Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.

I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
stores' usual pro-family bias?

"abdul rahim" > wrote in message
om...
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

Well, beef stew does freeze well.....

(abdul rahim) wrote in
om:

> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

They do make smaller crockpots, at least as small as 2-quarts, but they're
much harder to find.

Wayne

On 30 Nov 2003 20:20:21 -0800,
abdul rahim > wrote:
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

Amazon.com carries a 1.5 qt. slow cooker for $12.99. I've
seen smaller slow cookers in stores too, but they're not quite as
prevalent as the larger ones. For something like beef stew, it seems
easy enough to freezer or refrigerate the leftovers for days when you
might not feel like cooking.

Ariane

>I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
>and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
>stores' usual pro-family bias?
>
>
>
>
>
>

They come in 1 - 6 quart size. The small ones are hard to find. Here's one
online - 1 1/2 quarts.

http://store.yahoo.com/celebritycookware/3215-wn.html


Gms


The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace
alarmed - and hence clamorous to be led to safety -
by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of
them imaginary."

- H. L. Mencken

(abdul rahim) wrote in
om:

> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?
>

I live alone and have a 11 qt crock pot. I use mine on weekends mostly as I
don't like leaving stuff on in the kitchen un-attended. I use it mostly to
cook soups/stews and whole chickens. Or the odd Pot Luck meal

The soup/stew gets frozen in single servings which is quite handy on days I
feel lazy or rushed. The chicken is good for 1 chicken dinner and several
leftover chicken type dishes or sandwich meat.

A crock pot is quite a handy cooking tool I use mine for freezing meals you
can't effectively make as a 1 or 2 serving meal.

If buying a crock pot for the first time, get one with a removable oval
crock ,so whole chickens fit (oval) and it is easier to clean (removable).
And one that has the heating elements that go up the sides...not just a
heating plate at the bottom. This reduces burnt stuck on food on the bottom
of the crock.

--
And the beet goes on! (or under)
-me just a while ago

The very small crock pot, often called a "crockette", is wonderful for
chili-cheese dip to take to potlucks! Mine is stored in its original
box in a flat-bottom canvas tote bag with an extension cord tucked in
so it's easy to fill and transport to the office.

> Amazon.com carries a 1.5 qt. slow cooker for $12.99. I've
> seen smaller slow cookers in stores too, but they're not quite as
> prevalent as the larger ones. For something like beef stew, it seems
> easy enough to freezer or refrigerate the leftovers for days when you
> might not feel like cooking.
>
> Ariane

abdul rahim > wrote:
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.

> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

Where do you live? I have seen smaller crock pots in department and
discount stores in the Philadelphia area. Examples are Target, KMart,
Sears, etc. Perhaps the same is true in the area where you live.

(abdul camelhumper rahim) writes:
>
>I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
>and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller

There's no law sez yoose gots to fills a pot alls the ways to the tippy top.
duh!


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

"abdul rahim" > wrote in message
om...
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

This isn't pro-family bias. And I'm speaking as person who is now single. If
there were more demand for small crockpots, that's what the stores would be
selling. Most people buying these probably want something that's large
enough for an item such as a whole chicken or beef roast. The most frequent
use for mine is cooking a pork shoulder which requires a 6-qt. crockpot.

"Trent©" wrote:

> But, remember this...yer freezer is your friend! And it'll just LOVE
> margarine containers!!

You misspelled Italian Tupperware.

(laugh) nancy

in article , PENMART01 at
wrote on 12/1/03 9:25 AM:

> (abdul camelhumper rahim) writes:
>>
>> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
>> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller
>
> There's no law sez yoose gots to fills a pot alls the ways to the tippy top.
> duh!
>
>
> ---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
> ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
> Sheldon
> ````````````
> "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
>

Well...no, it's not a law. But the crock pot should be at least half full to
work efficiently.

If someone lives alone and rarely cooks for a crowd, and doesn't like a ton
of leftovers, a 3.5-4 quart crock pot will suffice.

4 quarts is NOT that big, you'd have to use a pot that big to make stew on
top of the stove anyway. You'll have leftovers, but as others have said,
they freeze well. That's the great thing about slow-cooking. Things that
come out great in the crock pot tend to freeze well, too.

Me? I have 2 crock pots, a 6 quart and a 3.5 quart. I liked the bigger one
when I got it, but I love my smaller one. It's perfect for 1-2 people, with
only a small amount of leftovers. I make stock in the big one and will use
it for entertaining (meatballs simmering in sauce, hot cider, baked beans
for a crowd, big pot o'chili, etc), I'm glad I have both. But the smaller
one is really terrific for everyday use.



FYI, I got mine at Walmart, under $15. It's a West Bend.

Sheryl Rosen > writes:

> PENMART01 wrote:
>
>> (abdul camelhumper rahim) writes:
>>>
>>> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
>>> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller
>>
>> There's no law sez yoose gots to fills a pot alls the ways
>>to the tippy top. duh!
>
>Well...no, it's not a law. But the crock pot should be at least half full to
>work efficiently.
>
>Me? I have 2 crock pots, a 6 quart and a 3.5 quart. I liked the bigger one
>when I got it, but I love my smaller one. It's perfect for 1-2 people, with
>only a small amount of leftovers. I make stock in the big one and will use
>it for entertaining (meatballs simmering in sauce, hot cider, baked beans
>for a crowd, big pot o'chili, etc), I'm glad I have both. But the smaller
>one is really terrific for everyday use.
>

Yeah, but... if you fill the larger about half way it'd be poifect... the only
logical reason I can fathom for having the smaller version is for space
consideration (having a teensy kitchen) but having two pots entirely negates
that purpose.

Personally I would never prepare any stew of less than four healthy portions
(4qts), so I never choose less than a 6qt pot because I like to have some room
to work and I don't like stuff spattering/slopping over. On occasion I've
witnessed folks cooking in a teensy pot and ending up with their dinner all
over the stove top (yuk)... I don't see any purpose for a 1qt pot, not unless
it came in a toys r us tea set. The smallest pot I use is 2qts but not for
cooking, for storing LOs in the fridge and then reheating.

I don't own a crockpot; when I had time constraints due to a work schedual and
wanted stew, pot roast, and such for dinner during the week I cooked up a batch
on the weekend when I had all day to nurse it along, tasting, reseasoning,
adding stuff according to cooking time and large enough to freeze half for
another time... reheated stew tastes twice as good anyhow (enjoying the cooking
is most of the reason I cook, otherwise for pure sustanence I'd mostly open
cans and eat out) . The last thing I'd want to do early in the morning while
getting ready to leave for work is to be futzing with a chunk of raw meat and
preparing raw veggies... nope, I see absolutely no purpose whatsoever for a
crockpot, and I'm sure many feel exactly the same, is why one sees so darn many
brand new or barely used ones at tag sales and thrift stores... If I desired
crockpots I could easily have dozens for a buck or two each... they'd prolly
toss in a free 'lectric knife! hehe


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

Nancy Young writes:

>"GuidoTrente©" wrote:
>
>> But, remember this...yer freezer is your friend! And it'll just LOVE
>> margharine containers!!
>
>You misspelled Italian Tupperware.
>
>(laugh) nancy

Hehehe. . . .



---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

I found a great one just the right size for my wife and I at WalMart and
it was only $5 on sale. Its about a quart I think. Just the right
amount of soup or whatever for the 2 of us. Perfect and I love it!

Sarah Monroe wrote:
>>I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
>>and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
>>stores' usual pro-family bias?
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> They come in 1 - 6 quart size. The small ones are hard to find. Here's one
> online - 1 1/2 quarts.
>
> http://store.yahoo.com/celebritycookware/3215-wn.html
>
>
> Gms
>
>
> The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace
> alarmed - and hence clamorous to be led to safety -
> by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of
> them imaginary."
>
> - H. L. Mencken
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

in article , PENMART01 at
wrote on 12/1/03 1:04 PM:

> I don't own a crockpot; when I had time constraints due to a work schedual and
> wanted stew, pot roast, and such for dinner during the week I cooked up a
> batch
> on the weekend when I had all day to nurse it along, tasting, reseasoning,
> adding stuff according to cooking time and large enough to freeze half for
> another time... reheated stew tastes twice as good anyhow (enjoying the
> cooking
> is most of the reason I cook, otherwise for pure sustanence I'd mostly open
> cans and eat out) . The last thing I'd want to do early in the morning while
> getting ready to leave for work is to be futzing with a chunk of raw meat and
> preparing raw veggies... nope, I see absolutely no purpose whatsoever for a
> crockpot, and I'm sure many feel exactly the same, is why one sees so darn
> many
> brand new or barely used ones at tag sales and thrift stores... If I desired
> crockpots I could easily have dozens for a buck or two each... they'd prolly
> toss in a free 'lectric knife! hehe

<smile> Different Strokes for different folks!
When i use the crockpot during the week and plan for it to cook all day
while I'm out, I do all my prep work while I'm making dinner the night
before. Cook once, eat for several days. I'll brown my meat and veggies, do
any additional prep (chopping, etc.) season it all well, and store in a
covered dish in the fridge, next morning, I just have to quickly put it in
the crockpot and turn it on. I rarely use potatoes in the crockpot because
I hate mushy potatoes. Celery and carrots and other root veggies are fine at
the beginning. If anything, I'll nuke a couple potatoes, and add them to the
pot when I get home and leave them to simmer for 20-30 minutes while I'm
changing, feeding the cat, etc, in other words, my "arriving home" routine.

They absorb some of the goodness from the pot without being overcooked. It
may not be the ideal situation, but it's still a homecooked meal and
infinitely better than fast food or frozen/boxed/canned dinners. And much
less expensive.

When you live alone, there is nothing quite like coming home to the smell of
dinner cooking. It's a treat I can only enjoy when I use my crock pot!
Reminds me of happier times, when I'd get home from working in NYC and join
my parents at the table for supper. Even into my 20's, they did not have
supper until I arrived home and we could sit together as a family.

(abdul rahim) wrote in message . com>...
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?


Honestly, I have the smaller kind and hate them - and there are only
two of us. I love my 6-quart and use it most often. That being said,
I used to have a 1.5 quart - it was great for dipping sauces and such,
but not that great for anything else. Remember the key is SLOW
cooking - and the smaller the food, the quicker it will cook. Be sure
to buy one where the crock can be removed for cleaning. Nothing worse
than trying to clean the inside of a crock, heating unit attached...

-L.

"abdul rahim" > wrote in message
om...
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

No but crack-pots are.

Dimitri

Dimitri wrote:
>
> "abdul rahim" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
> >
> > I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> > and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> > stores' usual pro-family bias?
>
> No but crack-pots are.
>
> Dimitri

(laughing) Dimitri cracks *me* up.

nancy

> Amazon.com carries a 1.5 qt. slow cooker for $12.99. I've
>seen smaller slow cookers in stores too, but they're not quite as
>prevalent as the larger ones. For something like beef stew, it seems
>easy enough to freezer or refrigerate the leftovers for days when you
>might not feel like cooking.

I remember the old saying that you CAN'T make just one serving of chili from
scratch. Nobody says you have to completely fill a 4 QT crockpot when you make
stew. I'm sure it the crock pot would work just fine if it were half full.

Michael O'Connor - Modern Renaissance Man

"The likelihood of one individual being correct increases in a direct
proportion to the intensity with which others try to prove him wrong"
James Mason from the movie "Heaven Can Wait".

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Dimitri wrote:
> >
> > "abdul rahim" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
> > >
> > > I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> > > and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> > > stores' usual pro-family bias?
> >
> > No but crack-pots are.
> >
> > Dimitri
>
> (laughing) Dimitri cracks *me* up.
>
> nancy

I couldn't resist - all the kids with new computers and free time - well you
know.

;-)

Dimitri

Hamilton Beach and Suzanne Somers crockpot on HSN make a crockpot that
has a large crockpot and two half crockpots for more options. That
could be very useful and versatile.

Hamilton Beach and Suzanne Somers crockpot on HSN make a crockpot that
has a large crockpot and two half crockpots for more options. That
could be very useful and versatile.

Sheryl Rosen > wrote in message >...
> in article , PENMART01 at
> wrote on 12/1/03 9:25 AM:
>
> > (abdul camelhumper rahim) writes:
> >>
> >> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> >> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller
> >
> > There's no law sez yoose gots to fills a pot alls the ways to the tippy top.
> > duh!
> >
> >
> > ---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
> > ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
> > Sheldon
> > ````````````
> > "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
> >
>
> Well...no, it's not a law. But the crock pot should be at least half full to
> work efficiently.
>

I've been wondering about this too, and I wonder if any of the
following ideas would work ("so try it, yoose maroon! Why are you
wasting yer time tippity typing?):

Use a small pot or bowl in the crockpot. Heck, you could stack a
couple bowls, couldn't you?

Fill Crock halfway with Kosher Salt (or sand or what have you - heck,
you could even use water) and put a cooking vessel in the crock.

Get a local artisan to make you an insert with a smaller volume.

The only drawback I see with any of these methods is that you might be
wasting power in comparison to just getting a smaller one. Do they
have similar power ratings, regardless of size?

I like the stacked bowl idea. You could make breakfast, lunch, and
dinner all at once.

Hey - what about stacking ramekins? Anyone every try making a crock
full of creme caramel?

Greg Zywicki

(abdul rahim) wrote in message . com>...
> Hey, thanks for all the suggestions on spicing up beef stew.
>
> I was looking on the web for crockpots, and the sizes at amazon are 4
> and 6 quarts! don't they make anything smaller, or do we have the
> stores' usual pro-family bias?

Since we're talking about Crocks, and I'm anti-fire, here's some recall info:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03160.html

Greg Zywicki
anti-childfree bias

> >
>
> I've been wondering about this too, and I wonder if any of the
> following ideas would work ("so try it, yoose maroon! Why are you
> wasting yer time tippity typing?):
>
> Use a small pot or bowl in the crockpot. Heck, you could stack a
> couple bowls, couldn't you?
>
> Fill Crock halfway with Kosher Salt (or sand or what have you - heck,
> you could even use water) and put a cooking vessel in the crock.
>
> Get a local artisan to make you an insert with a smaller volume.
>
> The only drawback I see with any of these methods is that you might be
> wasting power in comparison to just getting a smaller one. Do they
> have similar power ratings, regardless of size?
>
> I like the stacked bowl idea. You could make breakfast, lunch, and
> dinner all at once.
>
> Hey - what about stacking ramekins? Anyone every try making a crock
> full of creme caramel?
>
> Greg Zywicki

I've been thinking of this post as I look at my crockpot...hmmmm.

Thanks, Greg

Jack Silex

in article , Greg Zywicki at
wrote on 12/2/03 10:38 AM:

> Since we're talking about Crocks, and I'm anti-fire, here's some recall info:
>
> http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml03/03160.html
>
> Greg Zywicki
> anti-childfree bias

Just fyi, that's old news. It occurred in July, 2003.

And they were very good about sending replacement parts.

Unbeknownst to me, I had one of the bad ones, but in my move, the plastic
base on the outer part had broken. I tossed it in the trash when I unpacked
it to find it cracked in several pieces, but something told me to keep the
inner ceramic crock.

When I read about the recall 2 weeks later, I called them, told them my
story and they asked for a model number, which I was able to find by
matching the descriptions to my former appliance. Within 3 weeks, I had my
new appliance. They didn't care that the thing had broken before the recall
happened and I no longer had it. As long as I had the crockery liner, they
sent me a new unit, no questions asked. Thing is, without a crockery liner,
what good is the heating portion? So it would be stupid to lie about it to
get a free one, you know what I mean?