Your Best Porridge

I used mine yesterday afternoon to simmer for a few hours a ragu I'd started the other night. (I often start a future day's meal while cooking another.) It's so nice to be able to go out for a hike and return to a perfectly cooked ragu. But as others have noted, you have to be careful because it's easy to overcook vegetables.

Just noticed there's also a slow-cooker onion soup among the onion soup entries: http://www.food52.com/recipes/3238_traditional_french_onion_soup_the_slowcooker_way

The slow cooker is fabulous for any bean soup or stew. I usually jump start it by heating the broth or water before adding to the slow cooker. Don't add salt or anything with a lot of sodium in it, or any acid, though until the beans are soft. I always put whole thyme sprigs, whole rosemary branches and bay leaves with the beans. It's also great for chili. I'll post my favorite vegetarian chili recipe -- foolproof in the slow cooker -- in the next day or two. A slow cooker uses about as much energy as a strong light bulb. I have used mine for convenience (being out of the house so much for work, family activities, etc. through the years) since my boys were tiny. With the busy lifestyle I've had for the past two decades, and with my commitment to serving a meal at which all family members who are in town are present, every night, I could not live without it. I now use mine also because I strongly believe that we owe it to our children and future generations to be less greedy in our use of non-renewable resources. ;o)

Yeahhh...chili is what brought me back to my slow cooker. Since then, I've made potatoes any number of ways that are neither soups nor stews, but more towards the casserole end. I have seen recipes for making jams and desserts in the slow cooker, too, but have not yet had the time to try them out.

Oh - and some of the recipes aren't actually long or slow, really, but they take up one less burner space on the stove.

Yes, it's a great way to get to know your kids, and to stay in touch with them when they get older and more independent. We had both boys report on an article from The New York Times every evening (any article, their choice) starting from about ages 9 and 10. It makes for interesting conversation -- and interesting kids.

I think it must be an acquired taste. Either you like it or you don't. I tried it this morning and don't plan to make it again. I did use the leftovers however to make (with flour, yeast, a bit more honey and a touch of milk) a superb loaf of bread.

porridge bread? most interesting~

Well, I'd put oatmeal, water, honey and butter in a loaf of bread, so why not start with a bowl of this oatmeal, which has all of those ingredients? I added about 3 1/4 cups of flour, worked that in (mostly to decrease the temperature of the porridge, which I thought might kill the yeast), then sprinkled the yeast in. I needed about two tablespoons of milk, too, as the dough was a bit too dry without it. I didn't add any salt. The dough ended up supple and elastic; the loaf has a great crumb for sandwiches (i.e., somewhat dense) with a bit of texture, thanks to the steel cut oats.