I have two slowcookers tha I use pretty often. One is a 6 qt programmable Smart Pot (I think it by Slower Cooker/Rival--but I'm at work, and I can't remember exactly). I bought it at BBB. The other one is a 4 qt Hamilton Beach--it isn't programmable. I also bought it a BBB. I find both very useful--they don't substitute for my oven, but I do find them useful and totally w/o problems. I use the large one for stews, eg, I recently made what my guests thought was a terrific Osso Bucco. I use the small one for overnight oatmeal, apple butter, and to prepare carmelized onions for onion soup. I had both of the crock pots going making turkey stock with the turkey carcases after Thanksgiving. BTW, there are some terrific (healthy) slow cooker recipes in Cooking Light (on their website), in Eating Well magazine, and then Cooking Light has a slow cooker cookbook that I bought recently from Amazon. Interesting reading about the AC slow cooker. Honestly, I was tempted by one feature, and that is that you can brown meat in the slow cooker dish on the stovetop before proceeding to the slow cooking. That seem's very nice to me since I often brown my meat in a skillet before dumping into the ceramic slow cooker dish. But I can't really justify buying yet another toy....

I also have the Nesco 6 quart and love it, the dial actually has a setting that says "slow cook" on mine. I set the temperature and let it cook all day, just as I would a crockpot. I use it in place of the crockpot, I use it in place of the oven and I use it in place of the electric skillet sometimes. I can plug it in and roast a chicken without heating the whole house, or I can bake brownies in it, and I can plug it in outside on the back porch. I really like mine, and I put the lid in the dishwasher, but not the nonstick insert. Mine actually takes up less space than the Corningware crockpot I have and is far more versatile. That said, neither of my girls have one, because they both have crockpots and don't have the space for another large appliance that they would only use occasionally, they don't cook like I do. Yet. So, if you know the bridge well enough, I'd call and ask. If not, I would buy the Nesco and add a nice note saying why you chose that in lieu of the slow cooker. And keep the receipt handy, just in case she really DOESN'T want it, she can always take it back and get the slow cooker, although I can't imagine that she would. Annie

From Opkikid, one of my T&T favorites when I have to serve meat eaters. Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch cubes 3/4 cup bottled chunky medium-hot salsa 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional) 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional) Combine the salsa, brown sugar and soy sauce and pour over the meat in the slow cooker insert. Cover and cook for 8 hours on LOW or 5 to 6 hours on HIGH, or until the meat is fork-tender. Shred the meat with two forks and stir in cilantro and lime juice if using. Set out taco shells (I like small soft corn tortillas) and all the fixings. Can brown the meat before putting in the slow cooker. Supposedly improves taste but not necessary in this highly seasoned dish IMHO. I've done it both ways.

I've tried a number of methods from essentially boiling it when you add a bottle of something or too much liquid and you wind up fishing around in this sludge to find the shrunken tough meat to sauces to other methods. Less liquid is better. The key, as Jim said is the proper meat. I like a chuck roast or a pork shoulder roast. They'll give off plenty of fluid. I like to put some onion on the bottom so it's not all gray on the bottom and it gets some flavor. Some put sacrificial veggies in there as a rack thinking it flavors the gravy, OK, maybe it does. But I like the taters on top in a drier atmosphere so it'll brown those babies and they're delicious. They'll give off moisture too so again, adding liquid is a recipe for soup. I definitely vote to brown the meat. Onions & garlic should be sautéed too if you want it better. People think a "slow cooker" is a magical chef that can make a lousy cook a good cook and eliminate basic cooking techniques a thought with which I don't agree but I digress. If you want it simple, put a can of mushroom soup on top of a piece of roadkill, sprinkle it with onion soup mix, make up some instant mashed potatoes and open a can of gravy. Serve with leftover green bean gasserole. (shudder) And of course if this is what you like, go for it and enjoy it, no need to bother bellyaching about it. I also firmly believe that you can easily overcook things in a slow cooker. You can easily boil/steam all the moisture out of meat, turn the vegetables into mush and I really think it's important to realize it's an appliance that needs to be properly used to achieve best results. I've had delicious meals from slow cookers and I've had what I wouldn't feed as dog food that was made in a slow cooker. Cook's Country this weekend did a show about using a pork roast in a slow cooker. Their emphasis was what I've found. Less moisture is better. Here's an adaptation using a beef roast