I use mine to make lots and lots of boneless skinless chicken breast at once and then I portion it out. I sometimes just season with water or broth and lemon pepper, sometimes I use a can of chopped tomatoes and chinese 5-spice, onion, and garlic. Yesterday I used chicken broth for a couple of pounds of meat, then added ~ 1 tsp each of cumin, allspice, garam masala, cardamom. I mix the spices into the broth then pour over the chicken. It's about 4 meals for us that way, served over quinoa (or any other kind of whole grain) and a 3 oz. pile of chopped up fresh raw spinach topped with salsa for me, and served over quinoa mixed with frozen or canned veg for Robert.pull out the flesh. I find it is too watery for me...lots of jiuce...so I put the flesh into a strainer before I use it. I serve it as I would pasta.
I use mine to cook a whole spaghetti squash, just clean it, poke holes so it doesn't explode, add some water and cook all day. At dinner, cut it in 1/2, clean out the seeds and
If you haven't used the crock pot before, just experiment with flavors you know you like...some meat, some spices/herbs and most importantly ALWAYS use at least 1/2 cup of liquid...broth, water, wine, juice etc. I hope that helps...I don't use too many actual recipes so much as a process. Mostly for meat, stew or veg.
I got one for Xmas too! I have made a couple things from it using recipes from a library book I checked out. I don't have it with me right now, but if you go to the library and look up slow cooker books you should be able to find something.
I make a lot of "trash can" soups. I keep cans of chicken broth, canned tomatoes, beans, lentils, and other nonperishable things in the pantry. Then, when I have some fresh veg that needs to be used (typically carrots, celery, onions, maybe potatoes...) I make a giant pot of soup that simmers all day and makes lunch for a week.
Play around with it! It's nice to come home to something that has been simmering all day!
Haha, what a great thread, since I'm making my first thing with my Christmas crock pot right now I'm just doing shredded chicken that I will use to make my lunch wraps this week, and then I'll freeze the rest for quick dinners. The best part though, is that since I got a big thing of bone-in chicken breast I was able to get it for a dollar a pound, which is waaaay less then I normally pay for sandwich meat.
As far as recipes, I would look around some websites like eatingwell.com where they include the nutritional info. There is also a food blog where a women did a recipe a day for the crockpot, so she has a lot to look though, along with some advice about using them (http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/).
Check out Hungry Girl books. She's got some great crock pot recipes. My fave is 1-2-3 Alarm Turkey Chili. Enjoy your new gift....I too love coming home from work to a hot meal and a house that smells great!
I love my crockpot. Every time I see crockpot cookbooks in thrift stores and on library book sales I have to buy them, though I also go online a lot.
Some of my favorites are the simplest. Like cooking chicken or pork in salsa or barbecue sauce (or even the ubiquitous cream of mushroom soup).
I like the WW recipe that combines a cup of ketchup and a cup of diet cola as a simmer sauce for about a pound chicken or pork. Replacing the diet cola with diet orange soda and adding a tablespoon of soy sauce is a nice variation.
Some light salad dressings also make nice marinades/simmering sauces, such as italian, non-creamy french or Western, Asian ginger...
We make Chicken in a Pot quite a lot. Everyone likes it. Its just 4 carrot sticks cut up, 4 celery stalks cut up, one large onion cut up, layer chicken on top of that, a cup of water, salt, pepper, basil on top. Cook it 8ish hours. Even my kids eat it.
We used to make this all the time when the kids were growing up and our schedules were super busy....the entire family loved it. We skipped on the jalapenos
Flank Steak Fajitas
Flank steak is cooked in the crockpot with seasonings then used to make fajitas.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
1 large onion, quartered and sliced
1 sweet bell pepper, cut into thin slices
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped tomatoes
12 flour tortillas
Optional Toppings:
sour cream, guacamole, shredded Mexican blend cheese, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, salsa, sliced olives, etc.
Preparation:
Cut flank steak into 6 portions. Combine meat, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander and salt in slow cooker. Add tomatoes; cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours.
Remove beef from slow cooker and shred. Return meat to slow cooker. Stir. For the fajitas, spread meat mixture onto warm flour tortillas and add your favorite toppings.
Serves 10 to 12.
Easy chicken for soft tacos: 2-3 chicken breasts and 1 jar of salsa.
Cook about 6 hrs on low or 4 hrs on high.
I do a very similar thing...except I add a bit of lime juice and chili powder to the chicken along with the salsa...and then when the chicken is done, I add a bit of cooked frozen corn to it, and shred up the chicken real nice.
Easy chicken for soft tacos: 2-3 chicken breasts and 1 jar of salsa.
Cook about 6 hrs on low or 4 hrs on high.
I do a very similar thing...except I add a bit of lime juice and chili powder to the chicken along with the salsa...and then when the chicken is done, I add a bit of cooked frozen corn to it, and shred up the chicken real nice. It is flavorful enough that you don't need fatty cheese or sour cream on the tacos...I just add lettuce to mine.
Crock pot ideas?
I'm just doing shredded chicken that I will use to make my lunch wraps this week, and then I'll freeze the rest for quick dinners. The best part though, is that since I got a big thing of bone-in chicken breast I was able to get it for a dollar a pound, which is waaaay less then I normally pay for sandwich meat. 
