Crockpot 101

NikkiD522

So I've fallen in love with my crockpot.. It has been very helpful with LO here now. With that said, my list of recipes is few and far between and I also have a random safety question.

So my safety question is.. Do those that use theirs keep it on while not at home?

And then my follow up is.. What's your favorite crockpot recipe?

Soleil3

I keep mine on when not at home.

Marvel1013

Yup! I keep it on. Do I have to choose just one?? I love to put a whole chicken in with tons of veggies, maybe some chicken stock. Or a beef roast with some beer or wine and veggies. Or or I'm making sweet and sour chicken in it for tonight, pulled pork is to die for. The list goes on haha

MissyCee

Definitely left it on while not home. I actually found a bunch of great recipes on Pinterest last night. I like to cook a whole chicken in there, just season it and let it cook, so easy!

Bunnyfer

I make chicken and dumplings, and also my fav is pulled pork...

I buy a pork butt, season it a little, and cook it in Dr. Pepper....Low and Slow for 8hrs....Dump the soda, shred the pork, add your favorite BBQ sauce, cook for another hour....serve!

MynaBird

If I didn't leave my slow cooker on with no one home, we wouldn't get any use out of it at all. It's an electric device, so I suppose it's possible for it to start a fire, but as long as you keep it clean and in good working order and use it properly (on a firm, dry surface, don't cook food until it burns, don't let the slow cooker touch anything while it's on, check for frayed cords and loose screws, etc.), the risk should be pretty low. I mean, you don't unplug your refrigerator when you leave the house, right? (Maybe you do. I don't know.)

My husband and I make a bunch of slow cooker freezer meals every once in a while. It makes dinners really easy. We spend a couple of hours shopping and prepping, and we end up with a dozen or more dinners. Six Sisters Stuff has some good roundups of Crock Pot recipes: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/09/slow-cooker-freezer-meals-make-8-meals.html https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/02/10-slow-cooker-freezer-meals-in-less.html 

We ate those BBQ spareribs for dinner last night. They were amazing.

PB102012

I leave it on as well.

Lovehavinggirls

I leave mine one too. My two favorite recipes are BBQ chicken(BBQ sauce, an onion and chicken breasts) ands go salsa chicken we just buy the mango salsa from costco mad put it in the cp with chicken breasts. Crockin girls is a great website for recipes.

MynaBird

@starscream Those liner bags are life-changing.

NikkiD522

Omg I am starving now reading all of these.... And I have no clue why I was questioning it .. I think LO has me rethinking everything... Oh god.. What if I'm becoming my mother?!??

Revez

...I need to get a crock pot

LJUTCMommy

Zarkoe said:

I make chicken and dumplings, and also my fav is pulled pork...

I buy a pork butt, season it a little, and cook it in Dr. Pepper....Low and Slow for 8hrs....Dump the soda, shred the pork, add your favorite BBQ sauce, cook for another hour....serve!

The pulled pork sounds soooo good! I don't eat pork but may have to try it with beef instead.

There's another pork-free lady on this board?! I'm excited to see how your beef version turns out. I feel like a lot of the crock pot recipes are pork, but I'll be trying the ranch chicken @starscream mentioned too.

PTmama199

I leave it on

I cook ribs in the slow cooker. I make a rub with brown sugar, minced garlic salt and pepper. Broil the ribs 10 min on each side. Add onions to bottom of crockpot add broiled ribs and a 1/2 cup cola. Cook low 8-10 hours

Ffrey1119

Leave it on for sure and I get a ton of ideas from the crockin girls website

Bunnyfer

There is also a slow cooker recipe FB group that has some awesome recipes

ashleyamberRN

Ooo I think now I'll have to try a whole chicken in there.

Leahks77

I leave it on too Also, when I put a whole chicken in there I use the rub from the crockpot365 website. And sometimes put potatoes wrapped in foil under it.... My favorite pulled pork recipe is pork with 2C salsa, 2T oregano, 2T chili powder, and 2T unsweetened cocoa powder. High 4-5 hours. Shred for tacos. From Real Simple. AMAZING.

TeacherMom210

I'm a little late to the party, but I always leave my crock pot on while not at home. Isn't that sort of the point - to use it to cook so you don't have to later? I have so many favorite recipes from a book called Fix It and Forget It. I highly recommend it.

Texasmomma13

I definitely leave it on. For easy recipes check the seasoning packet rack in your grocery store. There are quite a few slow cooker seasoning packets with directions on the back, you just ad the meat and veggies. It makes it pretty idiot proof really. My favs are pot roast, pulled pork, Italian chicken, and I make an awesome potato soup.

AmeliaKris

I leave it on. I must say its best to get a timer one. They automatically switch to warm after the cooktime is up so my stuff never gets too well done. Here's our current fav recipie.

3-4 boneless chicken breasts
One chopped onion
1pkg slice mushrooms
1/2 C white wine (I drink a glass when I get home too...lol)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 C chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 pkg bacon crumbles

Dump it all in and cook on low for 8 hours. Last hour add one cup parmeasean cheese shredded and one brick cream cheese.

Toss with cooked spaghetti noodles.

AmeliaKris

Easy potato corn chowder

1 pkg O'brien hashbrowns (the one with the peppers)
3 C chicken broth
1 chopped onion
Diced ham
Some bacon crumbles
1 can corn drained

Cook on low for 8 hrs. Add brick of cream cheese right before serving. Can add a little milk at this time too if its too thick. Top with a little shredded cheese when serving. Yum.