Kitchen fabric, Braemore Tureen Garden in Crimson. 
You know, sometimes it's the small things in life that give us the most excitement! My old crockpot bit the dust recently (hairline crack almost all the way across). It was after all, about 10 years old, so it had seen better days. We got a giftcard for Christmas, so off to Walmart I went in search of a new crockpot. 
Found this sleek red baby & now it's at home with us. I love cooking meat in the crockpot. It's great for pork roasts & beef roasts. Put some seasoning in there & leave it for about 6 hours & you have a great meal. This one came with a bonus Little Dipper, which I already had (an old one, which I gave to my friend, Debbie), but this one is red. I love red!
Since I haven't shared this with you before, if you don't regularly cook pork or beef in the crockpot, you're missing out on a great (and easy) cooking experience. These seasoning packets from Grill Mates are wonderful! I get them at Walmart for about 58 cents a package. I don't use them the normal way (mix them with oil & water & make a marinade). I open a package of dry seasoning mix, dump it over the meat in the crockpot (frozen or thawed), cook for about 6-7 hours on low & it comes out like this. It shreds so well after I cut through it with a knife:
The meat falls apart & is fork tender. The seasoning really cooks into the meat & it is delicious. I don't usually add much water, but if you MUST add water, only add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. I did notice that this new crockpot seems to cook hotter on Low, so I will have to adjust the added water. The meat will make it's own juices & you will have a delicious, tender pork or beef roast all ready to eat after about 6-7 hours on low. I promise, it's that easy! For years, I had been adding way too much water to my crockpot meat (covering it completely in liquid)...big mistake, it was almost dry when I took it out of all that liquid. But, I finally got the clue to not use a lot of water. And it's that simple & easy. It's so nice to put the meat in & leave it. I sometimes put it in frozen, but thawed is great too. Either way, it's done when you're ready for it! Try it and let me know how it works for you! I do this all the time. My little red accessory will be working for me.
45 friends stopped by:
That is a classy new crockpot there, Rhoda. Love red, too.
I use the Grill Mates for marinating meat for the grill all the time, but never thought to use them on roasts in the crockpot. Thanks for that hint~~I will try it.
I love my crockpot, but I like yours much better! I just found "a year of crockpotting" on today's creative... it's at the top of my list, or a few posts back on Kim's blog if you haven't already seen it.
Jen R
I love my crockpot! I use it in summer too when it's just to darn hot to heat up the kitchen. Yours is so cute! I love the red! I've never tried the Grill Mates in the crockpot. I'll have to try it since it looks so easy!
Have a good weekend (hope you didn't get that storm too badly yesterday - by the time it got to me all it was was rain).
xo,
Manuela
Hey Rhoda,
Thanks for this tip, I have not tried the crockpot, I do have one and I am definitely going to try this...geez it sounds easy.
I got one as a gift at my shower (1979) will let you know if "that baby" still works LOL
Love your new pot, very snazzy !!!
Have a nice week-end...
Kathy :)
I will have to try the Grill mates and less liquid. I use my crock pot all the time and am always looking for a different twist :-) Love the red crock pot :-)
I want one of those little dippers, but I already have three crockpots and can never seem to find them alone--they always come with a big crockpot.
Another twist on that recipe is to get a big roasting chicken and put Lipton's Recipe Secrets right on the chicken (with no water) and cook. The chicken falls apart and is very juicy.
Now I love that window treatment...peter rabbit and the cabbage patch! I love my crockpot so much I have two...my new one is so bland beside yours tho, black trim, drat it! My old one is one the original ark crock pots, as in came off of...it's about 25 years old and still works, just small compared to todays...love grillmates, never thought about doing my roast that way, tho...hmm.Thanks for the tip!
hugs
Sandi
Your grill mates sound wonderful. I will look for them next time I'm at Walmart.
I love your red stuff.....love it. My family room is red.
I love my Crockpot. It's not a snazzy red one like yours but I love to cook in it. Last summer when it was so hot I used mine 2-3 times a week (I even blogged about it). I haven't used the Grill Mates but I'm going to try it. (YEARS ago when we lived in Wisconsin we couldn't get pork BBQ there so we made our own in the Crockpot).
I love crockpot cooking, so easy! Your new one is kinda sexy! lol I'm going to try your grill mates recipe. Hugs, DebraK
Dear Rhoda,
I'm all for anything that sounds that easy. I've never had a crockpot, but I'm definitely thinking of getting one after reading that!
Love that red fabric! Too cute!
xox,
Mary
Love your new crockpots!! I really love red too.
I have a red kitchenaid teapot you would like. Maybe your already have it.
I love doing meat in the crock. I will have to try your grillmates.
I have not tried those before.
Thanks for all the great tips. Love your valance!
Rosemary
I would be completely lost without my crockpot! I'll be doing a variation of your roast this weekend but I use a bottle of bbq sauce in place of the grill mates. Comes out so tender and yummy!! Love your red crockpot! ~ Lynda
I have the exact same crockpot but not with the red which I like tons better than mine and I love the little red one. You are right, it does cook hotter than my old one used too, I keep it on low always. Oh and I love your other red things too. Red is such a fun color!
Hey. Rhoda..I use red as an accent color as well...my red toaster finally bit the dust but Hubby bought me a wonderful red microwave that I love!! ...love your crock pot!
Blessings,
Robin
How funny, my crockpot broke, too. It was a 28-years-ago wedding present. So I got a snazzy red one from Target - it's 4 qts, just perfect for my husband and I.
Love the new Red crockpot. I have one in silver but don't use it too often as I too found that even on low it cooks high. Thanks for the tip on the water.
I also love the curtains.
Blessings,
Linda
Beautiful window treatments and crockpots. I love Grill Mates too, use the chipotles a lot. I honestly thought the liquids need to cover the meat also. I make a French Dip type meat and have allways covered the meat with the liquid. I'll try less liquid next time. Thanks for a great tip.
Sandi
Love that snazzy red crockpot! Mine is old but still crockin', however, my can opener bit the dust and guess what I got? A RED one! I use those same seasonings and they are great! I'll try the cooking tip and let you know how it come out.
it's a great weekend to get the crock pot out! I wish mine was red :)
That is the cutest valance I have ever seen in my life.
Rhoda, good advice...looks delicious and I like the red....I have a red and white kitchen.....Betty
I've never done a roast in the crockpot. I'll have to try that. I've used those marinades before on steaks and chicken.
Love your sleek little crockpot! Maybe if mine was that cute I'd use it more. Thanks for the recipe suggestions - I'll have to go to Walmart today and get the seasoning!
Thanks Rhoda for the crock pot cooking tips!
I gotta get back to using mine more often!
Love the new red crockpots Rhoda. I've cooked meats in the crockpot for years. So easy and tasty. I've roasted whole chickens in the pot...just crumple foil in the bottom and set a seasoned chicken on that..no liquid added. These chickens taste and look as great as the rotisserie chickens from the grocery store. I've tried the crockery packets, but not the Grill Mates. I'll pick up a couple packets and give them a try.
Pat
I have red countertops in my kitchen that I just LOVE. I also buy the red Le Creuset and love it too!
I love RED!! what a great crockpot.
I think I will use your grillmates recipe soon...it's sounds yummy and is so easy.
xo Lidy
ps. my garden looks like yours. I wonder if they will ever look good again?lol
I like the red crockpot and your blog. I just found your site. Glad to meet another southern.
I have some killer crockpot recipes too. And I love your "red" accent. We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and I am thinking about (but have not decided yet)on red accent. Just not sure ...
Happy Saturday, Rhoda!
I love my crockpot too, but don't actually use it that often. Maybe because it doesn't look quite so smashing... Yeah, right. Most likely it's because I never know until the afternoon what I'm making for supper!! Needless to say, we don't have a lot of roasts around here!
love, love ,love the red touches!! I am tempted --but all my crocks are working!! I love cooking in the crocks and I have some recipes on my cooking blog---even oatmeal!
Thanks for the tip on not adding to much water to the crockpot. I know I have been doing that. Smiles...
Love your kitchen fabric and those red accessories.
Hugs,
Nan
Oh yes, I do LOVE my crockpot. Even though mine is not a cool new red like yours :)
I'll have to try your Grill Mate seasoning suggestion soon. I usually just put a litte onion soup mix over my roast and 1/2 cup of water.
Thanks for sharing this suggestion.
Blessings,
Sher
Love the red crockpot and that gorgeous window valance! The fabric is beautiful.
I have been trying to use the crockpot more often, so love new recipes. The seasoning trick is one that I like to use, and I found another use recently-- made a big crock pot full of BBQ ribs in the slowcooker, which worked out well! I have seen recipes for crockpot lasagne too and wondered how that works out. Love the red Rho!
Hi Rhoda The red crock pot is great It might make cooking a litle more fun. And I love the valance fabric. That has always been one of my favorite fabrics. Back in the 70's my neighbor had it in her sunroom and it's still in style now. Amazing! I have a yard of it with the green background that I got at a yard sale for $1 and I just pulled it out of the closet today to see if I could find a place for it. You've been tagged by me! Please go to my blog to see what it's about. Rhondi xo
So it won't dry out as much if I don't add water? I have been trying to figure out why my crock pot meals have been so dry. I'm going to give it another try!
You gotta love any meal that is *that* easy!
Oh what a FUN and great looking crockpot Rhoda! When mine bites the dust I want one like that! And your Grill Mates tip is awesome - thank you! Will try those for sure. I have been adding a package of dry Italian Dressing and dry Ranch Dressing to my roasts, along with a packag of gravy mix (and a tiny bit of water) BUT now I'll try Grill Mates!
xo,
Kim
Wow! Loove the fabric!
Hi Rhoda,
I just love your valance...it is so pretty! The crockpot is great, too! Mine is 18 years old and is a little dated, but it still works and that is what matters right?
Love, Kim
Rhoda, I am trying your Grill Mate Seasonig suggestion for dinner tonight. The Chipotle Pepper. It smells delicious!
Joy~ from GI
I love the crock pot Rhoda!
Last year I got a new red coffee maker, can opener and toaster. They just make me so happy!
Grill mates are SO good aren't they? : )
Hugs,
Sue
I have ruined so many roasts due to too much water. I'd given up. I'll try again now. Thanks for the tip. These new crock pots cook so much hotter. That red crock is sexy, girl.
Julie
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