Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Dueling Crock Pots

Soup... it is the winter staple around here and I absolutely love it.  The crock pot is the best invention for those of us who live without a standard range or oven.  Today's soup was split pea and true to form, it was delicious. 

Split Pea Soup...well, it tastes better than it looks! LOL
However, I have been wanting to bake.  For nearly a year we have been living without an oven here in the apartment over the garage. So last night I decided to try an experiment.   I put a very small amount of water in the bottom of the crock pot, placed a lightweight metal "tin cover" on the floor of the crock pot, and preheated it on the HIGH setting. I made some waffle mixture in a large cereal bowl, adding applesauce in place of most of the water, covered the uncooked waffle mixture with tinfoil, and placed the bowl on the metal lid in the crock pot, covered the crock pot and returned to the rest of my daily life.
About 90 minutes later, I checked on my experiment and was pleased to find the mixture had been transformed into a pretty decent "cake."  We enjoyed it with ice cream...freshly baked, and warm from the crock pot!  It was pretty darned good.  We ate the rest this morning as a sort of coffee cake.

So tonight I decided to try more experimenting using a second crock pot, this time with a boxed cake mix.  I selected carrot cake and made the batter according to the directions, adding some of those delicious, plump, huge white California raisins to the batter.  I filled two custard dishes half full with the batter.  The remainder of the batter I put in the fridge for later experimentation.  I followed essentially the same cooking process and was rewarded with moist, delicious mini carrot cakes!

Using custard cups in on tin top in crock pot

Batter filled, and covered with tin foil

75 minutes later....

Smelling Yummy!

Turned out in bowls... ready to eat
I dunno, this could be the start of a very beautiful thing, this love affair with the crock pot!  Next I want to try baking yeast bread in the the crock pot.  I can't wait to see how that turns out!  What I do know is that now I will be cooking with dueling crock pots!

MMMM Good!


11 comments:

mixednut555 said...

Wow, that was VERY clever of you! I will have to try that one of these days when I get another crockpot. I love using a crockpot in the summer when it is too warm and pretty to be inside baking.

The Griper said...

an entising idea, judy. got me thinking about doing something like that also.

Sharon said...

Dang! Good idea!

Sharon said...

I have one of those big roaster, giant crockpot things, I believe when the weather gets hot, I am going to try it out for baking.

Deborah Ann said...

Wow, are you ever creative! But how sad that you have no oven...

Louise said...

Interesting! I've seen recipes, but have never been sure that they would work.

Judy's Corner said...

Hey Kat!

I;m telling you, I am having FUN with the crock pot! And it will be wonderful in the summer when using an oven it too much extra heat!

Judy's Corner said...

TG, if you like deliciously moist carrot cake or zucchini bread, this is a wonderful method for making a small loaf.

Judy's Corner said...

Thanks Sharon, it is fun!

Judy's Corner said...

Deborah Ann, one day I will, once again have an oven, but for now, the focus is on the farm house renovation, so we are sort of "camping" in the garage apartment. I don't mind it a bit... reminds me of being a college student again.

Judy's Corner said...

Louise, I have yet to try a recipe, but that is coming soon. I'll post my successes/failures here I am sure!