I've felt too busy to cook lately so I've been eating quick meals of yogurt or scrambled eggs or soup from a can. I've been working a lot of hours and traveling, and actually staying out late at a few parties. My work-life balance has shifted slightly less heavily towards "work," which I guess is a good thing. Maybe it's spring, but I'm feeling a need for creative energy/expression again. I found out about a local metalsmithing course, while visiting a local bakery, which was all just wonderfully being in the right place at the right time.

Crockpot Venture #1: Not a Failure

So I made my first crock pot entree today. I kind of tweaked out, to be honest. Note to self: do not attempt to cook poultry in the morning; it's a bit of a strain.

I had assembled the vegetarian ingredients last night in the crock, but started trying to research browning the meat and came across too many articles about salmonella and temperature of chicken etc etc. So I decided to brown the meat this morning, but then tweaked out about putting it in the cold liquid. So, I ended up putting it in the oven at 350 and baking it while the crock pot heated up, which was a pretty good solution on the temperature issue but then ended up cooking the ginormous chicken breast all the way through. So I put it cooked in the soup crockpot and hoped for the best. But I worried all day that the chicken was going to be the consistency of a beach ball. But, when I came home, the house smelled amazing (thanks cumin, and thanks to Rotelle chili flavored tomatoes) and the chicken was good. A little dry, but definitely not "beach ball" in texture. And the house didn't burn down.

Isn't the whole point of crock pot cooking that it's not neurotic? I'll have to remember that next time.