Monday, February 2, 2009

Crock Pot How I Love Thee

A few years ago, for Christmas, Santa brought me a Crock Pot. Exactly what an 18 year old asks for. Right? Wrong. For the next two years, I neglected my gift. I put it in the cupboard, shoved it way in the back and pretty much forgot all about it. Until this year when winter hit.

Justine was the first to get sick this past flu season, and so the chicken noodle soup making began. Usually, I would make a big pot on the stove and let the soup simmer all day long, but with moving into a new house and the stove not functioning correctly at given times I had to come up with an alternative. That's when I remembered, I have a Crock Pot. On hands and knees grasping for the poor neglected and still taped from the last move Crock Pot, I realized there could be more done with this cooking device. After the first flop of cooking soup on high for 4 hours, I learned the concept of slow cooking food. Meat tastes more tender and flavorful. The drippings from the meat can be turned into a sauce or gravy.

These past few weeks I've been using the hell out my Crock Pot and I love it! On Friday and Saturday of last week we had some visitors, siblings to be exact and I had to feed an 11, 13, and 14 year old. Picky as they are, I figured a good slow cooked meal would be perfect. The concept of putting everything in a pot in the morning, and going on your way with the rest of the day could not be more well thought out. Dinner was done by 5 or 6pm each day and they ate every bite.

Thursday was corned beef and cabbage, with onions and potatoes. An entire meal in a pot that fed 2 adults and 3 ravenous teens. It was a success. Not only did I make a great dinner, but chocolate banana pomegranate cupcakes were for dessert. Yum.

Friday continued with BBQ beef short ribs, potato salad, and corn on the cob. Delish. I've never heard those three kids as silent as they were while eating this dinner.

The weekend ended on a good note, and I even went out and purchased a small 1.5L bebe Crock Pot. I already broke it in with a homemade fondue cheese sauce that we served at our impromptu Super Bowl party yesterday.

:D

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