Seeking advice on slow cooker purchase

[pmhlb]

Hello,
This is my first post! (Looks like a great group!)

I am going to buy a SLOW COOKER, and would like advice, based on:

1) I live alone and rarely cook for others
2) Don't like cooking much, but hope this will get me eating better
3) Am curious about squash, turnips and such -- cooked in a slow cooker.

What do you suggest I buy? Are there any with separate compartments, and is this an advantage?

Thanks!
Paulette

[lyndafaye]

just from personal experience
We bought for our son when he went away to university 6 years ago a 4 quart Rival slow cooker crock pot.
He used it for 4 years of school almost every day. (he likes to cook). When he had 4 room mates he continued using it when preparing meals for all of them. Not many left overs with 4 but nobody went hungry either.
Well when he moved to China I inherited it. Still works fine and meals for 2 are wonderful.
So stick with a small one.
The recipes in the magazine and the tips are very good.
read them and you can adapt them to suit your tastes and budget.
I noticed today they have slow cooker tips and recipes when you first log on here. I sent my son the one for pork stew since pork is one of the main meats found in China.
slow cookers are a way to get started on a love of cooking or at least a love of eating healthier.

[mom2hannah47]

I have 3 slow cookers that are in almost constant use. My smallest is 3 L and my largest is 5L. I love that I can make a healthy meal with very little time spent in the kitchen. Sunday dinners are usually a full roast beef dinner done in the large slow cooker. I put everything in before leaving for church and supper is all ready when we are. Holiday meals are great because I do all my side dishes in the slow cookers and then I don't have the last minute rush that I would if I were doing them on the stove-top. Like Lyndafaye, I too like my Rival - it is my largest, and my newest (only 9 years old.) I also have one 29 year old and one 15 year old Sears brand slow cookers. (I usually give a Rival slow cooker when I am invited to bridal showers - and throw in a copy of the cookbook by Jean Pare, Company's Coming Slow Cooker Recipes.)

1) When I lived alone, I didn't like cooking because it seemed like a lot of fuss for one portion. Slow cookers are good for people who live alone because you can make a complete meal and then freeze meal-sized portions to heat and eat at a later date.

2) If you get yourself a good slow cooker recipe book (I recommend the Company's Coming book), you can sit down and plan your meals out so that you are getting a balanced diet. Then cook one recipe a day - or every few days - and freeze your leftovers. Slow cooker cooking really is as easy as gathering ingredients and throwing them into the pot and letting them cook! Clean up is also easy - let the pot cool down, remove the liner, fill with hot soapy water, let sit for a few minutes, wash, wipe and put it away. Much easier than cleaning pots and pans.

3) I cook squash in my slow cooker and it is easy, low mess factor, and always turns out great. I also use the slow cooker to make a carrot and turnip casserole. About the only thing that the slow cooker doesn't do well is frozen veggies.

4) I suggest you buy a name brand slow cooker, such as Rival, Cuisinart, Kitchen Aid, etc. I personally don't like the programmable ones - not as useful as they seem IMO. There are some with separate compartments, but I never viewed them as advantageous - which is why I have 3 slow cookers LOL. The compartments minimize the amount of leftovers that you can freeze.

I have supper cooking away as I browse the Internet - I have sweet and sour chicken bubbling away in my slow cooker right now. I will be putting some spiced carrots into another slow cooker soon, and I may use the third to make some rice pudding for dessert. The added bonus is slow cooking makes the house smell so good all day!

[--mary--]

I use a Rival slow cooker and I love it! If you only intend on cooking smaller amounts, find yourself a slightly smaller one so it cooks properly - you never want your slow cooker to be less than half full.

Check this out, it's Canadian Living's tips on using slow cookers.
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/cooking_school/slow_cooker_tips_for_perfect_comfort_food.php

I found it quite useful when I was given a slow cooker and had no idea what to do with it!

[aisbester]

After using many sized slow cookers (I have been a fan for years), I finally found the one I exactly wanted. It is a Hamilton Beach 3 in 1 with 3 different sizes of stoneware inserts (2L, 4L and 6L) so I can cook for a range of numbers. I, too, live alone and find the smallest is just perfect for 2 - 3 meals.

Good luck!

BTW, I purchased it from Canadian Tire (on sale, another bonus).

[pinkhuntinggirl13@hotmail]

We have an 18 quart slow cooker that we use at least once a week! We use it for making cream of tomato soup, stews, meatballs, roasts, cabbage rolls, etc. Baked potatoes though are the best (just don't cook them overnight) because you no longer have undercooked potates. Delicious! Have fun!

[jlgreenectc]

Hi,
I am sure you will enjoy having dinner ready when you walk thru the door after worlk.
Here are a couple of other sites (besides Canadian Living) to check out with great slow cooker recipes www.crockerykitchen.com & www.slowandsimple.com
In the crockery kitchen site make sure you check out the dump chicken recipes, you can cut the recipe size down as well, or freeze the leftovers to reheat another day. You mix the ingredients together in a large ziplock freezer bag, freeze, thaw in the fridge overnight, dump it in your crock pot and you are out the door in the morning.
You can also look at cooking and freezing portion size packages of rice or pasta to go with some of the meals that do not have potatoes/pasta/rice in them.
Enjoy

[avocado]

I have several crockpots but I like my Rival ones the best.

Make sure you buy one with a removeable insert, it will be very difficult to clean if you don't and water will get in behind the control tab and start to rust and eventually you won't be able to turn it.

I don't own a microwave so I sometimes use my crockette to heat up canned soups.

They are great for keeping things like canned sweet potatoes or gravy warm at family dinners. Also, the new gravy mate from Rival is awesome, I found them at Giant Tiger last year (Sears had them too) and bought one for my mom for Christmas. They are also great for keeping dessert sauces warm.

Does anyone have any ideas for vegetarian dishes made in the crockpot?

[lyndafaye]

I am not a vegetarian but from my many recipes books I have found that
a lot of regular meals can be turned vegetarian.
In the slow cooker you could make homemade
vegetable soup.
chili or vegetable stews.
chowders of all sorts are easy and quick to get ready.

[lyndafaye]

gardeners pie was in the slow cooker cookbook but I typed that title into the enter key word and it showed up.

Puttanesca Sauce was also there.

Eggplant parmesan

Tomatoe Soup with pasta and beans.

Squash couscous

if you can't find the recipes here I would be glad to print them for you.
who knows I might even try the ones without tofu.

[avocado]

lyndafaye,

Thanks so much for the recipe ideas, I'll be looking them up today!