Ten Helpful Tips for the Slow Cooker
1. Less tender cuts of meat and poultry — such as pork and lamb shoulder, chuck roast, beef brisket, and poultry legs — are best suited for slow cooking. Skim fat from cooking liquid when done.
2. Fish and other seafood are not a good fit unless they are added in the last hour of cooking.
3. Avoid using ground meat; its texture is compromised by long, slow cooking, resulting in a mealy, sandy quality.
4. Slow cooking tends to intensify flavorful spices and seasonings such as chili powder and garlic, so use them conservatively. Dried herbs may lessen in flavor, so adjust seasonings at the end of cooking. If you're using fresh herbs, save some to toss in at the last minute for best flavor.
5. For a richer flavor in stews, sprinkle meat and poultry with flour and brown in skillet before slow cooking. Scrape up browned bits in skillet and add to the pot to help thicken sauce and enhance flavor.
6. To make cleanup easier, use slow-cooker bowl liners.
7. For even cooking, fill slow-cooker bowl at least halfway — but never to the brim. For soups and stews, leave about 2 inches of space between food and lid.
8. Resist stirring the pot because meat and vegetables may break up.
9. If your recipe produces more liquid than you want, remove solids with a slotted spoon to a serving dish and keep warm. Turn slow-cooker temperature to high; cook remaining liquid, uncovered, to reduce to desired thickness.
10. Most recipes can be prepped the night before — all you have to do in the morning is toss in ingredients and flip the switch on the slow cooker! Premeasure ingredients, precut vegetables, trim meats, and mix liquids and seasonings. Refrigerate components separately in bowls or self-sealing plastic bags.
10 Ways to Cut Energy Bills This Fall from Vera!
Staying warm doesn't have to cost a fortune. Here are some ideas from the U.S. Department of Energy for conserving heat and saving money.
When the leaves start falling, you know that the heating bills are about to start rising. But keeping your home warm and cozy on chilly autumn nights doesn't have to break the bank.
The U.S. Department of Energy offers these simple tips and relatively inexpensive home improvements that will help ensure cold gusts stay out and your furnace doesn't have to work harder than it should.
The goal: Conserve energy and keep more of your hard-earned dollars in your pocket.
Share these ideas with friends . After all, who doesn't need to save a little money these days?
1. Plug air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping. Save 10 percent ($190 per year) or more on energy bills. Focus on windows, doors, outlets or switch plates on exterior walls.
2. Properly maintain the heating system. Heating accounts for half the average family's energy bill (approximately $950 per year). Make sure the furnace or heat pump receives professional maintenance each year. The small cost (about $75-100 for most service calls) will pay back in better performance all year long.
3. Install a programmable thermostat. Programming the thermostat from 72ºF to 65ºF for eight hours a day while no one is home, or everyone is tucked in bed, will cut the heating bill up to 10 percent ($90 per year), paying for a basic unit in less than a year.
4. Seal and insulate heating ducts. A system can lose up to 60 percent of its warmed air before it reaches the register (wasting $570 in warmed air per year) if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces.
5. Insulate, insulate, insulate. Adequate insulation in the attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawlspaces can save up to 30 percent on home energy bills ($630 per year). Focus on the attic. (Heat rises.) Most homes should have between R-30 and R-49 insulation in the attic. Learn more at
www.eere.energy.gov/consumer.
6. Close fireplace dampers when not in use. When in use, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window about an inch, close doors to the room, and lower thermostat setting to 50-55ºF.
7. Let the sun shine in. Open curtains on south facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
8. Stay out of hot water. Water heating accounts for 15 percent of household energy use. Reduce water heating costs by lowering the water heater’s thermostat setting. Each 10ºF reduction can save between 3-5 percent in energy costs. Also insulate the hot water heater and hot water pipes.
9. Install storm windows over single-pane windows or replace them with Energy Star qualified windows. Storm windows reduce heat loss by 25 to 50 percent, and storm windows with low-e coating that reflect heat back into the room during the winter months save even more energy. Look for the Energy Star label to maximize savings. Energy Star qualified windows reduce heating and cooling bills by an average of $345, but could be higher in cold and hot climates, compared with uncoated, single-pane windows. Can’t afford new windows just now? Tape clear plastic sheeting to the inside of window frames if drafts, water condensation, or frost are present.
10. Net big savings with a little label. When replacing appliances, light bulbs, electronics, or heating and cooling systems, cut energy bills by up to 30 percent ($600 per year) with Energy Star labeled products. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in place of comparable incandescent bulbs. Find retailers at
www.energystar.gov.
These and other improvements that impact the energy efficiency of a home can save home owners money in the short term and serve as a selling point to potential buyers later. Be sure to save receipts, documentation, and manufacturer’s information.
Not sure where to begin? Try the Department of Energy's online energy audit tool at
www.hes.lbl.gov. In the long run, a whole-house energy audit is a fool proof way to make a plan to address wasted energy and make a home operate efficiently for years to come. Visit
www.natresnet.org to find a qualified auditor in your neck of the woods.
If you or someone you know is considering Selling, Buying, or renting a home....I CAN HELP!
My direct contact is 321-302-9588. It would be my pleasure to assist you!....Vera (Referrals are always Welcomed!)
Everyone else should take a breather.
But the average buyer probably doesn't have the cash to gamble on real estate--and shouldn't, at least for now. Income growth has stalled for the vast majority of Americans for the past eight years, and home equity has been vanishing rapidly since the peak of the boom in 2005. (Last month, median existing home prices nationwide fell 6%, to $221,900.) The roiling stock market is hardly a comfort either, as everyone who has peeked at a 401k statement over the past week knows.
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