My father and grandfather were constantly on the lookout for business opportunities. Grandfather found many diverse opportunities. In his lifetime, he was an owner of dray lines, at least one cafe and hotel, three or more gasoline stations, a barber shop, a furniture and undertaking business, shoe repair shop and... I probably have forgotten some of his ventures. My father primarily looked for ways to diversify his gasoline business. We didn’t know it at the time but his station included many of goods and services now found in what we call farm supply stores and convenience stores.
I suspect I overlook a lot of opportunities while on the lookout for things I can write about and take pictures of.
Earlier this month, I saw a promotion for a three-minute plan to end knee pain and restore arthritic knee motion.
After listening to the internet pitch, I hit upon a get-rich, 3-minute plan of my own.
It calls for joining forces with Rita to develop and market a cookbook featuring three-minute slow cooker recipes.
I’m sure there would be an eager market for such a product. I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t like a tasty and nutritious home cooked meal prepared in a slow cooker and ready to serve in three minutes.
I’m told many Americans want to limit meal preparation to three minutes and thus the grocery stores are stocked with convenience foods. There is also a movement encouraging “home cooked foods.”
If one could devise a recipe book for ready-in-three-minute home cooked meals prepared in a slow cooker, orders would roll in like a tidal wave.
Earlier this fall, Rita attended a slow-cooker class sponsored in Mankato by the Post Rock Extension District.
Last week she tried a couple of recipe ideas gleaned from that school. Each recipe made enough for 8 meals.
After the cooking was completed, the food was divided into meal-size portions and frozen.
We had at least one of those meals every day until the freezer was emptied, I didn’t time the meal prep time but it wasn’t much more than 3 minutes from refrigerator, to microwave to table,
When writing the cookbook, one should include a safety tip.
I haven’t read any research on the subject, but I’ve long suspected slow cookers had the potential to spread food poisoning. As a college student, I witnessed multiple instances when the college food service tried to save and serve a left over casserole-type menu item. Large pans filled with the suspect casserole had been on the line through the two-hour or longer serving time, refrigerated, reheated and then put on the line another day.
Being held at a warm temperature for long periods encouraged the growth of the microbes which cause food poisoning.
A recent social media post reminded me of those times when hundreds of college students got food poisoning after eating the same left out casseroles.
The person making the post told of preparing a slow cooker meal and going off leaving the food in an unplugged slow cooker. When supper time came around, she was disappointed to discover the planned menu item hadn’t cooked in the unplugged pot.
Trying to salvage the food, she plugged in the slow cooker and started the cooking. She expected it would be done before she went to bed.
When getting ready for bed, she discovered the meal was not yet done. Fearing it might burn if left on all night, the cooker was unplugged and left on the counter to cool.
When checked the next morning, she was pleased to discover the retained heat had finished the cooking process.
Apparently she got away with it as I didn’t read a later post reporting on her family being sick. Hopefully she doesn’t repeat the process. If she does, I fear some day those who consume the food will contract food poisoning.
When the cooking is finished, meals prepared in a slow cooker should either be promptly eaten or refrigerated.
And so considering the risks, I have decided not to publish “3 Minute Slow Cooker Recipes.” If the recipe didn’t turn out and someone got sick, I wouldn’t want to be held liable.
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