The Merits of Crock Pot Cooking

I know what it's like to run around all day running errands. I know how it feels when there are a hundred things on that to-do list that you want to knock out. And I know that defeated feeling of coming home after a long, busy, hectic day, when I'm too tired to go into the kitchen and prepare my family a home cooked meal. So I stop off at some fast food place and feed them a plate brimming with calories and cholesterol. Regardless of all I may have accomplished that day, it seems like I've taken one step forward and two steps back if I have to sacrifice my family's health just to get things done.

That's why I can't praise the crock pot enough. Whoever invented this marvel of the kitchen, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! It takes away the worry and instead fills me with the satisfaction of taking care of my family's needs.

I know there are myriads of blogs, websites, books and magazine articles that tell about all the conveniences a crock pot brings. I'm just gonna list the reasons why I like my crock pots (I've got two of them!). They're probably on a lot of people's lists, which goes to show I'm not alone in my love of this wonder appliance.

1. It's a time saver. Prepping a meal in the crock pot usually takes no more than 10 minutes, and most recipes take about 5. Who wouldn't make 5-10 minutes in the morning if it meant saving 45 minutes in the afternoon?
2. The food is healthier. There's a book out called Eat This Not That! which lists the calorie, salt and fat content, cholesterol, and other nastys found in fast foods and restaurants. Just looking at some of the statistics for fast food takes my appetite away. Why would I feed my children a meal that contains 2 days worth of calories? Enough salt to turn the Atlantic Ocean into the Dead Sea? Or enough fat to clog an entire families arteries? Since I'm preparing the food, I control what goes into the meal. When food is prepared in the crock pot the flavors are intensified, so less is more. I add very little salt in my crock pot recipes; some contain no added salt at all. I can prepare leaner cuts of meat without worrying about the food drying out, and without sacrificing taste.
3. It's economical. Since the crock pot is a slow cooker, a leaner and therefore tougher cut of meat becomes tender because it cooks for 5-8 hours. Those leaner cuts of meat are less expensive that the ones that are marbled with fat (and healthier too, don't forget). Also, the crock pot uses about the same amount of electricity as a 75 watt light bulb. That's a whole lot less than your stove or oven, and you don't have to worry about overheating the house in the summer.
4. It's a no brainer. Women who have never cooked in their lives can prepare a delicious meal in the crock pot on their first try. It is almost impossible to burn anything in the crock pot. Meats are juicy and flavorful, soups are thick and rich, and you don't need alot of ingredients to make something yummy.
5. Best of all, you can come home after a long day of work or running errands, and dinner is ready and waiting. It's like having a private chef in the house! Just recently, while my daughter was home from college, she and her best friend wanted me to take them shopping at a mall that's about 25 minutes from the house (they had gift certificates from Christmas that were burning holes in their pockets). This particular mall is huge, so I knew we'd be gone for a good part of the day. So that morning, I put a roast with onions in the crock pot and some rice in the rice cooker. When my husband came home for lunch, food was ready and waiting for him even though I wasn't. He appreciates this, because it means he doesn't have to eat on the go; he can sit down and have a home cooked meal that he enjoys. It's also great if you're running around with the kids and feel guilty because they're hungry. The first thought is to stop at some burger joint and get them a not-so-happy-for-Mom meal. Instead, when they say they want something to eat, you can say, "Dinner's waiting for us at home." And oh, what a wonderful feeling to walk into a house that smells like grandma's kitchen!

I would recommend to anyone who hasn't tried cooking with a crock pot, what are you waiting for?! You can get them at a very good price; a 5-6 quart model will run from $20-30, and trust me, it will pay for itself. Give it a go - you can thank me for it later ;-).