01/10/2008

Waking up to freshly cooked dinners.

We got me this fabulous new slow-cooker--> after days of checking out the options in stores and online, I finally found the one I wanted, and Tom found a store and an arrival date (fresh, fresh, FRESH off the shelf - it's the new Hamilton Beach 5-quart, digital display, triple setting, stay-or-go, slower cooker). Fantastic. This puppy even has a meat thermometer built right into it; you can program this little white beast to take all day to cook your pork roast but stop when the internal temperature reaches 160, then hold it at a biologically safe temperature while not drying it out.

Super?
Fantastic!
The problem?

I'm so thrilled with it, and my new slow-cooker magazine, that I have been whipping up meals day and night. Not kidding about the night thing either, yesterday morning we woke to a tender, juicy, slow-roasted chicken. Yup, it was ready at 6:30am. I packed some for Tom's lunch, of course, then proceeded to make a fabulous chicken stew with the rest. Besides the roasted chicken and subsequent soup, I've made a ratatouille, beef roast, and a veggie stew. It only came in about a week ago! (And we weren't even here for the weekend.)


Yes, our grocery bills are out the window, but our freezer is filling with healthy and ready-made home-cooked dinners.

Alright, does anyone want to come over for dinner? (Or lunch, or breakfast, or a midnight snack?) Because Tom is having a hard time keeping up, and I just hit the start button again.

8 comments:

Tiffany said...

share your recipes on the recipe blog!!!

Tiffany said...

i love my slow cooker too. so much so that i just bought a second one!!

Sonya said...

I second the sharing your recipes on the blog - I'm all by my lonesome over there! ;) This means you too Tif!

Sonya said...

Ok - I need to check the blog before I start talking. I assume that's your recipe Candice? Due to the "nutritional advice"? Nice!

Anonymous said...

The slow cooker has been my friend for a lo-o-ng time. The best part is coming home after a hard day's work and voila - it's like you are a kid back at home and Mom has dinner all prepared for you. Nothing says loving like something from the slow cooker. I have stopped using it during the night because the yummmy smells wake me up. Ditto for the breadmaker. Did you know that you can make cakes, apple crisps and other "nutrious" sweet stuff as well??? The possibilities are endless.

Candice said...

I made any desserts in there yet, but I would love to try - any suggestions? Anyone? Anything!

Anonymous said...

Hre's a decadent treat

Rum+Butter+Apples+Pears (for 2:)

Peel and Core 2 apples and 2 pears
Cut in each in half
Toss fruit in 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Put fruit in slow cooker
Mix together 2 tbsp melted butter,
2tbsp rum and 2 tsp cinnamon
Pour mix over fruit and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours
Serve hot over ice cream or cooled with whipped cream on top

Yummy, and almost nutricious

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness. forgot the sweet part

the melted butter mix also has

2 tbsp of brown sugar