FREE/BARGAIN — Cookbooks

[GtrsRGr8]

I'm not big on slow cookers, but I know that some of you are.

The Complete Slow Cooking for Two: A Perfectly Portioned Slow Cooker Cookbook. By Linda Larsen. Rated 4.4 stars, from 236 reviews at Amazon at the present moment (approximately 4.0 at GoodReads, from 55 ratings). Print list price $16.99; digital list price $9.99; Kindle $0.99. Sonoma Press, publisher. 250 pages. https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Slow.../dp/B015HWJWFE.

Book Description
Two People, One Appliance, No Freezer Full of Leftovers

Twosomes who share a kitchen—but not the desire to spend all day in it—face a quandary: buy cheap but unhealthy takeout or sink time into preparing whole foods meals that they’re likely to end up eating for days and days. With this cookbook, a third option is now on the table—er, countertop: good-for-you slow cooker meals that save hours and are portioned precisely for duos.

Think slow cookers are only for soups and stews? Let Linda Larsen, master of the slow cooker, introduce you to the best of the best slow cooker recipes for all kinds of meals, from tender meats to seasoned vegetables to breakfasts, and more. In addition, you’ll find:

• 10 must-know do’s and don’ts of slow cooking

• A guide to the meats that are best for slow cooking

• Tips for converting a stove-top recipe to the slow cooker

• The reasons why heavy-duty aluminum foil is a slow cooker’s best friend

• Recipes for 3- or 3½-quart slow cookers that include prep and cook times; nutritional information; and labels that highlight gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, vegetarian or vegan meals

Now go ride that tandem bike and let your slow cooker take care of dinner.

Recipes include:
Bone Broth, Chicken Stew with Gnocchi, Cuban Pork and Black Beans, Mussels with Tomato Curry, Mexican Lasagna, Chocolate-Cherry Lava Cake, and more!

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

I'm not big on slow cookers, but I know that some of you are.

The Complete Slow Cooking for Two: A Perfectly Portioned Slow Cooker Cookbook. By Linda Larsen. Rated 4.4 stars, from 236 reviews at Amazon at the present moment (approximately 4.0 at GoodReads, from 55 ratings). Print list price $16.99; digital list price $9.99; Kindle $0.99. Sonoma Press, publisher. 250 pages. https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Slow.../dp/B015HWJWFE.

Book Description
Two People, One Appliance, No Freezer Full of Leftovers

Twosomes who share a kitchen—but not the desire to spend all day in it—face a quandary: buy cheap but unhealthy takeout or sink time into preparing whole foods meals that they’re likely to end up eating for days and days. With this cookbook, a third option is now on the table—er, countertop: good-for-you slow cooker meals that save hours and are portioned precisely for duos.

Think slow cookers are only for soups and stews? Let Linda Larsen, master of the slow cooker, introduce you to the best of the best slow cooker recipes for all kinds of meals, from tender meats to seasoned vegetables to breakfasts, and more. In addition, you’ll find:

• 10 must-know do’s and don’ts of slow cooking

• A guide to the meats that are best for slow cooking

• Tips for converting a stove-top recipe to the slow cooker

• The reasons why heavy-duty aluminum foil is a slow cooker’s best friend

• Recipes for 3- or 3½-quart slow cookers that include prep and cook times; nutritional information; and labels that highlight gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, vegetarian or vegan meals

Now go ride that tandem bike and let your slow cooker take care of dinner.

Recipes include:
Bone Broth, Chicken Stew with Gnocchi, Cuban Pork and Black Beans, Mussels with Tomato Curry, Mexican Lasagna, Chocolate-Cherry Lava Cake, and more!

Or you learn how to cook meals for 2. Contrary to what cookbook authors would have you believe cooking for 2 is not hard and only on very rare occasions is there enough of the main dish for lunch the next day.
It is not hard to cook 2 steaks, 2 pork chops, 2 chicken breasts, etc. And just enough potatoes, pasta or rice for two. Again the key is bulk not box. And extra veggies never hurt anyone.

We buy in bulk and repackage. Again not that hard.
Want a cake, make it from scratch and one layer not 2.

Now where this goes wrong is on soups. Though soups freeze well.

Note I have been cooking for 2 long before cooking for 2 cookbooks got popular.
I think I will pass on this cookbook. Though yes, slow cookers are nice. On occasion, I use my west bend as a warmer. It works great if I have to keep dinner warm.

[Little.Egret]

Booksumo, free
(But these have been free since Wednesday so not very much longer)



Easy Soup and Broth Cookbook (Soup Recipes, Soup Cookbook 1)

Easy Shrimp Cookbook (Shrimp Cookbook, Shrimp Recipes, Shrimp Scampi 1)

Easy Stir-Fry Cookbook: 50 Easy and Unique Stir Fry Recipes (Stir Fry Cookbook, Stir Fry Recipes, Stir Fry Cooking, Easy Stir Fry Cooking, Easy Stir Fry Cookbook, Easy Stir Fry Recipes Book 1)

Easy Zucchini Cookbook: 50 Delicious and Easy Zucchini Recipes (Zucchini Cookbook, Zucchini Recipes Book 1)

Easy Chipotle Cookbook: 50 Spicy and Delcious Chipotle Recipes (Chipotle Recipes, Chipotle Cookbook, Chipotle Cooking Book 1)

Cooking with Grapes: 50 Delicious Grape Recipes (Grape Recipes, Grape Cookbook, Fruit Recipes, Fruit Cookbook Book 1)

Easy Pumpkin Cookbook (Pumpkin, Pumpkin Recipes, Pumpkin Cookbook, Cooking with Pumpkin, Pumpkins 1)

The Summer Cookout Cookbook: Easy Grilling Recipes for Delicious Grilled Foods

What's For Brunch?: 50 Delicious Brunch Recipes

The New Latin Kitchen: Delicious Spanish Recipes for Authentic Latin Cooking

The 6 Ingredient Cookbook: How to Cook Everything With 6 Ingredients or Less

https://www.amazon.com/s/?url=search...booksumo+press

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Or you learn how to cook meals for 2. Contrary to what cookbook authors would have you believe cooking for 2 is not hard and only on very rare occasions is there enough of the main dish for lunch the next day.
It is not hard to cook 2 steaks, 2 pork chops, 2 chicken breasts, etc. And just enough potatoes, pasta or rice for two. Again the key is bulk not box. And extra veggies never hurt anyone.

We buy in bulk and repackage. Again not that hard.
Want a cake, make it from scratch and one layer not 2.

Now where this goes wrong is on soups. Though soups freeze well.

Note I have been cooking for 2 long before cooking for 2 cookbooks got popular.
I think I will pass on this cookbook. Though yes, slow cookers are nice. On occasion, I use my west bend as a warmer. It works great if I have to keep dinner warm.

My main beef with slow cookers/crock pots is that with many dishes you have to add different ingredients at different times, so a slow cooker/crock pot does not offer any particular advantage, that I can see. Where a slow cooker is nice is when you use one of the very few recipes where you can throw everything into the cooker at one time, set the temperature, and go off and leave it for a few hours.

I never have done much cooking--I do none now--but one of my favorites was pot roast beef with potatoes, onions, and carrots. However, as far as I could figure out, you couldn't just throw all of them in together at one time and let 'em cook. The roast needed to cook a long time, so it went in first and cooked a good long while, then either or both carrots and onions went in after 3 or 4 hours, finally about 45 minutes before you were ready to eat you'd throw in the potatoes.

Oh, and to make pot roast, you are supposed to let it sear at a high heat on both sides for about 5 minutes, before adding water and covering it and turning the heat down low. I know that that is the correct way, because that's how Momma does it. I don't know of any slow cooker/crock pot that has the capability of searing meat at a high enough temperature. So, if you're going to use a pan/pot on the stove to do that, you might as well stay with that cooking utensil and just turn down the heat to take care of the whole job.

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

Booksumo, free
(But these have been free since Wednesday so not very much longer)



Easy Soup and Broth Cookbook (Soup Recipes, Soup Cookbook 1)

Easy Shrimp Cookbook (Shrimp Cookbook, Shrimp Recipes, Shrimp Scampi 1)

Easy Stir-Fry Cookbook: 50 Easy and Unique Stir Fry Recipes (Stir Fry Cookbook, Stir Fry Recipes, Stir Fry Cooking, Easy Stir Fry Cooking, Easy Stir Fry Cookbook, Easy Stir Fry Recipes Book 1)

Easy Zucchini Cookbook: 50 Delicious and Easy Zucchini Recipes (Zucchini Cookbook, Zucchini Recipes Book 1)

Easy Chipotle Cookbook: 50 Spicy and Delcious Chipotle Recipes (Chipotle Recipes, Chipotle Cookbook, Chipotle Cooking Book 1)

Cooking with Grapes: 50 Delicious Grape Recipes (Grape Recipes, Grape Cookbook, Fruit Recipes, Fruit Cookbook Book 1)

Easy Pumpkin Cookbook (Pumpkin, Pumpkin Recipes, Pumpkin Cookbook, Cooking with Pumpkin, Pumpkins 1)

The Summer Cookout Cookbook: Easy Grilling Recipes for Delicious Grilled Foods

What's For Brunch?: 50 Delicious Brunch Recipes

The New Latin Kitchen: Delicious Spanish Recipes for Authentic Latin Cooking

The 6 Ingredient Cookbook: How to Cook Everything With 6 Ingredients or Less

https://www.amazon.com/s/?url=search...booksumo+press

Thanks. Got 'em all, except for the ones that I already had.

[GA Russell]

Why would anyone (except those of us who collect freebies!) want a six-ingredient cookbook? At that point, the author might as well be talking about clearing out the cupboard!

[GA Russell]

Let's Grill: The Carolinas' Best BBQ Recipes - free
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Grill-Ca...dp/B00ME1YC3Y/

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

My main beef with slow cookers/crock pots is that with many dishes you have to add different ingredients at different times, so a slow cooker/crock pot does not offer any particular advantage, that I can see. Where a slow cooker is nice is when you use one of the very few recipes where you can throw everything into the cooker at one time, set the temperature, and go off and leave it for a few hours.

I never have done much cooking--I do none now--but one of my favorites was pot roast beef with potatoes, onions, and carrots. However, as far as I could figure out, you couldn't just throw all of them in together at one time and let 'em cook. The roast needed to cook a long time, so it went in first and cooked a good long while, then either or both carrots and onions went in after 3 or 4 hours, finally about 45 minutes before you were ready to eat you'd throw in the potatoes.

Oh, and to make pot roast, you are supposed to let it sear at a high heat on both sides for about 5 minutes, before adding water and covering it and turning the heat down low. I know that that is the correct way, because that's how Momma does it. I don't know of any slow cooker/crock pot that has the capability of searing meat at a high enough temperature. So, if you're going to use a pan/pot on the stove to do that, you might as well stay with that cooking utensil and just turn down the heat to take care of the whole job.

You just confused me. There is no way potatoes will cook in a slow cooker in 45 minutes.
Potatoes actually take longer than meat.

Now that you asked. If you want to make a roast and sear it, here is the perfect slow cooker.
https://www.amazon.com/Focus-Electri.../dp/B001AH5H0A
You have to sear on the stove but you can use this one because the pan can go from stove top to slow cooker to oven.

Pot roast:
Put the vegetables on the bottom, put the meat on top, pour the broth over if wanted. Cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.

Now for what it's worth, I love roast in the crockpot but I cook the vegetables separate.
Sometimes russet potatoes will cook and other times they won't.

Oh and as far as just turning the heat down, with a stove you have to check occasionally to make sure it isn't stuck or burning in the hot spots.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

My main beef with slow cookers/crock pots is that with many dishes you have to add different ingredients at different times, so a slow cooker/crock pot does not offer any particular advantage, that I can see. Where a slow cooker is nice is when you use one of the very few recipes where you can throw everything into the cooker at one time, set the temperature, and go off and leave it for a few hours.

I never have done much cooking--I do none now--but one of my favorites was pot roast beef with potatoes, onions, and carrots. However, as far as I could figure out, you couldn't just throw all of them in together at one time and let 'em cook. The roast needed to cook a long time, so it went in first and cooked a good long while, then either or both carrots and onions went in after 3 or 4 hours, finally about 45 minutes before you were ready to eat you'd throw in the potatoes.

Oh, and to make pot roast, you are supposed to let it sear at a high heat on both sides for about 5 minutes, before adding water and covering it and turning the heat down low. I know that that is the correct way, because that's how Momma does it. I don't know of any slow cooker/crock pot that has the capability of searing meat at a high enough temperature. So, if you're going to use a pan/pot on the stove to do that, you might as well stay with that cooking utensil and just turn down the heat to take care of the whole job.

I have a good recipe for Microwave Pot Roast (40 Minutes) from Microwave Gourmet by Barbara Kafka. It doesn't do a sear step but when I did, I used a Wok which I then used for stir fry vegs so no extra work. I have also done this before slow cook in a very very low oven overnight.

I think adding potatoes to these slow cook dishes is a mistake since you have to add them late to avoid them trying to become soup.

Try Squash, Swedes, Rutabaga, Parsnips, Turnips instead.

[Cinisajoy]

Pot Roast in a crockpot. Straight from the Rival crockpot cookbook.
2 to 3 potatoes, pared and thinly sliced
2 to 3 carrots, pared and thinly sliced
1 to 2 onions, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
3 to 4 pound roast
1/2 cup water or beef console
Put vegetables in the bottom of Crockpot. Salt and pepper meat, then put in pot. Add liquid. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. High 4 to 5.5 hours.

Now for the West Bend slow cooker.
3 pound roast
Salt and pepper
1 large onion cut into wedges
6 carrots, halved and cut into 3 inch pieces
4 potatoes, halved
Brown roast in West Bend pot on top of range over medium heat. Transfer cooking pot to base. Season roast with salt and pepper. Place vegetables around the roast. Cover and cook at setting 3 (low) for 7 to 9 hours.
(This was from West Bend Slow Cooking for Fast meals. )

[GtrsRGr8]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Pot Roast in a crockpot. Straight from the Rival crockpot cookbook.
2 to 3 potatoes, pared and thinly sliced
2 to 3 carrots, pared and thinly sliced
1 to 2 onions, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
3 to 4 pound roast
1/2 cup water or beef console
Put vegetables in the bottom of Crockpot. Salt and pepper meat, then put in pot. Add liquid. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours. High 4 to 5.5 hours.

Now for the West Bend slow cooker.
3 pound roast
Salt and pepper
1 large onion cut into wedges
6 carrots, halved and cut into 3 inch pieces
4 potatoes, halved
Brown roast in West Bend pot on top of range over medium heat. Transfer cooking pot to base. Season roast with salt and pepper. Place vegetables around the roast. Cover and cook at setting 3 (low) for 7 to 9 hours.
(This was from West Bend Slow Cooking for Fast meals. )

Thanks. I'll copy them--in case I ever do get a slow cooker/crock pot.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Thanks. I'll copy them--in case I ever do get a slow cooker/crock pot.

You can slow cook without a special device in any oven - use the lowest setting which can be 180 F 85 C or pilot light only for gas.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by Little.Egret

You can slow cook without a special device in any oven - use the lowest setting which can be 180 F 85 C or pilot light only for gas.

The pilot light generally doesn't get the oven hot enough to even warm something.
My little oven will go down to 150 F.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

The pilot light generally doesn't get the oven hot enough to even warm something.
My little oven will go down to 150 F.

Ovens vary of course, but I measured 70 C in mine.

Place 2 quarts of water in a casserole dish in the oven and see what temperature it reaches after three hours.

I usually warm up on the lowest setting of the thermostat then turn down.

[GtrsRGr8]

Chopsticks not included.

Tokyo Cult Recipes. By Maori Murota. Rated 4.4 stars, but from only 13 reviews at Amazon; rated 4.13, from 54 ratings at GoodReads. Print list price $35.00; digital list price $19.99; Kindle price now $1.99. Harper Design, publisher. 272 pages. https://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Cult-Re.../dp/B01ARKZMZU.

Book Description
Enjoy the best Japanese food at home with more than 100 dishes from the gastronomic megacity, including favorites such as miso, sushi, rice, and sweets.

While many people enjoy an almost cult-like reverence for Japanese cuisine, they’re intimidated to make this exquisite food at home. In this comprehensive cookbook, Maori Murota demystifies Japanese cooking, making it accessible and understood by anyone interested in learning about her native food culture and eating well. Inspired by Murota’s memories of growing up in Tokyo—cooking at home with her mother and dining out in the city’s wonderful restaurants and stands—Tokyo Cult Recipes offers clear and concise information on key basic cooking techniques and provides guidance on key ingredients that home cooks can use to create authentic Japanese food anytime.

Tokyo Cult Recipes is packed with dozens of mouthwatering, easy-to-make recipes for miso, sushi, soba noodles, bentos, rice, Japanese tapas, desserts, cakes, and sweets, accompanied by helpful step-by-step photographs. This fabulous cookbook is also a visual guide to this extraordinary city, bringing it colorfully to life in gorgeous shots of food markets, Tokyo street scenes, Japanese kitchen interiors, and more.