CHECK OUT : NEWS AND TIPS SHAPE OF SLOW COOKING.

Byline: - Daily News Staff and Wire Services

Rival has introduced a new shape for its Crock-Pot slow cooker; the new oval size accommodates larger cuts of meats and casseroles. Three ceramic patterns are sold in 4.5- and 5.5-quart capacities for $35 to $40 at select department stores.

Freebie leaflet

Looking for some new ideas on how to prepare sweet potatoes? ``How Sweet It Is,'' a new recipe brochure from the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, includes ideas along with storage and nutrition information. Among the recipes are Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Fantastic Fritters, Zesty Sweet Potato Corn Salsa and Coconut Crusted Sweet Potato Pie. For a free copy send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to: ``How Sweet It Is, '' North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, 1327 N. Brightleaf Blvd., Suite H, Smithfield, N.C. 27577.

When the chips are down

What's your favorite cookie? When consumers were asked that question in a survey for the Wearever bakeware maker, 52 percent chose chocolate chip. A very distant second (10 percent) was oatmeal raisin, followed by peanut butter, oatmeal, sugar cookies, molasses, chocolate chip-oatmeal, Snickerdoodles, cut-outs and ginger snaps.

Free calendar

Five up-and-coming young chefs have provided recipes for a free 1998 recipe calendar. Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines' ``Hot Chefs, Cold Milk'' calendar is available by calling [phone], or logging into the milk Web site (www.whymilk.com)

San Francisco food guide

Anyone traveling to the City by the Bay should get their hands on a copy of the revised and updated (2nd edition) ``Patricia Unterman's Food Lover's Guide to San Francisco,'' (Chronicle Books; $15.95). With more than 400 entries - ranging from restaurants and bakers to cookware vendors, bookstores, delis, ethnic markets, farmers markets and more, Unterman allows readers to experience what the Bay Area has to offer through the eyes of both a seasoned professional (she is the restaurant reviewer for the San Francisco Examiner) and a home cook. What makes it particularly useful is that it is organized by neighborhood or area so if you are going to North Beach, Chinatown or Union Square, for instance, everything is within easy reach - and you can find out where to eat and explore with ease. We tried the first edition of the book on several trips to San Francisco - and found it invaluable. The Napa and Sonoma Wine Country sections were great, too.

'98 nibbles

Food & Wine magazine has named the top food trends for 1998. In the kitchen, we'll see interest in eggplant, asparagus, beets, ginger and anchovies, along with soul food, sea salts, bison (the hot low-fat meat), and big beans, especially giant white limas. In restaurants, childhood sweets, such as s'mores and cotton candy, will become desserts; regional Mexican menus and Korean food will be trendy. At the bar, look for single-village mezcal, German beers, vodka from unexpected places, and Riesling.

Seafood safety

The seafood industry has adopted a new system of processing fish to help prevent food-borne disease. Under the new rules issued by the Clinton administration, seafood processors must identify potential hazards such as mercury, parasites, bacteria and natural toxins that make seafood unsafe, and take steps to prevent the risks. A similar system is being phased into the U.S. meat- and poultry-processing industry soon to prevent contamination by E. coli and other food-borne pathogens.

Those hearty reds

Now we know why red wine is good for health. A team at Northwestern University said resveratrol, a chemical known to be highly concentrated in grape skins, acts like estrogen, a hormone known to protect against heart disease. Several studies have concluded that one or two glasses a day of red wine - no more - can help protect against heart disease and perhaps cancer.