My trusty crockpot

Yes, I love my crock pot. Who cares? My sanity cares. I just loaded it with 1/2 homemade, 1/2 store-bought spaghetti sauce & pasta. When I come home tonight, dinner will be done.

I have 2 points about my cooking and my crock pot:

#1 I am not much of cook because I have no patience. I do not care if 1/2 cup measures exactly 1/2 cup. I get it about right. The crock pot steps in and lets things cook slowly. When the food is done in the crock pot, it has great flavor.

#2 I am becoming a half and half cook. Since my salary is cut and food prices are higher, I can't afford all of the great, healthy, organic food my kids used to eat. I do not have the time to go to 6 different grocery stores. Now I do 1/2 and 1/2 to cut back. For example, tonight I will use 1/2 regular pasta and 1/2 organic whole wheat pasta for the spaghetti. I will buy 1/2 organic meat and 1/2 packaged, not organic, hopefully-on-sale meat for the week. When I make bread, I do 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white for the taste. Hey it is all I can do.

The BEST part of the crock pot is when you put that thick, gummy whole wheat pasta in there to cook all day then it really softens it up. My kids will eat the whole wheat pasta cooked only that way. I hope they love me more than they love the crock pot.