Crock Pots and slow cookers?

[AriaStarSong]

I love my crock pot. I think it might be the greatest thing that man ever invented.

I'm single (legally, I have a boyfriend, but he's in the air force and far away) and live by myself. I'm a therapeutic horseback riding instructor, so when I get home from work, I am usually physically exhausted. The last thing I want to do is cook. This often means that I will resort to such dinner delicacies as saltine crackers and peanut butter eaten in bed.
But the crock pot. Oh, the crock pot. All it takes is a tiny bit of forethought in the morning, throw some stuff in there, turn it on, and let is simmer all day long. I come home and my apartment smells like amazing and dinner is ready whenever I am. I am totally seeing the appeal of having a wife who has dinner on the table when you get home, and will probably try to do so for my husband someday when I get married (if the schedule works for it). It is the best feeling in the world.

Unfortunately, I don't know a whole lot of things to do with my awesome crock pot, and the few recipes that I have are starting to get old.

Does anyone here ever cook with a crock pot or a slow cooker?

Do you have any recipe suggestions to try?

Please keep in mind, I am about as close to broke as you can be without getting kicked out of my apartment or having the electricity turned off. My food stamps application will hopefully be processed soon... but until then, saltine crackers it is.  

[Seawicket]

oh my goodness, have i got a recipe for you.

chicken and dumplings;
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1 onion, finely diced
* 2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

((you can also add carrots and celery, yummy))

1. Place the chicken, butter, soup, and onion in a slow cooker, and fill with enough water to cover.
2. Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High. About 30 minutes before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

I make this for my hunny and me. He LOVES it, and so did everyone who visited the house that night, lol.

allrecipes.com is a great site to get recipes from.

 

[.Vindicated.Of.Sanity.]

My mom has this amazing slow-cooker book. It's great because it has one recipe that you slow-cook, then another that you do with the leftovers of the first recipe. I can't find it right now (we're moving, and it's in a box in a house that I am currently not D: ) but if I come across it, I'll be sure to share with you :3 Maybe see if you can track down a book like that? And there are tons and tons of great recipes floating around on the internet~
Good luck dear :3

 

[AriaStarSong]

iCrickle - that sounds amazing. I may have to try that! How many does that serve though, and how big is your crock pot? I have a small one, since it's just me and I didn't want two weeks worth of leftovers every time I cooked. It sounds like a lot of food, I might try to cut it down.

I usually use Recipezaar for recipes, but they fail on slow cooker recipes so far. I'll check out Allrecipes to see if I can find anything there.

Ingou - I found that book on my Kindle! I didn't know I could get cookbooks on there! And it was free! I'm so excited now! xd

Vindicted - If you find the book, I'd LOVE to hear the title of it. That sounds like exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for.  

[Seawicket]

It serves two, but has plenty of left overs. So probably 4-6 serving.
I would cut it down to 2 chicken breasts, I can of cream of chicken, and 1 pakage of biscuits.

It really is wonderful.

You can also do chicken and yellow rice in the crock pot. I believe you just out your chicken and yellow rice in the crock pot and add enough water to cover. Let it cook all day. You could probably add cream of chicken soup to that as well.

 

[Azusanga]

Stoup is always good xD

It's basically broth with large chunks of beef in them, some stuff to thicken the broth a little, some chickpeas, corn, and whatever stewy things you like. It's uber good and super filling <3 Plus, it makes so much food that it fed my dad, my brother, and I, with about 2 bowls worth of leftovers.  

[Link_to_Your_Destiny]

A beef pot roast with Cambell's cream of mushroom soup, onion dip mix, adobo powder, and we call it green stuff but it's a frozen tub of cilantro and other herbs. It's Goya brand and has a green stripe and says recaito on the side.  

[Numbed_Ignorance]

I'm thinking you might be dangerous

This is REALLY late after you posted this.. BUT
but a chunk of meat, and put a couple glasses of water in it, and dump a packet of beefy onion soup mix on top.. If you want, you could even cut up some potatoes and throw them in around the roast.. So easy and SO yummy. (you can make gravy out of the liquid left over!)

If you can make me forget everything that is happening in my life
With just your smile

 

[Obliviosity]

Crock-pot lasagna!
All you need is sauce, meat (If you so desire. Just some browned-off ground beef mixed in with the sauce works.), lasagna noodles, and cheese (You can use straight mozzarella, but adding a layer of ricotta is amazing.)
The pasta you don't even have to cook, the sauce does it for you.

Just build in a logical manner.

Sauce
Noodles
cheese
sauce
noodles
cheese
etc, etc...

It needs to cook for about 4-6 hours. But longer won't hurt it too much.
And in the last hour or so of cooking, add a final layer of mozzarella cheese to melt over the top and enjoy.

If you like some spice, you can use half and half hot Italian sausage and beef.
I personally like mine as a half and half of mild Italian sausage and beef. =3