National Slow Cooking Month 

This is a month for cuddling up by the fire and eating giant bowls or plates full of delicious comfort food. And nothing says comfort food like the convenience of a slow cooker! It’s a versatile kitchen tool that has been on the market for more than half a century, and revolutionized home cooking.

History of National Slow Cooking Month

Of course, the idea of cooking something – especially a large piece of meat – over a slow simmer or in the oven for several hours until it’s juicy and tender has been happening for centuries. But, the invention of the slow cooker is a bit more modern, making its way into the world when it was invented in the 1930s by a man named Irving Naxon. However,the gadget didn’t really make it to the public market until the 1950s.

Eventually, the patent for this slow cooker was sold to a company called Rival, who first gave it the brand name “The Beanery”. Within a few years the company wisely changed the name to something that many people often call it today – the Crock-Pot.

The slow cooker still took a little while to catch on, ultimately gaining a lot of ground in the 1970s, and the number of creative recipes that have been developed for this tool is almost endless. The huge advantage of a slow cooker is that it can be set on low to cook for a number of hours and left, often without the need to stir or even check on it at all. Working moms who were still expected to put a hot dinner on the table relied heavily on the slow cooker during this era.

One excellent advantage was also that all of that could be done with a lot less electricity usage than running an entire oven. Plus, in the summer months, many people like that a slow cooker doesn’t heat up the kitchen like older ovens used to.

And with all of the advantages of this handy little kitchen appliance, it’s obvious why there would be a reason to celebrate with National Slow Cooking Month!

How to Celebrate National Slow Cooking Month

Make up some warm and tasty meals with this easy kitchen appliance that fits easily on the countertop! Get celebrating National Slow Cooking Month with some of these ideas:

Use a Slow Cooker

Sometimes the slow cooker gets shoved to the back of the cabinet or pantry, but this is the perfect time to dust it off, plug it in, and remember how convenient it is. Make a roast with vegetables, cook up some beef stew, try out a pot of delicious chili, or whip up some yummy soups during this wintry month. Whether a person has some tried and true recipes that they always prefer to put in their slow cooker, or if they are adventurous and doing something new and exciting, National Slow Cooking Month is for everyone!

Get a New Slow Cooker

Don’t have a slow cooker in the kitchen at the moment? Perhaps National Slow Cooking Month would be the right time to invest in a new one! While Crock-Pot is probably the most well-known brand, there are certainly a number of other companies that make them. They can be small or large, from just over 1 quart to an extra-large 10 quart capacity for parties; and they can be bare bones and cost as little as $20 or have all sorts of fancy settings that will run up to $250 or more.

Get Creative with Slow Cooking Recipes

Honestly, there are a number of standard recipes that often make it to the forefront of people’s minds when considering slow cooking. But there are some folks who have gone way out on a creative limb to come up with unique and special slow cooker recipes for all sorts of items that might be a surprise. In honor of National Slow Cooking Month, consider celebrating by making a little online search and trying out recipes for some of these slow cooker dishes:

• Slow Cooker No-Knead Rosemary Focaccia Bread
• Delicious Slow Cooker Lemon and Coconut Pudding
• No-Fuss Slow Cooker Caramel Fudge
• Slow Cooker Breakfast Oatmeal Casserole