Slow but Sure Recipes

Go to a garage sale and you're bound to see an ugly, brown crock pot or two. Slow cookers have come a long way since the 70s. They are no longer brown, for one thing, and they are no longer just a way to bring beans to a potluck.

To the working parent, they are liberating. To the health-conscious carnivore, they are invaluable. So dust off that slow cooker you got as a wedding gift, and get ready for a crock pot revival!

In general, cooking with very lean meats can be tricky, to say the least. That's because the leaner cuts are much less forgiving and can turn out tough. But put them in a slow cooker, and in a few hours they're transformed into fork-tender, flavor-packed morsels.

Is it a miracle? Actually, it's quite scientific.

Slow, moist-heat cooking tenderizes meat by breaking down most of its connective tissue (muscle). The protein collagen is the prime component of connective tissue, and part of the collagen dissolves with slow, moist heat -- which makes the meat more tender. Some slow-cooker recipes call for searing the meat (pan-frying or broiling to brown the outside) before putting it in the slow cooker. This helps seal in internal juices while adding texture, flavor, and color.

Of course, the slow cooker isn't the only way of cooking food slowly. You can roast meats in the oven at a relatively low temperature for a couple of hours (for those who work outside the home, this is mainly a weekend option). But wouldn't it be wonderful to come home on a cold winter's night to a hot, savory entrée that's ready when you are?

Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

If you have Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of that instead of the one black pepper. Just delete 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and increase the water by a tablespoon.

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon low-sodium chicken broth powder or bouillon granules
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

• In a small bowl, mix oregano, salt, and black pepper together, then sprinkle the mixture evenly over the chicken pieces.
• Add canola oil to a large, nonstick skillet and start heating over medium heat. When hot, add chicken pieces and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes per side).
• Place chicken pieces in slow cooker. Add water, lemon juice, garlic, and chicken broth powder to the skillet, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken in the slow cooker and cover with lid.
• Cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for about 6 hours. Sprinkle the parsley on top of the chicken about 15-30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
• Serve with cooked pasta or steamed brown rice.

Yield: 6 servings

Per serving: 213 calories, 36 grams protein, 1 grams carbohydrate, 6.7 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat, 2.8 grams monounsaturated fat, 1.6 grams polyunsaturated fat), 97 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams fiber, 191 milligrams sodium. Calories from fat: 29%.