Crockpot Recipes

Crock pot is a type of slow cooker that has heating elements around the rim of the pot. The pot is made of three parts - housing, the crock and the lid. The housing part is made with either plastic or alloy and has an aluminum lining that encases the heating elements. The crock is placed inside the housing; the crock is usually made of a crockery pot where you can place the food. We bring you a few simple Crockpot recipes - recipes that make for delicious one dish meals.

Advantages of a crock pot

Crockpots are great cooking appliances as they enable easy cooking and also have scores of other benefits.

Additional appliance: While hosting a party you can use the crock pot for making slow cooking dishes and thus free some space on the cook top or oven.

Prevents burning of food: As the heat generated from the heating coils is very low, chances of food getting burnt is very bleak.

Time saver: You can place the food to be cooked for dinner right in the morning while leaving for work and come back home for a hearty meal.

Lesser utensils to be cleaned: Number of utensils to be cleaned is reduced as a single pot serves the purpose.

Improves flavor: As the food is cooked for a long time on a low flame, the flavor improves.

Crockpot cooking tips

• Choose crock pots with removable crock as this makes for easier cleaning.
  
  
• Ensure that you have a transparent lid to cover the crock pot. You can keep a check on the cooking process without lifting the lid regularly and thereby losing heat.

Crock pot recipes

Chicken paprika recipe

Potatoes 4 cups, thinly sliced
Onions 4 cups, thinly sliced
Chicken breasts 8 boneless and skinless cut in half
Chicken broth 1 cup
Virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons
Salt and pepper
Paprika

Layer the crock pot with onion, potatoes and chicken. Sprinkle paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle little oil and repeat the same thrice. Add broth, cook on high for 6-8 hours.

Easy dinner Crockpot recipe

Yellow onion
Green pepper
White potatoes
Leeks
Baby carrots
Garlic
Olive oil
Kidney beans
Vegetable broth
Cooked brown rice 3 cups
Salt
Chili powder
Black pepper coarsely ground

Heat oil in crock pot on high. Add crushed garlic. Stir and simmer. Slice onion into large pieces and add into the into crock pot. Slice the white ends of the leeks into 1/4 inch rounds. Throw away the green tops and mix into crock pot. Cut green pepper into large pieces and stir into crock pot. Chop potatoes with the skin on. Stir in potatoes, carrots, beans broth, chili powder, salt and pepper into the crock pot.

Blend all the ingredients well. Cover and cook until potatoes are done. You can cook for 3 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Serve red beans over rice.

Crock pot cooking recipe tips

• To cook vegetables like potatoes, carrots and onions faster, they have to be placed just under the meat and right at the base of the crock pot.
  
  
• While buying roasts or any variety of large cut meat, ensure they fit into your crock pot. Else trim them to fit your crock pot.
  
  
• Due to the long cooking process in crock pot, food items tend to lose their color. Garnish with freshly cut parsley, red peppers, cheese, tomatoes, chives and herbs.
  
  
• Before cooking in a crock pot, remove the skin from poultry and trim extra fat from other meat products.
  
  
• Check seasoning after cooking in crock pots as they tend to weaken flavors because of the long cooking period. Season the food according to your requirements before serving. Add seasoned salt, garlic powder, seasoned pepper and other herbs and spices at the end of cooking.