Wednesday, August 29, 2012

The Crack Pot


My crock pot is my crack. I have never taken drugs in my life, but I've heard crack is very addicting and I'm pretty addicted to my crock pot. It's my crack. I gotta have it. Gotta use it. Obsession. I seriously cannot believe I never cooked for three whole years of marriage and my crock pot sat unused collecting dust. It is my favorite thing in my entire kitchen now. It doesn’t matter if it’s summer or winter, I will make soup or chili. In the winter, it is the best comfort food after a cold day of snow and wind. In the summer, it is an effortless meal that doesn’t heat up the house like the oven does and I can spend more time outside than in the kitchen cooking.

I wouldn’t say I’m experienced crock pot cook by any means. But I make at least one meal a week from my crock pot. I usually stick to four go-to recipes, but I’m always up for a new challenge. But yesterday, for the first time EVER, I made my very own recipe. I had never made anything without a recipe, but I had made enough chicken chili in my day that I thought I could make my own version. Sure, I was incredibly nervous it would taste bad and I hate throwing food away. I played it pretty safe though…

I just dumped a bunch of stuff in the crock pot yesterday morning – a cup of frozen corn, can of rinsed black beans, 3 frozen chicken thighs (skinless and boneless), two cans diced tomatoes, one can tomato sauce and I just let it cook on low for 9 hours. The result? AMAZING. And it made a ton of food! We are going out to dinner with friends last night and Garth was actually bummed he couldn’t have the leftovers for dinner! He liked it that much and requested it once a week! We have it for lunch today and probably dinner tonight as well. Love that!

How about you? Have you ever thrown a few things together without following a recipe and it turned into a success? Trust me, I’ve had my unsuccessful moments too. Take yesterday, for example. I was feeling so confident after my chicken chili concoction that I tried a hand at a Green Monster smoothie. No bueno. Garth could barely get a sip down and I tried really hard to like it and not waste it, but I had to toss it.

You win some, you lose some. 

4 comments:

Thankyouabba said...

Congratulations on your chili! I have had quite a few things turn out really well that I have just thrown together. But then on occassion when I try to replicate the recipe I had made, it turns out a little different. But I have come up with some great recipes that way!
LMBO about the smoothies! I have done that, as well,...where you think, these things would taste so great together in a smoothie and they just do not mesh well together at all. I, too, tried to save mine, but had to throw it down the drain.

The Pink Growl said...

I've never just rummaged through my cabinets and threw ingredient together to make dinner. I need to try that!

LWLH said...

I still haven't taken mine out of the box. I promise to use it in the new house though.

Elizabeth said...

I LOVE my crock pot too!
I don't know if it counts as a green monster smoothie, but I put together spinach, almond milk, vanilla greek yogurt, strawberries & bananas w/ ice and it really tastes like whatever fruit I have in there.