Learning to Big-Batch Cook

Ok, by now you've probably realized that I'm a lazy person. Not lazy as in 'I don't do things' lazy but lazy as in 'I want to save as much time and only do it once' person! My grandma used to tell me when I'd dusted only about 10 times, 'if you're going to do, do it right the first time! That will save you time in the long run.' Yeah right, if you're grandmother is going to follow you around all the time I'm sure it would!

She did have a point though. I have learned over the years that doing it right meant things like cleaning as you go, putting it where you found it and throwing it way if it was trash instead of laying it aside. I have applied it to cooking also.

I really like to eat and I am pretty picky about what I eat. I like good tasting things that really don't have a lot of extra stuff put in for artificial flavor. Eating out is not only expensive but anymore, I don't know what is being used or who is doing what to it in the back. It makes me want to eat at home much more often!

I'm going to share a trick I call big-batch cooking with you over the next few weeks. It's my trick so you can change it to fit your family, no matter how many there are. I started this back when there were only 2 of us and now that we have 4 in the family and many meal stragglers eating, I really rely on this!

The first tip is to get a westbend slow cooker. It is not a crockpot. It will brown meat and you don't have to stand over it like a pot on the stove. I have worn out one and am about 3 years into another. Here's a post from amazon.com that shows you what I'm talking about.

http://www.amazon.com/West-Bend-84905-5-Quart-Oblong-Shaped/dp/B001AH5H0A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1263409169&sr=8-1

It is the best for cooking 5 pounds of hamburger, ground turkey, buffalo or whatever you use. It will also cook a roast with potatoes, carrots, etc. in about 1/2 the time it takes to make it in the crockpot. The bottom is a griddle though with 4 of us in the family, I use a big griddle.

If you don't have room for the slow cooker, you can do everything I am going to write about in a skillet. It will just need to be watched carefully as it cooks. I just don't have the time, thus the big batch cooking!

Tomorrow, I'll post how to get started.....
Have a blessed day!