Slow cooker comfort
There is a lazy way to prepare old fashioned slow cooked favorites. Put all ingredients into the crock pot, let the slow cooker work its magic, and get the sort of wonderful comfort food that creates memories. You can also put the slow cooker to work at breakfast or brunch time and get a better breakfast experience for your family.
Slow cooked comfort food
It took your mother hours to put together your favorite comfort foods, preparing and simmering all sorts of delights that made you feel all warm and fuzzy no matter what kind of day you were having. These slow cooked recipes passed down from generation to generation, gather you up in a whirlwind of memories and whisk you away to a better time. A time when life was simpler and the street lights would tell you when it was time to come home after playing outside all day.
Today you are an adult, and life is filled with ups and downs. The frustrations of each day seem to run together. However, there is no reason to let these frustrations follow you into the kitchen. Why not combine your two favorite things; the smile that comfort food brings to your heart, and the ease of cooking with a crock pot. You get the best of both worlds; the flavors and aromas of comfort food simmering on the stove all day, along with easy and carefree cooking. Let's take a look at how you can put your crock pot to work for you creating those same warm and fuzzy comfort food feelings:
Your favorite comfort foods in the crock pot
Soups of all kind are truly comfort foods. Chicken noodle soup and chicken vegetable soup are all time favorites, especially when it gets cold outside. This dish is a great candidate for a crock pot. Loaded with veggies, chicken, and savory broth, chicken soup warms you inside and out, and have even been proven to help when you've got the sniffles. Beef vegetable soup and all sorts of chowders are classic foods to get cozy with on a stressful day. Soups in general are usually a good way to gather together with family and friends to reminisce and relax. Let your crock pot do the work so you can enjoy the moment.
Chili is another great comfort food. It is hearty with beans, meat, tomatoes, and warm spices that can whisk you away to an old fashioned chili-cook-off in your very own kitchen. Perhaps, you remember the sound of a football game on the television on a Sunday afternoon, and the aromas of a big pot of chili ready for all the family to enjoy during half-time. Chili not only feeds a family inexpensively, but it is very filling and satisfying; a comfort food in the best sense of the word.
Pot roast is about as old fashioned as you can get in the comfort food category. Many families remember a time when dad came home from work and sat right down at the table, signaling the rest of the family to join him. Mom brought in the pot filled with tender beef, potatoes, and carrots, with a thick gravy ready to ladle over everything. The crock pot is not only an easy way to make a pot roast, but the specific method of cooking in a crock pot tenderizes any meat better than oven roasting.
Why your crock pot is the perfect choice
Crock pot cooking embodies the 'trifecta' of great homemade comfort foods; 1) the meals are easy, 2) the meals are filling, and 3) the meals stimulate the senses.
With comfort foods in the past, we most likely were talking about a lot of time and effort. However, while your parents had to spend the whole day in the kitchen preparing your favorite comfort foods, now your crock pot can do most of the job for you. This frees up your time and gives you the flexibility to prepare a filling meal while accomplishing other tasks without watching the pot.
The perfection of time management and organization, your crock pot is the ultimate way to cook comfort foods, helping you manage your health, stress, and your time. You'll spend just a little time to prep your meal, then the rest of the work is up to the crock pot. Set it and forget it. When you're ready to relax and dig into your favorite comfort food, all you need is a place to sit. And, when you're feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, you aren't faced with a kitchen overflowing with pots and pans. Crock pot cooking is almost one pot cooking. Put your leftovers away and you have one pot, the crock, to wash up. With a single pot doing the cooking for you, that crock pot comfort food is even more comforting.
The crock pot is a great tool, not only for making good food, but also giving you time back to spend with your family. Throwing your favorite foods into the crock pot before heading out the door will give you the slow-cooked taste without the effort. Don't slave over a hot stove just to feed your family their favorite comfort foods. Use your crock pot to give them the comfort foods you enjoyed growing up, and savor the aromas and flavors of a hearty meal and the comfort of family time.
Slow cooked breakfast and brunch
Most of us think of the slow cooker as getting dinner on the table. Throw the ingredients together in the morning, set the slow cooker to cook, and when you walk in the door after work, dinner is ready to be served. But, what about putting your slow cooker to work for you at breakfast time or brunch time?
Get tasty dishes to start the day with slow cooker breakfast and brunch creations.
Use your slow cooker to help get off to a better start in the morning. With a little prep work, you can enjoy a world class cuisine before heading out the door. You have better things to do in the morning than stand over a pan or pot, flipping or stirring. And, you and your family deserve a better breakfast experience. After all, how do you expect to accomplish all you need to do during your busy day without a hearty morning meal? Your slow cooker is not just for dinner anymore!
Breakfast while you get ready
If you are looking for a hearty breakfast, one that cooks itself while you get ready for the day, you may want to put your slow cooker to work. While your breakfast is cooking, you'll have the freedom to dry you hair, read the paper, and even help with last minute homework.
Feel like a cheesy hash brown casserole or a quick quiche? How about a couple pouched eggs? You can get these cooking first thing so they'll be ready when you are. Even a batch of quick cooking oatmeal is a breeze in the slow cooker, and you don't have to worry about forgetting about a pot boiling on the stove during your busy morning rush. Just put the oatmeal in the slow cooker, add the water and any flavorings you like, and set the slow cooker on high. You'll have a hot breakfast waiting for you and your family before you head out the door.
Breakfast while you sleep
Can you imagine waking up to a fresh pot of coffee and a perfectly cooked breakfast in the morning? Imagine the aromas from savory sausage or maple syrup wafting down the hall and into your room. Doesn't that sound like a great way to wake up? With a slow cooker, that's entirely possible.
Waking up to a hearty breakfast is the perfect start to a perfect day. A cold morning instantly becomes warm when there is a delicious meal waiting for you. If your family enjoys a big eggs and sausage breakfast, put together a breakfast casserole the night before, set it on low, and in the morning you can dig right in. If a big bowl of nutty five grain cereal is your idea of a hearty breakfast, fill your slow cooker the night before with the ingredients, set it to low, and in the morning all you'll need to do is get out the milk. Have a hot and hearty breakfast waiting for you when you wake up and start your day out right.
The brunch connection
There are times when when your first meal of the day doesn't come so early in the morning. Perhaps you and your family have a few days off from work and school. You're all going to sleep in and enjoy a meal a bit later in the day. Maybe it's a special occasion and you're sharing a late morning meal with friends. Either way, your slow cooker can be put to work to help create dishes that satisfy your appetite that rests somewhere between breakfast and lunch.
Brunch is a great excuse to put your slow cooker to work. There are many recipes perfectly suited for this late morning meal. One favorite brunch time dish is quiche. Throw together a cheesy quiche packed with vegetables and bacon, and you have a brunch dish that naturally satisfies both breakfast and lunch cravings. If a brunch buffet isn't complete without sliced ham and hash browns in your book, you can easily create these two favorites in a wonderful casserole in your slow cooker.