Men are notorious for not cooking. First, they have mom doing all the cooking. Then, if they dare live alone for a while, they cook for themselves, usually a small repertoire of meals that consists of ravioli in a can, Spaghettios, rice and/or ramen noodles.
Eventually, they meet that “special someone” and might do some cooking to impress said “special someone”, at which point what they are actually doing is finding their favorite restaurant that isn’t “John’s Pizza”. From this special restaurant, they order their favorite meal and serve it on their own plates. Finally, they marry that special someone and they no longer have to cook again, unless it involves charcoal briquettes and lots of starter fluid, and then they’ll cook all day, every day, so long as there’s fire.
Men are hunter/gatherers, not cooks or chefs. They bring the meat, the women in their lives cook the meat. This is their primary thought process and they cling tenaciously to the idea when the truth of the matter is this: if men really wish to impress those around them with their culinary skill, discover the crock-pot. Crock-pots are the single greatest innovation to hit the world in the 20th Century and their versatility and ease of use is what makes them so brilliant.
With a crock-pot, men can cook a great variety of meals, all designed to fill, be flavorful and please. Having a yen for barbecue chicken wings but don’t have time at the end of a long, tiring day? Before leaving the house in the morning, toss the wings in the crock-pot, cover them with your favorite barbecue sauce, set the crock-pot on low and head out the door. Hoping for something more substantial? Cut some beef into cubes, open a can of potatoes, a can of carrots, maybe some peas, toss in some beef bouillon cubes, a couple cups of water, turn the crock-pot on low, and go. Really married to the idea of ramen or ravioli from a can? A crock-pot can do that too, only it requires much less interaction with the cooking process than previously.
Coming home of an evening is when you realize the benefit of this magnificent device, the crock-pot. As you open the door, the aromas of a wonderful meal greet you, beckoning you like a siren’s song, with the result being not crashing on the rocks but a delicious dinner. You will congratulate yourself in having the forethought to create a magnificent meal!
Another plus to using a crock-pot is the ease in cleaning. Once the meal is done and the leftovers are put away, there’s one piece to clean, the interior (usually ceramic) liner. You can leave the crock-pot turned on high and let water, with dish soap, sit inside for a couple hours, then wipe. Another quick clean is to rinse it out and put it in the dishwasher; no muss, no fuss. Cleaning the crock-pot after use is one of the greatest features, reducing cooking implements down to one “pan”, a large spoon and perhaps a knife.
For men, a crock-pot is truly a change for the better, permitting them to create meals that will impress. Crock-pots, also called slow cookers, require no recipes; simply ingenuity and a desire for more than food from a can. Surprise your mom, girlfriend, wife or friends with a well-balanced, seemingly thought out meal that will look as though you spent hours or days planning and preparing.