Slow cooker simmers comfort all season long

There is very little that is more comforting that having a warm pot of food slowly simmering away on the stovetop. The smell permeates the house, while the heat given off in the cooking process warms our bodies straight to the bone. During the cold winter months that lay ahead, this axiom will be put to the test over and over again. There can be little doubt as that this will be an enjoyable test to all. However, there is one additional ingredient that takes all warmth and comfort of a home cooked meal, but somehow makes it more comfortable: the slow cooker.

Having a slow cooker slowly bubbling forth the promise of a hearty meal throughout the day trumps stovetop cooking (at least in the comfort department) in both time and ease. Just put all the ingredients in the pot and let it cook away. The lack of a need to stir the pot makes cooking in a slow cooker as easy as can be. For all its ease and simplicity, however, the slow cooker usually needs some extra attention in the form of browning meat on the stove and then transferring it into the pot. This extra step may produce a depth of flavor that cannot be achieved in any other way, but the added preparation requires dirtying another pot or pan--a thought nobody finds comforting.

The Breville Slow Cooker with Easy Sear eliminates the need to transfer ingredients from stove to slow cooker. The die-cast aluminum cooking insert is stovetop-safe, and easily transports to the slow cooker without fear of scalding thanks to the removable silicone grips. When set in place, the slow cooker extends its usefulness, by not only supplying the usual choice between High and Low settings, but it also offers a third choice. The Dual setting begins cooking on High, and then after two hours automatically switches to Low. With such ease of use and versatility, it would be easy to sink into the sofa for about 8 hours (or all winter) with no concern about the frost outside.