Make It Fast, Cook It Slow is the first cookbook from Stephanie O'Dea, the extremely popular slow cooking blogger: affordable, delicious, nutritious, and gluten-free recipes to delight the entire family.
In December 2007, Stephanie O'Dea made a New Year's resolution: she'd use her slow cooker every single day for an entire year, and write about it on her very popular blog. The result: more than three million visitors, and more than 300 fabulous, easy-to-make, family-pleasing recipes, including:
Breakfast Risotto
Vietnamese Roast Chicken
Tomatoes and Goat Cheese with Balsamic Cranberry Syrup
Falafel
Philly Cheesesteaks
Crème Brulee
--and much more. Make It Fast, Cook It Slow is the perfect cookbook for easy, quick prep, inexpensive ingredients, and meals that taste like you spent hours at the stove.
The Crock-Pot is Back With A Vengance Thanks To Stephanie O'DeaOctober 13, 2009 Claudine Wolk(www.help4newmoms.com) 39 out of 40 found this review helpful
I've never been a "crock-pot" person, although I've always liked the idea of crock-pots - leaving a whole meal in the crock in the morning and returning to a complete meal in the evening - so easy, so good, so convenient. The problem, though, was that my family is not big on stews, which is what I thought crock-pots were for, so I left my crock-pot in a drawer and that is as far as the relationship has gone. Those days are over.
Stphanie O'Dea has taught me that my crockpot is not my mother's crock-pot anymore. The crock-pot can be used used to make a traditional beef stew, yes, as described on page 211, but the crock-pot can also be used to make delicious soups, meats, side dishes, appetizers, dips, and desserts. The woman has a recipe for making banana bread in the crock-pot for goodness sake! All kinds of ideas are whirling around in my head. I can use the crockpot to prepare a new, sexy appetizer for the holidays, like the buffalo chicken dip described on page 25, instead of the same old stuff. I can use the crockpot to impress my friends with the delicious and fragrant chai tea latte like the one described on page 8 at the next Bunco meeting. I can also use the crockpot to help my children create caramel apples and look like the coolest mom ever! The sky is the limit with this book. It even has a recipe for recycling old candles to make new ones. Yes, I said candles, in the crock-pot!
Excited, yet? There's more. There are 454 pages of easy to understand recipes with easy ingredients in this book and they all look delicious. There is also a description on most recipes that the author calls "the verdict" where she tell us how each recipe went over with her family, including the specific verdict of her young children - invaluable information for a mom who who can not afford to waste time or money on a recipe her family won't eat.
This book was so well put together it inspired me immediately to put it to use. I've been through every page and while I started to dog-ear the pages of recipes I found interesting, I quickly stopped because I would have dog-eared the whole book! Last night, I made my first crock-pot dish in 15 years. I prepared Horseradish Scalloped Potatoes, p.95. They were delicious, just like the author's verdict said. Amazing. Cooking this fall/winter is going to be a lot more fun and a lot more satisfying!
You won't be disappointed!!!!October 15, 2009 Susan B. Kohanek(Georgia) 15 out of 17 found this review helpful
I've been following Stephanie's blog for longer than I can remember and have had this book pre-ordered for longer than I can remember. :-)
I have made the Pumpkin Spice Latte, more than one fondue, and the Moroccan Lentil Soup, just to name a few. They were all extremely tasty, and I have been waiting so long for this cookbook to come out so I can browse through the recipes in print rather than online.
Stephanie's wit and her willingness to try anything are what initially drew me in, and I was concerned that maybe the book wouldn't replicate her recipes and style completely. However, I am happy to say that everything in the book lives up to my highest expectations. I am now going to order multiple copies to give as Christmas gifts because out of the several slow cooker cookbooks I have, this one outshines them all. It's honestly the only one you'll ever need.
Plus, you've really gotta try the Lentil Soup. My husband and I love it so much I've made it several times and have been waiting on the fall weather to make it again. It's time! :-)
Buy this book, and I promise, you really won't regret it!
A must buy for any cook!October 14, 2009 J. Winters(PA) 11 out of 13 found this review helpful
I have been waiting for this book and now it is finally here. Amazing recipes and healthy, trust me you won't be disappointed. Thanks to Stephanie, I am now obsessed with my slow cooker, I use it so much I even when out and bought a new programable one. The recipes are great, directions easy to follow. I first found out about her threw her blog which is equally helpful. I plan on buying more books for my sisters for Christmas. Using a slow cooker just makes home cooking easy for anyone. Thanks again Stephanie for putting this book together and being a slow cooker pioneer.
AmazingOctober 15, 2009 Jessica 6 out of 7 found this review helpful
I am not the cooking type, but since finding Stephanie and her wonderful website I have impressed many people with my new abilities. Stephanie's recipes are easy, healthy, and delicious! I'm so excited to have so many of her great recipes in one book!
I'll be buying copies for ChristmasOctober 28, 2009 Sara J. Lutz(Akron, OH, USA) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I had my husband order this for me as a birthday gift, and I'll be ordering quite a few more myself as the holiday season approaches for gifts. Stephanie has a GREAT voice, and her "of course you can do this" attitude comes across loud and clear. I found her website last year and enjoyed trying out several of her recipes - I even remember thinking how nice it was to have a simple and tasty site to look to for the few times I had to cook for friends with wheat allergies.
Than... this summer I was diagnosed with celiac. A few moments of dazed panic - but I quickly remembered O'Dea's site and was able to pull together a wonderful meal that night while I worked through clearing a pantry and relearning how to cook. I can't recommend this book enough. The recipes range from basic go-to's (her rotisserie chicken recipe had my kitchen smelling heavenly all weekend as I cooked 4 birds for cooked chicken to keep in the freezer for quickie meals this winter - and than on to her stock recipe to resupply my soup fixings!) to slightly more elaborate and exotic meals fit to entertain.
This book is a godsend for celiacs, but please don't think its only for those who must avoid gluten. I've made dozens of her recipes for family and friends WITHOUT my food worries and the only thing they mentioned was a desire for 2nds (and in some cases 3rds, 4ths, or possibly a doggie bag!). Her recipes are easy to follow, entertaining to read, and most importantly tasty. The only thing I can add is a plea for Stephanie to continue as she has started and write a sequel to this book soon.
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