Slow-cooker questions

[Megan73]

I'm finally buying a slow-cooker so I won't have to be stuck in the house during my marathon Sunday cook-for-the-week sessions.
I have a few question for slow cooker veterans.
First, is it OK to brown meat and saute other ingredients, refrigerate overnight, then start the cooker ingredients cold in the a.m.? I worried it might be hard for the cooker to get up to a food-safe temperature with ingredients right out of the fridge but I don't have time to brown meat in the a.m.
Second, what is the general rule of thumb when adapting recipes. It seems from a cursory look at my one slow cooker cookbook - The Gourmet Slow Cooker by Lynn Alley - that liquid seems to be reduced by about 1/3. Any other tips?
Finally, any favorite sources for vegetarian slow-cooker recipes? We do eat meat obviously but prefer to have plant-based meals much of the time.
Thanks, mamas.

[lindberg99]

I have read that you can prepare everything, put it in the crock (if it's removable) and then stick it in the fridge overnight. If it's not removable, I'm sure you can do it, just put it in a storage container overnight.

No clue about adapting recipes, I never have tried to.

I have found a few vegetarian crock pot recipes in the Saving Dinner cookbook. The only recipes I've enjoyed are things like bean soup & vegetarian chili. So pretty beany recipes.

[Pogonia]

I have refrigerated overnight, then plugged it in the next morning. No problem. My only gripe with a slow cooker is that it cooks too fast nowadays. When they first came out, they truly cooked slow and deep. But concerns about not reaching a 'safe' temperature caused the companies to increase the temp. Many times liquids will be boiling on the low setting.

[lissame72]

Another crock-pot newbie here! Can you cook dried beans in one? If so, how long does it usually take? I'm wondering if I could do the beans overnight, then add meat & other veggies the next morning to be done for dinner?

Thanks!

[gardenmommy]

Originally Posted by lissame72

Another crock-pot newbie here! Can you cook dried beans in one? If so, how long does it usually take? I'm wondering if I could do the beans overnight, then add meat & other veggies the next morning to be done for dinner?

Thanks!

I would soak the beans for about 24 hours, and then add everything together. If you cook the beans all day, they will be nice and tender, same as the meat and veggies.

[Megan73]

Thanks for the tips, mamas. I'm looking forwarding to experimenting.

[SophieAnn]

I often brown meat in the evening, refridgerate overnight and then slow-cook all day while I'm at work. Low for 8 hours is plenty of time. I agree with some PPs that sometimes I find Low to be too high - it's boiling on Low after some number of hours. I do have a keep warm setting which I could use as extra-low.

Here's a great website for slow-cooking recipes. Nearly all are gluten-free too because the author's family is gluten free. The CrockpotLady (Stephanie) vowed to use her crockpot every day for a full year and blogged it. Recipes are categorized and searching works really well. Lots of veggie recipes too.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

[boricuaqueen327]

I use dried beans alot, I cook on low for about 6 hours. (my low setting is pretty high, sometimes it boils after a while) Have split pea veggie soup going right now- so yummy!