Okay, so, I’ve been seeing this “Crocktober” thing all over the internet lately, and it got me curious. It’s basically a whole month dedicated to using your slow cooker, which, I gotta admit, I haven’t touched in ages. So I thought, why not give it a shot? I mean, I could use a little more easy cooking in my life.
I dusted off my old Crockpot, you know, the one that’s been hiding in the back of the cupboard. First thing I did? Looked up a bunch of Crocktober recipes. I found so many it’s a little overwhelming. I was browsing through a lot and was like, I need to find some that are simple, you know? I’m not trying to win any cooking awards here. I just want something that tastes good and doesn’t take forever to make.
I started with a really simple chili recipe. Threw in some ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, and a bunch of spices. Turned the slow cooker on low, and went about my day. Eight hours later? Boom! The whole house smelled amazing. And the chili? Seriously delicious. It’s always better on the second day, too, as everyone says.
- Chili was a success!
- Made a huge batch, so I had leftovers for days.
- Definitely going to make this one again.
Next, I tried a pulled pork recipe. I found one that only had like five ingredients. Score! I put a pork shoulder in the slow cooker with some BBQ sauce, a little apple cider vinegar, some brown sugar, and a dash of liquid smoke. Cooked it on low for about ten hours. When I came home from work, the pork was so tender, it practically fell apart. I shredded it with a couple of forks, mixed it with a little more BBQ sauce, and served it on some buns. Oh. My. Goodness. It was so good, I had to stop myself from eating the whole pot.
- Pulled pork was even better than the chili!
- Super easy to make, even for a not-so-great cook like me.
- Definitely a crowd-pleaser. My family loved it.
I’ve also made a few other things, like a chicken noodle soup and a beef stew. I gotta say, this Crocktober thing is pretty cool. It’s so nice to come home to a hot, ready-to-eat meal after a long day. And it’s way easier than I thought it would be. I also learned that I could put all the ingredients in the slow cooker the night before, keep it in the fridge, and turn it on before going out the door. I am so glad I gave this Crocktober thing a try. It’s definitely changed my cooking game. And, I found some recipes that work with my Instant Pot, too. I’ll save those for another day, though.
What I learned this month:
- Slow cookers are awesome.
- Crocktober is a fun way to try new recipes.
- Even simple recipes can turn out amazing.
- Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious.
- I actually enjoyed cooking again! It has been a while.
So yeah, that’s my Crocktober experience so far. I’m gonna keep experimenting with different recipes. I am thinking of trying a dessert next. Maybe a slow cooker cobbler or something. We’ll see! Anyway, if you haven’t used your slow cooker in a while, I definitely recommend giving it a try. You might be surprised at how easy and delicious it is.