7 Easy Slow Cooker Dinners Your Family Will Love ...

Slow Cooker Recipes are really a mother’s answered prayers. Since when does throwing everything in one pot ever taste so damn magical? Throw the recipe together in the morning, let it simmer all day long, and enjoy it when everyone’s home and around the table. If’s it done before your ready for it, simply leave the crock pot to warm and it can wait on you. Now if only I could find a “warming” button for my husband.

1. Indian Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken is well loved in my home. How could one not love a tender piece of chicken soaking in a Curried Coconut Milk all day long? The aroma that will spread throughout your house will be out of this world. Served on a bed of Jasmine Rice, you really can’t go wrong with this easy slow cooker recipe.

Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp ground cumin
2-3 tbsp yellow or red curry paste
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 cuptomato sauce
3/4 cup coconut milk
8 skinless, bone-in chicken drumsticks and thighs (approx. 3 lbs)

Directions
Melt butter and pour in slow cooker. Stir in all ingredients except chicken.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to sauce. Turn chicken to coat.

Cook on high setting for 2 1/2 hours or low for 5 hours.

2. Korean Beef Taco

Say the word Taco and I bet you’ll get a unanimous “yes please”. Who doesn’t love a little finger food in their life? A twist to the well known Mexican Taco is this tangy Korean Beef Taco. When I see a recipe that has the Foodie Dream Team of Brown Sugar, Soy Sauce and Ginger, I’m all over it. I’d have to say this one if my favorite, it’s a must try.

Ingredients
3-4 pounds beef roast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 head garlic
1/2 onion, diced
1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 whole jalapeno, diced

Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Okay. This truly can't be any easier. I didn't brown my meat, but I did trim off the visible fat. I can make these directions complicated and tell you to add this or that first, but it honestly doesn't matter. This is going to cook on low all day long, and the ingredients will distribute just fine all on their own. Throw everything in however you'd like.

Cover, and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until meat has fully shredded--- you can help it out by cutting the meat into pieces an hour or so before serving time. Serve in soft corn or flour tortillas (we are gluten free, and used tiny corn tortillas that are labeled gluten free) with shredded cabbage salad and white or brown rice.

3. Ham & Cheesy Potato Dinner

Must one even contemplate whether the combination of Ham, Cheese and Potatoes is a win? This smooth and creamy dinner is easier than learning your ABC’s. Unless you have a problem dicing potatoes, that’s about all this recipes asks of you.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
28 ounces frozen diced potatoes with peppers and onions, thawed
2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1 (3 pound) boneless fully cooked ham, halved lengthwise

Directions
Spray the inside of slow cooker with cooking spray.

Combine potatoes, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, cream of celery soup, and sour cream in the slow cooker.

Place ham on top of potato mixture.

Cook potato mixture on Low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir well before serving.

4. Chicken Osso Buco

You wanted easy, I will give you easy. With only eight items in this dish, your hands will be free to do some more online shopping in no time flat. Using a Salad Dressing as the key ingredient, this dish is full of flavor yet still leaves time to get your “hair did”.

Ingredients
8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (1 lb./450 g)
1/4 cup flour
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 can (19 fl oz/540 mL) stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 Tbsp. Kraft Calorie-Wise Sun-Dried Tomato & Oregano Dressing
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked

Directions
TOSS chicken with flour in slow cooker.

ADD all remaining ingredients except rice; stir. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours (or HIGH 3 to 4 hours).

COOK rice as directed on package. Stir chicken mixture until sauce is thickened. Serve over rice.

5. Brown Sugar and Balsamic Pork

This slow cooker dinner is going to be a staple in your home, I just know it. Then again maybe it’s just my little family that loves mixing Savory and Sweet. This meal will sure to please everyone, even the fussy ones in the house. Tell them it’s made with Sugar and they won’t put up a fight.

Ingredients
1 (2-pound) boneless pork loin
1 teaspoon ground dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove crushed garlic
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Directions
Mix together sage, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Rub the mixture over the pork. Add it to the slow cooker and pour 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

One hour before the pork is cooked, put the brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic, water, and soy sauce in a sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a bubble over medium heat. It will get thick.

Pour half of the glaze over the pork. Reserve the rest to serve alongside.

Cook the pork for another hour.

Shred the pork with a fork. It will fall apart, it is so tender.

Serve with the remaining glaze.

6. Pulled Pork

Does it get much easier than this? 3 Ingredients and you’re done. No kidding! Who would have thought that something so easy would taste so damn good? I know it’s made a believer out of me. But will you try it?

Ingredients
1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Directions
Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce. Serve over hamburger buns.

7. Roasted Chicken

If coming home to a house that smells of Roasted Chicken doesn’t make you all cozy inside, then the fact that it only took 15 minutes of your time will. This uber easy recipe will make Roasted Chicken a weekly occurrence in your home, and I don’t mean the pre-made ones from you grocer.

Ingredients
1 whole roasting chicken (3 1/2 - 4 1/2 pounds)
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound baby Yukon Gold potatoes
4 whole peeled carrots, chopped
1 whole lemon (reserve zest)
4 Tablespoons room temperature butter
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions
Place onions, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.

Clean and dry chicken. Zest lemon and reserve. Quarter lemon, and place in the cavity. Place chicken on top of vegetables.

In a small bowl, combine butter, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover the chicken with the butter mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook chicken on LOW for 4-8 hours. The cooking time depends on how large your chicken is. Cook until an internal temperature reaches 160 degrees in the leg and the juices run clear.

Take the chicken out of the slow cooker and place in an oven proof 9x13 pan. Brown the chicken under the broiler for 4 to 5 minutes or until the skin is brown and crispy.

If you didn’t own a Slow Cooker before, then I’d hope this article has changed your mind. With so many wonderful easy slow cooker recipes online these days, you’d be crazy not to try at least one. What’s your favorite Slow Cooker Dinner?

Sources: canadianfamily.ca, crockpot365.blogspot.ca, allrecipes.com, kraftcanada.com, bakedbree.com, allrecipes.com, bakedbree.com

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