Tag Archives: crock pot

Rich Beef With Olives in the Crock Pot

Since over that side of the world you’re getting into Fall or Autumn as we Aussies call it, I thought I’d start sharing some of the increasing collection of great crock pot meals I’ve been trying lately. Many are adoptions form Slow Cooker by Sally Wise. I’ve just added my own bits and deices, mainly because I can’t seem to follow a recipe without fiddling and experimenting. Of course, I have also been known to make them up from scratch, but that will be the next recipe. This time here’s a rich beef casserole adapted from that Slow Cooker cook … Continue reading →

Crock-Pot Favorites

I’m back from Hawaii where I was able to gorge on my mom’s homemade meals. Fresh fish, tropical fruits and awesome ethnic favorites made their way into my mouth in large quantities. Now, it’s back to reality: Freezing cold temperatures, brutal wind chills and my overworked crock-pot. My slow cooker works overtime during the winter months, and while I long for my favorite Island-inspired dishes, I must say, my crock-pot delivers some tasty dishes with little help on my part. I love being able to cut up ingredients, stick them into the crock-pot, get on with the day, and return … Continue reading →

Save Time and Money with a Crock Pot

The second appliance I consider essential in the kitchen, and nowhere near as expense as an upright freezer, is the crock pot. It is a useful way of using cheaper cuts of meat and making it mouth wateringly tender. It also saves money. When you’ve been out at work all day, or even if you’re a stay at home Mom running around after a young family, the last thing you need when you’re tired is to think about preparing a meal. Rather than opting for take out, you can have a healthy meal cooking during the day. It means a … Continue reading →

A Favorite Recipe and More Tips for Stress Free Entertaining

Here are the final tips for stress free entertaining for you and your spouse, followed by the recipe of my husband’s favorite dessert. 9. If dinner feels like too much hassle, invite friends for afternoon tea at your home instead. Or invite them out for coffee at the local coffee shop 10. Check when making arrangements for a meal of afternoon tea that the person has no allergies. I once made a chicken dinner only to find out as it was being served that the person was allergic to chicken. Now I ask beforehand if they have any allergies. 11. … Continue reading →

Making Your Freezer and Crock Pot Work Together

Two great appliances in your kitchen arsenal are your crock pot and your freezer. These two things can do a lot to save you money on your food budget. The crock pot can cost less to operate than a conventional oven. And having a full freezer reduces the chances that you will be buying expensive restaurant meals. But when you combine both the crock pot and the freezer, you’ll make the most of your savings. Here are some guidelines to using these appliances together to reduce your food budget and live frugally. Practice crock pot cooking and freezer cooking at … Continue reading →

Yummy Apple Butter

As I implied in my fusion cooking article, I generally stick to recipes that I know my family will like. In fact, I purposely seek out flavors that I know my husband loves, and use my creativity in just that realm. Such is the case with apple butter. This is hands down, my husband’s favorite condiment. Unfortunately, apple butter is fairly expensive when you compare its price to its shelf mates, peanut butter and jelly. Also, the process to make apple butter is fairly intensive. It basically takes all day unless you make it in the crock pot. (Well, it … Continue reading →

5 Reasons Why You Need a Crock Pot

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1. With a Crock Pot, you are never too busy for homemade. You can prepare a stew the night before you need it and then just pop it in the Crock Pot in the morning for a healthy, hearty, homemade dinner. 2. Food in a Crock Pot stays warm all day. You can make a big pot of soup or stew, or even a casserole, in your Crock Pot and it will stay warm and ready all day long. This is great for those cold winter days when you don’t want to cook but really want to have something warm … Continue reading →

Freezer Cooking Crock Pot Recipes

One of my favorite tools in the kitchen has always been the crock pot. Preparing meals has never been easier with one of these little gadgets. If you’ve ever used one, you recognize the smell of a cooked meal the minute you walk through the door at the end of a long day. And dinner is ready to go! But did you know that you can also make some meals using your crock pot and then freeze them to eat later? Soups, sauces, and lots more can be made fast and served quick. I’ve included some great recipes that you … Continue reading →

Crock Pot Secrets

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I love my crock pot. I use it more than any other appliance in my kitchen, but there is an art to good slow cooker results. Here are a few tips that will help you with your favorite dishes. 1. Brown meat before placing it into the crock pot. This also removes excess fat you don’t want baked into your meal. When making stew, I brown the chunks of stew meat on all sides first and it makes a nice difference in how the stew turns out. 2. If you cook something for a long time, the flavors can become … Continue reading →

Simple Pork Crockpot Dinners

There are two meals that I often fall back on when I know I’m not going to have time to cook, but still want to provide a decent dinner for my family. Sometimes the hours right before dinner are the busiest, carting kids around here and there, so I use my crock pot a lot, and these are husband and kids’ favorite pork dishes. It’s nice to have pork once in a while instead of our standard chicken or beef, and these dishes are no-brainers for me, because I don’t have to have a recipe. Both only have two ingredients … Continue reading →