Instructions: Eight helpful hints for sure fire crockery pot success.

* Adjust seasonings at the end of cooking. Some spices, such as pepper, intensify with lengthy cooking. Others, such as garlic, become diluted and less pungent. Rule of thumb for spices: include whole spices at the beginning of cooking; stir in ground spices and tender herbs at the end.

Before serving, taste your creation, and spice it up as desired.

* Garnish dishes for visual pizzazz. Colors fade with lengthy cooking, and a simple garnish can really brighten things up. See above for some off-the-shelf suggestions.

* Use small quantities of liquids when cooking soups. Before serving, thin the soup to an appropriate consistency with water, broth, tomato juice, or milk. Cover and heat on HIGH until hot, 15 to 60 minutes.

* Jump-start cooking by setting the cooker on HIGH for the first hour.

* Resist peeking. Every time you lift the lid, cooking time is extended, because slow cookers arent designed to crank up the heat when some escapes. These are slow, steady gizmos, from the start of cooking to the finish. Remove the lid only during the last half of cooking and do so only to stir food or check doneness.

* Prepare ingredients ahead, if you want, to make best use of your available time.

* Fill cookers half to three-quarters full, advise manufacturers. Refer to the instructions accompanying your cooker for more information.

* Increase cooking times as necessary if you live at a high altitude.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.