Book excerpt: A New York Times bestseller, this cookbook established Mable Hoffman as a premier cooking enthusiast--well-deserved praise for one who has spent decades extolling the benefits of slow cooking. Her easy and affordable recipes for appetizers, soups, and main dishes are designed to bring out that "simmered-in" flavor that only slow cooking can provide. In addition to the new recipes, this edition contains many others that have been revised to reduce fat and calories.