Are You A CrockPot Cook?

Years ago, friends were always telling me to buy a Crockpot, so when I saw a discounted Wolfgang Puck slow cooker on Overstock, I bought it. I learned 2 valuable lessons: 1) Never buy products with celebrity chef names. Mine died soon after the purchase; 2) In Manhattan, I don't need a slow cooker. I can cook everything on my stove/oven with the pots and pans I already own. So when Wolfgang Puck's space hug went kaput I said good riddance and never looked back!

Photo: iStock

That is until recently when ...

I bought a Crockpot for when I cook meals for my mother outside of Manhattan. When not in my well-stocked Manhattan kitchen, it is handy for meals I normally need all 4 stove burners and oven to prepare.

I recommend sticking with the original Crockpot brand. It gets hotter than its competitors, up to 450°F, so you can cook dinner faster than at most slow cooker speeds. Whole chicken, beef, or pork roasts fit better inside the oval-shaped slow cookers.

I think in the suburbs, a Crockpot is great for entertaining friends. You can cook hearty one-pot dinners such as a beef stew, roast chicken with potatoes and carrots, meatloaf, or hearty soups without having to leave your friends sitting on the couch while you spend time in the kitchen tending to the food. Furthermore, you can leave the setting on warm for still moist second portions. Later, the cleanup is a breeze too! The lift-out pot is dishwasher safe.

In Manhattan, we usually don't entertain a lot of people at one time.

Planning is everything. I would never host a party without enough space, food, or seats for everyone invited. I've been to some of those city soirées. As you can imagine, such a gathering isn't a lot of fun! You can't mingle or get over to the food and drink.

With this 7-quart Crockpot, you could have up to 6 people for dinner. I leave the space and a comfortable seating arrangement for you to figure out.😁

So far in the Crock-Pot, I've made my pea soup, adding 1 cup of brown rice, a 12-ounce bag of frozen mixed vegetables, and 4 extra cups of water to the recipe, turning the soup into a one-Crock-Pot meal. I ate my soup vegetarian style and topped my mother's soup with diced deli ham. With protein, carbs, and vegetables covered, it's lazy cooking that gets the job done!

You may also enjoy:

All Beef Salisbury Steak

Slow Cooker Lasagna Lite 

Stovetop Roast Chicken With Gravy

Hearty Split Pea Soup And Cornbread For Meatless Mondays