was MacCheese to crockpots to Susie to PT to me to suggestions

[Guest guest]

On 2/20/06, ~ PT ~ <> wrote:

>

> susie, you just have to go get a crockpot; you'll love it.

 

 

I agree Susie. Go for it. You can generally find them on sale.

 

Even though recipes will take several hours, I find that the work for it can

be much less (especially the monitoring part). Sometimes you do have to use

a skillet to get some onion and veggies going, however sometimes I'll have

items cut the night before to make things a bit quicker. Much of it is just

opening and dumping.

 

That mac n cheese recipe required some mixing in another bowl and some pasta

boiling but after that it was just dumping it in the crock and letting it

sit for a few hours (the instructions even stated NOT to open it). So, many

items don't require that extra hour of standing around stirring and

monitoring and stirring and watching the splatter patterns hitting your wall

via a food filled skillet on the stove.

 

Check out your Salvation Army Thrift store or Goodwill

> first because the older crocks are better than the newer

> ones and you can usually find one for just a few bucks.

 

 

I'm going to have to disagree. I would buy a new one. There is no telling

how much use older crocks have gone through or even how old they are. If

you get a used one (via stranger) just be careful and monitor it. Test the

cord after it has been on. Does the cord get warm? Is the prong " hot "

after you take it out of the outlet? I once pulled the prong from an

outlet, from a donated toaster oven after it had just gotten done being used

and that sucker was hot - as in " curse word " hot.

 

Perhaps the older ones are better because the unit is also the cooking pot

itself. Most of the newer versions have an insert ceramic pot that you can

take out. This is good for two reasons. First you can clean it much

easier. It has less bulk and you don't have to worry about submerging the

electric bits. Secondly, you can use the insert as a serving piece and

Uncle Joe Joe the Clown doesn't have to stare at the cord and plug.

 

Don't get me wrong, my favorite price is free but some things I gotta know

where it came from. Would you want to be grinding and grinding and grinding

away in the kitchen with a " used " mortar and pestle? Heck no - plus a new

one is nice and shiny and cool like that, yo.

 

Just my two peppercorns,

S.