Seeking help with a slow cooker

Judy, I have found this site who has many recipes for small portions for a slow cooker. May be you can find something you know that your son would like.

Since the appliance cooks low and slow it is advisable, although tempting, not to open the lid. We have to allow our sense of smell to guide us as often the moisture that collects on the inside of the lid prevent us from having a really good view. Even when our son was at home, we were only 3 of us. I have downsized many recipes as a result. My go-to site is all recipes, they have a tab for slow cooking.

I am so sorry, if you are a slow cooker, well, I? I don't really cook. hehehe.

Lifting the lid lets heat out is the only reason not to. I see several suggestions for where to find recipes. Many he will just have to adjust down or eat leftovers for a couple of days

Maybe this could help that I found online. When I make stuff in my slow cooker I lift and sometimes take the lid off to stir stuff if needed.

We don't use a slow cooker in India. We have a pressure cooker that cooks faster.

It is really simple, and I would guess smaller portions of ingredients would make smaller quantities to eat or store. I do not usually use recipes. I do usually have huge amounts and we eat twice then portion and freeze the rest.

So many recipes online for using the slow cooker. I do lift the lid to check in the progress, but that's me. Whatever you are cooking is still going to get done anyway.

Sorry,I can't give you any advice about that ! I am bad at cooking.

I can’t help. I’m not a gourmet chef with mine. I make things like potato soup from a package of frozen O’Brien potatoes and a package of broccoli and chicken stock. I took a photo of an old cookbook page at one of the museums in Oklahoma. Way too much work for me.

I have lifted the lid towards the end but always put back on quickly. It's recommended not to since the temp will go down. I use a small cooker in my RV and a larger in the house. Something I like to do is layer. For instance; two pieces of seasoned chicken on the bottom, put a piece of foil over the top and add one or two russet potatoes on top of that. cover with foil. I always do low about 6 hours. I also do foil packets when prepping. I'll do either cut up chicken or stew meat. Or, I make four burger patties up and place on four sheets of foil. Top with shallots or onion, seasonings, and garlic. I place them all in the slow cooker. I almost always use the low temp. Let it cook 6-8 hours depending on how much is in there. I've even made apple butter in a crock pot. It's a long process but the house smelled so good.

I have two wonderful crock pot cookbooks. There are hundreds if not thousands of recipes online from chili to beef stew to desserts and more. Lifting the lid lets the heat and steam out; and then it must heat back up again. Here's 100 recipes from the Food Network:

I just throw meat and a little bit of water in it and let it do its things.