Lawn Sale Crock Pot

A couple of years ago my wife picked up a couple crock pots at a lawn sale. A smaller one she donated to the Park Interpreter at Burton Island State Park to use for candle making with the kids. The other, a much larger one, we kept for our own use. It has removable stoneware and a plastic lid, and paid something like $10 for it.

Well we have certainly got our money's worth out of it so far; countless soups, chili's, stews, and roasts. It's so handy to get all the ingredients the night before and either start it then or put it in the fridge for the night (depending upon what's cooking), and start it in the morning before leaving for work. Not even kidding, when as of recent it's been getting used 2-3 nights per week. It always comes out tasting great.

Some potatoes, onions, carrots, maybe cabbage and some on sale meat, works like a charm every time. I freeze a lot of ingredients from the summer garden, and toss those in as well. A sprinkle of chopped chives, shredded russian red kale, and hot peppers adds a lot to the stews and soups. There's also the dried ingredients from the dehydrator as well; tomatoes, summer squash, zuchini.

It's funny, as of late I've been walking through the aisles of the grocery stores telling myself, hey I can make my own of this and that expensive ingredient. Just as interesting is when I'm watching PBS's Create channel on TV, and I have all the ingredients they're using between my freezer, and pantry. Martha Stewart watch out!