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| Forgotten Jambalaya from Taste of Home |
I frequently use the slow cooker to prepare supper during the busy month of December. I rely on my slow cooker so much during any busy season, but I find it invaluable in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I can put supper in the cooker on any busy day, even if I plan to be home all day. I can then spend my day crafting, cleaning, decorating, card-writing, gift wrapping, or whatever happens to be on my agenda, while supper cooks all by itself.
One of my favorite strategies in the past was to bake a loaf of bread in the bread machine at the same time I had a soup going in the crockpot. What a time-saver! Sadly, my bread machine stopped working -- well, it would still work for dough but would no longer bake bread properly -- so I threw it away. With trying to eat less gluten, not to mention less bread, I made the decision not to replace it. But it's a strategy that might still work for you and your family. There are loads of soup recipes on my Kitchen Table blog (link in sidebar) and lots of bread machine recipes too.
Lately, I am more likely to make slow cooker dishes that are a meal in one, including vegetables.
Here are a few favorites:
Rosemary Chicken with White Beans
Tex-Mex Quinoa Casserole -- a very flavorful meatless recipe.
Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Pork. We seldom eat pork anymore, but this was a favorite. The photo, obviously, is just a generic one of Chinese take-out.
Forgotten Jambalaya - pictured at top of post.
Sunday Chicken Supper, pictured below. You can certainly use boneless chicken if preferred.
If you would like more slow cooker recipes, there are many of them on my Kitchen Table blog. Just head over there (link is in the sidebar) and click on "slow cooker recipes" in the label cloud. You will find a large variety to choose from, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how much of a friend your slow cooker will be during this busy time of year.
I rely heavily on my crock pot, really, year round. I make my own spaghetti sauce in it and then freeze 6 months worth. I use it for stews, soups, chili. I also make casseroles in it. It's a great way to prepare a meal and the house smells heavenly while it's cooking!
ReplyDeleteI am with you, Vicki. I use my crockpot at least once or twice a week year round.
ReplyDeleteI always cook chicken breasts with varied seasonings in the crock pot, then cut it up or shred it and freeze in meal size amounts. So handy!
Your spaghetti sauce tip is a good one too.
I need to do this more often! I even have a new smaller crockpot for one or two that makes it more economical, yet I rarely get it together. This is going to take planning. Thank you for the recipe tips.
ReplyDeleteI use my crockpot mostly in the cold months after Christmas. What a great idea to use it on my days off so I can do Something else while supper cooks.
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