Samantha Beck/ Winonan

Last Christmas, I tore the silver wrapping paper off of a rather large box with such ferocity, because I thought it was a box holding the tall riding boots I had wanted.

Turns out it was a small black and silver crockpot.

“You are going to love this, it is super easy and fast to use,” my mother told me, pleased with her gift selection. In my mind I vowed to never use it, but I quickly went back on my word after the first time I used it.

My mother gave me a chicken and noodle recipe to go with the crockpot. I renamed it the “Fast and Cheesy Chicken.” This meal costs less than ten dollars, but the leftovers from this recipe can keep your belly full for three more meals.

The nice thing about using crockpots, I learned, was you make dinner in the morning before class.  It takes up to eight hours to fully cook anything in a crockpot, so by the time class or work is over dinner is asking to be eaten.

First, you need chicken.  Six boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves work best and these are usually around seven dollars. Make sure you leave the chicken on the counter the night before you prepare your crockpot so it can defrost.

Another must is a box of pasta and two cans of broccoli cheese soup which are usually around 88 cents per can.

To prepare, pour all these ingredients plus 1 and a 1/2 cups of milk and a 1/2 teaspoons of salt, pepper and basil (the common spices every household should have) into the crockpot.

The next step is to place the lid and turn on the crockpot and let it go.

When you get home after a long day of classes, do not be alarmed by the delicious smell that will engulf your entire house and make your roommates tempted to eat your meal. That reaction is quite normal.

Having noodles with this meal is optional, but those only take ten minutes to boil and have with your cheesy broccoli chicken. I would also recommend grabbing a can of green beans or corn and tossing it into the microwave for three minutes.

When I first tried the “Fast and Cheesy Chicken” recipe, I had my boyfriend taste it first to see if it had turned out to be any good. He loved it and even asked for the recipe himself.  Actually, my roommates also asked for this recipe as well.

Although it does kill me to admit this, sometimes mothers are right.  At least my mother was right about one thing: crockpots are a great investment.