Last night I cooked an entire crock pot of food with no intention of eating it anytime this week. This is the beauty of the crock pot! I know that next week I want to make a big batch of chicken soup. But, I don’t want it to be a day long project, I need it to be an easy meal.

So last night, I crock potted four boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 c. baby carrots, half an onion, 1 T. parsley and a little salt and pepper. I set it on high for 4 hours. When it was done, all the broth went into plastic containers for the freezer and the chicken and carrots are in the refrigerator for lunches today. Voila– when I want to make my soup, I simply put the brick of frozen chicken broth into a pot and let it simmer back to soup.  Then I can add noodles or rice or more vegetables and have my meal done in a matter of minutes.

Homemade chicken broth is a healthier alternative to using boxed broths or bouillion. Store-bought bases are much higher in sodium and usually have that weird yellow tinge. This easy recipe means that my soup will taste flavorful and look authentic.

You can do this recipe with beef as well, but when the broth cools, I would suggest skimming the fat off of the top. BL/SL chicken breasts are very lean and don’t leave much to skim off, but since most cuts of beef have a higher fat content, you would want to remove some the excess.  You can also make vegetable broth (try using carrots, celery, leeks, onions and parsley) or fish broth (from any part of the fish) in your crock pot. 

After you make your broth, your chicken, beef, fish or veggies are cooked very soft, but most of the flavor has been boiled out. But, the meat is a great texture to add sauces too, try forking the meat apart and adding BBQ sauce for pulled sandwiches or chopping up chicken for curried chicken salad (see roasted chicken post for recipe). The vegetables can be glazed or broiled and served as a side dish with any future meal.

Hopefully, this post has you thinking ahead to future meals and you’ll let your crock pot do your base preparations. Enjoy!

Do you ever feel like your day is moving so fast, you might get a metaphorical speeding ticket? And that you’d enjoy being pulled over in the traffic of life because it means that you could stop moving for just a minute?! Some days definitely feel like that, but in order to maintain less madness, I try to be (ok, obsessively) organized. I have lists: to do lists, grocery lists, lists for my husband, wish lists and even a few mental notes to self. There is nothing more gratifying to me that seeing an entire list illuminated by bright pink highlighter and to feel the page wilting from the weight of my successes. Yeah, I’m like that.

And while it’s somewhat entertaining, I think my lists are actually pretty useful, so I’m going to share one with you today. I downloaded this a couple years ago and then adapted it to my specific wants/needs. My apologies to whatever web site posted this originally, I honestly don’t remember where it came from.  But when I need to restock the kitchen, this helps me stay focused and ultimately get only what I need, so that I save myself from the frivolous whims of grocery store end caps.

Start list list from the bottom– fill in what you’d like to have for dinner most nights. It’s ok if you just write “Monday- chicken, veggie” or “Tuesday- CP lentil soup” (CP= crock pot).  Give yourself a target of what you’d like to eat and then work up the list, adding the ingredients you need to purchase.  It’s also helpful to keep this crock pot grocery list on your refrigerator so that when you– or someone else in your house– finishes something, they can just check it off so that you know to buy it next time you shop.

This list does not need to stay pretty! Start by checking things off, then circle, add in, redefine, put questions marks… whatever helps you. Also, go through the weekly ads for the store (at home or when you get to the store) and then add in sale items that are a good buy for the week. You may even want to look at the ads before you make your meal suggestions.

Depending on how your grocery store is set up, you may want to move the catagories around to make the flow easier. Feel free to make this your own. It needs to be functional to how YOU shop if it’s going to make YOUR life easier.  I also like that I can divide up this list and give certain sections to my husband, this cuts a lot of time off the trip and even removes some of those tempting tasty distractions that I might have been inclined to buy.

I hope you find this helpful as you continue to venture into the adventure of crock pot cooking. Take it one step at a time and soon enough you’ll be eating home cooked, easy meals on more nights of the week. Enjoy!

There is something special about the first time we take the cover off the grill, fill the tank of gas and scrub off all the crisps from last season’s leftovers still charred to the grill. But while we might be eager to welcome warmer weather, there are lots of great ways to enjoy grillable meats without having to unearth your outdoor kitchen. If you are still buried in snow or are out of gas for the grill, this recipe is a good way to try your brats in a new way.

When you pick your beer, think about the flavors and aftertaste that you get when you drink it. A heavy and bitter dark beer may taste smooth when cold, but it may become a little too intense when it cooks and evaporates. A light easy beer that reminds you of cheap nights in college isn’t going to add much to your meat. I suggest trying an amber, a red or a seasonal beer. It doesn’t make much of a difference if you use a can or a bottle, just as long as it isn’t flat when you pour it in. There is something very unique about the effervescing smell of carbination bubbles soaking into freshly sliced onions and fresh sausages that just makes me think of summer BBQs, outdoor concerts and sitting in the stands at baseball games. Are you with me? Then “go team go” and enjoy your drunk and cheesy sausages!

6  italian sausages (hot, mild or sweet mild)

6 oz beer

1/2 onion, sliced

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (at least)

Lay sausages flat in the crockpot and lay thinly sliced onions on top. Pour half a beer onto the meat and if it’s after noon o’clock, drink the other half! Cook on high for 4 hours. Put one sausage and some onions on a bun and then sprinkle with lots of shredded cheese. Feel free to decorate your drunk and cheesy sausage with any variety of condiments.

(if you want more specific details– I made this yesterday with hot italian chicken sausages, Amstel Light beer and shredded mild cheddar up on top with a squirt of yellow mustard)   🙂

We’re going to a BBQ at my brother’s house this weekend and since the assumption is that I’ll bring something from the crockpot, I know I need to come up with something tasty and creative. The catch is that I don’t really want to go grocery shopping today. So, I’m diving into the pantry in the hopes that I will surface with a plan and an amazing side dish.  I also want to make this dish over night so that it is ready to go in the morning.  

Baked beans are a very typical BBQ  side dish, but I would like to make a bean dish that isn’t brown and smokey or looks like it’s was dumped into a bowl and served. Beans are an easily accessible food– even if they look like they were prepared a little different, everyone still usually takes a scoop to eat. This combination is a nice variation because it is more colorful and the light colors are a nice balance for spring. Enjoy!

**NOTE: Assume that each can is about 15 ounces. This recipe works best in a 6-quart pot. Feel free to divide all ingredients in half if you are not cooking for a large gathering of people, a sports team or a small army.**

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans great northern or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans sweet corn kernels, drained

8 oz. frozen cut green beans

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1/2  red bell pepper

1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 t. celery seed

1/2 t. oregano

1/2 t. black pepper

3 T. ketchup

3 T.  tomato paste

1 T. brown or dijon mustard

Drain and rinse all the beans before putting them in the crockpot. Add the rest of the veggies. Mix together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, mustard, ketchup and seasonings and dump in on everything in the crock pot. Give it one good stir and then set it on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6.

My husband’s family use to have this amazing tradition; every Wednesday night we would all go to his grandmother’s house for dinner.  Gaga’s recipes usually start with butter or oil and a little salt and pepper and from there, it could be chicken or beef or vegetables or any number of simply wonderful simple dishes. But one of my favorites is Gaga’s cabbage casserole.

Every time Gaga made this, I knew that the kitchen would be uncomfortably warm from the oven being on and that it would taste so good that there would rarely be leftovers. This dish doesn’t even taste like cabbage, it tastes like fluffy  goodness that you can say is actually good for you. Save yourself the perspiration and make this dish in your crock pot instead. If you want to finish the casserole off, remove the crock and place it under the broiler for a couple minutes, just so the top layer crisps.

This dish is simple and the salt and pepper really give it most of its flavor, so it’s great to make as a complement to pretty much any meat. It’s not a main dish, but it will probably be a favorite! I wouldn’t recommend freezing this casserole, but refrigerating it and reheating it is fine.

1/2 head cabbage

1 sleeve of saltine crackers (if you want it to taste more buttery, use a Ritz style cracker instead)

milk

3 T. olive oil

salt and pepper

Shred the cabbage, the smaller the pieces, the better.  Put the crackers in a zipper bag and smash them till they are itty bitty, but not powder. Layer the cabbage and then the cracker crumbs in the crock pot; in between layers drizzle about 1 T. of olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. When all of the cabbage, crackers, seasonings and oil have been layered, pour milk into the crock pot until it almost reaches the top layer, but not quite. It usually takes about 4 cups of milk.  Cook on high for 3 hours. There shouldn’t be much liquid left when the casserole is done– the crackers absorb most of it, but make sure that your cabbage is soft, it shouldn’t be crunchy at all.

Enjoy this with pretty much anything. Gaga would be proud if you made this on a Wednesday night at your house, too.

Sometimes it’s tough to figure out how to cook a large piece of meat– especially if you don’t want it to taste, well… tough.  I know some of my readers don’t eat this “other white meat” so you can also try this recipe with a turkey tenderloin if you’d prefer.

This recipe makes me think of holidays. There is something very festive about using cranberries; these unique fruits are tangy and sweet and really can be complemented with an array of side dishes and other flavors. Try this dish at your next family gathering  or for dinner tonight!

1-2 lb. pork loin

1/4 c. cranberry juice

1/2 c. black cherry preserves

1/4 c. dried cranberries

1/4 t. all spice

1/2 c. sugar

Place pork loin in crock pot and if you have it, use the trivet underneath. Mix together preserves, juice, allspice and sugar. Pour mixture over meat and then add cranberry juice to the pot. When your pour the juice, be careful not to rinse the seasonings and preserves off of the meat. Cook for 6 hours on low. If you want to use the juices as gravy,  then remove meat and add 1 T. corn starch dissolved into 1/4 c. water to the remaining juices and cook until gravy thickens.

We now have a Dinner Is A Crock page on Facebook! Become a fan so you can be the first to know about new recipes, tips and stories. Share your thoughts with a community of crockers and enjoy a little entertainment while we all dish. 🙂

(yes, this is a day early, but it’s to motivate you to go out tonight and buy your supplies so you can make this amazing meal tomorrow)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!  Many of us will pretend to have some Irish heritage this week and join in celebrations across the country. Whether you attend a parade or just go to work with a “Kiss me, I’m Irish!” button, you can have a festive tradition meal ready by the time you come home.

I did a little research online and found out that “corned beef and cabbage is the traditional meal enjoyed by many on St. Patrick’s Day, but only half of it is truly Irish. Cabbage has long been a staple of the Irish diet, but it was traditionally served with Irish bacon, not corned beef. The corned beef was substituted for bacon by Irish immigrants to the Americas around the turn of the century who could not afford the real thing. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbors.” ( from www.religionfacts.com)

However it became traditional, this is one of my favorite spring meals.  Also, if you have leftover corned beef, try making corned beef hash and poached eggs this weekend for a second great meal from this easy crock pot recipe.

1 2-3 lb. corned beef

1/2 head cabbage, wedged

1 onion, wedged

4 red potatoes, quartered

1 c. baby carrots

2 bay leaves

1/2 t. celery seed

salt and pepper

Place potatoes, carrots and onion in bottom of crock pot. If you have a trivet, you can use that to make it easier to lift the corned beef out when it is done cooking.  Sprinkle seasonings on meat. Lay corned beef on veggies. Add about 1/2 c. water. Cook on high for 4-6 hours. Add cabbage on top of meat and cook for another hour.

Enjoy your festivities (responsibly please)! 🙂

Some days you might consider dumping everything in a crockpot to still be too much work. I know some of you have great intentions, but that crockpot is still sitting in a box in your basement. Or, the idea of scrubbing the caramelized tidbits from the sides might convince you not to try. Trust me, one pot meals are the easiest way to save time in prep and clean up. Once you start with your crock pot, you’ll realize that it is the best kitchen small appliance you have— other than your coffee pot, of course.

So let’s start simple. Here are some easy things to try that don’t require a lot of work, clean up or preparation.

1. Rice: your crock pot can also be a rice cooker. 1 cup rice to 2 cups water on high. You need to check it to see when it’s fluffy and done because the time can vary depending on the rice, but the ratio should be the same for all varieties.

2. Sweet potatoes: wash them (don’t pat dry), leave the skin on and put them in the crockpot for 4-6 hours on low. They will create enough liquid to cook all the way through. If you want to make it fancy, peel and cube the potatoes, then add a couple T. of butter and brown sugar to the pot for a sweet treat. I wouldn’t be offended if you added mini-marshmellows at the end either!

3. Sauces: Many times you will read that I’ve created a sauce or a glaze or thickened up a gravy. But honestly, you can use most bottled sauces on meats and veggies just fine. BBQ, sweet and sour, teriyaki, italian dressing and broth all make for excellent flavors in the crock pot.  The only down side is that these sauces are typically higher in sugar, which means it might make for tougher clean up, and also higher in sodium, which might make the cooked foods a little saltier. But by all means, you can totally keep in simple and use prepped sauces.

4. Owner’s Manual: If you own a crock pot, you have some great resources to help you figure it out. This may sound silly, but check your owner’s manual! There may be a conversion guide of oven cooking time to crock pot cooking time. It means you can crock pot so many more things now that you know how long to cook them! It might even have some great recipes to try. It also has the warranty information— if you find that your crock pot doesn’t cook evenly, that it burns, that the lid doesn’t keep a good seal, that it has a weird electrical smell, or any other bizarre cooking experience, then you should definitely call the company and follow up. Crock pot cooking should be simple and easy, if it isn’t, then let’s work together and figure out why!

5. Crock pot liners: One of the best accessories a girl can have. Except you can’t wear this. But your crock pot can! You open it, put it in the crock pot and then dump everything into it. Cooking directions are exactly the same, but now there isn’t any clean up. When it cools, you just pull it out and throw it away. It doesn’t get any easier than that. Take my advice and put this item on your next grocery list.

I hope these nuggets are helpful to you and maybe this ounce of encouragement will motivate you to give crock pot cooking a try. Have fun with it! Food isn’t just about sustenance, it should entertain all of your senses!

I remember when I bought my first crock pot. No wait, that’s a lie. I remember when I picked my first crock pot and scanned the bar code ever so sweetly to add it to my wedding registry in the hopes that a dear friend or family member would buy it for me. If it was you, thanks again. Look what you’ve started! And if it wasn’t you, then make a mental note– when you get married, you can put money on the fact that I’ll be the one to buy your crock pot.

But what now? It’s been years since I’ve been married, I’ve got months until my next birthday and let’s face it, December is a looong way away. I need to buy one for myself.  So last night, I sat down with my computer and went shopping. I read reviews, I priced things out, I compared chain stores vs. internet sales. I even checked out craigslist and a variety of other web sites to see if I could buy one that was already loved and enjoyed.

Before I tell you which one I bought (no endorsements here or paid advertising, I’ll just tell you since you’re curious), I’d like to walk you through my process. You might find yourself in the same situation the more you visit me and want to cook in your crock pot even more!

DISCLAIMER: Crock Pot is actually a brand name. I technically should be using the term “slow cooker” and this site should be called “dinnerisaslowcook” but that wouldn’t be as funny. I use the term crock pot in the same way I ask for a Kleenex after I sneeze– you know exactly what I’m talking about without me needing to ask for a facial tissue.

My primary concern for my new crockpot was shape. I have a Proctor Silex round one that I love, but I really wanted an oval shaped pot. In order to do chicken (see my roasted chicken and curried chicken salad post), corned beef (check back next week), or other meats, I really needed the oval shape. Plus, it works well to use a trivet in an oval pot, giving me the opportunity to also make custards, breads or desserts.

I also wanted a larger pot. The one I use now is 5-quart and that works really well for soups especially. But I wanted to upgrade to the 6-quart capacity since it always seems my pot is filled to the lid with everything I make. I was thrilled to find out that in the last 10 years there are also so many advancements that have happened to the crock pot! You can now get different colors or stainless steel, delayed starts and timers. 

Warranties are also important to me. People— do not throw away that quick survey that comes with your crock pot, fill it out and send it in. This is such an easy thing to do and I bet the number of people that don’t do it is astonishing. You don’t even need to supply your own stamp, now come on.

I decided on the 6-quart, oval shaped, stainless steel Crock Pot brand slow cooker.  It met all my criteria and was an affordable price.  I really like that I can set it for a certain amount of time and when it’s done, it automatically switches to keep warm. The pot itself is dishwasher, freezer and oven safe.  It also has a longer cord than most slow cookers; it may sound like a silly feature, but check out your kitchen and you too will realize how few outlets you have and even less counter space near the outlets.

I guess slow cookers are not big draw items–  crock pots were priced the same everywhere that I looked. You can order it from Amazon and get free super saver shipping. Free shipping is much easier than going shopping anywhere. I’m not lazy, I’m efficient. If you can wait a few days to get it, why gas up the car and go somewhere?! Order it from the comforts of your own couch. 

I also really liked the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n’ Forget Slow Cooker because it had a temperature probe attached so that the pot can tell when meat hits a certain temperature and is done. Such a smart tool! I actually already had bought my husband a temperature probe to use on the grill– it has a digital list of cooking temperatures for a variety of meats. So I figured I didn’t need this addition, but it’s a great way to make sure your crock pot meats are cooked perfectly.

On Amazon, a bunch of the Crock Pot brand pots are actually being sold right now include the “little dipper”- a 16 ounce mini crock pot, for free. This is a great mini-vesrion of the crock pot that can be used to keep dip warms, make fondue or make an individual bowl of oatmeal. I already owned one of these, so it wasn’t a huge selling feature for me. Yes, I have a lot of kitchen gadgets and yes, I’m running out of room but no, I am not ready to stop buying fun tools for cooking.

So there you have it. If you are looking to buy a crock pot, I hope this advice has been helpful. If you’ve read this far and didn’t need a crock pot, well then I’ve been happy to entertain you with my adventure.  Maybe you’ve realized that you too need a second crock pot and whether it’s a 6-quart one or a little dipper, I hope it helps bring you together with friends a family. Enjoy!