Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/708753
It'saningeniousappli- ance because it's simple. It cooks slowly — really slowly. It can take up to 8 hours to pre- pare a meal, whereas other meth- ods take 30 minutes. But unlike that 30-min- ute meal, a slow cooker doesn't need to a babysit- ter. There's no coddling re- quired. You can just throw the ingredients in, set the timer and walk away. But that's not all. A slow cooker requires very lit- tle energy. On average it costs 21 cents to run a slow cooker for 10 hours. If you cook a pork roast for in the oven 2 hours it costs $2.51 for an electric oven and $1.49 for a gas oven. Over the course of an en- tire year, the low operating cost of a slow cooker will really help you save. There's one more thing: A slow cooker doesn't heat up the kitchen the way a stovetop or oven can. This time of year when temper- atures are soaring right along with the cost of air conditioning, that's a big deal. Slow cookers are pretty basic. Some have programmable timers, but they generally have "On" and "Off" buttons and a dial to tell the thing how many hours to cook. What you'll want to pay most at- tention to when selecting a slow cooker is the size. For peak performance it should only be about three-quarters of the way full while cooking. That means a 7-quart model would be too big for, say, a family of 2. Con- versely, a family of six would not be happy with a 1.5-quart model. For your consideration, here are the three best in- expensive slow cookers on the market today, plus a fourth that is not that in- expensive, but has all the bells and whistles. Proctor Silex 33015YA 1- -Quart Round Slow Cooker. This small slow cooker, suitable for two or three people, has regu- lar temperature settings — high, low and warm. The removable crock and glass lid go in the dishwasher. It costs about $18. Crock-Pot SCV401TR 4-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker. This beautiful red slow cooker (it also comes in silver and black) is your basic workhorse. It has high, low and warm settings, and the re- movable stoneware and lid are both dishwasher- safe. It's perfect for four or more. It handles a 4-pound roast well. This one costs about $25. Crock-Pot SCV700SS 7-Quart Oval Stainless Steel Manual Slow Cooker. This beauty is the cooker of choice for a large family — perfect for nine or more. A 7-pound roast fits well. This slow cooker has the same features as those above. It's just bigger. It sells for about $35.Cuisin- art MSC-400 3-In-1 Cook Central 4-Quart Multi- Cooker. This is more than a slow cooker. With the press of a button it can brown, steam and saute, too. It has an extra-large blue, backlit LCD display so the time and tempera- ture settings are easy to read. As a slow cooker it has the typical high, low and warm settings. With a 4-quart capacity, this great appliance is perfect for a family of four to six. It costs about $100. For links to these crockpots and more please visit www.ev- erydaycheapskate.com/ slowcooker. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Youdefinitelyneedaslowcooker MT. SHASTA ShastaYama 2016 will feature some of the most innovative taiko music and artists in the world starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 30 at Mount Shasta's Shastice Park, 800 Rockfellow Drive. Featured headliners will be On Ensemble from Los Angeles, Portland Oregon's Unit Souzou, jazz influ- enced quartet Tadaima, a special group of "now gen- eration" taiko artists from across North America and Shasta Taiko from Mount Shasta. On Ensemble, with their phenomenal skills and cre- ativity, has taken Japa- nese drumming to new lev- els combining taiko with ukulele, vibraphones, flute, world percussion, Tuva voice singing, and modern drum set to create an inno- vative exciting sound. Two of the members, Shoji Ka- meda and Masato Baba, started as children with Shasta Taiko and today are recognized leading Amer- ican taiko artists. Ver- satile percussionist and taiko player Eien Hunter- Ishikawa and talented multi-instrumentalist Abe Lagrimas Jr., round out the outstanding ensemble. Vir- tuoso koto and shamisen player and singer Sumie Kaneko will join On Ensem- ble for the ShastaYama 2016 performance. ShastaYama favorites Mi- chelle Fujii and Toru Wata- nabe form Unit Souzou, known for their dynamic fusion of taiko and dance. The duo will also be fea- tured in both the Shasta Taiko and Tadaima sets. Tadaima, led by Amer- ican taiko pioneers and Shasta Taiko and Shas- taYama founders Russel Baba and Jeanne Mercer, will perform jazz influenced original music combining saxophone with taiko and will be joined by their son Masato Baba and bassist Gary Fitzgerald from Los Angeles. Added to the lineup are outstanding "now" Ameri- can and international taiko artists Bruce Ghent, Isaku Kageyama, Joe Small, Yee- man Mui, and Heidi Chan, performing a special piece for ShastaYama 2016. Each artist brings unique artistic experiences to taiko, from theater to dance and vari- ous musical influences. Shasta Taiko from Mount Shasta and Siskiyou County, will open ShastaYama 2016, and their original set will feature all ShastaYama guest artists in high en- ergy and entertaining col- laborations. For more information on ShastaYama 2016 and fea- tured artists, check www. shastayama.org or call 859- 8686. Gate tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for ages 6-17 years and free for 5 years and younger. Gate opens at 5 p.m. Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $13 for ages 6-17 years. Advance tickets may be purchased at Bogbean Books and Music in Redding, call (800) 926- 4865 x 203 or visit www. shastayama.org. ShastaYama is an out- door evening event — blan- kets, lawn chairs, warm clothes and flashlights are advised. Food and refresh- ments will be available. SHASTAYAMA Celebrationoftaiko,music,dancesetforSaturday CONTRIBUTED ShastaYama taiko festival. Mary Hunt Scammers are target- ing college students with a new twist on a classic con. Con artists imperson- ate IRS agents and demand that students pay a fic- tional tax... or face arrest. Howthescamworks Your phone rings, and the Caller ID shows it's from the IRS. When you answer, the caller claims to be an IRS agent. He or she says that you failed to pay your "federal student tax." Now, insists the caller, you are wanted for tax evasion and a warrant will be is- sued for your arrest. However, the 'agent' can clear your name if you pay the tax immediately. You need to go to a nearby store and purchase a pre- paid debit card, money order, or even a gift card and read the numbers to the 'agent'. If you do so, the 'agent' will steal the money and disappear. IRS impostors often go to great lengths to appear realistic. Victims report that scammers use Caller ID spoofing technology to appear to be calling from IRS headquarters in Wash- ington, DC. Con artists sometimes follow up scam calls with an email, which use the IRS logo, colors and official-sounding lan- guage. How to spot an IRS impostor scam Be wary if you are be- ing asked to act immedi- ately. Scammers typically try to push you into action before you have had time to think. The IRS will give you the chance to question or appeal what you owe. The IRS doesn't call, text, or email first. The IRS won't call about payment or overdue taxes unless they have first contacted you by letter. Don't wire money, use a prepaid debit card or pay by gift card. Scammers of- ten pressure people into these forms of payment. It's like sending cash: once it's gone, you can't trace it. The IRS says it will never demand immediate pay- ment, require a specific form of payment, or ask for credit card or debt card numbers over the phone. If you owe taxes or you think you might, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 or irs.gov. IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue, if there is an issue. SCAM ALERT Co ll eg e st ud en ts , wa tc h out for this fake tax con The Sierra Club Yahi Group is hosting the fol- lowing events during Au- gust. Unless otherwise noted, trips are free and open to the public and begin at the trail head. If you have any ques- tions or want further in- formation about specific activities call Wayland Au- gur at 519-4724 or write to wba@acm.org. Friday, Aug. 5 to Tues- day, Aug. 9 — Car camp at Summit Lake, Lassen Park Limited camping avail- able right beside Summit lake with many hikes, fish- ing, boating in the area and throughout Lassen Park. Call co-leaders Jeanne at 321-7279 or Barbara at 258- 3905 to get more informa- tion and to sign up. Saturday, Aug. 27 — Day Hike in Lassen National Park Relax with an optional swim of Terrace, Shadow and Cliff Lakes. Four miles round trip, 700 feet elevation gain. Bring lunch, snacks, water, camera, swimsuit, money for drivers. Meet at 8 a.m. at Chico Park and Ride or at 9:45 a.m. at the Visitor Cen- ter at the south entrance of Lassen Volcanic Park or Terrace Lake trail head at 10:15 a.m. Call Barbara at 258- 3905 or Alan at 891-8789 for more information. SIERRA CLUB Yahi Group activities planned for August Scammers typically try to push you into action before you have had time to think. The IRS will give you the chance to question or appeal what you owe. 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