While I was heating a pot roast in my new slow-cooker, I decided to read the instructions that came with it (better late than never).
There was a list of twenty regulations, including this:
"Don't use this product if you have coordination difficulties" and
"Don't use this product unsupervised if you have a physical or mental incapacity."
Well, hell. That's strike three for me.
I swear I'm not making this up. It provided me with the best laugh of the day.
I bought my slow cooker and electric oven over a month ago (I think) but never used them because there's no room in my small kitchen.
I only recently found places to put them.
I painted an old bookcase and put the electric oven on it. And I squeezed the slow cooker onto the countertop near the stove.
The wall is two different colors because I painted the kitchen yellow but painted the adjacent room (where the dining room table is) another color. I should have just painted it all one color but I wanted some variety.
I never used a slow cooker before and only guessed at what I was doing. I made a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions. Added a cup of beef broth and heated it on high for five hours.
To my astonishment it turned out great. The vegetables were perfect and the roast was tender and juicy. Problem is, I had lots of leftovers. I piled everything into a tray and put it in the fridge. It was easy to reheat it in the oven.
This is embarrassingly boring. I sound like an old hausfrau.
So, my pot roast adventure didn't impress you? Well, maybe this will.
Every time I make the dreaded trip to town I buy a lot of supplies and groceries. With my back back and the muddy, hilly terrain on my property, it takes a heckuva long time for me to drag the groceries inside. The 35 pound bags of cat litter are enough to kill me.
So, I always bring the perishable items in first, and take my time lugging in the other stuff.
When I got home from my most recent excursion to town, I (accidentally) left some items in the trunk of the car overnight - including a large bag of dry cat food and a box of donuts.
The next day when I went to retrieve the items in the car, I was literally stunned into oblivion. The box of donuts was ripped wide open and covered in MOUSE CRAP!! And the bag of cat food was chewed open and the contents were spilling out all over.
My question:
How the hell could mice get in the trunk of a car??? I never heard of such a thing. I'm not only shocked and disgusted - I'll never leave another food item in the car again.
I'm not exaggerating when I often say that this rural retreat where I live offers nothing but inconveniences,complications, and unpleasant situations.
Should I start putting mouse traps in the trunk of the car?
Your crockpot meal looks delicious, and what a bonus to have more than one delicious meal without cooking again. I don't cook very often in my crockpot, but when I do, I use Reynolds Crockpot liners, they are a clear plastic heat resistant plastic bag that fits inside the crockpot. When you use the liners, there is nothing to clean maybe just a little drip or so that may get there when removing the bag. They are well worth the money.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, the mice in the car thing is kind of ick. If they decide to nest in your car they will really stink it up. I would set traps in there, but be sure and remember where you put them. They hurt when they snap on your fingers. I know that because I put mouse traps in some of my flower pots to keep the squirrels from digging out my plants. I made them so they wouldn't break squirrel bones by gluing a small cube of wood to the trap to keep the mechanism from smashing down far enough to crush little squirrel or bird feet. The traps popping were enough to keep the squirrels out of the pots once that happened, the squirrels never came back to dig. Then in early fall when I was pulling the grown plants out of the pots, I discovered one of the squirrel safety traps that hadn't been tripped, when it snapped down on my finger and I could barely open up the damn thing with only one hand to get my finger out. Squirrel safe, but not safe for me.
I never heard of crockpot liners, but it's a great idea. I'll look for them next time I shop. It's annoying trying to clean a large, heavy crockpot container.
DeleteIt was thoughtful of you to set the traps with a cube of wood so they wouldn't be dangerous to the squirrels and birds - but I had to laugh (Sorry!!) when your finger got caught. OUCH!!!
Here's what I found by typing "How did mice get into the trunk of my car."
ReplyDeletehttps://www.hagerty.com/media/maintenance-and-tech/how-to-rodent-proof-your-car/
Donna, thanks for the link. The article has a lot of good information. I never knew it was a common occurrence for rodents to invade vehicles.
DeleteJon- I don't know the best means to get rid of the mice/rats, but I do know that if you don't do something they will start chewing the wires in your car motor, etc. They are horrendous!
ReplyDeleteI never encountered mice until I came to this rural area. They are extremely destructive and aggressive. It's not easy to get rid of them.
DeleteThe pot roast with vegetables looks delicious! As for the mice, scented dryer sheets have been known to keep mice and rodents away.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that scented dryer sheets are effective but never tried it (yet). Recently I've been using black pepper in drawers and cabinets. It's a fairly good repellent.
DeleteMice can get in ANYWHERE. There are spaces from underneath the car that they can squeeze though. But ick! That pot roast is definite comfort food. It looks fabulous.
ReplyDeleteYou're right - mice can squeeze in the tiniest places imaginable, and they're extremely good climbers. I've seldom seen any critters that are more destructive.
DeleteThat pot roast and veggies looks amazing! Too funny about the safety instructions. 5 hours on high? Wow. Ours are usually done in 3 (on high), but may be a smaller cut.
ReplyDeleteThat had to be a creepy feeling discovering the presence of mice. Now, I'm fretting over the possibility of discovering a snake.
My best friend's mom had a cat clock exactly like yours!
Those safety instructions really cracked me up. My roast was large (and heavy) so I just wanted to make sure it was thoroughly cooked. I think it would have been okay at four hours.
DeleteWhen I lived in Texas I always worried about finding a snake in the car, but I suppose it can happen anywhere (remember when I had a snake in my bedroom here in TN?).
Fool-proof Crockpotting! Anything I can use without instructions is deemed "Fool-Proof"! And I'm a pretty good idiot! The perk with slow cooking is you can set the dial to "warm" and keep the food in there for future midnight snacking. Things do get a little dry if you keep it over three days, but that has only happened once. ( Was still good, though.)
ReplyDeleteThe mouse in the car. Many a mechanic have stories of mice setting up nests in people's air vents and air filter compartments. Once you clean out the mouse nesting material, the car runs like new because it can finally breathe!
But I have similar story: Once, I thought I saw a "rat" scurry under our old blue station wagon when it was parked in the garage. I told my folks and they did not believe me. "A rat!? Are you sure if was not a squirrel or mouse?" Shortly after that, my Dad was driving to work and half way there, a HUGE rat climbed up his leg and sat on his shoulder! Scared of the moving vehicle I guess. My Dad about had a heart attack! But managed NOT to drive the car off the road. He DID pull over and let the rat escape under the seat or something. (I can't remember if he got it to leave out the open door or window.) That evening, Dad put d-Con all over the car floor, seats, trunk, and in the garage. My parents learned a valuable lesson in believing my stories and sightings.... A small feeling of satisfaction and vindication on my part.
I never thought about using the "warm" dial to keep the food cozy. It's a good idea, instead of reheating it in the oven.
DeleteOMG - the grim tale of the rat and your father is beyond chilling. If a rat ever ran up my leg and sat on me while I was driving, I'd either die of fright or leap out of the car and do a St. Vitus Dance!
Jon,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, i LOVE that KRAZY KAT clock on your kitchen wall! Secondly, I've been using a crock pot for over forty years now. I started to use it when it first came out. In fact I think I'm using the same crock pot. There is so much you can do with a crock pot and while it's cooking, it leaves a wonderful oder in your house all day. So many suggestions what to cook. One of my favorites is a couple of chicken breasts cut up (or left whole if you prefer). Cover it with a mixture of cream of mushroom soup, dry Lipton Onion Soup mix and a half a cup of white wine. Delicious! And the chicken is so tender. Also beef stew.
Watch out for those mice. Put those cats to work Jon. Always enjoy your posts.
Ron
Ron, I really love the Krazy Kat clock and think of you whenever I see it. You can be sure that it has a good home.
DeleteI'm amazed at how easy it is to make good meals in the slow-cooker. Your recipe for chicken breasts is tempting. My parents had a crock pot long ago, but I never paid much attention to it (my dad called it a "crotch pot").
There are mice everywhere here. My cat Bosco catches them, but Kitzee is fifteen years old and prefers to sleep rather than chase rodents.
Oh yes! Mice can get into cars and lots of other places you would never suspect.
ReplyDeleteYour pot roast looks delicious! A slow cooker, eh? Sounds similar to a crock pot but looks bigger.
I get #40 bags of kitty litter and it is a pain to just hoist them up on to my cart and off again. Lifting them into the big bin I have in the pantry is a killer for the back. I can't even imagine trying to carry it from the car to the house! You need some kind of cart with big wheels that could get pulled through mud and snow maybe? Something! Awk!
Thank goodness you have yummy warm food to eat and your lovely cats to cuddle with. Country living, eh?
Mice can definitely get in anywhere, but I never suspected that they could invade the trunk of a car! I'll never leave groceries in there again.
DeleteSlow cookers and crock pots are basically the same, but you're right. I think slow cookers are slightly bigger. Even though it's big, I had a rather hard time stuffing all the food in it.
I have an old wheelbarrow in the garage. Perhaps I can use it for hauling supplies to the house.
Perfect! Yes!! Use the wheelbarrow!! :)
DeleteYeah on finding places for your new appliances, Jon, and thanks too for the laugh with those crock pot warnings. It’s been awhile since a pot roast meal was done in ours and now I am thinking it’s time for one as leftovers are the best thing! Those mice can be destructive and hope you can find a way to deter them from doing any damage to your car, other than the donut episode, which was nasty in itself.
ReplyDeleteThe rules for the crock pot were hilarious. Another one warned "Do not turn this appliance on when it's immersed in water"
DeleteIt sure is easy to make a pot roast meal in the slow-cooker, and - as you said - there are plenty of good leftovers.
Mice are more destructive than I ever imagined and they're everywhere out here in the boonies. A few months ago I discovered they were eating a bar of soap in the bathroom!! (I wondered if it killed them...).
I was completely shocked when I saw what they did to the donuts and cat food in the car.
I am not a huge appliance person by any means....i have a microwave which I rarely use and a blender in a cabinet i use once a year....and a slow cooker. They are excellent. I love getting a meal together...throw it in and let it cook all day. When not in use it stores with the blender above the stove. I can't take appliances taking up space.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your cat clock. I have seen a few and there expensive now.
I don't like appliances taking up room, either - especially now that I live in a small place.
DeleteThat Kit Kat clock is an old original electric one (the new ones are made by the same company but they run on batteries).
This clock was generously given to me by our fellow blogger Ron from "Retired in Delaware".
i just put the crock with leftovers in refrigerater, then next day, put it back in heating part, turn on keep warm for few minutes, then go to low.
ReplyDeletereheated in no time. only 1 cleanup.
That's a good and practical idea. Unfortunately the crock wouldn't fit into my crammed refrigerator. I'll try to make room for it next time!
DeleteI have used mouse traps with peanut butter and I killed the little devils.
ReplyDeleteI initially tried to be nice and didn't want to harm them - but killing them is the only way to alleviate the problem.
DeleteIt was great to hear about that pot roast being cooked to perfection. it looked absolutely yummy. the little critter visiting your car was not surprising to me. we discovered one living in the back of our van. we do not live in a rural setting, so go figure. I've been dealing with health issues so haven't been keeping up with my blog buddies. it feels good to be back.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you're back - and I can fully identify with your health issues. I'm presently dealing with so many of them that I'm completely overwhelmed.
DeleteMice have a way of constantly getting in unlikely places, but I never thought they could get in the trunks of cars. YIKES!!!
I recently removed "comment moderation" from my blog settings, but moticed that your comment was still held for approval. Sorry about that!
Dear Jon, having 2 next-door neighbors drop dead from covid, and more beyond, we have gone from 0 to seven cats at our back door in less than a year. We worry about suddenly emptied homes, and abandoned pets, but however much we feed these guys, there seem to be no mice anymore. I'm in favor of that but I miss my neighbors. I don't think life is quite so conducive to equity as it ought to be.
ReplyDeleteGeo, it's a tragedy about your neighbors, but so kind of you to care about the abandoned pets. The biggest problem is that cats multiply so quickly (I hope your new feline friends are spayed/neutered). I remember the nightmare I endured in Texas when I had over twenty abandoned cats....
DeleteOne minute you're young and wild...the next minute you get excited about crockpots and air fryers.
ReplyDeleteAnd, since you're not permitting comments on today's post, here are a couple of questions that occurred to me:
Why would Biden admit to fraud on what looks like a press conference?
Why didn't Fox and/or Newsmax report it?
BIDEN BRAGS BEFORE HE THINKS (AND HIS MIND IS GETTING SENILE). HE PUBLICLY BOASTED ABOUT HIS SHADY DEALINGS IN THE UKRAINE, SO WHY WOULDN'T HE MENTION VOTER FRAUD.
DeleteANCHORS ON fox DID MENTION THIS VIDEO, SO DID PEARSON SHARP ON OAN. THE VIDEO WAS RAMPANT ON YOUTUBE UNTIL THEY STARTED TAKING IT DOWN.