Have you been thinking of buying a crockpot for those cold months, or just for some of your favorite comfort meals that you can cook with ease? If you already own a crockpot, you are probably familiar with why slowest is sometimes best. There are many tasty dishes that are perfectly made with this kitchen appliance, making it a treasured one for families all over.
Slow cookers are an economic and easy way to prep a meal for your family for this winter.
Ideal Crockpot Foods
There are several types of foods that are best when you cook them nice and slow. Many Mexican dishes, such as chicken burritos and pork carnitas, taste delicious when cooked in this manner. Some Italian foods like ziti and creamy pesto chicken with vegetables also are great choices. Stews, soups, and chili are a definite must if you plan on feeding a large family without spending a ton of time on meal preparation.
Saving Time and Money
It’s not likely that you will save a large amount of time when you prepare a meal with the slow cooker. That doesn’t take away from our motto of slowest is sometimes best! You can do your prep at a time that is ideal for you and your family’s schedule on a more hectic day. You don’t have to resort to getting take out or putting something together last minute when you are tired and frazzled. It can be set to simmer and be ready when it’s time to sit down to dinner. You also will be eating healthier when you make your meal using your own fresh (or close to it) ingredients.
How to Choose Your Crockpot
If you are a beginner to this style of cooking, and you don’t think you will use it often, then it’s good to pick out something that is simple and straightforward, with one dial that you can use for setting the heat. If you plan on using it often, you can get something that is more sophisticated that you can program for a certain temperature, or to shut off after a designated time.
Simple Ingredients
When you first start cooking with a crockpot, remember that slowest is sometimes best. If you have tried-and-true ingredients that you love and that work well together, stick with them. You know that the result will be a dish that you will be satisfied with and want to keep coming back to often. As you get more experienced with the slow cooker, you can get more fancy with seasoning and new recipes that you wouldn’t normally try.
