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HOUSTON DAILY JOURNAL Slow cookers take the sweat out of cooking By Cheryl Berzanskis Morris News Sendee AMARILLO, Texas - What’s easy enough for beginners, can turn a roast fork tender and safe enough to cook through the night? The answer: Slow cooker recipes. Slow cookers can be used to cook for any meal of the day, using all food groups, turned on and left undis turbed and don’t require much technical knowledge of cooking. The handy cookers, called Crock Pots, which Rival debuted in the early 19705, haven’t lost their charm. In fact, new recipes come up every year for this dura ble home appliance and even Banquet and Marie Callender’s were inspired to offer stir-and-heat frozen meals just for them. There’s even a blog devoted to Crock Pot talk. Vercie Dysart has slow Restaurant Report Card Houston County Environmental Health inspectors visited the following food service establish ments between Oct. 1-8 Major problems are corrected before the health inspector leaves the premises A rating of 90-100 in considered excellent, 80-89 is good, 70-79 is satisfactory. Key to type of discrepancies found: A. Employee Hygiene Maters B. Food Handling Techniques C. Temperature Control of Foods or Food Sources D. Facility/Equipment Problems E. Storage of Cleaning Products/ Toxic Materials Organization Score ■ Aces & Eights Poker Run, 2195-1 Watson Bvld, Warner Robins 95 ■ Antebellum Grove, 1010-A South Houston Lake Rd.. Warner Robins 91 ■ Bojangles, 495 Booth Rd., Warner Robins 95 ■ Chick-Fil-A Mobile Unit, 1363 Sam Nunn Blvd., Perry 100 ■ Cox Concession/Corn Dog Trailer, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 91. D ■ Cox Concession/Funnel Cake, 401 Larry Walker Parkway. Perry 95 ■ Cox Concession/Ga. Nat. Resturant, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 93 ■ Cox Concession/Grill, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 87,C ■ Cox Concession/Hot Dog Trailer, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 98 ■ Cox Concession/Ice Cream Trailer, 401 Larry Walker Parkway. Perry 98 ■ Cox Concession/Ice Cream Trailer, 401 Larry Walker Parkway. Perry 98 ■ Cox Concession/McGill Bldg.. 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 98 ■ Cox Concession/New South Arena, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 91 ■ Cox Concession/Popper, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 99 ■ Cox Concession/Reeves #4, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 100 ■ Cox Concession/Reeves Arena #l, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 100 ■ Cox Concession/Stand A, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 98 ■ Cox Concession/Stand B, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 100 , ■ Cox Concession/Steak & Fries, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry. ■EI Cotija, 1291 -J South Houston Lake Rd. Warner Robins 87,C- ' ■ McDonalds, 123 Russell Parkway, Warner Robins 80,C ■ Mr. Pizza, 401 Larry Walker Parkway, Perry 100 H Skipper Johns, 1210 Macon Rd., Perry 97 Houston County Environmental Health inspectors visited the following food service estab lishments between Oct. 9-13. Organization Score ■ Burger King, 1000 St. Patrick St., Perry 97 ■ Checkers Drive In, 120 North Houston Rd, Warner Robins 74.C.D ■ Chick-Fil-A, 1867 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 97 ■ Cioffee Tree, 1807-B Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 99 ■ Colonial Gardens of Perry, 1026 Keith Dr., Perry 97 ■ Comfort Suites, 3101 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 95 ■ Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, 3111 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 90 ■ Firehouse Subs, 4025 Watson Blvd. Warner Robins 88,C ■ Gold’s Gym/Extreme Blends, 1827 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 97 ■ Huddle House, 2075 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 99 ■ Javabytes Coffee Cafe', 1114 Highway 96/Suite D-1, Kathleen 95 ■ Krystal, 1415 Sam Nunn Blvd., Perry 93 ■ McCalls Tastes to Remember, 1001 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 98 ■ Oxygen Fitness Center, 1291 South Houston Lake Rd., Warner Robins 98 ■ Papa John’s Pizza, 322 N. Perry Parkway, Perry 99 ■ Perry Country Club, 1000 North Davis Drive, Perry 100 ■ Perry Senior Center, 1060 Keith Drive, Perry 97 ■ Recreation Depart. Consession Stand, 800 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 93 ■ Sonic Drive Inn, 131 Margie Drive, Warner Robins 96 ■ Stir King, 2929 Watson Blvd. Suite 5, Warner Robins 91 ■ Subway, 1114 Highway 96, Kathleen 86,C ■ Summerhill Senior Living Community, 500 Stanley St., Perry 95 ■ Taco Bell, 1340 Sam Nunn Blvd., Perry 93 ■ Vend Food Services@Perdue's, 250 Highway 247 Spur, Perry 90 ■ Wendy’s, 1824 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins 88,C ■ Wendy’s, 1428 Sam Nunn Blvd., Perry 97 ■ Waffle House, 2816 Watson Blvd., Centerville 91 S Zaxby’s, 1425 Sam Nunn Blvd., Perry 95 CONUS MAJESTKTFRAMES V Do you really want another tie «l or pair of slippers for the holidays? Jm | Custom framing • Collegiate • Military UNIQUE GIFTS STORE HOURS: Mon- Fri 10-6 • sat 10-4 2507 Moody Road Warner Robins, Georgia 929-8851 M M ■ 39042 ! cookers in three sizes - 1.5 quart, 4-quart and 6-quart sizes. Despite never having used the family-size 6-quart model, she’s put the other two through their paces. “Slow cookers are conve nient and time saving, and you don’t have to watch your pot all the time to be careful it doesn’t boil dry,” Dysart said. She stirs up pinto beans, brisket and roasts with veg etables to make meals or to serve as the start for other meals. Dysart cooks pinto beans for a meal then scoops out a cupful for refried beans. When Dysart cooks bris ket, she slices some for a meal, then uses some for sandwiches. To make pinto beans, she uses her 1.5-quart cooker. She mixes a cup of beans, 1 teaspoon bacon grease and a quart of water. About an hour before the end of the cooking time, she adds one teaspoon of salt. Dysart lets the beans cook until they are soft. From that batch, she dips out a cup to make refried beans to go with tacos and enchiladas. “Then you can put the refried beans on a flour tor tilla with a little chopped tomato, onion and lettuce, and it’s a meal,” Dysart said. She purchases market trimmed briskets, divides the brisket in thirds, freezes t wo parts and cooks one part in the slow cooker. Dysart seasons the brisket with salt, garlic powder and pepper and adds about 1 cup water to the cooker. Dysart also may stir in about 1 tablespoon honey flavored barbecue sauce for a little extra taste. To serve up a roast, Dysart puts potatoes, carrots and onions in the bottom of the FOOD pot and tops them with a ti to 3-pound roast. “I try to buy small sizes because it’s just my husband and me,” she said. She seasons with salt and pepper and a shake or two of garlic powder. “If I have time in the morning, I brown the roast a little bit in a skillet with a little bit of canola oil or olive oil,” Dysart said. When serving the roast and vegetables, she uses the au jus to pour over the veg etables and meat to keep them moist. Kristi Tollefson has an 11-month-old son and 3-year-old daughter who keep her busy with motherly duties. She slow cooks about twice a month. “It’s easier to put it on, and I don’t have to mess with it all day,” Tollefson said. She used her slow cooker primarily for pork, though she also has a chicken recipe Adding flavor to your diet It has been a wonder ful year at the Perry Farmers Market. We have had so much wonder ful produce this summer, in spite of the heat and dry weather. The fall crops are produc ing some great foods, which will help the mar- ket open for four more Saturdays. I will be there with my jams, jellies and pickles and there is usually a big table of wonderful label goods. Thanks to our wonderful customers, we love to help feed you. Restaurants give back to community u H w estaurant com munity” is more J- Vthan a feel-good term. Running a restaurant has to be as tough a job as any out there - high costs and narrow profit margins. Yet, those in the business see themselves as a family. Oh, there are squabbles. Gossip is juicy. Employees jump from kitchen to kitchen. But those in the business share a brotherhood. They also share with us. Restaurants field requests weekly from charities seek ing donations of dinners or services. For instance, more than 50 restaurants will contribute at the Caring Chefs event at The Avenues on Sunday call 904-493- 7739 for tickets. For SSO you can sample food prepared by chefs from those restaurants. Walk away hungry from \wMf Jfr 6i# ■ mm/M |BjSjsnn| Serving Daily Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Our very own Southern belle, Miss Belinda Evans, her love for people and food, are once again at the New Perry Hotel that works well. Slow cooking yields moist and tender meat, Tollefson said. She also has cooked apple brown betty and steamed pumpkin cake in her slow cooker and found them to be successful and moist. Slow cooking also is suitable for novice cooks because of its ease, Tollefson said. Target’s Allen Boelter, executive team leader of guest experience, said slow cookers sell well. “It seems we always have somebody looking for a Crock Pot. It doesn’t mat ter what time of the year,” Boelter said. “People use them for bar becue in summer and stews in winter and fall. So they are popular all year.” Slow cooker sweet and sour pork 2 cups cubed, peeled Don’t forget how impor tant your vegetables are to your diet. Here are some recipes to make them interesting. Also a family punch to add to your Christmas party list. Cheddar cabbage casserole. 1 medium cabbage 1/4 cup butter or mar garine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp. Salt 1/4 tsp. Pepper 2 cups milk 1/2 green pepper (chopped) 1/2 medium onion (chopped) 2/3 cup cheddar cheese 1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 tbsp. Chili sauce out ■. Jean Rea Cooking with j/an this event, and it’s your own fault. Having been on the din Dan MacDonald Columnist Morris News Se.'vice the best offerings. “Where’d you get that?” “Who’s serving the tuna?” “Go get me another one of those desserts. I’ve already been in that line three times.” Several of the restaurants are new this year, including The Brick in Avondale and Fionne MacCool’s in Jacksonville Beach. The event serves as a way to introduce the restaurant to potential cus- 800 Carroll St. - Perry, GA (478) 987-1073 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2006 ♦ potatoes 1 cups chopped onions 3 pound pork roast 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup water 1/2 cup ketchup 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon Dyon mus tard 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Salt to taste Put potatoes and onions on bottom of the slow cooker. Place the pork roast on top of the vegetables. Spread garlic over the pork. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour over pork. Cook six to eight hours on low. Source: Kristi Tollefson See SLOW, page 4C Cut cabbage into wedges. Boil in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain cabbage and place in a greased 13x9x2 inch cas serole dish. Combine butter and flour in saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly over medium heat until sauce is smooth and thick. Pour sauce over cabbage in casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Combine remaining ingre dients and spread over cab bage. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 more minutes. Turnip green soup 1 16 oz. Pkg. Turnip greens with roots 1 onion chopped 1 lb. Sausage cut up (link sausage) See REA, page 4C tomers from other sides of town. But the restaurants also know this is a chance to be involved in the com munity as a whole. “I have noticed that peo ple try to put out nice food, but I’ve never seen it as a competition between res taurants,” said Chef Jason Swed of Fionne MacCool’s; he has cooked at the Caring Chefs event several times while with other restau rants. “It really shows off your food and shows Jacksonville that you are getting involved,” said Marshall Peters, general manager of The Brick. Beyond Caring Chefs and other communi ty events, restaurant have their own charities. See MCDONALD, page^C Subscribe today Call 987-1813 ing end of this event, I can tell you that word races around the mall as people ask each other about 3C 00039434