This post of mine has nothing to do with chicken. I have ordered two slow cooker cookbooks with recipes designed to feed two people with a bit of leftovers. Have ordered a three quart oval slow cooker. The recipe quantities are to fit in this smaller cooker.
Since we are not feeding a three/four/or more family, just the two of us, we don’t need a 5/6/7 qt. cooker anymore. I did some reading about new cookers and they are different in the way they are heated and way they cook, than the ones we bought years ago. As a consequence, food will cooker faster in these modern ones.
When I get the cookbooks and cooker, I’ll let all you know if it is helpful to feed us without messing up pans and bowls and standing over the stove, and if the recipes are actually good.
OMG! Even slow cookers have to move faster now days! I KNEW the world was speeding up, rather than me slowing down, and this proves it!
I’ll keep our older ones, as their cooking rate allows me to put something in at bedtime, let it cook on the low setting over night. We divvy it up the next morning for freezing and some for refrigerating for dinner that night. That makes it almost-leftovers, and most of the stuff that we do that way is of the “it tastes better the second day” variety.
Even if it is used during the day, to cook dinner, we can be out in the garden all day, and not worry about overcooking.
If we need speed, we use the nuker or pressure pot.
I’d be interested in that. Maybe we’ll make one of these weekly threads all about crockpot cooking.
I’ve had a number of crockpots now - my husband’s grandmother was always gifting us with them. But I have just never mastered cooking well in them, and I’d like to learn. Everything I’ve made has come out very watered-down in flavor.
They are great for parties, though; my soul-food loving office folks always want my chicken and dumplings (I use the America’s Test Kitchen long recipe) and the crock pot is perfect for heating it up at the party.
-JT
While I still use my larger crockpots when the kids come home, I have several 2 qt size crockpots that I use - especially in the summer so I don’t heat up the house.
I sometime use several crocks. Meat, Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans. Put it on in the morning and forget it. Do a quick beer bread or artisan loaf from the store. Not much time or effort involved, and very good eats.
What are the titles of the cookbooks? Inquiring minds want to know. :)