Save The Crocker
Brrrr….. Sorry, I have to say it!
I finally got to the gym! It’s been a few days and frankly, I wasn’t missing it. It’s the exercise funk that’s hit me. But, I decided to get back to my normal drop-kids-at school-go-to-gym routine and see if that would help.
Before I left, I had a whole wheat cinnamon raisin english muffin topped with 1 tbsp. homemade almond butter …
No press; I was in a hurry 
I got to the gym (which is still surprisingly crowded) and headed to the Arc Trainer . I did 35 minutes with resistance of 20. I kept my strides on the slower side – about 130 strides per minute. I still got a pretty good pump though.
After the gym, I ran a few errands and hit the supermarket for a couple things. A couple things. Why does that always turn out to be 80 dollars at checkout?? I need to get better at coupon clipping like my super shopper bud, Heather!
I was ready for lunch a little earlier than usual. I’m really trying to eat through the freezer, so I dug out a semi-freezer burned Boca Grilled Vegetable Burger . I put it with 2 slices of Dave’s Killer Bread , 2% cheese, spinach and wasabi mustard. I had some Snyder’s Eat Smart Multigrain Cheese Puffs on the side and another no bake brownie ball topped with homemade almond butter…
In the afternoon, I got snacky. I know I wasn’t hungry. I was just looking for stuff to eat. I’m not sure what my trigger was and I didn’t exactly work too hard to figure it out. I just ate.
Snack number one was a Larabar PB & J bar…
Snack number two was this new frozen yogurt…
Hey, it’s good for me, right?
While I was doing all this snacking, dinner was cooking away in “The Crocker”. I’ve talked about my love/hate relationship with the crock pot. I LOVE the idea of it being a time-saver, however, I HATE almost everything I make in it. I think my crock pot cooks hot, so I can never follow a recipe’s cook time instructions or else the meat/chicken/pork turns out “falling apart” for a like a minute, but then, is shoe leather.
I decided to try a roast beef in it this time. I actually cooked it frozen in the hopes of getting a better, more juicy result. The poor husband came in, said something smelled good, then saw The Crocker and a look of fear came over his face. I told him that this time would be different. This time The Crocker is gonna work out. He tried to be supportive, but the doubt was THERE. You could cut it with a knife. We decided that we would think positively. It would all be okay. And if not, I agreed to say good-bye to The Crocker. The husband said we would ceremoniously bring it into the backyard and have at it with a sledgehammer. Such violence! Can’t we all just get along????
The moment of truth came. I dished out dinner: Roast beef au jus with carrots, leftover Giant White Beans and salad with Kraft Light Three Cheese Dressing…
It was okay! I ended up checking the meat with a meat thermometer and took it out way before the stated cooking time because it was done. If I hadn’t, the roast would have been very overcooked. Hence, shoe leather.
The Crocker lives!!!!
Total – 35 POINTS (ugh! I’ve dipped into an awful lot of my WAP this week)
Have a great day, everyone!
What is your favorite crock pot recipe? Clearly, I need help!
Questions? Email me! aloserforlife@gmail.com
40 comments
I don’t know how I’d live without my crockpot. One of my favorites, which is actually half done in the crock and half on the stove is a great beef stirfry http://mbsings.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/open-air/.
My other go to dish is Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/04/crockpot-20-to-40-clove-garlic-chicken.html. The main key here is you have to use peeled garlic, it makes all the difference.
Brrrr… is definitely in order! Its way too cold.
Have a great day Marisa
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
Thanks!
I noticed that when I dipped into my ‘extra points’ during the week..esp. on one day and then got back to it..I lost more weight. It’s all part of the ‘Wendy Plan’. It works.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:24 pm
*fingers crossed* But, for me it seems that when I dip into my WAP (more than 17 POINTS), I won’t lose. Maybe things have changed…
Mmmm! That ice cream looks insane!
I love to make crock pot steel cut oats. A lot.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Great idea!
I love the crockpot, but I haven’t used it in awhile. I definitely need to pull it out; winter is the best time to use it! I like to just make a stew with veggies & meat in my crockpot, but I’ve made other things, too.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:22 pm
I need to try stew next!
I cook everything in my crockpot. Oatmeal, rice, quinoa, chicken verde, venison,chilli,…whatever I need to cook but don’t want to watch. If fact I use it so much that it is starting to look a little scary…maybe I need to get a new one:)!
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:21 pm
That all sounds great!
My husband will gladly send you mine
I cook a lot of things in my crocker, but I don’t follow the recipe times (mine cooks hot too, it has 2 settings hot and hotter). My favorite is to through potatoes in it on high for a few hours, makes the fluffiest baked potatoes…hmmmm I should try sweet potatoes in it!
I’m going back to check out your almond butter recipe in the post
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
That’s brilliant!
Everytime I use the crockpot I have to put everything in frozen as well. The roast looks better than any of mine ever did..
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Thank you! You are making me feel better…
I love my crock- pot, in fact I have two of them! I have a shredded Mexican chicken recipe that is a family favorite. I posted it on my blog and it fits well into the WW food plan. The chicken is full of flavor and very moist. We use it for tacos, burritos and taco salads. I will be cooking a roast beef with an awesome onion gravy in the crock-pot later this week. My Grandmother’s Vegetable soup is another low calorie entree that works well in a slow cooker and my family loves my beef stroganoff that is slow cooked. Yeah, I really do like the crock-pot!
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:12 pm
All sounds delicious! I will check out your blog for recipes.
I have a really yummy recipe on my blog today for Crockpot Cheesy Chicken that my whole family loves.
Tomorrow I’m making a beef stew in the Crocker and will share the recipe. It’s REALLY good.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Thanks, Kel. I will try that!
your roast looks delish! i never use my crock pot… but my husband made some amazing red chili in it once, yummy!
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Yay for “Husbands Who Love The Crocker” !
Kill that crockpot and get a new one, mine is amazing and works every time. It even has a removable stone liner so you can take it right to the sink.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Haha! The husband would love to kill it! No eulogy either
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Oh and mine has the removable liner, too. I just think it gets too hot and overcooks stuff.
hooray for that the crockpot lives!!!
this is my fav:
Cheesy Crockpot Chicken (3 pts)
2 pounds Chicken breasts without skin
2 cans 98% fat free Cream of Chicken soup
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Place chicken breasts in the crock-pot. Mix the undiluted soups together with the garlic powder and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours, until chicken is tender. Serve over rice or noodles (don’t forget to add these POINTS). Makes 8 servings.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:14 pm
Thanks, Darci. Sounds yummy!
Maybe you should bust out those fabulous flash cards of yours again to steer clear of the snacking? I thought those were great and you really seemed to respond well to them! Congrats on making it back to the gym!
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Maura, you are so right. I thought about it for a split second, but sadly, chose eating instead of trying to distract myself from the desire. It wasn’t a good choice and I felt badly about it afterward knowing that I could have stopped it. Hopefully, next time I’ll remember the feeling I had and help myself
I just got a crock pot for Christmas and am still in the beginners phase of cooking. Your dinner looks delish!
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Hopefully, Carlos likes your stuff better than my hubs!
Hey, Marisa, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my crockpot, especially on the weekends after spending the day at the rink. Coming home to a hot cooked meal is a winner, because I’m famished when I get home, ready to eat the kitchen cabinets!
So many favorites thought. Let’s see, I really, really love to make chili in the crock. The longer it cooks, the better. Pasta is another one that is great in the crockpot. Pork roast and sauerkraut is yummy, and this weekend, I did a big hunk of ham with cabbage and potatoes.
Right now, I’d be loving something in the crockpot since this cold is kicking my butt! Just sent hubby down to Sams Club to pick up his prescription and asked him to get a rotisserie Chicken for dinner ’cause no way I’m cooking tonight.
Marisa Reply:
February 2nd, 2010 at 2:19 pm
It all sounds great, Reen. You need to send me some recipes!
I’m glad that the crockpot worked for you this time. I have the same issues (as you know). I find that soups and the like are better in the crock pot. So sad
OMG all of your crockpot recipes sound delicious. I rarely use mine but would like to use it more. Must check out some of these recipes! Darci, yours sounds excellent and easy!!
mmm that ice cream looks fantasticcccc!!!
My crock pot doesn’t like me either…
I have a really cheap one, and I’m blaming it on that! I’m always so jealous when I see fabulous crock pot creations…
Glad you made it to the gym! Good job!
I love my crock! hubby likes most stuff but he HATES stringy meat…so I am always on the lookout for recipes that will not make stringy meat. I just made this awesome Shrimp Creole recipe I found in the WW slow cooker book…awesome !
Keep trying! I love my crock and it is a lifesave!
never used a slow cooker…but some of the soup recipes people post..like Kath sound awesome.
I finally had a Larabar and holy YUM, it was awesome. It even kept me full during a 3 hour class!
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