Slow cooker speeds up meal planning

Slow cooker speeds up meal planning

Who’s going to say no to Brown Sugar Chili Bacon Meatballs?

Not me.

Not Drew Maresco, but he’ll make you wait a while to eat them. It’s his recipe, for slow cooking,

Maresco is editor-in-chief of BestRecipes magazine and a self-taught cook living in Detroit Michigan.

Everybody seems to have a slow cooker in the cabinet, but not everyone uses it.

Dig it out and put it center stage. Don’t worry that we tend to think of it best used for heavy stews and chili dinners. It’s spring and there’s plenty to cook. Slowly.

                This attractive page Street Publishing Co. release is called “3-Step Slow Cooker Cookbook” and subtitled “Delicious, Hassle-free Homemade Meals.”

                Who doesn’t want that?

                So sure, your slow cooker probably came with a book. Years ago. Like everything good, the process gets updated.

Pineapple cooked with meat is trending and this book is in on it with Pineapple Short Ribs with Brown Gravy.  Kale fan? It’s covered.

South of the Border, Asian at Home and Italian Hour sections let you slow cook around the globe.

Maresco’s recipes include Spicy Chicken Enchilada Soup, Caramelized Onion Pot Roast, Classic Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Lemon Basil Chicken with Orzo, a meatball sub and Extra Sloppy Sloppy Joes.

There’s a common ingredient in every Italian dish, the author proclaims. Think it’s garlic. It’s actually “love.”

For Meatless Mondays, try Tex Mex Sweet Potatoes.

For “sticky good” Honey BBQ Chicken Thighs, stir in ketchup, honey, sugar, vinegar, water, pepper, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce with brisket, etc. and some time later, serve it up over Texas Toast.

Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who likes the slow-cooking process for meal prep that makes fast eating for later. Reach her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com