A tribute to my Crock-Pot

Those who know me know I have a slight obsession with my Crock-Pot. Ok – “slight” might be an understatement for someone who has hugged an inanimate object…

But can you blame me? A few ingredients, a few minutes of prep and then you go about your life only to be greeted with the awesomeness that is a crock pot meal.

To honor all the great meals my crock pot has bestowed upon me, I thought the best tribute was to share the wealth with a work-weeks’ worth of crock-awesome:

Grocery list:

·         Canned Food Section

• 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup (2 cans)
• Chicken broth (1 large box should do)
• Jar of spaghetti sauce
• Rotel tomato (2 cans)
• Tomato Sauce (either 1 large can or two medium-sized cans)

·         Produce

• Baby carrots (I usually get a bag)
• Small red or white potatoes (Again I usually just get a bag of these)
• Onion

·         Dairy

• Cream cheese (8 oz)

·         Dry foods

• Flat egg noodles
• Pasta (whatever kind you want)
• Minute rice

·         Spices

• Salt
• Pepper
• Worcestershire sauce

·         Meat

• Stew meat (2 1lb packages)
• Pork chops
• Frozen chicken breasts (usually comes in a bag)

Meal 1 (Chicken Rotel)

1. Add 2-4 chicken breasts to Crock-Pot
2. Add both cans Rotel
3. Cook on low all day (I’ve let it go 11 hours before and it’s fine)
4. About 20-30 minutes before eating add equal parts Minute rice and water
5. Salt to taste and serve

Meal 2 (Beef Stroganoff)

1. Add one package of stew meat to Crock-Pot
2. Add 1/2 onion, both cans Cream of Mushroom. two tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1/4 cup of water
• Note: I don’t care for onion so I usually put the half in there whole so I can get it out easily – if you’re an onion enthusiast, you’ll want to chop this up and throw it in
3. Cook on low approx. 8-9 hours
4. About 20-30 minutes before eating, cook egg noodles separately and add cream cheese to Crock-Pot (stirring until melted)
5. Mix noodles with Crock-Pot goodness and serve

Meal 3 (Pork Chops)

1. Pre-brown pork chops in frying pan
2. Put browned pork chops, chicken broth, half bag of baby carrots, and half bag of potatoes in Crock-Pot
3. Cook on low all day
4. Serve

Meal 4 (Chicken Spaghetti)

1. Add 2-4 pieces frozen chicken to Crock-Pot
2. Add jar of spaghetti sauce and cook on low all day
3. Just before ready to eat, cook pasta separately
4. Combine pasta and Crock-Pot goodness and serve

Meal 5 (Stew)

1. Add remaining package of stew meat to Crock-Pot
2. Add remaining onion, baby carrots and potatoes along with tomato sauce
3. Fill tomato sauce can up with water and add to Crock-Pot
4. Add salt/pepper
5. Cook on low all day and serve

 Happy crock-potting!!