I own a crockpot/slow cooker, but it is something that I forget I own and every once in a while I say “Hey, wait…did you know we have a crockpot?” Then I will be inspired to make a crockpot meal that week. I’m not sure why I don’t then go crockpot crazy, but for some reason one meal seems good for me. I mean let’s not get carried away and use it frequently. That might make life easier-we can’t have that! Maybe I need crockpot aversion therapy. Hmmm are there appliance therapists? I mean I do love my crockpot (once in a while). After all; imagine walking in the door to the wonderful smell of dinner, just waiting for you! The house seems warm and cozy, stress slides away and you all sit down to a meal that magically appears, ready to eat. So, why don’t I do this more often? I have no idea. Maybe I’ll be inspired by writing this blog and have my own magically prepared meals waiting for me night after night. OK, probably not; but you can use your crockpot and use it often then you can inspire me. Let me know how it goes for you.
Seriously, the slowcooker (crockpot) is a great device and I encourage you to use it. This is a way to get hot meals on the table in just a matter of minutes, because the cooking was done while you were doing other things. So, pull that baby out, dust it off and get cooking-sloooowly.
So this week there is one, yep one crockpot recipe. Maybe next week I’ll make one more, it could happen.
The Process:
1. Sit down, relax and plan (or pick some meals from here)
2. Make a grocery list and stick to it!!!! This saves time and money
3. Do the shopping-aim for one trip
4. Bring Back Dinner and enjoy
The Meals:
The Food Network Chef: Robin Miller
Time: Prep 15 minutes/ 4-8 hours in crockpot
Ease: Easy
Review: This recipe worked great just the way it is, was easy to make and tasted great. My husband said it was perhaps the best Minestrone he has every had and made wonderful yummy noises throughout the whole meal! FYI: I live for yummy noises. It is how I know I’ve hit the mark and moved from filling the whole to touching the heart! Cook with love. To make this vegetarian use vegetable stock.
Pork Loin in Jalapeño Mustard Sauce
Time: 1 hour (depending on size of pork loin)
Ease: Easy to moderate
Review: This is not a review of an existing recipe, but one I “threw together” this week. My family enjoyed it and it was easy to pull together. I used a sauce from MeadowCroft Farms, but think you could improvise.
Time: 20 minutes
Ease: Easy
Review: This recipe is a family favorite for 3 generations. While it isn’t a meal you may picture a Norman Rockwell family eating it is a modern day meal. Easy, yummy, and quick. NOTE: This dish sounds like nothing great, but is! Whenever I make this for someone for the first time they tell me “oh my gosh, I had no ideas this would be so good, can I make it at home?” Sometime minimal works best. Try it! Leave a comment, I’d love to know what you think.
Steak and Potatoes
Time: 8-15 minutes for steak and 50 minutes for potatoes
Ease: Easy, but you may feel intimidated by the steak. Don’t worry, you will be fine. Do invest in a nice thermometer for meat!
Review: While steak is great on the grill sometimes it is raining, too cold, or we don’t have a grill. This doesn’t mean you can’t have steak. With practice you will be making juicy, melt in your mouth steaks in no time! This is a great dish to google. Search what others do and find what works for you.
Crispy Taco Picadillo MarthaStewart.com
Time: 30-45 minutes
Ease: Easy to moderate (if you use store bought shells this dish is very easy)
Review: You will never go back to salt filled packets again! This dish is fresh, easy, and homemade. Your friends and family will love it. For an adventure try making your own crispy shells too. Chicken can be used instead of ground beef.
Photos may be used, but please link back to this blog and credit Lisa Burbach, recipes are links to existing recipes and I have no ownership of recipes other than the ones of Have created. Thank you.
Bringing Back Dinner: A Yielding Action Blog 
My mother fixed scrambled hamburger and served it on hamburger buns. When I got married and served it to my husband he complained that the hamburger kept falling out and he came up with the idea of using hotdog buns. Of course he does get some strange looks when he goes to the store and buys hamburger and hotdog buns. The cashiers have been known to point it out to him. My mother said she started to fix hamburger scrambled sometime in the 1940s when she, my father and her brother Walter and his wife Mattie ran a small restaurant. They found it much quicker to scramble the hamburger than to fry the patties.
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