Buffalo chicken dip in a crockpot

Cooking with a Crock-Pot

“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.” – Anthony Bourdain, Kitchen Confidential

Some of the most exquisite meals can be cooked with few ingredients, and little time. For college students like me, Bourdain’s statement strikes close to home – after all, most of our meals consist of some sort of food that comes in a microwavable cup, and can be cooked in less than five minutes. Whether your chosen poison is the renowned neon orange Easy-Mac, or the classic, salty Ramen Noodles, the diet of a college student is the epitome of simple food.

With the time and budget constraints that most college students face, these tiresome foods are often thought to be all that we can make. However, I can attest that it does not take long before a college student grows tired of eating these dull, cheap foods. I know I have already had enough of them, and I have been at college for less than 8 months. So a few weeks ago, I sat down at my computer and tasked myself with finding another easy way to make food- preferably one that did not take a lot time, but also did not involve a microwave. After spending hours scouring the blogs of many young foodies and countless Pinterest boards, I discovered what my kitchen had been missing: a Crock-Pot.

Most people have either used or seen a Crock-Pot used at some point in their life. Growing up, my mother would occasionally use our crock pot to make shredded beef or other simple dinners, but for the most part, she preferred to take her time cooking in the kitchen. However, college students are typically a very busy group of people who often do not have the time to cook a full meal. Instead we often choose to stop at fast-food restaurants like Taco Bell or Chick-Fil-A, because they are a quick and easy meal. Yet, with a Crock-Pot, college students do not have to live this way.

Crock-Pots have many advantages. They allow people to cook large quantities of food at once, and they do not require a lot of time spent in the kitchen. Imagine being able to take all the ingredients required for your favorite recipe, throwing them in a huge pot, and letting them simmer for hours while you finish your homework or binge watch your new favorite show on Netflix. This is the magic of the Crock-Pot – lots of food, little time. Plus, Crock-Pot’s allow you to cook large quantities and freeze them for later.

A quick Google search will provide you with endless Crock-Pot recipes. Whether it be a creamy soup for when you or one of your roommates is feeling under the weather, or crunchy tacos for your next Taco Tuesday: there are no limits to what a college student can cook with a Crock-Pot. My personal favorite recipe, Frank’s buffalo chicken dip, requires only 5 ingredients, and only takes an hour and a half to make. I love to serve it with tortilla chips whenever I have friends over, or even just as a quick snack for myself. So, now I urge you to discover the wonders of the Crock-Pot and leave your favorite recipes in the comments below.

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use Swansson canned shredded chicken)
1 (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup FRANK’S RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce or FRANK’S RedHot® Buffalo wings sauce
1/2 cup Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Dressing
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or your favorite cheese

Directions
Combine Ingredients in a Crock-Pot, stir, and simmer on low heat for 2-2.5 hours or high heat for 1-1.5 hours.

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