Crock pots???

[ThreeCFarm]

I love crock pots, but I've really had to get onto my husband. He has ruined meals. In the beginning, he kept insisting that you had to stir the soups/stews/whatever, and I'd catch him in there with the lid off. He had never used one before and didn't understand NOT TO RAISE the lid!! He's much better now, but he still ruined my Chicken Tortilla Soup a few weeks ago. I had to leave, so I asked him to shred the chicken at a certain time...I even had the timer on the oven turned on for him. When I got home, I discovered he had shredded the chicken right after I walked out the door, not hours later at the end of the cooking time like he should have. So what should have been REALLY good soup turned into this thick, strong, nasty tasting stuff that I couldn't even eat.

I'm to the point that I don't want to use the crock pot unless I know he won't be home until dinner is done!!!

As long as you leave the lid on, it will cook great!

 

[REO]

Thanks Stephanie, I didn't know that!

Sounds like you need a big wooden spoon like my grandma had; if she caught you "pot peekin' you got a warning, next offense, got your paws whapped LOL!

Thanks everyone! I'm getting lots of great ideas to try!

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Ooohhh, I'm gonna have to get a wooden spoon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Genie]

We have three crock pots. Different sizes depending on the numbers.

If doing a big meal, turkey and the trimmings for instance, I do the mashed potatoes in the morning and transfer them to the crock pot to keep warm for the day. I put a brick of cream cheese, sour cream, butter and milk, mixed into the mashed potatoes, and that gives them plenty of liquid to keep them moist and yummy for dinner. Every so often you need to stir the potatoes to make sure they don't get to browned on the sides.

Makes it so easy to put everything together at meal time, as the potatoes just need to be put to the bowl.

 

[Jill]

Regarding bacteria, I think it's more of a problem if you are using frozen meat in the crock pot. That is a big no no. Never put frozen meat in the crock pot, if it was frozen thaw thoroughly first.

 

[chandab]

I've put frozen beef roasts in, and we've survived. I'd never put any other type of meat in frozen, but the beef roasts seem to do fine. I usually do defrost first, but now and then, I forget, and put in a frozen one and cook it on high. Perhaps it is something to rethink.

 

[vickie gee]

My larger one is a ceramic one by Rival. My smaller is a metal one by Westbend. I am always cooking beans or pot roast in them. For an ez meal I cook round steak and use cream of mushroom soup as the liquid. Love to do pork chops with golden mushroom soup in them. One of favorite crock pot dishes is Cowboy Dip. We eat it as a meal. I will have to dig up the recipe...it has sausage (you fry it first) and lots of goodies like black olives, mushrooms, green onion...it is yummy but I can't remember all the ingredients right now. Now I want some of it!

 

[HGFarm]

Oh my gosh- no crock pot???!! I have one- big enough to cook a whole chicken or two, or a big roast or whatever I want. When my BF was going through his chemo, I cooked fresh organic chicken in it, then made chicken and rice soup. Stew, baked beans, all that stuff is great. You can put stuff on to cook in the a.m. and voila- at dinner time you have a hot cooked meal. I got mine at Walmart too.... mine has a locking lid in case I want to haul it to work or a potluck, so the lid stays on and it doesn't spill all over.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Don't use mine as much as in past but, they are great. Suggest you buy the oval shape as things like a roast or whole chicken fit into it a little easier. I've got about 6 now, various sizes and shapes.......one old enough that it does not have a removable ceramic insert. It is not often used now due to that fact. The smaller ones are fantastic for keeping veggies, gravy, dips, etc. warm for larger events/holiday meals, etc. They also make an "extra burner" on a stove for large meals. At shows, WOW.....as others have said.

Convenience of putting ingrediants in and coming back when done is soooo wonderful. Used mine a lot when I worked full time.

 

[REO]

I'll for sure have to get us one, when I get a chance

 

[chandab]

Got a roast in the pot for supper as we type. It just starting to smell good, not sure what we are going to have with it, as I'm out of fresh potatoes, guess I can always whip up some instant potatoes or make some pasta roni, or something.

 

[Sterling]

I'm intrigued by the crock pot lasagna...I looked up some of the recipes online and they are so easy! Guess I know what I'll be making soon.

 

[jyuukai]

I love my cockpot! I got it as a gift when I moved into my first apartment (where I still am) with my wife and I use it all the time! One of my favorite easy/cheap dishes is Potatoes Alfredo. Slice up potatoes and layer them in the crock pot with sliced, sauteed onions (you can leave the onions raw but we prefer carmelized) and then pour ready-made jarred alfredo sauce on the top. (one jar for a small batch, two for a large, or however much you like!) Cook on high for 4 hours and then put a bag of frozen peas on top! Let it cook on low until the peas are warm, turn it off, and mix it all togther!

Whenever we are tight on money that's one of the things that I jump for. I use my crockpot for a thousand other meals during the year as well, I truly adore it.

 

[Sterling]

Oh goodness...that potato alfredo recipe sounds delish too!

 

[Jill]

That does sound really good!!! I'm going to try that one for sure.

I'm "new" to trying much with cooking beyond the same limited things I've made over the years, but I recently started using those Yukon Gold potatoes (type of potato, not a potato dish)... Those things are excellent, FYI. If anyone was wondering. They are as good as I'd been reading.

 

[jyuukai]

I went looking through my old crockpot recipes and found another one that I no longer use, but was a huge hit when I first started using my crockpot. (I'm 90% vegetarian now)

Put 1 lb of chicken breasts (whole) into the bottom of your crockpot and cover with a mixture of instant spaghetti sauce (the kind you get in a packet in the seasoning aisle along with gravy and whatnot) and a can of cream of chicken soup. I add a little milk because I like my dish a bit saucier than the recipe calls for, but this is up to you.

Top this with two tablespoons of butter or margarine, and add in onions (diced or sliced) if you like them. I love to add onions to dishes like this, it really stretches the dish cheaply and adds flavor if you pre-sautee them. Cook the chicken, sauce mix, and onions (if using) on low for 6-8 hours.

When you are almost ready to serve take two forks and shred the chicken, and then add a block of cubed cream cheese over top. Just let the cream cheese melt down over the dish for a while on high, because now is the time to make some pasta! I like to use one box of whole grain rotini (it has a bit more bite to it in my opinion and really makes the dish hearty. Once your pasta is done drain it and set it back in the pot.

Go back and stir up your chicken, sauce, and cream cheese mixture and turn it off. It's time to serve! Just put a serving spoon full or two over your bowl of pasta, season to taste (I just use a little salt) and eat! It's the best on cold winter nights, it really sticks to you

And now you guys know why my mom hates that I'm moving out of state! lol

 

[RockRiverTiff]

I am loving all these crockpot tips and recipes! One of the things I miss the most about showing with my big horse friends is the crockpot potlucks we used to have at the overnight shows. Here's one of my favorite summer crockpot recipes for easy (and low-fat!) pulled chicken:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/zesty-slow-cooker-chicken-barbecue/detail.aspx

 

[REO]

You all have me so excited to get one! Maybe, if my mom sends me money for my birthday in June

I make up dishes all the time (I'm a naturally good cook) and I make an au jus (spelling) pork dish that is to die for! I can't wait to try it in a crock pot!

 

[jacks'thunder]

I am loving all these crockpot tips and recipes! One of the things I miss the most about showing with my big horse friends is the crockpot potlucks we used to have at the overnight shows. Here's one of my favorite summer crockpot recipes for easy (and low-fat!) pulled chicken:

http://allrecipes.co...cue/detail.aspx

This recipe sounds sooo good! I have been looking for a good pulled pork/chicken recipe!

 

[Davie]

The crock pot lasagna recipe is so easy and I make it at Nationals all the time. I brown 1# of 80/20 ground beef and 1# of bulk sausage on my electric grill (or if at home you skillet)along with a bunch of chopped onions (may have to do it in batches depending upon the size of your grill). Move to a large bowl and add 1 jar of pasta sauce and 1 small can of tomato paste (I use a large or 2 med cans of crushed tomatoes) and what ever herbs or seasonings you like. While the meat is cooking I take 3/4C Mozzarella cheese, 1 large container of Cottage Cheese, and 3/4 cup of Parm and mix together (you can use 3-4 bags of shredded Italian Cheese blend--2 cup size). Put a Slower Cooker bag in your crock pot--layer 1/3 of your meat sauce on the bottom, add a layer of UNCOOKED lasagna noodles (break to fit), a layer of cheese and repeat. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-7. If you don't like you cheese to dry out I add a small can of tomato sauce to lightly cover the cheese and at the last 30-45 minutes add another thin layer of Motzarella and just let it melt.<br /><br />Be sure you have lots of French Bread to grill as no Lasagna is good without bread. I use the Texas Toast Garlic Bread you can get at the store in the frozen food section and just grill it.<br /><br />ENJOY