Sales of slow cookers on the uptick, filling a need for comfort foods

Photo by Anne Braly / When making cinnamon rolls in a slow cooker, use parchment paper for easy removal.
Photo by Anne Braly / When making cinnamon rolls in a slow cooker, use parchment paper for easy removal.

With the lighter meals of summer giving way to more substantial fare, slow cookers are coming out of hibernation. Yes, there are appliances that will cook faster, particularly with air fryers, convection ovens and electric pressure cookers (Instant Pots) now in most every kitchen. But there's something about slow cooking that comforts us to the core.

Low and slow is the way to go. Long gone are the harvest gold and avocado green Crock Pots of yesteryear. Today's slow cookers offer sleek looks with state-of-the-art touches, such as programmable timers and even Alexa voice controls that can set cooking times and heat settings, as well as obeying your order to check the status of your meal.

According to the recipe network maintained by New York-based tech firm Chicory, the trend forming in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic shows that a consistent demand for recipes will keep growing or remain constant. Among the top recipes cooks are hunting for online were ones for chicken and dumplings made in a slow cooker, as well as soups to ward off the chill of cooler evenings.

There's a wave of nostalgia sweeping many cultural sectors, including slow cookers. Statista, an online data analysis company, reports sales of slow cookers have gradually ticked upward over the past decade. In 2010, 10.5 million cookers were sold in the United States. In 2019, the most-recent year reported, consumers purchased 11.6 machines. Not a huge increase, but slow and steady.

If you're new to the art of slow cooking, here are some tips from the cookbook "Whole Food Slow Cooked," by Olivia Andrews - a bible for those who depend on their slow cookers to get them through the months that demand comfort foods.

* Never cook any meats from a frozen or even partially frozen state as this allows any food-borne bacteria to multiply. Make sure your meat is completely thawed.

* Never cook dried kidney-shaped beans from their raw state in a slow cooker as the cooker will not reach a high-enough temperature to destroy the natural toxins found in the beans. Soak red kidney beans and similarly shaped beans overnight, them boil vigorously for 10 minutes before adding to the slow cooker. Canned beans are fine as is.

* If your slow cooker's ceramic insert has been refrigerated or frozen, allow it to come to room temperature before cooking, or the sudden change in temperature could cause it to crack. Likewise, don't place it on the stove to reheat foods as the higher temps will cause the insert to crack.

As slow cookers have come of age, so have the recipes we use, with delicious ideas that will enliven your slow cooking. Here are a few.

photo Old fashioned southern style chicken or turkey and dumplings with parsley sprinkled on top.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Dinner doesn't get much simpler than this recipe for chicken and dumplings. Save any leftovers for lunch.

4 boneless chicken breast halves, skin removed

2 tablespoons butter

2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup

1 onion, finely diced

2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Place the chicken, butter, soup and onion in a slow cooker; fill with enough water to cover.

Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on high. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

Make this soup ahead the night before so it will be ready for lunch the next day.

1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

4 cups (1 quart) chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

To finish:

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

Juice 1/2 medium lime

Crumbled tortilla chips

Optional toppings: Sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, Mexican hot sauce and/or lime wedges

For the soup: Place all the ingredients into slow cooker in an even layer. Cover the slow cooker, and cook until the chicken is tender and the soup is flavorful, about 6 hours on low.

To finish: Transfer the chicken to a large plate. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, bones and any cartilage. Shred the chicken, and add the meat back into the soup. Add the black beans and lime juice, and stir to combine. Taste, and season with salt, as needed. Serve the soup with crumbled tortilla chips and any optional toppings.

Reuben Sandwiches

This recipe from "Whole Food Slow Cooked" makes an easy fall dinner. Let it cook while you're at work. If you're working from home, you'll love the smells that waft through the house.

1 (3-pound) corned beef brisket

4 bay leaves

1 teaspoon allspice berries

6 cloves garlic, bruised

1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Rye bread, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and pickles, to serve

Russian dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 tablespoons finely grated red onion

2 teaspoons finely grated horseradish

Place brisket in slow cooker with bay leaves, allspice, garlic and pepper, then add enough water to completely cover the meat. Cook on low for 8 hours or until tender.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining all ingredients until well-blended. Cover, and set aside until needed.

When brisket is tender, slice thinly or shred and serve on rye bread with Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and pickles.

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Rolls

Lining the ceramic insert with parchment paper makes removing the rolls a breeze once they are fully cooked. As some slow cookers cook at higher temps and faster than others, it's important to keep an eye on these rolls so they don't burn on the bottom. It won't hurt to lift the lid and the paper towel and peek for a second.

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 packet active yeast

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 large egg

2 3/4 cups flour

Filling:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup sugar

Icing:

1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

Make the dough: Warm the milk over on the stove over low heat, or microwave it until lukewarm. No need to use a thermometer, but if you have one, heat to about 95 degrees. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook or paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Whisk in the yeast and 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Cover with a clean towel, and let sit until the yeast has dissolved and is bubbly and foamy, 5-15 minutes. With mixer on low speed, beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups of flour until combined. The dough will be wet. While continuing to beat on low speed, add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Dough will be ready when it gently pulls away from the sides of the bowl. You may not need all of the remaining flour. If you do not have a mixer, you can stir the dough by hand with a wooden spoon in this step.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, then knead for 1 minute. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. During this 10 minutes, line a slow cooker with greased parchment paper, and spray with nonstick spray.

Make the filling: After 10 minutes, roll the dough out in a 14- by 8-inch rectangle. Spread the softened butter on top. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, then sprinkle on top of the butter. Roll the dough up tightly lengthwise, then cut into 10 to 12 pieces and place them inside the lined slow cooker. Place a paper towel right under the lid of the slow cooker to help keep condensation off of the cooking rolls. Do not leave that step out, and do not use a cloth towel.

Turn your slow cooker to high and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Rolls should be light brown on the sides, but don't cook too long or they will become tough and overdone on the bottoms. If they appear to be cooking faster on the outer edges than the middle, remove from cooker - parchment and all - and finish in conventional oven at 350 degrees for another few minutes until centers are soft, but no longer doughy. When done, allow to cool to room temperature.

Make the icing: Right before serving, top cinnamon rolls with glaze. Whisk the confectioners sugar, vanilla and milk together until smooth. Add a little more milk if too thick. Drizzle over the warm rolls.

Note: Rolls will keep in refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for about 3 months but are best enjoyed the same day you cook them.

Email Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.

photo Anne Braly

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