Tag Archives: Slow cooker

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chili

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Slow cooker tuscan chiliI think winter is actually over. Heat is where it’s at now. I like to use my slow cooker a lot when the temperatures soar, it doesn’t heat up the house as much as having the oven on, plus it is oh so nice to not be cooking over the hot stove top come dinner time. I still like eating hot dinners though, so that leaves slow cooker or BBQ. Another thing that has come back with the heat is swimming lessons, which I booked exactly at supper time. This means that we have to have a really early supper or a really late one. I don’t want to send starving children into the pool so early it is, makes slow cooker even a bit more enticing. And so I made this delicious chili recipe, that actually contains not one speck of chili powder in the whole thing, oh well, it was yummy anyways.

Recipe from What’s Cooking Magazine Festive 2011

  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 green and yellow pepper, chopped
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, ( 19 ounce)
  • 1 can tomato paste (5.5 ounce)
  • 1 can white kidney beans ( 19 ounce)
  • 1/2 tsp each dried basil and oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. In large skillet crumble sausage, add onion and cook until meat is cooked through and onion is tender. Place in slow cooker.

2. Add next 4 ingredients and stir. cook on low for 4 hours. Add spices. cook on high for additional 10 minutes.

3. Serve into bowls and top with cheese.

4. Eat and enjoy!

Tasty Tomato Soup (Slow Cooker)

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Tomato SoupAh the crock pot. Truly a great thing. One of my “busy” days is definitely Thursdays. A lot of running around, shuttling kids around to activities so it makes it extra nice to have dinner ready when we get home. Last night was a quick and easy family favorite. Although my family is still partial to Campbell’s, this soup was pretty good too. I would describe it as tangy, and was delicious accompanied by grilled cheese for a quick kid friendly meal.
Recipe slightly modified from  Fix-It and Forget-It Kids Cookbook

  • 1 sprig celery leaves
  • 46 ounce can tomato juice
  • 8 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 Tbsp bouillon granules
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

1. Rip up celery leaves with hands. Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Mix well. Set on low and cook for 5-8 hours.

2. Eat and enjoy!

 

 

Sweet Slow Cooker Oatmeal

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OatmealI have never been much of a porridge eater, well actually I have never been much of a breakfast eater, but especially porridge. I know everybody says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but honestly, I just don’t like eating in the morning. So I have breakfast for lunch a lot. I love me some peanut butter toast! So I decided to try this slow cooker oatmeal recipe out (for lunch, cuz let’s be honest with a 3 hour cook time, not really appropriate for breakfast) and do you want to know something. It was fabulous! I practically licked the bowl clean and all my kids, who eat oatmeal on a regular basis and love the stuff, proclaimed it the best oatmeal ever. So if you have been looking for a slow cooker recipe for oatmeal, this is the one, look no further.

Recipe from Fix it and Forget it Kids Cookbook

P.S- you want to use about a 3 quart slow cooker

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 cups dry quick oatmeal
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 large egg
  • oatmeal fixings- brown sugar, craisins, dried fruit, bananas, apples, nuts, cream , whatever you like to top your oatmeal with.

1. Pour oil in slow cooker and spread around so oil coats all sides.

2. Add sugar, oatmeal, baking powder, salt and milk. Stir.

3. In small bowl beat egg. Add to oatmeal mixture and stir well.

4. Cook on low for 3 hours. Scoop into bowls and serve with toppings of your choice.

5. Eat and enjoy!

Sweet Potato & Lentil Stew

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Vegetarian StewWhat crazy weather we are having. My meal plan was just perfect for yesterday, as the snow flurries were whirling away outside I had a lovely vegetarian stew simmering away in the crock pot. Served with a fresh batch of hot buttered biscuits it was the perfect meal to serve on a cold spring night.

Recipe from Betty Crocker

  • 3 cups peeled and diced sweet potatoes
  • 3/4 cup lentils
  • 1 1/2 cups baby carrots
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 3/4 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
  • plain yogurt for serving

1. Mix together sweet potatoes, lentils, carrots and onion. Place in a 3-4 quart slow cooker.

2. Heat oil in medium-sized skillet. Add all spices and cook one minute. Pour in vegetable broth. Pour this mixture on top of vegetables in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours. * This is a good time to take out green beans to thaw.

3. After 6 hour time has passed increase heat to high, add green beans. Cook for 20 minutes.

4. Scoop into bowls and top with a dollop of plain yogurt.’

5. Eat and enjoy!