| What's slow and steady and will fit right | | | | delicious. |
| into your face-paced life? Would you believe | | | | |
| cooking with that old crock pot?! | | | | 3. Save time. Cook when you have more energy |
| | | | and less stress. Have your food ready and |
| Going slower in terms of cooking can actually | | | | waiting for you rather than the other way |
| help you go faster in the long run. Make | | | | around. You'll also save time on clean up. |
| sense? Keep reading and it will. When you | | | | After the meal, you'll have just one pot to |
| prepare a crock pot meal in the morning, the | | | | wash. If you have a crock pot with the |
| food will be ready when you get home. No more | | | | removable crockery liner (and you really |
| waiting for the oven to preheat or food to | | | | should), clean up is extra easy. |
| defrost in the microwave. | | | | |
| | | | 4. Eat healthy. It doesn't take a |
| Fast and slow cooking entered American | | | | nutritionist to know that a meal of meat and |
| kitchens in a big way during the 1970s. Rival | | | | veggies with a green salad on the side is |
| introduced the Crock Pot slow cooker in 1971 | | | | going to be better for your body than another |
| (the slow cooking appliance was originally | | | | frozen pizza. |
| called a beanery). Microwave ovens also | | | | |
| became affordable during the 1970s. (They | | | | 5. Keep your kitchen cool and your food hot. |
| actually went on the market in 1952 for the | | | | You won't have to heat up the whole house |
| price of $1,295). By the 1980s, most couples | | | | just to roast a chicken or cook a pot of |
| could count on receiving at least one crock | | | | stew. The crock pot also frees the oven and |
| pot as a wedding gift. While it's almost | | | | stove for other foods when you're cooking a |
| unthinkable to cook without a microwave | | | | big meal. |
| today, many crock pots have been relegated to | | | | |
| the closet shelf. It's time to revive the | | | | To make the most of your rediscovered crock |
| Rival! | | | | pot, try not peek at the food while it's |
| | | | cooking. Every time you lift the lid, you add |
| Five reasons to dust of the crock pot and | | | | 20 minutes to the cooking time. |
| start slow cooking again. | | | | |
| | | | To convert regular recipes for use in the |
| 1. Save money. Starting a meal in the crock | | | | crock pot, reduce the amount of liquid by |
| pot in the morning can save you from the | | | | one-third to one-half, unless you're making |
| temptation of grabbing fast food during the | | | | soup, rice or beans. |
| evening family rush hour. Save those fast | | | | |
| food bucks for a meal out at a nice | | | | I hope this all makes sense. The best part |
| restaurant on the weekend when you have time | | | | about crock pot cooking is all the recipes |
| to sit and enjoy it. | | | | you can make with the same crock pot. Just |
| | | | cut up the ingredients, throw them in the |
| 2. Save money. This reason's so nice we said | | | | crock pot, wait 8 hours and a delicious meal |
| it twice. Crockery cooking can make | | | | is ready! |
| less-expensive cuts of meat tender and | | | | |