Fast Food with Slow Cookers

To make this cold weather a little more bearable for those of us who are warm weather minded, I hope you are utilizing your favorite soup/stew recipes.  A good solution for individuals who are time-restricted, nutrition-conscious, and budget-minded is the slow cooker.

For the most part, all one has to do is place the ingredients in the slow cooker, plug it in, and turn it on. However if important food safety recommendations are ignored, food prepared in a slow cooker could cause a foodborne illness. The Food Safety and Inspection Service offers the following tips for safe slow cooking:

·         Always start with a clean hands, cooker, utensils and work area.

·         Refrigerate perishable foods until preparation time. You can chop meat and vegetables in advance, but they must be stored separately in covered containers in the refrigerator.

·         Use only thawed meat or poultry.

·         Do not place large pieces of meat, otherwise, the food will cook so slowly that it could stay in the danger zone too long (for bacterial growth).

·         Fill the cooker between 1/2 and 2/3 full. Root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes cook slower than meat or poultry so place them on the bottom, add the meat, and then cover with liquid.

·         Don’t peek! Every time the lid is removed, it can take 20 minutes to regain the lost heat.

·      If you are not home during the entire slow-cooking process and the power goes out, throw out the food, even if it looks done!

Following is an easy, slow cooker recipe

Slow Cooker Pork Cacciatore

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced garlic and olive oil tomatoes, undrained

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

Italian seasoning, to taste

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)

2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, cooked

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1 cup 2% milk shredded Mozzarella cheese

Mix tomatoes and tomato paste in slow cooker until well blended. Stir in vegetables and add

Italian seasoning. Cut meat into 8 pieces. Add to slow cooker; cover with lid. Cook low 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

Cook pasta as directed on package, omitting salt. When meat is cooked, transfer to plate reserving sauce in slow cooker. Cover meat to keep warm. Mix cornstarch and water until well blended. Add to sauce; stir. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Drain pasta; spoon onto plate. Top with meat, sauce and cheese.

For additional information on slow cooking contact Tanya Davis at the Wise County Extension office:

940 627-3341.