I love my crock pot and if you would ever see how banged up it is you would believe me. However, some things never should be cooked in a crock pot same as some things should never be used as a marinade,like grape jam. I am afraid what will happen is you will get a sloppy mixture of gooey unidentifiable goop. The dressing will try and turn itself into soup. The slow cooking process takes moisture out of the food unless you have added liquid to the pot which will then be absorbed by the food being cooked. Do you have a Nesco Roasting Oven? that would make a big amount of dressing and do a very nice job. You can also transport the dressing in the Nesco and use it to warm it up at your son's house. If you are intent on experimenting with your crock pot here is a suggestion with no guarantees but I have used it to sort of roast meats. Prepare your dressing and then wrap it tightly in tin foil before putting it into the crock pot. Good luck and have a very good visit with your family. Here is a link that might be useful: traveling and cooking with grandpa

Lately I've been buying canned wild rice (pre cooked). It's surprisingly reasonble compared to the bags and boxes of wild rice. And very good. Canoe is the brand I see around here. It's in the rice section where they have the white & brown rice. You should find wild rice in any grocery store of even small to medium size. I'm looking forward to trying this. But I probably won't be able to resist adding some bacon to it! I keep telling myself to always try a recipe verbatim first, then adapt... but c'mon, everything's better with bacon, right? :) For anyone looking for the thread: Here is a link that might be useful: Recipe of the Day October 30 - Crock Pot Desserts

This is another favourite of ours, for a pork roast. Sweet and Savory Slow-Cooker Pork Roast This is a delicious pork roast with a sweet and lightly spiced glaze. 1 boneless pork roast, 4 to 6 pounds 1 clove garlic, halved salt and pepper 1 1/3 cups brown sugar, divided 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Wash pork roast, trim excess fat, pat dry, and rub with garlic halves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then prick the roast all over with a fork or skewer. In a cup or bowl, combine 1 cup of the brown sugar, the mustard, and vinegar. Rub all over the roast. Cover and cook on low 6 hours. Combine the remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar with cinnamon; Spread the mixture over the top of the roast. Cover and continue cooking on LOW for 1 hour longer. Drain off juices to make gravy. And this is one that I've shared with a number of people and it gets raves from everyone who tries it. We love pork roast made this way in the slow-cooker. Has definite Asian flavours and is so good. It does call for marinating overnite first, but I'm not 100% sure that it is absolutely necessary. Slow-Cooker Sesame Pork Roast 1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast, trimmed 2 cups water 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted 1/4 cup molasses 1/4 cup cider or white vinegar 4 green onions, sliced 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water Cut roast in half if necessary; place in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. In a bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, sesame seeds, molasses, vinegar, onions, garlic powder and cayenne. Pour half over the roast, marinate overnight. Reserve remaining marinade. Drain pork, discarding marinade. Place roast in a 5-qt. slow cooker; add the reserved marinade. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce temperature to low; cook 8-9 hours longer or until meat is tender. Remove the roast and keep warm. In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in cooking juices. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Serve with the roast.

Memory of left-over mashed potatoes: For six months or so in 1960, we lived with my grandmother in central Illinois. I went to a local school and walked home for lunch. At least 4 days a week we had left over mashed potatoes, always made into patties (the size of a burger) and fried. I was so glad when we moved on. The missus does not understand why I am not a big fan of mashed potatoes.