Use and Care Manual
7
• Since raw vegetables usually take longer to cook than meats, cut vegetables unto uni-
form, bite-sized pieces (about ½ inch in diameter) before adding them to the insert. If
recipe calls for milk, sour cream or other fresh dairy products, add them just prior to serv-
ing, as these ingredients tend to break down during long hours of cooking. If preferred,
substitute condensed creamed soups (undiluted) or evaporated milk. Processed cheese
may be substituted for naturally aged cheese.
• Rice or pasta may be cooked separately or added uncooked to recipes no more than two
hours before serving. If adding uncooked pasta, there should be at least 2 cups of liquid
in the pot. Stir occasionally to keep pieces from sticking together.
• Don’t worry if food is allowed to cook a bit longer than specied.
ADAPTING RECIPES (General Hints)
• The LOW setting is recommended for all-day cooking. Most meat-and-vegetable combi-
nations required at least 7 hours on LOW.
• For best avor, use whole-leaf herbs and spices during initial preparation. If ground
herbs and spices are used, stir in during last hour of cooking.
• Many factors can affect how quickly a recipe will cook. The water and fat content of food,
its temperature, and the size of the item(s) will all affect the cooking time. Food cut into
pieces will cook faster than larger pieces.
• Recipes for vegetable-type casseroles must contain liquid to prevent scorching on the
sides of the cooking pot.
• If using a specic recipe, one item may be substituted for another, if an equal quantity is
used. For example, if recipe calls for a 12-oz. can of chicken broth, a 10-oz. can of toma-
to soup plus 2 oz. of something else (water, wine, canned tomatoes) may be substituted.
• Canned beans may be added directly to any recipe, but dried beans, especially red
kidney beans, should be soaked in water (if desired) and boiled rst. Beans must be
softened completely before they are combined with sugary and/or acid foods, as these
have a hardening effect on beans. In this case, beans should be allowed to simmer until
tender (about 1 ½ hours) after boiling.