The Crock-Pot - One Of Mom's Best Friends

Summertime means we're getting BUSY...camps, the pool, day trips.  Thinking about dinner isn't something I really want to do, so the appliance I most treasure in the world continues to work for me during the summer:  the crockpot. 

Even before I had kids, I marveled at this low-wattage miracle device which allowed me to, literally, throw in a bunch of ingredients (2 points if I get the carrots in) and after a long day at work, come home to a hot, delicious meal. Even if I had errands or chores (shoveling snow, for example), the food usually didn't burn and if it did, it wasn't a lot. I'd walk in to a house so fragrant, one would swear someone had been cooking all day just for my pleasure.

Now that I have kids and a husband who works long hours, I still rely on the crock-pot for its simplicity and convenience. The devices are fairly inexpensive (in the $20 to $150 range) and the one I have has a 4-quart capacity which is perfect for my family. To learn more about choosing a slow-cooker, visit About.com (http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/slowcooker1/a/Aboutslowcooker.htm). Also, since I'm a renowned culinary disaster, I redeem myself with this appliance.

Here are three of my favorite recipes:

Turkey Chili

I make this at least once a week because my son loves it and it freezes well. Come to think of it, most of the crock-pot dishes I make freeze well...

Ingredients:

1-1/2 to 2 pounds of ground turkey

2 15.5 cans of drained black beans

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (I'd use diced tomatoes, but the boy can't stand tomato chunks.)

1 or 2 packages of chili mix (depending on how spicy I want it)

1 40 oz. can of drained red kidney beans

Directions:

1. Spray the inside of the pot with cooking spray.
2. Add all ingredients and set on the Low setting to cook for about 8 hours.
3. Stir periodically.

Variations: I've added some canned corn and frozen chopped spinach, served it over brown rice, and thrown a tablespoon or two of sour cream and diced Mexican cheese on top just for fun. To stretch it, add a can of Hormel chili.

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Turkey Meatloaf

Again, an easy-peasy recipe that yields the filling for an amazing sandwich the next day.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of ground turkey

2 eggs, beaten (or 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites)

¾ cup of milk or water

3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs (I use whole wheat ones)

1 cup of ketchup

Directions:

1. Spray the inside of the pot with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk or water, breadcrumbs, and meat. Mix thoroughly and shape into a large ball. The ball should be large enough that it won't touch the sides of the pot.
3. Place the ball into the pot and add about ½ cup of water.
4. Pour the ketchup over the top and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Variations: To get extra vegetables into my son, I've added a jar of babyfood – squash or sweet potatos work well. You may need to increase the amount of breadcrumbs by ½ cup if you do this.

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Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

1 to 2 cups of shredded chicken (I use thighs because they're cheaper than breasts.)

1 cup of water

2 cups of frozen, diced vegetables (Generic ones from the grocery store work fine, just be careful what they have in them. If there's a lima bean in the assortment, my kids won't touch the soup.)

6 cups of chicken broth or 6 chicken bouillon cubes

leftover rice or pasta, if you have any

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Put all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours. Taste periodically and adjust the seasonings to whatever you like.

I've served this over rice, added leftover vegetables and had fun with this recipe. Ask a young child to help – they love it.

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For more crock-pot recipes, visit the following sites:

CookingLight.com – Here's the link to a whopping 105 slow-cooker recipes: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/slow-cooker-favorites-00400000038588/

Spoonful.com – This link has 30 recipes: http://spoonful.com/recipes/slow-cooker-recipes

Chef-In-Training.com – Nikki lists 50 recipes here: http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/08/50-slow-cooker-recipes

CrockpotLadies.com – They list an Apple Pie Moonshine that sounds compelling. Their link is http://crockpotladies.com

About.com – Linda Larsen has a great article on 5-ingredient recipes here: http://busycooks.about.com/od/fiveingredientsorles1/a/5ingredient.htm

Foodnetwork.com – Probably the best cooking site for cooking. Their Slow Cooker Collection can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/delegate.do?fnSearchString=slow+cooker&fnSearchType=site