Crockpot Cooking Without a Recipe

I've said it before, I'll say it again - my crockpot is one of my most used and favorite kitchen appliances.  Between running around with the kids and scattering to my own community and personal activities, we barely have time to eat - even less time to cook a decent meal.  So getting dinner cooked while I'm not even home is a masterful idea.

The wonderful part about crockpot cooking is that - although there are plenty plenty recipes and cookbooks out there - you really don't need a cookbook or a recipe, if you understand some basic requirements.

• Liquid - there's got to be some liquid in the crockpot. It could be stock, juice, water, sauce, the fat cooking off the meat - but there has to be some liquid to keep the food from drying out.
• Seasoning - the food is being slow-cooked, so there's time for the seasoning to melt into the food. Season generously, but not too heavy-handed.
• Time - obviously, the whole point is cooking for the hours and hours you will be away.  There are times, too, when you will want to use it to keep food and beverages warm for serving, like for hot chocolate for a cookie party!

From there - be creative.

Meats of course are favorites for the crockpot.  Whatever you cook will become so tender and juicy. You can serve as is, straight from the pot, or continue to prepare the meat once cooked.  Chicken, whole or in pieces, is an easy meat to cook. Roast beef or pork is also easy; you can eat as is, or chop it after cooking for sandwich or taco filling.  I like to cook pork loin and then chop it up for bar-be-que.  A very convenient fact? It doesn't even have to be defrosted! Yes, you can throw frozen meat into the crockpot, turn it on low and come back hours later to a fork tender meal.

Grains, beans, and pastas can be cooked on their own or with your meat choice. These especially need enough liquid since they require a lot to cook to tender. Spaghetti is easier than you think and lasagna works well in the crockpot, too - the tomato sauce is your liquid. I've yet to cook overnight oatmeal, but have tasted it and that's really good.  I need a smaller crockpot, since my son and I are the only ones who like oatmeal.

Vegetables can also be cooked alone or thrown in with everything else. I've made some very tender collard greens in the crockpot.  You probably should reserve this for veggies that can withstand the long hours of cooking, nothing too tender.

You can cook all of these separately or throw everything in the pot together for an easy clean-up, easy serve one-pot meal.  A can or two of diced tomatoes or stock and you've got the base for a good stew. Pick up a loaf of Italian bread and a salad on your way home and voila! Dinner is served.

For the chicken meal pictured above: a pack of drumsticks (frozen!); salt, pepper, basil, paprika to season; 2 cans diced tomatoes in sauce + 6 hours in the crockpot while we were at church, a science fair, sorority meeting, and a basketball game.

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Family Dinner Table - Asian Chicken

Advice for healthy, happy families and successful kids always recommends the family sitting around the dinner table together. I generally skip over those stats because I think, "we already do that." But then, last week, as I clocked in about 5 after-school hours in the car (in one day), I realized, maybe we don't. Not on a regular basis anyway. There are many days where our family is eating in shifts.  We don't all eat together, all the time; sometimes there are random pairings that share a meal, depending on whose schedules converge.

I don't know about the experts, but I figure a home-cooked meal is the next best thing to all 6 of us around the table. I do try to at least get that done, with the exception of Friday pizza night (though some nights we make our own pizza, which can be a lot of fun). Cooking at home is, generally, cheaper, healthier, and more balanced than haphazardly making a circuit of drive-thrus.

In addition to the schedule of activities, being the chaffeur also plays a factor in meal planning. I can't really do a quick-cook on the stove if I'm not there to cook it (still waiting for that be-in-two-places-at-once magic wand). For those nights, I consider foods I can cook during the day and leave for a self-serve, hot meal for the dinner table rotation. My crock-pot and rice cooker are my go-to appliances.

Asian Chicken (Crockpot)

For this recipe, I use a seasoning mixture similar to what I use when I make bul-go-gi, Korean sliced beef bar-be-que.
Ingredients: 
1/3 c soy sauce
1/4 t ginger
1/4 t sesame seeds
2 t sugar
Pepper
Minced garlic
Green onions, sliced in small pieces
About 10-12 pieces of chicken (I use drumsticks &thighs)

Adjust seasonings to taste



Mix together all ingredients, other than onions and chicken.
Arrange chicken in layers in crock pot
Pour seasoning mix over chicken, top with sliced onion

Arrange chicken and seasonings in crockpot

Turn on the crock pot, cook for a few hours.
(This can also be cooked in a regular pot on the stove.  Add a little bit more soy sauce or about 1/3 cup of water.  Cover pot, let simmer until done.)
Dinner's done.  Serve with rice.
Enjoy!

Tasty with a side of rice and seaweed salad