Crockpot Cooking For The Single Mom

Crockpot cooking is one of the most under-utilized techniques available to help today's single mothers. Life can be pretty hectic for the single mother on any and every given day. There are lots of things to do and take care of. One of those of course is figuring out "what's for dinner".

FAST FOOD IS NOT THE ANSWER!

Unfortunately many times the answer to that becomes fast food. Of course we all know that fast food is not the healthy answer for any of us. And even though single moms are well aware that it is a bad path to take for their children, there just isn't enough time available to fix healthy dinners they will like every night. Or is there?

EASIER AND CHEAPER WAY?

Not only can the preparation of a healthy dinner be pretty easy to prepare it can be tailored to the types of dinners your children will like. Plus it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Although a couple bucks here and a couple bucks there to pick up fast food doesn't seem like much when you are in a hurry it can add up to some very expensive eating over the course of a year.

Not only can you prepare some really good meals ahead of time using Crockpot cooking but it will save you money. And not only can it save you money on the original meal, but it can save you money for the left-over's it can provide.

WHAT A MENU!

Spend a little time planning out some basic menus that you and the kids like. How about homemade chicken soup, or beef stew? Crockpot lasagna? Did you know that you can use your Crockpot to make an amazing rotisserie style chicken?

There are dozens of great dinners you can make with a little ground beef and different types of beans or pastas. As well as some hearty chicken chili. How about some minestrone Soup? There are hundreds if not thousands of free Crockpot recipes all over the internet.

Remember also that you decide what you put in your dishes. One of the greatest things you can do here is use a few more herbs or salt-free substitutes for flavor. Almost everything you buy already prepared has way too much salt in it for anyone. You can also switch up flavors. Try using some chicken stock in basically beef recipes or beef stock in basically chicken recipes.

SAVING TIME!

You can make these dishes simply by spending a couple hours once a week setting up your menu, chopping, cutting and freezing the mixed basics that can be used in several different dishes. Then it's just a matter of putting them together in your Crockpot the night before which only takes a couple of minutes and then pulling the Crockpot out of the refrigerator the next morning and putting it on a slow cook during the day.

When you and the kids get home and are ready for dinner, there it is. Hot, done and ready for your families dinner table.

CHECK IT OUT!

Do yourself a favor and check out some of the wonderful and inexpensive Crockpot stoneware available today. You will be surprised at the quality and price of one of the most overlooked, forgotten and underutilized accessories you can have in your kitchen.

CHECK THIS OUT!

If you are looking for a better way to cook your meals, you will find Crockpot Stoneware to be your best bet.

Visit : simply calphalon nonstick 14 piece set

Casserole Recipes and Pork Chops to Make in Your Slow Cooker or Crockpot

Let your crockpot or slow cooker help you prepare your meals, especially on busy days! This article has recipes for a Green Bean Casserole and a Round Steak Casserole that are created for your crockery cooker. The "Chickin' Lickin' Good Pork Chops" is a real twist on pork chops.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE
2 lbs fresh green beans, washed and broken into bite-size pieces
1 can (10 1/2-oz) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 small can French-fried onion rings
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1 can water chestnuts, sliced thin
salt to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup water

Divide the green beans into thirds and layer a third on the bottom of the crockpot or slow cooker. Cover with a third of the mushroom soup. Spread a third of the onion rings over the soup. Top with a third of the water chestnuts. Sprinkle with a little salt and a third of the pepper. Repeat the layers two more times, saving a few of the onion rings for later. Pour the water over all. Put the lid on the cooker and cook on high setting for 8 to 10 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, remove the lid and sprinkle the remaining onion rings over the top for a crunchy topping.

ROUND STEAK CASSEROLE
2 lb round steak, 1/2-inch thick
garlic salt, according to taste
salt, according to taste
pepper, according to taste
1 onion, sliced
3 large or 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 can green beans, drained
1 can (10 3/4-oz) tomato soup
1 can (16-oz) stewed tomatoes

Season the steak with the garlic salt, salt, and pepper according to your taste. Cut into serving-size pieces and place in the crockpot or slow cooker. Add the onion, separated into rings. Add the potatoes and top with the green beans. Pour the tomato soup over all and top with the stewed tomatoes. Cover and cook 8 to 10 hours on low.

"CHICKEN LICKIN' GOOD" PORK CHOPS
6 to 8 lean pork chops, 1-inch thick
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp salt
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp canola oil
1 can chicken rice soup, undiluted

In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the flour, salt, dry mustard, and garlic powder. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the pork chops on both sides. Place the pork chops in the slow cooker or crock pot. Add the soup. Cover the pot and cook chops on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's slow cooker/crockpot recipes visit her at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com
For her large collection of old fashion recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Recommend : calphalon unison 10 piece set all clad copper core 14 piece cookware set

Using Poultry in the Slow Cooker or Crockpot: Turkey Chili and Drumsticks and Bell Peppers

One of the best inventions for today's cooks, in my opinion, is the crockpot or slow cooker. You can put your meal on and go to work, run errands, or whatever your day requires. When you get home your house smells delicious and your meal is basically ready. What could be easier? Another advantage for busy families is that the food stays warm and available when meals cannot be eaten together. And even better, especially in the economic environment of today, you can buy less expensive cuts of meat and the slow cooking renders them as tasty as the expensive cuts. Today's article shares a couple of poultry recipes, very different but both tasty.

EASY TURKEY CHILI
vegetable cooking spray
2 lbs ground turkey (read label for ground without skin)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (16-oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10-oz) tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
2 cups tomato juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can (15 to 16-oz) chili beans, drained

Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add the turkey, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; saute over medium-high heat until the turkey loses pink color. Transfer mixture to the slow cooker or crockpot. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Add cover to pot and cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours.

DRUMSTICKS AND BELL PEPPERS
2 tsp canola oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
3/4 tsp salt
1 (14 1/2-oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp fennel seeds
8 chicken drumsticks
2 cups orzo*

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer bell pepper mixture to crockpot or slow-cooker. Stir in tomatoes and broth.

Combine rosemary, fennel, and the remaining salt in large bowl. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to slow cooker and press down into the peppers mixture. Cover and cook until chicken and vegetables are fork tender. This should take 3 to 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.

About 20 or 30 minutes before serving, cook the orzo according to package directions. Serve chicken and sauce with the orzo.

Yield: 8 servings
*This could be served with noodles, if you prefer.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's slow cooker/crockpot recipes visit her blog at http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com She also shares quick and easy recipes at http://grandmasquickfixrecipes.blogspot.com

Related : breville sk500xl ikon cordless 1.7 liter stainless all clad stainless 7 piece cookware set

Feel Better With Chicken Noodle Soup in the Crockpot

Chicken noodle soup has been a favorite in families for countless generations. If someone has ever made the homemade treat for you when you were not feeling well then you know just how comforting it can be.

There is evidence that as early as the 12th century healers "prescribed" chicken broth to their sick patients. The broth was poured over pieces of bread, which were known as "sops" evolving into the word we use now, "soup." And today, we finally have evidence that ingredients in chicken soup do indeed help to relieve symptoms of the common cold and similar ailments.

Amino acids in chicken that are released during the cooking process are rather similar to the chemicals in medication prescribed to patients with serious chest colds and bronchitis. Carrots, a vegetable usually found in chicken noodle soup, are an excellent source of vitamins that help to fight off infection. Onions, another primary ingredient of the soup, contain antioxidants as well as anti-inflammatory agents to help fight illness.

Recipe for Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

What You Need

3 large sized carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 medium sized onion
3 pound broiler or fryer chicken
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 cups water
16 ounce package noodles, uncooked

How to Make It

Clean and peel the carrots and cut into slices or small chunks. Clean and cut the celery into small pieces. Peel and cut the onion into slices.

Add the carrots and celery to the bottom of a 5 quart crockpot and place the onion slices on top.

If you are using a whole chicken, clean and cut it into large pieces while removing excess fat and the skin. Put the chicken in the crockpot atop the vegetables and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and basil.

Add the 3 cups of water to the crockpot and cook covered on the high setting for one hour. Cook the soup on the low setting for an additional 6 to 8 hours, or until the chicken is done and the vegetables are tender. You can also cook your soup completely on the low setting for 8 to 10 hours.

After cooking time is complete, carefully remove the chicken from the crockpot and set aside.

Add the package of uncooked noodles to the chicken broth in the crockpot and cover and cook on the high setting for 15 minutes. Take care not to overcook the noodles as they will become too soft and mushy. You can also cook the noodles in a pot of boiling water on the stovetop before adding them to the crockpot.

As the noodles are cooking either in the crockpot or on the stove, remove the chicken from the bone and cut into pieces.

After the noodles are done cooking, put the pieces of chicken back into the crockpot and cover. Allow all of the ingredients to sit and warm in the crockpot before serving. If your soup needs more liquid, add some hot chicken broth made from bouillon cubes and allow to warm in the crockpot for 15 minutes before serving.

Finding the very best crockpot recipes involves looking for those with all of your favorite ingredients as well as a few new, interesting foods to try. Crockpot white chicken chili is a great alternative to the traditional tomato and beef chili dinner when you want something delicious but different.

The Best Crockpot Recipes Start With Our Recipes - BestCrockpotRecipes.net

Recommend : circulon infinite circulon 10 piece cookware set all clad master chef 2 6 quart saute pan simply calphalon nonstick 14 piece set