Slow cooker recipes.

LEMON CHICKEN

You don’t have to use bone-in chicken for this dish, but bone-in is usually less expensive than boneless, and you can make a stock with the leftover bones in the slow cooker. Just cover the bones with water, add a few pieces of carrots, onions and celery, and cook on low overnight. Use leftover chicken for another dish, such as stirfried rice or soup. 2 large carrots, cut into 1

inch chunks 1 onion, peeled and cut

into thick slices 4-5 lb. chicken (bone-in thighs or breasts, skin removed) Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 Tbsp. olive oil 2 Tbsp. dried basil 2 Tbsp. dried oregano 2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 2 potatoes, cubed

(optional)

Place carrots and onion in bottom of slow cooker, and put chicken on top of vegetables. Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for eight hours on low. Two hours before serving, place potatoes, if using, in slow cooker. Serve with fruit and salad and reserve chicken bones for stock.

— Adapted from a recipe by Beth Rowan AFRICAN PEANUT STEW

This stew can be vegetarian if you use water or a vegetable broth for the liquid, and to really keep the cost down, you can cook dried garbanzo beans in the slow cooker the day before instead of using canned. 3 cloves garlic 2 cups cilantro, large stems removed 1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes, including liquid 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (or you can just use water) 1 Tbsp. cumin

SLOW COOKER TIPS • When you cook vegetables, such as onions and carrots, for a long period of time, they add a lot of flavor to a dish but lose their texture. Rowan recommends adding frozen vegetables just five or 10 minutes before serving because the heat from the dish will warm them up, but they’ll still have some crunch and plenty of flavor. • If you cook a whole pork shoulder or chicken, you can shred the meat and then freeze in individual portions or use leftovers in stir-fried rice, tacos, chili or soups. • Rowan’s husband, Rip, is a vegetarian and lactose intolerant, so she’ll often prepare most of a dish without meat and dairy and then remove a portion for him before adding any ingredients that aren’t in his diet. 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional) 1/2 tsp. salt 3 lb. sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks and peeled, if desired 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 bag frozen green beans Leftover lemon chicken (optional) Chopped cilantro and squeeze of lemon juice, for garnish

In a blender, puree garlic, cilantro, tomatoes, peanut butter, broth, spices and salt. (If you don’t have a blender, you can finely chop the ingredients instead.) Place sweet potatoes and beans in the slow cooker and pour the pureed or chopped ingredients on top. Cover and cook on low for six to eight hours. Fifteen minutes before serving, add frozen green beans and chicken, if using. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve over rice.

— Adapted from a recipe by Beth Rowan