Well, lookie here.

My shiny new crockpot. Yay!

During the recent heatwave, I didn't cook. I planned well. A roasted chicken, salads, hard-boiled eggs and a bucket of American chop suey were all packed into the fridge. There were popsicles in the freezer, plenty of cold drinks on hand and crackers and granola bars in the cabinet. But I realized that something was missing. I wasn't actually craving hot food, but I saw a few people posting on Facebook that they had dinner in the crockpot. And as ... easy ... as that sounds, I typically only use a crockpot in the winter. It was, I confess, a bit of an a-ha moment.
I went out and bought a crockpot on Saturday. It was a splurge only because I'm currently unemployed ($20), otherwise, such a deal. My old one died last winter.
And for so many reasons, I'm excited. I always look forward to a new cooking challenge. Truthfully, I don't think I've ever put a thing in a crockpot in the warmer months. There was a small cookbook stuck inside the box. Rosemary Pork with Mushrooms and Shallots? Chicken Casablanca? African style Turkey on Couscous?
I can't wait to crank it up.