Meet Stephanie O’Dea

I am the first to admit that cooking has never been my forte. There was a time when a dinner consisting of baked chicken, Bob Evans mashed potatoes, and corn was considered fine dining in my home, but no more. All that changed the day I brought home a Crockpot from Target. Who knew that in less than four hours an entire meal could be made? Not me! That’s for sure. From yummy dinners to mouthwatering desserts, cooking has never been so easy.

This month’s Jen’s Jewels Stephanie O’Dea shares my admiration for this miraculous kitchen appliance in her latest release MORE MAKE IT FAST, COOK IT SLOW 200 Brand New Recipes for Slow Cooker Meals on a Budget. Known for her popular Crockpot blog, she dishes up lots of scrumptious recipes perfect for a family on a budget. With helpful cooking tips including gluten-free menu selections, this cookbook will surely become your go- to kitchen resource.

This book officially releases on December 28th; Hyperion Books has graciously donated five advance reading copies for you, my favorite readers! Thank you very much, Hyperion Books. What an extraordinary treat! So, don’t forget to look for the trivia question at the end. And, thank you for making Jen’s Jewels a part of your holiday season.

Jen: Your cooking adventure started with a New Year’s Resolution back in 2008. Please share with us the details and how it launched a new profession for you.

Stephanie: Sure! I abruptly quit my job mid-2007 when my two-year-old began vomiting sporadically (we later learned it was because she had Celiac). I began working from home at the end of the year for BlogHerads.com, knew that to better understand my job, I should start a blog. My husband and I weren’t comfortable sharing too many personal details with the Internet, and we both liked the idea of a food blog. But I didn’t cook much---I pretty much only used my slow cooker to prepare our family meals. When I joked with Adam that I should make a New Year’s Resolution to use my Crock-Pot slow cooker every day for a year and write about it on the Internet, he told me to go for it.

Jen: For those readers who have their doubts about slow cookers, how versatile can cooking this way be? And in terms of health benefits, how nutritious are the various recipes?

Stephanie: Before my year-long challenge, I was like many and mostly used my slow cooker as a glorified pot roast machine. Since it wasn’t healthy to eat meat and potatoes every day, I was forced to learn how to cook “outside the crock”---and learned to make side dishes, steam fish in foil packets, create delicate desserts like crème brulée and cheesecake, and even use it to make homemade yogurt! The slow cooker is an incredibly versatile and valuable tool to put to work in a busy household.

Since slow cookers allow meat to tenderize in their own juices, you can use a much leaner cut of meat than needed when cooking traditionally. I’m grossed out by visible fat, and skin all of my poultry, and trim my red meat. When slow- cooking vegetables, the cooking liquid is retained, and therefore all of the vitamins and nutrients stay in the pot.

Jen: A very basic question but one I have to ask, which size and type of Crockpot is best to purchase? Do you prefer one brand over another?

Stephanie: There are many slow cookers on the market, in a variety of price-points. I recommend purchasing a programmable model. For a family, a 6- quart is usually the correct size to purchase. If you’d like to make less food, you can insert an oven-safe dish into the stoneware to create a smaller cooking vessel (this is great for dips and desserts!). You can find a very good 6-quart programmable for right around $50.

Jen: Please take us on a slow-cooker crash course. What are some basic tips when cooking with a Crockpot?

Stephanie: One of the reasons I like slow cooking is the lack of rules! That said, your machine will work the best when it is 2/3 to ¾ of the way full. If you find that you aren’t regularly filling your pot to this capacity, you may want to invest in a smaller model. I do not follow the “no peeking” advice that. I like to stir, taste, and prod my food. It makes me feel useful (although it certainly isn’t necessary for your food to cook properly. It just makes me happy).

Jen: Is it safe to reheat meals in the Crockpot? Why or why not?

Stephanie: All of the slow cooker manufacturers advise against reheating food in the slow cooker. The stoneware should always be room temperature when it’s put into the heating element to keep in the proper “safety zone” and to ward against possible cracking.

Jen: Your blog, crockpot365.blogspot.com, is very popular with over 55,000 subscribers. Please take us on a brief tour of your website highlighting the most helpful cooking sections.

Stephanie: I began the site with the intention of creating a highly- trafficked website without spending any of my own money (outside of groceries). I wanted to see if it was possible to create a kitchen-table (or counter, in this case!) business that would provide passive income for our family. The site was built with search engines in mind. While I do have a great deal of subscribers, most of my web traffic (over 1 million page views a month) comes directly from search engines.

Jen: Your latest endeavor is MORE MAKE IT FAST, COOK IT SLOW 200 Brand New Recipes for Slow Cooker Meals on a Budget. How does this book differ from the original MAKE IT FAST, COOK IT SLOW? And, are all of these recipes your own?

Stephanie: The new book focuses on one of my favorite hobbies: saving money. I’m kind of a closet-cheapskate, and while the first Make it Fast cookbook was revolutionary because it explored new and different uses for the slow cooker, some of the recipes weren’t practical for many families. All of the recipes in each book have been adapted by me to be gluten-free and for use in the slow cooker.

Jen: Please describe for us the format of the book and how best to make use of the sections.

Stephanie: The book is separated into 3 sections: $7 recipes, $10 recipes, and “splurge” recipes for $15 or less. I’d suggest making a meal plan and budget and utilizing the section that best fits your family’s needs.

Jen: In terms of taste, is there a noticeable difference in gluten-free cooking? And, for those on a diet, does gluten-free cooking provide a viable alternative for losing weight?

Stephanie: Most of my recipes are naturally gluten-free. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye and I simply choose to not focus on recipes that call for such ingredients. When I need to use flour, I use a gluten-free baking mix. For stuffing, I use brown-rice bread.

Everything I make is gluten-free, and I have never had a complaint by a gluten- eater. If you are not gluten-free, simply ignore my notes or file them away in case you ever need to cook for someone with a gluten sensitivity.

I would not advise going gluten-free if you are trying to lose weight.

Jen: With the holidays upon us, how can we use the slow-cooker to help with the busyness of the season? Can you make mashed or sweet potatoes in the slow-cooker?

Stephanie: Yup! This past Thanksgiving we had 6 slow cookers lining the countertops. I love getting all the chopping and food prep done early in the day. By noon the kitchen was clean and mopped and we were able to enjoy our guests and watch football (okay, not me. I wasn’t really paying attention to the game—but it was on!).

Jen: Appetizers are easy to make in the Crockpot due to the simplicity of most recipes. If we wanted to dazzle our guests, what would you suggest we try first?

Stephanie: My friend Mir just wrote to let me know that she threw a fondue party for her husband’s 40th birthday. One of the biggest hits was my Fruit and Horseradish Cream Cheese Spread. While it looks and tastes fancy, it’s super easy to throw together: 8-ounces cream cheese, 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, 1/3 cup apricot preserves, and a handful of dried cranberries. Cook on low for about 2 hours, and then spread onto your favorite crackers.

Jen: As for stew, is there an insider’s tip for cooking non-chewy meat? I confess…my stew never turns out the way mom used to make on the stovetop!

Stephanie: Ah! This actually means that you aren’t cooking your meat long enough. Chewy or dry meat isn’t from over slow-cooking; it’s from under slow-cooking! Your stew meat should pull apart easily with a fork. Jen: Surprisingly, the slow-cooker can also be used for desserts. Is it possible to make decadent gourmet desserts using the slow-cooker, or do simple recipes work best? And, which ones are your favorite and why?

Stephanie: You can be fancy and do turtle pudding, or an Oreo cheesecake, or you can be super simple and make a caramel dipping sauce for apples—your choice! I’m currently eating a little too many of the Sugared Cinnamon Almonds (they’re pretty addicting!).

Jen: What’s next for you? Are you currently at work on your next cookbook?

Stephanie: I have a shortcut book for busy families coming out in August of 2011, based upon my totallytogetherjournal.com blog. I actually wrote this book before I started on any of this Crockpot craziness!

Jen: Thank you so much for stopping by to chat with my readers. I am looking forward to making my slow-cooker a permanent fixture on my kitchen counter! There is nothing tastier than a slow-cooker meal. Best of luck with the book! Happy Holidays!

Stephanie: Thank you so much for having me! Please let me know if you need any help with your cooker. :-)

I hope you have enjoyed my interview with Stephanie. Please mark your calendars for December 28th so you can stop by your favorite bookstore or library branch and pick up a copy. Better yet, how would you like to win one now?

Okay, be ONE of the FIVE readers to answer the following trivia question and you could win an advanced copy of MORE MAKE IT FAST, COOK IT SLOW 200 Brand New Recipes for Slow Cooker Meals on a Budget!

What is the name of Stephanie’s blog?

In January 2011, I will be bringing to you my interview with Lynn Schnurnberger, author of the hilarious book THE BEST LAID PLANS. You won’t want to miss it.

Happy Holidays!

Jen