Product Endorsement
This weekend when I was grocery shopping there was a promotional announcement over the P.A. about some new products. Most were, to me, forgettable. One did catch my attention: Slow Cooker Helper (SCH). After a moment of amusement pondering how one would prepare and eat a slow cooker, I went to find the stuff and see just what it was. It looked ideal - seasonings and vegetables that can sit for some time without going bad, possibly in sane amounts for one or two people. If I buy fresh vegetables, the majority of them go bad before I do anything with them. The result: I tend not to buy them, and then don't have them.
There are a few kinds of SCH. One is meant for chicken and includes dumpling mix. There are a couple for beef. One had peas (proof of evolution - a Perfect Being wouldn't do that) so that stayed on the shelf. I bought the kind for pot roast or such that didn't have peas. I also went looking for a suitable cut of meat to go with it. After a while I finally found something, if I cut it in half.
Yesterday I tried the SCH. I cut it back and only used half of what was there. Opening the box seemed a bit of a disappointment at first; it didn't seem like all that much. Inside the box were two packets. One packet had seasonings and sliced dehydrated vegetables (mostly carrots, some celery, maybe something else) and the other had sliced dehydrated potatoes). Getting things started in the morning was simple and quick enough. The most time was spent microwaving a couple cups of water so it'd be hot. At noon the house, or at least the kitchen, already smelled good. In the evening, it was quite inviting.
The only problem was that I overlooked who Helper products are aimed at. They're aimed at families. Families of at least four. Families of at least four who want second helpings. Families of at least four who want second helpings and are willing to deal with leftovers. Remember I used half of the SCH? Even if I'd left the meat out it would have been too much for me. Since I've found that leftovers just rot rather than get eaten, the garbage disposal "ate" rather well last night - after I did. The upside is that SCH is more economical: I can get a few meals from one box of the stuff.
The result, while excessive, was quite good. This morning I started the other half of the meat, and 1/2 to 1/3 of the remaining Slow Cooker Helper stuff going. Hopefully I won't have too much (or too little) tonight. The kitchen did smell good this noon, too.