The weather has warmed, and we're spending more and more time out in the yard. 

I love it.

But I STILL use my slow cookers more often than not for our family dinners, and I urge you to, too.

Slow cookers take up very little electricity to run when compared to your stove or oven, and they do not heat your kitchen up the way those other appliances do. 

You're not going to notice that your AC is struggling to keep the kitchen cool, and you're not going to be standing over a hot stove, trying not to drip into your pasta sauce.

(ew. that's really gross, steph.)

I've listed my favorite ways to use the cooker below --- if you've got a family favorite, add it to the list!

FISH
Love, love, love fish packets in the slow cooker. The fish steams perfectly in a foil or parchment-paper packet and you get a beautiful, flaky finished result without stinking (or heating!) up your kitchen.

FISH

Lemon and Rosemary Chicken
We make this chicken pretty often, and I like to use the leftovers on top of salads or in chicken sandwiches. If you don't want to mess around with a whole bird, dump in a bunch of your favorite frozen boneless, skinless pieces and then add the seasonings.

lemon rosemary chicken

 
Pesto Spinach Lasagna
This lasagna rocks. It's vegetarian, so it's automatically lighter than most lasagnas, and because you've got pesto layered in it each and every bite is absolutely bursting with loads of flavor. 

Put your basil crop to good use this summer!

pesto spinach lasagna

Lentil and Kale Super Food
Kale is good for you. Lentils are too. And together they work to create a great casserole that will keep you swimsuit-ready the entire season. 

(an added bonus? this tastes good. PROMISE.)




Hot Dogs
And let us not forget that you can fit 60 HOT DOGS INTO ONE POT!

and that there is pretty darn impressive.




Basil Chicken with Feta
More basil! This Mediterranean-inspired dish that will keep all the picky people in your house happy.



Cowboy Beef and Bean Sandwiches
although cowboys might not actually eat their sandwiches on rice cakes....?

beef and bean sandwiches

 
Applesauce
And while I certainly have quite a few desserts you can make in the crock, my favorite not-too-sweet dessert in the summer is Applesauce. 

We eat it both hot or cold --- and the kids love to add whipped cream and ice cream to their bowls for an even more decadent treat.

I blinked, and now it's the end of the school year. 

It's full-on summer mode in our house, which means that any sort of schedule or sense of parental control has gone completely out the window. 

I was good for about a week --- I kept the TV off between 10 and 4 and we were outside more than in, and the kids were cooperating with me and each other.

it was blissful.

and then it ended.

I now have a sore throat from all the yelling...

We're trying to camp as many weekends as we can this summer. 

We're  not doing anything spectacular -- just staying close to home and testing out different campgrounds within an hour or two from the house. 

We are the proud new owners of a tiny pop-up tent trailer, and we love it. I must admit that I'm not the best camper in the world, but I'm really trying to get better. 

I love the idea of unplugging for a bit here and there, and I think it's important for the kids to get dirty and not freak out when they come across bugs. 

I'm acutely aware that I'm raising three girls, and am trying my hardest to expose them to as much as I can and foster self-sufficiency.

the best part of the pop-up? It has outlets. For the crockpot(s). 

A bit of comfort from home is not a bad thing, right?

Top 10 Baked Bean Recipes:

1. Bourbon Baked Beans

2. Potluck Beans

3. Boston Baked Beans

4. Lima Bean Casserole Cassoulet

5. Mexican Black Beans

6. Honey Lentils

7. Cowboy Beans

8. Barbecue Beans and Weenies

9. Baked Beans with Jalapeño and Apple

10. Baked Bean Soup

Have a wonderful and safe summer. Enjoy your family!!

Carnitas are a fun, Mexican dish that has a great tangy flavor. Traditionally it is slow roasted pork seasoned with citrus flavors and then topped with your favorite toppings.

 Using the crockpot slow cooker to slow roast the meat provides a slow steady heat which causes the pork to nicely fall apart all on it's own without needing lots of liquid.

[originally posted in 2010.]





Hello there! I have exciting news!


This news is probably more exciting to me than to you, but trust me---it's exciting nevertheless.

And I'm pretty sure you will never guess what my news is.

nope. that's not it.

nope. it's not that either!

My super duper exciting news is that somehow I don't seem to be allergic to pork anymore. 

I have no idea how it happened, but I started sneaking *real* bacon here and there at restaurants when I was pregnant, and then I got kind of gutsy and had *real* baby back ribs, and then all of a sudden I was eating pulled pork and ham.

My mind is totally and completely blown.

So I made carnitas. In the slow cooker.

And now so should you!

The Ingredients.
serves 6.

2 pounds pork shoulder
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 large orange)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 large lime)
7 cloves garlic (whole intact)
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 cup beef broth
corn tortillas
sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado (optional)

The Directions.

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the salt and cumin. 

Rub mixture all over the pork, then plop into the slow cooker. 

Add whole garlic cloves. Squeeze on the citrus, and pour the beef broth evenly over the top.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the pork shreds quite easily with a fork. 

If your meat is still fully intact after 8 hours, remove and cut into chunks, then return to the crock and flip to high for about an hour or two.

Shred meat fully and serve on warmed corn tortillas with desired toppings.

The Verdict.

This is so totally good. 

I adored the citrusy flavor of the meat, and the slight smokiness from the cumin. If you don't eat pork, try using an inexpensive beef chuck roast instead of the pork shoulder. 

Adam and the girls all liked their dinner, and I'm so beyond thrilled that due to some bizarre fluke of nature I can eat pork again.

~~knock on wood~~