I Heart my Crockpot!

For "Heart" Day I thought I'd share one of the things I love most in my household (other than BK, Beautiful Kitty, that is; click here for recent photos): my crockpot (aka "slow cooker" to use contemporary jargon). A few years ago I was in Jackson Hole, WY, visiting niece Jenny (THAT adventurous trip is a whole 'nuther story!), browsing through a local bookstore and happened upon a cookbook called NOT Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. Well, with an intriguing title like that, you just know I had to pick it up. (I didn't even know my mother owned a slow cooker cookbook!) What an enlightening experience! Did you know you can make tapioca or bread pudding in a crockpot? How about apple butter? Yep! Not just for beef stew any more, baby. Never one to run out and buy the latest gadget (besides, didn't want to lug it home on the plane), I waited two whole days until I got home to Chico to run out and buy a cool new "slow cooker." Got one with a timer, so it can be automatically set to turn to "warm" after a pre-set period of time. I've since made all kinds of fun things, the hands-down friends & family favorite being Fresh Raspberry Bread Pudding (p. 437 in "Not Your Mother's"). I've often substituted strawberries or used a combination. Amazing!

Another great book I discovered was the Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker cookbook, with over 200 recipes. Of course, there are also many web sites with good recipes too. The Vegan Heart Doc shares his favorites along with heart health info. Wellsphere is another site with heart-healthy crockpot recipes. With the advent of the "Slow Food" movement (not to mention the slowing economy), there seems to be a resurgence in home cooking, thank goodness! So you might want to dig around in the back of that cupboard and pull out and dust off that avocado-green crockpot from the 70s (I passed my heirloom crockpot on to my son) and try it. Just a little "slow cooked" food for thought!

Gardener's Swap Meet

Too many tomatoes? Up to your chin in cherries? Are you and your zuchinni being avoided by friends and family? Now you can SWAP THAT SURPLUS every Wednesday through October 8th! Sponsored by the Chico Food Network, the Veggie Swap Meet takes place every Wed. evening at various locations (see schedule for time/place).

Nothing to swap but still want to put fresh, wholesome food on the table? We're so lucky here in Chico to have not one, not two, but THREE DAYS of wonderful local Farmer's Market! Saturday morning downtown (parking lot at 2nd St. and Wall St.), Wednesday morning (North Valley Plaza--Mervyn's parking lot) and Thursday evening (downtown on Broadway). With all of this access to enchanting edibles (much of it organic), you have NO excuse for not eating healthful, nutritious and tasty meals. (As my friend Marcia Zimmerman--another Chico treasure--says, "Eat your Colors!) So get that big salad bowl, grill and wok out and eat your veggies!