I cannot Cook & just Purchased a Crock Pot

[JanetRose]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

 

[minkydog]

Crockpot cooking is so easy. The meat is so tender and you can truly make a one pot meal. I love coming home to yummy smells of dinner just waiting to be served up. Here's an easy recipe to get you started. It has wine in it,but you could easily just use beef broth.

Steak Merlot

1 small flank steak
1 can beef broth
sliced mushrooms, however many you want(can also be left out)
1/4-1/2 cup Merlot, or other red wine

Braise the steak on both sides in a little oil. Put it in the crockpot. Add everything else. Turn it on low and leave it alone for about 8 hours or so. Don't open the top, keep the heat in. The meat will just fall apart--so yummy. Serve with salad and green beans

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Crockpot Index from the Cooking board

I love my crockpot! You will, too

 

[kaytieeldr]

Get Sandra Lee's Money Saving Slow Cooker cookbook from walmart.com (it was about $12). It's got recipes ranging from dips to desserts! Yes, all in the slow cooker!

 

[C.Ann]

Love cooking in crock pots!

You might want to hint around for Santa to bring you a nice, simple crock pot cookbook if you're not into "fancy" meals.. You can take a look at them on Amazon.com - read the reviews - find the one that sounds most appealing to you - and "just happen to have the name of it handy" should anyone ask what you would like for Christmas..

Enjoy!

 

[Tosie]

The Fix It and Forget It books are great too! Have fun!

 

[JanetRose]

I just read that you should buy one with a timer. I guess that is important if I'm going to let something cook during the day?

 

[Tosie]

I just read that you should buy one with a timer. I guess that is important if I'm going to let something cook during the day?

I have 2 and neither of mine have a timer. I just look at the time when I start it and go from there.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

I don't have a recipe hint, but I do have a crockpot hint.
Buy the Reynolds Crockpot liner bags, they make clean up a breeze, and you will not get the "everything tastes the same from the crockpot" problem that tends to develop over time for some people.

 

[Christine]

I just read that you should buy one with a timer. I guess that is important if I'm going to let something cook during the day?

My latest crockpot has a timer. I hate it. I am often gone for 10 hours a day and mine will automatically cut off at 8 hours. So, now I can't cook on days that I go to work. The good thing about this model though is that it came with an insulated carrying case. Best idea ever. People at work are SOOOOO jealous when I come in with it for a pot luck. I can't seem to find any that have those anymore.

Anyway, don't sweat it if you don't get a timer.

I don't have any fabulous recipes to share. Truth be told, I'm sort of picky about food and most crockpot food underwhelms me, but you can't beat its convenience.

I often buy a pork tenderloin and make pulled pork barbeque. Also, McCormicks has those newish Slow Cooker Spice packs out now. I tried the one for Beef Stroganoff and it wasn't bad so long as I bought a really nice cut of meat for it.

 

[C.Ann]

No need for a timer.. Most recipes will tell you "high" or "medium" or "low" for xxxx amount of time..

Neither of mine have timers..

 

[denisem]

Crockpot Index from the Cooking board

I love my crockpot! You will, too

Along with the above DIS reference, other good sources for crockpots recipes is allrecipes.com and cooks.com. Search "crockpot" or "slowcooker".

 

[mrspaha]

There's been a few great threads here with crockpot recipes...

I just pulled mine out this morning, because we had/having our first snowfall of the year. Love the smell of something cooking all day when I come inside.

I'm making chicken and dumplings -- recipe is on allrecipes.com. I've made it before, and my husband loves the dumplings. I like allrecipes.com because they have tons of recipes and then users give reviews which I find extremely helpful, because they give substitutions that they've used that work well. Sometimes I don't have one of the ingredients, or my picky husband doesn't like one of the ingredients, so I'm able to check out what other people have done.

I'm going to try to start using it more, because there are such fabulous recipes out there -- often using more inexpensive cuts of meat. Even though there's just 2 of us at home now, I still make big batches of whatever, and the leftovers are often just as good or even better the next few days.

 

[SpecialK]

Try this blog for recipes, too. It's written by a woman who cooked everything in the crockpot for a full year.

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

 

[Robinrs]

LOL, I could've started this thread!! I just got my Black Friday crockpot and I'm searching for recipes, too!! Thanks, this is priceless!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I just started using one last year and I have discovered some really yummy recipes but I'd love some new ones from other people. Of course, mine are all from Taste of Home because I am a huge fan these days.

Anyway here are the recipes to look for:

Sweet 'n' tangy pot roast - I serve over egg noodles I like the no cholesterol ones
Prosciutto chicken caccitore - I skip the Prosciutto and spoon it over Uncle Bens original rice - don't overcook... ewww
Slow Cooker Fajitas
Pork Chop potato dinner - don't over cook... ewwww.
Mexican chicken chili - I use either ground chicken or turkey and serve with nacho chips

FYI, a friend of mine suggested using those baggies that go on the inside of these things but I didn't like it. To clean I just set the pot in a dry sink, fill it carefully with water, add some cheap automatic dish detergent from the Dollar Store (MIL tip) and in about 20 minutes everything just slides off and I carefully dump it so I don't ruin the wires (my crock pot is my MIL's from the 70's) amd set it upside down on the stove to air dry overnight.

PS- to not spend a lot of money on unusual spices look for the ones by Badia at Walmart and Goya too. Badia sells small amounts of spices in little ziplock baggies for under a dollar which is good #1, in case you hate the recipe and never use it again and #2, because they take up much less space than the regular containers.

 

[JVelasquez]

I'm not the best cook but I love my crockpot I think it's very easy and I love cooking my beef stew!

 

[pppiglet]

DS (26) loves our crock pot and made us dinner one day and it was so good!

1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 can of pinto beans (with or without jalapeno's)
1 jar of La Victoria medium salsa ( or any salsa you want)
4 chicken breasts (cut each into about 6 chunky pieces)

Let sit in the crock pot all day on low (for us that's about 10hrs, I'm sure after 5-6hrs it would be done).

At the last minute before serving, stir in one package of cream cheese until it melts.

Yummy!

I double everything so we have leftovers. : )

 

[usnuzuloose]

LOL, I could've started this thread!! I just got my Black Friday crockpot and I'm searching for recipes, too!! Thanks, this is priceless!

Your the culprit who took the last crock pot on black friday. I see how it is.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh, ignore robin! There's a much better one on sale this week at, I think, Target and KMart. It's a Hamilton Beach Take & Go - with the clips to keep the lid on for transport - for between $26 and $29.