Cool Cooking on a Hot Day

Most of us think of using our slow cookers (or Crock-Pots) in the winter to make soups and roasts, but they are also a great appliance for summer use. Making a casserole or meat in the slow cooker uses less electricity and keeps the kitchen cooler than using the range and oven.
The slow cooker should cook foods between 190 - 212 degrees for best results over a time period of 4 to 8 hours. If the temperatures are below that, the food will be underdone and may not be safe. Over 212 degrees and food may be dried out and overdone. Test the slow cooker by filling 1/2 - 2/3 full of water and set to cook. Check the temperature at 2 hours, 4 hours, and 6 hours. For food safety reasons, the temperature should be above 185 degrees. You may want to check the temperatures at the various levels - warm, low, and high.

From our Greenwood County Cattlewomen's Cookbook of last summer, I chose the Crockpot Pizza (by Anna Curry - our new Ag Agent at the Extension Office) to try for company last week. It is definitely a 'keeper recipe'.

CROCKPOT PIZZA
1 pound hamburger, browned (I used about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 small bag rigatoni noodles (cooked)
2 (8-oz) bags shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I used cream of celery, I like that flavor better)
1 onion, chopped
2 small cans pizza sauce
1 (8-oz) package sliced pepperoni
(I also added 1 small can of sliced mushrooms, drained)
Alternate each ingredient in layers two times in a greased crock pot or 9" x 13" pan; beef, noodles, cheese, soup, onion, sauce and pepperoni. Bake 4 hours on low in crock pot or in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.