Not all slow-cooker recipes are created to simmer the livelong day. A few of the recipes here, from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook," can be done during a weekend afternoon of errands.
Orange Black Beans With Cumin
2 to 4 servings
These beans have enough flavor of their own to serve as a main-dish match with rice or as a side dish with similarly inspired chicken or beef. Mushy they are not. The recipe is loosely adapted from "The Stanford University Healthy Heart Cookbook & Life Plan" (Chronicle Books, 1997).
Two 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 medium shallot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of ground cinnamon or cardamom
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For serving:
