I've thought of complaining but then I might have to do the grocery shopping. Life is full of trade offs!;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
I'll let you know how it turns out....
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I've thought of complaining but then I might have to do the grocery shopping. Life is full of trade offs!;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
I'll let you know how it turns out....
This thread has been such fun - thank you for starting it Pomtzu! The chicken, potato and mushroom soup is in the crockpot right now and I am waiting for that wonderful smell to fill the house!
Next up I want to try the swedish meatball and noodles that Grace posted - another one for you to try Sara! No tomatoes!
Back when I first got married in 1974, crockpots seemed to be THE THING and I had forgotten how easy they are to use. I now have two of them - one smallish one that probably is for dips and such but it is just right for the two of us.
Keep the ideas coming friends:D
Yikes!!! - 8.5 qt????? Did hubby figure on feeding the whole neighborhood? ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
I have a 5 qt which is plenty big enough to make a meal for 4 - 6. It's a good 15 or 20 years old, and I think that was the biggest they made way back then, but it's still as good as new. I'd like to find an excuse to buy one of the new oval shaped ones since they're great for whole chickens and rolled roasts.
So is the chicken suppose to be on high or low?Quote:
Originally Posted by pomtzu
I sure hope it is high....:rolleyes:
I usually start it on high for a couple of hours, and then turn down to low. Total time about 6 or 7 hours average. Best way to check, is to check the doneness of the potatoes. If they're rock hard to start, of course they are going to take longer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwina's Secretary
.
Who'da known! :p
Here''s an interesting article on the subject of the differencesQuote:
Originally Posted by Medusa
between a Crock Pot and a Slow Cooker >>>
http://www.easy-crock-pot-recipes.co...est-crock.html
<TABLE width=336 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> <!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0495201697374524"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280; google_ad_format = "336x280_as"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_ad_channel ="0851466489"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "0000CC"; google_color_text = "000000"; google_color_url = "000000"; //--> </SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type=text/javascript> </SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/expansion_embed.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/test_domain.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/render_ads.js"></SCRIPT><SCRIPT>google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js ::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);</SCRIPT><INS style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; BORDER-TOP: medium none; PADDING-LEFT: 0px; VISIBILITY: visible; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0px; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; WIDTH: 336px; PADDING-TOP: 0px; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; POSITION: relative; HEIGHT: 280px"></INS></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Did you ever wonder what the difference was between a “crock pot” and a “slow cooker”? The answer lies in the type and number of heating elements used.
Most crock pots have heating elements on both the bottom and sides of the crock. Heat surrounds the food bringing it more quickly up to a safe temperature. Crock pot cooking cooks foods slowly at a low temperature - generally between 170<SUP>o</SUP> and 280<SUP>o</SUP> F and has been deemed safe by the USDA.
Some slow cookers have heating elements on the bottom, but none on the sides. This causes the cooker to heat the food more slowly, leading to questions about crock pot cooking safety. The USDA recommends using this type of cooker for soups, stews, etc. where the food is small cut.
Crock pots, also known as "slow cookers", are revered for their ability to cook all sorts of foods at a slow, even pace. These units excel at tenderizing pot roasts and other less expensive cuts of meat, which require longer cooking at a lower heat setting. They also do a great job with soups and stews and are versatile enough to prepare specialty dishes such as stuffed peppers or rolled eggplant. Many units are now designed to accommodate whole chickens, oversized roasts, and racks of ribs.
How to Shop for Crock Pots
When selecting a slow cooker, consider how often you will use the appliance and what types of food will be cooked. Will you be likely to transport cooked dishes to friends' homes or other venues? Specialty features translate into increased price so be sure to select a unit that matches your needs. Optional features include removable crock liners, insulated travel cases, signal lights, and extra settings for "keep warm" or "automatic" cooking.
;)
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I was going to make fried chicken tomorrow, but since I hate the mess, I think it's going to be crock pot chicken. I don't have any potatoes, so I'll just fix rice to go with it. Maybe toss some frozen broccoli in with the chicken about an hour before it's done. Boy - am I getting to be a lazy cook, or what??? :eek:
Made this for the first time tonight, and it is a winner!!
Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup
Easy and delicious! Very thick and hearty! Freezes well! If you overcook, the soup will get even thicker than usual! and turn a little bit of an olive drab color--it will still taste good though!
SERVES 6 -8
* 1 (16 ounce) package dried split peas, rinsed
* 2 cups ham, diced or 1 ham bone (meaty) or 2 ham hocks
* 1 cup carrot, diced
* 1/2 cup onion, chopped
* 1 cup celery, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 teaspoons parsley flakes
* 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1 1/2 quarts hot chicken broth
1. Layer ingredients in slow cooker in the order listed.
2. Pour in broth. Do not stir!
3. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or until peas are very soft and ham falls off bone.
4. Remove bones and bay leaf.
5. Serve!
I cooked it on high for 5 hours, and it was great!!
Ooooooooh! That sounds so yummy!! I love pea soup, and will have to make this one soon!!!! Do you think it will be ok if I substitute smoked turkey for ham?? It should be ok, right?Quote:
Originally Posted by Grace
I was at Dad's this afternoon, and when I walked it, the kitchen smelled wonderful. He said "Good, huh? It's not done, so I cannot offer you any ..." But I couldn't eat it, anyway, he knows I have odd allergies. In the cooker was turnip chopped into cubes, carrots - sliced, onions and a chunk of chicken. A little salt, pepper and some water, and dinner was on its way!
Oh, I think turkey would be great. I also think it could be made without any meat/poultry and be just as yummy :)Quote:
Originally Posted by jenn_librarian
Can anyone recommend a good brand/model of crockpot? Something fairly large, but not huge...maybe big enough to make dinner for 3 people with one night of left-overs.
I'm in need of a new one and thought I should ask here- thanks!! :)
REALLY easy pulled pork
Pork shoulder (bone in and leave it in for cooking)
Root beer (I use diet rootbeer)
Sweet baby rays BBQ sauce (I use the hickory and brown sugar)
put the pork shoulder in, pour in half a bottle of rootbeer so it's about half way up the pork shoulder then on top pour half of the sweet baby rays sauce. cook that for about 3-4 hours. flip it... slather other side with sweet baby rays sauce and cook for another 3 hours until it is falling apart in your hands
Then let it cool enough so you can rip it apart. enjoy. I add a little more BBQ sauce when I make a batch of leftover pulled pork.
EASY but drop dead delicious
I have a Rival 5 quart that I've had for years. I use it a lot and it's still good as new. If I were to get a new one, I would like one of the oval ones, rather than the round one that I have - chickens and some roasts fit much easier in those. As far as brands, I think they are all pretty much the same, tho some don't have the removable crock.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pembroke_Corgi
Funny, the weather has been cooler the past few days and I was just thinking of that crock pot, anxious to get it out and start making regular meals again. I don't have many recipes, I browse around to see what I can find. The easier the better. I think that chicken recipe of yours will be great for my the first meal when I take it out.
A very sweet PT'er who doesn't use a crock pot (thank you, Sandie), sent me a CD last year that she wasn't using. It's called Easy Chef's Slow Cookin' and has an amazing 6000+ slow cooking recipes - everything from main dishes, party drinks, appetizers, desserts, and more. If anyone is a serious slow cooker/crock pot enthusiast, it is available on Amazon, and well worth the money. No more searching the internet - it's all on one little CD.
I thought I would share a really good recipe! I've made this version of chickpea curry about 100 times, and wanted to try it in the crockpot- it tasted just as good, so I thought I'd pass it along.
Chickpea Curry Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
(2) 15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained
(1) can 14 oz diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1/2 tsp garam masala
Dice the onion and garlic and fry them in the oil until the onions are soft. Add all spices (except garam masala) and stir for about 1 minute. Add onion mixture, drained and rinsed chickpeas, and undrained can of tomatoes to the crockpot and mix well. Leave out the garam masala for now. Cook on low for about 6 hours. About 20-30 minutes before cooking ends, add the garam masala.
It's great with rice or garlic naan bread! My daughter really likes it too.
Im hungry after reading some of these recipes! Im too lazy to read all the posts..I know, shame on me!
I have a friend that ate crock pot mac & cheese at a cookout, she said it was yummy but didnt get the recipe. If any one has made it can you let me in on the recipe! Thanks ahead:)