I want this.....

[Winchester]

http://www.crock-pot.com/slow-cookers   It's the middle one in the last row on the page. It's a 9 x 13-inch slow cooker. 

There are so many dishes I can make in this slow cooker! I've often wondered why they didn't make one in this size. 9 x 13 is pretty standard. Cakes, for example. I could make my baked ziti in that thing. Delmonico potatoes. Baked corn for the holiday dinner. (I already do my stuffing in a crock pot.) Lasagna. My crock pot hot sausages for hot sausage sandwiches. All kinds of casseroles. Bet it would make good mac and cheese. And kind of casserole could be modified, I think. Shouldn't be difficult. (I wouldn't make tuna and noodles or lasagna in a big round crock pot, but I would try it in this one.)

Rick just kind of looked at me and said, "Do we REALLY need yet another crock pot, dear?" But I like the size and the design of this versus a standard crock pot.....know what I mean? Easier to transport to my sister's house and to friends when I take something to share for dinner. I'm very intrigued and I am a big fan of cooking in the crock pot. I love coming home from work and having dinner ready. 

One in blue, please. Or red. Red would be good, too. 

What do you think? A good investment or mehhhhhh?

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

Good investment. I have seen similar one at Target or Wal Mart and have thought how good it would be for certain casseroles.

 

[sivyaleah]

Ok, that's pretty brilliant for sizing.  I've been thinking about getting another one also.  I certainly use the one I have more than plenty.  

 

[MoochNNoodles]

That's pretty cool!  My mom and I were swapping crock pots because she had 2 large and I had 2 regular.  We decided to trade one each so we don't have to do that anymore.  IMHO: you can never have too many!  

 

[Winchester]

I agree! I think we're at 4 right now, but they come in handy and they all have their uses and I use them all at one time or another. I have a large, 5-quart (I think it is), one of the old ones. Green stone insert and it has grapes on it. I keep it in the cabinet above the fridge and I've been thinking about moving it to a more accessible location because I'm constantly dragging a chair over to the cabinet to get it out and then put it back after it's been washed. I use it for pulled pork, for crock pot beans, for my crock pot stuffing, for pot roast. It gets a workout. I have that little one that you can use for warm dips and such; it's great when it's just Rick and me, but it's too small to use when we have company.  (My sister has the same 5-quart one, only in blue and she sold hers at a yard sale. She offered it to me first, and I thought about taking it, but then I told her to go ahead and sell it. She used it twice, she thought, in the 20 years she's had it. Mom gave them to us one year for Christmas.)

One of them I think I'm going to discard, though, because I'm having problems with it. It has a metal insert and, every time I use it lately, I'm burning the food in it. I don't know if it's cooking too fast or if that metal insert gets too hot or what, but I'm tired of using it and burning my food. I did stuffing, crock pot beans in it, and even two small Cornish hens. And even at the lowest setting, the food scorches. So....I'm thinking I could get rid of that one and get the casserole crock pot instead.

I did see a review about the casserole one, though, where somebody said that it cooks slower than regular crock pots, so I don't know. It might do that because of the height of this one versus the regular ones. If I get it, I'm going to have to experiment with some recipes before I try something for a holiday dinner. 

But I am very intrigued with this one.

 

[jcat]

That's the size/shape I have - it's very convenient. I'm just sorry I didn't get one with a timer.

 

[Winchester]

That's the size/shape I have - it's very convenient. I'm just sorry I didn't get one with a timer.

I didn't even know they came with a timer....will have to check that out. Thanks!

 

[di and bob]

I got one at Walmart and love it! I do like the 9x13 size and how it is shallower, have already made lasagna! I'm so glad they lock now too for traveling.

 

[stewball]

That's pretty cool!  My mom and I were swapping crock pots because she had 2 large and I had 2 regular.  We decided to trade one each so we don't have to do that anymore.  IMHO: you can never have too many!  

I don't have any nor did my mum. I don't know what to do with them! :'(

 

[stewball]

I'd love to get one but I hardly cook so what would be the pro's and con's.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I'd love to get one but I hardly cook so what would be the pro's and con's.

They are very good "fix it and forget it" type things.  You just need to plan ahead a little.  For example on Thursday I put a roast in, diced 1 potato, threw in a handful of baby carrots and half a container of sliced baby portobella mushrooms.  I covered it all with a pre-made sauce and 8 hours later I had a beautiful, tender and FLAVORFUL roast.  I served it with egg noodles.  One thing I use it for a lot is chicken. I use a can or two of condensed soup, a dash of pepper and that's it.  I also serve that over egg noodles or rice.  

I don't like using it when I won't be home; it is an appliance after all.  But that is what they were designed to do.  There are many many recipes you can find online; from breakfast to dessert.  I use it to make tomato sauce also.  Slow cooking really helps the meat be juicy and tender.

 

[Winchester]

Got it today! In Plum! My Christmas present to me, from me. I'm probably going to use it tomorrow! 

 

[jcat]

Got it today! In Plum! My Christmas present to me, from me. I'm probably going to use it tomorrow! :nod:

Enjoy it!

 

[margecat]

I found this thread too late, but I was going to say, "Yes, woman--you DO need it." 

  I can't wait to hear all about it!!!!

I love my standard Crock Pots! One died 2 weeks ago, so we replaced it Friday night. We have 3, plus a Little Dipper, and a Bella 3-small pot one, that are in a base, and used for serving. On Sundays, I often have 2-3 of the big guys going. I portion the food out, and freeze it for the week's dinners. Mom used to use one all the time, and I try not to cook soup, stew or meat any other way. I miss her Crock Pot macaroni cheese.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I found this thread too late, but I was going to say, "Yes, woman--you DO need it." :lol3:   I can't wait to hear all about it!!!!

Yes! We need a full review so I can decide if I too need one.

 

[Winchester]

Yes! We need a full review so I can decide if I too need one.

Yeah. You need one!

It came with a small booklet of Campbell's recipes for use. I don't use much in the way of Cream of Anything soups, so I'm not really interested in the booklet all that much. I may try a couple of them, but I don't know. I used a recipe for Balsamic-Braised Meatloaf from The Great American Slow Cooker Book that I bought a few months ago. 

We had dinner about 30 minutes ago. The recipe said about 8 hours, but it was more like 6 from the time I got the crock pot started until it was done. That was for 2 pounds of ground beef, plus the ingredients, plus the potato wedges and the carrots. It made a nice casserole full. When I tested it, the meatloaf was right at 155 degrees, so with a 15-minute standing time, it would have gone to 160 degrees with no trouble; I didn't re-test it, but I'm sure it wasn't a problem. The crock cleaned up nicely.

The meat loaf did not stick at all and it came out in one piece (Rick makes a better meatloaf than I do; mine tend to break when I'm trying to get them out of the pan). This lifted right out in one piece with no problem.

My only complaint was that it had way too much liquid and I need to remember to cut back next time. That was my fault, not the crock pot's problem. I poured the liquid into my sauce pan and simmered it down to thicken it, so it was no big deal.

I think the casserole is too big for just Rick and me, but in a way, that's probably good, too. I tend to cook for the freezer quite often and this way, I'll have extras for Rick's lunches and for the freezer. A larger family, like yours, Mooch, would probably be perfect for this crock pot.

I don't worry about plugging it in when I'm not home. That's what it's for and I have no worries at all. It has a very short cord, so you'll have to keep it back against the wall very close to a plug. (I can still use it in the basement on top of the washer; the cord will extend that far....but not much farther than that).

I am very pleased and would recommend it! 

 (And did I mention that I got it in Plum?!  

 )

 

[stewball]

They are very good "fix it and forget it" type things.  You just need to plan ahead
little.  For example on Thursday I put a roast in, diced 1 potato, threw in a handful of baby carrots and half a container of sliced baby portobel
mushrooms.  I covered it all with a pre-made sauce and 8 hours later I had a beautiful, tender and FLAVORFUL roast.  I served it with egg noodles.  One thing I use it for a lot is chicken. I use a can or two of condensed soup, a dash of pepper and that's it.  I also serve that over egg noodles or rice.  

I don't like using it when I won't be home;
it is an appliance after all.  But that is what they were designed to do.  There are many many recipes you can find online; from breakfast to dessert.  I use it to make tomato sauce also.  Slow cooking really helps the meat be juicy and tender.

thank you. My only problem is i can't get tins of creamed soups. Only soup powders of all different flavours.
If you're home all the time then what's the pros!

 

[stewball]

Got it today! In Plum! My Christmas present to me, from me. I'm probably going to use it tomorrow! :nod:

congratulations. Use it in health.

 

[stewball]

@MoochNNoodles

when you say a roast what do you mean and what sort of sauce did you make?

 

[Kat0121]

 
Got it today! In Plum! My Christmas present to me, from me. I'm probably going to use it tomorrow! 

Nice. Those presents are the best ones. Enjoy!! I love that the lid locks on. I want one, too! Crock pots come in so handy for holiday meals. I love them for cooking in advance and using them to keep stuff warm.