Crockpot Meals
If you don’t own a crockpot, you are missing out on a simple way to cook delicious meals despite a hectic lifestyle. In many instances you can prepare your ingredients (veggies, trim meats, etc.) the night before so the next morning all you have to do is combine everything into your pot and turn it on.
I love my crockpot, but unfortuantly I have not been able to find or modify enough recipes for it that would suit my family. I don’t like using processed foods, canned soups or anything of the like so unless I can modify a recipe, or find a recipe to home-make a certain ingredient I don’t use the recipes. Granted I’m not crazy - I still buy some ingredients but if a recipe calls for a lot of storebought stuff, I don’t use the recipe.
What I have found are some great recipes for beef stews, chicken and there is a book out there with over 200 vegetarian recipes if you’re looking for veggie meals. My goal is to start using my crockpot more. Buy more whole chickens (freeze the leftovers, use the bones for broths and stocks!), make some delicious roasts, find a variety of chicken breast recipes.
I’ve recently begun meal planning - planning lunches (though most lunches consist of leftovers from the night before) and dinners, making a list of all the ingredients we’ll need, shopping for two weeks worth of meals. Whenever I have time, I cook up a meal and freeze it so that day I just have to thaw and heat (we have a foodsaver, so I do both at once by throwing my bag of froozen food in a pot of boiling water).
Doing crockpot meals more often will tremendously reduce the evening chaos of preparing dinner - admittedly some nights when it comes time to pull out food, heat it and prepare sides (if I didn’t cook/freeze those also) things can get stressful. But by doing all of the work in the morning, when evening comes, dinner is all set to go!
I think I am going to start a category for crockpots and add to it whenever I find a good recipe, resource, link, etc. I would LOVE for you to share your crockpot recipes also!
May 20th, 2007 at 4:57 pm
Have you looked at the Fix It & Forget It series? Gooseberry Patch also has a new slow cooker cookbook that might be worth a look.
May 21st, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Crockpot recipe: “Crocked Apples.”
Core and slice as many apples as will fit into the crock pot. OK to leave the skins on.
Add cinnamon to taste. (Add some sugar or sweetener if you prefer)
Cook until mushy.
Serve with ice cream or whippy cream.
Makes a very nice potluck contribution.