Mother's Day Gifts From The Slow Cooker

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

Mother’s Day falls this Sunday and it’s time to honor the woman who raised you. If you are still puzzled over the best way to make your mom feel special and pampered on her day, then I have a couple of suggestions for you.

The best way to let your mom know how much she means to you is to think about what she loves the most and try to work that into the day in some way. Now that I am a mother myself, I figured I could weigh in here. Few things are more indulgent than two of my favorite things –- a warm scented bath and chocolate. These are two treats that are pretty well universally loved and you can use the slow cooker to help you make each of these themes into a personalized Mother’s Day gift.

And dads, take note. If you are looking for ideas to help your children honor the special woman in your lives, then using the crockpot to make something unique is going to be right up your alley. These ideas are ones that small children can help with; even tiny tots can help measure and dump the ingredients into the slow cooker, and they will love putting their personal stamp on a special gift to their mother.

First off, a relaxing bubble bath is just the ticket to sooth any stressed out soul. You can make your own spa-like essential oil infusions, bath salts, and bubble bath using the crockpot. Start by making an essential oil in the crockpot using grapeseed or jojoba oil as a carrier and adding one or two fresh and dried herbs such as lavender, peppermint or chamomile. These make the perfect gift to give to mom. They will not only produce a lovely fragrance in your home while you are making them, but can also be added to the bathtub or applied to the skin for relaxation.

Essential oils have aromatherapy properties that can help relax and rejuvenate mom. For example, lavender and chamomile are calming and help promote better rest. Peppermint is energizing and uplifting. Eucalyptus can help ease cold symptoms and cure a stuffy head. These oils can then be added to a homemade bubble bath mixture or mixed with bath salts. Place your finished products in a decorative plastic container, and you are all set with a unique and meaningful gift. It is a fairly simple process and a lot of fun for kids both young and old.

You can also make a sweet treat for your mom using the slow cooker. If your mother is a raging chocoholic or just has a touch of a sweet tooth, she is going to enjoy this rich, decadent chocolate pudding cake.

So if you choose to give your mom a day spa experience using the slow cooker, or to make a fabulous dessert, or another unique way to celebrate mother’s day, hopefully these are some ideas that mom will truly appreciate, and that will make her feel appreciated!

Serves/Makes: 12

• 1 package chocolate cake mix
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 package (4 serving) chocolate flavor instant pudding & pie filling mix

Serves/Makes: 1.5 quarts

• 9 drops essential oil
• 1 quart distilled water
• 1 bar (4 ounce size) castille soap
• 4 ounces liquid glycerin

Serves/Makes: 6 cups

• 3 cups Epsom salts
• 2 cups baking soda
• 1 cup table salt
• food coloring of your choice
• infused oil of your choice

Serves/Makes: 2.5 oz.

• 2 ounces grapeseed or jojoba oil
• 1/2 ounce dried herbs* (if using fresh herbs double the amount)