my man has learned to use the slow cooker, too, over the years) have continued to use this cookbook for the past forty years. I thought I knew everything about crockpots.
Then I read this book.
Martha Stewart had the luxury of having a panel of editors and recipe developers create and test recipes that enhanced the strengths of a crockpot for more than a year. Martha shares a list of ten Slow Cooker Commandments, all new to me, and a list of tips for best using the crockpot (all new to me). These alone are worth the price of the book.
Then I tried out the recipes. My husband and I sticky-noted recipes that sounded good to us---Chili Chicken Tacos, Sausage and Vegetable Ciambotta, Brisket and Onions---and over a few weeks, we tested Martha's testers.
Our results?
We've set our tattered and splattered forty-year-old crockpot standard in the pantry for now, and replaced it with Martha's shiny new book in our cookbook stand.
Here's one of our (new) favorites:
Martha Stewart's Slow-Cooker Brisket and Onions
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 first cut of beef brisket (4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving
Directions
1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine onion and garlic. Season brisket with salt and pepper and place, fat side up, in slow cooker. Add broth. Cover and cook on high until brisket is fork-tender, about 6 hours. Remove brisket and thinly slice against the grain. Serve with onion and some cooking liquid; sprinkle with parsley.
2. If you make this ahead of time, cover and refrigerate brisket in cooking liquid, up to 1 week. Reheat in a 300-degree oven.
The second cookbook I received (after, of course, the ubiquitous Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook) at my wedding shower was a crockpot recipe book. This was the 70's and I was determined to both work and cook well for my man. The crockpot cookbook was perfect for us. I'd start it up at seven before I left for work and, when we arrived home at five, we had a pot of amazing food.
So we (my man has learned to use the slow cooker, too, over the years) have continued to use this cookbook for the past forty years. I thought I knew everything about crockpots.
Then I read this book.
Martha Stewart had the luxury of having a panel of editors and recipe developers create and test recipes that enhanced the strengths of a crockpot for more than a year. Martha shares a list of ten Slow Cooker Commandments, all new to me, and a list of tips for best using the crockpot (all new to me). These alone are worth the price of the book.
Then I tried out the recipes. My husband and I sticky-noted recipes that sounded good to us---Chili Chicken Tacos, Sausage and Vegetable Ciambotta, Brisket and Onions---and over a few weeks, we tested Martha's testers.
Our results?
We've set our tattered and splattered forty-year-old crockpot standard in the pantry for now, and replaced it with Martha's shiny new book in our cookbook stand.
Here's one of our (new) favorites:
Martha Stewart's Slow-Cooker Brisket and Onions
Ingredients
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 first cut of beef brisket (4 pounds), trimmed of excess fat
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving
Directions
1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine onion and garlic. Season brisket with salt and pepper and place, fat side up, in slow cooker. Add broth. Cover and cook on high until brisket is fork-tender, about 6 hours. Remove brisket and thinly slice against the grain. Serve with onion and some cooking liquid; sprinkle with parsley.
2. If you make this ahead of time, cover and refrigerate brisket in cooking liquid, up to 1 week. Reheat in a 300-degree oven.
September 20, 2017
I tried several and they really are delicious, but too many of the recipes had you cooking before using the slow cooker. I'd rather have recipes to save time!
October 14, 2021
yes I am counting this, also the chicken with 40 cloves of garlic is literally the easiest meal in the world
June 12, 2020
3.5 ⭐️ My quarantine hobby has become the crockpot. And there are some awesome recipes in this book (the seafood laksa being one of the best things I have ever cooked) but the whole part of the crock pot to me is the one pot, not too many step, concept. And these of course, being Martha, are way complex.
September 7, 2020
My family and closest friends know that I collect cook books and that I am a big fan of Martha Stewart, whether it be her cookbooks or non-fiction, her t.v. variety show and her cooking shows. I particularly like her cooking teaching shows. For many years, we have decorated our house from Martha’s Christmas-themed holiday books. I’ve even cooked whole meals during the holidays from her holiday-oriented cookbooks. The whole family has enjoyed our Martha themes.
This cookbook is another joy to add to my collection. I discovered the Rival crockpot about 35 years ago and added one to my kitchen appliances inventory. When both of us were working, it was a way to prepare a healthy and substantial meal for our family-of-four dinner. At the end of the day, when we would walk into the house after work, the house smelled wonderfully of pot roast or spaghetti sauce or chili or soup or chicken and vegetables. The Rival cookbook that came with our crockpot was adequate, but quite simple.
This book includes eight chapters from Meat, Seafood, Side Dishes, Sweets, Stick and Sauces. What I found refreshing is the geographic and ethnic diversity of the recipe choices, suck as: Sicilian-style Beef Stew, Carne Guisada, Italian Pot Roast, Vietnamese Pho, Southwestern Pork Posole, German-style Pork Chops, Chicken Curry, Chinese Hainanese Chicken, Saag Paneer (India), Harira (Morocco), Grits with Greens and Fried Eggs, and hundreds more. Desserts too: Creme Brûlée, Blueberry Cornmeal Buckle, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Wine-Poached Pears. Yumm!
I am so looking forward to trying some of the unique and diverse recipes, as well as sauces and spices I’ve never previously tried. I’ll post pictures on Facebook.
This cookbook is another joy to add to my collection. I discovered the Rival crockpot about 35 years ago and added one to my kitchen appliances inventory. When both of us were working, it was a way to prepare a healthy and substantial meal for our family-of-four dinner. At the end of the day, when we would walk into the house after work, the house smelled wonderfully of pot roast or spaghetti sauce or chili or soup or chicken and vegetables. The Rival cookbook that came with our crockpot was adequate, but quite simple.
This book includes eight chapters from Meat, Seafood, Side Dishes, Sweets, Stick and Sauces. What I found refreshing is the geographic and ethnic diversity of the recipe choices, suck as: Sicilian-style Beef Stew, Carne Guisada, Italian Pot Roast, Vietnamese Pho, Southwestern Pork Posole, German-style Pork Chops, Chicken Curry, Chinese Hainanese Chicken, Saag Paneer (India), Harira (Morocco), Grits with Greens and Fried Eggs, and hundreds more. Desserts too: Creme Brûlée, Blueberry Cornmeal Buckle, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Wine-Poached Pears. Yumm!
I am so looking forward to trying some of the unique and diverse recipes, as well as sauces and spices I’ve never previously tried. I’ll post pictures on Facebook.
February 1, 2023
This is weirdly good. I randomly checked this out searching for a way to cook a whole chicken in my new-from-craigslist crock pot. The recipe for Hainanese Chicken is, shockingly, absolutely delicious, though not particularly faithful (tastes more like Pho).
Edit: minus a star for calling shakshuka "Israeli breakfast"
Edit: minus a star for calling shakshuka "Israeli breakfast"
June 27, 2022
Look, if I am interested in a slow cooker recipe it's because I want to dump things into my crockpot and then eat in a few hours.
I am not interested in cooking three different ingredients in different pans on my stove AND THEN putting them in the crockpot!
This does have nice pictures though.
I am not interested in cooking three different ingredients in different pans on my stove AND THEN putting them in the crockpot!
This does have nice pictures though.
October 2, 2017
Gorgeous photos and everything looks delicious. But honestly? I am way too lazy for half of these recipes. Was hoping for more simplicity. Can't spend $75 on herbs for one recipe, Martha.
March 26, 2024
Hahahaha- Martha!!
This is not your typical slow cooker cookbook. I’m used to the ‘5 ingredient slow cooker magic’ type books where everything comes out tasting like hot dish. There isn’t a can of cream of mushroom soup in this book! Prepare yourself for some prep work. Oh, and these will be expensive. Even beef chuck in today’s economy is out of my price range, so a lot of these recipes are beyond me at the moment. If I can’t afford beef chuck, I definitely can’t afford 4lbs of brisket.
But looking at the recipes was fun and some looked very delicious. Of course they will be delicious. It’s Martha! She knows what she’s doing, she’s just not a cook for the economically challenged people of this world.
This is not your typical slow cooker cookbook. I’m used to the ‘5 ingredient slow cooker magic’ type books where everything comes out tasting like hot dish. There isn’t a can of cream of mushroom soup in this book! Prepare yourself for some prep work. Oh, and these will be expensive. Even beef chuck in today’s economy is out of my price range, so a lot of these recipes are beyond me at the moment. If I can’t afford beef chuck, I definitely can’t afford 4lbs of brisket.
But looking at the recipes was fun and some looked very delicious. Of course they will be delicious. It’s Martha! She knows what she’s doing, she’s just not a cook for the economically challenged people of this world.
December 17, 2019
I love the amount of pictures and the general outline of recipes. However, when I want to use a slow cooker or an instant pot, I'm looking to do things mostly as one-pot-wonders. There's way too many... braise this, broil that, [insert fancy ingredient here], [insert other gadget there]. I may refer back for ideas, but likely not.
PS. If you don't mind all the extra steps, the recipes look tasty.
PS. If you don't mind all the extra steps, the recipes look tasty.
February 28, 2018
Great easy to follow recipes! Purchased after borrowing from library!
December 15, 2017
Oh, Martha. It's like you've never encountered a slow cooker before... I don't need more recipes for chili, pulled pork, pot roast, chicken stock, overnight oats, or applesauce. I don't need 4 different recipes for duck, nor can I afford recipes calling for 6 C. duck fat, 2 C. of olive oil, or 2 whole branzino. These are all great ideas and the recipes sound lovely, but Martha is writing for people for whom slow cooking is a novelty, not a way of life for those of us trying to cram in healthy, tasty food while juggling work, commute, family, and other daily activities.
I bookmarked two recipes that felt unique and relatively easy to prepare.
Marmalade and Vinegar Pork (64): Preheat a slow cooker. Generously salt ~5 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2" pieces. Place pork in slow cooker. Separately, mix together 1 tsp. toasted fennel seeds [I would omit this.], 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 3/4 C. orange marmalade, 1/4 C. red wine vinegar, 1 rosemary sprig, and 4 garlic cloves, smashed. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on LOW for ~8 hours, or until meat is pull-apart tender. Strain meat from sauce, then pour sauce through a sieve to filter out the solids. Skim the fat off the sauce. Serve with orange wedges.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Herbed Creme Fraiche (191): Preheat a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine 3 TBSP butter at room temperature, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Rub 6 sweet potatoes (scrubbed and pierced with a fork) with the butter mixture. Tightly wrap each potato in parchment paper, then in foil. Put in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Thickly slice the potatoes. Separately, combine 1/2 C. creme fraiche, 1 TSBP mixed fresh herbs (like parsley, tarragon, or chives), and the zest of 1 lemon. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with the potatoes.
h/t: Washington Post
Perhaps I should track down The Chef and the Slow Cooker instead...
I bookmarked two recipes that felt unique and relatively easy to prepare.
Marmalade and Vinegar Pork (64): Preheat a slow cooker. Generously salt ~5 lb pork shoulder, cut into 2" pieces. Place pork in slow cooker. Separately, mix together 1 tsp. toasted fennel seeds [I would omit this.], 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 3/4 C. orange marmalade, 1/4 C. red wine vinegar, 1 rosemary sprig, and 4 garlic cloves, smashed. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on LOW for ~8 hours, or until meat is pull-apart tender. Strain meat from sauce, then pour sauce through a sieve to filter out the solids. Skim the fat off the sauce. Serve with orange wedges.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Herbed Creme Fraiche (191): Preheat a slow cooker. In a bowl, combine 3 TBSP butter at room temperature, 1 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Rub 6 sweet potatoes (scrubbed and pierced with a fork) with the butter mixture. Tightly wrap each potato in parchment paper, then in foil. Put in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Thickly slice the potatoes. Separately, combine 1/2 C. creme fraiche, 1 TSBP mixed fresh herbs (like parsley, tarragon, or chives), and the zest of 1 lemon. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with the potatoes.
h/t: Washington Post
Perhaps I should track down The Chef and the Slow Cooker instead...
November 2, 2017
I enjoy my slow cooker and I like Martha Stewart but there wasn't a thing in here that appealed to me. I really am a very lazy cook and I love to just throw stuff in to cook and walk away. Anything labor intensive about slow cooking beyond opening a can and I lose interest.
August 27, 2017
When it comes to preparing food with slow cookers, there are usually two types of cooks: those who regularly make use of this wonderful kitchen helper, and those who dust the cooker off now and then for holidays, pot-luck dinners, and the occasional pot roast. Slow cookers come in a wide range of sizes, functionality, and visual appeal. I still have my original Crock Pot (avocado green), and it still works quite well. I have newer cookers, one small and one large, but the “green machine” is still my favorite. It holds a lot of memories of good food and good family times. “Martha Stewart’s Slow Cooker: 110 recipes for Flavorful, Foolproof Dishes (Including Desserts!), Plus Test-Kitchen Tips and Strategies” shines a new light on this old kitchen favorite, making it a “go to” meal-maker for modern families. More than a year’s research went into developing recipes and cooking techniques which make the most of the slow-cooker’s steady, even heat, minimal pot-watching, and the added benefits of less fat and more moisture in the prepared dish. Try poaching root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, and beets (Root-Vegetable Confit), and serve them over cooked grains, or as a flavorful side dish. Slow cookers are unbeatable at taking tougher, less-expensive cuts of meat like flank steak and turning them fork-tender (Ropa Vieja). Fish fillets will cook to perfection (Indian-Style Fish Curry). For richer flavor and deeper color, brown meats and sauté onions before adding them to the slow cooker (Persian Lamb Stew). It goes without saying that soup is a slow cooker classic, and you can make a spectacular vegetarian version (healthy, hearty Italian Ribollita Soup). For your sweet-tooth try delicious desserts (Cinnamon Buns) which are made even more scrumptious by the moist heat of the slow cooker. This is a delightful cookbook filled with mouth-watering food photos and recipes that will have you rethinking your tried & true menus and meal preparations, and you will appreciate the savings of food costs and time.
Book Copy Gratis Clarkson Potter Publishers via Blogging for Books
Book Copy Gratis Clarkson Potter Publishers via Blogging for Books
September 28, 2017
I was truly excited to get this book in the mail, because it’s always my goal to utilize my crock pot more than I currently do. Especially with cooler months coming along and the days are dark so much sooner.
To be honest, I’ve always been a bit leery about trying Martha Stewart’s cooking books, partially due to her crafty side that I always tended to attribute her skills towards. But, after watching her on the public television station, when I had the opportunity to try out this cookbook, I jumped at it.
The book overall is well put together and speaks quality. It isn’t something where the pages are a thin quality and cheaply put together. A lot of time and effort was spent in the design process.
Many of the recipes sound truly delightful and the carrot/honey was very tasty.
The one thing I had a problem with was that the recipes I would not necessarily classify in the “easy” category. There are a slew of ingredients, many of which, the typical home would not have on hand. Therefore, it would require a stop at the grocery story to stock up.
For me, the main issue was the amount of steps before placing all the ingredients into the crockpot to cook. Typically, when I start the slow cooker, it’s in the morning before work. So I do not have a lot of time to do very much prep to get the meal ready. What I can do in the evenings, I do. This is a book that would be great if you had someone who could do all the work for you, so that when you arrive home in the evening it is done. Or, you prepare on the weekends when time is a bit more plentiful.
All in all, I did enjoy the cookbook and will use it more in the future. Once I get all the ingredients and a weekend ready to try another recipe out.
This review contains my own thoughts and opinions. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
To be honest, I’ve always been a bit leery about trying Martha Stewart’s cooking books, partially due to her crafty side that I always tended to attribute her skills towards. But, after watching her on the public television station, when I had the opportunity to try out this cookbook, I jumped at it.
The book overall is well put together and speaks quality. It isn’t something where the pages are a thin quality and cheaply put together. A lot of time and effort was spent in the design process.
Many of the recipes sound truly delightful and the carrot/honey was very tasty.
The one thing I had a problem with was that the recipes I would not necessarily classify in the “easy” category. There are a slew of ingredients, many of which, the typical home would not have on hand. Therefore, it would require a stop at the grocery story to stock up.
For me, the main issue was the amount of steps before placing all the ingredients into the crockpot to cook. Typically, when I start the slow cooker, it’s in the morning before work. So I do not have a lot of time to do very much prep to get the meal ready. What I can do in the evenings, I do. This is a book that would be great if you had someone who could do all the work for you, so that when you arrive home in the evening it is done. Or, you prepare on the weekends when time is a bit more plentiful.
All in all, I did enjoy the cookbook and will use it more in the future. Once I get all the ingredients and a weekend ready to try another recipe out.
This review contains my own thoughts and opinions. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
August 28, 2017
You’ll never look at your slow cooker the same way again!
I have a whole new appreciation for my slow cooker and what it can do after looking through this book. While this book does provide some traditional slow cooker recipes for meals that can cook while you're out at work for the day, this book is a bit different and also includes some new recipes that show you how to utilize the unique benefits of the slow cooker cooking style to accomplish some amazing new feats. There are lots of recipes with new international flavors and styles. This is not just a collection of stew and chili recipes.
Martha Stewart shows how to combine the unique attributes of slow cooking with some additional cooking steps such as adding fresh herbs or broiling the final dish to get crispy chicken skin or a “sticky-glaze finish” on the ribs. I had never thought about poaching salmon in a slow cooker, but it seems to be a perfect process to cook salmon with the guarantee that you will not dry it out or overcook it. And it only takes an hour to poach salmon in the slow cooker.
In addition to a lot of main dish recipes this book also includes ideas for side dishes, breakfast, and some desserts (cheesecake!). My favorite part is that every recipe has a picture to show you what the end result should look like.
What a great update this recipe book gives to my old slow cooker. I've always loved that appliance and now there are so many more reasons to love it! I can't wait to try several of the recipes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
I have a whole new appreciation for my slow cooker and what it can do after looking through this book. While this book does provide some traditional slow cooker recipes for meals that can cook while you're out at work for the day, this book is a bit different and also includes some new recipes that show you how to utilize the unique benefits of the slow cooker cooking style to accomplish some amazing new feats. There are lots of recipes with new international flavors and styles. This is not just a collection of stew and chili recipes.
Martha Stewart shows how to combine the unique attributes of slow cooking with some additional cooking steps such as adding fresh herbs or broiling the final dish to get crispy chicken skin or a “sticky-glaze finish” on the ribs. I had never thought about poaching salmon in a slow cooker, but it seems to be a perfect process to cook salmon with the guarantee that you will not dry it out or overcook it. And it only takes an hour to poach salmon in the slow cooker.
In addition to a lot of main dish recipes this book also includes ideas for side dishes, breakfast, and some desserts (cheesecake!). My favorite part is that every recipe has a picture to show you what the end result should look like.
What a great update this recipe book gives to my old slow cooker. I've always loved that appliance and now there are so many more reasons to love it! I can't wait to try several of the recipes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
August 29, 2017
Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker is full of beautiful, colorful photos to accompany the 110 recipes in this book.
Interestingly enough, Martha Stewart said she only recently started using a slow cooker and her mother didn't use one growing up. However, she said she has been impressed with the slow cookers she has tried out in recent years and now thinks of it as a "smart cooker." In the beginning of this book, she offers basic advice for using a slow cooker including the "Slow Cooker Commandments" and "How to Use a Slow Cooker" basics which include a few tips that I didn't know before. There are chapters on meat, poultry, seafood, meatless, side dishes, breakfast, sweets, and stocks and sauces.
My family eats more chicken and meatless dishes than other meats Martha includes. As a result, recipes for Pho, Chicken Chili Tacos, Chicken with 20 cloves of garlic, Coq au Vin, Barley Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms, Ribollita (Italian vegetarian soup, Maple Granola, Overnight Oatmeal, Peach Pecan Grunt, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Brown-Butter Rum Sauce.
I also think the recipes for basic stocks, sauces and jams will be good to use.
I think I will use about a quarter of these recipes. I wish there were more than that but we don't cook much for seafood since we live in the middle of the country where we don't get a lot of really fresh seafood like they do in New England. But the recipes I want to try look simple to follow with great pictures and good instructions.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
Interestingly enough, Martha Stewart said she only recently started using a slow cooker and her mother didn't use one growing up. However, she said she has been impressed with the slow cookers she has tried out in recent years and now thinks of it as a "smart cooker." In the beginning of this book, she offers basic advice for using a slow cooker including the "Slow Cooker Commandments" and "How to Use a Slow Cooker" basics which include a few tips that I didn't know before. There are chapters on meat, poultry, seafood, meatless, side dishes, breakfast, sweets, and stocks and sauces.
My family eats more chicken and meatless dishes than other meats Martha includes. As a result, recipes for Pho, Chicken Chili Tacos, Chicken with 20 cloves of garlic, Coq au Vin, Barley Risotto with Fresh Mushrooms, Ribollita (Italian vegetarian soup, Maple Granola, Overnight Oatmeal, Peach Pecan Grunt, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Brown-Butter Rum Sauce.
I also think the recipes for basic stocks, sauces and jams will be good to use.
I think I will use about a quarter of these recipes. I wish there were more than that but we don't cook much for seafood since we live in the middle of the country where we don't get a lot of really fresh seafood like they do in New England. But the recipes I want to try look simple to follow with great pictures and good instructions.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
September 4, 2017
Great Photos, Interesting Recipes
The best thing about this cookbook, next to the recipes, is the mouth watering pictures of the finished dishes. It made me want to try all of them.
The recipes are good and generally easy to make. However, there are often several steps that are done before or after using the slow cooker. This has the advantage of increasing the flavor of most dishes, but also adds preparation time. It’s a trade-off.
The book features useful information such as the Slow Cooker Commandments and The Basics, which are information included at the beginning of each chapter. The book contains recipes for meat, seafood, poultry, side dishes, stocks and sauces, breakfast and sweets. I found the content heavy on meat dishes. We don’t eat much meat. I would have preferred more meatless dishes. However, Spaghetti Boulognese is excellent.
The chapter on sauces and stocks is very helpful. The slow cooker is an excellent device for preparing stocks. The chapter on fish was also useful. We eat a great deal of salmon. It’s easy to overcook it. However, poaching in slow cooker makes it come out perfect.
I hadn’t really tried baking in a slow cooker, but the Blueberry Cornmeal Buckle turned out very well as did the Apple-Cranberry Crisp.
If you enjoy slow cooker cooking, this is a very helpful book.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
The best thing about this cookbook, next to the recipes, is the mouth watering pictures of the finished dishes. It made me want to try all of them.
The recipes are good and generally easy to make. However, there are often several steps that are done before or after using the slow cooker. This has the advantage of increasing the flavor of most dishes, but also adds preparation time. It’s a trade-off.
The book features useful information such as the Slow Cooker Commandments and The Basics, which are information included at the beginning of each chapter. The book contains recipes for meat, seafood, poultry, side dishes, stocks and sauces, breakfast and sweets. I found the content heavy on meat dishes. We don’t eat much meat. I would have preferred more meatless dishes. However, Spaghetti Boulognese is excellent.
The chapter on sauces and stocks is very helpful. The slow cooker is an excellent device for preparing stocks. The chapter on fish was also useful. We eat a great deal of salmon. It’s easy to overcook it. However, poaching in slow cooker makes it come out perfect.
I hadn’t really tried baking in a slow cooker, but the Blueberry Cornmeal Buckle turned out very well as did the Apple-Cranberry Crisp.
If you enjoy slow cooker cooking, this is a very helpful book.
I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
January 18, 2021
Hubby retired 8 1/2 years ago and announced he would clean up after every meal I cooked from then on. Yes! (Before long he was asking if it was necessary for me to dirty every pot in the house when I cooked.) We laugh about some of the messes I make, and he really appreciates when I make dinner in the crockpot. I'm very impressed with this cookbook that is full of exotic recipes that aren't difficult to make. Each one has a beautiful photo. Once again I was able to find a Like New copy online with free shipping at 1/3rd the normal price. Although it's a paperback, it's a nice size that opens all the way and has larger, easier to read print.
February 21, 2018
Okay, so the recipes are good and sound. Why I marked this down, Martha states that she is not a user of a crock pot and obviously does not understand that they are usually used by people to make life easier. Several recipes require precooking ingredients, cooking parts of the meal after the crock pot items are complete and others were just very complicated. Also a lot of the recipes are things that the average user would already know how to do so I would have said it was a good book for people using their first crock pot, except for the complexity of the recipes.
January 20, 2021
The recipes I’ve made so far weren’t amazing, and some of the ones I skipped sounded disappointing compared to relatively easy recipes without a slow cooker. Often, I wondered if the slow cooker was necessary rather than stove-top.
With that said, I did learn some techniques for how to use a slow cooker (let it pre-heat) that I found useful, and I appreciated the additional steps (usually browning) rather than just dumping all the ingredients in and turning on. I borrowed this book from the library, and after trying a number of recipes, I won’t miss the book after I return it.
With that said, I did learn some techniques for how to use a slow cooker (let it pre-heat) that I found useful, and I appreciated the additional steps (usually browning) rather than just dumping all the ingredients in and turning on. I borrowed this book from the library, and after trying a number of recipes, I won’t miss the book after I return it.
August 11, 2022
There are a lot of great recipes in here. There were quite a few negative reviews complaining about having to use another pot or pan, even though you may have to in order to get the best flavor. Some people complained about the "strange" recipes, or hard to find ingredients. I think some of these reviewers may prefer a Family Circle Magazine type of cookbook. I love Martha, and I think there is a nice variety in here, inspiring pictures. Sometimes if the recipe doesn't turn out for me, the pictures are still inspiring to try again, maybe with a different recipe.
January 8, 2018
Great book for the tips and strategies, but if you use a slow cooker often you're going to have a lot of these recipes already. She really excels at veggies and sides; also, the pictures are great. While a lot of these have some prep beforehand, if you have the kind of slow cooker that also browns, these are still one-pot meals.
It's a solid book, but I really expect groundbreaking, creative recipes from Martha and it kind of feels like she's hopping on the bandwagon here.
It's a solid book, but I really expect groundbreaking, creative recipes from Martha and it kind of feels like she's hopping on the bandwagon here.
September 9, 2017
If you want to take your slow cooker to the next level, then this is the book for you. There is a nicely international selection of recipes, accompanied by delicious photos. There are tips to help you create more taste and texture in your slow cooked dishes, whether you follow these recipes or more familiar standbys.
December 2, 2019
The Meatless, Side Dishes, and Sweets sections are the areas that most interested me as I am a vegetarian. I found several recipes I’d like to try, should I ever get a slow cooker. Even if I don’t, there are recipes I want to make, based on the ingredients. I’m sure I’ll be able to find similar recipes on Martha Stewart’s website for regular cooking and/or baking.
June 11, 2020
Although I use mine in regular rotation, slow cookers can have the reputation of being a little bland in output. Upon flipping through this, I thought Martha could change that. Upon reading through it, I was convinced! These sound like extremely delicious and more high-end recipes for this overlooked kitchen wonder. I can't wait to start cooking through this.
March 18, 2021
I liked this book enough that I actually bought it after borrowing it from the library. You can make a lot more than beef stew in the crockpot. Martha Stewart doesn't give you the same old boring "chicken and a can of mushroom soup" type of recipes. And she also gives tips I never would have thought of, like warming up the crockpot before you put stuff in.
September 12, 2017
Yum! A slow cooker is any harried person's best friend for putting delicious food on the table. Here is the ultimate guide to putting that trusty appliance to good use, in unexpected and scrumptious ways.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews