Crock Pot Cooking

Yesterday I took my first foray into crock pot cooking. I received a triple threat crockery apparatus for Christmas and have been looking for an excuse to try it out. Casual entertaining seemed to be the ticket. I prepared apricot shredded pork in two of the containers and a polenta-style corn casserole in the third. I'm happy to say the food was a hit with our friends who raved over the shredded pork and gobbled up all the side dishes. (We had potato salad, coleslaw, and edamame dip with chips to round out the meal.)

The best thing about the whole endeavor was the aroma. The house was permeated with the scent of slowly cooking pork roast with onions caramelizing among spices and apricot preserves. After inhaling this tantalizing scent all day, I had to have a bite or two before everyone arrived. After shredding the roast and returning it to the thickened sauce, I stirred the pots in anticipation. As you may recall, I am locked in an ongoing struggle over eating meat. But this smelled so heavenly I gave in, and I was not disappointed. The roast was tender and juicy. The sauce had just the right amount of sweetness and spice. I think I could have eaten the entire dish, but friends were coming, so two bites was my limit.

The polenta-style corn casserole was a hit. Even my husband, who isn't always fond of this type of dish, liked it. It was, however, a little bland for me. The recipe had green chilies and cheese, but still didn't have a bite or a real personality. I did like the texture, though. The cornmeal made it thick and hearty while the kernels of corn made it more chewable on the palette. The recipe suggests chilling it overnight and serving it re-heated or at room temperature, and I think it was actually better when we had it leftover today. I will probably make this dish again, but use it as a base for something spicy. If not, it could be doctored with some interesting ingredients to kick it up a notch. I'm thinking some chipotle sauce and chopped tomatoes. It might also be good with a little sweetness added to balance out something spicier. For example, I think it would be good to use apple juice instead of vegetable broth, and toss in some dried apples for texture.

All in all, I had a good experience with crock pot cooking. It was easy and the food was piping hot and delicious. I would like to use the pots to make evening meals easier, but I'm not sure about leaving them on all day when no one is home. I know that's what they're for, but the paranoid part of brain would spend the day worrying the house was burning down. In addition, mornings are hectic around here, and I don't foresee time to put together dinner before making breakfast. One answer may be to allow the dishes to cook overnight and put them in the fridge to be reheated at dinner time. I'll let you know how that works out.

[The recipes "Shredded Apricot Pork Sandwiches" and "Polenta-Style Corn Casserole" were taken from the Rival Crock Pot Recipe Card Collection, copyright 2007 by Publications International, Ltd.]