No one slept last night (Wednesday night). The little one has an ear infection. At about 3 am I realized that it would be really hard for me to be coherent at work. When I woke up dizzy at 8 am, I thought about pushing myself to work even though I’d be late…. but it would have been a total loss for the students and an ordeal for me. I feel guilty missing work, but I reminded myself that’s why they give me sick time: to take care of myself and my family. I took the little guy to the doctor in the morning and got a much needed nap in this afternoon…. ahhhh…..
Don’t you love it how little kids can be chipper after nights of little sleep? He was a peach this morning, which was quite endearing.
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I used random number generator (I love generating randomness) to choose the lucky seven winners of the lovely grocery bags from Nature’s Path!! (Blogged about it last week Friday)
(Also the website from the Oat Grow drink I mentioned is http://www.livesimpli.com/. Because the company just got started, I think you can only get their products on the website.)
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I put our crockpot on top of the fridge. I know… I was rushing and stupidly shoved things anywhere to clear off the counters.
Yep, it fell.
Luckily no one was in the kitchen at the time. The inner ceramic shattered so it is kaput. Any recommendations for a replacement? It was 3.5 quart. I’m thinking this time I’ll get a 6 qt, but it seems rather large. There is also this adorable 1.5 qt crockpot…but it might be too small… Thoughts?
Very cool bags! I totally wish I knew about it.
Just Better Together
you can get replacement crocks…..or just find one at a garage sale, cheap….whatever size you like or get one of each size!!!!
Get the larger crock pot. I just picked up a wonderful crock pot cookbook – The Healthy Slow Cooker by Judith Finlayson. There are a number of wonderful looking recipes that use the larger crock pot. On the other hand, you may get more use out of another mid-size crock pot. There were good recipes for that size, too. 🙂
If it helps you any, by staying home sick and whatnot, you're keeping subs like me, young, trying to get our foot in the door, get a full time job in this impossible-to-get-a-teaching-job-economy, gainfully employed.
Hope you feel better.
I'm sad for your crockpot. My husband and I have a 3.5 qt. It has always served our needs. When I have a cut of meet that doesn't fit well, like for a roast, I usually trim off the extra parts and freeze them to use later in stir fry or something.
I'd say get the bigger one. You can always freeze and reheat on another night
if you plan on keeping the crockpot for awhile, go bigger…once that little one gets bigger you'll be glad, especially if he turns out athletic. The (very active) boys I babysit – who are still school age, not teens yet – can eat at least twice as much as I do when they're going through a growth spurt!
I like my 6 qt crockpot. It's excellent for making a lot and freezing the leftovers (or feeding hungry airmen from the dorms, which I do a lot). As for a brand recommendation, I would eventually like to get the one you linked to- the spoon rest and the clamp down lid would make a lot of difference!
Get the 3.5 or 6-quart slow cooker. I had a 3.5 qt one for myself when I was single, and it often felt too small (I cook for more than one meal because it's just smarter to do so).
There are three people in my family as well, and we use the five or six quart crockpot. Remember, you don't have to fill the thing all the way up! And also, for when you finish the school lunches, leftovers make great lunches. That's what I do–I freeze leftovers in a set of Corning Ware soup mugs with vented lids, then just take them for lunch and heat them up in the microwave.
1.5 too small, 6 qt may be too big for your small family.
Get a programable one they are nice. remember though that just because one is turned off, it is still warm for awhile.
You might want to call the crockpot people to see if they sell the ceramic liner. If they do let us know.
This is the one I registered for when I got married. It didn't get bought, but I'm hoping I'll get it for Christmas instead.
I has really good ratings on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33967-6-Quart-Programmable/dp/B001AO2PXK/ref=wr_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2O6FZUS4GWMNJ&colid=3NF84RZN2S759
Get the big one AND the little one: I do meals in the 6 qt. and wonderful over-night oatmeal in the 1.5 qt. Both are quite useful if you develop a repetoire of good recipes.
3 of us, we have a 6 qt. Make a big recipe, freeze leftovers. We also have the little one, which is good for making overnight steel cut oatmeal.
I have a small family … and 3 crockpots, actually. The 1 quart is too small for most things. 2.5 quart usable for lots, and the 5 quart is best only for Really Big Group Events. I'd say that 3.5 quart is a good size. Find the liner!
See http://crockpotmeals.myreviewguide.com/parts-auction/ for an interesting possibility. Or you might check http://www.crock-pot-slow-cookers.com/parts/introduction-of-rival-crock-pot-replacement-parts/
Google is your friend. What's the name of your crockpot maker? Google 'maker insert replacement' … and see what pops up. Good luck!
Also recommended: Not Your Mother's Slow-Cooker Cookbook (regular version, or the 'for 2' version — and the blog A Year Of Slow Cooking http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
I agree with Viki, 6 qt is probably too big. I have a 4 qt and get plenty of leftovers. I also have a 1.5 qt which I really like for when I don't want leftovers or for small stuff like dips. Check out http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2007/12/crockpot-resolution.html for gluten free recipes – you already met Stephanie.
Someone suggested a garage sale, but no one suggested checking out a thrift store like Goodwill for a replacement!
I have a 1.5qt AND a 6 qt! I use the little one for dips or taking warm goodies to work when we have a munchie day. The big one is great for a family of any size. I tend to make a lot extra for leftovers (yummmm, lunch for the next day!). My big one is oval instead of round, which is nice for large roasts. I have even baked 6 potatoes in it! (google it….pretty neat and they taste amazing)
Go for the 6qt! I love my crock pot, but it's only 3.5qt and I often wish it were larger.
I love taking it to work and sharing whatever I decide to make. It also makes the office smell amazing all morning. 🙂
I follow you regularly but this is my first comment. I think you are doing great things!
Just wanted to share that I have the Hamilton Beach crock you linked to, and I love it. Cooks nicely. The clamp part is only necessary for transport so if you are not going to travel with a full crock then save yourself some money and get a standard programmable.
You can make any crockpot the programmable kind (or any appliance for that matter) by plugging it in to one of those timers you put on a lamp while you're out of town to make it look like there's someone home turning the light on and off.
I have a 1.5qt and as a college student it is normally good to feed 2 people I would recommend going with a 6qt or the 3.5qt it depends on what you cook. I love my moms 6qt to throw a huge pork roast in and then freeze it for meals later.
Go big or go home!! No seriously though, I rarely eat out, and will my schedule I manage to make one big thing (just as much work as making the same size but smaller) and freeze it in several containers for multiple meals later in the month. One week of cooking something big every other day will get me through a couple weeks.
Thanks for all the great comments about crockpots. I think 6 qt might be too big for us only because our freezer is small. When I have used 3.5 qt, we have had leftovers for one or sometimes two meals, but there have been times when we have had to throw leftovers out. I'm intrigued by the use of 1.5 qt slow cooker for oatmeal. Sounds terrific!
I have the crockpot below and absolutely love it.
http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33134-Cooker-6-Quart/dp/B000R8BT0A/ref=sr_1_15?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1288829112&sr=1-15