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.

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.

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.

Cooking soups in the crock pot brings out the flavors of the ingredients you are using.  With the slow cooking the crock pot makes soup making easy as well as there are usually only one or two steps to making a great soup.

Vegetarian soups are becoming some of my favorite crock pot recipes lately with split peas, pumpkin or potato to thicken them.  I find these soups also improve in flavor the next day.  A vegetable soup make in the crock pot is also healthy and usually low fat.

Seasoning soups is easy with ingredients such as bay leaves, cinnamon, ginger, pepper and the addition of herbs like parsley, thyme, mint and other seasonal fresh herbs.  Thicken your soup with potato, arrowroot or cornflour or take some soup out and blend, then add back for a natural thickening.  I tend to the latter a lot with vegetable soups.

To reduce fat even more from your crock pot soups allow to cool and skim off any fat from the top.  When heating soups only heat what you need and not the whole pot, and freeze in individual or family size servings if possible.  When you freeze your soups this way they are ready in the future for use instead of a fast food meal when you are busy or when you need an entree to add to a meal.

Served with crusty bread,  a bowl of steaming soup is the perfect meal and making your soup in the crock pot makes the process easy for you as well.

If you haven't picked up your free copy of  Delicious Soup Recipes from the top of this page then do so today or check out some of my recipes here -> Crock Pot Meals Recipes.

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.

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.

Lamb Shank and Butter Bean Soup

Brown the leek and garlic in the oil until it is transparent.  Add to the bottom of the crock pot.  Brown the lamb shanks then put them on top of the leek.  Add the tomatoes, stock and herbs.  Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours.  After 1 hour add the celery and the sweet potato and stir through.  About 1/2 hour before the finish of the cooking time add the butter beans and the pepper.  Also lift out the lamb shanks and remove the meat from the bones and add back to the pot.

I hope you like this recipe and try it for yourself soon.  If you are looking for recipe ideas then why not look to Amazon.com as they have a great range.

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.

It takes me back to the days when I was young and I would walk in the door from school to a warm house and  the comforting aromas of home cooking.  I have to thank my mother for that as she was always a good cook.  She cooked for 8 for many years so home cooking was the most economical way to go and there was not much take away at that time either. I think I have just admitted  I'm old here though.

The bread machine and the crock pot are two great appliances I wouldn't be without especially in winter so, if you have that breadmaker stored away, get it out or if you don't have one you can buy one at Amazon at a reasonable price right now.

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.

TO CHECK OUT:    Frugal Mom's Guide to Once a Month Cooking is here!  Not only does it have over 70 mom-tested once a month cooking recipes, but complete step-by-step instructions for doing once a month cooking, and lots of great forms to help you!
Click here for more information.

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.

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!

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.