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Crock and Roll Baby!

by Mary Catherine Brutz
02/04/2008

Let’s face it. There are over 35,000 college students living in Athens... most without mothers to prepare a hot dinner every night. This lack of TLC has led most students to eat out for every meal or consume large amounts of pre-packaged foods, emptying their wallets and squandering their daily nutritional needs. The stereotype is true: Ramen noodles are indeed a primary source of fuel for many students. Whether this problem stems from lack of knowledge, money or time depends on the individual, but it is still a dilemma nonetheless.

One issue for students is that many recipes call for a variety of herbs and spices, which can cost a pretty penny. However, on the other side of the spectrum, there are now foods available in supermarkets that take mere minutes to prepare, such as rice that only needs 90 seconds in the microwave, pre-cooked, pre-sliced chicken breasts, or frozen pasta mixes that merely need heating in a skillet. While these options are quicker and easier, we are becoming people who no longer take the time to prepare a simple home-cooked meal.

Luckily, there is a great solution to this problem: Crock pots. Also known as a slow-cooker, this small kitchen appliance should be in every apartment, loft or house in Athens. Crock pots slowly cook meals throughout the day, resulting in hot savory dishes by the time dinner rolls around. They are easily affordable, with prices starting at only $13 and can be purchased practically anywhere, from Target and Wal-Mart to Big Lots and department stores.

Sadly, crock pots are overlooked most of the time, but are simple to use. It is as easy as 1-2-3: buy your ingredients; put them in the pot, and bam! Dinner. Just assemble in the morning before you go to class or when you are home for lunch, and then go about your day as normal. That’s it.

The following recipes fulfill every college students cooking needs. They are cheap, nutritious, use few ingredients and are, most of all, delicious. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen as well. Just think of how proud your mother will be.

Easy Crock Pot Roast
From: personal family recipe

1 beef roast
1 package onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Mix soup with a little water and add onion soup mix – mix well. Put roast in crock pot. Pour soup mixture on top. Cover well and cook on high for 6-8 hours. If desired, add small carrots the last hour or so. Makes great gravy to go with mashed potatoes.

Oriental Chicken
From Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
½ cup low sodium soy sauce
½ cup honey
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds, optional

Mix together soy sauce, honey, and sesame seeds, if desired. Place chicken in slow cooker, spooning 2 Tbsp. of soy-honey-seeds mixture over each chicken breast. Pour any remaining sauce over top after all chicken is in the cooker. Cook on low 4-6 hours, or until meat juices run clear. Goes great over rice.

Slow Cooker Lasagna
From www.myrecipes.com

1 pound ground chuck
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (28-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce (we tested with Ragú Chunky Garden-Style)
1/3 cup water
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
1 (4 1/2-ounce) jar mushrooms
1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
Cook beef and Italian seasoning in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until beef crumbles; drain. Combine spaghetti sauce and water in a small bowl.
Place 4 uncooked noodles in bottom of a lightly greased 5-quart electric slow cooker. Layer with half each of beef mixture, spaghetti sauce mixture, and mushrooms.
Spread ricotta cheese over mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining noodles, meat, sauce mixture, mushrooms, and mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on HIGH setting 1 hour; reduce heat and cook on LOW setting 5 hours.

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