Crockpot Peach Cobbler

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This month's SRC post comes from Angel at Angel's Home Sweet Homestead. I admit I was a little intimidated going into her blog just because her recipe list is so extensive (and everything sounds SO good), but as soon as I looked in the dessert section and saw "peaches"...I was sold. Then to top it all off, it's a dessert that's done in the SLOW COOKER. Um, hello? Is that like the best thing ever or what?

And it is. It's pure genius. It takes less than 10 minutes to throw together and then you let your crockpot do the rest of the work. And want to make it even easier? Use one of those crockpot liners and you won't have any mess to clean up! This recipe is yummy and it's nice to have on hand for when you have company. You won't have to worry about leaving your guests to go in the kitchen to get dessert together. Just prepare this before your company arrives and by the time dinner is over...you're good to go. Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (16 oz.) cans peaches, drained (4 cups of frozen peaches, thawed and drained may be substituted)
• 1/2 cup, plus 1 tbsp. sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, divided
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 3/4 cup self-rising flour
• 6 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces

Grease the bottom and sides of a 6 quart crockpot and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the peaches, 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1 tsp. of the cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour peach mixture into the greased crockpot.

In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, and remaining 1 tbsp. sugar and remaining 1/2 tsp. cinnamon until combined. 

Cut butter into flour mixture using 2 knives or a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over peach mixture in crockpot.

Place a paper towel or thin dish towel over the top of the crockpot, then cover with the lid. Cook on HIGH for 2-3 hours or until the crust turns golden brown.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Source: Angel's Home Sweet Homestead

An InLinkz Link-up

Slow Cooker Hoisin Pulled Pork

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Hey all! I know it's been awhile, but I'm back for Secret Recipe Club this month. I've been cooking lots, but it's hard to get some time on the computer with a newborn and toddler running around! Once I get in the swing of things, I promise I'll be back! But for now, expect sporadic recipe posts!

This month's SRC assignment was Sashi's blog over at Get Off The Couch and Cook. I'll admit there were a ton of recipes I bookmarked to try out, but these days new slow cooker recipes always grab my interest! The easier, the better :) My family loves pulled pork sandwiches, so I was excited to try out a new flavor profile other than traditional BBQ. These Asian-inspired sandwiches were scrumptious and were so easy to make. We love Asian dishes in our household so this was right up our alley! The pork was tender after a few hours and was falling apart. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. jarred minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. sweet chile sauce
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• 3-4 lb pork loin
• Hamburger buns, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together everything but the pork until well blended.

Place the pork loin in a 4-qt slow cooker and pour the pineapple-hoisin mixture over the pork.

Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3-3.5 hours.

Shred in the slow cooker, removing any large bits of fat.

Serve on hamburger buns.

Source: Get Off The Couch and Cook

An InLinkz Link-up

Slow Cooker Brisket with Brown Gravy

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Pardon the picture (getting dark at 4:30pm does NOTHING for my dinner pictures), but I just had to share this recipe with you. I love simple slow cooker recipes that taste like you spent hours in the kitchen. The hardest part of this recipe was spending 10 minutes searing the beef (if you even count that hard). Other than that, you basically throw everything in the slow cooker and a few hours later you get tender brisket and vegetables with an incredibly flavorful gravy. Ideal for these chilly winter nights. Enjoy! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• Canola oil, for searing
• 1 (2 1/2 to 3 lb.) brisket
• Kosher salt
• 1 bunch parsley, stems reserved and leaves chopped
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can beef broth
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 (.87 oz.) packet slow cooker pot roast seasoning
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 2 (8 oz.) packages sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 (.87-ounce) packet brown gravy mix
• 1 cup cold water

In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Season the brisket on both sides with a generous pinch of salt. Sear the brisket in the hot pan until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

To the slow cooker, add the parsley stems, celery and bay leaf. Put the seared brisket on top of the vegetables. In a large bowl whisk together the broth, wine, tomato paste, and pot roast seasoning. Pour the mixture over the brisket, top with onions, and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 9 hours, until the meat is fork tender. Halfway into cooking, add the carrots. One hour before the brisket is done, add the mushrooms.

Remove the meat, onions, carrots, and mushrooms from the slow cooker and set aside. Strain the liquid into a medium pan over medium-high heat. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the gravy mix with 1 cup of cold water. Turn the heat to medium and whisk the gravy mixture into the brisket liquid. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Skim any fat off of the top.

Slice the brisket and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve it with the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and gravy. Garnish with the reserved chopped parsley leaves and serve.

Source: Adapted from Food Network

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

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Okay, so we definitely have a new favorite soup..and it's made in the slow cooker! All of the ingredients are pretty much pantry staples. I was able to make this super last minute because I just happened to have everything on hand. And thank goodness I did because it's SO so good. Using salsa in the recipe gives it a ton of flavor without needing too many extra ingredients. My boys and I loved this. Plus it made enough so that I could freeze half and defrost it when I don't feel like making dinner. We're all looking forward to that night :) Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 lb. frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. dried cilantro
• 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

Optional Toppings:

• Sour cream
• Scallions
• Cilantro
• Lettuce
• Diced avocado
• Crushed corn chips

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken to the bottom of the slow cooker.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix cream of chicken soup, salsa, corn, black beans, water, cumin, and cilantro. Pour over the top of chicken.

Cook on LOW 4-6 hours. Remove the chicken and chop into bite-size pieces. Place back into the slow cooker and add shredded cheese. Continue cooking until cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. 

Serve with your favorite toppings.

Source: Adapted from The Recipe Critic

Crockpot Bourbon Chicken

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No, you didn't misread the ingredient list. There really is no bourbon in this bourbon chicken recipe. I chose to exclude it because honestly…I don't love the taste, and most of the other "Bourbon Chicken" recipes I looked at didn't contain bourbon in them either. So weird. But whatever you want to call this chicken, it's just plain delicious. Chicken thighs get so tender, especially when slow cooked, and the combination sweet/savory sauce is amazing. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 tsp. ginger
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup apple juice
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. corn starch
• Rice, cooked, for serving

Place the chicken in a slow cooker.

In a small bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, apple juice, honey, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water and soy sauce. Pour sauce over chicken.

Cover and cook on LOW 6-7 hours or on HIGH 3 hours.

When done, remove chicken from the crockpot. If desired, cut into bite-size pieces or you can keep them whole.

Meanwhile, put the cornstarch in a small bowl. Remove about 1/4 cup of liquid from the slow cooker and add it to the cornstarch. Stir very well. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the remaining liquid in the crockpot and stir to combine. Add the chicken back into the crockpot and stir to combine. 

Serve over rice.

Source: Adapted from Spend with Pennies

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

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Bradley loves getting a lot of attention, and I'm more than willing to give him all the attention he needs (especially before the new baby comes). That makes it more than essential to have dinners on hand that I can either make in advance or that take little prep time. Slow cooker meals are ideal since I can throw everything in the crockpot and then have the rest of the day to devote to my attention-seeking son. 

Chris and I both love sandwiches (and Bradley loves everything!) so French Dip sandwiches immediately sounded like an easy win in my book. They were extremely easy to prepare and even better to eat. The au jus sauce had tons of flavor and was a delicious accompaniment to the sandwich. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (3-4 lb.) beef chuck or rump roast
• Salt and pepper
• 2 (10.5 oz.) cans beef consommé
• 2 (10.5 oz.) cans reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• 1 envelop Au Jus gravy mix
• 8 sub buns, cut in half
• 16 slices Provolone cheese

Season the beef roast with salt and pepper.

In your slow cooker, add the beef consommé, beef broth, Worcestershire, onion soup mix and Au Jus gravy mix. Stir until combined. Add the beef. 

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-7 hours.

Remove beef from slow cooker and shred using two forks.

Preheat your broiler.

Arrange the sub buns on a baking sheet. Top each half with the shredded beef and two slices of cheese. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is crusty. Remove from oven and place the second half of bread on top of the sandwich.

Meanwhile, skim fat from the juices in the slow cooker. Spoon juices into small bowls. Serve alongside bread as a dipping sauce.

Source: SK Original

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce

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Our baby girl will be here in a little over one month and I could not be more excited about it! I know we have a while until we start giving her solid foods, but I am determined to make all of her first foods from scratch, just like I did for Bradley. I really think that's part of the reason why he has such an amazing appetite today! Testing out this slow cooker applesauce was a perfect decision because I realized how easy it is (and how convenient it will be once a newborn is around!) and how much Bradley loves it. Definitely saving this one to use all the time. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
Makes 3-4 cups applesauce, depending on the size of your apples

• 7 medium-large apples, peeled, cored and finely diced
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In a slow cooker, add the apples, sugar, water and cinnamon.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Once tender, mash with a potato masher (or add to a blender/blend with an immersion blender if you want an extra-smooth consistency). Taste and add more cinnamon, as desired.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Source: SK Original

Asian Pulled Pork with a Soy-Ginger Slaw

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I recently shared some big news on my personal Facebook account: Chris and I are expecting our second child! We couldn't be happier and we know that Bradley is going to be an amazing older brother. 

But one thing that comes with pregnancy is nausea, and, of course, my nausea always shows up right in time for dinner. That's why throwing something in the crockpot in the morning is a huge lifesaver for me. I can still get dinner on the table, but I don't have to worry about feeling queasy in the process!

Pulled pork is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes, so I decided to make a twist on that by using some of my favorite Asian ingredients. I let the pork shoulder sit in the slow cooker all day with some soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar and chili garlic sauce to make an incredibly tender and incredibly flavorful pulled pork. I wanted a contrasting element to go on the sandwich, so that's where the soy-ginger slaw came into play. And you can't have a pulled pork sandwich without BBQ, so I made an Asian twist on that as well. This sandwich took a little time to make but was well worth it. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Pork:

• 4-5 lbs. pork butt or shoulder
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. chili garlic sauce
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Asian Slaw:

• 2 1/2 cups cole slaw mix
• 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced

Asian BBQ Sauce:

• 1/2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 5 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Asian fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 tbsp. ketchup

Other:

• Buns, for serving

Add the pork into a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and chicken broth. Pour mixture over pork. Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours.

For the slaw: Mix the cole slaw mix, rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Stir to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until ready to use.

For the BBQ sauce: Add the canola oil in a small saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and ketchup. Heat to boiling and cook for 5 minutes. Reserve until ready to use. 

Once the pork is done, remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a baking sheet. Use two forks to gently shred the pork. Skim the juices in the slow cooker to remove as much fat as you are able to. Return the pork to slow cooker and mix with juices. 

Grab a bun and add a heaping scoop of pork (drained) onto the bun. Top with BBQ sauce and a scoop of slaw. Serve immediately.

Source: Adapted slightly from Food Network

Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef

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This past Tuesday morning, which happened to be Cinco de Mayo, I casually asked Chris if he wanted a Mexican-themed dinner. Without skipping a beat, he replied, "Barbacoa." Guess he's had some time to think about it.

So off to the store I went to buy a chuck roast to make my hard-working husband some barbacoa beef. This recipe was exceptionally simple since I just threw everything in the crockpot and went about my day. The tender, shredded beef was mouth-watering and I really enjoyed it because we had a choice to use it in tacos, enchiladas, a quesadilla or on a salad. The possibilities were endless! The night I made this I seriously made the best quesadillas I've ever had and the next night I made equally as delicious tacos. So amazing. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 2 chiptoles in adobo sauce, cut in half, seeds removed and chopped (can keep seeds in if you want it extra spicy)
• 1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Dash of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup beef broth

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the barbacoa beef with its juices in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Source: Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Slow Cooker Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs

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I found myself making this when we had a snow day and I didn't want to/physically couldn't run out to the store. All of the ingredients were things I always keep on hand anyways, so it was easy to toss it into a slow cooker for dinner. Plus it didn't matter if I used frozen chicken, which I always have, so that was a huge selling point. There's nothing like an easy and delicious slow cooker meal when it's freezing out!

This meal is done in 3 1/2 hours (you can also cook it on LOW if you're heading to work and prefer it to cook low and slow while you're out of the house), which is pretty impressive. The chicken becomes nice and tender and pulls apart easily. The weird combination of ingredients (ketchup, honey, soy sauce, basil--what?!) goes surprisingly well together and makes a delicious sauce to serve over rice. We liked this so much that I made it a week later using chicken breasts instead of thighs, and it turned out just as good. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• Rice, for serving

Lay chicken thighs into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker.

Whisk soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic and basil together in a bowl; pour over the chicken.

Cook on HIGH for 3.5 hours.

After 3.5 hours, shred chicken. 

Remove 1/4 cup of sauce from the crockpot and place in a bowl. Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce in the bowl until combined. Add cornstarch mixture back into the crockpot and stir to combine. Continue cooking for 20 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Source: Adapted from All Recipes

Slow Cooker Piggies aka Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Gluten-Free)

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When Chris was out of town for work, Bradley and I decided to stay at my parents' house for a night. Not only was a snow storm looming, but Bradley was under the weather and I didn't want to be trapped in my house all alone with a sick baby. So we went to my parents' house and I got to spend some quality time with my mom. During one of Bradley's naps, I asked to make these Piggies that my mom has been making for years. It was her mom's recipe and I just needed to know how to make them.

Piggies are very simple to make; they're just a little time consuming. But with two people working on the cabbage rolls, we got the meal prepared in no time! A simple combination of pork and beef is tucked and rolled into cabbage leaves and then you slow cook them with a simple tomato sauce. These are the ultimate comfort food to me since they remind me of my childhood. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (14.5 oz.) can sauerkraut
• 1 head cabbage, outer damaged layers removed
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 cup long grain rice (NOT cooked)
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

Line the bottom of a crockpot with sauerkraut and set aside.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add cabbage and boil for 5 minutes. Remove cabbage from pot and allow to cool slightly. Reserve water.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small pan. Add onions and saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes. 

Combine cooked onions, beef, pork, rice and garlic powder in a large bowl. 

Take cabbage and separate leaves. Use a small knife to remove the tough rib from the center of each leaf.

Take about 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture and place in the center of each leaf. Fold like an envelope and roll up tightly. If the leaf is very large, cut it in half before filling. Continue with the remaining cabbage leaves. If you have extra cabbage leaves, you can shred them and throw into the bottom of the crockpot with the sauerkraut.

Place stuffed cabbage rolls very close together in the bottom of the prepared crockpot (you can lay them on top of one another). Cover with tomato sauce and 2 cups of the reserved cabbage water.

Put the lid on the crockpot and cook on HIGH for 1 hour or until rice is tender (alternatively, you can cook the piggies in a large pot or dutch oven at 350 degrees F for 1 hour).

Source: My Mom

Slow Cooker Sesame-Ginger Chicken

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My new chicken obsession is chicken thighs. Dark meat is so tender no matter what you do to it, so if you often find yourself overcooking chicken so that it becomes dry and chalky, you should give thighs a try. You could seriously cook the crap out of them and they will still be moist. I dare you to try to mess up chicken thighs! It's practically impossible. 

My other obsession is the slow-cooker, so obviously this recipe was a game changer for me. The chicken became even more moist than slow-cooked chicken breasts usually become (I didn't know that was possible) and the meat was falling apart with a touch of my fork. The fresh Asian flavors in this dish make for a great sauce, so thickening up the cooking liquid at the end makes a perfect glaze. Feel free to go the chicken breast route if that's what you prefer, but I honestly think you should give thighs a try. Plus they're so much cheaper! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
• 5 tsp. hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. cold water
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds, for serving
• 2 tbsp. scallions, sliced, for serving

Add chicken to a slow cooker. Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, orange juice, hoisin sauce, ginger and garlic; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender. Transfer chicken to a platter; keep warm.

Pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a small saucepan. Discard solids. Skim extra oil off the top of the reserved liquids with a spoon and discard.

Bring cooking liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce, stirring with a whisk until blended. Return to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Serve sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker Tonight, September 2012

Shredded Beef Tacos

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Chris and I really enjoy this recipe for Southwestern Shredded Beef Sandwiches, so I always make sure to either make extra beef or to make a hearty side dish so that there are some leftovers to freeze. The leftovers always come in handy for when I want to whip up a quick dinner but don't feel like running to the grocery store. Just defrost the meat and dinner is on it's way!

Instead of making sandwiches with the leftover meat I defrosted I went another route and made tacos. I added some extra seasoning and some veggies I had on hand and it made a delicious filling for a classic soft taco. If you don't have all the veggies I listed on hand, feel free to save yourself a trip to the store and just leave them out (or replace them with your favorites!). Anything works in this recipe since the beef is already packed with lots of flavor. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups shredded beef, from this recipe
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1 lime, juiced
• Tortillas, for serving (optional)
• Sour cream, for serving (optional)
• Salsa, for serving (optional)
• Cilantro, chopped, for serving (optional)

In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until onions are translucent.

Add the beef, beans, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika and lime juice to the skillet. Stir to combine. Heat for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Serve beef mixture in a tortilla with sour cream, salsa and cilantro.

Source: SK Original

Slow Cooker Creamy Mexican Chicken over Rice

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'Tis the season for shopping and decorating and holiday parties. By far my favorite time of year! With probably almost every minute of your social calendar booked up this month, easy slow cooker recipes will most likely be your best friend. Throw this on in the morning before you leave for work and you'll have a delicious meal waiting for you when you get home. Which leaves you more time for shopping and decorating and holiday parties!

This slow cooker recipe has to be one of my favorites. It's a twist on another go-to of ours, but I made it a little more feisty by switching a few ingredients and adding taco seasoning. It's creamy and decadent, plus has just the right amount of spice from the taco seasoning and salsa. This was wonderful served over rice, and Chris and I also had it for lunch the next day in a tortilla. Equally as delicious. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
• 1 (15.5 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
• 1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 4 oz.  1/3 less fat cream cheese
• Rice, for serving

Put frozen chicken breasts put into a slow cooker. Add the black beans, corn, salsa and taco seasoning. Turn slow cooker to LOW and cook for 4-5 hours or until chicken is done. Once done, shred chicken into small pieces and return to slow cooker.

Add cream cheese and continue cooking on LOW for 30 minutes.  Stir so well combined. Serve over rice.

Source: SK Original

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

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It's officially feeling like fall so I proclaim it to be slow cooker season! Easy meals that warm your house AND your belly can't be denied this time of year, right? So break out those crockpots and get to (slow) cookin'!

My first slow cooker recipe of the season was one directed towards my husband. I've said before how he has a slight obsession with store-bought Teriyaki sauce, so I used that as the base of the sauce for some shredded chicken. I used some other flavors to spruce it up (garlic, brown sugar, sesame oil) and it made an extremely savory meal served over rice. You can even use frozen chicken in this recipe if you forgot to thaw some beforehand (which I often forget to do). Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 frozen OR thawed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish
• Rice, for serving (optional)
• Scallions, sliced thin, for garnish (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together teriyaki sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, salt and pepper.

Place frozen OR thawed chicken breasts into a slow cooker. Add teriyaki mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on LOW 4-5 hours for frozen chicken, or 3-4 hours for thawed chicken, or until cooked through and can easily be shredded with a fork.

Remove chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return chicken back to the pot and mix with the juices. Cover and cook on LOW heat an additional 30 minutes.

Serve immediately over rice. Garnish with scallions.

Source: SK Original

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs

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I've been to many potlucks where these meatballs were served, and they were always the dish that everyone raved about. I absolutely love them too, so when putting the menu together for Bradley's birthday, they were the first thing on the list.

These are great for a potluck or some effortless game day food. Pour all the ingredients in your slow cooker and let it go. The result is tender meatballs coated in a thick sweet and sour sauce. Everyone will love these and I'm pretty sure they'll be the first thing to go. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 (64 oz.) bag frozen meatballs
• 3 (12 oz.) jars chili sauce
• 1 (32 oz.) jar grape jelly

Combine chili sauce and jelly in a slow cooker and stir well. Add meatballs and toss to coat. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours. 

Source: Adapted from Tablespoon

Crockpot Balsamic Shredded Beef

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Chris is pretty big on vinegar, and he puts it on a lot of foods that I wouldn't normally think to put vinegar on. Example? Avocados. He tosses them with apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper and it's a side dish to him. And it's actually really good! Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly since the kid eats everything) Bradley really liked the avocado and vinegar mixture as well. So since he is a fan of vinegar, I thought he might like this balsamic vinegar and beef recipe, too. What do you know...mommy was right!

Not only did Bradley like this, but Chris and I did as well. I absolutely adore slow cooker recipes since they take little prep work and even less hands-on work. The beef sits in the crock pot all day and becomes incredibly moist and tender. It practically fell apart when I tried to take it out. I served this over egg noodles, but rice would be another great option for you gluten-free folks! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 3.5 lb. beef chuck roast
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tsp. garlic, minced
• Egg noodles or rice, cooked, for serving

Place the beef in a slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Whisk together the beef broth, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire and garlic. Pour over the roast and cook for 8-10 hours on low. Remove roast and shred with a fork. Return meat to slow cooker and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles or rice.

Source: Adapted from Shughary Sweets

Slow Cooker Chinese Pork Tenderloin with Garlic-Sauced Noodles

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Chris has proclaimed this his new favorite slow cooker meal and immediately asked if I could add it to the rotation. I, of course, obliged. Not only because it's incredibly tasty, but also because it's SO easy to prepare. And easy meals are my thing these days. I love my little boy more than words, but it's not so easy to make dinner with him around. He's somewhat of an attention hog (he gets that trait from his dad).

The pork tenderloin slow cooks with soy sauce and hoisin sauce for 3.5 hours so it can easily be shredded. Oh, and that's another reason I love this recipe. It doesn't take 8-9 hours like most slow cooker recipes, so if I decide last minute that I want to make it, it won't be an issue!

I digress. So the pork falls apart and is tossed with the most amazing marinade of Asian flavors. Matchstick carrots provide some crunch, while the fun texture of the Ramen noodles make it a full meal. This is one recipe I'm sure you'll be adding to your rotation as well. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (1 lb.) pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat
• 1/2 cup lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 4 tsp. garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 3 bags Ramen noodles (seasoning packets discarded)
• 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 3/4 cup diagonally sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/3 cup chopped unsalted or lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts
• 9 lime wedges

Place tenderloins in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Combine 2 tablespoon soy sauce, hoisin sauce, tomato sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic; drizzle over tenderloins. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 hours. 

Remove pork from slow cooker, and place on a cutting board, reserving cooking liquid in slow cooker. Let pork stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook noodles for three minutes. Strain and set aside.

Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Shred pork with 2 forks.

Return cooking liquid to slow cooker; add pulled pork and stir so well coated. Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Cover and cook on HIGH 10 minutes. Add noodles, carrots, green onions and cilantro leaves, tossing to coat. Turn slow cooker to WARM.

Spoon noodle mixture into bowls; sprinkle with peanuts and additional chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Source: Adapted from My Recipes

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

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One of my favorite things is coming home to a delicious smelling house. Slow cooker meals are quickly becoming one of my best kept secrets since they take practically no time and the meal is ready by the time dinner rolls around. Awesome.

I know the name sounds a little skeptical, and believe me, Chris and I were very skeptical ourselves. But you have to believe me when I tell you this dish was delicious. I thought it sounded like an easy recipe that would probably give the chicken a little flavor, but little did I know that it would be as good as it was! Chris thought the flavor kind of resembled chili, which I definitely agree with. The chicken was nice and tender and the sauce had a little kick from the taco seasoning and salsa. We served this over rice, but it would be good over noodles or even shredded in a taco shell. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup salsa
• Sour cream, for serving (optional)
• Rice, for serving (optional)

Place frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with taco seasoning.

Combine cream of chicken soup and salsa. Pour over chicken.

Cook for 6-8 hours on Low. Once done, you can either shred the chicken or serve whole.

Serve over rice and top with sour cream.

Source: Adapted from Spark Recipes