Food for Thought: Carefree Crockpot

With my new busy schedule starting at the end of February, I have been struggling a bit to manage my time.  Going to yoga four times a week and walking 4 miles twice a week, sometimes I don't get home until 6 pm, or I get home after work just to turn around and go to yoga then get home at 8/9 PM.  I am not complaining--in fact I love it!  However, this new schedule has canabalized another love of mine--making dinner for my husband!

{I have a Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 5 quart crockpot.  I LOVE this crockpot!  It has three settings, and you can snap the lid on and travel with it--great for potlucks!}

What to do, what to do?  Well, I tried coming home and making dinner just to go to bed almost immediately when I was done.  So all the fun and relaxing stuff I like to do like read, watch some DVR TV shows (DVRing helps to cut down on my TV consumption!), spend time with my husband, play with the kitties, DIY projects (like a burlap wreath I just finished!), housework, etc was falling to the wayside.  I am in bed by 9:30 pm most nights because this woman needs 7-8 hours of sleep to function!  (Go ahead and make fun of me...  I know that I get the rest I need!)  I tried for a few weeks, but I wasn't liking it--at all.  Back to the drawing board!

I was getting disheartened about the situation; in fact, I contemplated cutting back so I could be at home more, but then it came to me!  CROCKPOT!!!  I really don't use it too often as I only have 4-5 recipes that I would make in it.  It's also not my strongest ability since in school everything was cooked on a stove/in the oven--not in a slow cooker all day.  So I spent last Sunday on the couch (it was raining, cold and icky outside anyway) looking up crockpot recipes and tips. 

The posts will start venturing into the crockpot world more often than not so hang on to your crockpot lids!  Yes--even in the summer!  I read somewhere that using a crockpot keeps your kitchen cooler in the summer because it's a low, insulated heat rather than the less effective stove or oven--never thought of it that way before!  Plus, cheaper pieces of meat are typically used because they are tough and need long, slow cooking methods.  Plus, you dump everything into one pot and slow cook all day without a care.  Plus, you have the incredible smell wafting through the house especially when you walk in the door!  YES PLEASE!!!!  Any suggestions or recipes for crockpots you want to share, I will be more than happy to have!

I'm very excited to take this opportunity to learn a new skill!!!  Have a great weekend! 

PS--WHY did I wait so long to get on the bandwagon?....  I should have done this YEARS ago!

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