Brooke Tucker-Reid, momstown Writer
As the leaves start to fall and temperatures start to drop, we exchange the grill for the slow-cooker in our family. ‘Tis the season for warm, comforting fare that fills our homes with aromatic bliss. Try these recipes and hacks to make life a little easier this Fall.
It smells like Fall
Leaving candles unattended is a no-no, especially with curious little ones scurrying around. An out-of-reach alternative is simmering slow-cooker potpourri. Try these two mixtures for deliciously calming aromas:
Orange Cinnamon
3 oranges, sliced
5 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 tablespoons whole cloves
2 cups water (more as needed)
Apple Cinnamon Vanilla
1 apple, sliced
3 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons dried chamomile
1 tablespoon almond extract
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups water (more as needed)
With both mixtures, add the water first before the other ingredients. Set to high and leave the lid off. Check on it every few hours and add more water as needed.
Make bread in a… slow-cooker?
Oven space can get a little tight when hosting large family gets together. Slow-cookers can be used for so much more than soup, stew and chili. I would never have thought about baking bread in a slow-cooker until I stumbled on this perfect Fall recipe for slow-cooker butternut squash cornbread. It only takes about 15 minutes to prep, then in 2.5 – 3.5h, you’ll have moist, mouthwatering cornbread. Just set it and forget it while you prep the rest of your meal.
Don’t worry old girl
If your slow-cooker is anything like mine, you know that little baby owes you nothing. I’m talking about a floral design Crockpot from the 80’s with only two temperature settings. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? However, some recipes only call for four hours of cook time, but how can we turn it on midday while we’re at the office or running errands? Plug your slow cooker into a programmable dial so it will turn on part way through your day. That way, you don’t have to worry about overcooking!
Hack facts and tips:
- Every time you remove the lid from your slow-cooker, you can add up to 30 minutes of cooking time due to escaped heat. Resist the urge to stir and let it simmer on.
- You can use your slow-cooker as a DIY chaffing dish to keep food warm while guests are serving themselves buffet style.
- Crockpot liners are a thing and you can buy them for about $5 for 4 on Amazon. Just toss the liner when you’re done cooking.
- If you aren’t too worried about cleaning your slow-cooker on your own, fill your dirty slow-cooker with water then add vinegar (1 cup) and baking soda (a spoonful at a time until you reach 1 cup). Turn it on low overnight. Turn it off and wait for it to cool. Give it a rinse and voila!
