CROCK POT

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak Recipe

Ingredients Steak • 1kg (2.2 lb) chuck steak • ½ cup plain flour • 1 tsp salt • ¼ tsp black pepper, ground Sauce • ½ cup red wine • 1 onion, diced • 1 tsp garlic • 1 celery stalk, diced • 1 carrot, diced • 1 tsp oregano • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 400g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes • ½ cup beef stock Instructions 1. Tenderize each piece of steak by using a meat tenderizer. 2. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Lightly coat the steaks in the flour. 3. In a frypan over high heat, add 1 Tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the steaks and cook each side for couple of minutes. Place steaks to the side. 4. In the same frypan, add the red wine and deglaze the pan. 5. Transfer the red wine to the slow cooker and add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, crushed tomatoes and beef stock. Gently stir until combined. 6. Add the steaks and cover with the sauce. 7. Cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is tender. 8. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips • The crushed tomatoes can be swapped for fresh tomatoes. • You may need to thicken the sauce further with some cornstarch and water. Simply mix one tablespoon of water with one tablespoon of cornstarch and mix into the sauce. • Mushrooms are an excellent addition to the sauce if you feel like having them. Feel free to add other vegetables as well. • Any type of beef steak will work fine for this recipe. I recommend using a tougher cut of meat since we will be slow cooking it for a long time. It will cook to tender and delicious. • Browning the steaks, but you're able to skip the step. I would still coat them in the flour as this helps thicken the sauce.

Slow Cooker Curry Chicken Pie Recipe

Ingredients 1kg (2.2 lb) chicken thigh, cubed 1 onion, diced 2 tsp. garlic, crushed 2 celery stalks, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 Tbsp. curry powder 1 cup chicken stock ¼ cup coconut cream Thickener: 2 Tbsp. Cornstarch 3 Tbsp. water Pie Cases Puff pastry Egg, beaten Instructions In a slow cooker, add the chicken, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, curry powder, and chicken stock. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Mix the cornstarch and water until it forms a paste. Mix into the slow cooker along with the coconut cream. Cook for 15 minutes on high or until thickened. Add the curried chicken pie filling into prepared pie tins and cover with puff pastry. Brush lightly with an egg wash. Bake in an oven at 200°C (390°F) or until golden brown. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips You can use any cut of chicken in this dish. For example, you can replace the chicken thigh with chicken breast instead. If you would love to add even more color and flavor to the pie filling, then consider adding some peas or corn. If you're adding peas, then add these towards the end of cooking if you wish them to stay nice and green. If you need to bulk the pie filling out a bit, then some cubed sweet potato or pumpkin works great in this filling. By the time it’s ready for the pie cases the extra chunks of vegetable will be soft and packed with flavor.

Slow Cooker Beef Tacos Recipe

Ingredients 1kg (2.2 lb) chuck beef 1 onion, diced 1 Tbsp garlic 1 tsp chili powder 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp oregano, dried 2 Tbsp tomato paste 1 chili, sliced 1 cup beef stock 2 tsp lime juice Instructions In a frypan over high heat, quickly brown all sides of the beef. Once browned, put to the side. In a slow cooker, add the onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, ground coriander, oregano, tomato paste, chili, and beef stock. Stir to combine. Add the beef and baste it with the liquid. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks. Return the beef to the slow cooker and add the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until the beef mixture is hot. Assemble the tacos to your liking. Serve & Enjoy. Cooking Tips To make this recipe super easy you can replace all the spices with a packet of taco seasoning instead. Alternatively, you can make taco seasoning at home. If you need to feed a hungry crowd, then simply double or triple this recipe. You may need to cut the beef into several pieces. The lime can be left out of the recipe if you don't have any or would rather not add it. You can replace the beef stock for a tomato salsa instead. It will be a very different mixture but even tastier. The browning of the beef is entirely optional and can be skipped if you’re low on time or don’t feel like making more dishes to wash up. This dish will still be delicious either way.

Puttanesca Sauce

Happy Italian Sunday with Puttanesca sauce The original recipe is ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 1 cup finely chopped onion 6 cloves minced garlic 2 (28-ounce) cans Roma plum tomatoes 1 cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 tablespoons drained capers 2 tablespoons (8) minced anchovy 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed basil 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes Salt 1 pound of your favorite pasta, cooked al dente Directions Saute onions and garlic add anchovies, olives, tomato paste and spices Then add them to your slow cooker with the canned tomatoes, cook 1 hour on high and taste if you need to add more seasonings. Cook on low for another 4 hours and serve on your favorite pasta My Puttanesca recipe 3 qts of my own seasoned pasta sauce (already made and posted) 1/4 lb prosciutto di Parma 1 chopped onion 1 tablespoon diced garlic 1 tablespoon capers 1 cup stuffed green olives 2 cans pitted black olives Directions Chop the prosciutto small. I prefer prosciutto instead of anchovies, saute it with onions and garlic. While that is cooking chop the olives small then add all your ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 hour then taste and adjust the spices and cook 2-4 hours on low. ADD to your favorite pasta, top your pizza, tastes yummy over chicken legs 3 hours in your slow cooker, 3 hours over sausage and peppers and whatever your imagination wants

Apple Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients 6 cups apples, cored, cut into chunks 4-6 cups rhubarb, cut into chunks 1 Tbsp. lemon juice Topping 1 & ½ cups plain flour 200g (7 oz.) unsalted butter ½ cup brown sugar 1 & ½ cups rolled oats 1 tsp. nutmeg, ground 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground Instructions First, in a bowl, add all the topping ingredients and mix until it resembles large breadcrumbs. In a slow cooker, add the apples, rhubarb, lemon juice and mix together. Add the topping to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours or until the rhubarb is cooked and the apples are tender. Move the lid so there is a gap for steam to escape for the last hour of cooking so the topping will harden/crisp up. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips Turning this up to high heat will have this tasty slow cooker dessert cooked within two hours. Just make sure you move the lid slightly, so you get the crunchy topping. For the best results, I recommend using a baking apple, but you can use any type of apple you like. It may end up quite gooey but still packed full of flavor. Some nuts can be added to the topping if you’re looking for some extra crunch. For example, chopped walnuts or pecans work incredibly well mixed into the topping.

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients 1 kg (2 lb.) chicken breasts, large cubes 2 cups salsa 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded Instructions In a slow cooker, add the cubed chicken breasts and the taco seasoning. Mix together, so the chicken is coated with the seasoning. Pour the salsa over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add the cheese on top of the chicken, cook for a further 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Sweet and Sour Beef

Ingredients 500g (1.2 lb) beef, cubed 440g (1 lb) can pineapple Pieces with unsweetened juice (Don’t drain) 1 onion, quartered 1 carrot, peeled & sliced 1 large red bell pepper, chopped 1 tsp. ginger, chopped 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 4 Tbsp. ketchup 2 Tbsp. soy sauce ¼ cup apple cider vinegar Thickener 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. water Instructions In a frypan, quickly sear the beef, so it’s browned on all sides. In a slow cooker add all the ingredients except for the cornstarch and water. Cook on low for 8 hours. In a bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until it forms a paste. Pour into the slow cooker and stir until mixed in. Cook on high for 15-30 minutes or until thickened.

Sausage and Sauerkraut

Ingredients 800g (1.8 lb) polish sausage, sliced into 1-2 cm (0.5-1 inch) pieces 500g (1.1 lb) sauerkraut, drained ¼ cup brown sugar 1 onion, sliced 1 cup lager beer Instructions Add all the ingredients into a slow cooker and stir slightly. Cook on low for 6 hours. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips The polish sausage can be replaced with some regular pork sausages or Italian sausages. Both will work fine, but I highly recommend that you pick up some kielbasa. If you’re not a fan of beer, then this can be swapped for something like chicken stock or water. I recommend using a lager beer, but you can swap it to something more to your liking. Just keep in mind a heavier beer such as stout, may not work as nicely. The brown sugar is important as it helps takes a bit of the bitterness away from the sauerkraut and beer. If you're not a fan of sauerkraut, you can try replacing this with just regular cabbage. This substitution will make the dish less bitter and might appeal to more people.

Sausage & Peppers

Ingredients 6 Italian sausages 1 onion, sliced 2 tsp. garlic, crushed 2 bell peppers, sliced 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 800g (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. basil Instructions In a frying pan, quickly brown the sausages on all sides. Add the sausages to the slow cooker along with the onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, basil and the oregano. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cooking Tips For the best results, I highly recommend mixing up the type of bell peppers you’re using. This particular recipe I used a red and green bell pepper. Using a variety of different colored peppers gives you not only a great combination of colors but also flavor. Browning of the sausages is completely optional, but I highly recommend doing it to reduce the amount of oil in the final dish. You will also find that it does help add a bit of a different texture to the sausages. If you can’t get your hands on Italian sausages, then any kind of fat sausage will do. Just keep in mind the fattier the sausage is, the more fat will pool in the slow cooker. Just skim this off at the end of cooking.

Pepper Steak

Ingredients 1kg (2 lb) beef, cut into strips 1 red bell pepper, thick slices 1 green bell pepper, thick slices 1 onion, chopped, thick slices Sauce 1 beef bouillon cube ¼ cup light soy sauce ½ tsp. ginger, minced 1 tsp. garlic, crushed ¼ tsp. black pepper 400g (14 oz.) crushed tomatoes 2 tsp. brown sugar ¼ cup boiling water To Thicken: 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 Tbsp. water Instructions In a fry pan over high heat, quickly brown the beef strips. In a small bowl, mix together the boiling water and the beef bouillon cube. Stir until completely dissolved. Next, in the slow cooker, add the beef, bell peppers, onion, beef bouillon mix, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, black pepper, crushed tomatoes, and the brown sugar, mix slightly together. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beef is deliciously tender. To thicken, mix the cornstarch and the water together until it forms a paste. Mix this into the slow cooker, cook for 15 minutes or until thickened.

Sausage and Potatoes

Ingredients 500g (1.1 lb) smoked sausage, cut into 1cm (0.4 in) pieces 500g (1.1 lb) potatoes, cut in chunks 1 onion, sliced 2 tsp garlic, crushed 1 cup chicken stock 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp parsley, chopped 1 cup heavy cream Thickener 3 Tbsp cornstarch 4 Tbsp water Instructions In a slow cooker, add the smoked sausage, potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce and parsley. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the potatoes are cooked. Mix the cornstarch with the water until smooth. Stir into the slow cooker along with the heavy cream. Cook on high for 15-30 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve & Enjoy. Cooking Tips The type of sausage you use is entirely up to you. For example, both Polish (Kielbasa) and Italian sausages will work very well. Even the cheap supermarket sausages work well. You can use any type of potato in this recipe, but I recommend using something like Yukon for the best results. If you have the need for cheese, then feel free to add it to this recipe. I recommend mixing it in at the same time as the cornstarch mixture. The herb that you use in this dish can easily be swapped for something else. I made use of parsley, but plenty of others such as chives will work just fine.

Beef Brisket

Ingredients 1kg (2.2 lb) Beef brisket Spice Rub 3 Tbsp. smoked paprika 2 Tbsp. ground black pepper 1 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. chili powder 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. ground cumin BBQ Sauce 400g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 1 tsp. Tabasco 1 Tbsp. honey ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce 1 onion, sliced Instructions In a bowl, mix the smoked paprika, pepper, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and ground cumin. Rub the seasoning mix into the beef brisket. Place in the fridge overnight. In a slow cooker, mix the crushed tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, Tabasco, honey, Worcestershire sauce, and the onion. Place the beef brisket into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Rest for 10 minutes before either slicing or shredding.

Southern Style Green Beans & Potatoes

Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh green beans 8 slices bacon 1 onion, diced 3-4 large red or gold potatoes, peeled 3-4 cups chicken broth 3 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon salt + more to taste 1 teaspoon pepper Instructions: Wash and trim beans then cut into 2-inch pieces; set aside. Cut bacon into 1/2-inch pieces then sauté over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven until browned. Add onion and beans then continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Cut potatoes into large cubes then add to pot. Add chicken broth (enough to cover potatoes), butter, salt and pepper to the pot then bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover then reduce heat to medium-low then cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let rest 15 minutes before serving. Notes: You can make this with canned beans (probably 4-5 cans). Drain the beans and skip sautéing them. Just add the drained beans with the potatoes. Canned beans aren't as good but they're still pretty dang tasty. You can also make this in a crock pot. Once bacon, onion and beans are sauteed, add everything to a slow cooker then cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 or until potatoes are tender. I use red potatoes or yukon gold. You won't want to use russet or baking potatoes as they won't hold up being boiled this long.

Beef & Guinness Pie

Ingredients: Pie Filling ¼ cup cornstarch 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 1kg (2.2 lb) chuck steak, cubed 2 onions, sliced 1 Tbsp. garlic, crushed 1 carrot, diced 400ml (13.5 fl oz) Guinness 2 bay leaves 1 cup beef stock Pie Case 2 sheets puff pastry 1 egg, beaten Instructions: In a bowl, mix the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and gently toss. In a frypan over medium heat, add 1 Tbsp. oil. Once hot, add the beef and cook until browned (Approx. 5 minutes.) In the slow cooker, add the beef, onion, garlic, carrot, Guinness, bay leaves, and beef stock. Cook on low for 6-8 hours Remove the bay leaves. Add the pie filling to prepared pie tins. Cover with puff pastry, lightly brush with an egg wash. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) or until golden brown.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 1 tsp. tabasco 1 tsp. garlic, crushed ½ cup honey ¼ cup whole grain mustard ¼ cup Dijon mustard Salt & pepper to season To Thicken 2 Tbsp. water 2 Tbsp. cornstarch Instructions: In a jug, mix together the tabasco, garlic, honey, Dijon and whole grain mustard. In a slow cooker, add the chicken breasts and pour the honey mustard sauce over the top. Cook for 4-6 hours on low. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water. Remove the chicken breasts and mix in the cornstarch mix. Return the chicken breasts to the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients: 1kg (3 lb.) chicken thighs 1 tsp. garlic, crushed 2 tsp. ginger, crushed ½ cup honey ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce ¼ cup rice wine vinegar ¼ tsp. black pepper To thicken 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. water Instructions: In the slow cooker add the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, honey, and the rice wine vinegar. Add the chicken and baste it with the sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place to the side. In a separate bowl, mix together the cornstarch with the water until it forms a smooth paste. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the slow cooker and mix together. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes.

Sweet and Sticky Orange Chicken

Ingredients: 500g (17 ½ oz) chicken breasts, cubed 1 tsp. garlic, crushed 1 tsp. ginger, minced ½ cup sweet orange marmalade ½ cup BBQ Sauce 2 Tbsp. Teriyaki sauce To thicken (Optional) 1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 Tbsp. water Instructions: In a slow cooker, mix together the garlic, ginger, sweet orange marmalade, BBQ sauce and the teriyaki sauce. Mix until well combined. Mix in the cubed chicken breasts. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Roughly 15 minutes before you go to serve, mix together the cornstarch and water until it forms a paste. Mix the cornstarch paste into the slow cooker, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients: 500g (1 lb.) ground beef 1 onion, diced 1 tsp. garlic, crushed 1 red bell pepper, diced 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 cup ketchup Instructions: In a frypan over high heat, brown the ground beef. Once browned, drain off the excess fluid and transfer to a slow cooker. In the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

"Crack" Chicken

Ingredients: 1kg (2 lb) chicken breasts 500g (16 oz.) cream cheese ¼ cup chicken stock or water 30g (1 oz.) dry ranch seasoning 500g (16 oz.) fried crispy bacon Instructions: In a slow cooker, add the chicken, cream cheese, chicken stock and ranch dressing. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the chicken falls apart easily. Pull the chicken apart using two forks. Add the diced bacon and mix together until well combined.

Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients: 500g (1 lb) chuck beef, cut into strips 2 onions, quartered 3 tsp. garlic, crushed 2 tsp. ginger, minced ¾ cup beef stock ½ cup low sodium soy sauce ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup oyster sauce 1 Tbsp. sesame oil 2 Tbsp. cornstarch, to thicken 4 cups broccoli florets, room temperature Instructions: Firstly, quickly brown the beef in a frying pan. In the slow cooker, add the onions, beef, garlic, ginger, oyster sauce, beef stock, soy, brown sugar, and the sesame oil. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. 30 minutes before you go to serve, mix together the cornstarch with 2 tbsp. of water. Mix into the slow cooker along with the broccoli. Cook until thickened and the broccoli is warm, roughly 30 minutes.

Slow Cooker Fudge

Ingredients: 3 cups chocolate chips (Milk or dark chocolate) 400g (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla essence 1 Tbsp. butter, unsalted Instructions: Prepare an 8X8 Pan by greasing and lining it with baking paper Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to low and leave the lid off. Cook for one hour, stirring every 15-30 minutes. Once done, pour into the lined tin. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Once set cut into squares and enjoy!

Rice Pudding

Ingredients: ¾ cups long-grain white rice 4 cups milk ½ cup sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 tsp. vanilla bean or extract 2 Tbsp. butter Instructions: Firstly, rinse the rice under cold water. In the slow cooker, add all the ingredients and mix until sugar is dissolved. Cover & cook on high for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the rice is cooked and is creamy.

Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients: 500g (1 pound) ground beef 1 onion, diced 1 tsp. crushed garlic 1 green or red bell pepper 1 packet (30g/1 oz.) taco seasoning 375g (13 Oz.) enchilada sauce 8-10 corn tortillas 3 cups cheddar cheese Instructions: In a frypan over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Once slightly browned, drain any excess fluid and add the taco seasoning. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Lightly spray a slow cooker with oil. Add about ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce to the bottom of the slow cooker. Add 2 tortillas on top of the sauce. Now layer as followed: 1/3 beef mix, 1/3 diced bell pepper, 4 Tbsp. enchilada sauce, 3/4 cup cheese, 2 tortillas and repeat until you run out of chili mix. Finish with tortillas on the top and any of the remaining cheese. You should get 2-3 layers depending on the slow cooker size. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Chuck Roast

Pork Chops

Spaghetti Sauce

2 cans diced tomatoes 2 cans tomato sauce 1 can tomato paste 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (crumbled) 1 pound hamburger (crumbled) 1 package mushrooms (I used the large package) 2 large onions (chopped) Several cloves of smoked garlic to taste 1 6 oz package of Parmesan cheese Oregano (to taste) Basil (to taste) Sugar (to taste) Salt and Pepper (to taste) Get crockpot ready by setting temp to low. I used a 4 qt, but a 5 qt would work as well. In pot place diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste. I used two pans and cooked the mushrooms, onions and garlic in one and sausage and hamburger in another. While the stuff is browning I added oregano, basil, salt, pepper and sugar in the pot. Once the hamburger and the sausage frying are browned drain and add to pot. Add browned mushrooms, onions and garlic to the pot as well. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix everything together and taste. This is the point to add more of anything seasoning wise you need. Cover and cook 8-10 hours. If you are around while cooking recheck taste about halfway through cook time and add seasoning as needed.

Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients: 500g (17 1/2 oz.) bacon rashers 12 eggs 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 cup milk 750g (26 oz.) hash brown potatoes (Shredded or patties) 1 & ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese or similar 1 tsp. chives, chopped Instructions: Firstly fry off the bacon in a frying pan until it’s nice & crispy. Once it’s cooked, place to the side. In a bowl beat the eggs together. Once beaten add the milk and mix in. In the slow cooker layer in the following order, 250g (9 oz.) hash browns, 5 rashers bacon, 1 sliced tomato, 1/2 cup of cheese, 1/3 of the egg mix, salt, pepper and then repeat. Finish off with a layer of hash browns on top and pour any of the remaining egg mixture in. Top with ½ cup of cheese, the chives, salt & pepper. Place the lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips: You don’t need to precook the bacon but doing so will leave you with delicious crispy bits of bacon at the end of cooking. Remember most slow cookers run at different temperatures so you may find yours could cook sooner than 8 hours even on low. You can swap the bacon out for something like sliced pork sausages if you’re looking for an alternative to bacon. You could even try cooking the dish with pulled pork or shredded chicken. I made use of hash brown patties but you can also use shredded, it will work just as well. There won’t be much of a difference between the two so don’t stress too much about trying to choose which variety to buy. You can add some sliced red bell peppers to this dish by swapping the tomatoes with them or just having it as an extra ingredient. If you love things cheesy, then don’t be afraid to double that cheese. You could also experiment with stronger flavors of cheese to get a much different tasting dish. [A delicious slow cooker breakfast casserole is a fantastic way to start the day. It’s also great if you need to feed a crowd and don’t want to make a ton of dishes in the morning. This casserole blends all the fantastic flavors of a typical cooked breakfast in one super simple slow cooker dish. You have layers of crispy bacon, tomato, potato, cheese and of course an amazing egg mix. It is the perfect breakfast dish to get cooking the night before so you can wake up, make yourself a nice cinnamon latte and have a relaxing breakfast. If you like the idea of hash browns in the slow cooker, then something like the easy cheesy hash brown casserole might interest you as well. It’s simply layered hash browns in a thick creamy, cheesy mix that is absolutely amazing. This dish is very filling so you won’t find yourself needing a huge portion however with that said it’s super hard not to go back for seconds.]

Pears Poached in Red Wine

Ingredients: 4 cups red wine ½ cup caster sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 2 whole star anise 1 tsp. vanilla essence or vanilla bean paste 4+ Pears Instructions: First peel the pears. Mix the caster sugar, red wine and vanilla in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon sticks, pears and the star anise. Make sure the pears are covered in the wine mixture. Cook for 4 hours on low or until the pears are nice and tender. Before you go to serve scoop roughly a cup of the poaching liquid and transfer to a small pot. Bring to the boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes or until thickened and syrupy. Serve the pears with a drizzle of the syrup over the top. Cooking Tips: If you don’t have the time to wait for the syrup to thicken up by boiling it, then a simple cornflour and water mixture will thicken it up fast. Mix in a small bowl 1 tbsp. of water and 1 tbsp. of cornflour and pour this in the syrup that’s in the pot at step 5. It should thicken up fast, cook this for about 2-3 minutes. If you core and half the pears, then you will only need to cook the pears for half the time. Don’t stress about the sugar not being dissolved at the start. You will find after 4 hours of slow cooking the sugar would have well and truly dissolved into our wine mix. [Slow cooker poached pears are a delicious sweet treat and a great way to finish off a nice dinner. In this recipe, I use a few different spices and some red wine to poach the pears. This dessert is probably one of my favorite slow cooker desserts the tender, succulent pears are just a great way to finish your meal off. Personally, I love to enjoy these with some vanilla bean ice-cream or some double cream. The pears also make for a great breakfast so if you have any leftover from dessert then just keep them in the fridge covered in the poaching liquid. I personally love to slice them up and have them with some muesli and yogurt. You can easily substitute the red wine for white wine if that’s what you prefer. You should get a very similar result, but white wine tends to be a bit sweeter. It just comes down to what you prefer.]

E Z Lasagna

Ingredients: Bolognese Sauce 2 Tbsp. oil 500g (17.5 oz.) ground beef 1 onion, diced 2 tsp. garlic, crushed 4 Tbsp. tomato paste 2x 525g (18.5 oz.) tin of crushed tomatoes 1 Tbsp. sugar 2 tsp. oregano 2 tsp. basil 500g (17.5 oz.) lasagna sheets (Oven Ready) Cheese Sauce 2 Tbsp. butter 2 Tbsp. plain flour 2 cups milk 1 Tsp. Dijon mustard 1 cup grated cheese ¼ cup parmesan Salt & pepper Instructions: Bolognese Sauce In a frying pan over medium heat add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion & garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the beef mince and cook until browned. Add the tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, basil, sugar, and oregano. Place to the side. Cheese Sauce: Now for the cheese sauce, first melt the butter in a microwaveable bowl. 15 Seconds in the microwave should be more than long enough. Add the flour and whisk together. Cook for a further 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in the milk trying to avoid any lumps. Cook for 1 & 1/2 minutes. Continue to whisk then cook in the microwave for 30-second intervals until the milk has thickened. Whisk in the cheese and mustard. Season with salt & pepper, place to the side. Putting it Altogether: In the slow cooker start with a little bit of the bolognese sauce. Add one layer of lasagna sheets then top this with the bolognese sauce until it covers the sheets. Spoon the cheese sauce on top of the bolognese sauce it should roughly cover it. Repeat until you run out of sauce or lasagna sheets. Make sure you finish off with a cheese layer on top. Cook on low for roughly 6 hours. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips: It might be tempting but putting the slow cooker on high may result in a burnt lasagna. I recommend keeping it on low for the entire cooking time. To avoid scratching your slow cooker use plastic utensils to cut and remove pieces of the lasagna. I find a flat spatula is very good at doing this. If you’re feeling like more vegetables, then I recommend adding some red bell peppers, mushrooms and even spinach to the bolognese sauce. In this particular recipe I use dried herbs, but fresh always tastes better so if you can I recommend using fresh. [This slow cooker lasagna is perfect for anyone who wants to make a mouth-wateringly good lasagna ahead of time so that you can have it ready for when you get home. It’s pretty easy to make but does require a bit of time to prepare when compared to most other slow cooker recipes. This dish is great if you need to cook for a crowd, this recipe should feed about six people. As with any lasagna, this also goes great alongside some garlic bread. If you have leftovers, then simply wrap it up and either freeze or keep it in the fridge. It tastes pretty good even reheated! For this recipe, I make a cheese sauce that can be difficult to get right. If you prefer an easier cheesy layer, then I recommend making a mix of two cups shredded cheese, one cup ricotta or cottage cheese and finally one cup of grated parmesan. Use this cheese mix in place of the cheese sauce.]

Apple Crisp

Ingredients: 6 cups apples, cut into chunks 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground 1 Tbsp. lemon juice Topping 1 cup plain flour 1 cup unsalted butter ½ cup brown sugar 1 cup oats 1 tsp. nutmeg, ground 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground Instructions: In a bowl, rub together the flour, butter, brown sugar, oats, nutmeg and the cinnamon using your fingers. Rub together until it resembles large breadcrumbs. In the slow cooker, add the chopped apples, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Mix, so the apple is lightly coated in the lemon juice. Add the crumble mix on top. Cook on low for 5 hours or until the apples are nice and tender. For the last hour slightly move the lid so that moisture can escape. This technique should help the topping to harden. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips: If you’re in a rush, then you can put the slow cooker on high for 2 hours and again removing the lid slightly for the last hour. This method should help the topping harden. Assuming you want to add a bit of crunch to your apple crisp, then try adding some chopped walnuts, pecans or slivered almonds. Both will add that extra crunch and a bit of a nutty taste as well. You can use any type of apple in this recipe. I try to use any apples that look like they’re starting to go bad if I have too many. If I need to buy apples, I usually buy Fuji or granny smith. [This slow cooker apple crisp is the perfect dessert that you can get cooking ahead of time. If you love tender apples topped off with a crunchy oat mix, then you will enjoy this dish. Another thing I love about this dish is that you up with an amazing apple and the cinnamon smell wafting through the house. There are plenty of ways you’re able to cook this dish but doing it in the slow cooker frees up time and reduces a bit of stress since it will be fine if you have it cooking for longer than the required time. Unlike in the oven where you will end up with a burnt topping. I love having my apple crisp with either some thickened cream or some ice cream. It’s also pretty good just by itself, so if you’re not a fan of adding anything extra, then you won’t be disappointed. It’s best to use fresh apples in this recipe since using canned wouldn’t make much sense. You can use any type of apple, but there are a few sorts that will work better than others]

Hearty Goulash

Ingredients: 750g (1.6 lb.) beef chuck steak, cut into 3 cm/1 inch chunks 2 Tbsp. sweet paprika 1 onion, cut into chunks 2 tsp. crushed garlic (2 cloves) 2 carrots, cut into chunks 2 potatoes, cut into chunks 2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 400g (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes 1/2 cup salt-reduced beef stock ½ Tbsp. caraway seeds 2 bay leaves Instructions: Coat the beef with the paprika. In a pan over medium heat, lightly brown the beef before transferring to the slow cooker. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, red pepper, diced tomatoes, caraway seeds, and the bay leaves into the slow cooker. Mix together. Cook on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high if you’re in a rush. Season with salt & pepper. This mouthwatering slow cooker goulash is an amazing beef stew that cooks for over 8 hours. This long cook time allows for the flavors to develop and intensify. The result is an amazing Hungarian style beef dish that just sends your taste buds on a fantastic journey. This dish is great if you need to cook for a crowd as it is fantastic just by itself. However, I love having this dish topped with a dollop of sour cream. If you’re looking to bulk the recipe out a bit more then I would recommend cooking either some rice or pasta to go with the stew. Personally, I prefer to enjoy it as is but you can easily bulk it out if needed. I also like having some freshly baked bread off to the side. There is nothing more enjoyable then dipping some delicious soft bread into this rich tomato dish. This goulash is yet another slow cooker beef dish that will reheat pretty well so if you have any leftovers make sure you cover it and keep it in the fridge or freezer. It should keep for a few days in the fridge before needing to be thrown out. When it comes to buying beef for a stew, you don’t need to buy an expensive cut. Something like chuck will not only become tender after 8 hours of cooking it will also impart a fantastic beef flavor to your dish.

French Onion Chicken

Ingredients: 1 onion, sliced 1.5kg (3.3 lb) chicken drumsticks 40g (1.4 oz) French onion soup mix 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce ½ cup chicken stock 400g (14.1 oz) diced tomatoes Thickening 2 Tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp. water Instructions: Add the onion to the slow cooker. Now, add the chicken drumsticks and sprinkle the French onion soup mix over the top. Next, add the Worcestershire Sauce, chicken stock and diced tomatoes. Cook on low for 6 hours. Gently remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Mix the cornstarch with the water until it is a thick paste. Stir into the slow cooker until well combined. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips: You can use any cut of chicken in this delicious French onion chicken dish. I made use of chicken drumsticks, but thigh or breast will also work great. The cornstarch thickener, although is recommended, is not required. If you don’t add it then you will find that the liquid will be funny. If you're running late, then this dish will be fine if it stays cooking on low for a few more hours. The chicken may fall off the bone when you go to remove it from the slow cooker. [This easy slow cooker French onion chicken is an excellent hearty dish that is packed full of flavor. The steps to making this dish are super easy as you simply throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker and wait. The flavors from the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and French onion soup mix will infuse and produce a delicious sauce that goes great with the chicken drumsticks. The main star of this dish is the French onion soup mix so make sure you buy a quality brand if you want the best results. As you can imagine, rice goes amazing with these chicken drumsticks. I recommend cooking the rice separately for the best results. There are plenty of other sides that go great with chicken. For example, a nice green salad, oven baked chips, or even some mashed sweet potato will go well with this dish. Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for a few days. I recommend shredding the leftover chicken and using it in another dish. The shredded chicken will be great in something like a bread roll, tacos or even as a pizza topping.]

Minced Beef Pie

Ingredients: Pie Filling 1kg (2.2 lb) ground beef 1 onion, diced 2 tsp. garlic, minced 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 & ½ cups beef stock ½ cup ketchup 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce Thickening 2 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. water Pie Cases Puff pastry Egg beaten Instructions: In a frypan over high heat, quickly brown the ground beef and drain off any extra fluid. In a slow cooker, add the ground beef, onion, garlic, Dijon mustard, beef stock, ketchup, and the Worcestershire sauce. Cook on low for 8 hours. Mix the cornstarch and water until it forms a paste. Pour into the slow cooker and stir until combined. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 15 minutes or until thickened. Add the ground beef pie filling to some prepared pie tins. Cover with puff pastry and brush with the egg wash. Bake in an oven at 200°C (390°F) until golden brown. Cooking Tips: Browning the ground beef is important as it will reduce the amount of liquid it adds to the pie mixture. If you’re low on time you can skip this step, there will be a slight difference but not too much. You can add some extra vegetables if you feel that they’re needed. Diced carrot and celery can be added at the start of cooking. However, peas should be added towards the end. Even though this beef mixture is meant as a pie filling it is also great on a bread roll, much like sloppy joes. Totally worth trying if you love an easy beef dish. By the end of cooking the mixture is likely to be a bit too fluid. The cornstarch mixture will help thicken it so it will be satisfactory to add to pies.

Egg Custard

Ingredients: 3 eggs ½ cup caster sugar 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or essence 2 cups milk Instructions: Whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Once combined, slowly whisk in the milk. Lightly grease each ramekin with butter or spray oil, then pour in the custard mixture. Cover each of the ramekins with foil. Place one of the following into the slow cooker: wire rack, foil balls, metal rings or something similar. Now, place the ramekins into the slow cooker. Try to get them to sit level. Fill the slow cooker to about halfway up the ramekins with hot water. Cook on low for 2 hours or until the custard is set. Sprinkle with some ground nutmeg or cinnamon. (Optional)

Paula Deen's Potato Soup

I would substitute cream of celery soup for the cream of chicken and probably add some diced celery as well. No cheese other than the cream cheese.

"Rotisserie" Chicken

Ingredients 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 pounds baby yukon gold potatoes 5 sprigs fresh thyme 1 head garlic, peeled 1 whole chicken, about 5 to 6 pounds 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 cup baby carrots, sliced lengthwise Instructions In a small bowl, stir together the salt, thyme, paprika, onion powder, and rosemary until combined. Set aside. Empty the chicken cavity (typically, there's a neck, heart, and liver) and trim any excess skin. Wash the chicken under cold, running water. Pat dry. On a sheet pan or large cutting board, sprinkle the spice mix on the chicken and use clean hands to spread and coat the entire chicken with the spices. Fill the chicken cavity with half of the garlic cloves from the head of garlic and the fresh thyme. With the breast side up, tuck the wings under. Add the potatoes to the slow cooker in one layer. Add the carrots, filling in the spaces between the potatoes. Add the remaining garlic cloves. Place the prepared chicken over the potatoes, breast side up, and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F. Transfer the chicken to a an oven-safe rack set over a sheet pan and remove the garlic and thyme sprigs from the cavity and place back in the slow cooker. Place chicken under the broiler until the skin is crisped and slightly darkened. Watch carefully because it will darken quickly! Pour any collected juices in the pan back into the slow cooker. Serve chicken with the cooked potatoes and carrots. Use the accumulated juices as a light sauce for the chicken and vegetables.

Chicken Adobo

Chicken & Dumplings

INGREDIENTS 1 large onion , diced 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of celery soup 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup 1 tablespoon fresh parsley 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning black pepper to taste 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts 2 cups low sodium chicken broth 2 cups frozen vegetables or peas and carrots , defrosted 1 can (8 pieces) refrigerated biscuits (Buttermilk, Country or Homestyle) INSTRUCTIONS 1. Add onion to 6 qt crock pot and top with chicken breasts. 2. In a small bowl, combine cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, parsley, poultry seasoning and pepper. Spread over chicken breasts. Top with chicken broth and cook on high 5 hours. 3. Approximately 1 hour (I allow 60 - 90 minutes) before serving (after 4 hours of cooking time), roll each biscuit thin and flat. Cut into 4 strips. Add vegetables to the slow cooker and stir. Add biscuit strips on top. Replace lid as quickly as possible. TO SERVE 1. Remove chicken breasts and slightly shred. Add back into slow cooker and stir (this will break up the dumplings somewhat which is ok). Let cook an additional 10 minutes and serve.

Crockpot Slop

Ingredients Put in Crockpot in this order..DO NOT STIR! 1 large can of green beans (do not drain) 8 Russet potatoes, cut up 2 Kielbasa Sausages, sliced 1 onion, diced Water 4 chicken bullion cubes Directions Put in enough water to cover the potatoes. Drop in 4 chicken bullion cubes Salt and Pepper to taste! Cook on high for 6 hours! Stir right before serving but not until then!!!!

4 Ingredient Pot Roast

Ingredients: 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup 1 12oz Pepsi 2lbs Beef Roast 1 pack Onion Soup Mix Put all ingredients into crockpot and cook on Low for 6 hours

Beef Chili

3 pds lean ground beef 1 large can of tomato soup 2 large onions 1 large bell pepper 2 cans of chili beans (including juice) 2 cans of rotel ( including juice) 2 packages of taco seasoning 2 packages of sloppy joe mix Brown the ground beef with the onions and bell peppers until peppers and onions Drain beef. Transfer to a crockpot. Add remaining ingredients, stir to mix. Cook on low for 4 hours. The secret ingredients are the taco and sloppy joe mixes, they contain all the necessary spices to make this the best chili I've ever eaten, I threw my old recipe away. Try it, you'll love it.

Orange Soda Chicken

4-5 Chicken Breasts 1 Can Diet Orange Soda 1/3 Cup Soy Sauce Combine chicken, orange soda and soy sauce in a gallon freezer bag. Refrigerate overnight. Cook in a crockpot for 6-8 hours. Serve with rice.

Swiss Steak

6 medium beef blade steaks 8 oz fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 medium onion, sliced 1 tbs fresh thyme, minced 1 1/2 tsp sweet paprika 3/4 cup chicken stock 1/4 cup dry sherry 1/4 cup flour 4 tbs oil salt & pepper to taste 2 tbs fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 cup cream Heat a heavy skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbs of the oil. Add the mushrooms; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and continue cooking until mushrooms begin to brown. Remove from pan and place in the slow cooker. Return the pan to the heat. Season the steaks with salt & pepper. Add 1 tbs of oil and brown the blade steaks nicely. Remove to a plate and set aside Return the pan to the heat and add 2 tbs of the oil. Add the sliced onions, the thyme and the paprika. Stir and cook for about 1 minute. Add the flour and stir well, cooking for about 1 minute. Whisk in the sherry and chicken stock, scraping up all the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the entire contents of the pan to the slow cooker. Place browned steaks on top of the mushroom/onion mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, HI for 4-5 hours. Remove steaks to a serving plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm. Stir the cream and parsley into the liquid. Heat for another 10 minutes. Ladle gravy over steaks and serve. Makes either 6 smaller servings or 3 larger servings.

Parmesan Honey Pork Loin Roast

Ingredients 1 3-4 lb. boneless pork loin roast ⅔ C grated parmesan cheese ½ C honey 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp dried basil 1 Tbsp dried oregano 2 Tbsp chopped garlic 2 Tbsp olive oil ½ tsp salt 2 Tbs cornstarch ¼ C chicken broth 1 tsp sugar, optional Instructions Place roast in slow cooker. In a bowl combine cheese, honey, soy sauce, basil, oregano, garlic, oil, and salt. Pour mixture over the top of roast. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove meat and place on platter. Strain juices in slow cooker and put into a small sauce pan. Mix cornstarch and chicken broth together. Add into strained juices and stir until thickened over medium heat. Add in a teaspoon of sugar if sauce needs to be a bit sweeter, optional

Crack Chicken

Ingredients: 2 lb chicken breasts 16 oz. cream cheese ¼ Cup chicken stock or water 1 oz. dry ranch seasoning 16 oz. fried crispy bacon Instructions: In a slow cooker, add the chicken, cream cheese, chicken stock and ranch dressing Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the chicken falls apart easily. Pull the chicken apart using two forks. Add the diced bacon and mix together until well combined. Serve & Enjoy Cooking Tips: If you need to make your own ranch dressing powder, then check out this awesome quick & easy ranch seasoning recipe. It’s easy to make with just using some basic dried herbs around the house. If you don’t have chicken breasts, then these can be replaced with chicken thigh. Personally, I would avoid chicken with the bone in as it will be hard to shred the chicken at the end. You may also end up with more gristly bits then you would like if you cook with bone in chicken. You can skip the chicken stock but the result may be a bit dryer depending on the cut of chicken you use. If for some reason, you don’t want the bacon then you can leave this out. I would avoid adding it to the slow cooker raw as it will not crisp up and the result will not be as nice.

Swiss Steaks

Ingredients 2 pounds round steak or cube steak 1/2 cup AP flour / 1 tsp. salt / 1 tsp. black pepper 1 – 28 oz can diced tomatoes 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1 tsp. thyme 3-4 cloves minced garlic 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 cup diced onions 1 cup diced celery 1 cup diced carrots 1 cup diced bell peppers 1-2 tsp. cornstarch/water – mix together Instructions Cut steak into serving size pieces. Dredge steak into flour seasoned with salt and black pepper. Poke the steak with a fork to tenderize. Mix together tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, minced garlic and Worcestershire sauce. In the crock pot add onions, bell peppers, celery and carrots. Mix together. Place steak pieces on top of vegetables. Pour seasoned tomatoes over steak. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low setting for 7-8 hours. After 3 1/2 to 4 hours, add slurry and cook for 20 more minutes.