Every Kitchen Needs One

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Fall is a wonderful time of enjoying the bounty of the 'harvest' and all the ways we're blessed in our country. And when we combine all that variety with wonderful ways to cook it, fall gets even better. Around our kitchen, Jen does a great job mixing things up with recipes, and one thing that's great for fall and winter are the dishes she makes in the crock pot.

While the crock pot can be a simple way to make all kinds of meals, there is something comforting about the smells and anticipation of a meal roasted in the slow cooker. The November issue of Prevention magazine had an article with nine crock pot recipes as suggested ways to benefit from the warmth and convenience of slow cooking. Seeing that article gave me some inspiration to post how every kitchen needs a slow cooker.

It's possible to make almost anything at the low and slow temperatures of the crock pot: breads, casseroles, lasagna, roasts, fruit and berry crisps and even interesting dishes like home-made yogurt and candied, roasted nuts. The opportunities are almost limitless, and the convenience of less hassle and clean-up, along with the great smells which fill up the kitchen and whole house, make crock pot cooking worth while.

When picking a crock pot, size it appropriate to how many mouths you have to feed. You'll find them from about 2 quarts to 6 plus quarts, which is big enough to feed a large family, or make a great meal with lots of leftovers. It's important to follow recipe guidelines on how much liquid goes into the pot so you don't end up with a scorched mess, and programmable features will help by reducing heat from high to low or even off.

So dig out your old crock pot, or invest in a new one, and enjoy this great addition to a power pantry for getting the most out of your time in the kitchen and the benefits of fall bounty.

By the Way

Jen has made apple butter in our crock pot on numerous occassions, and it is wonderful. Give it a try sometime. The slow cooker is the perfect way to simmer the apples and let them cook down to the tasty, spicy-sweet condiment. And around our house, you know it's great when it passes the teenager test, which Jen's does, with flying colors.