Cooking with the Crock Pot

It was asked on one of the FetLife groups about if anyone used a crock pot anymore. Elsewhere I was asked how I cook pork chops and chicken in the crock pot....so...

I use my crock pot at least once a week -- but during the winter often several times a week. I have made oatmeal and desserts in mine. Baked beans and ribs are always great in the crock pot. I do use mine to make soups and stews in the winter a lot but I do also use it to cook meat entrees year around. I like using it during the summer as it doesn't seem to heat the kitchen up like the oven does. I have 2 crock pots well 4 if you count the one with wax in it for SM play and another for wax to use in art.

For super easy but tasty...Pork Chops or chicken I just placed the meat in the bottom, cut up onions and garlic and placed them in the pot and then sprinkled it all with some pepper and maybe another seasoning like thyme. And then cooked on low for 6 to 8 hours (really until when I try to pick them up with a fork they almost fall apart).

Other things I have done with either pork chops or chicken: pour some Italian dressing on them or a can of cream of mushroom soup. Spread hoisin sauce on them (it is like a Chinese bbq). Sprinkle them with teryaki and/or soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Sprinkle them with grillmate. Or spread a little Dijon mustard on them. Cooked them with a can of crushed tomatoes and chopped peppers (good to served over rice). Pour some balsamic vinegar on them. Cooked them with chopped potatoes, onions, green beans and carrots and season like I would a roast.

Chicken thighs - my favorite way to eat them is honey lemon but Master isn't a fan of lemon. All I did for that though is cut up a lemon and squeeze it over the thighs and then put them in the pot after I squeezed them as it releases good flavor still. And then drizzled honey over them. Add chopped onions and garlic.

I slice up cheap steak and put it in the crock with peppers and onions and serve on hoagie buns with cheese.

Lately we have had diced pork on sale for cheaper then ground hamburger. I have been putting that in the crock. I did one meal recently with teryaki sauce and soy sauce and then mixed it into some fried rice. I have done a Mexican dish with the diced pork, can of diced tomatoes, pinto beans or black beans, chilies, onion, garlic and spices served it on tortilla with cheese.

Really I don't think you can go wrong with a crock pot. They are easy to use and make a nice hot meal without lots of work. I know I am glad to have a crock pot.

**top photo -- I had a huge pork loin that I ended up splitting into like 4 different meals. One portion though after cooking in the crock I shredded it and froze it. And then took it out and put in the crock with same mixture I describe above - diced tomatoes, black beans, chilies, onion and garlic. Added cumin too. And then served it on tortillas with cheese.

second photo -- is of the honey lemon chicken...I had added a few sprinkles of a citrus grillmate.