Slow Cooker No-Nos

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Don't most of us have one of these? I know our household has had several. We've worn them out. They are so easy to use and the food turns out tender and tasty. The slow cooker is great for women who work. Just put in the ingredients and by the time you get home dinner is done. I remember the fad for a while was cooking ribs with Coca-Cola. But, as with most things, there are some things that don't do well in the slow cooker. They either taste awful or, have health risks. Here is a list of those things you may not want to use in the cooker: * Herbs are something you don't want to use. They tend to turn brown and ugly. Veggies like broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, and cauliflower. If you do want one of these in what you are cooking add it later and don't let it stew long or it will turn to mush. * Rice doesn't do well in the cooker. Since only take 20-30 minutes to cook put it in the slow cooker may have it turn out some crispy and the rest overcooked. I really don't care for crunchy rice. * Skinless chicken tends to dry out when cooked as long as the recipes for this cooker usually end up cooking. Any lean white meat will dry out because there is no fat so you are better off using a saucy recipe. Frozen meat used in the slow cooker can end up making you sick because it takes so long for it to thaw out. This may allow bacteria to grow. Shellfish cooks quickly and doesn't do well in this cooker. * Alcohol isn't able to burn off and so the food will have a more extreme flavor than what you probably want. * Beans cooked in a slow cooker can develop a toxin because the cooker doesn't reach a high enough temperature to destroy the toxin. The beans should always be soaked, rinsed, and then cooked for about 10 minutes before putting in the slow cooker. * If you are not using a specific recipe you may want to cut the amount of water you use by half. Too much water will make your dish turn out bland. Less spice is a good idea too for the opposite reason.