Using your slow cooker can make putting together dinner a breeze. And when you use the Crock-Pot, the long cooking time allows the seasonings to work their way into the dish for a full flavor. Plus, you can trim the amount of fat like oils and butters from recipes since the Crock-Pot keeps both root vegetables and meat tender.
These recipes will give you creative ideas on how to use your Crock-Pot for dishes like belly-warming rich chicken stew, slow-simmered turkey, pot pie style or Crock-Pot pot roast. Your slow cooker can stand in for the oven in other recipes, too.
Try making slow cooker stuffed peppers or slow cooker lasagna. Then again, you even can use your Crock-Pot for breakfast with this recipe for cranberry coffee cake. Ready to start slow cooking?
Rich Chicken Stew
This rich chicken stew from Eating Well only tastes like it’s full of calories. Slow cooking mushrooms, lemon slices, thyme and a little bit of cream poured over chicken gives this dish a deep, complex flavor. Serve this chicken stew over brown rice or just eat it plain!
Slow-Simmered Turkey, Pot Pie Style
Forget the fattening pie crust! Try this slow-simmered turkey, pot pie style recipe from Good Housekeeping instead. Full of hearty chunks of turkey, onion, celery and potatoes, this dish captures all the goodness of pot pie while shaving out the added calories.
Crock-Pot Pork Roast
The sweetness of apples infuse the pork with this recipe for Crock-Pot pork roast from Busy Cooks. Sear the pork loin before you place it into the slow cooker and then pour apple butter mixed with cornstarch, horseradish, allspice, pepper, thyme and chicken broth on top.
Slow-Cooked Stuffed Peppers
Normally, it’s a challenge to cook stuffed peppers so they stay tender but aren’t mushy. By using a Crock-Pot and this recipe for slow-cooked stuffed peppers from Taste of Home you’ll guarantee perfect peppers every time. Fill the peppers with a combination of corn, beans, salsa, cheese, rice and seasonings.
Slow Cooker Lasagna
Prepare this slow cooker lasagna from Betty Crocker just as you would regular lasagna. The only difference is that you’ll be using your slow cooker instead of a baking dish and the oven. For added nutrition, replace the Italian sausage with ground turkey and place chopped spinach in with the ricotta cheese.
Cranberry Coffee Cake
Stir together pancake baking mix, spices, eggs, low-fat yogurt and cranberries – and then pour into a greased Crock-Pot. To make the streusel topping, use walnuts sweetened with coconut palm sugar and cinnamon. Serve this cranberry coffee cake from Shape warm for breakfast or as a dessert.
