Adventures in Crockpot Cooking

<p>I considered the purchase of a Crockpot for months. I had several concerns like would I really use it enough to justify having one, what can you really do with a Crockpot and how does it really turn out. So, I did my research. Meaning I asked other busy Moms and looked at recipes.

I was somewhat surprised at the enthusiasm other Moms had for their Crockpots. With a few exceptions every Mom I talked to loved her Crockpot. They cited things like the time it saves, the ease of using it and tons of yummy recipes. I was intrigued. I decided to shop around for one. I looked at the club stores, at the department stores until I found an amazing deal at Walmart. $15 for a 6 quart Crockpot. It was on sale simply because it's red. I like red.
I proudly carted my new gadget home and eagerly looked forward to using it the next day. For my first ever Crockpot meal I made chicken burritos. I added boneless chicken, onions, green peppers, red peppers and seasonings. Later when my amazing smelling meal was nearing completion, I added rice and canned  black beans. Add the mixture to a tortilla, add some Frank's and your preferred topping and Nom! They were so good. The rice got a little too soft but other than that it was yummy.

The next day I tried my hand at Crockpot chilli. I will never make it on the stove again. It was delicious. My oldest son doesn't like the texture of ground beef (or onions or a million other things) normally but making it in the Crockpot softened the meat and once he realized this  he cleaned his bowl. Mom's Crockpot chilli 1, picky child 0. Whoohoo!

I understand now why people love these things so much. It takes a lot of the dinner time burden off. Just toss some ingredients in the Crockpot and by dinner time you've got a hot meal all ready. And the clean up is easier and there's less dirty dishes! Yay for making life a little easier right?