Winter Cooking

The Benefits of Slow Cooking

Slow cookers, or crock pots, are small appliances used by many families around the country. A look around will provide a myriad of cookbooks or websites on the internet with recipes for use with the crock pot. The benefits of slow cooking go far beyond the ease of finding recipes, however.

One of the main benefits of slow cooking is how easy it is. Unlike traditional cooking methods, you don’t have to stand over the stove to ensure the dish cooks properly. You can place everything into the slow cooker, set it, and then walk away. In fact, you don’t even have to be at home while your meal cooks as most recipes require four to eight hours cooking time. Continue reading

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday celebrating the rededication of the Temple on Kislev 25 165 BCE. The holiday, also called the ‘Festival of Lights,’ commemorates the miracle of one day’s worth of oil lasting eight days and eight nights. You can get into the spirit of Hanukkah with delicious potato latkes and more foods.

Potato latkes are a common Hanukkah food. To make them you’ll need the following ingredients:

3 cups of peeled, shredded potatoes (sweet potatoes can also be used)
2 beaten eggs
¼ cup sliced green onions (you can also shred a regular onion)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Oil for frying

Prepare the potatoes and onions. Then add the remaining ingredients, being sure to combine the ingredients well. Pour oil at least 1/3-inch deep into a skillet. Turn the heat to medium to ensure the oil doesn’t burn. Continue reading