SOUTHLAKE - Two North Texas women have turned their love of slow-cookers into a potential business opportunity.
Jenna Marwitz and and Nicole Sparks started out sharing recipes on the Internet.
But their Web site, CrockinGirls.com, and their Facebook page quickly gained hundreds of thousands of followers.
Sparks said they didn’t intend to turn their hobby into a money-maker.
"We are not professionals," she said. "We are just mamas trying to make our lives a little bit easier."
Then they began adding YouTube videos to the site, and the page views continued to mount.
"Who knew that many people loved to crock?" Marwitz asked.
The crockin' girls are in Southlake this week doing a slow-cooker marathon - testing more than 150 recipes for a new cookbook.
Like any good entrepreneurs, these ladies found a niche.
"Most of these recipes take 10 minutes or under to prepare," Sparks said. "If you want to have three slow cookers going, with a main dish, a side and a dessert [you can.] And how cool is that, to be on your way home from work or dance class or a football game, and when you walk in the door, you've got a whole meal ready to go?"
Marwitz says using a slow-cooker is a perfect fit for busy families these days.
"We realized it fit a need for people to get dinner on the table, spend time with their family and less stress on busy moms," she said.
Simplicity, a nostalgic appliance and a taste of home. It adds up to a recipe for success.
"It is very cool, but we never expected this," Marwitz admitted.
E-mail tfoster@wfaa.com
