Dinner in the crockpot was perfect! Vince loved it.
Crockpot Dinner
The meat was a thick round steak. The gravy was thick, not watery or runny. The potatoes and carrots were done but not mushy. The Rotel tomatoes gave it just a bit of spice. I had planned to put a jalapeno pepper in there but since I used the Rotel, I didn’t. Vince said he’d definitely eat this again.
It could have been just my lucky day but I doubt that. I think seasoning the meat and browning it before putting it in the crockpot definitely made a difference. Also, a reader suggested that the newer crockpots may take only 5 hours instead of 7. I put the food in at about 10 a.m. and checked it about 2:45 p.m., which was 4 hours, 45 minutes. The meat was tender and the potatoes were done so I flipped the switch over to warm and left it til we ate about 5:30. I’m going to plan from now on to have things cook in 5 hours . . on low.
I’m feeling adventurous. I might cook chicken in the crockpot tomorrow.
The best part of the “meal” was that the neighbor made a banana cream pie and invited us over. She had asked us yesterday if we wanted to come over after dinner for pie and, of course, we said yes. She’s the best baker I know! Here’s how you know when you have the perfect neighbor! She got ready to cut the pie and she said “I don’t want any leftovers so we’ll just cut the pie in quarters, each eat a quarter and it will be gone!” Doesn’t get any better than that, huh? Actually, we had just finished eating so I could only eat half of the quarter and I don’t think everyone ate a whole quarter so they ended up with leftovers anyway.
We’ve never lived where we visited neighbors. Vince wants to go over there almost every evening just to see what they’re doing. We don’t go that often but it’s so nice to have good neighbors and even nicer to have one who loves to bake! 🙂
Linda in NE says
I think Vince wants to go over every night to see what the neighbor baked! 🙂
Mel Meister says
I”ve never been able to make chicken taste good in a crockpot. It get so tough and dry, no matter what recipes I’ve used or how much or little time I give it. But any other kind of meat works fine.
Mama Spark says
I have a fantastic white chicken chili recipe for the crock pot if you want me to share, let me know! My kids would eat it even when they were wee and it is EASY!!
Norma V says
just love texas hospitality!
Lynley says
I never liked the crockpot meals until I started browning the meat – I don’t know why it makes such a difference but it really does! I recommend roasting a chicken in there one day – easy peasy.
Dottie N. says
I can’t find the recipe I’ve used to make roasted/broasted chicken in the crockpot, but this one is close. http://kitchensimplicity.com/slow-cooker-roast-chicken/
The chicken is SO tender and the herbs/spices make it taste “almost” like the roasted chickens that you can find at Sam’s, Costco, some grocery stores. The spice rub makes the chicken reddish brown and when I make it, I could just pick, pick, pick at it every time I walk by, LOL.
Dottie N. says
Should have looked a bit further – this is the recipe I’ve used in the past http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/10/crockpot-rotisserie-style-chicken.html .
Carolyn says
WTG! I was thinkning that browning, and turning it off sooner would make the difference too.
DH can’t cook in a dutch oven, or crockpot, w/o opening it every 1/2 hr and stiring…. just doesn’t work as well when you do that.
Theresa Alsup says
It’s really hard to develop flavor without browning the meat first. I think that’s the main difference between crock pot cooking and the faster methods.
Mmm….banana cream pie!
Diana in RR, TX says
That was a comon occurance when we lived in MN. I was the baker and not wanting us to think we needed to eat it all, I would call our neighbor and they would be over. No left overs for any of us. Never had to call when they heard us making ice cream on the deck-they heard the freezer and over they came! I do miss the home made ice cream, but neither one of us need it-it was not a lo-cal custard recipe but it sure was good with what ever fruit was in season. Galen’s Mom made grape nut ice cream using the cereal, the one SIL made pineapple.
AngieG9 says
The meal looks delicious and is making me hungry. I do chicken in my crockpot frequently, but only the leg quarters. The breasts don’t take as long to cook and are better grilled or done in the skillet. I’ve made bread pudding in my crock pot that was soooo good, but made the sauce on stovetop. My crockpot is always just a few feet away from the counter top, because I use t constantly. I’m even considering trying it for making jam so I won’t have to stir constantlyy. I have to look for shortcuts now that the MS is hitting me harder, but I still want to do a lot of the things I did way back when.
Joie says
Looks great. I’ll have to try your recipe. I put a whole chicken in the crock pot. I oil the chicken and sprinkle it generously with LemonPepper seasoning. It has always turned out very good. It is hard to get it out of the pot because it almost always falls off the bone. It is not dry very moist.
Helen Koenig1 says
Oh yum! told ya I wanta live where you are! Especially if the neighbours make banana cream pie and invite others to eat it!
JanetB says
I love my neighbors. One of my neighbors was on the porch tonight. We love to visit and eat together.
Linda Steller says
MmmmmMmmMmm. Banana Cream Pie? Oh, I’d go every night too. It’s been a really long time since I had any of that. Maybe some day!