Tag Archives: slow cooker

Slow Cooker Basics Part 2

If you want yummy, perfectly cooked slow cooker or crockpot recipes that cost pennies per serving, then keep reading. With a little knowledge, your slow cooker meals will help you reduce your food bill while keeping your family happy. This post is part two of Slow Cooker Basics. If you missed the first post, you can find it here: Slow Cooker Basics. Now, let us add to your knowledge about how to make delicious slow cooker or crockpot meals. Some Food Cooks Faster than Others Vegetables usually take longer to cook than meat does. Don’t worry, you can still cook … Continue reading →

Slow Cooker Basics

Save money when you use your slow cooker or crockpot. You can have dinner on the table, ready for you, and spend just a few dollars a meal for the privilege. Most people who want to save money, really want to save money, rely heavily on at least one slow cooker to help them prepare low cost meals. Others may have given up a slow cooker or crockpot prematurely, because they had a bad experience, such as with an overcooked, an undercooked, or a tasteless meal. Usually this is because they simply weren’t aware of some slow cooker basics. Slow … 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 →

Cooking & Cleaning & Planning

After a lovely Christmas vacation with family my wife and I are now back at our own place and back to our “normal” lives. My wife started back to work early as she is already back to teaching in the classroom. I have one week before I need to return to work and school. This free time is slightly deceptive because I’ll also be working on planning the course I’ll be teaching next semester. I’ve also started organizing materials for my impending doctoral exams during this week. Some of my time, however, has been spent cooking and cleaning. On the … Continue reading →

Comfort Food: Crockpot Mac & Cheese

It seems that we have run out of turkey leftovers. I had wondered how on earth this could be possible, given the fact that we cooked a 21 pound bird and only had to feed five adults and five picky kids. Then I realized the answer: our relatives carted away most of the leftovers. Sigh. Well, I am glad that they are going to enjoy them, but as a result, I actually have to cook dinner tonight. Mourning the loss of all of that turkey and mashed potatoes, I thought comfort food would be in order, and the more simple, … 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 →

Five Tips for Great Slow Cooker Meals

Using your slow cooker or crockpot is a great money saving idea. You can use inexpensive ingredients and have dinner ready with ease, avoiding the cost of eating out. I often get a lot of questions about using slow cookers, especially from people who find that their meals are dried out, tasteless, over or under seasoned or a strange texture. But most of the time, this can be corrected easily by following some basic guidelines or tips to freezer cooking. Here are five tips for great slow cooker meals. Be careful about opening the lid. While some recipes do benefit … Continue reading →

How to Buy a Crockpot

Crockpots (slow cookers) are a favorite tool in a frugal home. Why? Crockpots allow you to put dinner together in the morning or even the night before and have it waiting for you when you are ready. This reduces the chance that you will either purchase expensive pre-frozen or pre-packaged meals for busy nights, or go out to eat. Some studies have shown that crockpots use less energy than does an oven or range, saving you money. Because of the cooking method, crockpots allow you to use less expensive cuts of meat, rendering them tender. There has been a surge … Continue reading →

Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes

Why put your mashed potatoes to cook in the crockpot? Because the additional ingredients will meld with your potatoes, giving you amazing flavor. I tend to serve this dish at family gatherings because I can leave the crockpot and guest can help themselves to warm, amazing mashed potatoes. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than cold mashed potatoes, except maybe cold gravy. And the crockpot tend to get food throughly hot, so even with the crocpot turned off, the mashed potatoes will stay steaming for a long time. Although this recipe makes a lot of potatoes, I find that … Continue reading →

Twice Delicious: Tex Mex Pork Wraps

I don’t know about you, but whenever I cook in my crock pot I have leftovers. I do it on purpose actually. It is nearly impossible to cook with a “helpful” three year old and 20 month old twins underfoot. So the day after crock pot night is leftover night. I actually have two portions of leftovers (generally) and so I’ll usually freeze meat for another meal later. In any case, I thought you all might like to know what I did with my leftover Sweet Barbecue Pork Chops that we made in the slow cooker. First of all. . … Continue reading →