There are three basic cooking medium for fondue: cheese, chocolate, and oil. Since all three can be successfully heated in a crock pot, the crock pot is a natural fit for fondue. Add that to the fact that a crock pot is portable and has the ability to keep foods at a steady temperature for a long period of time, and who would want to fondue any other way. Considering also that the crock pot doesn’t use an exposed flame and the outside surface is somewhat cooler to the touch, you’ve got yourself a perfect party-time fondue set up. Let’s take a look at how to go about creating your own fondue using any of the three basic elements:

Cheese

When you are making cheese fondu in a crock pot, it is important to know about the cheese you are heating. Will it get stringy? Will it release a lot of oil? How easy will it melt? All great questions to ask when choosing what cheese to use in a fondue. Knowing your cheese will help you pick out the perfect compliment to your fondue. Will it have a smokey flavor, or be a little sharp or salty? Basic cheese fondue recipes call for cheeses like sharp Cheddar, Gruyere, and Swiss, often with other ingredients like white wine, garlic, and even a touch of flour to bind the cheeses together.

Another thought to consider when planning a cheese fondue is what types of food to dip. The classic hearty bread chunks is the first thought, of course. But what else can you dip in hot cheese? Naturally, fresh vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower come to mind, but there are other foods that are less common. Consider crisp Granny Smith apples, for instance, or sweet red bell peppers. Be creative; fondue is nothing if not fun.

Chocolate

Always a crowd pleaser, chocolate fondue can work as an appetizer or a dessert. Your slow cooker makes an excellent chocolate fondue pot due to the fact that it will melt the chocolate at a low, steady temperature, which lessens the risk of scalding the chocolate. You’ll also be able to keep the chocolate warm for a long period of time, keeping it in its liquid state rather than becoming solid again. The recipe can be as simple as melting chunks of chocolate with a little cream, or you can kick it up a bit with ingredients like coffee, liqueur, or even a pinch of chili pepper.

What you choose to dip in the chocolate depends on your own preference. The classic chocolate dipped strawberries would be first on any list. Be sure to add apples, bananas, cherries, pineapple, or any fruit you want to try to that list. You may also want to dip chunks of bread or a sturdy Angel Food cake or pound cake. Don’t forget pretzels or cookies; you’ll just have to get creative when it comes to the utensils you’ll use to dip them.

Oil

Making fondue with oil can be a bit tricky, if not downright dangerous. In a tiny fondue pot on little legs, one small bump and the whole pot could tip over. On the other hand, a crock pot is a solid appliance which won’t be likely to topple. This fact alone makes this vessel a great container for your oil fondue. Add in the ability to hold a steady temperature over a long period of time and your fondue decision has never be easier. With oil, you want to bring it up to temperature, then hold the heat steady. In some crock pots that requires the temperature to be set at high, then turned to low. Each crock pot is different, so be sure to experiment before the party. Also, choose a high-heat oil, such as peanut oil, so you won’t end up with a smoky crock pot.

This cooking method is all about meat and seafood. Use lean cuts of beef, like the tenderloin, for best results. Be sure to cut the meat into uniform pieces. Shrimp should be on the small side so they cook all the way through quickly. You may also want to cook up some mushrooms and vegetables for a feast fit for royalty. It’s best to let the raw food sit out for a bit at room temperature to take off the chill, as extremely cold food will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in soggy or undercooked food. On a side note, you can also use this same method and replace the oil with broth for a healthier take on this classic fondue favorite.

Having the ability to use your crock pot for a variety of different fondue dishes gives you the flexibility to keep your guests entertained and still serve great food. Many people don’t understand how valuable their slow cooker can be when it comes to having a fondue party. Whether it is cheese, chocolate, or oil, your crock pot can handle it all.

You know how useful they are for getting meals on the table for your family during those hectic everyday evenings. Why do the holidays have to be any different? Wouldn’t it be great to actually be able to spend time with friends and family during the holiday seasons instead of slaving over the hot stove all day? You can. If you have a crock pot, put it to work so you can go and play! Let’s take a look at a few ways you can turn your crock pot into a holiday helper:

Drinks

Hot drinks are great to have when you come in from a day of sledding or shopping. Everything from apple cider to a toasty adult beverage can be simmering while you are out doing your thing. By choosing a crock pot with an adjustable temperature setting, you can simmer your beverage, then keep your drinks warm while you gather to enjoy. Add a couple sticks of cinnamon or a few cloves to your drink and the whole house will smell like the holidays as the aromatics begin to warm up.

Appetizers

Nothing gets your appetite warmed up like a hot dip or your favorite holiday appetizer. Little smokey sausages cooked in barbecue sauce or a warm spinach and artichoke dip can help shake off the chill of a cold winter. Even something as simple as a bowl of assorted nuts gets better when toasted first in the crock pot with a blend of spicy or sweet spices. The best thing about appetizers in a crock pot is they are self serving. Friends and family can come by and help themselves while you relax nearby. Effortless entertaining, freeing up your time and stove top for the rest of the meal.

Soups

You can fix almost all of the traditional holiday staples in a crock pot. From matzo ball soup to the classic chowders, a wide variety of soups can be put together ahead of time and left to cook while you are watching the ball games or playing with your new gadgets. If watching the Bowl Games is a part of your holiday tradition, just think how nice it would be to quickly and easily mix up a batch of chili to feed all your favorite fans.

Side Dishes

What do green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, candied yams, and brown sugar glazed carrots all have in common? That’s right. They can all be made, rather effortlessly, in a slow cooker while you are doing something you enjoy. Your side dishes can take care of themselves. Of course, it may feel a bit odd at first to be out of the kitchen during a holiday get-together, but I’m sure you could get used to relaxing and enjoying the day while the crock pot works to keep your family well-fed.

Main Course

Now, there is no way you can fit an entire turkey into a crock pot, so your main course will have to get a little creative. But it can be done. For smaller gatherings, you can opt for turkey breast or parts in the crock pot instead of a large turkey. For larger gatherings, you may want to make several smaller main dishes, such as a chicken in the crock pot in addition to the big turkey. If you are having ham, you might want to think about slicing the ham first or buying a precooked ham you only need to warm up.

The point is, you shouldn’t have to slave over the stove while everyone else is hanging out and having a good time. Your crock pot can be your best friend during the holidays. Just plug it in, turn up the heat and join your family for some quality time.

Your crock pot is a master at culinary diversity. With a collection of recipes using unusual ingredients, you can accomplish feats of cooking delights you might not have imagined, making the crock pot the most treasured possession in your kitchen. So, put away your cans of cream of blank soup now, and get creative.

From appetizers, to the main course, and on to the dessert, your slow cooker can do it all. Not to mention, you can travel the world of cuisine with just this one kitchen appliance. Let’s take a look at some of the unusual crock pot cuisine you can dish up for your next meal:

Appetizers

Your slow cooker can do routine appetizers, and more, extremely well, so don’t limit your crock pot to tiny sausages. Instead, create a whole array of different flavored chicken wings in the crock pot. How about Lumpia, Egg Rolls, or Wasabi peas? They are all possible with your trusty crock pot.

The crock pot can easily accommodate a number of appetizers with its steady heat, portable nature and ease of use. No matter what you are in the mood for, chances are your slow cooker can help create your favorite pre-meal snack, even those exotic snacks you crave but have been hesitant to try.

Main Course

The main dish is where your crock pot can really shine. You will be surprised at the number of different countries you can visit from the comfort of your own kitchen with the help of a simple slow cooker and a few unusual ingredients. From France to India, you can go on a world tour with only the amount of money needed to prepare the dish. From capers to curry, your creativity is the only limit.

Don’t stop there. Use the foods you may be familiar with, too, in a whole new way. Tenderize meat by cooking in a cola drink. Choose fun fruit, like papaya and star fruit, in your crock pot to give your regular Hawaiian Chicken dish a new look, and taste. Cook with wine. Buy fresh herbs and add them to the last half hour of cooking and taste the flavor explosion. Your crock pot is the star chef, but you get all the credit. Try outrageous ingredients in a whole new way to create a wonderfully delicious dish.

Dessert

We know you can make a simple apple crisp in the crock pot, but what can you make that will surprise your family and friends? Try a bread and butter pudding, or how about a chocolate coffee pudding, carrot souffle, or a variety of tiramisu. All of these interesting desserts can be cooked to perfection in your crock pot.

All desserts at not necessarily cakes, pies, or pudding. How about a nice bowl of warm, mixed nuts spiced to perfection in your crock pot. You can enjoy warm granola cooked in your crock pot, served over a bowl of Gelato. Choose unusual fruits and simmer slowly until you have a nice compote to serve over rich ice cream or alone with just a swirl of heavy cream on top. Quite a change from ice cream and chocolate syrup. And, speaking of chocolate, don’t forget your crock pot is the perfect appliance for melting dipping chocolate. Perhaps dessert tonight could be a chocolate fondue event.

The next time you automatically grab the same old ingredients to throw into your crock pot, stop. Look around your refrigerator and pantry and rethink those recipes. Instead of apples, how about cherries. Instead of parsley, how about cilantro. Instead of hot sauce, how about ginger. Instead of rice, how about quinoa. And by all means, instead of cream of anything soup, how about a nice roux. You can do it all with your crock pot!

Soups, stews and roasts are all great dishes to fix in your crock pot. But what about side dishes? Slow cookers are there to help you out in the kitchen. When you are busy doing other things, like cooking a turkey or baking a loaf of bread, your crock pot can perform some of the smaller tasks, like side dishes. Let’s take a look at some of the possibilities for side dishes you can make in your slow cooker:

Everyday Side Dishes

Baked beans, German potato salad, and glazed carrots are a breeze in the slow cooker. Just drop in the ingredients and let time take care of the rest. Your side dishes should not be difficult or time consuming for you. After all, you are busy doing other things you would rather do ? like relaxing.

Scalloped potatoes are incredibly easy in a crock pot. Not only are they easy, but they are a hearty side dish. Great with almost any main course, this creamy potato creation will have your family wondering how you found time to slave over a hot stove with your busy schedule.

You don’t have to juggle dishes in and out of the oven when you have a crock pot cooking the side dishes for you. You can even bake potatoes in your crock pot.

Holiday Side Dishes

Classic holiday dishes are another great match for your crock pot. Green bean casserole in a crock pot is quite heavenly. The extended cooking time enhances the smooth, yummy goodness of this creamy classic. You’ll want to make an extra big batch so you have plenty for leftovers. Other holiday side dish favorites like stuffing, creamed corn, macaroni and cheese, and rice pudding can be relegated to the crock pot, freeing up valuable stove top and oven space for your main holiday fare.

If your holiday dishes include soups, like matzo ball soup or French onion soup, then the crock pot can be your best friend. Instead of having to keep an eye on the stove for extended periods of time, try plugging in your crock pot near the dining room table. Then you can sit down and relax while you prepare a great holiday feast for your family.

Old Fashioned Side Dishes

Some of the best side dishes are slow cooked. When your parents and grandparents used to make your favorite dishes, they would often use a nice, heavy Dutch oven and cook it for a long, long time over very low heat. Unless you have inherited their Dutch oven, it is difficult to replicate the same taste of these slow cooked specialties.

Luckily, your crock pot comes close in recreating these wonderful side dishes you remember. Because of the long cooking time, your side dishes will taste like they have the same amount of love poured into them as if you stirred the pot for hours.

The crock pot seems to have been designed for old fashioned side dishes. Dishes like corn pudding, black-eyed peas, green beans and hamhocks, red beans and rice, and calico beans are a few sides that are reminiscent of old time kitchens. Typically, these old fashioned side dishes require quite a bit of preparation work and attention. With a crock pot, once the ingredients are in, your work is done ? no stirring and no worrying over the heat setting. You can walk away and return to your favorite side dish from days gone by.

Go ahead and put your roast or chicken in the oven, then put your crock pot to work slow simmering your favorite side dish. Enjoy a filling meal without all the fuss, but with all the flavor.

It took your mother hours to put together your favorite comfort foods, preparing and simmering all sorts of delights that made you feel all warm and fuzzy no matter what kind of day you were having. These slow cooked recipes passed down from generation to generation, gather you up in a whirlwind of memories and whisk you away to a better time. A time when life was simpler and the street lights would tell you when it was time to come home after playing outside all day.

Today you are an adult, and life is filled with ups and downs. The frustrations of each day seem to run together. However, there is no reason to let these frustrations follow you into the kitchen. Why not combine your two favorite things; the smile that comfort food brings to your heart, and the ease of cooking with a crock pot. You get the best of both worlds; the flavors and aromas of comfort food simmering on the stove all day, along with easy and carefree cooking. Let’s take a look at how you can put your crock pot to work for you creating those same warm and fuzzy comfort food feelings:

Your Favorite Comfort Foods In The Crock Pot

Soups of all kind are truly comfort foods. Chicken noodle soup and chicken vegetable soup are all time favorites, especially when it gets cold outside. This dish is a great candidate for a crock pot. Loaded with veggies, chicken, and savory broth, chicken soup warms you inside and out, and have even been proven to help when you’ve got the sniffles. Beef vegetable soup and all sorts of chowders are classic foods to get cozy with on a stressful day. Soups in general are usually a good way to gather together with family and friends to reminisce and relax. Let your crock pot do the work so you can enjoy the moment.

Chili is another great comfort food. It is hearty with beans, meat, tomatoes, and warm spices that can whisk you away to an old fashioned chili-cook-off in your very own kitchen. Perhaps, you remember the sound of a football game on the television on a Sunday afternoon, and the aromas of a big pot of chili ready for all the family to enjoy during half-time. Chili not only feeds a family inexpensively, but it is very filling and satisfying; a comfort food in the best sense of the word.

Pot roast is about as old fashioned as you can get in the comfort food category. Many families remember a time when dad came home from work and sat right down at the table, signaling the rest of the family to join him. Mom brought in the pot filled with tender beef, potatoes, and carrots, with a thick gravy ready to ladle over everything. The crock pot is not only an easy way to make a pot roast, but the specific method of cooking in a crock pot tenderizes any meat better than oven roasting.

Why Your Crock Pot Is The Perfect Choice

Crock pot cooking embodies the ‘trifecta’ of great homemade comfort foods; 1) the meals are easy, 2) the meals are filling, and 3) the meals stimulate the senses.

With comfort foods in the past, we most likely were talking about a lot of time and effort. However, while your parents had to spend the whole day in the kitchen preparing your favorite comfort foods, now your crock pot can do most of the job for you. This frees up your time and gives you the flexibility to prepare a filling meal while accomplishing other tasks without watching the pot.

The perfection of time management and organization, your crock pot is the ultimate way to cook comfort foods, helping you manage your health, stress, and your time. You’ll spend just a little time to prep your meal, then the rest of the work is up to the crock pot. Set it and forget it. When you’re ready to relax and dig into your favorite comfort food, all you need is a place to sit. And, when you’re feeling all warm and fuzzy inside, you aren’t faced with a kitchen overflowing with pots and pans. Crock pot cooking is almost one pot cooking. Put your leftovers away and you have one pot, the crock, to wash up. With a single pot doing the cooking for you, that crock pot comfort food is even more comforting.

The crock pot is a great tool, not only for making good food, but also giving you time back to spend with your family. Throwing your favorite foods into the crock pot before heading out the door will give you the slow-cooked taste without the effort. Don’t slave over a hot stove just to feed your family their favorite comfort foods. Use your crock pot to give them the comfort foods you enjoyed growing up, and savor the aromas and flavors of a hearty meal and the comfort of family time.

Spain is where this current craze originated, if slightly by accident or, more accurately,as a necessity. The word tapas derives from the word tapar, meaning “to cover.” Some stories say that tapas originated when small pieces of bread or meat were placed on top of glasses of wine. These tapas were placed on the glasses at taverns or restaurants, and replaced there after each sip by the patron. The purpose was to keep the flies out of the drink while providing a snack for the guest.

These small treats are popular in Spain for other reasons now. It is customary for many families in Spain to eat their evening meal very late, leaving room between lunch and dinner for satisfying their appetite with little snacks, usually while socializing.

At its simplest definition, tapas are little snacks that can be easily enjoyed while mingling. You can make a meal out of them, or eat them as little snacks before a large meal. The best part about tapas is there is no limit to them! Take this simple idea from Spain and make it even better by using your crock pot to take the work out of making this fun food. Here are a couple quick ideas to get you started with your own tapas adventure:

Mini Meatballs

Always a crowd favorite, mini meatballs are not only simple, they basically take care of themselves in a crock pot. You can buy frozen meatballs and add salsa, sweet and sour sauce, or even barbecue sauce. Or you can easily make up a batch yourself if you want to create a more versatile meatball, even including ingredients like chopped vegetables or cheese.

Little Dippers

Dipping little pieces of food is a fun experience for all involved. This kind of tapas is a relationship builder. Everyone is around the crock pot, dipping and talking, then dipping some more. If you want to learn more about your guests, then a dip or fondue is a great way to get everyone in a social mood. There are many dip recipes to try in your crock pot and just as many foods to try dipping. Let your imagination soar beyond cheese and bread cubes and see what you can create.

Muscles or Clams

There’s nothing prettier or more aromatic than a nice big pot of muscles or clams. It’s easy to do, too, when you let your crock pot do the work. By changing the ingredients you put in to the broth, you can make hundreds of different flavor combinations to satisfy anyone. And, not only will your crock pot cook them perfectly, it will also keep them warm for your guests. You don’t have to worry about your guests getting cold food, or the broth boiling away.

Bacon Wrapped Bits

Bacon is a well-loved favorite. Making savory tapas wrapped in bacon is sure to be a crowd pleaser at just about any gathering. Take bite-sized pieces of chicken, steak, figs, pineapple, water chestnuts, or even the old-school classic, Vienna sausages, wrap them in bacon, and let your crock pot do the rest of the work. Set your crock pot on high, get the bacon browned, then turn down to low and your tapas are ready when your guests are.

Mini Sandwiches

Use your slow cookers to create tender, shredded meat for little sandwiches. Add a pork loin, a beef roast, or a chicken to your crock pot the day before the party, pour in a can of broth, and let it cook for about eight hours. Once it’s cooked, cool and shred the meat and put it back in the crock pot with a jar of salsa or barbecue sauce. Stir it up and set your crock pot to low. Let this simmer until your guests arrive, then get out the little dinner rolls and your mini sandwiches are ready. Your guests will wonder how you ever found the time to cook these succulent hot sandwiches while getting everything else ready.

Take this idea from Spain, but give it your own little twist by using your crock pot. Why worry over boiling pots when you have family and friends to enjoy?

Thirty or forty years ago, there were only a few models of crock pots to choose from. Today there are hundreds if not thousands of options in the world of crock pots. Over the years, improvements have been made, new brands have come to the market, and the world is reinventing what the slow cooker can do. When it comes to selecting a crock pot, you need to know what to look for, what you absolutely need your crock pot to do, and your bottom line. Let’s take a look at a few guidelines for choosing the crock pot that’s right for you:

The Basic Structure

A crock pot is made up of three main parts; 1) the outer shell or base; 2) the inner stoneware or crock insert, and 3) the lid.

The outer shell should stay rather cool to the touch. You should be able to wash off the surface with a damp rag without too much trouble. Look for skid-proof feet on the bottom to keep the crock pot from slipping around the counter top while you’re preparing your meal. The outer shell also houses the controls, so check to see if they are sturdy, well situated, and easy to see.

The inner stoneware section, or ‘crock,’ should be rather resilient and feel sturdy. The crock is not unbreakable, so if you drop it on a solid floor, it may break. However, it should feel solid in your hands. The best crock pots have a removable insert so it makes serving and clean up easy. You’ll also want to be sure you can get your hands on the crock handles and easily lift it out of the outer shell without struggling.

The lid, while simple in design, is one of the reasons crock pots work so well. The best lids have a separate knob protruding out of the top. This separation of materials helps to keep the knob cool to the touch while the rest of the device heats up. The lid should also have a good seal around the outside edge, in order to keep the heat and liquids from escaping. Glass lids used to be the standard, but nowadays the plastic ones are just as nice and they have the added benefit of being lighter, which makes them easier to handle.

What You Need vs What You Want

While the three basic parts come standard on all crock pots; the base, insert, and lid. Beyond those three basic elements, you’ll find some very nice, convenient features you might want to look at.

Your basic crock pot has one switch on the outside of the base, sort of a dial. This switch usually has three or four settings. The standard settings you’ll find are High, Low, and Warm. There is a fourth setting of “Off” on many crock pots today, but years ago, it was common to unplug the crock pot when you wanted to turn it off.

More modern crock pots allow you to control more than those three basic settings. Digital crock pots are designed to give you control over the actual temperature of the crock pot. You can also set a timer to let you know when your dish needs to be stirred, have ingredients added, or is done.

Programmable crock pots allow the user to set the temperature on high, then automatically turn down to low at a chosen time during the cooking process. While it usually seems good to have more control, these added features may make things a little difficult. Depending on your style, this may make crock pot cooking seem more involved, especially when most crock pot recipes are written with simple High and Low settings.

Determining the size of the crock pot is also important. The larger the family, the bigger the crock pot. However, a large stew can still be made in a four or five quart crock pot. You’ll want to consider the area you have on your counter top, too. Also, the shape is important. If you’ve cooking a lot of bigger chickens or roasts, you might want to consider an oval shape. If your crock pot will be used mainly for soup, a deeper model may be just right. If you are cooking appetizers and snacks mostly, a smaller crock pot will probably suit you just fine.

The Bottom Line

Crock pots can range from ten dollars to well over a couple hundred. The most important aspect of picking out the perfect crock pot for you is to look at your budget and find the best value for your money. Look at size, construction of parts, and how well it all goes together. If taken care of, your crock pot will last a lifetime and will pay for itself over and over again. Just remember, you don’t have to get the fanciest crock pot to cook a great meal for your family.

Most of us think of the crock pot as getting dinner on the table. Throw the ingredients together in the morning, set the crock pot to cook, and when you walk in the door after work, dinner is ready to be served. But, what about putting your crock pot to work for you at breakfast time or brunch time? Let’s take a look at a few ideas for the morning meals:

Breakfast While You Get Ready

If you are looking for a hearty breakfast, one that cooks itself while you get ready for the day, you may want to put your crock pot to work. While your breakfast is cooking, you’ll have the freedom to dry you hair, read the paper, and even help with last minute homework.

Feel like a cheesy hash brown casserole or a quick quiche? How about a couple pouched eggs? You can get these cooking first thing so they’ll be ready when you are. Even a batch of quick cooking oatmeal is a breeze in the crock pot, and you don’t have to worry about forgetting about a pot boiling on the stove during your busy morning rush. Just put the oatmeal in the crock pot, add the water and any flavorings you like, and set the crock pot on high. You’ll have a hot breakfast waiting for you and your family before you head out the door.

Breakfast While You Sleep

Can you imagine waking up to a fresh pot of coffee and a perfectly cooked breakfast in the morning? Imagine the aromas from savory sausage or maple syrup wafting down the hall and into your room. Doesn’t that sound like a great way to wake up? With a slow cooker, that’s entirely possible.

Waking up to a hearty breakfast is the perfect start to a perfect day. A cold morning instantly becomes warm when there is a delicious meal waiting for you. If your family enjoys a big eggs and sausage breakfast, put together a breakfast casserole the night before, set it on low, and in the morning you can dig right in. If a big bowl of nutty five grain cereal is your idea of a hearty breakfast, fill your crock pot the night before with the ingredients, set it to low, and in the morning all you’ll need to do is get out the milk. Have a hot and hearty breakfast waiting for you when you wake up and start your day out right.

The Brunch Connection

There are times when when your first meal of the day doesn’t come so early in the morning. Perhaps you and your family have a few days off from work and school. You’re all going to sleep in and enjoy a meal a bit later in the day. Maybe it’s a special occasion and you’re sharing a late morning meal with friends. Either way, your crock pot can be put to work to help create dishes that satisfy your appetite that rests somewhere between breakfast and lunch.

Brunch is a great excuse to put your crock pot to work. There are many recipes perfectly suited for this late morning meal. One favorite brunch time dish is quiche. Throw together a cheesy quiche packed with vegetables and bacon, and you have a brunch dish that naturally satisfies both breakfast and lunch cravings. If a brunch buffet isn’t complete without sliced ham and hash browns in your book, you can easily create these two favorites in a wonderful casserole in your crock pot.

Use your crock pot to help get off to a better start in the morning. With a little prep work, you can enjoy a world class cuisine before heading out the door. You have better things to do in the morning than stand over a pan or pot, flipping or stirring. And, you and your family deserve a better breakfast experience. After all, how do you expect to accomplish all you need to do during your busy day without a hearty morning meal? Your crock pot is not just for dinner anymore!