Please do NOT....take my CROCK POT!

[MOM2-2]

Since I work full time........and have 2 children.........dd 11 1/2 and ds 5 1/2............and an Italian dh...........meal time is important! I bought myself a cookbook for crockpots at Christmas time............and WOW.........I have not stopped using it!

I'll tell you gals..........it definitely is a one pot meal.........so easy......and clean up is a snap! My crockpot is 3 pieces......a warming dish..........a teflon coated metal dish.........and a pyrex dish/cover........it is rectangular shape. What' s nice about it being 3 pieces is..........you can mix the ingredients in the metal dish (acts as a serving dish)........put it in refridge the night before all put together..........cook it.......and then serve it in the tray....right to the table.................like I said not much clean up!!!!!!!

You can use it for more than just stews..........I did a pot roast, barbecued shredded beef/pork, soups, casseroles, desserts............its endless!

And here's a thought...........if you do not like to leave the crock, unattended..................why not cook in the crock while you sleep at night............and tomorrow night's meal will be cooked when you wake up!!!!!!!!!

I just wanted to share it with you gals.............GOOD LUCK!

[Rain]

I could not agree more!! I am a sahm and I use my crockpot 2-3 times a week!!! I love it!

We don't eat meat, but we eat a lot of chicken, turkey and fish, and the crock is great for all kinds of chicken and turkey meals. It's also great for one pot veggie dishes and soups!

What a time saver! I prepare the food the either the night before or in the morning in the removable stoneware, and then after running errands etc. all day, I come home and dinner is ready!! The food comes out so soft it's great for babies and toddlers!!!

[sleepies]

i just love mine too

ooooooooh it is soooooo easy


we got a new one.

looking for recipies is fun!

[Mamaste]

Would you all please share some of your favorite recipes (even how to do basics like stews and meats)? Thanks ~

[Rain]

Here are our two favorite crockpot dinners-

Turkey Chowder
ingredients- 1 pkge ground turkey
1 can of V8
2 med sweet potatoes
1 large or 2 small zucchini's
1 med onion

directions- in a pan, cook ground turkey until crumbly (I add 1 clove minced garlic to it and cook the turkey until done)
cut up sweet potatoes into cubes, slice onion and slice zucchini (I cut the sliced zucchini into fours)
Put vegetable into crockpot, top with turkey and add the can of V8. Cook on low for 8-10 hrs or high 4-6 (I have done it both ways and it comes out the same) You can add a dollop of sour cream to the chowder when you eat it.

Barbeque Chicken
Ingredients 1 cut up chicken, or whatever chicken parts you like
1 bottle of barbeque sauce (I like KC Masterpiece original)

directions- put chicken in crockpot, add bottle of bbq sauce and cook on low 8-10hrs.

I usually start the crockpot on high for an hour or so at the beginning and then switch it to low.

I'd like to see some other recipe's as well!!
Happy cooking!!

[MOM2-2]

I made this for dinner tonight..........and it was "thumbs up" from my whole gang...........dh, 11 1/2 dd, and 5 1/2 ds. Sorry here it is:

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLE STEW

1 lb. hot or mild Italian sausage, cut into 1" pieces

1 pkg. (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables (onions and green, red and yellow bell peppers)

1 can (14.5 oz) diced Italian -style tomatoes, undrained

2 medium zucchini, sliced

1 jar/can (4.5 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs. Italian-style tomato paste

Heat large skillet over high heat until hot. Add sausage; cook about 5 minutes or until browned. Pour off any drippings.

Combine sausage, frozen vegetables, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and garlic in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 4 to 4 1/2 hours or until zucchini is tender. Stir in tomato paste. Cover and cook 30 minutes or until juices have thickened.

Makes 6 (1 cup) servings

Serving Suggestions: Italian Sausage and Vegetable Stew is excellent served with garlic bread or breadsticks.

BON APPETITE!

[rsps]

I got a grain grain/veggie crock recipe off the boards before. (It's cooking at home even as I type) I'll try to post it tomorrow, or maybe the orignal poster could do it again. It had brown rice barley, vegies, beans etc.

[robynberkley]

You gals must've read my mind. We just got a crockpot and I am looking forward to preparing my first meal today!

I would LOVE to share recipes but have none to share right now! Thanks for posting yours.

Quick questions...why is it OK to cook brown rice and wild rice in a crock pot, but NOT white rice, unless its instant or "converted"??? None of my crockpot books have the answer! I HATE instant rice but don't want to miss out on rice-based meals because of it. I like brown rice, but not all the time.

Cheers...Robyn

[Julie]

Oh I love my Crockpot! I got a new one for Christmas cause I killed my old one

[robynberkley]

First experience with crockpot was GREAT!!! It ended up cooking a bit longer than expected but I added a bit of milk and it was fine!

Yummy!

Any suggestions on my rice question???


Robyn

[stormborn]

i've made soup in the crockpot w/ white rice & it turned out fine. so try it anyway, maybe precook it a little if you think it won't cook long enough to finish the rice.

[blueridgewoman]

My favorite thing in the WHOLE WORLD to have for breakfast is oatmeal from the crockpot- I grease the pot and use regular rolled oats (NOT the quick kind) and put one part oats, one part water in there at about 10:30 at night, and then turn it on low.

Sure enough, at 7:30 the next morning (I overcook a little- you're only supposed to cook it for about 6-7 hours), I have sticky, gooey, yummy oatmeal.

Now I'm hungry! Yum!

[Mamaste]

Crockpot Grains

1/4 cup millet (uncooked)
1/4 cup barley (uncooked)
1/3 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 1-pound can any type of beans, drained
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 1-pound can diced tomatos
1 can corn, drained
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. garlic powder
About 2 cups water (water + tomato liquid = about 2-1/2 cups)
salt and pepper to taste

Dump it all in, stir it up and cook on low 8 hours.

(You can vary the spices, of course, according to what you have on hand and what you like. I imagine that dried beans would work fine, too.)

[rsps]

BabyPhat
thanks for posting that recipe. I haven't been on-line since I said i would do it.

I also subsitite quinoa or other other grains for the millet or barley depending on what I have on hand.

[Wildflower]

Inspired by y'all, this morning I put 1.5 cups each brown rice and amaranth in w/9 cups of water, and when I checked it just now I have a yummy pot of well-cooked niceness, ready to be eaten with soy sauce and veggies for dinner, or soymilk and honey for breakfast or dessert! First time cooking grains in a crock, and even though I just made it real no-frills like, to me it was still a much more relaxing cooking experience than all the watching and timing and scouring burned pots of my personality combined with the regular cooking method. I'm going to keep trying grains incrocks, I'll report back!

[Mamaste]

Wow, rsps, same recipe you use?

[gardenmommy]

I'd love to see some more vegetarian crockpot recipes. I used to use my crockpot all the time before we stopped eating meat. Now, I only use it for a couple of soups. I'd appreciate any ideas. I love putting it in and coming back later to see/smell supper cooking; especially right now with a 3 wk. old baby and a 3 y.o. ds!

[Mamaste]

(Hey, where's Argyle, anyway? Near DFW?)

[gardenmommy]

Baby Phat, Argyle is north of Ft. Worth, about 40 min. Are you in this area?

[Mamaste]

Yup yup, I knew that town sounded familiar! We're in DFW. Have you visited the DFW thread in the Finding Your Tribe folder? We also have a local board where we coordinate gatherings and such. Maybe you can make it some time!

And back on topic ... Can anyone who cooks meat in their crock please post some average weights/cooking times for various cuts?