Easy Crock-Pot Recipes - Crock-Pot Chili

Crock-pot cooking gets a bad rap sometimes. Some people call it lazy cooking. I call it efficient cooking. With most households having two working adults, it's imperative that all non-family time is managed wisely. Many crock-pot recipes take only 5 - 10 minutes to prep. It can be placed in the slow cooker before work and be done when you come back home. When you open the door, you'll smell the wonderful aroma of a home cooked meal wafting through your abode Chili recipes are perfect for the crock-pot. They normally cook in a pot, are easy to prep and smell delicious when cooking. The great thing about chili is how easily it can be changed and adapted to your taste. Here are a couple of my quick and easy to make crock-pot chili recipes. Tex Mex Chili What you need: 2 lbs round steak cut into bite-sized pieces 151/2 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 medium onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce AdChoices 41/2 oz can green chiles, drained and chopped 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained 1 T chili powder 1 t cumin 2 T olive oil 1 t salt What you do: In a large skillet, brown meat in heated oil. Place meat in slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to crock-pot and mix thoroughly. Cook, covered, for 8 hours on low. Sausage and Beef Chili What you need: 3/4 lb bulk spicy Italian sausage 3/4 lb ground beef 1 green pepper, chopped 1 large onion, chopped 16 oz dried red beans, rinsed and drained 1 (28 oz) and 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained 15 oz can tomato sauce 6 oz can tomato paste 4 T chili powder 2 T ground cumin 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 t salt What you do: Brown beef and sausage in a large skillet, drain. In a 6 quart crock-pot/slow cooker, add all ingredients and mix. Cook, covered, for 8-10 hours on low, or until beans are tender but not mushy. Both of these recipes are great served with sour cream, cheese and green onion on top. To add more heat, try some jalapenos or a couple shakes of hot sauce.

Slow Cooker Recipes: Part 1

The slow cooker is perhaps one of the most useful yet underappreciated small kitchen appliances around. Not only can you toss in a bunch of ingredients to cook while you go about your daily chores, but the meal will be bursting with flavor that has had hours to simmer. Most people tend to wait until the weather takes a turn for the cold season before digging the "crock pot" out of the back of cabinet, but the versatility and convenience the crock pot offers makes it a terrific cooking tool year round! This article is the first in a series that features some of my favorite slow cooker recipes. I hope you enjoy them and continue to read the series! BBQ Pork Sandwiches Ingredients: 1 (14-oz) can beef broth 3 lbs boneless pork ribs 1 (18-oz) bottle barbeque sauce Burger buns or rolls (makes about 12 sandwiches) Directions: Pour the broth into the slow cooker, then add the pork ribs. Set the cooker to a high heat, cover, and cook for four hours (or until the meat shreds easily with a fork).Remove the meat from the cooker and shred it. Transfer the shredded meat to a Dutch oven and add the barbeque sauce. Stir well, then bake at 350 degrees F for about half an hour. Spread the barbeque pork meat onto one of the bread halves, sprinkle a bit of pepper on it, then cover with remaining bread half. Taco Soup Ingredients: 3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts 1 onion, chopped 1 can chili beans 1 can black beans 1 can whole kernel corn, drained 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce 1 (12-oz) can or bottle beer 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained 1 package taco seasoning shredded Cheddar cheese sour cream crushed tortilla chips Directions: Combine the chili beans, black beans, corn, beer, onion, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes in the slow cooker. Add the taco seasoning and stir well. Place the chicken breasts on top of the mixture and spoon a little of the mixture on top. Set the slow cooker to a low heat and allow it to cook for five hours. Remove the chicken from the soup and shred with a fork. Return the shredded chicken into the soup and cook for another two hours. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. Pot Roast Ingredients: 5 1/2 lb pot roast 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup 1 (1-oz) package dry onion soup mix 1 1/4 cups water Directions: Add the cream of mushroom soup, water, and dry onion soup mix into the slow cooker. Add the pot roast and ladle the soup mixture over the roast. Set to a high heat and cook for about four hours. If you want a more flavourful roast, cook on a low setting for eight hours. Serve with a ladle of soup mixture and veggies of your choice. Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients: 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 2 tbsp butter 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup 1 onion, finely diced 2 packages refrigerated biscuit dough Directions: Put the soup, butter, onion, and chicken into the slow cooker. Top up with water until the chicken is covered. Cover the slow cooker and set to a high heat setting. Cook for about five hours. Half an hour before serving, place the biscuits in the slow cooker. Ensure the dough is thoroughly cooked before serving.

Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes and Tips

When you think of slow cookers, you may think they are only good for meat. While it's true that slow cookers are wonderful at cooking meats, they are actually great for vegetarian dishes. In fact, if you eat a lot of whole grains and legumes, the slow cooker is ideal. Here are some vegetarian slow cooker recipes and tips. 1. Baked Beans Many traditional baked bean dishes call for pork of some sort. Here is a recipe that is completely meatless. Serves 6 to 10. Overnight, soak 1 pound of dried navy beans in water. Drain and cook beans in water on stovetop until soft, about 90 minutes (you can use a pressure cooker if you have one, or cook the beans in your slow cooker on High for 6 to 8 hours). Drain once again, and place cooked beans in slow cooker with: * 1 small onion, diced * 3/4 cup ketchup * 3/4 cup brown sugar * 3/4 cup water * 1 teaspoon dry mustard * 1/4 cup dark molasses * 1 teaspoon salt Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours. 2. Spiced Glazed Carrots This dish serves 6, and would be perfect to take to a potluck. You can leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg to make plain glazed carrots. In your slow cooker, combine: * 2 pounds baby carrots * 1/2 cup brown sugar * 1/2 cup orange juice * 3 tablespoons butter or margarine * 1 teaspoon cinnamon * 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg Cover and cook on Low for 3 or 4 hours (carrots will be crisp-tender at this point; if you like them softer, double the cooking time or cook on High for 3 to 4 hours). Remove cooked carrots with a slotted spoon into a serving dish; pour juices from the slow cooker into a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together: AdChoices * 2 tablespoons cornstarch * 1/4 cup water Pour this slurry into the boiling carrot cooking juices and boil for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Pour over carrots and serve (you could also put the carrots and sauce back in the slow cooker and serve from there). 3. Curried Vegetables Serve this tasty medley over cooked brown rice. This makes 8 to 10 servings. In slow cooker, combine: * 16 ounces baby carrots * 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch cubes * 1 pound fresh or frozen green beans, cut in pieces about 2 inches long (you can use cut canned green beans, but you'll need to put off adding those until the last hour of cooking time) * 1 chopped green bell pepper * 1 chopped onion * 2 cloves minced garlic * 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) * 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes Stir in: * 1 tablespoon curry powder * 2 teaspoons salt In a microwave-safe measuring cup, boil 1 3/4 cups water. Stir in 2 vegetarian bouillon cubes until dissolved. Pour this over the vegetables and mix well. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.