What A Crock!

When I was somewhere around 12 or 13, my mom got her crock pot. Of course, it was from Montgomery Wards, it wasn't crockery (although it was non-stick) and she still uses it today because it's what she has and it works for her. I never liked the thing. You could, admittedly, get stuff started on the stove for really good browning and carmelization and then braise it, but it always simmered out and dripped because the lid never fit tight. It was also a multi-tasker, with a separate heating tray that you could presumably cook on itself. But I never liked it. It wasn't something I felt I could set to low and let it cook all day long.

So I asked for a Crock-pot last Christmas (or maybe the one before...hmmm. Maybe smoking the demon weed does kill brain cells). In Albuquerque, I only cooked with it once or twice. Make that 3 times. After the first time I cooked something in it, I picked up a box of those Crock-pot liners. They work. I dig them. I like everything that means I don't have to scrub a dish.

It's pot-luck season at workplaces around the country, and that means Crock-pot. My supervisor at work seems to have instituted a pot-luck-a-month. For October, it was the 'halloween fest'. I brought doughnuts for the morning sugar rush. This time around, our 'Thanksgiving potluck' is tomorrow. I'm making...(drum roll please) Smokies. Apparently, it's somewhat of a common appetizer/pot-luck dish. I hadn't had it until Easter a year ago when K, L's girlfriend at the time, brought it to Mom's. You won't get a finished picture (that's at work, and no camera at work. Sorry), but I'll walk you through what I'm doing. Enjoy, Dear Reader. OOOH. And just to make it a bit easier, just about everything in here is pre-made except just a couple of things. Meaning it's quick and easy too.

Smokies
"X" 14 oz. packages small cooked smoked sausage links (I use Hillshire Farms). Figure it out according to how many people you have to feed using 2 ounces for each person. 2- 14 oz. packages (they were cheaper than the 2 lb package) will feed my team of 14 people.
1 cup bottled barbecue sauce (I'm using Cattleman's. Hey, it's work, what can I say?)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon yellow mustard



Line your Crock-pot. You'll thank me at clean-up time. It's sugary, meaning if it burns ANYWHERE, you're stuck.






Mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl first. (do I need to remind you to taste and adjust to your own liking?)





Put the sausage in the Crock-pot.





Pour in the sauce and stir. Cover and cook on 'High' for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

Ready to heat

Now. Since this is for work, this goes in the fridge (no, no pictures of my fridge. It's an old one from the late 70's and it's... funky and not fun) tonight and then I'm putting it into my Crock-pot carrier and going in the a.m. Plug it in at work (I'm essentially 10-8, with lunch at 1... makes it 3 hours. Isn't that convenient??). Stir before serving (bring a spoon and/or tongs. They can dish their own). TA DA!

Wasn't that easy? Oh, come on... You're just ashamed to admit it looks pretty damn good, even uncooked. I dig them. Enjoy, Dear Reader.