Everyone likes a good party, especially when there’s good food to go with it. But if you’re on the planning end, it’s hard to enjoy the occasion. From planning the menu to actually making the meal, there’s just too much on your mind to enjoy the good company. If you often find yourself in this situation, you may want to try the crock pot for your next party.
It does sound crazy—how can slow cooking save you time in the kitchen. Well, think about it: recipes for crock pots pretty much cook themselves, so you leave it on and take care of other party details. Most traditional dishes can easily be recreated in the crock pot. And because slow cooking coaxes out all the flavor, the results are often much better and healthier. Read on to learn more about crock pot cooking and how it can help save your next party.
Crock pot appetizers
Appetizers are meant to get the taste buds going and make your guests hungry for the main course. That’s why they’re usually light but flavorful:, such as soups salads, or a variety of finger foods. With a crock pot, it’s easy to make quick, healthy appetizers that fit the bill. Some of the most popular slow cooker appetizers are meatballs, rolls, and sausages, often with a bunch of dips and sauces.
Soup also makes a great appetizer and goes extremely well with the crock pot. You may want to look into winter crock pot soup recipes, as they often have the rich, tangy flavor of most comfort foods. It’s the perfect way to put your guests in a good mood and set the tone for the rest of the meal. Since it’s slow cooking, you can make it alongside your other courses.
Old party favorites
Every occasion has its own "staple" foods. There’s turkey for Thanksgiving, pumpkin soup or pie for Halloween, or roast lamb for Easter. But what’s good about these dishes is that they’re easy to make in the crock pot. Meats and heavy vegetables are perfect for slow cooking, because they have lots of flavor and have little risk of being overcooked. So start the day with your main course, and it’ll be ready be the time everything else is done.
One of the easiest slow cooker party recipes is crock pot ham. It’s one of those dishes that are always a hit at the party, and can be customized to suit everyone’s tastes. So you can make it sweet and tangy, a bit salty, or even invent your own marinade. Make sure to put in just enough water, so it doesn’t get too mushy or too dry. A good estimate is about 1/3 of the pot for a regular-sized piece. This usually takes 6 to 9 hours in most crock pots, but make sure to check once in a while to make sure it’s cooking evenly.
Discovering new flavors
Unless you’re a stickler for tradition, it’s okay to tweak the recipe a bit to add a new flavor to the table. It can be as simple as a new ingredient or a new kind of sauce. Even small changes can be make a big difference and make the meal more memorable. If you’ve been serving the same roast chicken every year, for example, why not offer something new with a crock pot lemon chicken recipe? Not only does it make a fresh change, it also gives guests more ideas for their own meals.
Experimenting is really easy with the crock pot as it helps the meat absorb more of the flavor. However, the slow cooking process can wash out the taste over time, especially is you’re cooking in water (such as soups and stews). Avoid this by putting in all the spices toward the end, and adding them in smaller increments so you don’t put in too much.
Alternative options for light eaters
Crock pots are often associated with heavy meals like stews and roasts, but there’s no reason they can’t be used for light meals as well. If some of your guests are vegetarian or on strict diets, you’ll want to leave them with other options so they don’t miss out on the fun. Thankfully, that’s pretty easy with the crock pot, too. The slow cooking process brings out the flavor from any ingredient, so you can pick light, healthy ingredients and still come up with a great dish.
One good example is a crock pot vegetarian stew. Like many slow cooker dishes, you can choose what goes in the pot: carrots, onions, potatoes, whatever you feel like. Just make sure the heaviest ones (usually the root crops) go in the bottom, so that they cook faster. If you’re using meat for flavor, put them in the second layer, followed by the lighter vegetables. Add the spices towards the end and you’ve got a nice, healthy main course that even meat lovers would come back for!
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