I was a bit slow to get involved with slow-cookers. I may not be as surprised as Hillary, but surprised I am.
I have not had great luck with the slow-cooking crockpot my daughter gave me from among the duplicate quadruplicate gifts she got for her wedding. But I'm not a quitter and, three grandchildren later--she has had three kids since she gave me the pot-- I've tried again. First, I decided to forgo the low settings and now I only cook on high.
Experiment, Second Round, Number 2
I placed cooked chicken and a meatloaf from the freezer into the crockpot.
Then I added some vegetables and red rice. To "speed things up," I poured boiling water. Then I set it on high, covered it and placed a heavy towel on top. Then I went to work.
I imagined myself walking through the door, after dealing with those teenage boys, and drooling over the yummy fragrance of my fully-cooked, ready to eat dinner.
At the same time, I kept trying to repress the nightmare which popped into to my head. I was afraid that I'd come home to a black house, electricity shorted, cold, uncooked food.
Yes, I was in suspense.
When I got home, the electricity worked, but I didn't smell any food awaiting me. So, I gingerly walked into the kitchen, afraid of what I'd find.
I lifted up the towel from my very slow cooker.
It looked cooked. Just to be safe, I took off the cover, and Baruch Hashem, Thank the Good Lord, the crockpot cracked out a good meal.
Yes, it even tasted
Looks good! Crockpots are cool these days. There are entire cookbooks devoted to "slow cooking" and there are tons of recipes online. They even sell plastic liner bags that you place the food in to make clean up much easier. I'm definitely thinking about buying a crockpot.
ReplyDeleteIf you have room for one (they do take up space) and you'll use it, why not.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice to come home to a nice cooked meal. It's like having a stay-at-home wife!
Crockpots are wonderful!!! We use ours to make roasts and stew and they're great for making cheese for nachos. Happy cooking!!!
ReplyDeleteUsing a crock pot takes some practice. Not all recipes turn out good. I use it for things like lamb shank, stews, etc. Items like beans, rice, etc. should be precooked before adding to a recipe. I start on high and turn it down to low after about an hour or so. I've noticed the brand of crockpot has a lot to do with the way recipes turn out.
ReplyDeleteTFF, thanks for the ideas; I sort of think of the crockpot as a "wife." That way there's hot food waiting for me after work.
ReplyDeletevicki, thanks for the reassurance.
Sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteI love my crockpot! Fix and Forget It Lightly is my favorite cookbook for low fat and healthy recipes that the whole family enjoys
Sounds good, thanks
ReplyDelete