Time to get out the crock pot
Winter time means it’s time to nest and make some comfort food. My mom used to refer to this hearty food as “sticking to your bones”. I guess she meant that it has substance and really fills you up (unlike some of the lighter meals we tend to eat more often in summer).
Homemade mac & cheese is always a winner and now that I have my new little “Slow cooker recipes” book, I’ll try a new mac & cheese recipe, using my crock pot.
If you have a crock pot somewhere in your cabinet (or stored away in the basement. maybe?), I recommend taking it out and using it. Most crocks come with their own recipe books. Mine includes a recipe for roasted chicken and veggies, pot roast and beef stew that are delicious. It’s great to throw the ingredients in the pot in the morning and smell the aromas of food cooking all day long, until it’s time for dinner. You get your food preparation out of the way before facing the rest of the day.
My new little recipe book: Gooseberry Patch: Favorite Slow-cooker Recipes, includes a recipe for cranberry tea and overnight oatmeal with walnuts and raisins. I’ll bet the tea is yummy after brewing for so long in the crock pot and love the idea of waking up to a warm breakfast in the morning after it’s cooked all night long.
This week, I plan to make the barbequed chicken and taco soup from my new little book.
I also got out my bread maker and plan to make some homemade bread this winter. This is another kitchen appliance that I highly recommend buying and using. There’s nothing like the smell of homemade bread baking, it tastes fresh and delicious, and bread makers are super easy to use—they knead the dough and do all the hard work for you! The bread maker will pay for itself if you really use it. The cost of store-bought bread seems to have tripled lately.
The recipe book which came with my bread maker also has recipes for desserts, something I’ve never tried, but plan to.
What are some of your winter-time favorites from the kitchen?
Read More
