A Side of Ketchup, Please.

My friends, and even Mother, keep insisting on how wonderful the crock pot is. I have very few encounters with this thing and the meals I have made from it have turned out rather, well just plain bad.

A few years ago when I was newly pregnant with my daughter, I had a strong aversion to meat. My poor husband. All he wanted when he came home from work from his new bride was a hot meal consisting of that protein in which I despised. Not to worry, though, as I found a fabulous macaroni and cheese recipe on the internet that was sure to satisfy any “hungry man.” Cheese is a protein, right?

I even purchased the expensive kind.

Six hours later, and voila! It was done! “How wonderful is THAT!?” I thought to myself. “A meal that prepares itself!” As my husband walked in the door I excitedly pulled out the dishes and strutted around the kitchen, proud of the domestic diva within.

I opened the lid to the crock pot and could have cried. There was nothing but a pile of mushy mac. Instead of those delicious al dente noodles smothered in gooey, stringy cheese, topped with golden brown bread crumbs, I had a pile of mashed potatoes. In fact, I would have preferred mashed potatoes to what consumed that pot. My husband, seeing the disappointment and frustration on my face, walked up to the counter, took one look in the pot, grabbed a spoon and dished himself a plate. He then preceded to the fridge where he grabbed the Ketchup and doused it on top of his mush.

He finished the entire plate.  I pleaded with him, telling him he did not need to eat that disaster, but he ate in silence, all the while looking at me with a smile in his eyes trying not to laugh at the situation.

That day started a pattern. Whenever my husband doesn’t care for something I have made, he lathers on the Ketchup. To give you an idea of the type of cook that I am, we always have a reserve bottle of the stuff in our pantry.

My last attempt from the crock pot was the dreaded P.P. (I cringe at writing it…. Pulled Pork) that I made when newly pregnant the second time around (See “The Belly… Exposed”). What is the lesson I have learned here? Crock pots and first trimesters don’t mix! If you have a fool-proof, delicious crock pot meal that you wouldn’t mind sharing, then please do. I am willing to give the thing another shot.

Here’s to a week with no Ketchup!