Sizing up today's Slow Cookers....

Slow Cookers come in a variety of styles, shapes and sizes. Round crockery cookers are fine for soups and stews. Oval shaped pots are attractive and very popular. They're a better choice for cooking roasts, hams and whole chickens. For best results, a slow cooker should be filled at least half way before cooking. A 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 quart size is adequate for one or two people, but if you enjoy leftovers you'll want a larger model. A 4-1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker is a good choice for the average family. 6.5 to 7 quart or larger slow cookers are perfect for parties, potlucks and large families.

Nearly all crockery type slow cookers now have removable stoneware liners that make clean up much easier. The liners are dishwasher-safe, microwave-safe, oven-safe, and go easily from the counter to the table for serving. Standard slow cookers have traditionally had just two heat settings, high or low. Many new models now have an additional "keep warm" setting.

Smart-Pot™ Crock Pots® have built-in timers. Set the cooking time and temperature, and when the food is done, the Crock-Pot® automatically shifts to a lower keep warm setting to prevent over cooking and keep the food warm. Increase the versatility of your slow cookers with optional accessories like a Slow Cooker Travel Case to transport your Crock-Pot®. Items like these can be purchased online at Crock-Pot.com

These slow cookers are perfect for entertaining.... The Little Dipper, a 16-ounce stoneware server keeps dips and sauces at perfect serving temperature for hours. Slow cookers made for sports fans are perfect for tailgating and parties. Football fans can cook and serve their favorite game time food in a Football Shaped Slow Cooker

With versatile appliances, like the 6-quart Versa Ware Crock-Pot®, you can slow cook food in the base unit, store leftovers in the refrigerator, and reheat them on the stovetop or in the oven. This stoneware container allows you to roast, braise, saute' and stew food without any other pans.

This Super Pot is 6 Appliances In 1. You can slow cook, grill, steam, fry, cook or keep food warm in this compact 3.2 quart model.

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To convert stove-top recipes to slow cooker recipes....

Look for a similar recipe in your slow cooker's manufacturer's cookbook, or...

On average, a roast should be cooked for about 8 to 12 hours on low or 4 to 6 hours on high.
Most recipes for meat and vegetable combinations like casseroles, stews and soups will need at least 8 hours cooking time on the low heat setting.
Use these guidelines -

• For dishes that take 15 to 30 minutes to cook on the stove-top, allow 1 1/2 to 2 hrs in a slow cooker set on high or 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker set on low.

• For dishes that take 35 to 45 minutes to cook on the stove-top, allow 3 to 4 hours in a slow cooker set on high or 6 to 8 hours in a slow cooker set on low.

• For dishes that take 50 minutes to a few hours to cook on the stove-top, allow 4 to 6 hours in a slow cooker set on high or 8 to 12 hours in a slow cooker set on low.

In most cases, everything can be added to the slow cooker at once, before cooking, with these exceptions -

• Don't add dried beans to the cooker. Dried beans must be pre-cooked before using them in a slow cooker recipe. To pre-cook, place the dried beans in the crock with enough water to cover them. Cover and cook on high for two hours, then turn off the slow cooker and let the beans soak for 8 to 12 hours or until tender.

• For best results, rice, noodles, macaroni, etc. should be cooked until barely tender, then added to the other ingredients in the slow cooker about one hour before the cooking time is complete.

Since liquids don't boil away as they do during stove top cooking or oven-roasting, with the exception of soup recipes, you may need to reduce the amount of liquid ingredients by as much as half.