Glorious Garnishes

One aspect many cooks perceive as a downside of the slow cooker is that most food is soft and has a uniform texture when it finishes cooking. Now that you've mastered the basics of slow cooking and how to prepare foods, here are some ideas to help those delicious dishes garner a "Wow!" when they appear on the table:

• Instead of adding cheese to a dish for the last part of the cooking time, sprinkle it on top of the food right before you serve it. This is especially good with hard cheeses like Parmesan and feta.
• For an unexpected crunch, add toasted croutons to the tops of stews and soups before serving.
• Sprigs of fresh herbs used while cooking the dishes add color.
• Toast nuts like slivered almonds and chopped walnuts in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes and sprinkle on stews before serving.
• Crumbled bacon is a good garnish for pork stews and hearty soups.

Versatile Value

The crockery insert in your slow cooker is delicate, but it's not a marshmallow. It can be placed in the microwave, if your microwave is large enough to hold it, and a warmed insert can go right in a preheated oven.

You can shortcut steps like pre-cooking onions by cooking them in the insert in the microwave rather than cooking them on the stove. (If you go this route, know the onions will not achieve the same caramelized flavor.)

If you want to brown the top of a casserole, preheat the oven broiler or set the oven temperature at 450°F and set the warmed insert containing the finished dish inside for a few minutes. Then use the insert as a serving dish by placing it on a trivet right on the table.