Modern moms are constantly bouncing from place to place. After school activities, work, doctor's appointments, even daily errands get in the way of the ability to cook a nutritious and tasty meal for the family. The ability to cook just about anything in a slow cooker can alter that imbalance. Slow cookers are the most overlooked and valuable kitchen appliance in the modern home. Almost everyone has one, but most people don't realize the versatility of slow cookers. This recipe collection provides just a brief introduction to what these appliances can do. The recipes contain ingredients found in most kitchens, and produce delicious and healthy results. The goal of feeding a family is providing healthy food that you can feel good about preparing and serving. Processed foods are an easy answer, but their nutrient value is lower, and their sodium content is generally higher than home-cooked meals. This collection strives to provide a wide variety of options using very few processed items. That said, there are some items such as soup stocks and tomato sauce that are used. As a result, I've included a brief prologue with some basic recipes for kitchen staples that you can make ahead. Each recipe was prepared in our test kitchen. Each recipe includes an original picture of the actual recipe that was prepared. The recipes in this report call for 'large' eggs by default, and unless a cooked ingredient is specified, all items are to be incorporated in the raw state. Since this is a family and diet friendly cookbook, none of the recipes use lard, pork, or alcohol. Major allergens such as peanuts and berries are also largely avoided. Each recipe includes the following sections: Title Brief description Photograph Number of Servings Prep Time Cooking Time Ingredients Instructions Nutritional Information Cooking tips [where appropriate] Relax for a while. Read a book, watch a TV show, go for a walk; good food doesn't have to make you a slave to your kitchen!