Cook book recommendations: Slow Cooker Revolution Volumes 1 and 2

I've been cooking a lot lately out of the Slow Cooker Revolution. This weekend, for example, I made the Balsamic-Braised Chicken with Swiss Chard and the Short Ribs in Red Wine Sauce. Both were big hits. Deep, rich flavor. Easy to make, easy to like. I love this cookbook, so I just ordered Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2.

One of the real advantages of this cookbook series is that they show you how to use your slow cooker to make a host of meals beyond the usual braises, stews, and soups. As the blurb for Volume 2 explains:

With this volume, we looked at this must-have appliance in new ways to truly maximize its potential. You'll learn how to make a host of dishes like Garlicky Shrimp, Chicken Soft Tacos, and Flourless Chocolate Cake--recipes you'd never expect to see coming out of a slow cooker. The moist heat of the slow cooker is tailor-made to serve up flavorful stews, chilis, and braises (and don't worry--we've included a good number of these), but with our smart strategies and clever ingredient selections, we were also able to pull off spice-rubbed roast chicken, ziti with meaty ragu, rare roast beef, poached salmon and even cheesecake.