UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Many home cooks tend to use their slow cookers in the winter, when warm soups and thick stews are on the menu. But summer actually might be the best time to use a slow cooker, according to an expert in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.

"Winter is not the only time slow cookers come in handy," says Mandel Smith, a nutrition educator with Penn State Cooperative Extension. "Slow cookers can also be helpful in the warm summer months when you want to avoid using a hot oven.

"Slow cookers make meal planning easier any time of year," she adds. "A slow cooker can make life a little more convenient because by planning ahead, you save time later. And these counter-top appliances use less electricity than an oven."

Smith says because slow cookers cook foods slowly at a low temperature, many people wonder if foods prepared in them are safe. "Most slow cookers cook food at temperatures between 170 degrees and 280 degrees F," she explains. "The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods."

Smith offers these suggestions for safely using your slow cooker:

--Begin with a clean cooker, clean utensils and a clean work area. "Wash your hands before and during food preparation," Smith advises.

--Keep perishable foods refrigerated until preparation time. "If you cut up meat and vegetables in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator," she says. "The slow cooker may take several hours to reach a safe, bacteria-killing temperature. Constant refrigeration assures that bacteria, which multiply quickly at room temperature, won't get a head start during the first few hours of cooking."

--Always defrost meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker. Cut food into chunks or small pieces to ensure thorough cooking.

--Do not use the slow cooker for large pieces, such as a roast or whole chicken, because the food will cook so slowly that it could remain in the bacterial "danger zone" -- between 40 and 140 degrees F -- for too long.

--Use the right amount of food. "Fill the cooker no less than half full and no more than two-thirds full," Smith recommends. "Put vegetables in first, at the bottom and around the sides of the crock. Then add meat and cover the food with liquid, such as broth, water or barbecue sauce."

--Keep the lid in place, removing it only to stir the food or check for doneness.

What should you do if the power goes out? "If you're not at home during the entire slow-cooking process and the power goes out, discard the food even if it looks done," she says.

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EDITORS: Mandel Smith can be reached at 610-489-4315 or by e-mail at mjs52@psu.edu.

Chuck Gill 814-863-2713 cdg5@psu.edu