Crock pot chefs - non "mushy" recipes needed!

[BikeBookBread]

Okay, it sounds strange that I would even be wanting to purchase a new crock pot given the fact that my husband doesn't like "mushy" food. He really doesn't like stew, pot roast or beans. He likes fresh-tasting, authentic ethnic food like Indian, Thai, Italian and middle-eastern. But many of these dishes require a LOT of prep time. I'm getting a bit worn out preparing these foods.

 

Sooooo....any non-mushy crock pot recipes out there? I love the idea of putting the food in the CP in the morning and having dinner ready at night.

 

Is it foolish for me to even think about buying a crock pot? Do you use yours for anything other than wonderful mushy comfort food (which I love!?)

[Shelly in the Country]

I use mine to make sandwich fillings. Beef roasts can be made into French Dip or BBQ beef. Chicken thighs can be made into hot shredded chicken sandwiches. Pork roasts can be made into BBQ pork. Ground beef can be simmered all day for sloppy joes or taco filling.

[OhM]

Here's an old thread on the topic (I always remember a good food thread!)

 

And check out Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook by Beth Hensperger.

 

I've also found some good ones from time to time in Cooking Light magazine - maybe search their on-line archive?

 

I use mine a lot - and almost never make mushy food!

[Julie in Austin]

Given what you said, I would strongly recommend The Low Carb Slow Cooker Book. (If you aren't low carb, then just serve with a side of rice or pasta or potatoes!)

 

These are excellent non-mushy recipes, including our all-time favorite green thai curry.

[LaxMom]

hmmm... none of those takes a lot of cooking time, just prep. And a crock pot isn't going to save you the prep.

 

I'd skip the crock pot and just do meal planning a la Robin Miller, with mix & match ingredients, and prep them all at once.

[BikeBookBread]

hmmm... none of those takes a lot of cooking time, just prep. And a crock pot isn't going to save you the prep.

 

I'd skip the crock pot and just do meal planning a la Robin Miller, with mix & match ingredients, and prep them all at once.

 

Just seems like I have more pep at 9:00 in the morning than I do at 4:45 in the evening!!! :)-

 

I'll check out the Robin Miller info...sounds intriguing!

 

I love to cook, don't get me wrong. I just have an idea that if Kinder is tiring me out this much, I'd better plan ahead! (Maybe something else is the issue, though, if Kinder is tiring me out!)

[Susu]

I love my crock pot...I am making beef with carrots and potatoes right now. (And I love how tender it cooks beef.) But I am not a fan of mushy either, so I just use it for certain dishes. Usually meat or chicken. And I use a rice cooker to make the rice separately. If you leave the carbs out, then it tends to work better. (Other than root vegetables, which benefit from slow cooking).

 

I probably use it twice a week...so we don't burn out on "crock pot cuisine"....

 

One thing that I do love is the new slow cooker liners! They have really make me love my crockpot more when I don't have to clean that pot!

 

Susu

[FourOaks]

I'm not big on the mushy crock pot recipes either. Our absolute favorite is BBQ chicken. I just put a bunch of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in and put a bunch of BBQ sauce all over it. Let it cook for several hours (this doesn't even have to be all day -- so you can easily start at lunch time). It is the BEST, MOIST chicken. Serve it with anything you like. You can also easily shred it, add more sauce and make BBQ sandwiches out of it.