One of my clients has 4 young boys and has shared her helpful hints on how she manages them all. One thing she raves about is the crock-pot for dealing with those hectic dinner times.The Crock-Pot! I haven't used mine in many years.
I have one of the originals which I got it in 1972. There were slow cookers before that. Apparently Irving Naxon, of Naxon Utilities in Chicago, developed the Naxon Beanery All-Purpose Cooker which was one of the original slow cookers. The Rival Company bought Naxon in 1970 and came out with the slower cooker under the Crock-pot name in 1971. The brand now belongs to Sunbeam, although there are many copies of the same cooker from many different appliance makers.
As I recall, my crock-pot use was limited to beef stew or chuck roasts, or the occasional whole chicken. Have times changed! My client makes mac n cheese in hers as well as meatloaf, quesadillas, lasagna, just to name a few of her family's favorites.
When my kids were small, using the Crock-pot gave me the feeling of being organized and efficient - two things I am struggling with now. So I have resurrected it from the depths of my cabinets and have been firing it up on a regular basis. The internet has tons of recipes dedicated to crock-pot cooking. I need only to point and click to expand my crock-pot menus. It does give me the feeling of being more in control at the end of the day when the house is mayhem with hungry dogs and kids, all wanting my attention at the same time. And the kids seem to be enjoying the meals.
Many thanks to my client with the young family who helped me rediscover something old and extremely helpful.
Yesterday, meatloaf...tomorrow...?
Cheerio, then - and happy cooking!
Tish