Today I’m continuing my series about crock pot and freezer cooking with a great how-to article about how to use stuff lying around the house to make a great –and easy, of course– dinner in the crock pot.

You’ll be seeing new articles on crock pot and freezer cooking throughout the month, along with some great recipes for spring… and some extra special recipes for Mother’s Day, too!

Now, ready to get readin’?

Cookin’ a Crockpot Dinner From Start to End

Sure, it’s fun to use recipes. But if you have an adventurous cooking spirit and a cabinet full of tasty goodies, you’ll also have fun creating a crockpot meal from scratch on your own. It might seem easier to just open up a box or a can and go, but really, cooking from scratch can be just as simple– especially with a crockpot.

Choosing a Main Ingredient

When putting together a potluck crockpot meal, you’ll have to start off with a base– meat or beans, for example, make ideal main ingredients. Although grains also make a good base for meals, they generally cook too quickly to be be good for a crockpot. Rice, for example, turns quickly into to much after its 20-minute cook-time has elapsed, as do pastas. So if you toss these types of foods in a the beginning of the cook time, chances are you’ll ruin your dish (though they can always be added to the liquid during the last half hour or so, if you like!)

When not using grains, you base should stand up to a long length of time and a low temperature. Almost all meats are all good choices for a base, as are most beans.

Chosen your base ingredient? Layer it onto the bottom of the pot and add some beef, chicken, or veggie broth to keep it all moist.

Choosing Accompanying Ingredients

Next, you’ll need to decide what should go well with the base you’ve chosen. This should be simple– and creativity is key. After all most meats and beans taste great with most vegetables. If you look in the fridge and see carrots, an onion, a pile of garlic, and some celery, you can add them to almost any dish for great flavor.

First, let’s start with the carrots. Cut them up and toss them right in on top of your meat or bean base.

Now you can go ahead and start the cooker while you search for more ingredients. See that bag of red-skinned potatoes in the corner? Nah, you don’t have to peel ‘em (the peels are full of nutrients!) Just wash them thoroughly, cut ‘em up (if they’re large), and pop them into the cooker on top of the carrots.

You can also toss the chopped celery, onion, and garlic in on top… but it’ll taste better if you saute first. Saute them up in a little olive oil til tender, add a splash of wine, and let it all reduce. Then set it aside– you’ll be tossing it into the crockpot about an hour before serving. Simple, easy, and SO tasty.

Spice it Up & Serve

Now it’s time for your herbs and seasonings. What kind of dish are you looking to make? Want to go Eastern? Add some turmeric, cumin, and cilantro, or a good-sized sprinkle of curry powder (or paste, which has even more flavor) Want Italian? Put together a combo of rosemary, basil, oregano, bay leaf, and coriander. You get the picture.

About an hour before cook time is up, it’s time to toss in your sautéed veggies and the herbs and spices you’ve chosen (though, depending on the recipe, you may add seasoning at the beginning of the cook time). If there is still too much liquid left in the cooker, turn it on high and remove the lid. The liquid will evaporate as it continues to cook; you can return to low setting after the amount you want has evaporated away.

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