Crock Pot Bread

I have never really used the crock pot.  Sure, I registered for one when we got married and used it maybe 12 times before we left for language school (yea, that would have been 12 times in 8 years).  I gave it to my mom when we left.

When we moved into this house, there was a crock pot here.  And then we started going to a church that is a half hour away and the service goes to 12:30, which you do the math...yeah, we are starving when we walk in the door at 1:00pm and by gum, there better be something fast!

So, I am starting to really like the crock pot.  Granted, there are a lot of junkie recipes out there for a can of this and can of that and some prepackaged whatever, which doesn't translate real well here. But there are so great ones too.  Like the one I am about to share with you.

I stumbled across this idea of baking sweet breads in your crock pot and oh.my.word!  For us this a a win win win because 1.  I can be doing something else for 3 hours 2.  Use up all the freaking bananas around here and 3. Our electricity is included in our rent!

Ok, so here's how it works.  First make up your favorite sweet bread recipe.  I used my tried and true banana bread one (because we are working our way through a bunch of bananas).  Here it is if you are interested.  Just ignore the bottom part about the oven temperature and time.  You won't be cooking this in the oven. 

I have also given up mashing the bananas first, I have a stand mixer, might as well make it earn it's keep.  I just dump everything in the bowl and there you have it. 

Then, add two cups of water to the bottom of your crockpot.  Turn it to high. Grease a pan that will fit in your crock pot.  I use on of my pyrex bowls.  It turns out lovely.  Dump your batter into the grease bowl/pan and stick that puppy in the crock pot. 

Put a towel under the lid (to absorb some of the steam you are going to get) and leave the thing alone for 2 1/2-3 hours. 

When you come back, you'll have a lovely, moist, sweet bread to enjoy!  So yummy!  I've done this now with banana bread and pumpkin bread.  I am sure it will work with zucchini and anything else you can come up with in the sweet bread category.  I've also seen recipes floating around to use a sticky yeast dough sorta the same way. I'll let you know when I try that :)