The Unfulfilled Promise of the Crockpot

[RiseAndWine]

Fellow working mom friends, I just had to share: www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/01/23/the-unfulfilled-promise-of-the-crock-pot-an-unlikely-symbol-of-womens-equality/

tl;dr is it's the 75th (!) anniversary of the crock pot and usage is soaring in today's 2 working parent households. Too bad it's still the woman's obligation to put food on the table somehow. #worklifebalanceinacrockpot

[alioop1028]

Truth. Why is it the woman's job to put food on the table?
My crockpot hasn't even been taken out of the box it came in yet. Lol
I feel like I should start using it though. I bet it would make my life easier. I'm just paranoid I'm going to burn my house down. But if anyone has an awesome recipe I will totally risk it!

[sudokufan]

Jan 26, 2015 11:56:47 GMT -5 alioop1028 said:

Truth. Why is it the woman's job to put food on the table?
My crockpot hasn't even been taken out of the box it came in yet. Lol
I feel like I should start using it though. I bet it would make my life easier. I'm just paranoid I'm going to burn my house down. But if anyone has an awesome recipe I will totally risk it!

Yeah, I legit worry about this (have an oooooold house).  Plusalso, I have yet to find a crockpot recipe that 1. Actually saves me time AND 2. I want to eat it, vs. just using the oven or something.  I mean, we do pulled pork in a crock pot, but only when we're home to keep an eye on it, so I could just do it in a dutch oven.

[k3am]

My main problem with my crockpot is that don't an accessory that is a person willing to put the time into finding a recipe, shopping, prepping, and plugging it in.

Maybe in 10 years or so it can be DD's job and we can put it to good use. But for now.. we do a lot of PBJ dinners.

[alioop1028]

Jan 26, 2015 12:02:57 GMT -5 sudokufan said:

Jan 26, 2015 11:56:47 GMT -5 alioop1028 said:

Truth. Why is it the woman's job to put food on the table?
My crockpot hasn't even been taken out of the box it came in yet. Lol
I feel like I should start using it though. I bet it would make my life easier. I'm just paranoid I'm going to burn my house down. But if anyone has an awesome recipe I will totally risk it!

Yeah, I legit worry about this (have an oooooold house).  Plusalso, I have yet to find a crockpot recipe that 1. Actually saves me time AND 2. I want to eat it, vs. just using the oven or something.  I mean, we do pulled pork in a crock pot, but only when we're home to keep an eye on it, so I could just do it in a dutch oven.

Agreed. Some of the prep time for these recipes are a little crazy and it seems easier to just cook them on the stovetop. Also I'm super jelly of your dutch oven. I really want one.

[RiseAndWine]

Jan 26, 2015 12:12:48 GMT -5 k3am said:

My main problem with my crockpot is that don't an accessory that is a person willing to put the time into finding a recipe, shopping, prepping, and plugging it in.

Maybe in 10 years or so it can be DD's job and we can put it to good use. But for now.. we do a lot of PBJ dinners.

This was my problem! My crockpot sat completely unused for 5 years because of this. Now I joined emeals and have been using the slow cooker plan at least one week a month. It is awesome. I'm telling you even if you just use the free trial and get like 2 weeks of free recipes it might be worth it because I'm finding the family plan is way more than enough for leftovers so one meal is actually 2 meals. And the emeals app compiles your shopping list for you so literally you just select the meals you want to eat that week and go to the store and buy them. It has changed my life.

[alioop1028]

Jan 26, 2015 12:07:44 GMT -5 privacy said:

Jan 26, 2015 12:02:57 GMT -5 sudokufan said:

Yeah, I legit worry about this (have an oooooold house).  Plusalso, I have yet to find a crockpot recipe that 1. Actually saves me time AND 2. I want to eat it, vs. just using the oven or something.  I mean, we do pulled pork in a crock pot, but only when we're home to keep an eye on it, so I could just do it in a dutch oven.

If it helps you ladies at all- my job is focused on house fires.  I've yet to see or hear about a fire starting from a crock pot.  Unattended cooking sure, but never a crock pot.

I find a lot of the freeze and dump recipes do really well in the crockpot if you're starting them frozen. And also chili is excellent.  

And I've got no probably being in charge of meals because though my DH tries he is a terrible cook 

That actually does make me feel better. Haha

I wanted to try chili, it's just hard to find a recipe that doesn't have a million ingredients and like your mama's secret ingredient passed down from generations upon generations. I'm the type to google "easy" in front of EVERY recipe. But since I'm trying to lose weight the freeze and dump thing you suggested sounds pretty awesome.

[Divefrog]

Having SOMEONE at home is 100x more helpful in getting dinner on the table than a crockpot. The only reasons that dinner has made our table since DD arrived 2.5yrs ago is:

1) At first my parents were living with us. So my mom or dad would often start dinner before DH & I got home

2) After they moved into their own local place, DH does drop off and pick-up so most days I can get home at least 30-45min before them and can get dinner made uninterrupted during that time.

3) My brother moved in last April and works from home so he will often get dinner started, or take care of it completely

4) On Friday's I work from home so it is easy to get dinner cooked before DH gets home with DD

On the rare occasions that no one is at the house, and I can't get home until the same time or after DD&DH. IT is 100% that dinner will be sandwiches or scrambled eggs and toast.

[sudokufan]

alioop1028 I have two dutch ovens, a Le Creuset (it's a seconds from the factory store AND it was on major sale and it still cost more than I'll admit) and a Tramontina from Walmart www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-6.5-Qt-Enameled-Round-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven/29114481 I honestly like the walmart one just as much, and I'll be sticking with the walmart brand if I find I need another--it's 3 years old and looks brand new. They're both amazing for stews and pot roasts. I kinda want the 4qt braiser, I just have to persuade my husband we have somewhere to store it.

[ss265]

alioop1028, this recipe is one of the easiest chili recipes and doesn't take very long to make.

allrecipes.com/Recipe/Debdoozies-Blue-Ribbon-Chili/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=chili&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i2

And I had similar concerns about leaving the crockpot plugged in all day until someone mentioned to me that we all have appliances that are plugged in all day - the fridge etc. That put it into perspective for me.

[Deleted]

I have found the newer crockpots with timers make a huge difference. Mine kicks over to warm after a set time.

I also prep as much in advance on Sunday. I take a large Ziploc and add the chopped veggies, add a bag of the meat (if it needs additional prep like browning or chopping) and a bag of seasoning if it needs several. I label it and pull it out the morning I plan on using it.

[doodler]

My son wants to eat his dinner the minute we walk in the door(around 4), and is screaming to be put to bed sometime between 6 and 7. Earlier if he missed a nap. I use the crockpot because I can load it up at night after he is asleep and then it is ready when I walk in the door from work. The few times that I have tried to cook a more elaborate dinner after work I felt like I got zero time with him. I usually make at least one big crockpot meal per week and we eat leftovers for a few days.

I love the crockpot recipes on skinnytaste.com.  I used them to lose the baby weight and maintain my sanity when I went back to work.

As far as the equality piece, I enjoy doing the cooking and my husband does the dishes and cleans up so it is not an issue in my household. My SIL doesn't cook at all and my brother does all the cooking in their house. He even uses a crockpot from time to time

[alioop1028]

Jan 26, 2015 12:44:41 GMT -5 sudokufan said:

alioop1028 I have two dutch ovens, a Le Creuset (it's a seconds from the factory store AND it was on major sale and it still cost more than I'll admit) and a Tramontina from Walmart www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-6.5-Qt-Enameled-Round-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven/29114481 I honestly like the walmart one just as much, and I'll be sticking with the walmart brand if I find I need another--it's 3 years old and looks brand new. They're both amazing for stews and pot roasts. I kinda want the 4qt braiser, I just have to persuade my husband we have somewhere to store it.

Omigaaaah, my hands are instinctively reaching for my wallet. They are beautiful! My friend made bread in one and I'm dying to try it. I have a storage problem too. Haha My cupboards are full and I had to buy an extra cabinet...Yikes. Pictures when you buy the 4qt braiser!

[alioop1028]

Jan 26, 2015 12:30:12 GMT -5 privacy said:

alioop1028 if you like Chili Dogs this is my favorite - it has stove top directions but I just throw the browned meat and everything else in the crock pot and simmer all day. The companion slaw is also better made the night before it's served
www.health-bent.com/poultry/paleo-hot-dog-chili

This went in my "Recipes" file.
It had me at Jalapeno Slaw and Rotel Tomatoes (This ish is good on everything!!!)

[psutexan]

The Campbells crockpot sauces are actually really good. You usually just add the meat and maybe veggies. Also, an easy one is frozen chicken breasts (3-4), container of fresh pico de gallo, a packet of chicken taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup of water. Toss it in, cook on low 6-8 hours and shred. Good for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.

Honestly, the only reason we have dinner semi-on-time is because of our nanny. But I also have friends that do a meal exchange. Not sure how that works with working moms but it would alleviate the stress of cooking multiple meals each week, just double batch a recipe and share.

[sudokufan]

Jan 26, 2015 12:50:46 GMT -5 alioop1028 said:

Jan 26, 2015 12:44:41 GMT -5 sudokufan said:

alioop1028 I have two dutch ovens, a Le Creuset (it's a seconds from the factory store AND it was on major sale and it still cost more than I'll admit) and a Tramontina from Walmart www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-6.5-Qt-Enameled-Round-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven/29114481 I honestly like the walmart one just as much, and I'll be sticking with the walmart brand if I find I need another--it's 3 years old and looks brand new. They're both amazing for stews and pot roasts. I kinda want the 4qt braiser, I just have to persuade my husband we have somewhere to store it.

Omigaaaah, my hands are instinctively reaching for my wallet. They are beautiful! My friend made bread in one and I'm dying to try it. I have a storage problem too. Haha My cupboards are full and I had to buy an extra cabinet...Yikes. Pictures when you buy the 4qt braiser!

Uh, FFMC?  My 5.5qt is stored on top of my fridge.  Because it was too heavy to put on top the cabinets and not kill myself when I need to use it.  The 7qt is in a lower cabinet--had to make room for it, because I'd kill myself getting it off the fridge.

[alioop1028]

Jan 26, 2015 12:45:42 GMT -5 ss265 said:

alioop1028, this recipe is one of the easiest chili recipes and doesn't take very long to make.

allrecipes.com/Recipe/Debdoozies-Blue-Ribbon-Chili/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=chili&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i2

And I had similar concerns about leaving the crockpot plugged in all day until someone mentioned to me that we all have appliances that are plugged in all day - the fridge etc. That put it into perspective for me.

Thanks for the recipe! I love kidney beans. And the corn bread they recommend to serve it with is making me soo hungry.

[lingeringwithcoffee]

I'm definitely working with DH on him taking over some of the cooking responsibilities. I do still love using my crockpot, because I spend one afternoon a month prepping some freezer meals that I can just throw into the crockpot in the morning (I feel like overall the time I spend doing this is worth it in the long run). He always cleans up after dinner, so me doing most of the cooking is worth it for me because 1. I love to cook, and 2. I hate to clean the kitchen. It also helps that I'm a teacher, and my school day is from 7-2, so I get home pretty early.

[alioop1028]

Jan 26, 2015 12:54:53 GMT -5 sudokufan said:

Jan 26, 2015 12:50:46 GMT -5 alioop1028 said:

Omigaaaah, my hands are instinctively reaching for my wallet. They are beautiful! My friend made bread in one and I'm dying to try it. I have a storage problem too. Haha My cupboards are full and I had to buy an extra cabinet...Yikes. Pictures when you buy the 4qt braiser!

Uh, FFMC?  My 5.5qt is stored on top of my fridge.  Because it was too heavy to put on top the cabinets and not kill myself when I need to use it.  The 7qt is in a lower cabinet--had to make room for it, because I'd kill myself getting it off the fridge.

Lol!!!! I feel like there would be some good eatin' at your house though. My FFMC, I might be angling for a new set of pots and pans... I have problems.

[tas1883]

I use my crock pot all the time. Winter time more than summer but I agree I only do recipes that are simple and I can prep the night before. The freezer meals into the crock pot are great. I do a huge batch of stuffed peppers in the fall when I can get peppers cheap at the farm. Spend an afternoon making the stuffing and then freeze in meal size portions. Defrost and set them in the crock pot pour tomato juice over them and leave all day on low add some bread and dinner is done.
My mom thinks crock pots are only to keep food warm during parties and swears that I am going to poison us by using it to cook in. But then she bought one for my sister for Christmas so who knows what she is thinking.

[twinmomma]

Jan 26, 2015 13:26:29 GMT -5 tas1883 said:

I use my crock pot all the time. Winter time more than summer but I agree I only do recipes that are simple and I can prep the night before. The freezer meals into the crock pot are great. I do a huge batch of stuffed peppers in the fall when I can get peppers cheap at the farm. Spend an afternoon making the stuffing and then freeze in meal size portions. Defrost and set them in the crock pot pour tomato juice over them and leave all day on low add some bread and dinner is done.
My mom thinks crock pots are only to keep food warm during parties and swears that I am going to poison us by using it to cook in. But then she bought one for my sister for Christmas so who knows what she is thinking.

My MIL is all about the warming during parties too! She gave me a mac n cheese recipe that was basically "make mac n cheese from scratch in a pan on the stove, then put it in the crockpot." Uh, that doesn't save me any time or effort. She's also given me the classic "Make this casserole, then scoop it into the crockpot so it stays hot." haha

[Divefrog]

Jan 26, 2015 12:54:18 GMT -5 psutexan said:

The Campbells crockpot sauces are actually really good. You usually just add the meat and maybe veggies. Also, an easy one is frozen chicken breasts (3-4), container of fresh pico de gallo, a packet of chicken taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup of water. Toss it in, cook on low 6-8 hours and shred. Good for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, etc.

Honestly, the only reason we have dinner semi-on-time is because of our nanny. But I also have friends that do a meal exchange. Not sure how that works with working moms but it would alleviate the stress of cooking multiple meals each week, just double batch a recipe and share.

My working mom SIL was doing this for about 6 months last year with a group of her friends in her neighborhood. I believe there were four total families. On Sunday they would exchange meals. They had some rough guidelines so that you didn't end up with everyone bringing a pasta dish, or all chicken dishes or the like. She LOVED it. The only day she had to cook was Sunday. She made enough of a single recipe to feed 4 families, then exchanged and picked up 3 different meals all ready to go for the week. Based on their schedule that week they could rotate/move the day that they didn't have a meal ready to go and make sandwiches, order pizza, or grab dinner out on that day.

[jess9802]

My husband used to cook our dinners. I took over because I got tired of damn Hamburger Helper.

I don't use the crockpot as often as I'd like, but I always sing its praises when I do. One of my family's favorites is an apricot pork roast. So, so good.