There's nothing better for a busy family than a crock-pot – and there are a slew of books out there discussing the joys of crock-pot cooking. A crock pot (slow cooker) represents an ease of cooking that's often overlooked in this frenetic age. Crock-pot cooking is as easy as tossing the ingredients, herbs, spices and water into a pot and letting it simmer.

From soups to stews, crock pots are great for anything you can think of involving slow speeds of cooking and being able to walk away. A crock-pot is basically a ceramic dish and a heater, that allows for the slow cooking of the items inside, without boiling.  And it's the 'without boiling' that allows for most of the best flavors in crock-pot cooking to become apparent. 

The gentle action of the cooking allows flavors and textures to be preserved, whilst ensuring that the additional herbs and spices added are absorbed.

Leftovers cook with ease, as do scraps that don't have any other place but the bottom of

the freezer, or the bin.  I've been known to use my crock-pot to make potluck and hearty stews; soups and other liquid based meals are a breeze to produce.

I tend to add the ingredients over an hour in the morning, first thing, starting with

the liquid ingredients. Water, stock cubes and a dash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce start the base, then the vegetables and meat.  I then get on with the rest of my day, checking it occasionally to make sure it's cooking OK, and adding additional spices, or herbs as the need arises.

If I'm out the whole day, when I return home, I add pasta or put some potatoes on to boil, and with the addition of fresh cooked bread, I have a complete

meal without having to slave over the cooker.

Even for parents that work from home, it's more convenient to use a crock-pot to produce healthy meals than cook something on a stove.  There's much less chance of burning anything, and the flavors and ease of use make them a great addition to any labor saving device in your kitchen.