Get all of the facts first before you buy your first crock pot. We like choice don’t we, and with crock pots there are plenty to choose from. Know what is the best crock pot for you and your family.

Take into account the following features when choosing your new crock pot:

Brand
The most popular brand is Rival and has the largest selection.  Another popular brand is Hamilton Beach which also has a good selection but there are dozens of brand names out there all trying to convince you they are the best.  Look around and check out the ranges and be familiar with the prices so you get the best crock pot at the best price.

Types
There are simple types of slow cookers that have 2 or 3 settings (high, low, off) and others are smart pot digital crock pots.  With these digital ones you can set the time you want to start cooking, keep warm, or turn off.

There are crock pots in one piece with non removable bowls.  You can also get two pieces with the bowl being able to be taken out to serve the food at the table, to clean, or store the cooked food in the refrigerator. Removable bowls have the advantage with large crock pots that they can be removed easier as they can be heavy.

Sizes
How big is your family and what do you want to cook in it?  You may only need a small crock pot for two or are you cooking for six and need a larger size?  The most popular sizes are 3-4 quarts for small families to a 6-7 quart for large families.

Shapes
Another thing to consider is the shape.  There are two shapes being round and oval.  Round is good for soups and stews and oval is good for cooking larger meats like whole chicken.

Lids
Lids should fit well and the domed ones are the best as they trap the heat and allow it to drip down back into the pot. You can also get a lid which clamps to seal so that it can’t spill when carrying.

Rival was the first crock pot and has the best selection and you probably cant go wrong with them. You can buy them at Department stores or easier still you can shop online at AMAZON.COM .  Buying a new crock should be enjoyable so go have some fun.

Crock Pots or slow cookers are great for busy people.  Ive had a crock pot since the 70s and I used all the time then.  It was put away and got moved around the kitchen cupboards for many years but my lime green crock pot has made a revival for the following reasons:

My vintage crock pot

• Crock pot cooking is simple, healthy and a time saver.

• Crock pots are great for busy families and especially for new mothers,  just add all the ingredients in the morning, turn it on, and leave the cooking to happen while you get on with your day.

• There are many easy crock pot recipes including soups, stews and desserts.

• Crock pots use a small amount of electricity so its a money saver too.

• They come in several sizes from small crock pots that cook enough food for one or two people to medium sized crock pots are often best for families of four or five, and the largest crock pots can serve ten people or more.

• Very little clean up required. Now that's a bonus.

An electric crock pot or slow cooker usually consists of a removable porcelain bowl which sits inside an outer container that has electric heating elements and some control buttons and switches.  My vintage one has only two settings, low and high, but the more modern have digital programming and automatic settings. My crock pot is round but they also come in oval which is good for cooking whole meats like chicken.

A crock pot is one of the most convenient appliances in a kitchen.  If you don't have one then you are spending too much time in the kitchen.  Have a look at the great range of crock pot slow cookers and accessories like books and liners at AMAZON.   I am hoping I get a new oval crock pot for Christmas ( hint, hint, family) or at least a new crock pot cook book.

I love soups and when I am watching my weight they keep me feeling satisfied longer than other meals.  A hot bowl of soup is one of my favorite lunches and also for Sunday night dinners.  With a crock pot you too can be a soup expert.

The base of every great soup is a good meat or vegetable stock.  Also use the best ingredients you can for your soups, and if you can make your own stock with fresh ingredients.

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You have been asked to a Potluck Party and you can’t cook.  What do you do?  If you own a crock pot you have the problem solved. You need to prepare the dish in advance and be able to carry it to the party so the crock pot is perfect for this.

Traditional dishes like casseroles and chili are good choices.  Dishes don’t have to be fancy and the recipe doesn’t need to be complicated.  Mark your crock pot slow cooker with your name so you can identify it afterward.  You might be surprised how many people will bring them and then you will know which one is yours when it has been cleaned.

A great easy recipe for a non cook and one that has very little preparation time is this chili one below:

Crock pot chili

Tip:  Take copies of the recipe with you so others can check the ingredients if they have allergies.  They will love this dish so much they will want a copy of it and it says to others 'hey I really can cook' (hehe).

Have fun at your potluck party and Im sure you will now be hooked on how easy it is to cook with the crock pot.  No matter what level of cook you are there is a crock pot recipe for you.

The recipe below for Lamb shank and butter bean soup is one that was given to me by my friend Karen from Camden.  I have adapted it for the crock pot and I am sure you will love it like we do.  It is a thick soup so it is a meal in itself and makes enough soup to feed a family of six.

There is a little preparation with the browning of the leek and the lamb but then its a quick and easy recipe to make in the crock pot.  I make it on Saturday and there is enough to have again and I must admit that it is a soup that takes even better the next day.  Try it and see for yourself.

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In winter my crock pot has a partner.  They are always out together.  They go together like bread and jam and by saying that it's almost correct because it is my BREADMAKER.  They are both such time savers and really if I didn't have the breadmaker then I wouldn't try and make it myself.  You can make bread in the crock pot too but as I have the breadmaker I can do the whole meal at once.

I love to make soups in winter and fresh hot bread is just the ultimate accompaniment.  I can set and forget both of them, but I must admit the bread doesn't take as long to cook unless I set the Programmable Crock Pot for the time the bread will be ready.  I then have both cooked at the same time and ready to serve.  The smells coming out of that kitchen are just hard to explain, especially when its a week day and I return home to a house smelling like heaven.

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The crock pot makes winter cooking easy.  You can prepare cheap easy meals from your slow cooker including soups, stews, desserts and cakes.  Fill the crock pot, turn it on, walk away and come back to delicious crock pot meals.  I cook a lot of soups in winter and all of them are prepared in the slow cooker.  You will be able to make cheap and easy crock pot meals with little preparation.  Soups are great to freeze for later as well, so if you are cooking on a budget soups are great value.

When most people think of crock pot cooking they think of cooking stews only, and they do cook well by slow cooking, but in winter I also cook most of my puddings, cakes and other desserts in the crock pot.  Last winter I also started cooking breakfasts also.  If you are a busy person, then why not get out that crock pot this winter and if you haven't already got one you can buy one at a great price on eBay or Amazon.  Check out the eBay auction on this site for current listings.

We are all cooking on a budget these days and the slow cooker helps you save money as you can use less expensive cuts of meat, use less electricity, cook in bulk and have more home made meals instead of dining out. Cooking in winter is always more pleasant than the hot steamy days of summer so this winter why not try some nutritious and easy crock pot meals.  Cooking on a budget has never been easier.

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Cooking for one person in the crock pot, why would you do it you might ask?  Surely it would be more practice to cook conventionally on the cook top or oven.

Well, the first reason would be that you can, in one session, cook enough meals to have for every say Monday for the next month ie if your recipe serves 4.

Think of the time saved in the kitchen, the washing up you saved yourself and the luxury of having a meal already cooked when you come home for the day.

All you need are the recipes, the ingredients, your crock pot and some freezer containers to make this work.

You will find a lot more recipes as well that cater for cooking for one person as more people don't have the money now to eat out as often as they used to.

Crock pot meals are easy to make and just because you are only cooking for yourself doesn't mean you have to miss out on some good recipes and the other benefits you get from cooking in the crock pot.  It is especially helpful for busy people who just don't have the time to prepare their meals when they come home from work.  The joy of coming home to your home with the great smell of a cooked dinner waiting for you is priceless.

Why not try the crock pot this week and cook one meal and see what an advantage that can be to yourself for the next week.

I don't know about you but I hate cooking in summer if it means the kitchen becomes a hot and unbearable.  I will often cook at night to avoid a hot kitchen until I started cooking with my crock pot.  Unlike a conventional oven it leaves the kitchen cool but you can get a break from salads with great crock pot meals.

The crock pot gives off so much less heat so if you want to keep your kitchen cooler in summer then get out that crock pot you put away last winter.  If you can cook it in the oven or on a cook top you probably can cook it in the crock pot too.  Besides casseroles and soups you can cook roasts and desserts and even cakes and make great crock pot meals.

There are other benefits too like cutting down on electricity not only from cooking but on the air conditioner trying to keep your house cool.  You can plan ahead and start your dinner cooking early in the morning when its cooler and have it ready for the evening.

There are also so many great recipes now for the crock pot including  my own of course.  You can get the vegetarian recipes here on the site by clicking on the image in the top right hand corner or you can get my books on Kindle.  Click on the link here for my Kindle Author Page to see them.

The last reason for using the crock pot in summer is the easy clean up.  Don't spend your precious time cleaning pots and pans when you can have only one pot to clean up.  You have too many more enjoyable things to do in summer than clean.

Get your crock pot out again and start keeping your kitchen cool and enjoy your crock pot meals!

I was given a new crock pot by my friend - please see the pic to the left.  To find a toy crock pot must mean that they are considered an ordinary part of the kitchen.

It only has an off-and-on button so it is a basic model    I wonder if you can get a programmable one?  It already has food in it and must be the vegetarian model.  It's fortunate that I like carrots, broccoli and zucchini.

Note though the words on the front though of  'smart home' and I suppose that says it all.  All smart homes should have a crock pot.  The switch does work and the little vegetables move up and down when the switch is on the 'on' position.

My friend has a good sense of humor and I am thankful that I have such a friend.  This is just a bit of fun and life and cooking should be fun.