I First Attempt at Using a Crock Pot

I'm flattered when people compliment me on how well I balance my career and motherhood.  But I can't front, it's MAD hard.  Now that Princess is eating more, she's quick to put in her menu requests.  The other night she asked me for chicken.  Just a few months ago I couldn't pay her to eat a tiny piece of poultry.  Needless to say, I had to take full advantage of this and strike while the iron is hot.

As far as dinner goes, I have a pretty set schedule.  I usually make Sunday dinner, which lasts until Tuesday.  I'd throw something together for Wednesday and Thursday.  Friday is pizza night, and Saturday we alternate.  Sometimes we'll either take Princess to our favorite family restaurant or I'd whip something up.  The bad weather combined with school and work has made these last couple of weeks a bit hectic.  With finals around the corner, it's only gonna get worse.  So, I have to step my cooking game up and figure out a way to save time.

I dusted off the crock pot my sis gave me.  Let me preface by mentioning that I've never used one before, and I don't have any recipes.  In fact, I had no idea how to work this thing.  To avoid burning down the house, I read the manual.

Thankfully, my hubby took the chicken out of the freezer, which meant that the bird was pretty well defrosted by the time I got home.  I cleaned and washed the chicken with lemon juice and vinegar.  When it came time for seasoning, I literally added all the spices from my kitchen cabinet and threw in some veggies from the fridge.  I was way to tired to even think.

Here's a quick rundown.  Sorry, I didn't include measurements.

Lawry's Seasoning
Jamaican curry powder
Thyme
Onion
All spice
Barbeque Sauce
Black pepper
Garlic
Green Beans
Celery
Carrots

I placed everything in the crock pot, covered it, and put just the insert into the fridge overnight.  All I had to do the next morning was turn that baby on high!  I dropped Princess off at daycare, enjoyed a good workout, and completed a quiz for school.

This is the final product!

It took four hours to cook.  Don't let this pic fool ya!  It was yummy and flavorful!  I was pleased at how much I was able to get done while it cooked.  This should last for at least a couple of days.  Now I can get some work done.  There's no perfect balance between career and motherhood.  But, I do what I can to make it work.

Princess loved the chicken, but passed on the veggies

Have you ever used a crock pot?  Got any recipes you wanna share?  Hit me up!

Weather Anchor Mama