the Almighty Crock Pot

This is actually the model of crock-pot that I have.

I am a man of few regrets. However, one true regret I have in my life is that I did not discover the power of the crock pot sooner. It wasn't until I became a full-fledged adult, with a mortgage and children, that I came to understand the usefulness of what is quite possibly the greatest convenience appliance of all time. Yes, I'm ranking this thing above the microwave (though I would never go without one of those, either).

The reason I regret not learning about the amazing crock pot sooner is that, contrary to what you might think, this appliance is not just for busy moms (and dads) or for keeping Buffalo wings hot. I wish I could go back in time to visit bachelor me and give him the gift of slow cooking. It certainly would have saved me from weeks on end of Chinese take-out, microwave pot-pies, and canned pasta.

If there is one thing that every single man is wanting, it is a home cooked meal. The beauty of the crock pot is that, with minimal effort and approximately equal know how, one can have just that. You just load it up in the morning with whatever you fancy, go do whatever you need to do all day, and return in the evening to a hot and ready dinner. That's faster than nuking a Hungry Man dinner.

Sure, crock pot cooking takes a little more planning than microwavery. But it has great advantage. With a microwave, everything you make is limited to one texture: mushy. This may be fine for ramen noodles and Salisbury steak. But what about roast chicken with new potatoes and garden vegetables? Yes, armed with a crock pot, a single guy can make for himself a roast chicken dinner. And that is not all, the possibilities are endless. And preparation is as simple as throwing stuff in a pot.

Sure, a little trial and error will lead you to bigger and better dishes, but I've never known a guy who wasn't willing to eat his mistakes--literally. So, my advice to all you bachelors out there, forget the microwave and get yourself a crock pot. (But don't really forget the microwave. You're still gonna want a Hot Pocket now and again.)