Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara logo

Crockpot Cooking

Do you use a crockpot or slow cooker?  If so, do you like it because the food tastes good or because it’s quick and painless?  I’ve tried lots of recipes and for the most part, I’m just not a big fan of the crockpot.  Maybe it’s because I like to cook . . I really do like it.  But, I can’t can and cook . . canning takes over the entire kitchen.  I can’t sew and cook because I sew downstairs and the kitchen is upstairs.  If I’m going to ever get any sewing done, I must learn to use the crockpot at least a few nights a week.

I have found a lot of recipes on Stephanie’s A Year of Slow Cooking blog.  Those Hawaiian Ribs look great!  In the past three days, I’ve used the crockpot to make Beef Stroganoff which was great; 40 Clove Chicken which was fantastic, and Red Beans and Sausage, which were yummy.  So . . why don’t I use my crock pot more often?

I have several different pots.  I have this one that I mainly use for making yogurt and I think Chad wants to take it to school with him.  Mine is black.

This one is the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget.  I’ve never bonded with it.  I think it’s kinda hard to use.  I have to think about how to set it and I don’t use it often enough to remember how to set it without thinking about it.  Oh, goodness . . I sound like my grandma!

This one is my favorite.  It’s a Hamilton Beach 6 quart “Stay or Go”.

Why do I have three crockpots?  I explained in this post how I ended up with two.  Then I bought the third one (which is the first one listed here) because I needed a round one for making yogurt.  I think I would like to use the crockpot more.

So, my questions are:

  • Which pot do you use and why do you like it?
  • What are your favorite crockpot recipes?

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I am not a fan of crockpot cooking either Judy. To me, you can make the identical dish and slow cook it in a dutch oven (in the oven) and it will be FABULOUS, but the crockpot version will be leached of flavor, and the meat.. OMG it’s always disgusting. The texture becomes strange, and the flavor is simply leached out. I can’t figure out how that happens.

    Saying that, I love using a crockpot for soups, cooking beans, etc.

    I have heard though, that the AllClad crockpots produce excellent food. But along with the $179 (ceramic crock) and $279 (teflon crock, goes from burner to insert) price tags, reviews say that they experience problems within a year, either the electronics go, or in the $179 model (which would be my choice) the crock cracks.
    These two are also large units, 7 quarts I think. Most crockpots are too small for me to use effectly, even though there’s just the two of us, I like to make extra and freeze/can whatever.

  2. Judy, I love my crockpots (I have 5) and use at least one each week. I hate to cook and my slow cookers help me put tasty food on the table without having to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. My husband’s favorite is Cola Pot Roast, using cola, pot roast, onion soup mix, chili sauce and worcester sauce. It’s terrific and couldn’t be easier.

  3. Not a big fan of them either…I do like to make what I call “Crockpot Pork” and pulled pork is another one that does well. As for roasts and such…oven roasting is way better. I agree with CJ above…I think roasts in the crockpot just have little flavor…or maybe it’s the texture I don’t like. There are some chicken recipes that do well in it though. Chicken breast with carrots, potatoes, and onions is not bad.
    I just have a regular oval crockpot with off/low/high settings.

  4. I use our crockpot all the time in the winter. We don’t use it so much in the summertime, but pretty much every weekend we make something in the crockpot during the winter. Chili, beef stew, pulled pork….. yum I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! I think one of the best ones (definitely not the healthiest) is a chicken recipe that you mix dry italian dressing mix, butter, tomato paste and cream cheese in a pan and heat it up until everything combines. Then you pour it over the chicken in the slow cooker and cook it on high for 4 hours. Serve over linguine and its sooooo good! 😉

  5. I love my slow cooker not only because it is easy but I love the infused flavors that it imparts. If you send me an email I’ll gladly send you my favorite recipe for Thai Green Chicken Curry. Yum!

    • Okay Jay. Are you going to share the recipe for the Thai Green Chicken Curry? Waiting and tapping my foot.

  6. I do like to use my crock pot, but I am not always on top of getting things into it early. I guess I am a last minute cooker 🙂 Anyway, we really love to put a roast in the crock pot. To me a roast is just not enjoyable unless it is tender. I have also made spaghetti sauce when I am in a bind and have to be away from home. Chili also is good. Not a big fan of chicken in the crock pot, as it seems overcooked. I never add potatoes to my recipes until the very end. Then I cook them on the stove and dump them into the crock pot so the meat flavors can be mixed in. I’ve only had two pots, starting with a small one and now use a large Rival. I think it has a place in my kitchen 🙂

  7. Amazingly enough I make stuffing in mine. We live overseas and we just aren’t able to get big birds to stuff. I like stuffing, but we also can’t get a box of stuffing ready to make. My crockpot cookbook had a recipe for stuffing. It’s pretty close to the real thing. Now I can make stuffing whenever my bag of leftover bread in the freezer gets full and it can accompany any meal. Or I can make for a crowd and not use up precious oven space. I am in the group that uses it for convenience and is afraid to leave the house with it on, but I have on occasion. It is a Rival Stoneware Slow Cooker that my mother didn’t use and gave to me. 3 temp choices, pretty basic. Thanks for the link to the slow cooking site. I also am trying to cook less and sew more and have challenged myself to use the slow cooker every Monday. 3 out of 4 for the past month. Not too bad. I’m not sure I sewed the equivalent though!!

  8. I had cooked roasts in the crock pot and never liked them. My nephew told me to sear the roast before putting it in and that was the trick. I now cook all roasts in it. I do a lot of crock pot cooking during the winter but haven’t had it out this summer. I think I’ll put a pot of beans in today, that sounds good. I have several sizes of the Crockpot brand which I love.

    I had a large one that the lid broke after the 2nd use and I contacted the company for a replacement lid. Instead of sending me the lid, they sent me a whole new unit. Can’t beat that for customer service.

  9. I love my crock pot! Esp. during quiltathons!! 😉
    Taco Soup, chili, spag. sauce, clean out the fridge stew, pulled pork. Big family dinners it’s great for mashed potatoes. Now I’m hungry. Great post, can’t wait to see more ideas.

  10. I use a 6 qt. crockpot about once a week. It is great for tenderizing meat and adding flavor. Pulled Pork and Carnitas ( from Stephanie’s blog) are two of our favorites. Also Asian Beef. Great with chow mein noodles.

  11. I do Ree Drummond’s brisket in a huge crock pot and it’s delish. And my sister in law gave me our grandmother in law’s recipe for crock pot tapioca pudding which is to die for.

    I have 3 cheapo crock pots: A 1-quart baby, a 7-quart big oval one and an 8-quart that is actually divided in half for two 4-quart compartments. The baby and the divided one are both great on the buffet line but not so great for actual cooking.

  12. I do not really Love my crock pots..I have two. I do use them for soups and chili, roasts. I find them great for making broth. Put your bones and spices in and let it cook all night…Cool strain and enjoy. I have a counter top roaster that I use for some things like baked chicken when I do not want to use the oven. It looks like a crock pot except that the insert is metal and it works like a oven..more or less.

  14. I use the West Bend slow cooker and really like it. This “slow” cooker is faster than most whish is why I like it better. I never can remember to put something in 8 or even 6 hours in advance. I can make a pork roast or the family’s favorite fiesta chicken is about 3-4 hours. Basically I can throw everything in the pot as we are walking out the door to church on Sunday morning and it will be ready when we get back. That is my favorite time to use it.
    A few things I have learned over the years is you have to spice it up a bit more in a slow cooker than in regular cooking and you don’t need as much liquid.

  15. I like my Crock Pot but have found the best cooking is when I crack the lid and let some air in. Seems like the liquids are just watery if I leave the lid totally down. With Chili and Spaghetti sauces I leave the lid totally off and stir every now and then just as if it was on the stove cooking for hours at a very slow simmer.

    Pat

  16. I love my crockpots…I have a 1 qt., 3 qt. and a 6 qt. The 1 qt. I use for hot dips and mainly use the 3 qt now. Great for stews, soups, one pot dishes and today I am doing Italian Beef in it. Yum! Mine gets used a number of times a week.

  17. Hi Judy!
    I love my crockpot, but wish it had a timer so I could set it to start later… I found chicken breasts at a super duper price sunday and bought 11.5 lbs! I layered the chicken in my big crock with dry Italian dressing mix (no liquids) and by the time I got back from where ever we were (b-day party, i think), all I had to do was put the chicken in bowls to cool and strain the broth. Makes a really rich broth that I can add to gravy, soup or feeze for future use. I cut up all the chicken, divided it into freezer bag protions and I have 6-8 family meals already prepared. Love this now that school, and tae kwon do and piana and football and… are all back in session.

  18. I have two. One is the same as your first (bought it because I needed a smaller one than I had) and the other is a 6qt oval like your third, but it’s a Rival with no bells and whistles, just high, low and off.

    I bought the cookbook of the writer at A Year of Slow Cooking after reading a few reviews from Jessica at http://www.balancingeverything.com I’ve cooked 4-5 of the same recipes she did, but my family wasn’t too crazy for them. We felt there was just “something missing” in them. They were rather bland, as well. Haven’t given up yet.

  19. I have a basic oval 6-qt Rival and use it mostly for making chili, soups, and spaghetti sauce – and mostly in the winter. I know the book/blog you’re speaking of – I have the book – it’s great. Very down-to-earth recipes.

  20. hi judy, i use my crock pot because it’s quick and convenient to fix and forget. lately i’m finding myself using it to cook a chicken or a roast to use in other dishes. in fact last night i put a chicken in the crock pot to cook overnight then to make soup out of today. woke up around 3 a.m. and wondered what that smell was…haha.

    ev isn’t nuts about the texture of some things when they come out of the crock pot. i have to make sure and turn it off when stuff is done so it doesn’t over cook, and even then some things just are mushy.l

  21. hubby won’t eat anything that has been in a crock pot. he says it all tastes the same…gluey..and bland…

    I will use it to make chicken broth and that’s it..

  22. I love Crock Pot weather! I have 4 Crock Pots but the one I use most is the Stay or Go. I mostly make chili, stews and soups. No recipes…… just dump in what ever I have on hand. Tender veggies go in about ½ hour before serving so they don’t turn to mush.

    I use all of them at Thanksgiving. I usually set up a buffet in the kitchen and the dining table in the living room( we have a small house). Great for keeping the mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and squash nice and hot.

  23. I use mine for the same things over and over. I just haven’t found very many recipes that are actually ‘company’ types and if I’m gonna cook, it needs to be something I can serve to company….I do have one recipe I rigged nearly 30 yrs ago when I got my first crockpot as a wedding gift, “Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs”. I make that one often for special dinners. Other than that, it’s baked beans, and spaghetti sauce. I have two now…a small one for just hubby and I size and a jumbo for kids are coming home cooking.
    I followed that link you gave when she was actually using her crock for that whole year…it was fun to read….don’t even remember if I tried any of the recipes…but I keep hoping to find more great good enough for company recipes. Maybe you could do a special page with everyone’s tried and true favorites?

  24. I use a fairly old crock pot but I love using it because I don’t love cooking. I can put the food in around 8:00 a.m and go upstairs to my third foor sewing room and sew, sew, sew. Tips; Don’t use too much liquid and make sure the liquid has flavor to it like chicken stock. I cook red beans, smothered chicken, pork roast, and anykind of deer meat all in the crock pot. Have fun and be open to what’s more important. Nita

  26. Judy, I used to think they all tasted the same too…altho, soups and stews work GREAT. I had a ‘quick fix’ (won’t name the cookbook) book that had a TON of recipes. When I actually READ them, they were alot of the same recipe with small changes. When I got Make it Fast, Cook it slow (Stephanie’s book…sorry, I’m on new laptop…no links…365 days of crockpot blog), I found some great recipes that taste good…and DIFFERENT. I have a couple of recipes I found other places we have fallen in love with..shredded beef with some spices, dry onion soup mix and a bottle of beer (yum!) and a cowboy stew that uses canned potatoes. I never even knew you could BUY canned potatoes, but they hold their shape and dont’ get mushy. I even make oatmeal in a 1.5 qt crock. I put it on when we go to bed, and when we get up..VOILA! its ready to eat. reheat leftovers in the microwave. I don’t use it ALL the time, but I like that I make the decision on what is to eat EARLY in the day. Then my brain can move on to other things!

  27. I really like to use our crockpot mostly for the time savings. I can set it up in the morning and for the most part, not have to worry about cooking that night. I have been less-than-thrilled with a lot of the recipies I’ve tried, but some are keepers. I was following along with the Year of Slow Cooking blog as well (I may have heard about it from you!). We have two – a medium size round one and a really large oval Cuisinart one that we got for our wedding. The Cuisinart has a lot of nice features, but it is just too large for the two of us. To work properly they need to be at least 2/3 full, and that would just make too much food even if I freeze most of it. I’m back to mostly using the old medium sized one and it works wonderfully. I recently cooked a pork shoulder with spices that shreaded nicely for sandwhiches and tacos. Year of Slow Cooking had a great Coq au Vin that I keep coming back to also.

    • Hi Kathy,

      I’ve never been able to cook chicken in a crockpot without it getting dried out. Does that happen with the Coq au Vin recipe?

      thanks!

      Mel

      • There is a lot of juice (sauce) in this recipe, and the chicken ends up being so tender it falls off the bone. I think in general boneless piecies (like breasts) will tend to dry out faster than bone-in pieces (like thighs).

  28. Dry pinto beans (to be used in other recipes), Italian Chicken, chili, soups,all turn out great. I frequently roast beef in a cast iron dutch oven (very slow oven 200) for hours. Once it is cooked, slice and place in beef boullion in the crock pot or Nesco small roaster oven and it will stay hot and tender for a buffet.

    A friend used to slice potatoes, polish sausage, cheese (sauce?? I don’t know) in the crock pot and cook on low for hours. This was delicious and she was always asked to bring it to pot lucks.

    We have a Mexican American friend who helped us make tamales. She laughed at our schemes to steam them. She said her mama (born in Mexico) uses the crock pot.

    My sister-in-law places a dish towel –sometimes covered with foil–between the lid of the crock pot (or Nesco oven) to absorb the excess condensation. Using this method, she has successfully made mac and cheese for a potluck and when the lid is lifted–the pasta is not a mushy mess. She also bakes potatoes in a Nesco for a crowd using this method. Great for chili topped baked potatoes.

    I like to use my small Nesco for ribs, two chickens, and beef or pork roasts. I cook on low heat –around 200 to 225 degrees. I followed the recipe for pot roast in the Nesco cookbook and it was a tough mess. This type of cooking is more of a half-day deal—not turn it on and forget it. If the meats are pre-seasoned and ready to pop in the roaster/oven, all I have to do is remember to put them in three or four hours before we want to eat.

  29. I love to use the crockpot in the winter for a hearty soup or chili, especially when we will be out all day on the weekend. I’ve also liked making pulled pork, but I use a pork loin, not the shoulder. I really enjoyed ready Stephanie’s book, but havn’t tried many of the recipes. I did make the Rotel dip which was an amazing hit at an office party! Otherwise, my big use of the cp is to keep things warm for large gatherings – like meatballs, etc.

  30. I have four — 2, 2-quart Rivals (which I rarely use anymore), a 6-quart one that I got from William & Sonoma, which is my *favorite* when I’m family cooking, and a small, 1-quart crockpot that I use when I’m cooking oatmeal overnight, or cooking something small for just Todd and I. I have several recipes that I really like in the crockpot, but mostly I prefer to cook! 🙂

  31. I use the crockpot for mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving or whenever we’re having a large gathering. Early in the morning, I cook up the potatoes– mash, add butter and milk. Set the mixture in the crockpot, an hour before mealtime, I turn the crockpot on to low, 5 minutes before serving, stir in a bit of milk or half and half, dish up and serve.

  32. I have two Nesco’s and use them all the time…Im on my second 6 qt size. I love them and don’t ever feel like food is tasteless……..

  33. i’ve got two. A round one where the crock doesn’t lift out and a large oval one with a removable crock. I like using them in the heat of the summer so I don’t heat up the kitchen. Typically I cook pork tenderloin in a McCormick Bag ‘n Season for pork chops, but it heats up the kitchen. Last week I put the bag in the crock pot. Tasted the same, but the meat did fall apart more (not necessarily a bag thing). I also took a roast that was on sale wrapped it in foil and poured a bottle of ‘liquid smoke’ on it before I sealed the foil. Cooked it on low for about 12 hours. The meat shredded and then I poured bbq sauce on it for sandwiches. In the winter I use it to make soups.

  34. Another recipe that is quite good in the crockpot is Three Bean Casserole which is basically baked beans or Calico Beans.

  36. my crockpot is 25+ years old and not made anymore. A few years ago I bought a new rival crockpot … hated it and finally threw it away. One of our favorite crockpot meals is to put a turkey breast in with two cans of cream soup and cook all day.

  37. I have used crockpots since Rival came out with the first one. I have either five or six, but all those only get used on the holidays (at one time). I have a very basic 6 quart that sits permanently on my counter. It’s a “no name” brand. My smaller pots are mostly Rival though, I just got a deal on this one.

    Before I rave on about crockpots, I have to say that I HATE chicken in a crockpot. It gets all dried out and chewy. Nasty stuff!

    I have a couple of pot roast recipes that are killer that I created with soup mixed and pepperoncinis.

    Our very favorite is a pork chop recipe with chicken and rice soup. Sorry, I don’t have a blog to share it. But basically, you brown pork chops after dredging them in a mixture of flour, dry mustard powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. After browning, throw them in the crockpot and put two cans of chicken rice soup in. Cook for 6-8 hours on low. During the last half hour, put a cup of rice in with the chops and soup. FABULOUS!

    Corn pudding, rum cider, spiced carrots… all kinds of goodies go in different pots for Thanksgiving.

  38. I love my crockpot and have the Rival Smart Cooker – haven’t figured out the smart part yet !!! My best thing to cook is a frozen turkey breast, cause I never think that far ahead and the recipe actually calls for frozen, and a can of cranberry sauce. Just delicious. I always sear my beef roast first and then cook on a layer of celery and carrots with a can of beef broth. This makes a really nice, rich sauce, which I “lightly” thicken with Arrowroot. Any meat tastes good if you use chicken, beef or vegetable broth instead of water. You do need to season when you use the crockpot.

  39. I have two crocks – an 8 qt oval one and one that has three different inter-changeable sized bowls – (2, 4, &6 qt). I absolutely love the latter one!

    I plan crock-pot meals when I know I will be gone all day or busy all day. I like the ease of the meals and cook it on LOW all day long.

  40. I only have one oval crock pot, I don’t like it ’cause there are only 2 settings on it (hi and low) and I think they are reversed! My daughter has the same pot and tells me the same thing. It is fairly new though so I can’t just get another. I don’t remember the make…and it’s upstairs!
    I use the “fix it and forget it” cook book nearly all the time. I like putting it on in the morning, coming home from work and smelling supper all done!

  41. I have two different Rival crockpots (basic one small and one large). I use the smaller one (probably the same as the white one you pictured) the most because you have to fill them 2/3 full in order to work optimally. I like it for it’s time saving features and also like it for cooking some cuts of meats that are often tougher (the cheaper leaner cuts of meat). I find that I like to use it best for meats that I want to shred. I always flavor the liquid (use lemon juice, wine, soup base) and use a small amount. I add plenty of spices and may add vegetables (favorites: mushrooms, onion, tomatoes). Sometimes the meat gets dry, but after I shred it and pour the remaining flavorful liquid over it, it rehydrates. Sometimes I thicken the liquid to make a gravy (with a little flour or starch at the end of cooking) and lots of times I don’t (just serve the meat/vegetables over toast, mashed potatoes, pasta or rice). Meat done like this freezes very well and can be used many ways. It looks much like that chicken you pressure cooked and canned! For the most part, I don’t like lot of the recipes that call for canned soups, specific seasoning mixes & lots of water! I prefer carrots, potatoes and such cooked on the stove. Things that I can make quicker on the stovetop, I usually do not make in the crockpot!

  42. I have only a couple of crockpot recipes. Most of the recipes do not seem appealing to me. Though I do have one recipe that I use religiously! It is my mom’s recipe and it is a family favorite. We have it often.

    Italian Beef Sandwiches

    3 – 4 pound rump roast, sliced into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick slices
    (You could do this while partially frozen or if you have a full service meat counter like I do, have them do it!)
    1 1/2 Tblsp. basil
    2 tsp. oregano
    2 tsp. garlic powder
    3 cups water

    Put it all in the crockpot, set on low for 8 – 9 hours. Serve on warmed rolls! We sometimes saute onions, peppers, and mushrooms to go on it. LOVE this recipe.

    I also use the left over meat and juices to make hot beef sandwiches the next night. It has a little different flavor, but it is wonderful!

    • This sounds yummy!! I will have to give it a try. There is a Food Wagon, I guess you would call it, that sets up sometimes and they have this sandwich. They also put a bit of Grated Parmesan Cheese on the top. Yummm. Thank you for the recipe!

      I, too, cook pork in mine for BBQ, or just to eat. A small amount of water in the bottom, and pepper the meat. I make “stone” soup. Go to the store, pick up various vegetables and throw it all together with either pre-cooked ground meat, or leftover roast. Yummy, too!

      I have a friend, who buys milk in the half gallon carton. Saves the carton and starts filling it up with leftovers that can’t be served again. You know, the tablespoon of peas, potatoes, or half slice of meat. She then keeps that in the freezer and keeps adding to it. When it is full, it is used for soup. really not much to add to it, because of all the variety of ingredients in the carton.

  43. Coke Chicken

    2-3 boneless chicken breasts
    1 Envelope onion soup mix
    1 14 ounce can of tomatoes diced, with or without flavorings
    1 12 ounce can of soda pop diet regular or flat

    Cook all day 8-9 hours on low. The chicken will be very tender. Serve over potatoes or rice

  44. I’m with you, Judy. I like to cook too. I don’t cook as much as I used to since I started quilting, but I still like it. There’s something so gratifying about sitting down to a tasty and beautiful plate of food that one has prepared, and I love the raves I get from my family. I do use my crockpot, but sparingly these days. I like putting a frozen turkey breast in when I get up in the morning and having hot turkey sandwiches at dinner. And it makes the house smell good too! Nothing could be simpler.

  45. I have a small crockpot that I use daily for cooking hot cereal. I have it on a timer, so my 7 grain cereal is ready at 7am every morning and all I had to do was measure water and cereal into the crockpot the night before. Works like a charm!

  46. I have several slow cookers — an oval 3.5 quart, a round 5 quart, and oval 6 and 7 quart ones. I also have the Little Dipper, but have never yet used it. I LOVE my slow cookers. I like that I can use leaner cuts of meat without them getting tough, and that I can be gone all day or otherwise occupied all day, and still have a good meal, and when I’m cooking ahead (to portion and freeze for my husband’s work lunches), I love that I can have several dishes going at once, and still also be making things in the oven and stovetop as well. My favorite things to make in the slow cooker are really too numerous to list. Okay, two favorite things I’ve made recently — a semi-boneless leg of lamb, and Rock Cornish game hens. It hasn’t been my experience that “everything tastes the same,” or that things have an objectionable texture, unless I cook them too long or too high. But that’s me. I also don’t get the assumption that somehow using a slow cooker is NOT cooking. If you mean, when you say “I like to cook” that “I like to stand by the stove and watch the cooking process happen,” then I’d have to say that I don’t always enjoy that. I like to cook, but I don’t always want to have it consume all of my time. But there is art in choosing what to put into the pot (I rarely use an actual published recipe, though I have many), and what seasonings to use and so forth. Being present for the entire duration of the application of heat is not necessary for me to feel as if I’ve cooked the meal — no elves came in and did it for me! My hands still cut up the meat and vegetables, added the seasonings, and turned the pot on — how is that different from assembling something and putting it in the oven, or putting things into a saute pan on the stove and stirring and watching, except for the time factor?

    • I agree with you totally and was about to write the same thing when I read what you wrote. I love my crockpot and use it several times a week. I decide on what I put in it, how I season it and how long I cook it. Everything I cook in it taste wonderful and nothing taste the same. My husband and my friends love my crockpot meals.

  47. I absolutely love my crockpot and have gone through 4 of them over the years. I use the same website there’s a recipe there for Chicken Makhani and it is divine. My whole family loves it, I had to make it 2 days in a row so Liam could have some. I have my eyes on one of those twin slowcookers, but my kitchen isn’t big enough for it. I have one of the Hamilton stay and go ones, I have a smaller one and I used a smaller one so much that the heating element started to melt through the bottom and melted my cutting mat. I love it for both the reasons that it’s easy and quick, I can set it up in the morning and dinner is ready at night but I also like the way the food tastes when we eat it.

  48. i have 2 tiny ones for queso, uses the 1# box of velvetta, then i have 3 4qt. ones, then i have 2 larger ones to make soup in the fall. i love them, hope to start useing them once again soon! thanks for the site, that is something i can really use.

  49. It’s funny you mentioned those Hawaiian Ribs – the same day she posted that recipe, I happened to be at the grocery store, and they had 3 packages of ribs on sale – that NEVER happens. I scooped up all 3, tried to remember if I had everything the recipe called for (I didn’t have exactly the right spices for the chinese 5 spice, but I just threw in others) It was indeed excellent ! I don’t measure – so I can’t say for sure how closely I matched her recipe – but the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar (I used Splenda brown sugar for baking) – made a sticky, not too sweet sauce, that was awesome. I will definately be making this one again. And the best part – I threw everything in the crock when I got home from the store (around 11) it was done by 5, but then we decided to go out and do a few things – so I turned it to warm, gave it a stir when I stopped by the house a couple hours later, and at 11 p.m., when we finally sat down to eat – it was still wonderful – not dried out at all … definately a winner. I have 1 crockpot – most times it is too large for a given recipe, and my food cooks too quickly, but with 6 people in the family, a small crockpot just won’t do. I do lamb in the crock, rubbed with all kinds of morroccan herbs, and in the winter, I usually have a special drink in there (made from dried cranberries – called coocorii in Egypt) When the kids are home alone, they’ll take a “hunk of beef” from the freezer, dump in a can of soda and a bottle of bbq sauce – and by the end of the day – they have awesome meat for sandwiches. Love my crockpot !

  50. I like using my crock pot, but I struggle to find recipes that have ingredients I would eat to cook in them. (I do not like “cream of” soups…) But I have a roast recipe that is wonderful that I found at the Good Housekeeping website:
    http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/sweet-tangy-braised-chuck-roast-1509?click=recipe_sr
    And last night I made chicken ratatouille in the crock pot and it was good. It’s kinda like a stew (not like the layered one in the Disney movie). From this recipe: http://www.lowfatlifestyle.com/soups_stews/soupandstewrecipes/crockpotchickenratatouille.htm
    These seem simple compared to what you’ve shown us that you cook, but I wanted to share and it’s a place to start, right? I hope you like them.

  51. I have a Rival crock, it must be one of the smaller ones because it’s always full to the brim. I mostly use it for the “hunk o meat, can of soda, bottle of bbq sauce” recipe for pulled pork, usually adding a little liquid smoke. I would use it more, but it really only has 2 settings…fairly hot and really hot so I kinda have to be nearby or back in less than the 6-8 hours most things say they take.

  52. I have a Hamilton Beach from Wal-Mart. It’s oval and black and has two temps. I love to cook in the crock pot b/c I HATE to be in the kitchen. I garden, I sew, I go to the gym and work up a sweat, but sweating over a hot stove or in a kitchen made hot by the oven is not for me! (Altho, I did make your steak parmesan recipe last week – yummy!)

    There are some recipes I like and many I don’t b/c they call for lots of fatty or premade stuff, like canned cream soups. I have a great cheesy ham and potatoes recipe that does not use canned soup. Turkey breast is good, too.

Discover more from Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading