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86 maskmatters.org FALL - V9 -{DID YOU KNOW?} In 2014, 13.4 million slow cookers were sold in the United States.
F
all is such a busy time, with back-to-
school often meaning back-to-back
activities. After a hectic day of work,
academics and extracurriculars,
the last thing you want to do is
hover over a hot stove. To prevent sneaky
snacking and a hangry household, it helps
to get dinner on the table quickly.
That’s why slow cookers set the perfect
pace for fast times. A few minutes in the
morning (or even the night before) free you
up for the rest of the day, and dinner will
be ready when you are.YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY
Definitely not a new appliance, slow
cookers have been around long enough that
some of us are still using vintage models.
But more recent versions offer even
more flexibility and ease than their
predecessors, and many perform more than
one function (Instant Pot, anyone?). More
modern renditions, with their removable
inserts, are way easier to clean than the one
your mother handed down, and locking lids
make transporting from counter to table, or
even to a pot luck dinner, a cinch.Available in a variety of shapes, sizes
and price ranges, there’s bound to be a
slow cooker to fit your family’s appetite
and budget. The best models maintain
consistent temperature and feature glass
lids so you can check progress without
letting heat escape. A keep-warm function
is also a bonus, so food won’t overcook if
you get held up.THE GO-TO GADGET
Old or new, there’s a reason
the slow cooker remains
a gadget go-to for busy
moms: they offer maximum
taste with minimal effort.
Just drop the ingredients
into the pot, turn it on and
walk away. Allowing foods
to braise the day away
means broths and sauces are
richer, meaty morsels more
tender, and flavors fully
permeate every piece. And
the house will smell divine.
While there are whole cookbooks
dedicated to slow cooking, as well asendless recipes online, slow cookers are
almost so foolproof you can create meals
without any instructions at all. Many a
delicious dinner has come from combining
a little of this, a little of that, with a packet
or can of soup mixed with a little water
and...voila!
Seriously, voila. It’s almost magic how
low heat and sealed-in
moisture throughout the day
can tenderize and add flavor
your foods.SOMETHING FOR
EVERYONE
Those with dietary
restrictions or picky
preferences need not fear
since this handy appliance
can adapt to recipes of all
kinds in fix-it-and-forget-
it fashion. Soups, stews,
casseroles, pastas and even
meatloaf come out flavorful
and moist, without drying
out like they can in the oven. In fact, the
sealed-in moisture ensures even tougherWe all have moments
when we feel extra
emotional. Let’s take
turns sharing a time
you felt you handled
your emotions
either positively or
negatively.TAKE IT SLOW
By // Stacy Barry