Favorite slow cooker meals! 1, 2, 3 ... go!

[HealthyWifeForLife]

What do you all love to throw in your slow cooker for an easy meal? I am just going back to school and it's an adjustment ... therefore, I am struggling to make healthy, home cooked meals with limited time! With fall around the corner, I've been craving using my slow cooker and look forward to some yummy ideas

[clackley]

Sorry that I don't have a contribution but am looking forward to other people's ideas!

[limetwist]

PORK BUTT GO!

1 giant Boston Butt/bone-in shoulder roast
Garlic powder/garlic paste/minced garlic
Salt/pepper/cayenne/onion powder/any spices you want


Throw giant boston butt into crockpot. Cover with garlic paste/powder/minced garlic/whatever, then coat in spice rub of choice.

Turn slow cooker on low. Walk out door. Come back 8-12 hours later to delicious pork roast or pulled pork, depending on internal temperature. No liquid necessary. You could add water or apple cider vinegar if you're so inclined and want a bunch of juice, but the rendered fat and juices from the roast are enough on their own, IMO.

Easy as pie.

[Furi]

Chili!

To-do beforehand: Get a whole brisket. Trim a bit of the fat cap off, enough that you can grill it without setting everything on fire. Grill just enough to get a good smokey browning on the outside, then stick it in the fridge.

When you're ready to slow-cook, cut it up into pieces that will fit in your crockpot and pop it in along with half a chopped onion and whatever fresh peppers you have on hand, chili powder to taste, half of one of the little cans of chipotles in adobo, then add a cup or two of good strong bone broth. Then wait 6-8 hours until it falls apart

[sfmom]

I put beef roasts, pork roasts, pork tenderloins all in the crock pot with spices and cook them - they always turn out so tender.

You can do beanless chili in the crockpot too, what about French onion soup?

Okay I hungry now LOL

[Dooditsglory]

Crockpot chicken

make foil balls about 4 line the bottom of the crockpot with them put whole chicken on top

on low 8 hrs later fully cooked whole chicken yummy!

[Charski]

Here's a thread that will keep you entertained for a while - some really good stuff here!

Add your favorite Crock Pot Recipe!

[HealthyWifeForLife]

Ooohhhh yummmmmm-o! Thank you all so much! I am hungry now The pork butt sounds heavenly! I'm off to check out that link - Thank you!! I'll keep you all posted if I try anything worth sharing, which I KNOW I will!

[sya_unit]

chicken breasts - about 6 or 8 (depending on your pot)

1. Pour a can of salsa over it and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 on low.
or
2. Pour half a can of franks buffalo sauce and a packet of ranch (the dry stuff) and a stick of butter melted and cook same as above - spicy ranch chicken - yummy
or
3. (not as low carb as above) a can of cranberry sauce (not the gel, the berry one), a half bottle of french dressing and walah. Mmm. Cook as above.

Those are my 3 favorites right now.

[HealthyWifeForLife]

Oooooh yumm! The spicy ranch chicken sounds heavenly!!

[Speck333]

I love my crock pot and use it sometimes 3 times a week. Almost any recipe you would make on the stovetop or in the oven can be adapted to the crock pot. The key is to not put in extra liquid and not let it boil (avoid cooking on high).

Some of my favorites are chili, stew, whole chicken, carnitas, beef roast, chicken terriyaki and my personal favorite meatloaf! Crockpot meatloaf is amazing.
If you go to my menu threads (link in my signature line) you can see all the things I put in my crock pot.
Also check out the A Year of Slow Cooking blog.

[Jillo]

Oh my gosh, you guys! I made the carnitas from the recipe I found on here and it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Wow! WOW! OM NOM NOM NOM NOMMM!!!

[Meli-Mel]

2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
8 oz. cream cheese
1t. garlic powder
1 T. minced onions
1/2 t. crushed red pepper
1/2 t. pepper
1/2 t. salt

Combine tomatoes and spices in crockpot. Place chicken on top of tomato mixture. Cube creamed cheese and place on top of chicen. Cook on low for 5 hours. Right before serving, remove chicken to plate to cool slightly. Add sour cream to crock pot and stir to combine. Shred chicken and return to crock pit. Combine mixture and eat!

[sorenkkg]

I have one from the Dana Carpender slow cooker book (which I love) which is so easy!

1 roast (beef or pork, and get the cheap ones, b/c expensive roasts don't do well in the slow cooker)
1/2 jar of pepperocini peppers (the little yellow ones you get on a salad at Italian places).

roast in slow cooker
1/2 jar, incl some liquid (doesn't add too much) of peppers. Cook on low for 8hrs or whatever.

OMG, so good! and crazy easy!

[coffeegirl]

Originally Posted by Dooditsglory

Crockpot chicken

make foil balls about 4 line the bottom of the crockpot with them put whole chicken on top

on low 8 hrs later fully cooked whole chicken yummy!

I do this too! It's the only way to 'bake' chicken! Always moist and yummy. I add Lowry's Seasoning Salt ....

[SCOTTSDALEJULIE]

Originally Posted by sorenkkg

I have one from the Dana Carpender slow cooker book (which I love) which is so easy!

1 roast (beef or pork, and get the cheap ones, b/c expensive roasts don't do well in the slow cooker)
1/2 jar of pepperocini peppers (the little yellow ones you get on a salad at Italian places).

roast in slow cooker
1/2 jar, incl some liquid (doesn't add too much) of peppers. Cook on low for 8hrs or whatever.

OMG, so good! and crazy easy!

I make this, too, it is really good

[RVcook]

I make one similar to Meli-Mel's, but I leave out the tomatoes, use chive and onion cream cheese, add some pimentos and sliced mushrooms. So yummy!

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Dooditsglory

Crockpot chicken

make foil balls about 4 line the bottom of the crockpot with them put whole chicken on top

on low 8 hrs later fully cooked whole chicken yummy!

I don't use the foil for the bigger roasting chickens. Just place them in frozen solid (or not). Turn on low and go! I leave it all day, cool so you can handle and the meat just falls off the bones. Then you also have some wonderful broth once filtered! Tender as can be, use for sandwiches, shred for mexican dishes, make soup, or as you are taking it apart, eat as is, nom nom!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Love&Luck]

I like to take a chuck roast (pot roast) and pour on a mixture of either 1cup water mixed with 1 pkg Lipton's onion soup mix OR I now use 1 cup beef broth mixed with 2T of an onion soup spice mix I buy from a local spice shop (nothing in there but spices). I start it before I leave in the AM and have pot roast waiting for me! I served with mashed cauliflower and make gravy from the leftover broth/water and spices.

[Tilly]

Originally Posted by Love&Luck

I like to take a chuck roast (pot roast) and pour on a mixture of either 1cup water mixed with 1 pkg Lipton's onion soup mix OR I now use 1 cup beef broth mixed with 2T of an onion soup spice mix I buy from a local spice shop (nothing in there but spices). I start it before I leave in the AM and have pot roast waiting for me! I served with mashed cauliflower and make gravy from the leftover broth/water and spices.

Is it tender when done? I have been buying pieces from Whole Foods and they are so tender but kind of pricey to buy like that.

[millergirl1976]

Originally Posted by Tilly

Is it tender when done? I have been buying pieces from Whole Foods and they are so tender but kind of pricey to buy like that.

Chuck roast is absolutely amazing done this way. I just did one low and slow all day yesterday- started at 7am with a frozen roast. I schmeared the top with a little crushed garlic and beef bouillon, salt, pepper and some nutritional yeast. Splashed a little bit of red wine, worchestchire and soy sauce in the bottom. 10 hours later- falling off the bone, fork tender. It's the only way to eat chuck roast, and from a 5-7 pound roast, I can two separate dinners for my family of four, and lunches for two days for DH and I from leftovers.