I personally like an old fashioned roast. I have a nice shortcut for this and it’s called “Grandma’s Sunday Roast” seasoning from Homemade Gourmet. This seasoning has tons of flavor and I just sprinkle it right over my roast.

I also frequently use vension roast, but this recipe will work with any type of roast. Here’s the crock pot roast recipe I use at our house. A large crock pot will work best for this recipe, in fact, a 6 or 7 quart crock pot would be perfect.

Crock Pot Roast

what you need:

2-3lb roast (you can use venison, or beef)
1 large yellow/white onion
5 cloves garlic
2 tbsp Grandma’s Sunday Roast Seasoning
1C beef stock or water
baby carrots
potatoes
what you do:

1. Place your roast in the crock pot ~ frozen is fine.

2. Slice onions and lay them on top of the roast.

3. Slice potatoes into the size you like (remember the smaller you cut them the more quickly they will cook)

4. Add potatoes and carrots around the outside of your roast.

5. Mix your seasoning with the stock or water and pour over veggies and roast. (make sure your roast is in at least an inch of liquid ~ this will depend on the size of your roast and crock pot. If 1c is not enough to make that amount, simply add more)

6. Cook on low for 6-10 hours.

Tip: If you like green beans with your roast add them in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

This crock pot roast recipe will yield plenty for a family of 4. You may even have leftovers for sandwhiches tomorrow.  If you don’t have access to Grandma’s Sunday Roast Seasoning you can create a mixture of garlic powder, italian seasoning, and a little chili powder. It’s not exactly the same, but it will do in a pinch.

Slow cooker is another way to say “crock pot.” Most of us are used to hearing the latter, but the terms are interchangeable meaning the same thing. Now, if you are considering using a slow cooker (and I suggest that you do), there are a few things you should know before you start to enhance your chances of creating a successful meal. Yes, even a slow cooker meal can be horrible if some basic tips are not adhered to. No one wants to come home with a hearty appetite and find a pot full of mush. Yuck!

So let’s start with the purchasing of a slow cooker. You can crock pots in various sizes.  From as small as one quart to as large as a 7 quart crock pot, you’re sure to find one that fits your needs. If you come across a larger one, that’s even better. Depending on your family size or the amount of people you’ll be preparing meals for with it, you may find the larger the slow cooker the better it will work.

Slow cookers also come with removable inner pots that allow for easier serving at the dinner table. A removable inner core allows everyone to sit and relax as they spoon their food onto the plate instead of standing at the stove. Some even come equipped with a non-stick inner pot, making clean up less messy.

Temperature settings vary among slow cookers. Many offer a range of temperature settings to meet the needs of the cook. Some have as little at two setting (high and low) and others include five settings that vary from high (two hours) to really slow cooking (ten hours). There may also be a warm setting in case the food has finished cooking but any accompanying side dishes still need to be prepared. This setting is also great for times when everyone isn’t ready to eat their meal just yet.

Be careful with your heat settings, however. As with ovens, temperatures and settings on the dial are a rough estimate. Don’t be like me who, at the expense of my meal, overcooked a roast the first time.  Even though I had it set to the eight hour setting to cook throughout the day, my slow cooker has a high temperature and cooks boneless meats quickly. I could have put it in the cooker when I got home and still had a delicious meal in less than two hours.

Just goes to show, you live and you learn. To avoid such a food crisis, test your slow cooker on the weekend when you are at home. Start a meal in the late morning hours, using the lowest setting and see how long it actually takes for the meal to cook. You may need to make adjustments to cooking times when you are away based on what you discover.

A slow cooker can be an extremely useful tool for busy families and even single people alike. With the suggestions above you’ll get used to preparing meals with your slow cooker while you’re not around in no time.

If you are looking for a 7 quart crock pot you can find a wide selection and great deals at Amazon.com

I first made this recipe on the stove, it was good, but had to be watched, and stirred so I tried it in the crock pot and LOVED it.

Chicken and Dumplings Stew

serves 8

What you need:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs or legs
• 8 slices bacon
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 (14 ounce) can vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 (26 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup water
• 1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 (10 ounce) can buttermilk biscuits

What you do:

Put your chicken in the bottom of the crock pot ~ whether it’s frozen or not it’s fine.  I like to use legs so there’s only one bone to deal with for each piece.

While you’re getting the rest of the ingredients prepared cook up your bacon. When the bacon’s done add a tablespoon of the bacon grease to the pot.

Add everything except the bacon, heavy cream, biscuits and canned corn.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Once it’s been cooking for a while and the meat has come off the bone, fish out the chicken bones. If you used the legs it won’t be difficult.

About 30 minutes before it’s done add the can of corn to heat through.

Just before you put the dumplings on stir in the heavy cream.

Last step is to make the dumplings.

Take each of your biscuits and tear them into 4 pieces. Drop them all into the top of your 7 quart crock pot. Cover the crock pot and let the biscuits cook.  It takes about 20 minutes, but could be a little longer until they are completely cooked. The steam of the crock pot will cook them nice and fluffy.

Serve with crumbled bacon as garnish.

Crock Pot Fact: Every time you open the crock pot it adds up to 30 minutes cooking time. Leave your food alone.