An ode to my Crock Pot

I can't remember when or where I bought it, or even what possessed me to buy it.  They're things that working moms use.  Not me.

But I bought one. 

And every year when the weather starts to turn chilly, I break it out.

It's kind of dirty and dingy, and has a dent in it.  Probably from shoving something else into the overstuffed cabinet (I have the most poorly designed kitchen cabinets I've ever seen), pushing it further and further back during the summer months.

I load it up with pork shoulder and good barbeque sauce. 

Or veggies and meat and potatoes and stock.

Or apple cider and spices.

I turn it on and let it do its thing.  It will take a long time until it's ready.  In the meantime, it will make the house smell wonderful.

My Crock Pot is one of my go-to's in when the weather gets cooler.  (Much like Kleenex, Crock Pot is actually a brand name.  A company called Jarden makes them.  They also make Ball jars and Rawlings sports equipment and matches and playing cards and Mr. Coffee and fishing rods and Coleman camping gear.  (And yes, I knew all of those off the top of my head - don't ask.) Slow cooker is the general term for the product category.)

It so simple (even a caveman can do it).  Throw a bunch of stuff in it and turn it on.  Maybe stir occasionally. 

In 4-8 hours, depending on how high I set it, I have a hearty, scrumptious meal that will last throughout most of the week.  And it doesn't require slaving over a hot stove or setting off smoke detectors. 

I've made pulled pork (which lasted forever!), stews, chili, all different types of soup.  For Christmas every year, we use it for mulled cider.  The "warm" setting is perfect when you want to keep going back for more.

I've always wanted to try to make breakfast in it.  But that requires it to be on overnight.  My husband won't let me leave it on when we're out of the house (which seems to defeat the whole purpose...), so I'm not sure an overnight cook would be welcomed.

The great part about it is that you don't need a complicated recipe.  Sure, I've looked up slow cooker recipes online to get a feel for what you can do, but it's such an easy way to experiment with different ingredients.  Just throw in whatever sounds good to you, add enough liquid to cover it (watch out though - you will end up with more liquid than you started with.  Cornstarch and flour are you friends.), and let 'er rip.  

You can even add pasta or rice to finish it off, just do it toward the end of cooking.  It will also absorb a TON of the liquid, so make sure you don't add too much. (I learned that the hard way after a soup turned into more of a slurry.  But it was still yummy.)

And, if you have no cooking skills, that's okay, because the slow cooker does all the work for you.

So, while I generally hate when the weather starts getting colder, and while it seems to happen way too quickly and fall seems to last for only a day, I do love that it means it's Crock Pot time.  And, since I don't mind eating the same thing for days in a row, it makes planning my meals for the week super simple. 

I'd say I've definitely gotten my money's worth on this one.