Slow cooking that is done in a crock pot is a countertop electrical cooking appliance that is used for simmering. This kind of cooking requires a low temperature. Examples of slow cooked meals are pot roasts, soups, chicken, white bean and bacon soup and tuna-noodle casserole.

As might be expected; there are various benefits when using a slow cooker such as enjoying nutritious, delicious meals, saving time and being able to use the slow cooker all year. Other benefits are using less energy to prepare meals, easy clean-up and an easy transport to your dining room table. What many find appealing with a slow cooker is the convenience. All that is necessary to prepare a delicious meal is assemble the meat, vegetables and other condiments, place them in the cooker and in six to eight hours or less, you have a great-tasting meal. You don’t have to hover or worry over the cooking; the slow cooker does it for you. In addition, while the slow cooker is working, you can do other things, and this can save a lot of time.

In contrast, a pressure cooker is an airtight utensil that is used for quick cooking or preserving of foods by means of high-temperature steam under pressure. Of course, the main difference with a pressure cooker is that it cooks fast. With a pressure cooker, you can have nothing going on for supper until 6pm and when you come home with a nice cut of beef for braised stew, you can have delicious and tender meal at 7:00.

If you like working with vegetables, the best pressure cooker works better than the slow cooker. The slow cooker often makes vegetables too soft. Another benefit with the pressure cooker is that it saves space in the kitchen. Also, the pressure cooker can be used for other things; the slow cooker often is used only for slow cooking.

To be clear, pressure cookers are wonderful when you don’t have much time to spare. You can stew or braise at the last minute and most dishes are done within an hour. However, a slow cooker does the work for you all day, allowing you to come home to a tasty, cooked meal.

To conclude, slow cookers and pressure cookers both make great meals. The choice you make depends on how much time you have to make meals and how important convenience is to you when preparing meals.

Image credit: Moyan Brenn – Flickr.com

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There are many reasons why you need a kitchen knife sharpener. If you have purchased a quality set of knives, you may already have knife sharpeners. There are many different kinds, the ones with a long metal rod and a file like surface, attached to a handle, called a honing rod. There are also flat whey stones that are used for sharpening a variety of knives, including kitchen blades. There are also several different kinds of mechanical sharpeners, both electric, as well as manual.

There is a reason why you should buy a kitchen knife sharpener is that no matter what kind of cutlery set you own, eventually the blade is going to lose its edge. A dull knife not only doesn’t do the job it is intended for but also can be dangerous. Having a sharp knife edge can make cutting easier, faster, and safer. When buying knife sharpeners, there are some things you need to think about.
If you are not that knowledgeable about using a kitchen knife sharpener, it is a good idea to do some research on how knife sharpeners work. A honing steel, which can use a steel or ceramic rod, is good for keeping an edge sharp if it is just beginning to dull. The whey stone can take the edge of a blade is not used properly. If you are not sure about using these tools, then you should consider buying a manual or electric sharpeners instead.

Here are a few examples of a manual and electric sharpener. While you can buy sharpeners from local retailers, for the best price and selection it is a good idea to go online. There are many review sites to help you find the best sharpener at the best prices. One of the cheapest yet most advantageous sharpeners is the Spyderco 204MF Triangle Sharpmaker System. This manual sharpener has a big advantage of some of the other brands because it can sharpen both straight as well as serrated knives of just about any size. It can sharpen just about any blade, without stripping too much metal of the knife. The only real downside to this system is that you have to practice and have some patience. It also takes a little more time to use than say an electric sharpener, but once you follow the directions and have some practice, it is just about fool proof. This product is available at many different online retailers from around fifty to sixty dollars.

For a quality electric kitchen Knife sharpener there is the Chef’s Choice 120 Diamond Hone 3 Stage Professional Knife Sharpener. While the electric knife sharpeners are easier to use, they don’t have the same control as a manual sharpener. This model can quietly and quickly sharpen both kinds of blades, and has three different slots, coarse, fine, and a slot for polishing. Because you pull the blade through the slots, this model works the best for blades that are at least three inches long. This model costs around $120 but is professional grade. As you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on a sharpener.

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