Aug
14
Dust That Crock Pot Off!
Filed Under Hobbies | Leave a Comment
What’s slow and steady and will fit right into your face-paced life? Would you believe cooking with that old crock pot?!
Going slower in terms of cooking can actually help you go faster in the long run. Make sense? Keep reading and it will. When you prepare a crock pot meal in the morning, the food will be ready when you get home. No more waiting for the oven to preheat or food to defrost in the microwave.
Fast and slow cooking entered American kitchens in a big way during the 1970s. Rival introduced the Crock Pot slow cooker in 1971 (the slow cooking appliance was originally called a beanery). Microwave ovens also became affordable during the 1970s. (They actually went on the market in 1952 for the price of $1,295). By the 1980s, most couples could count on receiving at least one crock pot as a wedding gift. While it’s almost unthinkable to cook without a microwave today, many crock pots have been relegated to the closet shelf. It’s time to revive the Rival!
Five reasons to dust of the crock pot and start slow cooking again.
1. Save money. Starting a meal in the crock pot in the morning can save you from the temptation of grabbing fast food during the evening family rush hour. Save those fast food bucks for a meal out at a nice restaurant on the weekend when you have time to sit and enjoy it.
2. Save money. This reason’s so nice we said it twice. Crockery cooking can make less-expensive cuts of meat tender and delicious.
3. Save time. Cook when you have more energy and less stress. Have your food ready and waiting for you rather than the other way around. You’ll also save time on clean up. After the meal, you’ll have just one pot to wash. If you have a crock pot with the removable crockery liner (and you really should), clean up is extra easy.
4. Eat healthy. It doesn’t take a nutritionist to know that a meal of meat and veggies with a green salad on the side is going to be better for your body than another frozen pizza.
5. Keep your kitchen cool and your food hot. You won’t have to heat up the whole house just to roast a chicken or cook a pot of stew. The crock pot also frees the oven and stove for other foods when you’re cooking a big meal.
To make the most of your rediscovered crock pot, try not peek at the food while it’s cooking. Every time you lift the lid, you add 20 minutes to the cooking time.
To convert regular recipes for use in the crock pot, reduce the amount of liquid by one-third to one-half, unless you’re making soup, rice or beans.
I hope this all makes sense. The best part about crock pot cooking is all the recipes you can make with the same crock pot. Just cut up the ingredients, throw them in the crock pot, wait 8 hours and a delicious meal is ready!
By: Michael Sasaki
About the Author:
Going slower in terms of cooking can actually help you go faster in the long run. Make sense? Keep reading and it will. When you prepare a crock pot meal in the morning, the food will be ready when you get home. No more waiting for the oven to preheat or food to defrost in the microwave.
Fast and slow cooking entered American kitchens in a big way during the 1970s. Rival introduced the Crock Pot slow cooker in 1971 (the slow cooking appliance was originally called a beanery). Microwave ovens also became affordable during the 1970s. (They actually went on the market in 1952 for the price of $1,295). By the 1980s, most couples could count on receiving at least one crock pot as a wedding gift. While it’s almost unthinkable to cook without a microwave today, many crock pots have been relegated to the closet shelf. It’s time to revive the Rival!
Five reasons to dust of the crock pot and start slow cooking again.
1. Save money. Starting a meal in the crock pot in the morning can save you from the temptation of grabbing fast food during the evening family rush hour. Save those fast food bucks for a meal out at a nice restaurant on the weekend when you have time to sit and enjoy it.
2. Save money. This reason’s so nice we said it twice. Crockery cooking can make less-expensive cuts of meat tender and delicious.
3. Save time. Cook when you have more energy and less stress. Have your food ready and waiting for you rather than the other way around. You’ll also save time on clean up. After the meal, you’ll have just one pot to wash. If you have a crock pot with the removable crockery liner (and you really should), clean up is extra easy.
4. Eat healthy. It doesn’t take a nutritionist to know that a meal of meat and veggies with a green salad on the side is going to be better for your body than another frozen pizza.
5. Keep your kitchen cool and your food hot. You won’t have to heat up the whole house just to roast a chicken or cook a pot of stew. The crock pot also frees the oven and stove for other foods when you’re cooking a big meal.
To make the most of your rediscovered crock pot, try not peek at the food while it’s cooking. Every time you lift the lid, you add 20 minutes to the cooking time.
To convert regular recipes for use in the crock pot, reduce the amount of liquid by one-third to one-half, unless you’re making soup, rice or beans.
I hope this all makes sense. The best part about crock pot cooking is all the recipes you can make with the same crock pot. Just cut up the ingredients, throw them in the crock pot, wait 8 hours and a delicious meal is ready!
By: Michael Sasaki
About the Author:
Michael K. Sasaki is the founder of RecipeMatcher ( http://www.recipematcher.com ), where you can find delicious crock pot recipes.
Aug
14
Crock Pot Recipes Easy to Find
Filed Under Food And Beverage | Leave a Comment
Crock pot recipes are easily made in a slow cooker. It is simple to use and can save lots of time. When buying a Crockpot, it’s best to get one that has a detachable liner. You may also spray the inner liner using cooking spray. The temperature of food should quickly reach is 140oF. You can test this subsequent to cooking after four hours on low heat. If it doesn’t reach 140oF, your crockpot might be defective already. To bring up the temperature to 140oF quickly, you can initially cook on high heat. Dodge placing frozen food within a crockpot. It should be unfrozen or defrosted before cooking.
Take the cooked food out of the liner or crockpot before to putting it within the fridge. It stops the growth of damaging bacteria. You can only fill up your crockpot about ½ up to 2/3 full. If the crockpot is a bit lower, it can quickly will be difficult. If the liquid and Food placed at the bottom part of the slow cooker will be cooked quicker and will appear more moist since it is dunked in cooking liquid.
You need to remove the skin off poultry as well as trim off some of the meat’s excess fat. Otherwise, fat will finally get rid of the cooking duration, adding to the unpleasant texture of your dish. Since there are types of beef that should be cooked for eight hours in low setting, you may use less expensive beef. It’s not only less expensive but it also works best with slow cookers. Aside from this, less expensive meat also contains less fat, making them more acceptable for crockpot cooking.
Take note of layering instructions. Veggies , compared to meat, cannot be cooked fast. Instead, just be placed at the cover till some condensation falls out at the bottom. If you can check the progress. For better results, ground beef should be cooked using a skillet prior to placing it within your Crockpot.
You can brown giant pieces of you can check the so you can add color and help give more flavour to the food. Tabasco sauce cooked employing a tendency to sample bitter if food is cooked for a considerable time. You may use only tiny amounts at the beginning, adding a little at a time towards the end of cooking. Tender vegetables include mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchinis.
Unless stated on the crock pot recipes manual, dairy products can only be added around the last twenty-five to 40 minutes of cooking only little amounts at the spices only in the last hour. If these spices are cooked with the other ingredients for a long time, it will just lose its flavor.
By: Enrique Potts
About the Author:
Take the cooked food out of the liner or crockpot before to putting it within the fridge. It stops the growth of damaging bacteria. You can only fill up your crockpot about ½ up to 2/3 full. If the crockpot is a bit lower, it can quickly will be difficult. If the liquid and Food placed at the bottom part of the slow cooker will be cooked quicker and will appear more moist since it is dunked in cooking liquid.
You need to remove the skin off poultry as well as trim off some of the meat’s excess fat. Otherwise, fat will finally get rid of the cooking duration, adding to the unpleasant texture of your dish. Since there are types of beef that should be cooked for eight hours in low setting, you may use less expensive beef. It’s not only less expensive but it also works best with slow cookers. Aside from this, less expensive meat also contains less fat, making them more acceptable for crockpot cooking.
Take note of layering instructions. Veggies , compared to meat, cannot be cooked fast. Instead, just be placed at the cover till some condensation falls out at the bottom. If you can check the progress. For better results, ground beef should be cooked using a skillet prior to placing it within your Crockpot.
You can brown giant pieces of you can check the so you can add color and help give more flavour to the food. Tabasco sauce cooked employing a tendency to sample bitter if food is cooked for a considerable time. You may use only tiny amounts at the beginning, adding a little at a time towards the end of cooking. Tender vegetables include mushrooms, tomatoes and zucchinis.
Unless stated on the crock pot recipes manual, dairy products can only be added around the last twenty-five to 40 minutes of cooking only little amounts at the spices only in the last hour. If these spices are cooked with the other ingredients for a long time, it will just lose its flavor.
By: Enrique Potts
About the Author:
Check out crock pot recipes for a massive selection of crock pots and slow cookers.
Aug
12
I want to use my crock pot to cook a good side dish, pref. veggies, this year. I’ll take any recipe, though. I just think using the crock pot would save space and time for me to cook everything else.
Southern style dishes are a plus…and inexpensive btw. Thanks!!
What are baking apples? That sounds great, but I’d eliminate the raisins.
Southern style dishes are a plus…and inexpensive btw. Thanks!!
What are baking apples? That sounds great, but I’d eliminate the raisins.
By: Angelic
Puppy Care and Training
Aug
12
Tasty Crock Pot Brisket Meal
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Have you ever been to an eaterie and ordered a plate full of the most tasty, mouth watering ribs or chicken that you ever tasted? Well, believe it or not, these juicy ribs ( or chicken or brisket or butts ) barely compare to the better BBQ meats found at crock pot brisket barbecue competitions.
Barbecue competitions are cook-offs where different crews ( competitors ) prepare their numerous BBQ specialties and contend with each other.
O.K now that you know where to get the best barbecue chicken or ribs or what not, how do you cook these bbq recipes yourself so you can enjoy these juicy pleasures in your own back yard? It is tough to easily find this info. It is out there, but the good stuff, just like the delicious barbecues, are hard to find.
Competition grilling actually involves the optimal conditions of quite a few things. Here are just some of the things that are concerned in making succulent BBQ :
Cooker types vary also. Some are better than others and all have their own strategies for optimum smoking or cooking.
The wood choice effects the smoking and the ensuing flavor.
Simply put, it doesn’t matter how great your barbecue recipe or crock pot brisket BBQ sauce is — if you are not doing these other things correctly, you are missing that coveted barbecue taste.
So throw out your old habits of grilling and discover how the pros do it. The best way to learn these things is in “Competition Crock Pot Brisket Secrets”. You will also get the exact “tried and true” barbecue recipes the pros use in their cook-offs. 73 pages chock of excellent morsels on making “competition style” barbecue.
Delicious, mouth watering, juicy barbecues can now be enjoyed in your own yard.
.
By: Slow Cookerrec
About the Author:
Barbecue competitions are cook-offs where different crews ( competitors ) prepare their numerous BBQ specialties and contend with each other.
O.K now that you know where to get the best barbecue chicken or ribs or what not, how do you cook these bbq recipes yourself so you can enjoy these juicy pleasures in your own back yard? It is tough to easily find this info. It is out there, but the good stuff, just like the delicious barbecues, are hard to find.
Competition grilling actually involves the optimal conditions of quite a few things. Here are just some of the things that are concerned in making succulent BBQ :
Cooker types vary also. Some are better than others and all have their own strategies for optimum smoking or cooking.
The wood choice effects the smoking and the ensuing flavor.
Simply put, it doesn’t matter how great your barbecue recipe or crock pot brisket BBQ sauce is — if you are not doing these other things correctly, you are missing that coveted barbecue taste.
So throw out your old habits of grilling and discover how the pros do it. The best way to learn these things is in “Competition Crock Pot Brisket Secrets”. You will also get the exact “tried and true” barbecue recipes the pros use in their cook-offs. 73 pages chock of excellent morsels on making “competition style” barbecue.
Delicious, mouth watering, juicy barbecues can now be enjoyed in your own yard.
.
By: Slow Cookerrec
About the Author:
Check out http://recipes.slowcookers.info/ for more more information on slow cooker recipes.
Aug
12
Best Crock Pot Cooking Tips
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One of the least used and yet most versatile tools in the average kitchen is the slow cooker. With just a few crock pot cooking tips you can turn this dust collector into one of the most useful items in your kitchen
This is some of the best crock pot cooking tips obtainable out there.
Buying roasts and other big cuts of meat that will go into in your crock pot easily is important. If the cut won’t fit it into the container, trimming the piece down works better than attempting to stuff it further. This is one of the most significant tips on using crock pots that people will learn to appreciate. For more details visit to www.fair-recipes.com
Before cooking, you must get rid of the skin and cut away any extra fat from the poultry and other meats. This will assist to lessen the quantity of fat in the completed serving of food as well eliminate any oily flavor.
Some of the best crock pot cooking tips involve using vegetables. Fresh root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and onions, should be placed in the bottom of the pot, under the meat, for more even cooking. These types of vegetables tend to cook more slowly than meat.
This is another neat trick you can use. You can pace the process of thickening the sauces near the end of cooking time by turning up the heat setting. Tasting the liquid to ensure that it has had enough time to flavor is advisable. Leave it on low heat and let it sit a little bit longer until you start to taste the flavor that you want.
Another important point to remember is seasoning in crock pot cooking. Periodically seasoning and tasting prior to taking away the dish is important. This is because crock pots, after sitting for some time, will tend to sometimes water down the flavors. Being resourceful with your seasonings is a good practice. Adding seasoned salt, garlic powder, seasoned pepper, and complementary herbs and spices is also an excellent way to complete the cooking. To know more logon to www.100cookingtips.com .Another important thing to remember is that in slow cooked foods, the dish will tend to lose its color. Utilizing certain garnish such as chopped fresh parsley, chives, tomatoes, and red or green peppers when the cooking is nearing completion, helps by adding color to the dish.
Buying a cookbook that has been written especially for crock pot cooking is amongst the best ways to learn to use your slow cooker more effectively. Not only do they offer delicious recipes but also lots of crock pot cooking tips that can help you use your slow cooker with ease and you can find these types of books either online or offline. The slow cooker can really earn its keep once you know how to put it to work, in today’s busy world of working families.
By: tnirameshsonu
About the Author:
This is some of the best crock pot cooking tips obtainable out there.
Buying roasts and other big cuts of meat that will go into in your crock pot easily is important. If the cut won’t fit it into the container, trimming the piece down works better than attempting to stuff it further. This is one of the most significant tips on using crock pots that people will learn to appreciate. For more details visit to www.fair-recipes.com
Before cooking, you must get rid of the skin and cut away any extra fat from the poultry and other meats. This will assist to lessen the quantity of fat in the completed serving of food as well eliminate any oily flavor.
Some of the best crock pot cooking tips involve using vegetables. Fresh root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and onions, should be placed in the bottom of the pot, under the meat, for more even cooking. These types of vegetables tend to cook more slowly than meat.
This is another neat trick you can use. You can pace the process of thickening the sauces near the end of cooking time by turning up the heat setting. Tasting the liquid to ensure that it has had enough time to flavor is advisable. Leave it on low heat and let it sit a little bit longer until you start to taste the flavor that you want.
Another important point to remember is seasoning in crock pot cooking. Periodically seasoning and tasting prior to taking away the dish is important. This is because crock pots, after sitting for some time, will tend to sometimes water down the flavors. Being resourceful with your seasonings is a good practice. Adding seasoned salt, garlic powder, seasoned pepper, and complementary herbs and spices is also an excellent way to complete the cooking. To know more logon to www.100cookingtips.com .Another important thing to remember is that in slow cooked foods, the dish will tend to lose its color. Utilizing certain garnish such as chopped fresh parsley, chives, tomatoes, and red or green peppers when the cooking is nearing completion, helps by adding color to the dish.
Buying a cookbook that has been written especially for crock pot cooking is amongst the best ways to learn to use your slow cooker more effectively. Not only do they offer delicious recipes but also lots of crock pot cooking tips that can help you use your slow cooker with ease and you can find these types of books either online or offline. The slow cooker can really earn its keep once you know how to put it to work, in today’s busy world of working families.
By: tnirameshsonu
About the Author:
Aug
12
If you actually need the most impressive results from your crockpot recipes then you do not need to go too cheap on your spending. Find Rival crock pots here. But on the other hand, you also do not need the deluxe super model either. You can must do a little bit of analysis here as I am not in the business of recommending any specific brand. But you could be pleasantly stunned that all you could need to spend is around $40.
Don’t scrimp on the quality and features in your search for a fair deal. You may need an automated shut-off and warm feature which suggests you do not need to make it home when the meal is finished cooking. This helps when you are serving a huge meal by keeping stews, soups, and other dishes ready to serve.
If you decide on any of these brand names- brand names like Rival, Hamilton Beach, Kitchen-Aid, Cuisinart or Proctor Silex - you won’t go wrong. Don’t go cheap since you will get what you pay for. You will want cooker to last for a few years. There’s no ‘perfect’ recipe when it comes to slow cooking.
And if you are short on recipe concepts you may find many internet sites online which are devoted to crockpot recipes. You may find mega-ingredient recipes for when you have additional time to dedicate, and you may also find recipes which need as little as 3 ingredients! Or you can dig out some of your own family fave recipes that you know will always go over well.
A good slow cooker will serve you well for a considerable to come. And when you return home after a long hard day of working and doing errands, you’ll be greeted by an aroma-filled home that would make royalty jealous! Rival crock pots here.
By: Royce Maldonado
About the Author:
Don’t scrimp on the quality and features in your search for a fair deal. You may need an automated shut-off and warm feature which suggests you do not need to make it home when the meal is finished cooking. This helps when you are serving a huge meal by keeping stews, soups, and other dishes ready to serve.
If you decide on any of these brand names- brand names like Rival, Hamilton Beach, Kitchen-Aid, Cuisinart or Proctor Silex - you won’t go wrong. Don’t go cheap since you will get what you pay for. You will want cooker to last for a few years. There’s no ‘perfect’ recipe when it comes to slow cooking.
And if you are short on recipe concepts you may find many internet sites online which are devoted to crockpot recipes. You may find mega-ingredient recipes for when you have additional time to dedicate, and you may also find recipes which need as little as 3 ingredients! Or you can dig out some of your own family fave recipes that you know will always go over well.
A good slow cooker will serve you well for a considerable to come. And when you return home after a long hard day of working and doing errands, you’ll be greeted by an aroma-filled home that would make royalty jealous! Rival crock pots here.
By: Royce Maldonado
About the Author:
Check out http://slowcookers.info for a massive selection of crock pots and slow cookers.
Aug
11
Anyone have a good easy recipe for spaghetti Sauce made in a crock pot?
Filed Under Cooking & Recipes | 4 Comments
I need a fast easy recipe for spagetti sauce made in the crock pot and how long to cook it for on high or low.
By: robbie347
Aug
11
Do You Love Chicken, Pizza, Crock Pot, India, Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean Dishes?
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Do you want to cook dishes you have never cooked before?
Nobody knows your taste better than you do. I don’t know about you but some people are always on the look out for new recipes or want to taste or experiment new dishes.
There is a site that caters for; pizza, desserts, crock pot dishes, Indian, Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean and low carb recipes.
Whatever satisfies your appetite you’re going to want to visit this site.
http://recipesgalore.synthasite.com/
A lot of these recipes are easy to cook and some especially the Chinese recipes, can be cooked within 5 minutes, yes 5 minutes.
Whether you love your Indian meat or vegetarian curries or you just want to eat something healthy and don’t want to be restricted in choice, well there is a section that has healthy Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean and low carb recipes, there is also a list of complete fat fighting food which can reduced fat up to 38%.
Some people love their chicken and want to make it in as many ways as possible, fried, baked, boiled, BBQ’ed, masala, etc.
Also there are a few surprises; I’ve affiliated my site with sites from ex-chefs who have worked at top restaurants who are giving away the recipes so that you can make them at home, the same, taste and flavors for a fraction of the cost. Don’t believe me then visit:
http://recipesgalore.synthasite.com/
There is also a link for you to click that will provide you with thousands of desserts within the site such as; cakes, pies, cookies, candy chocolate, vanilla and much more.
Enjoy
Sarah
By: Sarah
About the Author:
Nobody knows your taste better than you do. I don’t know about you but some people are always on the look out for new recipes or want to taste or experiment new dishes.
There is a site that caters for; pizza, desserts, crock pot dishes, Indian, Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean and low carb recipes.
Whatever satisfies your appetite you’re going to want to visit this site.
http://recipesgalore.synthasite.com/
A lot of these recipes are easy to cook and some especially the Chinese recipes, can be cooked within 5 minutes, yes 5 minutes.
Whether you love your Indian meat or vegetarian curries or you just want to eat something healthy and don’t want to be restricted in choice, well there is a section that has healthy Italian, Chinese, Mediterranean and low carb recipes, there is also a list of complete fat fighting food which can reduced fat up to 38%.
Some people love their chicken and want to make it in as many ways as possible, fried, baked, boiled, BBQ’ed, masala, etc.
Also there are a few surprises; I’ve affiliated my site with sites from ex-chefs who have worked at top restaurants who are giving away the recipes so that you can make them at home, the same, taste and flavors for a fraction of the cost. Don’t believe me then visit:
http://recipesgalore.synthasite.com/
There is also a link for you to click that will provide you with thousands of desserts within the site such as; cakes, pies, cookies, candy chocolate, vanilla and much more.
Enjoy
Sarah
By: Sarah
About the Author:
Aug
9
I love the broiled/roasted new potatoes in butter and a bit of garlic. . . . is there a way to do this in a crock pot for easy transport and keep warm for fam. gatherings?
By: Nicky
Aug
8
How long should I cook a corned beef brisket in a crock pot? Suggestions?
Filed Under Cooking & Recipes | 10 Comments
I am making corned beef & cabbage tonight and I was wondering how long should I cook it in a crock pot? Sounds silly, but I need to know. 
Should it be cooked on a low heat, high heat?
By: Benjamin L
About the Author:
Should it be cooked on a low heat, high heat?By: Benjamin L
About the Author:
Aug
7
Quick and Easy - How Crock Pots Simplify Your Hectic Life
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Imagine getting home from work to the tantalizing smell of dinner, ready to dish out, hot and delicious. For a busy working mom, corporate couple or live-alone single, that’s a dream that doesn’t seem likely, unless you can afford your own chef. But it’s not unattainable. All you need is one handy-dandy little appliance that will simplify your life and have you dishing up your dinner before you even kick off your good shoes.
They’re an old stand-by from the 70s, and they’re making a huge comeback. Crock pots, also known as slow cookers, are one of the handiest tools for a busy working woman - or man, for that matter. With a crock pot, you can spend ten minutes of prep time before you leave for work in the morning, flip it on, and return home in the evening to a fully cooked meal - nutritious, delicious and far less expensive than takeout.
I grew up with a crock pot in the house, but it was seldom used. My grandmother was home full time, and it was far more common for her to slow cook on top of the stove. When I moved out on my own, those delicious slow-simmered dishes that were a staple of my diet were out of reach. I didn’t have time to stay at home and stir the pot. I turned to convenience meals and microwave cookery, but I missed the wonderful meals I grew up with - coq au vin, slow simmered spaghetti sauce, beef stew, stewed chicken and baked beans.
That all changed when I discovered a recipe for ‘Mom’s Busy Day Chicken’ in a recipe book offered by, of all places, the La Leche League. The recipe was incredibly simple - just put one cut up chicken in a crock pot, add two cans of stewed tomatoes and an onion, and flip the crock pot to low, and then walk away for six to eight hours. I was skeptical, but I tried it - and the results quickly became a family favorite. The chicken was tender enough to fall off the bone, and flavored through and through with spices and tomato sauce. The sauce was thickened and perfect for spooning over rice or pasta and best of all, it was nutritious and healthy.
Why is crock pot cooking so great?
1.You don’t have to watch the pot.
They say a watched pot never boils - neither does a crock pot. When you set the crock pot’s temperature to low, you can be sure that the food inside will cook at temperatures low enough to avoid overcooking, and high enough to prevent the formation of harmful bacteria.
2.Ten minutes in the morning makes a home-cooked meal in the evening.
Prep time for crock pot cooking is almost none. Cut up your ingredients, add them to the pot, cover it and walk away. The most elaborate recipes may require that you cut things uniformly or that you layer ingredients in a particular order, but all it takes is a few minutes in the morning, and you’ll come home to a home-cooked meal at the end of the day.
3.Cleanup is quick and easy!
Crock pots used to be a real hassle to clean, but no more. Today’s crock pots feature removable liners so washing the pot is as simple as washing a dish. Just lift out the liner and wash. You can even put most in the dishwasher. In addition, slow cooking means no crusty crud to scrub off.
4.Convenient features let you time things perfectly.
One of the drawbacks of crockpot cooking used to be overcooking. Let that meat simmer too long, and you ended up with unpalatable mush. Today’s crock pots feature timers that turn the crock pot off when it’s time, or lower the temperature when needed.
5.Slow cookers are energy efficient.
What? You thought that leaving your slow cooker plugged in and cooking all day was a waste of energy? Think again. A crock pot uses wraparound heat to cook the food, without wasting all the heat that would simmer away in an oven or stove top. You actually use less energy.
If you have a slow cooker tucked away somewhere, pull it out and give it a try. You’ll find dozens of recipes that break the traditional “mushy” meals syndrome that has given crock pots a bad name. Test a few, and you’ll find yourself upgrading to a new family friendly model so you can treat your family to wonderful, tasty, home cooked meals with almost no effort.
By: Stephanie Larkin
About the Author:
They’re an old stand-by from the 70s, and they’re making a huge comeback. Crock pots, also known as slow cookers, are one of the handiest tools for a busy working woman - or man, for that matter. With a crock pot, you can spend ten minutes of prep time before you leave for work in the morning, flip it on, and return home in the evening to a fully cooked meal - nutritious, delicious and far less expensive than takeout.
I grew up with a crock pot in the house, but it was seldom used. My grandmother was home full time, and it was far more common for her to slow cook on top of the stove. When I moved out on my own, those delicious slow-simmered dishes that were a staple of my diet were out of reach. I didn’t have time to stay at home and stir the pot. I turned to convenience meals and microwave cookery, but I missed the wonderful meals I grew up with - coq au vin, slow simmered spaghetti sauce, beef stew, stewed chicken and baked beans.
That all changed when I discovered a recipe for ‘Mom’s Busy Day Chicken’ in a recipe book offered by, of all places, the La Leche League. The recipe was incredibly simple - just put one cut up chicken in a crock pot, add two cans of stewed tomatoes and an onion, and flip the crock pot to low, and then walk away for six to eight hours. I was skeptical, but I tried it - and the results quickly became a family favorite. The chicken was tender enough to fall off the bone, and flavored through and through with spices and tomato sauce. The sauce was thickened and perfect for spooning over rice or pasta and best of all, it was nutritious and healthy.
Why is crock pot cooking so great?
1.You don’t have to watch the pot.
They say a watched pot never boils - neither does a crock pot. When you set the crock pot’s temperature to low, you can be sure that the food inside will cook at temperatures low enough to avoid overcooking, and high enough to prevent the formation of harmful bacteria.
2.Ten minutes in the morning makes a home-cooked meal in the evening.
Prep time for crock pot cooking is almost none. Cut up your ingredients, add them to the pot, cover it and walk away. The most elaborate recipes may require that you cut things uniformly or that you layer ingredients in a particular order, but all it takes is a few minutes in the morning, and you’ll come home to a home-cooked meal at the end of the day.
3.Cleanup is quick and easy!
Crock pots used to be a real hassle to clean, but no more. Today’s crock pots feature removable liners so washing the pot is as simple as washing a dish. Just lift out the liner and wash. You can even put most in the dishwasher. In addition, slow cooking means no crusty crud to scrub off.
4.Convenient features let you time things perfectly.
One of the drawbacks of crockpot cooking used to be overcooking. Let that meat simmer too long, and you ended up with unpalatable mush. Today’s crock pots feature timers that turn the crock pot off when it’s time, or lower the temperature when needed.
5.Slow cookers are energy efficient.
What? You thought that leaving your slow cooker plugged in and cooking all day was a waste of energy? Think again. A crock pot uses wraparound heat to cook the food, without wasting all the heat that would simmer away in an oven or stove top. You actually use less energy.
If you have a slow cooker tucked away somewhere, pull it out and give it a try. You’ll find dozens of recipes that break the traditional “mushy” meals syndrome that has given crock pots a bad name. Test a few, and you’ll find yourself upgrading to a new family friendly model so you can treat your family to wonderful, tasty, home cooked meals with almost no effort.
By: Stephanie Larkin
About the Author:
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics involving health and healthy living similar to what consumers read in Cooking with Paula Dean
Aug
6
Just wondering, Does the Alcohol evaporate out of crock pot dishes that call for Bourbon?
Filed Under Cooking & Recipes | 3 Comments
I want to make a ham that calls for bourbon, just wondering does the alcohol evaporate when you use it in crock pot recipes
By: Wild1577
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By: Wild1577
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Aug
5
Crock Pots- Do You Put Your Crock Pot on Your Countertop Surface?
Filed Under Kitchens | Leave a Comment
Just so you know, I’m not sharing this information about crock pots so that I can knock myself or any other counter top repair specialists out of work, I just want to share things that you should already know, but probably do not know.
It’s not unusual for me to be told that a homeowner thought that they could put a crock pot or any other hot thing on their solid surface countertop. I know that when I was just getting into the countertop business back in 1993, there were some salespeople that actually thought that was true. Since they thought that it was true they passed that information along to consumers. Needless to say, that came back to bite a lot of kitchen and bath people in the backside.
It also exposed the fact that while solid surface countertops are high quality, durable, and can enhance any area that they are used in, they are not now nor have they ever been indestructable. They are not now and have never been advertised as such by any of the actual manufacturers. Dupont is the pioneer of solid surface with Corian®, and I can promise you that even though the myth of indestructableness is widespread, Dupont never put it out there. In fact they have always tried very hard to be sure it was marketed properly.
I was checking stats and seeing what links people used to find my blog and website. I found this forum that is sure to drum up some work for us solid surface repair specialists. This thread is titled "Crock Pot Use" and it is located at http://www.theswap.com/BBS/ForumCook/4316.html
Things like this forum and other do it yourself type message boards give out bad information about what these countertops can and cannot take. Another thing that goes around is that you can’t use crock pots on solid surface but that you can use them on stone countertops. Not true. Even stone countertops can and do crack from using Crock pots directly on them. I’ve even heard people say, "I have used my Crock Pot on all my countertops with no problem." To them I say, "You have been very lucky." Some people have cracked their countertop with the first use of a Crock pot directly on the countertop.
I really wanted to get on that forum and join the discussion but not enough to pay the $5.00 fee to join. Anyway, maybe I will get lucky and all the people that are taking the advice that this forum is dishing out will be North Carolina residents and then I can fix their countertops for them.
By: Bryan Dix
About the Author:
It’s not unusual for me to be told that a homeowner thought that they could put a crock pot or any other hot thing on their solid surface countertop. I know that when I was just getting into the countertop business back in 1993, there were some salespeople that actually thought that was true. Since they thought that it was true they passed that information along to consumers. Needless to say, that came back to bite a lot of kitchen and bath people in the backside.
It also exposed the fact that while solid surface countertops are high quality, durable, and can enhance any area that they are used in, they are not now nor have they ever been indestructable. They are not now and have never been advertised as such by any of the actual manufacturers. Dupont is the pioneer of solid surface with Corian®, and I can promise you that even though the myth of indestructableness is widespread, Dupont never put it out there. In fact they have always tried very hard to be sure it was marketed properly.
I was checking stats and seeing what links people used to find my blog and website. I found this forum that is sure to drum up some work for us solid surface repair specialists. This thread is titled "Crock Pot Use" and it is located at http://www.theswap.com/BBS/ForumCook/4316.html
Things like this forum and other do it yourself type message boards give out bad information about what these countertops can and cannot take. Another thing that goes around is that you can’t use crock pots on solid surface but that you can use them on stone countertops. Not true. Even stone countertops can and do crack from using Crock pots directly on them. I’ve even heard people say, "I have used my Crock Pot on all my countertops with no problem." To them I say, "You have been very lucky." Some people have cracked their countertop with the first use of a Crock pot directly on the countertop.
I really wanted to get on that forum and join the discussion but not enough to pay the $5.00 fee to join. Anyway, maybe I will get lucky and all the people that are taking the advice that this forum is dishing out will be North Carolina residents and then I can fix their countertops for them.
By: Bryan Dix
About the Author:
Any solid surface countertop problem can be fixed and fixed well. Find a countertop repair specialist in all 50 states right here.
www.cssronline.com
For related pictures and more comments on this story go to www.cssrblog.blogspot.com
Aug
5
How can I tell if my old crock cooker (crock pot) is still working?
Filed Under Other - Food & Drink | 9 Comments
I tried cooking navy beans and even after 3 days the beans were still crunchy. I don’t know if that’s a problem in cooking beans or with my crock pot. It did feel hot enough to the touch. Do you know what tempurature it should get to on high? on low? Thank you!
Thanks for your help. I did soak the beans overnight. I did just buy the beans at the store, but who knows how long they were sitting there!
By: AdreenaTheBackFlash
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Thanks for your help. I did soak the beans overnight.
I did just buy the beans at the store, but who knows how long they were sitting there!By: AdreenaTheBackFlash
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Aug
4
Is it okay to cook a roast beef in a crock pot for 4 hours on high vs 8 hours on low?
Filed Under Cooking & Recipes | 3 Comments
Would there be any difference?
And, do I have to cut it up or can I put it in the crock pot whole?
I’m using the McCormick seasoning. Is this okay?
By: Hiya!
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And, do I have to cut it up or can I put it in the crock pot whole?
I’m using the McCormick seasoning. Is this okay?
By: Hiya!
About the Author:
Aug
4
How do I convert the time on a receipe from crock pot to pressure cooker?
Filed Under Maintenance & Repairs | 1 Comment
If I have a receipe for a crock pot and want to convert the receipe to a pressure cooker how should I adjust the time.
By: vicky m
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By: vicky m
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Aug
2
If the finish wears out on your crock pot and there is white underneath that you are cooking beans on, will that white damage your intestines if all you do is eat the beans?
By: skahhh
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By: skahhh
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Aug
2
How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in a crock pot ?
Filed Under Cooking & Recipes | 3 Comments
Oh yeah, It was frozen, Crock pot is set on ” High ”
all kinds of diffrent answers, interesting. I knew I should have taked “Home-ec ” instead of ” girl-chasing 101 ”
” taken “………………..
By: Will the typical white guy III
About the Author:
all kinds of diffrent answers, interesting. I knew I should have taked “Home-ec ” instead of ” girl-chasing 101 ”
” taken “………………..
By: Will the typical white guy III
About the Author:
Aug
1
Cooking Beef With the Crock Pot
Filed Under Cooking Tips | Leave a Comment
When you think of having beef for dinner you probably see the little white smiling glove signaling another night with everyone’s quick fix dinner routine, or you see the golden arches everywhere before your eyes. If you’re a little more adventurous you might cook a steak or two every few months but anything outside of ground beef is usually beyond your reach, your style and the abilities of your cookbook and microwave to make happen without causing a huge disaster or creating a meal that no one wants to eat.
In reality, in doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re willing to venture out into the realm of something even easier than hamburgers and other ground beef entrees, there is a way to make a beef meal that seems less like it took five minutes and more like it came from a restaurant. Not ready to spend two hours over the stove or oven every night? Like I said, this method is actually easier than microwave meals.
Using a slow cooker, or crock pot, to make your dinners will not only open doors for you with the types of foods you’re able to cook but there are literally hundreds of beef crock pot recipes that require less than 15 minutes to prepare. You’re thinking that 15 minutes of prep usually leads to at least one hour spent over the stove. But with slow cookers, you simply prepare the meal in the morning, set the slow cooker and go about your daily business while the machine you left in the back of the cupboard for five years works magic with a different beef slow cooker recipe every time you want to cook beef for dinner.
Slow cookers can take care of all of your beef slow cooker recipes that cover every type of beef, from beef stew to steaks to beef ribs and even beef pot pies and other types of beef recipes you can find in your regular cook books-you can turn any recipe into a crock pot recipe, slow cooker cook books and all over the internet.
As if that’s not enough, with beef slow cooker recipes, you will never have to worry about dry, flavorless, tough to chew and tough to cut beef meals. Slow cookers do just that-cook your food slowly, so you don’t have to worry about extreme heats depleting the natural juices (or the natural nutritional value) of the foods you cook, especially when it comes to meats.
Additionally, making homemade meals with your slow cooker doesn’t just save your taste buds. It also saves your time. You can make enough food from a beef crock pot recipe, especially something like beef stew, for enough leftovers for the next day’s lunch. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that slow cookers always turn out better leftovers than double-microwave meals.
Remember, if beef is what’s for dinner, you don’t have to go the ground beef route. You can save time and your taste buds with your slow cooker.
By: Lisa Paterson
About the Author:
In reality, in doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re willing to venture out into the realm of something even easier than hamburgers and other ground beef entrees, there is a way to make a beef meal that seems less like it took five minutes and more like it came from a restaurant. Not ready to spend two hours over the stove or oven every night? Like I said, this method is actually easier than microwave meals.
Using a slow cooker, or crock pot, to make your dinners will not only open doors for you with the types of foods you’re able to cook but there are literally hundreds of beef crock pot recipes that require less than 15 minutes to prepare. You’re thinking that 15 minutes of prep usually leads to at least one hour spent over the stove. But with slow cookers, you simply prepare the meal in the morning, set the slow cooker and go about your daily business while the machine you left in the back of the cupboard for five years works magic with a different beef slow cooker recipe every time you want to cook beef for dinner.
Slow cookers can take care of all of your beef slow cooker recipes that cover every type of beef, from beef stew to steaks to beef ribs and even beef pot pies and other types of beef recipes you can find in your regular cook books-you can turn any recipe into a crock pot recipe, slow cooker cook books and all over the internet.
As if that’s not enough, with beef slow cooker recipes, you will never have to worry about dry, flavorless, tough to chew and tough to cut beef meals. Slow cookers do just that-cook your food slowly, so you don’t have to worry about extreme heats depleting the natural juices (or the natural nutritional value) of the foods you cook, especially when it comes to meats.
Additionally, making homemade meals with your slow cooker doesn’t just save your taste buds. It also saves your time. You can make enough food from a beef crock pot recipe, especially something like beef stew, for enough leftovers for the next day’s lunch. And it certainly doesn’t hurt that slow cookers always turn out better leftovers than double-microwave meals.
Remember, if beef is what’s for dinner, you don’t have to go the ground beef route. You can save time and your taste buds with your slow cooker.
By: Lisa Paterson
About the Author:
Lisa Paterson is an avid home cook who loves to share her favorite recipes with the rest of us. Find all her best crock pot recipes at www.A-Crock-Cook.com. And be sure to try one of her beef crock pot recipes.