Chicken Dance

For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying out different slow cooker books.   I love the idea of a Crock-Pot.  I love how your house smells like someone has been cooking for hours while you were busy at the office.  I love how you only have one pot to clean when you've finished dinner.  But what I hate about a Crock-Pot wins every time I enter this fantasy.  In the past, everything I dump into it comes out tasting like pot roast.  Chicken with raisin.  Pot Roast with raisins.  Beef fajitas.  Pot Roast fajitas.  Soups & Chilies usually don't, but I don't feel like eating soup every night for dinner.

During the past couple months with my road schedule, I became determined to make my Crock-Pot work.  It was going to be my bitch if it killed me.  I'm happy to say, she's my bitch!  After a couple of duds from the library, "Make it Fast, Cook it Slow" finally came in on off my reserve list.  It looked promising.  Lots of different dishes that didn't scream "Crock Pot Pot Roaster!"  When I flipped to Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, I had to try it.  First, I can't go vegetarian because of my love of chicken wings.  It's true.  Second, there's no way it could taste like Pot Roast.  I've said this before & the Crock Pot proved me wrong.  I was almost begging for the Frank's sauce to taste like Roast.  The day came & I realized my current Pot was too small.  I know believe that its size is the reason why a couple of my dishes failed in the past.  With determination bubbling, I ran to Target & found a 5.5 quart oval pot.  I got home just in time for the 4 hour cooking time.  I began to layer & said a prayer.

I wish that I could show you a picture of the finished dish, but I can't.  It was so good that it's gone.  SK told me that night that he couldn't wait to eat it for breakfast.  Which he did.  Not a single hint of Pot Roast.  Since the recipe was so yummy, I decided to try another from the book.  Soup.  Soup always turns out ok in a Crock Pot.  "Ok" is key though.  Nothing I'd rave about.  Just soup.  I made the Refried Black Bean soup for dinner.  Again, our socks were blown off!  How can she do it?!  SK's dilemma at lunch was how to eat soup & lasagna in one sitting.  He did it & I was jealous.

I usually get pissy when a blogger puts out a book & you can find all the recipes on their site.  I tip my hat to Stephanie O'Dea.  SK told me the night of Buffalo Chicken Lasagna, "You will have that book for Christmas." 

L

Comments

[Michelle]

I clicked over to the author's site and today's recipe from a year ago is Butter Chicken. It's in the pot now. The house smells like heaven. Thanks for the head's up!

[kelly jo]

Here's a website I just found...tons of great slow cooker recipes!

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

[Shannon]

Oh that's good to know. I had a crock pot in the past and think I used it once. I have recently been thinking of getting one again and probably will when me and the bf move in together next year, but most of what I see cooked in crock pots is pot roasty and boring.