Using a Slow Cooker is one of the easiest ways to cook an entire dinner. No, you can't put a salad in it, but you can almost make everything! There was a time (only about 30 years ago) when people didn't even have microwaves. But appliances have been revolutionized to meet the needs of each and every single person.
This piece of equipment is so useful and is absolutely essential to the family that spends most of it's time out of the home, but still want the home cooked dinners. There have been times when I have used it to make my favorite chili.
My favorite meal to make in this tool is a Roast. First I put in my meat, then I add carrots and potatoes. I also chop onions and sometimes onions as well and place them all into the pot! After about 6 hours on the "Low" setting, I have a complete meal.
It has the protein me and my children need, vegetables, and potatoes as those are my carbs! From Chili to Lasagna, and from soup to roasts almost anything can go into this piece of equipment. I have had mine for over 4 years now and have even used it to make a dessert.
When it comes to cleaning this is really a two-dish deal. The pot and the lid. No 4 extra dishes because of the different tools you need to cook with. This is a one spot shot.
Now with that in mind there are several different types of crock pots you can get. Some are in different colours but the one thing to double check is the size. Often a meal made by cook book specifies the size of the dish to use. (Either 3 Quarts or 5 Quarts etc).
When buying this equipment, take into consideration how big your family is. If your home is filled with Teenagers, then your best bet is to purchase a bigger one. This will help when making sure there is enough either for leftovers, or for freezing after.
I personally have one of the smaller appliances, and enjoy it quite a bit. It is a small 3 Quart pot that makes enough for me and two small children. Now seeing as one day they will both be strapping young teenage men, I will likely have to replace it with a larger more "Teenage Boy" friendly one.
The Slow Cooker (or Crock Pot as they are often called) shown below is one of my favorites. It has 5 (YES 5!!) different temperature settings. So you can program it around how long you'll be gone, what your making, whatever!!
It has a see-through lid (so you can see those oh so yummy meals you'll be making), is dishwasher safe, and best of all has an element that heats food to a recommended safe eating level!
That gives us even more security when using this piece of kitchen equipment. It is safe to leave on when we leave the house (all day if we want), food will be cooked to the proper temperatures, and it has a programmable timer.. Gosh, I love my Slow Cooker!
7 Quart Slow Cooker - Stainless Steel
From Slow Cookers back to Small Appliances
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