Kitchen

[Goldengate8361]

I love my crock pot for roasts. It's great to put something in and have dinner ready when I get home from work. It doesn't bother me in the least to have it on while I'm gone during the day.

[Vamp]

Some things are better and easier in the slow cooker, but my experience is even if you can make it in a crock pot doesn't mean you should! In other words, there are some recipes that are not improved, either in taste or in ease of making, by a slow cooker. Nevertheless, I love my crock pot and use it a lot.

[Mominohio]

I could use some crock pot cooking lessons, I have some books, but they don't help.

Even when following established crock pot recipes, things seem to get overcooked, and mushy.

I have a friend that uses a crock pot a lot, and her food is really good. I should try again, and different things, because the little I have tried really isn't that great.

[GCR18]

I have never owned a crock pot, but have been thinking about getting one.

[mima]

Love my crockpot. Wonderful for those that work all day and want a good hot meal when they get home!

[Sunshine Kate]

I like crock pot cooking. As a matter of fact, I have chicken and dumplings cooking right now.

[Fifi1]

I'm lazy, and put in long hours at work so like the fact I can dump it all in and leave it in low. I'm doing chicken Marsala in mine today...home, but too,lazy to complete all the tasks for my traditional recipe. we shall see! I say whatever works for you, and enjoy!

[Junebug54]

duclane I agree with your statement. Everything seems to taste the same. I honestly feel it is just as easy to put something in the oven. I totally understand however, if you are stretched for time. I'm retired and don't have that issue. What brought this up is that I have a pork roast in the crock right now. Everything seems too mushy and liquidy (is that a word)!! Now I will get laughed at for this but........... my favorite kitchen appliance is my electric fry pan. Love it!! And use it a lot.

[goodstuff]

I love the crock pot for slow-simmered standards like vegetable-beef soup, pot roast with veggies, sauerkraut with apples and pork, and a few other things -- but I don't use it to cook vegetables (with the exception of slow-simmered Southern greens), "casseroles", pasta dishes, desserts, etc., which IMO are usually better prepared other ways. The convenient thing about a crockpot is that you can put in all the ingredients, set it on low, go away for several hours, and come home to a delicious, ready-to-serve meal! But I use it just for a few favorites that are naturals for that kind of cooking and always turn out well. In these cases, the slow simmering is pretty much like what you'd get in an old-fashioned stew-pot on the stovetop or a dutch oven in your oven. Great results.

[WSfan]

On 11/16/2014 mominohio said:

I could use some crock pot cooking lessons, I have some books, but they don't help.

Even when following established crock pot recipes, things seem to get overcooked, and mushy.

I have a friend that uses a crock pot a lot, and her food is really good. I should try again, and different things, because the little I have tried really isn't that great.

First, I'm going to comment on the posters here who do not care for a crock pot--I say, to each his/her own. If you don't care for it, so be it. You will not receive any bad comments from me. I own several different sizes, and use them all with good results. I understand why you say that things taste the same, but it could be because the recipes are similar. I really don't find that the chicken tastes like beef, and vice versa.

Now a suggestion to mominohio--I have found that possibly you are using too large of a crock pot for your recipe. If the crock pot is not at least 3/4 full, your food will cook too quickly, no matter if you set it to low or high. I have had that happen to me. Also, a lot of times the food cooks faster than the recipe suggests. If it is cooking on high, I turn it down to low, or if your crock pot has a warm setting, I turn it to that; then note it on the recipe and shorten the cooking time. Don't give up on a recipe because it wasn't to your liking the first time. I use my crock pot often and also my electric pressure cooker. I love the idea of doing a little prep work and then having your supper cook itself. It's like having a day off! I do own quite a few crock pot cookbooks. I would suggest the "Fix It and Forget It" series. You also might want to do a little research on crock pot cooking, and troubleshooting your issues. Hope this helps.