Crockpots really are just about my favorite thing in the world to make delicious food with since I can set it and forget it--anything from cherry pineapple dump cake to delicious french dip sandwiches. Here are some tips to make your crock pot cooking even better, especially if you cook regularly with it and count on it to make those meals divine each and every time!

1. Always start by preheating your slow cooker.

This is particularly important when you're sautéing aromatics, vegetables, or meat before adding them to the slow cooker. Instead of adding hot ingredients to a cold slow cooker, heat it up before you add your ingredients and you will reduce your cooking time pretty significantly.

You can do this by pouring hot or boiling water into your crockpot and setting it to high. By the time you everything else ready you are going to put in your crockpot, dump out the water and it will be all heated up and ready to go.

2. Adding alcohol is okay, but only a tiny bit.

Because of the low cooking temperature and closed environment, alcohol doesn't reduce in the slow cooker the same way it does on the stovetop. If you plan to add wine or alcohol, keep it to just a tablespoon or two, or better yet, reduce it on the stovetop before adding it to the slow cooker.

3. Always fill the bowl two-thirds to three-quarters full.

One of the most basic indicators for slow-cooker success is simply how full it is. Slow cookers work best when they're two-thirds to three-quarters of the way full, and most recipes are written with this in mind. When the slow cooker is not full enough, too much liquid can evaporate and the food can burn; when the bowl is too full, food can take much longer to cook.

4. Oven temperature is your guide when converting recipes to the slow cooker.

When adapting recipes to your slow cooker, use oven temperature as a guide to determine when to use the LOW or HIGH temperature setting. For recipes that are simmered on the stovetop or cooked in the oven at 300°F or higher, use the HIGH temperature setting on the slow cooker; for recipes that are cooked lower than 300°F in the oven, use the LOW setting.

5. Use an oven-safe dish when making a small recipe in a big slow cooker.

Whether you're scaling down a recipe, or just cooking a small-batch recipe in a really big slow cooker, use an oven-safe dish like Pyrex or Corningware to prevent food from drying out. Load all the ingredients into the dish, place the dish into the bowl of the slow cooker, and cook according to recipe directions.

This creates a smaller cooking vessel, which protects your food from overcooking or drying out. There is no need to add water around the cooking dish; simply place your slow-cooker lid on top and cook according to the recipe instructions.