[.ca] Crockery Cookery (ISBN 0553576518)

Mass Market Version Too Small:
If you order the Mass Market Paperback version of this book, keep in mind that it is the size of a small novel and pages are 'dark' (recycled) paper -- not very efficient in the kitchen. I only looked through the book briefly before returning it for the above reason. Recipes looked good, but probably not for the quick-fix, ingredients-on-hand meal.

Just ask Mable:
This book is a wonderful collection of crockpot recipes and ideas. It begins with 100-page introductory section with information on menu planning, use and care of your crockpot, and a consumer's guide to crockpots, detailing differences between crockpot brands. Next come the recipes, with chapters for beef, other meats, poultry, vegetables, appetizers and beverages, soups and sandwiches, main dishes, beans, breads and cakes, and fruits and desserts. You name it, if you can eat it, Mable will tell you how to prepare it in your crockpot. I've tried a number of these recipes, and none have ever gone wrong. There's nothing like tossing a roast in the pot in the morning with some onions and fruit, and coming back in the evening to the wonderful aromas of slow-cooked meat. At first, I was a little unsure of how to begin with crockpot cooking, but with Mable's guidance, everything has turned out just fine.

Great slow cooker recipes you won't find in the manual:
Nourishing, mostly gourmet slow-cooker recipes and a few new tricks for your crock pot. You never knew your crock pot could be so handy! "Everybody" knows that slow cookers are good for pot roasts and chili con carne. But did you know that your slow cooker could produce chocolate cake, chicken and dumplings, and rice pudding? I didn't, either. The wonder of it is, your crock pot can make all these wonderful dishes and many more with less prep time and inconvenience than the traditional versions in most cases. Mable Hoffman's Crockery Cookery is just what I needed to dust off my slow cooker and get started with the rest of my life. Regarded by many as The Standard for crock pot cooking, this revised and updated recipe book has all of the basic favorites and quite a few more sophisticated dishes. To date I have only tried 13 in all, a mere fraction; and a few standouts like Flank Steak in Mushroom Wine Sauce and the Nostalgic Chicken and Herbed Dumplings, have made this purchase totally worthwhile. I would have stopped at entrees, but no - there are also some great soups, vegetable side dishes, party appetizers and desserts. Yes, you can bake cakes and breads in crock pots that have at least 4 and 1/2 quarts capacity, but be warned that they do come out on the soft side, without that top crust. I found the banana bread pleasant enough, however. The real surprise for me was in how perfectly suited my crock pot was for steamed pudding recipes. Bread pudding is a natural here. But get ready for a heavenly Grandma's Rice Pudding - light, fluffy, just the right amount of sweetness and no more. The best I have ever tasted, bar none. I should hasten to add that Mable Hoffman puts an emphasis on preparing recipes from fresh, wholesome ingredients, and very few of them involve opening cans. You will end up with nutritious, lower-than-average-salt dishes that will take a little more prep time than frozen dinners, but greet you with a delightful aroma when you walk in after a hard day's work. Most of the recipes are even thrifty when compared to a fast food diet. I don't remember how I ever managed to cook for my family 6 days a week before I discovered this cookbook! My only complaint is that I have used mine so much in the last 4 months that a few pages escaped from the softcover binding. No problem: I am getting my copy spiral bound at a local copy center. I intend to keep this one around for many years to come. -Andrea, aka Merribelle

Good!:
Slow cooking in a crock pot comes in very handy sometimes, especially on days when you are very busy and Don't have time to prepare a time consuming gourmet meal and book is pretty good good and has some recipes that are easy to make and I recommend this book.

Crock Pot Cooking:
I have an old copy of Mabel Hoffman's Crockery Cookery that is falling apart. This is one of the best books around. I have a few others, but they are not in the same league as Mabel's book. The recipes are simple to follow and ingredients are easy to find. No mess, no fuss. Three chears Mabel!!!