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Modifying Recipes For The Crock Pot

19th March, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

If you’re a crockpot addict like me, you’re likely trying to figure out if there is any way to turn your traditional recipes into slowcooker ones. The good news is that all kinds of ‘traditional’ recipes can be changed around a bit to turn out great when cooked in a slow cooker. I’ll show you how in just a minute but first let’s talk about some of the advantages of crockpot cooking. It obviously saves you time since all you have to do is add the ingredients to your slow cooker and the meal practically cooks itself. On that same note, it’s also very convenient because you are not tied down and can go about your busy day and then get home to a hot meal. Even more important to me and my family is the fact that this allows us to live much healthier. Before I would go through the drive-thru or order in a pizza when I had a busy day. We got to the point where we did this several times a week and it just wasn’t healthy or weight-friendly. These days I prepare some slowcooker meals in the morning and by the time we’re home, dinner is ready.

Back to changing your traditional recipes for the crockpot. Here are some tips.

Cooking Times:

15-30min = 1.5-2 hrs High or 4-6 hrs Low in Crock pot

35-45min = 3-4 hrs High or 6-10 hrs Low in Crock pot

50min-3hrs = 4-6 hrs High or 8-18 hrs Low in Crock pot

Other Tips:

• Reduce the liquid by half.
• To avoid overcooking veggies, add them toward the end depending on how long they need to cook.
• Make sure you have enough ingredients in the slow cooker so it’s at least half full. This will insure even cooking.
• With a lot of beef dishes, it helps to brown the meat before adding it to the crockpot.

Give these suggestions in mind when you are turning your regular dishes into slow cooker ones. I’ve used these tips successfully to make all sorts of soups and stews, casseroles as well as various meat dishes from roasts to barbecued chicken. This crockpot butternut squash soup is on of our favorites during the fall and it has been changed from a ‘regular’ recipe. Give it a try and see if you don’t love it as much as we do. Try out a few slow cooker recipes over the coming months and come up with a list of dishes your family enjoys. There are two big benefits to this. You are eating healthier and saving the money you would otherwise spend on fast food or pizza.