I had a birthday over the weekend, a lovely, low-key affair featuring a baby shower and dinner at a favorite restaurant. For my birthday, John got me a crock pot and a Nike+ sensor thing and a lethally miserable cold. Thanks, honey! Except for that last one! For that one you can go to hell!
Yes, team, I am now the proud owner of a crock pot. I know, right? Who gets excited about a slow cooker? Well: I do. I have these visions of perfectly-cooked beans and lovingly-prepared stews and dinners eaten before 9pm on a weeknight. Dare to dream, people.
So now that I’ve admitted that I’m old and the sort to get excited about kitchen appliances: anyone have any good slow cooker recipes to share?
Mir at Woulda Coulda Shoulda uses her crockpot a lot. I think she likes a website called A Year of Crockpotting or something like that. I’ve never had any luck with my crockpot, but I think it’s mostly because it’s a cheap-o one and doesn’t have very many temp settings.
I think that my crockpot cookbook is called “Best Healthy Crockpot Recipes” or something like that. I haven’t tried too many recipes in it, but there is a roasted chicken, where you just put fresh rosemary and garlic in various places in a whole chicken, put the bird into the crockpot and a few hours later, it is amazingly delicious!
I heart my crock pot, A simple one to try is the trader joe’s red wine pot roast. But I have made short ribs, chicken enchiladas, pulled pork and they are all so delish.
The recipe book that came with the crock pot should have some good ideas. That is were we got the pulled port recipe.
No but will you share yours when you get them? I am ashamed to say that we have had our slow cooker since our wedding a year and a half ago and still have never used it.
I asked for a slow cooker over Christmas. So far we haven’t had much luck with many recipes (and it has this burning plastic smell when it’s cooking…), but making beef slow in it is magical. Delicious!
Sweets and I just got a slow cooker last year, so we spent the winter experimenting with it. I love the idea of throwing a bunch of ingredients together and coming back 6-8 hours later to a delicious meal. My challenge is I don’t like traditional, American meals (think meatloaf), so I’ve had a tricky time finding interesting recipes for the slow cooker. My hope is to find a cookbook that satisfies my pickiness so I don’t have to constantly search for something new.
I like to go super duper easy with my crockpot.
Beans, pinto beans sorted and rinsed, some kind of ham bone/hock, water. Cook on low all day.
Pork loin or chops, 1 or 2 cans whole cranberries, a couple chopped apples, water. Cook on low all day.
Big cheap cut of bone in pork, bottle of beer. Cook all day. Shred for bbq sandwiches on night one and tacos on night two.
I don’t have a crock pot so I’m of no help there, but I’m pretty excited about your Nike+. I love mine! The little vocal cues are great during the run, and the celebrity congratulations messages are excellent, too. Paula Radcliffe is my favorite.
Happy birthday!
Slowcookers rock. Chili! Pulled pork! I say hit the library looking for slowcooker cook books and build from there. It’s hard to mess up anything in a slowcooker, which is very helpful for inept little me.
I love my crockpot. There is this awesome website with some great recipes – http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
Also, I’ll forward you two of my favorites as well!
I’m just sitting here shocked that you haven’t had a crock pot until now.
SHOCKED!
Did you know that you can make a ham in a crockpot? Just sayin’.
I have the best wild rice casserole recipe that I’ll have to dig up and send you. It involves a lot of butter and a lot of cheese and is inappropriately tasty.
I looooove to cook beans in the crockpot. Just cook a bunch of dried beans and freeze in 1 or 2 cup portions. You always have beans on hand for a quick recipe that way. Love it.
I have a great vegetarian stuffed cabbage crockpot recipe. I will try to email it tonight.
Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!