Making Weekdays Work: Utilize Your Crockpot

Ahhh... the crockpot. It's an item that many people feel they just couldn't do without when it comes to making weekdays work. I once feared it (mostly because I thought it would burn my house down!) but I am now a convert.

This post will feature some tips for using your crockpot plus link you to some great places for crockpot recipes!

Crockpot tips:
1- Assemble your meal the night before. I like to throw everything I'll need into a large bowl, mix it up, and keep it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I pour the contents into my crockpot and set it! Now, you can pour it right into your insert and put that in the fridge but there are horror stories of the stone insert cracking and shattering so I just don't risk it.

2- I use a 6 quart crockpot (this one to be exact) but that is way too big for John and I. To make it better I use an oven safe dish inserted inside my pot. I fill the dish, cover it with a lid, and set it as usual. A crockpot must be 3/4 full to prevent burning or rapid cooking so this method works. Here's an old (ugly) picture of how it looks (before I put the lid on):

3- Crockpot liners are your friend for easy clean up.

4- Crockpot meals can be preassembled and frozen! Then you can just dump the contents into your pot and cook. Here's a link of sample freezer crockpot recipes.

Now that I'm done with the tips, let's get to the part you really want- crockpot recipes. People are always looking for crockpot recipes, requesting them, searching for them, etc. Below is my round up of sources of great crockpot meals! Click on the links and it will take you directly to the crockpot recipes from that source. Happy hunting!

Stephanie Cooks

A Year of Slow Cooking- a blog of just crockpot recipes

Cassie Craves

I Was Born To Cook

Lauren's Kitchen

Elly Says Opa!

Chef Mommy

Prevention RD

Confections of a Foodie Bride

Skinny Taste

What's Cookin, Chicago?

So Tasty, So Yummy

Six Sister's Stuff

Eating Well

Cooking Light

Campbells

Kraft

Live Better America

Fitness Magazine

Women's Health

Shape

Philly Cream Cheese recipes

Red Tricycle

Cook Eat Share

Disney Family

Moms Who Think  <--- huge list of recipes here!

Wise Bread

Recipe 4 Living