Modifying Recipes For Your Slow Cooker
Monday, March 14th, 2011If you love cooking with your slowcooker as much as I do, you’re probably wondering if there’s a way to convert some of your regular recipes and cook them this way. The answer is yes, just about any recipe can be modified and cooked in a crock pot. 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. What’s even better is that my kids and I are now eating better by using the crockpot. In the old days, it would be pizza or fast food to the rescue after a long day at the office. We’d end up eating this way at least twice a week and it started having a negative effect on our health and weight. Now I just plan some crockpot meals ahead of time and they are ready when we’re ready to eat.
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.
- Cook pasta ahead of time and then add it during the last 30 minutes.
- Make sure you have enough ingredients in the slow cooker so it’s at least half full. This will insure even cooking.
- To avoid overcooking veggies, add them toward the end depending on how long they need to cook.
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. Not only is it a lot better for you, you also won’t spend all that money on takeout.