5 Reasons Why You Need a Crock Pot

by Lisa P | More from this Blogger

31 Aug 2006 11:47 AM

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 to eat.

3. A Crock Pot requires no supervision. Just fill it, turn it on and forget about it! Crock Pots are perfect for low-maintenance home cooking.

4. Great for making desserts too. Cobblers and crisps come out wonderful in a Crock Pot! Just put in your fruit, a little sugar or Splenda and top with a crumb or batter topping and let it cook. You'll have a fantastic dessert that will be ready whenever you are.

5. Easy cleanup. Thanks to the people at Reynolds, the makers of Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil, you can use Slow Cooker Liners in your Crock Pot and you'll be left with virtually no cleanup at all.

Soups, chowders, stews and roasts are perfect for Crock Pots. Homemade baked beans do wonderfully in them as well. My husband is a big fan of pea soup, so I always grind up leftover ham and one onion in my food processor and keep them in a baggie in the freezer for quick pea soup. I just add the frozen ham/onion mix to a crock pot with a bag of dry split peas, cook it overnight and have a great pea soup ready the next day.

You can buy a good Crock Pot for anywhere from $12 - $70, depending upon the size you are looking for. The 1 1/2 quart size is excellent for dorm rooms or singles but if you are cooking for a family or plan to do roasts, you should definitely go with a 5 quart pot.

Here are some great recipes to make in your Crock Pot:

Freezer Cooking Crock Pot Recipes

Chili in a Flash

Five Great Recipes to Throw in the Crock Pot

Yankee Pot Roast in 15 Minutes

Learn more about Lisa P

Lisa used to be a freelance writer and Community Manager for Families.com, but she has finally made the jump to novelist.

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