Crock Pot Basics

I use my crock pot a lot. Why? Because I can. And because it means that I don’t have to stay in the kitchen and watch stuff cook when I’d rather be playing with my son.

Crock pots can cook almost anything that you’d cook in an oven in 8-10 hours on low. And lots of stuff that you’d cook on the stove as well. Below are some very basic “recipes.”

Rice:

1 part rice

2 parts water

• Put rice and water in pot, stir
• Cook on high for 2-3 hours
• Done, bam!

Beans:

Dried beans of your choice

• Rinse beans in a colander, and make sure to pick them over for stones, wrinkly-icky looking beans, etc.
• Put beans either in your crock pot or another large bowl, cover with water two to three inches beyond the top of the bean pile
• Let beans sit 8 hours or overnight in a cool location (the fridge is always good)
• Drain and rinse again in the colander
• Put beans in crock pot, cover with water two to three inches beyond the top of the beans (sounds familiar, no?)
• Cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are tender (like they are from the can)
• Drain and rinse one more time

Chicken:

Chicken parts, or a whole chicken provided it will fit in the pot with the lid closed

A little water

Spices

• Put chicken (frozen or thawed) in pot
• Add a little water, just a tablespoon or two
• Sprinkle with spices
• Cook on low 8 hours (you may need 10 if a whole, frozen chicken) or high 4 hours (again, add an hour or so if a whole, frozen chicken)

That should get you started!