Crockpot tips from Allison

Crockpots are so easy and nice! Really, I make a lot of normal recipes in the crockpot, just alter the amount of liquid a bit. For example, most bean recipes do well in the crockpot and I make pork roasts in there a lot. Throw a pork roast in with your favorite BBQ sauce, make sure you have some hamburger buns on hand, and you have BBQ sandwiches. Not real ones, of course, but nice enough that the family like them. Find a normal soup recipe that doesn't require much fussing around, and you're probably good with a crockpot. I often saute some of the veggies first. I've taken to making a marinara sauce in the crockpot as well -- that way it can simmer all day while I'm going in and out so I'm not stuck inside for two hours. Toward the end I brown meatballs and throw them in as well.