Slow Cookers and Crock Pots

Slow Cooker Meatballs | Super Bowl Snacks

2012-09-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Football Serving Dishes

Bookmark this recipe, next time you have a crowd coming over - especially if it involves football - then these little spicy numbers will be a very popular part of the buffet or football snack menu. Check out this range of football themed serving dishes these will get the party started!

Slow Cooker Meatballs

1-1/2lbs pork mince
¼ C chopped flat leaf parsley
½ C soft breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp flour
    * In a bowl combine pork mince, parsley, breadcrumbs, mustard and tomato paste.
    * Mix well and then form in to 28 balls
    * Put the flour in a shallow bowl.
    * Drop each of the balls in the flour and coat before adding to slow cooker.
    * Combine the sauce ingredients and drizzle over the meat balls.
    * Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Sauce Options

Spicy Cranberry Sauce
16oz can whole-berry or jellied cranberry sauce
3/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup water
Add the sauce ingredients in a bowl/jug and stir to combine.
Pour over meatballs, cover and cook as above.

Sweet n Sour Sauce
2 packed Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
16oz can whole-berry or jellied cranberry sauce
3/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup water
Add the sauce ingredients in a bowl/jug and stir to combine.
Pour over meatballs, cover and cook as above.

Chunky Chili Salsa Sauce
3 cups (or 2 x 12oz bottles) of apple jelly
3 cups (or 2 x 12oz bottles) chunky chili salsa
1/4 C thin sliced green onion/scallions
Add the sauce ingredients in a bowl/jug and stir to combine.
Pour over meatballs, cover and cook as above.

Tomato Barbecue Sauce
2 x 5oz cans tomato paste
4 cups water
1/4 C minced onion
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C brown sugar
2 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp maple syrup
2 tsp dry mustard powder
Add the sauce ingredients in a bowl/jug and stir to combine.
Pour over meatballs, cover and cook as above.

Previous Post: Garlic Herb Roast of Pork | Slow Cooker Roast Pork

If you are cooking for a crowd, you may also enjoy: Crock Pot Rump Roast - Shredded Beef Rump Roast and my family's favorite Chocolate Fudge Pudding as nice end to the meal.

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Garlic Herb Roast of Pork | Slow Cooker Roast Pork

2012-04-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

If you are anything like me, when on vacation I love to have a look around the kitchen gadget shops... years ago, I stumbled across one of my favorite gadgets - the humble Fat Separator I use this little strainer jug to make gravy for all my slow cooker roast meals - when you can so easily remove the fat from the cooking liquid, why wouldn't you!

Seasoned, well flavored roasted pork is so delicious and easy - it seems such a shame to not serve it this way occasionally. Especially when it even almost makes it's own tasty gravy.
Slow cooker roast pork is always so soft and tender too - love it done this way!

Garlic Herb Roast of Pork | Slow Cooker Roast Pork

1 Tbsp Lemon Herb Seasoning
(or replace Lemon Herb Seasoning with 1 Tsp each of Salt, Thyme, grated lemon peel; 1/2 Tsp Sage, 1/4 Tsp Ground cloves)

4-5 Lbs Pork roast, boneless or bone-in (same shape as slow cooker)
4 Large cloves garlic, quartered

To thicken juices to make a gravy
2 Tbsp Water, optional
2 Tbsp Cornstarch, optional

Spray the pork roast lightly with oil and rub Lemon Herb Seasoning into roast. Make 16 tiny cuts in the roast and insert garlic pieces.
Place roast in slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
To ensure meat is cooked to perfection, insert meat thermometer into roast, internal temperature needs to be 170°F/77°C or higher before serving.
Remove garlic pieces and allow roast to rest 10-15 minutes before carving.
Strained juices may be thickened for gravy, if desired. Dissolve 2 tablespoons cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water. Stir slowly into juices until thickened in a saucepan on the stove.

Makes 8 servings.

Previous Post: The Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook | Slow Cooker Cookbook

You May Also Like: Slow Cooking For One | Slow Cooker Recipes for Two

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Breakfast Slow Cooker Recipes | Steel Cut Oats Slow Cooker

2012-03-01T03:00:00.000-08:00

I've been looking to eat a little healthier lately, and I've swapped my usual breakfasts for steel cut oats. I am really enjoying the different ways you can enjoy oatmeal from the slow cooker.

Getting up and having a healthy, hot breakfast ready for as each member of the family as they come downstairs in the morning seems like a miracle. Slow cooker oatmeal for breakfast is even easier if you have a programmable slow cooker that automatically switches to keep warm mode when the cooking time is done. That way everyone can come and help themselves when they are ready. Great on a weekend morning when you want to have a sleep in, the children can each take what they want as they get up.

This recipe calls for steel cut oats. If you are not familiar with them, they are the tastier, more nutritionally available, best for you version of oatmeal oats. They take longer to break down - which is one of the things that makes the perfect in the slow cooker - and one of the best reasons to cook them this way.

This recipe has a real nutrient boost with the added dried fruit, but watch the amount of maple syrup if you are trying to eat healthier - a little of the good stuff goes a long way when you are just adding it for flavor.

I really like the idea of oatmeal in slow cooker breakfasts, so I will be creating more recipes and reporting back later! Meanwhile, do enjoy this one.

Berries and Steel Cut Oats in a Slow Cooker | Breakfast Slow Cooker Recipes

Cooks overnight on low for 7 to 8 hours, makes 4 servings

1/2 C dried blueberries
1 C steel cut oats
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 C water
1/4 C maple syrup to serve

Before you head to bed, combine the blueberries, oats, salt, cinnamon and water in a 1-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours or until oats are tender and creamy.
To serve, stir in cranberries, dish out into serving bowls, pour over the syrup - enjoy!
Store any extra portions covered with cling wrap in the fridge and use within 3 days, reheat in microwave as required.

Special Feature | 1-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker

Do you need 4 servings of oatmeal? Here's the perfect slow cooker for the job. If you eat early and enjoy oatmeal, this is a great way to get a perfect, no fuss hot breakfast that is ready when you are.

You may want to check some customer reviews on the 1-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker and see how other oatmeal fans rated it!

Great for making my cut oats for breakfast.
5 out of 5 stars By TBM, MI, USA "If you enjoy cut oats for breakfast and don't want to wait for water to boil and then stand stirring for a half hour, this CrockPot is the answer. I place four cups of water and one cup of oats in, plug it in and let it go........it is much slower, but you do not have to be so involved. Stir it once or twice and you can store the unused portion in the ceramic bowl in your fridge."

5 out of 5 stars By KL, USA "My husband gets up by 5 am and I... well, I don't! :) I bought this unit to make hot cereal so I could offer my husband a hot breakfast without having to (painfully) alter my own sleep schedule. I fill it with water and whole grains around 9 pm. My husband takes his breakfast at 5 am and unplugs the unit. When my son and I get up around 6 or 7 am, the cereal has cooled to a perfect temperature to eat right away without exceeding the "maximum 2 hours at room temperature" time frame for food safety."

Customer Reviews - courtesy of Amazon.com

Previous Post: The Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook | Slow Cooker Cookbook

You May Also Like: Slow Cooking For One | Slow Cooker Recipes for Two

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

The Everyday Low Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook | Slow Cooker Cookbook

2012-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

With this book you can stay on your eating plan, keep your family happy and make your life easier. The recipes in this book will do all of the above. These meals will be enjoyed by all whether they are eating a low carb diet or not.
If you are looking for delicious low carb recipes that you can use your slow cooker with, you are going to love this book! (As indicated by the customer reviewers comments above!)

The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook will quickly become your most used and referred to cookbooks. Customer review KH from California has this to say about the recipes..."And the recipes....Wow! Easy, low carb, and yummy! You've gotta love a scrumptious meal that only requires 5 minutes of prep time, and is ready the minute you get home from work. There are recipe chapters on breakfast and brunch, beef, poultry, seafood, soups, desserts, and more."

Hank, a reviewer from South Carolina describes the recipes as "delicious and easy" and adds "Slow cooking is an ideal way for me to stay low carb and because of the leftovers, lunch has never been easier." Hank's favorite recipes are the Lemon Chicken and the French Onion Soup.

NH from North Carolina says her family loves the recipes from this book. Their "favorite is Italian Chicken, it tastes wonderful and smells great. The Quiches, are a wonderful taste treat. We've tried most of these! This cookbook is the best investment I've ever made."

Acutally the range of Crustless Quiche Recipes (pages 25-27) and the French Toast Casserole recipe are the main reason I purchased this book - my family would agree the quiches are amazing!

And it sounds like review AO from Texas would agree with my reasoning... she had this to say... "My favorite so far is the Creamy Blueberry French Toast Casserole OHMYGAWD. Uses a cup of Splenda but it's INCREDIBLE. I do miss French Toast, but not anymore with this creation."

I found a recipe from The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook that the Foodnetwork.co.uk had posted online -Italian Sausage and Peppers. This quick and easy to assmeble recipe is one of my favorites - especially when green or bell peppers are plentiful and cheap, or if you have a supply of them in the freezer from when they were. Well flavored, quality sausages are the key to this recipe - don't be tempted to leave out the garnish - that little touch adds more than you might imagine!

So if you tired of bland recipes from a can of this and a packet of that, or hum drum low-carb protein recipes... then The Everyday Low-Carb Slow Cooker Cookbook is the answer!

You may also like... Slow Cooker Revolution or Art of the Slow Cooker

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Thai Curry | Slow Cooker Vegetarian
More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Thai Curry | Slow Cooker Vegetarian

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

Light coconut milk gives this Thai style slow cooker entree a touch of sweetness, which I find combines beautifully with the red curry paste, Yukon gold potatoes, cauliflower, chickpeas and chunks of butternut squash and other seasonal vegetables.

If you have a slow cooker and a programmable rice cooker that you can set to have the rice cooked and ready for when you get home, this model has a keep warm mode too, then delicious curry recipes such as this one are going to become regular treats in your house too.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours

Slow Cooker Thai Curry | Slow Cooker Vegetarian

1 can (14 oz) light coconut milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 Tbsp red curry paste
1 large onion, chopped
4 small Yukon gold potatoes (8 oz), quartered
4 cups butternut squash cut to bite size cubes
4 cups cauliflower florets bite size
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces
1 cup frozen peas thawed (best added warmed through at the last minute)
3 cups cooked basmati rice
Garnish: fresh shredded cilantro

Add coconut milk, flour and curry paste in the based of a 3-1/2 quart or larger slow-cooker and whisk to a smooth consistency.
Stir in vegetables (except peas) and combine well to coat the vegetables in the liquid..
Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours until vegetables are tender.
Stir in peas, cover and let sit 5 minutes.
Serve over rice; garnish with shredded cilantro.

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Meat Loaf | Easy Crock Pot Recipes

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Revolution

2011-11-30T16:30:00.000-08:00

Slow Cooker Revolution: One Test Kitchen, 30 Slow Cookers, 200 Amazing Recipes!

Wow! When I first saw this slow cooker cookbook and noticed it was done by "America's Test Kitchen", I was excited, I thought to myself, this won't be one of those dreadful 'dump a can of soup and run' types of slow cooker cookbooks - this would be worth checking out.

I was right! The quick story of how the America's Test Kitchen cooks make this book, is inspiring. They have delivered 200 recipes in this edition (and there is no Beef Stroganoff versions 1 through 10 either!) They describe the book as: Slow Cooker Revolution: One Test Kitchen, 30 Slow Cookers, 200 Amazing Recipes!

It's so much more than a recipe book. I have been cooking with a slow cooker for more than 20 years, but their combined skills and experience in the kitchen has come up with some ideas to build flavor in dishes that I would never have come up with on my own. The best part is (other than they build flavor) they don't require the tedious step of get the pan dirty browning the onions, garlic and meat to do it. Wait till you see how they do, it's ingenious!

Curious? You bet! Click on the picture in the box above and go have a look.

Also check out this page I made, dedicated to all things related to Slow Cooker Revolution - check out some of the tips, tricks and hints I've enjoyed learning from the book - and I tracked down some stunning recipe reviews for you too.

Bit of a different post from me today, but I hope you enjoy it! Be sure to stop by Slow Cooker Revolution and check out the recipes! Enjoy!

Previous Post: Crock Pot Oatmeal | Slow Cooker Oatmeal Recipe | Easy Apple Nut and Spice

Crock Pot Oatmeal | Slow Cooker Oatmeal Recipe | Easy Apple Nut and Spice

2011-11-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

A warming hot breakfast dish full of fruit and nuts the whole family will enjoy!

No one wants to get out of bed on a cold day, but the spice aroma of this welcoming breakfast wafting to them from the kitchen will make your family glad to come to the breakfast table!

This is an easy to make slow cooker recipe that's packed with taste and nutrition

Crock Pot Oatmeal - Easy Apple Nut and Spice

Cook on low for 7-9 hours
Serves 6-8

2 cups water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp melted butter
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup steel cut oats (not quick cooking or instant)
1 cup peeled and chopped apple
1/2 cup chopped raisins (or cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Spray the inside of a 3-4 quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or until oatmeal is tender.
Stir well before serving.
Serve with milk. A great breakfast on a chilly day.

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Thai Chicken

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken | Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

2011-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

In the fresh fruit and vegetable section at my supermarket, beside the bunches of fresh cut herbs, they have a range of gourmet pastes available in tubes. I find these fantastic value. They have single herbs or spices in some, and range of flavor combinations that I have really enjoyed experimenting with. My favorites are the Thai and Morrocan flavors. If your supermarket doesn't stretch to such luxuries, check the spice isle in the supermaket for a good quality paste in a jar. You will typically find green curry paste, red curry paste, yellow curry paste but you may find "korma", "mussman" or "rogan josh" paste mixes too, which will help you make a curry in a hurry!

The easiest way to freshen up the appearance of a slow cooked curry before serving is to add the colorful and fresh ingredients at the last, so they are just warmed through before serving. For example with this recipe I add the peppers and peas 15-30 minutes before serving. Add the chopped fresh herbs and lime wedges as a garnish.

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken

Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

3/4 cup light coconut milk
2 Tbsp natural creamy reduced-fat peanut butter
1 Tbsp red curry paste
1 tsp grated ginger
1 1⁄2 lb boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1⁄2-in. pieces
2 red bell peppers, sliced 3⁄4 in. thick
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb rice noodles
1 cup frozen peas

1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro leaves (or any fresh green flat leaf herb you have to hand, mint, basil, parsley)
Lime wedges, for serving

1. In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, combine the coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste and ginger; mix in the chicken, peppers (if adding now) and onion.

2. Cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the noodles according to package directions. Stir the peas (and any other fresh vegetables you're adding) into the chicken mixture, and cook, covered, until heated through, about 15 minutes. Spoon the chicken, vegetables and sauce over the noodles and sprinkle with the cilantro; serve with the lime wedges, if desired.

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Bread and Butter Pudding | Slow Cooker Dessert

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Bread and Butter Pudding | Slow Cooker Dessert

2011-09-01T16:32:00.000-07:00

Kitchen aromas abound with this recipe in your slow cooker! Just as well it is easy to make, as your family will not doubt ask for a 'repeat performance' of this versatile, budget friendly recipe. I think of this type of recipe as the ultimate comfort food - and as such we enjoy it all year around, serving cold when it's hot outside and serving hot when it's cold outside.

Slow Cooker Bread and Butter Pudding

Cook on low for 3-4 hours
Serves 4-6

4 to 6 slices of Spiced Fruit Bread, buttered, crusts removed, each slice cut into four pieces
2 cups milk
4 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tspn Vanilla Essences
1/2 cup saltanas or mixed dried fruit
1/4 tspn nutmeg

Place bread slices in crockpot.
In a bowl place the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla essence and beat until smooth. Pour over bread.
Sprinkle over the saltantas and nutmeg.
Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Serve warm or chilled with cream and or icecream. The ultimate in comfort food!

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Meat Loaf | Easy Crock Pot Recipes

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Meat Loaf | Easy Crock Pot Recipes

2011-08-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

If you don't have a slow cooker with a built in thermometer, then this handy thermometer can be added to the meat loaf before pop the lid on and start it cooking, and then when you come home you can see if it's up to temperature and therefore cooked. A very handy tool as it is always reassuring to know for sure that your meal is cooked!

Slow Cooker Meat Loaf | Easy Crock Pot Recipes

Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 to 10 hours.

3/4 cup spicy or regular ketchup
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 large egg
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

Recipe Preparation

1. To ease removal of the meat loaf from the cooker, fold two 24-in.-long pieces of aluminum foil in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again. Place strips across each other, forming a "+" in bottom of a 3-qt or larger slow-cooker. Press strips against inside of cooker, letting ends hang over the outside.

2. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup ketchup with the remaining ingredients until well blended. Form into a 7 x 4 x 2-in. loaf. Place in cooker; spread top and sides of loaf with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup.

3. Cover and cook on high 4 hours or on low 8 to 10 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted in center of meat loaf registers 160°F.

Previous Post: Chicken Legs A L'Orange | Easy Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Chicken Legs A L'Orange | Easy Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

2011-07-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

The last third of the marmalade jar is some how not as apetising as the first third.

This recipe came about one morning when I found a nearly finished jar lerking in the corner of the pantry.

Chicken Legs A L'Orange is now a family favorite - luckily, so is our family's most favorite brand of marmalade, so we always have the essential ingredient on hand!

Chicken Legs A L'Orange

Serves 4-6

Cook on low for 5 to 7 hours

4-6 chicken legs

1 cup orange juice
3-4 Tbsp marmalade

3 sticks of celery

1 small onion finely chopped

1 large green bell pepper (capsicum) chopped

4oz/100g mushrooms sliced

1 tsp dried parsley

freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp cornstarch/cornflour to thicken juices before serving

Combine all ingredient except cornstarch into the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours.

Check chicken juices are running clear then thicken sauce by adding 3 tablespoons of cooking liquid to a jug with 2 tablespoon of cornstarch, stir until smooth, add to slow cooker, turn to high for 15-30 minutes until thickened.

Serve over rice, couscous or creamy mashed potatoes with either salad or steamed seasonal vegetables.

Previous Post: Poach Salmon | Slow Cooker Salmon | How To Poach Salmon

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Poached Salmon | Slow Cooker Salmon | How To Poach Salmon | Slowcooked Salmon

2011-06-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

I love salmon. Until I found this recipe, I had only ever eaten it in restaurants. I really enjoy the delicate flavors, and find it goes really well with the creamy cheesy sauce from a layered potato bake (scolloped potatoes or something similar). However, it goes equally well teamed with steamed brocolli or brocolini and snake beans - and when served over rice, can be a nice light meal.

If you have not tried to cook salmon this way before, you are in for a treat! You don't to turn it when cooking in the slow cooker, but you will need a decent fish spatula to get it out of the slow cooker in one piece when you are ready to serve.

Poached Salmon

3-4 servings - allow 150g per person for a main course serving

Cook on low for 4 hours

¾ Cup dry white wine

½ small red onion cut into wedges

1 lemon, sliced

2 sprigs dill

about 500g salmon fillet, pin bones removed

Add the first four ingredients to the crock pot.

Cut the salmon into serving sized pieces and arrange on top of the other ingredients.

Cover and cook on ow for 4 hours.
Serve over rice, creamy mashed potatoes or a potato bake, and steamed greens and seasonal vegetables.

Previous Post: White Bean and Vegetable Soup | Slow Cooker Soup

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

White Bean and Vegetable Soup | Slow Cooker Soup | Slow Cooker Vegetarian Recipes

2011-05-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

This hearty soup is substantial enough to ward off chills, will form the basis of a meal in the depths of winter, yet it is still light and colourful enough to enjoy through spring or even summer.

For such a simple soup, the ingredient list looks rather long, but don't be put off – after 5-10 minutes preparation, you can forget about it until it is time to serve! Aah... my favorite kind of easy slow cooker recipe!

If you are lucky enough to have a breadmaker and a slow cooker, then cooking meals in the cooler months gets a whole lot easier, doesn't it! I love my slow cooker, and his best friend, the breadmaker - especially during soup season!

White Bean and Vegetable Soup

Serves 6-8

Cooks on High for 6-8 hours

2 cups dried haricot beans

4 cups boiling water

2 tsp instant chicken stock powder

1 x 14oz can diced tomatoes in juice

1-2 Tsp olive oil

3-4 bacon, chopped (optional!)

1 medium onion, finely diced

2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1 Tsp dried garlic

½ tsp dried thyme

½ tsp dried basil

salt and pepper to taste

chopped fresh parsley or cilantro to serve

Place the beans and about 8 cups of hot water in the slow cooker bowl and leave to soak over night.
The next morning drain and rinse the beans and return them to the slow cooker bowl. Add the boiling water, chicken stock and diced tomatoes in juice.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frypan. Stir in the chopped bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to slow cooker when lightly cooked.
Scramble fry the vegetables until softened and beginning to brown. Transfer to slow cooker once cooked.
Stir in the the dried garlic, thyme and basil. Cover and cook on High for 6-8 hours.
Season to taste and serving piping hot in large bowls sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Enjoy with crusty warm rolls or grainy bread fresh from the breadmaker.

Previous Post: Chilli Con Carne | Easy Crock Pot Recipe | Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipe

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Chilli Con Carne | Easy Crock Pot Recipe | Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipe

2011-04-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

The aroma in the kitchen that this easy crock pot recipe makes while it is cooking is just amazing - your family will know they are in for a yummy dinner when they get home and smell this cooking!

If the younger members of the household are not used to spices yet, leave the chili out, taste it before serving, to see if you can boost the amount of cumin in the dish - you can add more cumin right before serving. The cumin gives this dish a more exotic Moroccan flavor - yummy!

If you have a large slow cooker - big enough to be able to double this recipe - then go right ahead. This recipe freezes and reheats for fast dinners extremely well. Using frozen portions of double-batch cooked slower cooker recipes is much cheaper than a takeaway and great for those nights when dinner needs to be done in a flash.

Soon to be a new family favorite! Enjoy!

Chilli Con Carne

Serves 6

Cook on low for 8 hours

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large brown onion, chopped finely

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1-½ lbs ground beef

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

½ tsp prepared chilli

1 cup beef stock

½ cup tomato paste

28oz canned crushed tomatoes and juice

30oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, shredded (for garnish)

Heat oil in a large skillet and scramble fry the garlic and onion.
Add the beef, cumin, oregano and chilli, scramble fry until meat is browned.
Pour into slow cooker, add stock, paste, tomatoes and juice, cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Add beans, cook on high until hot - approx 30 minutes. Check seasonings.
To serve, add the cilantro garnish and serve with sour cream, taco chips or warmed tortillas or rice, and a salad.

Previous Post: Lentil and Bacon Soup | Slow Cooker Soup

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Lentil and Bacon Soup | Slow Cooker Soup

2011-03-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

Simmer - a cooking mode unique to Cuisinart. So essential for developing taste and flavor gently, especially important when making soups and stews like this winter warmer soup using lentils and bacon.

This Cuisinart slow cooker will simmer away all day, unattended, so you can come home to the most flavorful, tasty, nutritious soups and stews - the food of winter!

I love using lentils in my slow cooker, they don't need any pre-soaking or pre-cooking, and they are a great source of protein. To make this vegetarian friendly, leave out the bacon and add your favorite seasonings to add flavor.

Lentil and Bacon Soup

Serves 6

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours

4 rashes of bacon, de-rind and chop

2 onions, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery sticks, sliced

5 cups water or chicken or vegetable stock

1 Tbsp tomato paste

2 tsp dried mixed herbs

1-½ cups lentils

Add all ingredients to slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

You can either serve as is, with a grainy bread, or use an immersion blender stick to thicken all or just some of the soup, or cool slightly and use a blender to process it to a smooth consistency.

Enjoy!

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Chicken Hot Pot

More great, tasty, easy slow cooker recipes and slow cooker reviews are on my website - enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Hot Pot | Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

2011-02-04T17:00:00.000-08:00

The best thing about this time of year is being able to enjoy hearty, soul warming winter foods like this delicious Chicken Hot Pot.

Chicken and vegetables simmer slowly in a mild mustard and herb sauce. The bacon adds flavor and keeps the chicken moist.

There is nothing better than setting this going in the morning, knowing that you are coming home to a warm and aroma filled house, and a really yummy dinner, at the end of a long cold day.

This Cuisinart programmable 4 quart slow cooker will cook your dinner and keep it warm for you until you are ready to serve. It's like an extra pair of hands in the the kitchen! And when it's time to tidy up at the end of the meal, the Cuisinart's retractable cord stows itself for easy handling and storage - what a great idea!

Chicken Hot Pot

Serves 6

Cook on low for 8-½ to 10 hours or on high for 4-½ to 5-½ hours

6 chicken thighs, skinless, boneless, trimmed of all fat

1lb (450g) potatoes, peeled and diced into 2cm cubes

1lb (450g) pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and diced into 3cm cubes

3 Tbsp flour

½ tsp onion salt

1½ tsp dried thyme

6 rashers streaky bacon

¾ C chicken stock

1½ Tbsp dijon mustard

1½ Tbsp tomato paste

chopped fresh thyme to garnish

Toss pumpkin and potato in flour in a plastic bag, tip into slow cooker.
Sprinkle onion salt and thyme over vegetables.
Wrap a bacon rasher around each piece of chicken and arrange chicken on top of vegetables in the slow cooker.
In a small bowl, combine chicken stock, mustard and tomato puree, spoon evenly over chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 8-½ to 10 hours or on high for 4-½ to 5-½ hours.

Garnish with thyme and serve with seasonal green vegetables and mash or a crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Previous Post: Satay Pork Meat Balls | Slow Cooker Pork Recipes

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Slow Cooker Soup | Curry Pumpkin and Kumara Soup

2011-01-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

The quantity of curry powder produces a wonderful, warming curry flavour that blends well with the vegetables - this is one of my favourite pumpkin soups for sure, because of the curry! The split peas cooked in cold water to start just 'mush' into the mix and are not able to be seen or tasted, they are added to stretch the food budget, and sneak in some extra nutrition!
Curry Pumpkin and Kumara Soup

Serves 6-8
Cook on high for 3 hours

1lb / 500g pumpkin, peeled and de-seeded, chopped to 1 cm dice
1lb / 500g kumara (sweet potato), peeled and chopped to 1 cm dice
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup dried yellow split peas
5 cups cold water
1 Tbsp dried chicken stock powder
1 Tbsp dried garlic granules (or 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed)
1 Tbsp hot curry powder (use less or use a mild curry if serving to children)

As soon as you know you are going to make this soup, get the slow cooker out, combine the stock, dried yellow peas and the COLD water in the slow cooker and turn it on.

Add the vegetables, cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

It's ready when you can see the contents is mashable. Add about a tablespoon of butter, and use a potato masher, whisk or immersion blender to mash the soup. If it is too thick, thin with hot water, milk, coconut milk or warm chicken stock. (Coconut milk will quieten the curry flavour down if you've been a bit generous!)

My family like it thick, served as is, in a lovely big bowl, like this one, with a huge grind of freshly cracked pepper on top, and a grainy bread or roll.

Previous Post: Satay Pork Meat Balls | Slow Cooker Pork Recipes | Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

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Satay Pork Meat Balls | Slow Cooker Pork Recipes | Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

2011-01-07T17:00:00.000-08:00

Mix and make the meat balls and the mix and pour over the sauce, cover and set to cook and when you get the crazy end of the day, the hard part of dinner is ready and waiting!

What a pleasure it is to own a slow cooker! Especially one as smart at this one! Its 5-quart capacity works great for medium-size families or when gathering with friends.

The easy to program control panel has two cooking modes - high, low, and keep the all important keep warm function. When the cook time ends, it automatically shifts to "warm" for up to two hours, so dinner stays hot and ready to serve without overcooking. Oh yes, clean up is a snap too, the insert and glass lid are dishwasher safe. Check out the rest of the DeLonghi 5 Quart's features here.

Satay Pork Meat Balls

Serves 4 to 6

Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 3-½ hours

1-1/2 lb (700g) pork mince

1 C soft breadcrumbs

3 Tbsp peanut butter

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce

Sauce

3 Tbsp peanut butter

1 Tbsp minced ginger

½ - ¾ tsp prepared chilli

1 Tbsp soy sauce

¾ C light coconut cream

Mix the meat ball ingredients together and form into 32 balls and place into slow cooker.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and drizzle over the meat balls.
Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 3-½ hours.
Sprinkle with chives and serve on rice with naan and a salad or steamed asian green vegetables.

Enjoy!

Previous Post: Crock Pot Corned Beef

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Crock Pot Corned Beef | Slow Cooker Beef | Corned Beef Recipe

2010-12-31T16:30:00.000-08:00

I use my slow cooker almost everyday, so I was surprised to learn that many people only use their slow cookers to cook corned beef. Having said that, the slow does take the stress out watching a pot on the stove - something that is just not possible for cooks these days, and it does a wonderful job of making the most tender and delicious meat!

If you have a slow cooker with multiple inserts, you don't have to worry about the size of the piece of meat you choose. I find my round 3 quart slow cooker can take up to a 4 pound (2kg) piece of corned beef, so long as it is a cube, rather than a rectangle.

My mum has limited pantry space in her RV, so when she's on the road, to cook corned beef in her slow cooker, she just buys a bottle of gingerale at the same time as the meat and cooks it in that. Yes, just two ingredients, the piece of corned beef and sufficient gingerale to cover or almost cover the meat. No other spices required!

Crock Pot Corned Beef | Slow Cooker Beef

This is my favorite crock pot corned beef recipe.

3-1/2 lb (1.5kg) piece of corned beef
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
6 whole cloves
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
water to cover or almost cover the meat

Add the ingredients in the order listed and turn the slow cooker on to low for 6-7 hours or until the meat thermometer reads 77F of 170C.

Previous Post: Moroccan-Style Chickpea and Chicken Soup | Crock Pot Chicken Soup Recipe

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Moroccan-Style Chickpea and Chicken Soup | Crock Pot Chicken Soup Recipe

2010-12-17T16:30:00.000-08:00

This soup makes a substantial and delicious meal for four to six adults. Hearty and warming enough to serve in the depths of winter, it is also light and fresh enough to enjoy as an easy summer meal.

To make a soup meal more fun, it is nice to have some special soup bowls to serve substantial soups like this one in. This color is perfect for winter - click the picture to see the other colors this bowl is available in.

Moroccan-Style Chickpea and Chicken Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Cooks in 3½ to 4½ hours on low

1 Tbsp olive or canola oil

2 large boneless, skinless, fat trimmed chicken breasts (about 1lb or 500g)

1 medium to large onion, peeled, quartered and sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp tumeric

½ tsp chilli powder

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

2 x 400g canned diced tomatoes in juice

3 Cups chicken stock

2 x 300g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 tsp paprika

zest and juice of a lemon

½ – 1 tsp salt

garnish with 3-4 Tsp chopped fresh coriander and sour cream when serving

Heat the oil in a large frypan. Add the chicken breasts, whole, and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes on each side, brown lightly. While they are cooking, prepare the vegetables.
Coat the inside of the crock pot insert with non-stick spray. Transfer the lightly browned chicken to the slow cooker.
Add the vegetables to the frypan and scramble fry for 3-5 minutes to soften the onion. Stir in the cumin, coriander, tumeric, chilli powder and cinnamon, continue to cook for another minute.
Add the vegetables and the remaining ingredients (except garnish). Stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 3½ to 4½ hours.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and set aside until cool enough to handle. Using two forks, shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in most of the fresh chopped coriander and cook for another 15-30 minutes.

Serve the soup in pre-warmed soup bowls, add a little dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with chopped coriander and with team up with a crusty loaf or warmed flat breads.

Previous Post: Sausage and Potato Slow Cooker Curry | Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

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Sausage and Potato Slow Cooker Curry | Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

2010-12-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

Curried sausage with potatoes - simple and inexpensive but great hearty fare for when the temperature has dipped and hungry tummies are gathering in the kitchen. It's days like those that you will be so glad you bought a large slow cooker - and filled it up that morning with this easy slow cooker recipe.

It amazes me how such humble, inexpensive ingredients can turn into such a wonderful, aroma rich dish, in a slow cooker. Recipes like this are easily stretched too, just by adding a can of drained chickpeas and other cooked vegetables when you add the peas and sultanas can gain you a couple of extra servings. Put an extra couple of potatoes in the pot so there is lots of mashed potatoes to go around and you will have them coming back for more!

Sausage and Potato Slow Cooker Curry | Easy Slow Cooker Recipe

Serves 6

Cook on low 8 hours

4 potatoes (2lb / 800g) cut into thick but even sized wedges

12 (4lb or 1.8kg) beef sausages

2 medium brown onions

2 Tbsp mild curry powder

400g crushed tomatoes in puree/juice

1 C beef stock

1 cup frozen peas thawed

½ C saltanas

Place the potatoes around the edges of the slow cooker, add the sausages. If you want to brown the sausages, first and then fry the onion and curry, add the rest of the ingredients (except peas and saltanas) to frypan to deglaze before adding to slow cooker, it will make the sausages look better when you serve them.
Cover and cook on low 8 hours.
Twenty minutes before serving, check seasonings and adjust if necessary. If you want to thicken the gravy with a little of the cooking liquid (3 tablespoons) and 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed to a smooth paste, then do that now.
Stir in peas and saltanas and cook on high for a further 20 minutes.
Serve on rice, mashed potatoes or with crusty bread and stretch the servings further by adding lots of different vegetables to each plate.

Enjoy!

Previous Post: Pork Roast In A Crock Pot | Spiced Apple Roast of Slow Cooker Pork

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Pork Roast In A Crock Pot | Spiced Apple Roast of Slow Cooker Pork

2010-12-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

I just love pork roast in a slow cooker - it comes out so tasty and tender. And when you add spices and apple, a whole new dimension of complementing tastes happens - you have to try this next time you are cooking slow cooker pork roast - it's so good!

If you are in the market for a new slow cooker, and you cook slow cooker roast recipes frequently, you will be pleased to know about the best and most unique feature on this - the best selling 6 quart programmable slow cooker! It has a built in meat thermometer. To cook this pork roast in the slow cooker, you would insert the probe into the thickest part and or into the middle of the roast, press the probe option button, choose high or low, choose 160 degrees and press cook and it's done - easy peasy!

How does the meat thermometer probe work? Step back a step, the optimum internal temperature for a roast of pork around this weight to cook to, to be succulent, tasty and tenderly, perfectly cooked is 160 degrees. So when your Hamilton Beach with meat thermometer probe reaches this ideal temperature, it will automatically switch to keep warm mode and weight for you to serve it up. What a great invention!

Spiced Apple Roast of Slow Cooker Pork

Serves 6-8

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

3.5-4.5lb (1.5-2kg) pork roast

2 Tbsp dijon mustard

2 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ C apple juice

Mix mustard and spices together and brush over the pork.
Put pork in slow cooker and add apple juice around it.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Previous Post: Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew | Crock Pot Beef Stew

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Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew | Crock Pot Beef Stew | Large Slow Cooker

2010-11-26T16:29:00.000-08:00

Super easy slow cooker beef stew - an essential recipe to arm your family against cooler days. If you only need 4 servings for dinner, be sure to cook extra vegetables so you can then add them to the left over stew and freeze it. This makes a great stew to have on toast for a quick weekend lunch or dinner.

If you have a family to feed or you like to make more servings than you need for just one meal, you need a clever large slow cooker, like this 6-1/2 Quart Programmable Touch Screen Crock Pot. It's got the lot! Good looks, easy to use, keep warm function - it makes making recipes such as this slow cooker beef stew a breeze! Check out this top selling model if you are in the market for a new, large slow cooker.

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Serves 6

Cook on low for 8 hours

1lb Italian sausages

1lb beef stew, cubed to bite size

1 Cup beef stock

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp tomato paste

2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped

10oz quartered mushrooms

2 celery sticks, thinly sliced

1 tsp oregano

1 cauliflower (about 4 cups) cut to bite size

¼ tsp Tabasco sauce

freshly ground pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to slow cooker, stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 8 hours, stir well before serving. If you can resist the temptation to eat it the day you make it, this stew tastes even better reheated the next day.

Serve over buttered pasta or with creamy mashed potatoes, seasonal greens and your favorite vegetables for a hearty, warming meal. Enjoy!

Previous Post: Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken | Slow Cooker Chicken

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Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken | Slow Cooker Chicken | 4 Quart Slow Cooker

2010-11-19T16:30:00.000-08:00

I love to cook slow cooker chicken recipes, they always make the meat so tender and tasty. And I especially like a well flavored slow cooker chicken casserole, like this Cranberry Chicken recipe. A 4 quart slow cooker, such as this magnificent Cuisinart is ideal for this slow cooker chicken recipe.

It's a very more-ish, tasty recipe and should be enjoyed by all the family.

The recipe calls for chicken thighs, but if you want to use another cut of chicken, that will work just as well, use the weight measurement given, as your guide. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chicken

Serves 5-6

Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-½ to 4 hours

7-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 2.2lbs /1kg

3 Tbsp flour

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp onion salt

¼ tsp ground cloves

zest of one orange

3 Tbsp tomato paste

3 Tbsp marmalade

¼ C lemon juice

½ C chicken stock

½ C dried cranberries

Toss chicken with flour in a plastic bag, shake off any excess.
Put the remainder of the ingredients in the slow cooker then add chicken, turn through sauce so chicken is coated.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-½ to 4 hours.

Serve with couscous or rice, julienne carrots, green vege and or salad.

Previous Post: Crock Pot Beef Stew and Chickpeas with Spinach

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Getting Ready For Thanksgiving? Slow Cooker Turkey Recipes | How To Cook Turkey In A Slow Cooker

Crock Pot Beef Stew and Chickpeas with Spinach | Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe

2010-11-12T16:30:00.000-08:00

Do you have a potato ricer? It's a fancy potato masher that makes the most creamy mashed potatoes you've ever had – it's what those fancy chefs on TV use to make those deliciously creamy mashes with. But it also has another use – pressing out the water in the spinach - as specified is necessary in this recipe! A very handy little tool.

I justified the purchase of a potato ricer because my family prefers mashed sweet potato to any other kind of carb with dinner (almost every night) and I cook with spinach and serve it as a vegetable regularly.

I only use my old potato masher now when I need to change the texture of vegetables in a slow cooker soup recipe!

Beef Stew and Chickpeas with Spinach

Serves 6

Cook on low for 8 hours

1 tsp raw or brown sugar

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cube beef bouillon

1 cup water

¼ cup tomato paste

2lbs beef cubed and trimmed of fat

1 onion chopped finely

14oz can of chickpeas, drained

10oz package frozen spinach, thawed, water pressed out

Add the sugar, Worcestershire sauce and beef bouillon to the slow cooker and dissolve with some of the water.
Add the tomato paste and then the rest of the water, stir to combine.
Add the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

When I first made this, I cooked it with the intention of eating it the next day, reheated. The gravy had thickened and the flavors had developed. I had enough for two meals, so I added a teaspoon of curry powder to the second quantity before storing it. When we ate that we really enjoyed it with a bit of extra 'kick'. The tomato-spinach-beef gravy lends itself well to the spice, so you could either put 2 teaspoons of curry powder in at the beginning of cooking or just before serving. Delightfully different and certainly tasty!