How to Cook Potatoes in a Crock-Pot

Potatoes are a hearty side dish, but the lengthy amount of time it takes to cook them in the oven can cause dinner to be delayed. This recipe, which uses your crock-pot instead of the oven, allows the potatoes to slow cook in olive oil, butter and fresh seasonings all afternoon, resulting in spuds that are soft, moist and richly flavored. When you get home from work, you can fire up the grill for steak or chicken, make a quick tossed salad, and have dinner on the table in 20 to 30 minutes.

Total Time: 6 to 8 hours | Prep Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes | Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 8 medium yellow potatoes
  
• ¼ cup water
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil (or ½ teaspoon dried basil)
  
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
  
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
  
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
  
• 2 tablespoons of butter

1. Fill the sink or large bowl with cold water. Place the potatoes in the water and allow them to soak for about one hour; much of the dirt will to the bottom of the bowl or sink. Drain the water out of the container and rinse the potatoes off before placing them on a clean towel. Gently scrub the potato skins with a vegetable brush to remove any remaining dirt or sand. Rinse again and place on a dry, clean towel.  
2. Slice the potatoes in half long-ways so they are half-moons. Cut each half-moon in half again to create wedges, if you prefer.
3. Plug in a medium large slow cooker and place the setting on high. Once the crock-pot is warmed up, place the potatoes into the cooker.  Add the water and olive oil.
4. Peel the skin from one garlic clove and finely chop. Remove the skin from the onion and cut into wedges. Add both ingredients to the cooker.
5. In a small mixing bowl, combine the salt, pepper, basil and parsley. Mix the ingredients until well blended and sprinkle over potatoes.  Using a wooden spoon, stir the potatoes so that the seasonings are evenly distributed.
6. Split the butter into three or four separate pieces and place on top of the potatoes.
7. Turn the cooker down to low. Cover and allow the potatoes to cook for five hours or until tender. 
8. When the potatoes are finished cooking, turn the crock-pot off and stir the potatoes so that the juices and seasonings are well mixed throughout.