Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook

by Beth Hensperger, Julie Kaufmann

Featuring more than 350 recipes for the slow cooker, this guide to an American classic includes instructions for preparing Orange and Honey Chicken Drumsticks, Country Ribs with Onions, Apples and Sauerkraut, Duck Breasts with Port Wine Sauce, and much, much more. Simultaneous.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Foodie, Culinary

520 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Beth Hensperger is a passionate professional- and home- baker who is both extremely creative and extraordinarily prolific as an author and developer of quality recipes. Her training included a ten-year apprenticeship as a restaurant and hotel pastry chef as well as having her own custom wedding cake business and attending classes given by some of the top bakers in America. Though restaurant trained, she considers herself more of a dedicated home baker than a chef.
Beth’s writing career began when she was chosen as the Guest Cooking Instructor for the March 1985 issue of Bon Appetit. She is now the author of fifteen cookbooks, many of them best sellers. Her most recent books include: Williams Sonoma Breads (Weldon Owen), Bread For Breakfast (Ten Speed Press), and The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook (HCP). The Bread Bible (Chronicle Books) is the recipient of The James Beard Foundation Award for Baking in 2000. Beth's Basic Bread Book (Chronicle Books), a sequential text for the beginning home baker, published in the Fall of 1996, was chosen as one of the best baking books of the year by People Magazine. She has been nominated twice for the IACP Julia Child Cookbook Awards. Her books are all represented at the prestigious Culinary Collection of the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
When she isn't up to her elbows in flour, Beth is a monthly food columnist with the San Jose Mercury News "Baking By the Seasons". She is a regular contributor to Cooking Pleasures, Food & Wine, Shape Magazine, Bon Appétit, Veggie Life, and Pastry Art and Design Magazines.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to get this book but it didn't live up to my expectations.

I use the slow-cooker a lot when I'm working during the week so I've mainly only tried the recipes that take 8+ hours. There are some interesting ideas in the book - I had no idea you could make ribs in the slow cooker and they actually turned out pretty good! However, most of the recipes I tried were just not that good and there are only two that I would repeat. As many others have pointed out, there are no pictures but I think that's because most food is not that appetizing looking when it gets out of the slow-cooker. My biggest problem with the book is that there are so many recipes I would never use. If i want oatmeal, I'll make it on the stove, not in the slow cooker. Real oatmeal (not instant) cooks pretty fast anyway (~20 minutes?) so why use the slow cooker? Why cook hotdogs in the slow-cooker for 2 hours when you can cook them other ways in 10 minutes? There are too many similar recipes overall. I don't need 10 recipes for oatmeal, 5 chili recipes, 2 french onion soup recipes and 2-3 corned beef recipes.One really good recipe for each would be better than several mediocre ones. Too many recipes in this book are just not useful. I think the authors were aiming to show what you can do with a slow cooker but they didn't think about why most people use the slow cooker in the first place. I can make a grill cheese with an iron but that doesn't mean I want to.

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having finally used this cookbook, oh man. Indespensible.

While the "Fix it and Forget it" crock pot cook books are cheaper to buy, they rely on pre-made sauces and soups (with tons of fat & sodium!) for almost everything.

Not only are the recipes in here healthy, they taste awesome and they're not complicated. I made my own enchilada sauce in 15 minutes and for the first time in my life, it was actually a sauce instead of a soup!

Hensperger & Kaufmann did a beautiful job of explaining beyond the recipe so that you're grounded in the basics of cooking as well, and they do it at the front of the chapter so that you aren't bogged down with excess information when you're just trying to cook.

There are a bunch of bread recipes that I can't wait to try out!

Some of the recipes call for short cooking times of 2-3 hours while others cook 5-8 hours, so having a delayed timer on your crock pot is terribly useful. The other solution I've found is to cook things overnight, pack them away in the morning and re-heat for dinner that night. For instance, right now I'm a walking fajita because I was shredding chicken for dinner and accidently spilled some sauce on my pants.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library last January and renewed until I had to return it....then decided I should just buy it!

Full of healthy, tasty recipes. Mostly fresh ingredients--very few canned or prepackaged items.

One commenter disliked the fact that they included recipes that could be made in less time on the stove or oven. I liked these recipes, because as a mom with young ones, the "dinner hour" is synonymous with the "witching hour"...so throwing stuff in the crockpot during happy play time in the afternoon makes dinner prep a breeze when everyone wants my attention! Similar with overnight oatmeal...I fresh roll my own oats. After playing around with the overnight oatmeal recipes in this book I was inspired to throw the whole groats in the night before. Waking up to oatmeal that can be scooped and served (and a yummy smelling kitchen!) when little ones will soon by clamoring for my attention is a busy momma's dream come true!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, one of the greatest parts of a cookbook are the pictures, I tend to read with my eyes and stomach before I look at the ingredients and the techniques so I am psyched up to try something new. This book was a big letdown. Other than the cover, there are no pictures. Not even a center section where you can go back and search out the recipes when the picture entices you.

Darn, I was hoping for so much more.

I did come across a couple recipes that sound good, but now the dilemma lies in cooking times. What I need are recipes that I can quickly throw together in the morning before work and eleven hours later when I return, the food is ready. Many of these recipes have cook times of two to three hours. That sounds more along the lines of something that you would put together after school and before you rush out to sports practice. Short cook times are not practical for me.

The cookbook covers the usual soups and stews with a couple breakout dishes. Most recipes call for usual pantry and freezer fare, so in that regard, there is no stress in the slow cooker recipes mentioned in this book. The quantities are small since this is a cookbook designed for two, so make sure that you have a 1 ½ - 3 quart slow cooker.

Long story short, if you are looking for small quantities with short cook times, then check out this book. If not, do as I do and keep looking. There has to be something out that that solves all of my slow cooker issues.

[May · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great cookbook if you like the crock-pot but hate the thought of throwing in a bunch of cans of condensed soups and calling it home cooking. Some of the recipes do require more effort than what some slow-cooker enthusiasts would prefer, but I think it's worth it for the end result. There are also a few recipes that are complete misses but that hasn't happened often. I also think that perhaps the slow-cookers the authors used weren't as new or varied as the current models available--another friend of mine has this book and she agrees that some of the cooking times are actually too long if your slow cooker gets very hot (even set on low). Otherwise, it's been a wonderful resource for me and one of the most-used cookbooks on my shelf.

[Lisa Topp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just what it claims - not the easy, throw in canned ingredients - slow cooker book. Although some prep work may be needed for some recipes, the results are worth it. The potato soup got rave reviews from my family, and I'm setting up the macaroni and cheese to plug in before going to work tomorrow. I love being able to put things in the "pot" ahead of time and letting it cook while I'm away or busy with after school activities/homework. This is one of the better cookbooks if you are looking for lots of veggies/whole foods.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice departure from the endless soups, stews and roasts common in slow cooker cookbooks. Not all the recipies are my taste, but I give them credit for stretching my ideas of what a slow cooker can do.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite cookbook. Of my large collection, this is the one I use the most. More than Bittman, more than ATK, more than Joy of Cooking. Why? Because every single recipe in this cookbook is delicious. It is hands-down the best slow cooker cookbook on the market. It's not one of those "dump some crap from a can into your slow cooker and walk away" books (and we all know how those recipes taste). It focuses on whole ingredients, lots of fresh components and getting distinct flavors from your slow cooking.

My personal favorites are the White Bean Soup with Bacon, which probably gets made two or three times a month in my house, it's so well liked, and the Thai Pork (the cover recipe). We also make the Pork with Apples a lot, as it's very simple but completely delicious. Really, you can't go wrong here. It's all tasty.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until I discovered Judith Finlayson's slowcooker cookbooks, I thought this was quite a good one. The recipes aren't as refined as Finlayson's. These are good weekday meals. I wouldn't serve any of these recipes as part of a dinner party.

I rarely use this cookbook anymore, but there are quite a few decent recipes in here. If Finlayson doesn't have a recipe in her book (for example jerk chicken), I look here. Good backup cookbook.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is almost a perfect cookbook for me. Tons of slow cooker recipes, fairly easy to prepare. They give lots of tips, backstory and ideas for pairings. There's even a chapter on non- slow cooker sides. This is great for family meals.

There are some duplicate recipes within this series, and some of the tips and suggestions are also duplicated. Last, I'd really like to see some nutritional information and serving sizes.

If you use your slow-cooker regularly, this is a must-have.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been looking for slow cooker recipes that will satisfy my entire family. This book isn't going to suffice. I w/could be happy with this book, but my fussy eater (DH) wouldn't be happy. Too many "foreign" ingredients.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

It extremely informational and has a lot of tips on using your crockpot.I'm not saying it's a bad cookbook , it's just not for me. There are a lot of ground turkey and tofu recipes in there and my family would refuse to eat both of those.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I value this cookbook as much as it’s explanations and demonstrations of cooking techniques as for the recipes themselves. I find some of the recipes a little to new cuisine or fancy for my families tastes, but the techniques demonstrated in the recipes help me create new recipes of my own.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite slow cooker cookbooks. The recipes are both unique (but not in a weird way) and the ingredients are, well, actual ingredients - not a single canned soup is found in the ingredient lists in this book.

[Grete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! Different because it helps you to make crockpot recipes that taste good...not like chalk.

[Kym · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good and slightly unusual recipes, we tried about 10 at our library "cook the book" club. Some were bland, so check and season more if needed.

[Ms.soule · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not impressed. Had to fix every recipe I tried.

[Rebecca Gauche · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many good recipes!

[GARY · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book ha easy to follow recipes and a varied amount of cuisines . I especially liked the Indian ones.

[Lorraine Sulick-Morecraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forgot I had this cookbook on my shelf and recently tagged a number of recipes to try in the slow cooker.

[Denise Schwahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hit or miss. Some recipes are great, but the ones using chicken breast are not good. My conclusion is that chicken breast just doesn't belong in the slow cooker.

[Barb Hegreberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect recipes for a cold winter day.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I originally checked this book out of the library, my life was very different. Like many reviewers I used only the recipes that took eight or more hours to cook. Three years later, what I want in a recipe is to do all or most of the prep work in the morning. Because in the evening my children will be nearing total meltdown. And we will be returning to the house after hours of activity, hungry.

After checking the book out a second time, I decided to buy a copy of it. And I use it regularly.

Some pros and cons:

--Most recipes do require browning or some effort. So this isn't a just pour it in the pot book. I like that because there aren't a lot of processed food ingredients.
--There are many recipes that I do not use because they require attention just prior to serving, rather than at the beginning of the process. The ones I've tried do taste good. But I don't typically have time to cook those recipes.
--The tips for food safety, and make ahead advice are very helpful.
--No pictures.

This is a great cookbook for people who have time to cook early in the day. But, probably not those who intend to be out of the house for eight to twelve hours at a time.

[Emerald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird food ingredient combos in this; I wasn't impressed. I only use two recipes out of this. I'm fairly certain this book is headed for donation to the library.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the title may be a bit hokey, the recipes in this book are a bit more interesting, edgy, and international than your average crockpot cookbook. I did end up adding and replacing things in some of my favorite recipes, but I tend to fudge around with stuff like that anyway, and it gave great ideas.

Some things I learned:

A la French cuisine: beef & vegetables + red wine + rosemary = super delicious

Thai curry - coconut milk, curry paste, vegetables and bamboo. It works.

Oatmeal - steelcut oats can slowly simmer away all night, presenting you with a fruity, hearty oatmeal in the morning. Add dried fruit, raisins, cinnimon, nutmeg, brown sugar, etc. for extra deliciatude.

You can actually bake stuff in a slowcooker, too. That's on my list of stuff to try.

[Res · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of things I can't wait to try. For instance, she claims you can bake potatoes in a slow cooker. Cook steel-cut oatmeal overnight. Caramelize onions! Make meatloaf!

Actually, the slow cooker is kind of an awkward fit with my lifestyle -- I don't want to make dinner in the morning, nor do I want to make two dinners the night before. (Mostly I use mine to do two things: (1) make broth, and (2) reheat an enormous vat of made-yesterday mashed potatoes to streamline my Christmas dinner.) But on the rare occasions that I bestir myself, it is so nice to open that door after work and smell dinner already cooking.

ETA: Two thumbs up to the first recipe we tried, Poached Chicken In Tomato Broth. The 9-year-old, who isn't a big fan of either chicken or rice, ate two servings.

[Elaine Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't get a chance to make too much from this. My one quibble just from skimming recipes is that most of them fall into 6 hours or so (many quite a bit less) of cooking, which doesn't work for me on weekdays. That, and if I'm using the slow cooker, it means I'm feeling LAZY (and/or are trying to cook before work), so I can't handle a whole lot of pre-prep.

All that said, I made chili, and it was DELICIOUS. Also appreciated the tip of "poaching" frozen chicken for use later. (Would cook a little less time (was almost overdone at 6 hours), maybe add some Johnny's Seasoning Salt to the broth.)

Definitely want to get my own copy to try out more recipes.

[Darby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a book that didn't have lots of cream of whatever soups, velvetta cheese, salad dressing and onion soup mix and this book didn't disappoint me. I was having trouble finding good recipes that use what I consider 'real' ingredients. I have tried a few recipes and they have been very good. And I look forward to trying many more. Basically if you want make recipes using non-processed, healthy ingredients then this is the book for you. If you want a cookbook for that dumps things in without any or little prep then this probably isn't the book for you.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this book five or even six stars for the very creative recipes except there are no photos. For an experienced cook there are almost five hundred pages of recipes.Also a James Beard cookbook award winning author. The first chapters of the book, with so many variations on whole grains won me over. And she doesn't just add nuts and call that a different recipe- There are lots of optional add ins to many of the recipes, Checked this one out from my library but am now buying for my personal collection.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for a few non-traditional slow-cooker recipes? Before you add this to your cookbook collection, check this out from the library or borrow it from a friend first to make sure it merits that much space on your shelf versus a couple handwritten recipe cards.

I'm happy with the book, but for some reason, I can't get past Zunni Stew and Moroccan Chicken Thighs. Maybe it's because I don't keep pearled barley and a basket of summer vegetables on hand.