What a crock!

Last fall when we moved I lost a very important part of my life.... my mini crock.  I don't use it a whole lot in the winter, because using the oven is so nice and warm and cozy.  Also, in the winter it is fun to cook with my hubbie at night.

Now even in the winter occasionally I would want to use it and then remember that it had gotten lost in the shuffle (tear)  I also own a larger (normal?) sized crock and would think of using that.  However, it is really too big to make food for just two people.  I tried once and ended up with all kinds of crusty stuff that I had to do my best to scrape off.

Last fall during the move, we stayed briefly at someone's summer home.  Last weekend we went back for a visit and what do you know, my crock was there way way back in this cavernous cupboard they have.  I was and am still, soooo excited!  Now that spring has come (and almost summer) we are so busy.

I've been staying late at school trying to stay on top of grading for the tri-annual parent 'oh crap my kid is failing and the trimester is almost done' deluge of emails and forcible turn in of low quality homework papers (student- my parents are making me do this work, but they have no idea what Algebra II should look like so I will scribble random equations on a paper, so that they will get off my back).  Of course the parents should now know every second exactly what their child's overall score in the class is so I must grade their child's mountainous pile of late homework right now.  Plus, I always offer free help after school for an hour, but normally only a handful take advantage of it.  Now that the end is near though I am tutoring the entire hour.  This leads me to staying later at school which means less time for cooking.

This week I have already used my little friend Cathy the Crock once.  It was so nice to come home to dinner pretty much being made.  I normally make up salads, cut up some oranges (my fav), maybe get out carrots/dip or steam up broccoli and we're set!  Then it is quick clean up and out to do some yard work.

If you are a young couple I highly recommend getting a small crock pot/slow cooker with a black crock.  Our large slow cooker is white and it is such a pain to clean.  Honestly, I feel like I never can get it completely white.  However, our black one hides a lot.  No judgement here... sometimes there is just that stain that you just can't get off, but it is clean and safe to eat from.

This week I missed out on Friday Favorite Finds and Menu Plan Monday, but school will be out in the next two weeks and then I should have lots to post!  Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!