Currently viewing the tag: "Crock-Pot"

Make It Easy

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The Supermarket Gourmet

by Buck Reed

What is cheating exactly? In life, we are taught not to drive on the shoulder to avoid a traffic jam. But who is to say that you shouldn’t do that? Why can’t we just ignore the rules, throw caution to the wind, and just save ourselves some time and keep moving forward? Because some things are just wrong. The culinary world is no different. There are just some things you do not do, and there are some things that are just not that bad.

Take Yankee pot roast. I have a crock pot of it going right now. I could make it from scratch, but I opted for the Lipton Onion Soup recipe. This recipe is so standard for this dish that they don’t even print the recipe on the box anymore. Sure, I can take the time to purchase all the ingredients, measure them out and prepare it from scratch. But what would be the point. Lipton makes a product that not only makes an okay soup, but a really good pot roast as well. I would go so far as to say a better pot roast than one made from scratch. Clearly, no one is going to culinary jail over this dish.

Is it cheating if it makes a better dish or is it a question of having the time we save for something else. Sometimes, we must take the time to learn how to properly utilize a product in order to use it to make things not only easier, but better as well. That goes for working dishes made from scratch, as well as using a short cut.

For instance, take box cake mixes. There are a lot of mixes that make cakes, but they are seldom as good as ones baked from scratch. But, if we take a little time and do a little research, we will find several ideas that can kick that mix up a few notches. Try adding an extra egg to the mix and using mayonnaise instead of vegetable oil. Also try substituting milk for the water, or even better, if you are making a chocolate cake, use coffee or cola. Adding a couple of dollops of sour cream will help make your cake moist. For the price of a few extra ingredients, you can have a significantly better product.

Short cuts are no different than lining your pans with aluminum foil before you turn them into a mess. If you learn how to properly use short cuts, you might find yourself cooking more often.  And if these ideas do save you a little time, use it to look up some ideas for your next short cut.

What is your culinary cheat/shortcut? Is there a product that comes in a box that helps you in the kitchen? Let me know at rguyinthekitchen@aol.com.

Slow Cooker Holiday

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Buck Reed, The Supermarket Gourmet

Gift giving, decorated trees, flying reindeer, white stuff on the ground, a jolly fat man in a red suit, wreaths on doors, and the holiday songs that started the day after Halloween, all being navigated around a sea of political correctness. Let’s just put it out there, it is Christmas. I hope no one bursts into flames reading that last line.

Now, if we can get past that, let’s move on to the real problem of this holiday: what to bring to the holiday party? Most of us are invited to at least one of these parties this time of year, and if you are cursed with likability (like me), you are expected at more than one. Whether it is for family, friends, or the dreaded office party, you might be expected to bring something in the “delicious” category with you.

It is common knowledge that everyone loves a Crock-Pot. They are portable, easy to clean, and almost always have something good to eat in them. Also, they keep your food offering hot, which keeps you out of your host’s kitchen when they’re in the ‘heat’ of meal preparation. Just set it on the serving table, plug it in, and enjoy the festivities. Let others deal with chaffing dishes and cold food that is supposed to be hot. A Crock-Pot is your own self-contained holiday wonder, leaving you making one trip from the car. Which begs the question: What are we going to put in ours?

First thing to think about is logistics. You may need a serving spoon, ladle, or something to transfer your dish to a plate. And what if it is something requiring a special plate or bowl? You may be overthinking this a bit, but better prepared than not.

One idea is to bring a soup, which at first thought may seem to be some sort of holiday madness, but if there are other dishes that require a plate and a fork then this might not be such a bad idea. Like with any potentially messy food, you may need to secure the lid to the Crock-Pot with plastic wrap before transporting.

A special hot dip might be called for. Again, you may need to bring crackers, corn chips, or even pita or bread crisps to complete your dish. Other appetizer ideas can include meatballs, sliced sausages, or pepper steak—these can make great impressions as well. Serve these as a complete dish or add a sliced roll and you can make a pretty good hot sandwich that is actually hot.

A good hot dessert is also welcomed as well. I know a case can be made that this holiday is becoming more about the dessert table and less about spreading joy and peace. But imagine a beautiful fruit cobbler or crisp nestled next to those boring cookies and the usual bowl of broken candy canes.

The trick to a great Crock-Pot recipe is to bring something memorable. Don’t think of it as crushing the others at the buffet table, but more of bringing something that will exemplify the spirit of giving that should be what this holiday is about.