There’s simply nothing better like the smell of dinner cooking as you walk through the front door.

After a long day at work, the aroma welcomes you back home. But wait… Dinner is really almost ready??? You have been gone all day… yes, the Crock-Pot has magically been slowly simmering your dinner nonstop and the smell of a delicious dinner yet to come is wafting throughout your home. The aroma is welcoming you back, like two little, happy puppies wagging their tails anxiously awaiting to greet you as you enter the front door.

Crock-Pot recipes are a mainstay in the playbook of comfort foods 101 in my opinion. The advantages of using a crock-pot or a slow cooker are plentiful. For one, the crock-pot will use less electricity than cooking a full meal on your stovetop.

Another advantage of using a crock-pot, Family evening meals can be prepared ahead of time… meaning that it can save you time, and of course, less dishes to clean up after the meal! If you are a meal planning cook, the crock-pot is for you! That’s a definite win in the family meal game plan!

The last advantage of using a crock-pot is simply the monetary savings from each grocery store trip. When you slow cook in the crock-pot, you can buy a tougher cut of meat ( saving a bit of money) and it will come out tender after cooking low and slow all day long. Crock-pots are designed to tenderize and add complexity of flavors to your protein as it simmers low and slow. The slow cooking process helps to preserve the nutrients. In a higher heat setting, those nutrients can be rapidly broken down, reducing the flavor profile.

As I write this blog post, I realize that some are probably rolling their eyes saying, “good grief girl, get in the 21st century and buy an instant pot”. Here’s my reply… Well, honestly I don’t want one. I love the idea of prepping before I leave for the day, and simmering my food low and slow all day long… nothing beats spaghetti sauce that’s been cooking all day long in the crock-pot and we love it. I’m the “set it and forget it until later” meal game planner.

I don’t think of a crock-pot meal as a “boring meal” that is often repetitive… week after week… “Mom, we are eating the same old stuff” type meals… that’s the whole point of “Crocktober”. Thinking outside of the usual crock-pot mindset and experimenting with new ways to use the traditional slow cooker.

SO…. Here’s a sampling of some of the amazing products that Wilkes County Hardware has to offer you that could add some extra flavor to your favorite proteins or vegetables slowly simmering away in your crock-pot. Hopefully you can find a bit of inspiration for some new “Crocktober Recipes” to make for your family.

Let’s celebrate the month of October with the Crock-pot… and get the slow simmer going … it’s Crocktober time!

FYI: Two recipes are linked in this blog post if y’all are curious… Happy slow cooking!