New Kitchen Toys 1

I remember that I used to own a crock pot many many years ago when they were in vogue. I can’t remember that I used it very often, probably because cooking in a crock pot requires foresight and planning, and I’ve always been a “last minute” kinda cook. I also don’t remember being too impressed with what I did cook in it.

So why would I go out and invest in a new Crock Pot now??

Well, mostly because of Flylady (Google her if you don’t know her) and menu planning. My goal is to simplify and de-stress (i.e. bring peace) to as many parts of my life as is possible, and menu planning is a big part of that. A crock pot, properly used, can be a huge asset to stress-free dinners. My goal is to learn how to use this new tool in a way that will simplify my day while providing delicious and nutritious meals. I don’t have to use it every day, but I figure that if I have 8 or 10 great crock pot recipes (is that stretching it?), then I can add them once or twice to our weekly menu plan over the month. Over the next few months I will be experimenting with my Crock Pot and developing the best recipes for this medium and our lifestyle.

I bought a large crock pot, and I discovered later that bigger isn’t always better when it comes to Crock Pots. Since they cook better if 3/4 full, and there are usually only 2 of us, it will make way too much. I will plan it for meals that I want to cook at least double (eat one freeze one), if not triple.