Guest guest Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 >Hey Mark, > >Great entry and great blog. Thanks. I enjoyed the success story. I'm >curious about your crockpot cooking. Do you have some sort of connection >with that type of cooking or is it therapeutic in some fashion. Perhaps I >read too much into it but it sounded interesting in that you preferred >cooking with that appliance or there was something behind the whole >process. My apologies if I'm off and sound like a nut ball. LOL. My main oven has a broken coil, and the toaster oven/broiler/bread machine tabletop oven is too small to pull off a larger dish for a Holiday Dinner. Not only are there a lot of people, but oven/microwave space is at a premium. Crockpot you just plug in somewhere. I'm also a big crockpot fan in general (own 6 or 8, varying sizes, most purchased from Consignment Stores for around $5 apiece). For three years I wrote down all my veg'nized crockpot recipes in notebooks and was thinking of trying to do a book. Dropped the project (for now anyway, Robin Robertson's got a fine veg'n slow cooker book out, btw). I find crockpots a fantastic utility, especially during cooler weather, and definitely for potlucks. Not only can you " fix it and forget it " (quoting from a title of a non-veg'n crockpot cookbook), but bring the dish and keep it warm in the same " container. " When I was at NASA (working a regular schedule), I'd often take 15 minutes to prep a crockpot stew, soup, chili, lasagne, bbq & veggies, strata... whatever, and when I got home that evening, all I had to do was fix the side dish (or grain, pasta, etc.). Really nice in cold weather. Sometimes I'd time the bread for dinner as well, but more often for morning (if I'm late getting back, the bread could be overcooked). I used to make dinner for friends using only crockpots to show it could be done (appetizer (little 1 or 1.5 qt crockette), beverage, entre, side dish, dessert). Working at home now, I generally will prep dinner during lunch when using crockpot (2.5 qt? it's smaller then conventional, good for single person). Breakfast can also be done with crockpots the night before (like, Apple Brown Betty, or grain porridges). Lotta wiggle room for measurements & ingredients, nice for the newbie. Anyway, the only kitchen tool I value more is one of my Woks (non-electric). Anyone with a busy schedule or responsible for raising kids should look into it. Wish I had one in college... As to you're being a nut ball... not enough data (yet)... Thanks for your note! Mark > >Two bits I liked - one was that you were patient with your family and the >other was that you didn't let your family know of your dish ingredients >before they tried it. You didn't trick them because they were familiar (or >at least reminded by your sister at some point) with your diet and they knew >that you cooked this. > >Congrats on your new dish and good and successful time with your fam. > >Shawn > >On 12/6/05, Mark Sutton wrote: >> >> Have posted an essay on my blog that might be of interest... >> >> FYI, Mark >> >> " >> Thanksgiving 2005: Five Lessons Learned >> >> The day before the holiday, Stepmom called: " Plans have changed, dinner is >> local, can you make it and bring a " corn pudding? " A rare recipe request >> from her... Anxious to please, I said, " Sure! " never having made one. >> Then I discovered that it's butter, cheese, milk, and eggs (oh yeah, plus >> corn & cornmeal). Some social and culinary lessons learned: " >> >> At: >> http://www.soulveggie.com >> >> >> >> >> > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 7, 2005 Report Share Posted December 7, 2005 On 12/7/05, Mark Sutton <> wrote: > > My main oven has a broken coil, and the toaster oven/broiler/bread machine > tabletop oven is too small to pull off a larger dish for a Holiday Dinner. > Not only are there a lot of people, but oven/microwave space is at a > premium. Crockpot you just plug in somewhere. Yep, I hear ya. ... and not too many dials to fuss with. I'm also a big crockpot fan in general (own 6 or 8, varying sizes, most > purchased from Consignment Stores for around $5 apiece). For three years > I > wrote down all my veg'nized crockpot recipes in notebooks and was thinking > of trying to do a book. Dropped the project (for now anyway, Robin > Robertson's got a fine veg'n slow cooker book out, btw). That sounds like a cool project. Share a few originals with us whenever you get a chance. I'm going to have to look up the Robertson's book. Any photos by chance in that one? I find crockpots a fantastic utility, especially during cooler weather, and > definitely for potlucks. Many people like to use them during the hot summers as well. Saves on energy and bills by not using the ovens and kicking that AC in more than it has to. Not only can you " fix it and forget it " (quoting > from a title of a non-veg'n crockpot cookbook), but bring the dish and > keep > it warm in the same " container. " I'd also add that the mess in the surrounding area of the crockpot is minimal compared to something you'd cook on a stove (as in a soup, stew or italian sauce) or in the oven (when casseroles and such spilleth over). Sometimes if I fill them a bit too close to the top, the cover will rattle because of the heat and build up of condensation on the rim and a bit splatters out but I figure that's do to user error. When I was at NASA (working a regular schedule), I'd often take 15 minutes > to prep a crockpot stew, soup, chili, lasagne, bbq & veggies, strata... > whatever, and when I got home that evening, all I had to do was fix the > side dish (or grain, pasta, etc.). Really nice in cold weather. > Sometimes > I'd time the bread for dinner as well, but more often for morning (if I'm > late getting back, the bread could be overcooked). Have you had much success with bread in them? I just came across a slow cooker " brown bread " recipe. I've yet to tackle it though. I used to make dinner for friends using only crockpots to show it could be > done (appetizer (little 1 or 1.5 qt crockette), beverage, entre, side > dish, > dessert). > > Working at home now, I generally will prep dinner during lunch when using > crockpot (2.5 qt? it's smaller then conventional, good for single person). > Breakfast can also be done with crockpots the night before (like, Apple > Brown Betty, or grain porridges). Lotta wiggle room for measurements & > ingredients, nice for the newbie. Wow, you've done it all. Very cool. I use mine pretty often for the big recipes. I usually share some portions and freeze them as well. It's especially great when I can throw in the last of my fresh produce and whatever else I have on hand. I feel like I'm making something useful with my remaining spare ingredients without having to waste them and then as you stated (or as that infomercial guy did) set it and (temporarily) forget it. Anyway, the only kitchen tool I value more is one of my Woks > (non-electric). Anyone with a busy schedule or responsible for raising > kids should look into it. Wish I had one in college... > > As to you're being a nut ball... not enough data (yet)... Thanks for your > note! Mark LOL - I'll spare you the " data " . Mark, keep rockin and send us more blog updates such as the last one you mentioned! http://www.soulveggie.com Shawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 I've got Robin Robertson's crockpot book, and it's FAB. The lasagna recipe is just to die for! I don't have the book with me right now (more's the pity); it's in storage in Florida, but it has lots of really tasty recipes. I highly recommend buying the book. I got mine at Amazon for, I think, 15 bucks? thereabouts, anyway. As well as main dishes, there are recipes for drinks and desserts. There was a recipe in there that at the time, as I was a brand new vegetarian, sounded really strange, but which now I'm anxious to try: a Seitan Roast. Supposed to taste " just like " a *real* roast, cooked with carrots, taters and onions. HTH, Bron On 12/7/05, subprong <subprong wrote: > > On 12/7/05, Mark Sutton <> wrote: > > > > My main oven has a broken coil, and the toaster oven/broiler/bread > machine > > tabletop oven is too small to pull off a larger dish for a Holiday > Dinner. > > Not only are there a lot of people, but oven/microwave space is at a > > premium. Crockpot you just plug in somewhere. > > > Yep, I hear ya. ... and not too many dials to fuss with. > > I'm also a big crockpot fan in general (own 6 or 8, varying sizes, most > > purchased from Consignment Stores for around $5 apiece). For three > years > > I > > wrote down all my veg'nized crockpot recipes in notebooks and was > thinking > > of trying to do a book. Dropped the project (for now anyway, Robin > > Robertson's got a fine veg'n slow cooker book out, btw). > > > That sounds like a cool project. Share a few originals with us whenever > you > get a chance. I'm going to have to look up the Robertson's book. Any > photos by chance in that one? > > I find crockpots a fantastic utility, especially during cooler weather, > and > > definitely for potlucks. > > > Many people like to use them during the hot summers as well. Saves on > energy and bills by not using the ovens and kicking that AC in more than > it > has to. > > Not only can you " fix it and forget it " (quoting > > from a title of a non-veg'n crockpot cookbook), but bring the dish and > > keep > > it warm in the same " container. " > > > I'd also add that the mess in the surrounding area of the crockpot is > minimal compared to something you'd cook on a stove (as in a soup, stew or > italian sauce) or in the oven (when casseroles and such spilleth over). > Sometimes if I fill them a bit too close to the top, the cover will rattle > because of the heat and build up of condensation on the rim and a bit > splatters out but I figure that's do to user error. > > When I was at NASA (working a regular schedule), I'd often take 15 minutes > > to prep a crockpot stew, soup, chili, lasagne, bbq & veggies, strata... > > whatever, and when I got home that evening, all I had to do was fix the > > side dish (or grain, pasta, etc.). Really nice in cold weather. > > Sometimes > > I'd time the bread for dinner as well, but more often for morning (if > I'm > > late getting back, the bread could be overcooked). > > > Have you had much success with bread in them? I just came across a slow > cooker " brown bread " recipe. I've yet to tackle it though. > > I used to make dinner for friends using only crockpots to show it could be > > done (appetizer (little 1 or 1.5 qt crockette), beverage, entre, side > > dish, > > dessert). > > > > Working at home now, I generally will prep dinner during lunch when > using > > crockpot (2.5 qt? it's smaller then conventional, good for single > person). > > Breakfast can also be done with crockpots the night before (like, Apple > > Brown Betty, or grain porridges). Lotta wiggle room for measurements & > > ingredients, nice for the newbie. > > > Wow, you've done it all. Very cool. I use mine pretty often for the big > recipes. I usually share some portions and freeze them as well. It's > especially great when I can throw in the last of my fresh produce and > whatever else I have on hand. I feel like I'm making something useful > with > my remaining spare ingredients without having to waste them and then as > you > stated (or as that infomercial guy did) set it and (temporarily) forget > it. > > Anyway, the only kitchen tool I value more is one of my Woks > > (non-electric). Anyone with a busy schedule or responsible for raising > > kids should look into it. Wish I had one in college... > > > > As to you're being a nut ball... not enough data (yet)... Thanks for > your > > note! Mark > > > LOL - I'll spare you the " data " . Mark, keep rockin and send us more blog > updates such as the last one you mentioned! http://www.soulveggie.com > > Shawn > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 8, 2005 Report Share Posted December 8, 2005 Hi Bron, Thanks so much on the review. I see it's on sale for $10 and change at the moment. I would be interested in experimenting with that seitan roast as well. I have a feeling it would be something that I would either really like or really not like. LOL. However, at some point my curiousity will force me to try any type of seiten or gluten big hunk o' analog like this. Sounds very very interesting. Oh and thank you for the mashed tater idea. I think, I too would prefer ball park mustard to ketchup on the tater patties as well. Shawn On 12/8/05, southernflower wrote: > > I've got Robin Robertson's crockpot book, and it's FAB. The lasagna > recipe > is just to die for! I don't have the book with me right now (more's the > pity); it's in storage in Florida, but it has lots of really tasty > recipes. > I highly recommend buying the book. I got mine at Amazon for, I think, 15 > bucks? thereabouts, anyway. As well as main dishes, there are recipes for > drinks and desserts. > > There was a recipe in there that at the time, as I was a brand new > vegetarian, sounded really strange, but which now I'm anxious to try: a > Seitan Roast. Supposed to taste " just like " a *real* roast, cooked with > carrots, taters and onions. > > HTH, > Bron > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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