Madeleine

I'll be honest, I was not much of a cook before getting married last year, and this crockpot has been an essential for me. Even though I have since learned a lot about cooking, I still use this crockpot at least once a week because it's just nice to be able to put ingredients in and then take a meal out of it later without having to put in much effort. It's great for busy, full days where you don't have much time.I've found this 7-quart crockpot to be the perfect size for 2 people. We end up with a serving size (of meat and veggies) for both of us at dinner and then my husband is able to get a lunch out of it the next day too (so in total it typically gives me 3-4 serving sizes). I suppose if you were just making a meat or veggie or some other single food in here, you'd get more portions, but I put everything in there so I don't get many servings out of it, but it suits us perfectly fine.Cooking low and slow is my motto with this thing. I feel like that keeps the meat from drying out. Personally, I have found that chicken breasts cook in about 2 1/2-3 hours on low and a roast takes around 8 hours (give or take depending on how many lbs) on low. Depending on what kind of veggies I decide to go with, I will add those in the crockpot 30 mins-1 hour before I plan on taking everything out and serving. I have not branched out to many other types of dishes with a crockpot, but I know it can be used for soups, lasagna, oatmeal, breakfast casseroles, and even desserts, so if you don't fancy meat, then you can still enjoy the benefits of a crockpot.Overall, if you aren't the best of cooks, you're looking for something to make meals easier or you don't have much time to devote to being in the kitchen.. the crockpot is for you. Good luck in your cooking endeavors!