Update on slow cooking

I have three days left for my month-long chal­lenge, and while I’ve had a blast, I’ll be glad to start using my slow cook­er only a few times a week instead of every day. It’s pro­duced SO MUCH FOOD. I did get a 1970s-era 3 1/2 quart Crock-Pot, so that will be nice for small­er quan­ti­ties of food. Here’s the list of things I’ve made since my last post:

  • creme caramel
  • pome­gran­ate pork
  • fall­en cheese souf­fle
  • chick­en pot pie
  • sausage and veg­eta­bles med­ley
  • but­ter­nut bisque
  • hon­eyed pears with goat cheese and thyme
  • hal­ibut with Maitre d’Ho­tel but­ter
  • Alsa­t­ian lentil soup with bratwurst
  • hot but­tered rum

I’ve been mak­ing notes after each recipe so I know how long the prep took, any mod­i­fi­ca­tions I made, how long it cooked, how it tast­ed, and whether it’s worth mak­ing again. Oh, I also roast­ed cau­li­flower, but not in the slow cook­er. That was super deli­cious.

As I said, I have three days left, but five recipes I still want to make. They are:

  • crust­less veg­etable quiche
  • lamb with arti­chokes and olives
  • acorn squash
  • lemon pots de creme
  • gin­ger creme brulee

It’s hard to choose a favorite from the month, though Carl seemed to rave most about the Rousil­lon meat­balls, the pome­gran­ate pork, and the two recipes with whole chick­ens. I have learned a few things — it is indeed pos­si­ble to over­cook things, name­ly fish; the spici­ness in chili will inten­si­fy over time; and I can make so many more dish­es than I ever thought in the slow cook­er. It’s been a pret­ty deli­cious month.

I don’t know why, but this post feels like a book report. Maybe it’s because of the lists… you know, a recita­tion of the main points with­out much judg­ment. Hmm.