Waste of money to get a crock pot?

I love mine, from a great chilli to a tasty soup, it always produces great results. There has not been a week since I bought mine that I have not used it. My pasta sauce is legendary, a variety of chicken dishes (always comes out beautifully) and all my favourite soups packed with veg that is ready to eat as I get home from work. Perfect, love it!

RaeBeeBaby wrote: »

I also have 3 and absolutely love them! Small, medium and enormous. I use the smallest for small roasts, a few chicken thighs, spaghetti sauce. Just right for me and hubby for dinner. The largest (6 qt I believe) I use all the time for beans, chili, and soups. It has 3 heat settings so I can simmer all day. Soup always tastes best cooked long and slow (IMO). I also use the big one for bone broth, which I cook for up to 72 hours. SO good for you! The big one also has latches on the lid, so I can lock it down and take it with me for potlucks or family dinners away from home.

I break all of them out on holidays. Once you've cooked the stuffing, potatoes and gravy (or any other dishes like yams, squash, veggies) you can keep them warm for hours. It really saves the craziness of that last minute rush to get everything ready at the same time. Also fun to use for hot apple cider or mulled wine during the holidays.

The 6 qt is the only one I purchased new. The other two came from a garage sale and thrift store. Super inexpensive!

LOL!! I thought I was nuts with two! Hubby begs me to get rid of one, but they both have a purpose depending on the day and meal. I like the bigger one best, that way I can get a couple of extra meals from it, or freeze the remainder for the following week or two...I have NOT tried it with hot apple cide or mulled wine! That sounds very DOABLE! xo

The crock pot is not just for dinners. Don't be afraid to experiment, make up a batch of eggs with all your favorite cheese and veggies then toss them in the crock pot before you go to bed, in the morning you'll have a nice egg dish similar to a breakfast casserole or omelet. If you want a crust you can toss shredded potatoes in the bottom of the pot before adding the egg mix.
French toast bake is an option as well, mix up your batter and through into the crockpot over your favorite bread (I rip into cubes) then toss in dried fruit, nuts and a little extra cinnamon and sugar.

I use mine all the time for beans, black, white, kidney and pea soup is best made in the crock pot just remember to soak the beans and pull the floaters before you start the cooking process.

Spaghetti sauce and chili are fabulous this way too and you don't HAVE to buy a big crock pot, I just picked up my 3rd one, a nice small 2.5 quart, also have a 3qt and a 6qt.

I do the baked potatoes all the time, just wrap in foil and let them cook. Works for regular or sweet potatoes. Also cauliflower just trim the stem, drizzle with a little sriacha, buffalo sauce or if you'd rather olive oil and spices and wrap in foil. I do this in the 6qt, sweet potatoes on one side, regular on the other and the stem to the cauliflower right in between.

Oh and the mulled cider is amazing this way, apple crisp is pretty darn good this way too. Like I said, don't be afraid to experiment.

I LOVE my crock pot. I cook up all my chicken for my salads for the week. Just throw 3-4 chicken breasts in the crock pot with whatever seasoning you prefer and the next morning it shreds beautifully.

I cook from dry beans a lot. I love my crock pot for that. I also make apple sauce in the fall with it. Vegetarian chili's, stews, and soups can all be made in the crock pot. Or not.

I love making veggie dishes in the crockpot! I make a fantastic lentil curry that is super healthy. Shop at an Indian grocery store...get chana dal lentils (split chickpeas) and other varieties- they taste great cooked in a slow cooker. Add seasonings like curry, garam masala, and tons of veggies. Yum!

I'm making Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup for tonight's dinner.

dude crockpots are amazing. I cook something in it every week and it gives me like 5 meals. I've made soups, lasagna, enchiladas. It's great for a broke college student like me.

I like crock pots because of their ease. You can throw the food in and walk away! If I'm really crunched for time, I put a meat and veggies in the crock pot, put it on the lowest setting, go to work, then come home to a tender juicy dinner.

I use my crockpot a minimum of twice weekly. But I do cook for 5. Roasts, small chickens, then I cook the bones into stock. Chillies, curries, stews, soups. My husband works full time and I work 3/4 time plus chase kids. We have a hobby farm as well so all those hours add up to not enough time in the house. We love it because we can turn it on and walk away. Check it 8 hours later when we get home and shut it off for an hour or two to cool before we serve. Leftovers get shoved in the fridge and feed us a few extra days. Always a healthy veg soup in the crude and always lots of protein. I still used it when it was just my husband and I but the crockpot was smaller and extras got frozen. Just as convenient. I guess it really depends how you like to cook though.

i use my crockpot all of the time . i have a big one and i have gone through three of them in the last five years . my boys are teens so they eat alot and i work for a living so a crockpot is my savior . if you have time to stand over the stove and stir the pot every five minutes you are lucky. for me i use the crockpot because it saves me time and i dont have to worry about things burning because i forgot to stir something.