Winter weather has arrived – time to break out the slow cooker!

Snow, snow and more snow! It is the time of year for shoveling, cold weather and dark nights. It is also when I turn to warm and comforting meals made with my slow cooker.

There is nothing better than coming home after work or after my boys practices to have supper hot and ready to eat.

Slow cookers are handy for busy athletes and families as they require little effort and time. Slow cooking gives you the ability to cook while you are away, saving you time and energy.

They’re also a great for beginner cooks as all you have to do is toss ingredients in, turn on your slow cooker and go about your day without having to spend a whole bunch of time in the kitchen.

If you are new to using a slow cooker here are some tips for success.

• Choose a slow cooker with a keep warm function. When the timer goes off from cooking on either high or low setting, your food will stop cooking. The keep warm function will keep your food warm so that you don’t actually have to be there when the timer goes off.

• Choose the correct heat level. When you set the temperature to low on your slow cooker, your heating element will put out less heat and will take more time than cooking something on high. This works well if you are turning your slow cooker on in the morning to have food ready when you return at end of day. Alternatively, if a recipe says to cook on low for eight hours, you can speed up the process by cooking on high for four hours.

• Don’t peek. Slow cookers take time to work their way up to target temperature. Too much peaking means a reduced temp inside the slow cooker and more time needed to finish cooking.

• Use low-cost meats. Since slow cookers cook low and slow they make meats tender and juicy. Try beef round and rump roasts, chicken thighs or pork butt.

• Brown meats. Browning enhances the flavors of the dish by adding texture and an extra layer of flavor. Brown ground beef, chicken and turkey and drain before adding to slow cooker to remove fat.

• Use skinless chicken. Chicken cooked in an oven or pan will get crispy, but in a slow cooker will be soft and rubbery. Take the skin off prior to putting in the slow cooker.

• Layering is important. Because the heat element is located at the bottom, foods that need longer cooking times should be put on the bottom. Tougher cuts of meat along with root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions should be layered first. Faster cooking ingredients like pasta, squash, asparagus, peas or canned or frozen vegetables should be layered at the top and added in the last hour of cooking.

• Dairy products such as milk, cheese, sour cream and cream cheese should be added at the end of cooking. If you add these ingredients to early they will curdle by the end of your cooking time. Best rule of thumb is to add them in the last half hour of cooking to allow them time to melt and properly blend into the dish.

Here is an easy, hearty and healthy turkey chili recipe to try out in your slow cooker:

• 1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

• 1 pound ground turkey

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 cups water

• 1 (28 ounce) can diced or crushed canned tomatoes • 1 (16 ounce) can canned black beans, drained and rinsed with water

• 1 tablespoon garlic minced (or 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder)

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Heat oil in pan over medium heat and brown ground turkey until cooked through. Stir in onion and cook until tender. Add turkey and onion to slow cooker. Add all other ingredients and mix. Cook in slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. Serve and top with cilantro, low fat shredded cheese or low fat sour cream.