Introducing: 365 Slow Cooker Suppers Cookbook

I've been working on a new cookbook, and I'm happy to announce that it will be available in bookstores everywhere this September 24.

This was a tough book to write --- it has been a 3 year process to recipe develop and test 365 brand new dinner recipes. A few that appear in the book have been showcased on the site, but my contract stipulates that only 10% of the book content can go online.

And there are PICTURES!!

don't worry. I didn't take them.

Tara Donne, a fabulous food photographer, was in charge, and I just couldn't be any more pleased. The food looks FANTASTIC, but it was all made in a slow cooker (no funny food prep, my directions were followed) and to boot, all the food was photographed using gluten free ingredients, since Tara (and my editor) both just-so-happen to be gluten free.

I think you're really going to like this one. Some of the recipes from the book that you'll recognize are:
Not Your Mother's Meatballs
Matzo Ball Soup
Korean Soft Tacos


But there are tons of others that I'm sure will be a new regular in your meal plan rotation, such as:
Honey-Lime Chicken Soft Tacos
Barbacoa Beef
Snowy Brisket with Baked Sweet Potatoes
Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin with Mustard
Roasted Grape and Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Bake

I stuck to all main dishes for this book because while it's certainly a ton of fun to make cheesecake and greek yogurt, most people still really need good, solid, tried-and-true dinner recipes.

I've broken the recipes into chapters: Soups & Stews, Beans, Poultry, Beef & Lamb, Pork, Sandwiches, Meatless, and Fish & Seafood. There is also a full index.

Thank you for your support, and for your kindness these past five years. I never, ever, could have imagined that I'd be able to play with my crockpot everyday and consider it work.

Thank you.

I am working with the publicity team at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to help "get the word out" about this new book. I'm happy to learn that Sam's club and Costco will be stocking copies, but I'm not sure which regions.

If you'd like to help with publicity, I'd love to hear from you --- I am certainly open to any and all ideas! I wish I had the foresight to take a marketing class instead of so much English Lit in school!!

If you are out and about in a place that sells books, it would very much be helpful if you could mention my name and the book title to a manager.

And of course, this book will make an excellent gift to anyone on your Holiday list! If you'd like a signed bookplate, I will send one your way! Just email me.

Thank you again, and happy slow cooking!!

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Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes in the Slow Cooker

I've got two out of three kids with new orthodontic work --- my eldest got braces a week ago, and her younger sister had a palate expander inserted yesterday (that expander thing kind of creeps me out).

This means we are eating an awful lot of soft food.

Garlic mashed potatoes were requested, and I was on a mission to see if I could make the whole dish directly in the slow cooker, without having to boil water or pull out a colander.

It worked! You're going to love these potatoes ---- the garlic roasts along with the potatoes in the cooker in a bit of chicken broth, then gets mashed right on in with both cream and Parmesan cheeses.

The Ingredients.
serves 8-10
 
5 pounds red potatoes, mostly skinned and quartered
20 cloves of garlic, peeled (about 2 heads)
1 cup chicken broth (you can use vegetable)
1/2 block (4 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(salt to taste if needed at the table)

 The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the peeled and quartered potatoes into an empty slow cooker. I left the skin on a few of the potatoes for added color and texture; it's completely up to you. Toss in the garlic cloves. Pour in chicken or vegetable broth. Cover, and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Check the potato doneness with a fork. The potato piece should slide right off, and the garlic should be a golden brown and pretty shiny. If you have a LOT of liquid in the bottom of the crock, you  might want to drain a bit of it out. I only ended up with what looked like a 1/4 cup or so accumulated (I used the Ninja Cooking System).

Add the cream cheese to the pot, and use an immersible hand blender to mash the potatoes, or you can use a whisk or potato masher if you'd like a chunkier finished product. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Salt to taste, if necessary, at the table.


The Verdict.

Delicious, creamy, and garlicky. The garlic is roasted, so the flavor is mellow and slightly nutty. There isn't any heat or bite from the garlic whatsoever, it's incredibly smooth. We brought this to a friend's house for dinner and it paired beautifully with oven roasted tri-tip and asparagus.

enjoy!

other garlicky goodness:
20-40 clove garlic chicken
roasted garlic
super duper garlic dip
roasted garlic spoonbread
honey garlic chicken
garlic baked potatoes
broccoli with roasted garlic and hazelnuts


we've got a giveaway for a new back-to-school backpack on Totally Together Journal, and LOTS of great prizes on the giveaway page!!

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