Crockpot

Garden Produce in the Slow Cooker

July 14, 2016 by Tiffany Leave a Comment

You know what one of my favorite things about summer is? Fresh garden produce! But lately it’s just too hot to turn on the stove and cook any of our hauls from the garden. I love my slow cooker for cooking everything, and it’s perfect for cooking up produce, too!

There are dozens of ways add produce into your meals. But if you’re looking for some ways to straight up cook veggies and fruits, here are some of my favorites.

Cook Garden Produce in the Slow Cooker

Potatoes Au Gratin
Summer Squash
Brown Sugar Sweet Potatoes (and chicken)
Honey Glazed Carrots
Scalloped Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Apple Butter
Apple Sauce

From Other Bloggers

21 Slow Cooker Sandwiches

July 7, 2016 by Tiffany 2 Comments

Sandwiches are the classic “I need to feed my family–quick!” kind of meals. But quick and easy doesn’t have to mean PBJ or BLTs night after night. There are lots of delicious things to serve between two slices of bread. Like these over 20 slow cooker sandwiches that you can throw into your slow cooker in the morning and forget about until dinner time. They’re life savers for us during the summer–or any busy time of the year! There’s enough variety that even if we ate sandwiches for a week straight, we’d probably not be tired of them.

The slow cooker is such a time saver. And when it’s hot–not having to heat up the kitchen is a huge bonus. And thanks to the slow cooker, you get to enjoy big, juicy flavorful sandwiches without slaving over the stove or grill for hours on hot or busy days. That’s my kind of dinner!

If you want to see how easy these sandwiches are, check out the FB Live demo I did of getting Peach Pulled Pork BBQ in the slow cooker and making up the delicious apple slaw that goes with it!

20 Sandwiches in the Slow Cooker

1. Hawaiian BBQ Sandwiches are a fresh twist on an old favorite with BBQ, pineapple, and provolone.

2. Jerk Chicken Sandwiches are a delightful combo of jerk chicken and cucumber mango salsa.

3. Chicken Bacon & Ranch Sandwiches with creamy slaw are like a sandwich version of this favorite salad flavor profile.

4. Chicken Philly Sandwiches, because a Philly Sandwich doesn’t always have to be beef!

5. Did you know that you can whip up these BBQ Chicken Sandwiches by simply tossing the ingredients in the slow cooker and turning it on? It’s true, you don’t even have to stir them up!

6. Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwiches – for when you want to serve up the goodness of without the usual prepping and cooking fuss. You’re welcome!

7. Cilantro Lime Chicken Sandwiches pack a refreshing twist of Mexican flavor!

8. Balsamic Chicken Sandwiches from Robin at Add a Pinch

9. Beef Shwarma is made of tender middle-Eastern flavored beef and cucumber-yogurt sauce stuffed in pocket bread.

10. Beef Gyros are a tasty twist on the usual roasted lamb gyros.

11. French Dip Sandwiches in the slow cooker are such classic goodness that the whole family is sure to love.

12. These African Pulled Beef Sandwiches with yogurt mint sauce are based on a sandwich introduced a few years ago at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. They have just enough kick to give them a great flavor without burning your tongue.

13. Italian Beef Sandwiches are full of flavor with a bit of a kick, and they’re absolutely delicious!

14. Pizza Steak Sandwiches – for those who love meat on top of their meat. This one’s for you!

15. Just when you thought a Bacon Cheeseburger couldn’t get any better, we put the bacon in the burger instead of sliding around on top of the patty.

16. What happens when you add pasta sauce to an Italian Sausage Sandwich? Italian Sausage and Pepper Subs complete with provolone cheese and the goodness of Italian spices, of course!

17. Peach BBQ Pork Sliders are such a fun and casual way to enjoy BBQ, pork and peach salsa in one tasty sandwich, and add a bit of apple slaw. Yum!

18. Pork and Gravy Sandwiches can be served as a “regular” sandwich or open-faced with an extra serving of gravy poured over the top.

19. BBQ Peach Pulled Pork add the sweetness of peach salsa to the classic BBQ pork sandwich.

20. Two ingredients and a slow cooker are all you need for these flavorful Beer Brats and an easy dinner.

21. Peach BBQ Pork Sliders are such a fun and casual way to enjoy BBQ, pork and peach salsa in one tasty sandwich, and add a bit of apple slaw. Yum!

21 Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Recipes for Summer

June 30, 2016 by Tiffany Leave a Comment

If you have been around my blog for long, you know how much I love Tex-Mex. I love the flavors, the spice and how many easy options there are for Mexican style food in the slow cooker. Needless to say, Tex-Mex slow cooker recipes make a frequent appearance on our dinner table.

One of the most popular recipes on the site is the slow cooker fajitas. They require minimal prep time, so you can get them into the slow cooker quickly. And the slow cooking melds the flavors beautifully. Plus, making them in the slow cooker means it’s an easy choice when feeding a crowd!

I love that both beef and chicken are so freezer friendly. That means you can prep them in batches and easily grab one for the slow cooker in the morning! As far as freezer friendly foods go, shredded taco beef is a huge time-saver for me. I make up a big batch, and freeze the leftovers for later. Super easy, and there are so many meals you can make using taco meat as a base.

And speaking of tacos! My kids love tacos because they can build their own. While there are hundreds of recipes out there for delicious Tex-Mex food in the slow cooker, here are 12 of the go-to family favorites at our house. Enjoy!

21 Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Recipes

Salsa Verde Steak is a delicious and easy recipe adapted from The Ungourmet

These Beef Fajitas look pretty all prepped in the crockpot and they taste even better after cooking all day.
Smoky Chipotle Chicken Tacos – when every word in the name of a recipe makes your mouth water, then you know dinner’s going to be good!

Black Bean and Salsa Chicken and Cornbread combines all the yumminess of Tex-Mex in one slow cooker. Easy prep, easy cleanup, perfect dinner!
Creamy Jalapeno Chicken Tacos are a creamy twist on the classic taco with a little kick.

Sloppy Chicken Tacos is another Tex-Mex Chicken recipe served the way a taco should always be … slightly sloppy!
Easy Crockpot Chicken Fajitas are a quick and tasty weeknight dinner to toss in the slow cooker before you start your day and they’re ready for dinner whenever you are!

The picture and short ingredient list don’t really require an explanation for these tasty Pork Carnitas
Beans are so easy to make ahead and pull out on those crazy nights when you need a quick dinner at home. You’ll find all the details for cooking them ahead and freezing for later in this post.

From other Bloggers

These pictures are from the original blogs and, be warned, you may feel more than slightly hungry after perusing the delightful slow cooker Tex-Mex ideas below …

Layer upon layer of tortillas and enchilada fixin’s make these Slow Cooker Enchiladas from Pocket Change Gourmet a wonderful dinner to come home to at the end of the day!
Tamales, in a casserole, in the crock pot? Brilliant! Thanks to Lynn at Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures for sharing her Tamale Casserole recipe!

Kalyn over at Kalyn’s Kitchen has shared this recipe for her uber-healthy and scrumptious Green Chili Shredded Beef Bowls.
Cumin Pork Roast and Beans are the foundation of this delightful slow cooker creation from $5 Dinners and tastes wonderful rolled up in a tortilla or served over a bed of lettuce.

These Carnitas and Paleo Nachos from Annie at Worthy Pause are tasty, paleo and made in a slow cooker. It’s pretty much the trifecta of healthy dinners!
If you’ve never had a taco stuffed with pulled pork and Mexican slaw, then you’ll want to try this Pulled Pork and Mexican Slaw recipe from Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures.

Shredded Pork Tostadas are like a shredded pork taco all dressed up and ready to impress. This recipe from the sisters over at Favorite Family Recipes is perfect for the slow cooker.
This Cowboy Casserole from Family Fresh Meals combines everyone’s favorites – potatoes, beef, beans, corn and cheese into one “so-good-it-won’t-last-long” easy prep, easy clean-up meal.

If you’ve never tasted Brazilian Feijoada Pork and Black Beans, then let me suggest that you add this dinner from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe to this week’s menu and shopping list. Fejoida has an amazing flavor profile that you’ll want to come back to time and again!
Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos in the crockpot? Yes please! Thank you to Katie from Fun Home Things for sharing this one on her blog!

Vegetarian Fajitas from Jessica at The Pieper Life are a wonderful option for an easy meatless meal, and it freezes well so you can eat half tonight and save the other half for another day. Yay!
Vegetarian Taco Dip from Pocket Change Gourmet is scrumptious with tortilla chips, or on a bed of lettuce for a fresh salad.

Deborah over at Taste and Tell Blog has answered the question of how to bundle the goodness of a tamale into a meatball in these Tamale Balls. And the answer is delicious!

Ever wonder what you can serve with Tex-Mex?

Check out this post filled with ideas for some of my favorite sides!

11 Slow Cooker Side Dish Recipes

June 22, 2016 by Tiffany King Leave a Comment

Have I ever mentioned that I love my slow cooker? Yeah, I thought so! Apparently, I’m not the only one too! And why not! You can do basically everything in a slow cooker. From all-day barbecue to slow cooker side dishes, from overnight breakfasts all the way to decadent desserts like cheesecake, the slow cooker can do it all. They easily qualify as a kitchen workhorse by saving time, keeping the house cool and making food prep super simple for a small family or a large crowd! I absolutely love using my slow cooker for gatherings. It makes my life so much easier in so many ways.

If you’ve never used your slow cooker to make side dishes, pull it out and give it a try! These 11 side dishes you can make in your slow cooker are the perfect place to start. These recipes are easy to put together and are definitely crowd pleasers. Pair them with summer food and you’ve got yourself a party or holiday dinners, whichever you prefer.

11 Easy Slow Cooker Side Dishes

Loaded Cheesy Potato Casserole are sure to be a hit at your next potluck with all their cheesy goodness!

Honey Glazed Carrots in the slow cooker are both buttery and sweet. Yum!

Corn Casserole in the Slow Cooker is a moist slightly sweet side dish with only 5 ingredients and less than 5 minutes of prep.

Hashbrown Casserole in the slow cooker is just as tasty as it looks, and you can fix the meat in the slow cooker at the same time with a simple little trick included in this post

Acorn or Butternut Squash in the slow cooker is a perfect side dish, especially when you add some butter and a sprinkling of brown sugar!

Homemade Apple Sauce in the Slow Cooker is much simpler than you might think and it just might ruin you for the store-bought stuff once you taste this eat at home version. Consider yourself warned!

Baked Beans in the Slow Cooker are a must for any dinner involving barbecue. These are classic with brown sugar, molasses and bacon. Yum!

The cheesy goodness of Scalloped Potatoes in the Slow Cooker? Yes, please!

Sweet Potatoes and Apples in the Slow Cooker are a tasty combination of fruit and veggies with plenty of sweet spices mixed in!

And if you prefer squash over sweet potatoes, then try this Apples and Butternut Squash in the Slow Cooker recipe.

This Cheesy Cauliflower from Simply Nourished Living is so tasty you won’t believe that it’s actually weight watcher friendly!

Go ahead and feel free to pin the image below so you can easily find these tasty slow cooker side dishes for when you need a quick, crowd-pleasing dish!

Slow Cooker Beer Brats (or Italian Sausages)

June 21, 2016 by Tiffany King 8 Comments

I’m not going to lie. I was skeptical when my sister told me about Slow Cooker Beer Brats. I’m not a fan of beer and the thought of cooking a brat in it didn’t sound too good.

But she said they turn out so flavorful – not tasting like beer, but just so good. The fact that they cook in the slow cooker was a plus for me too. I love a good slow cooker recipe!

So I tried them and my sister was right. You’ve got to make these!

We topped them with ketchup, mustard, diced onion, mild banana peppers. I was out of relish or we would have added that too. These brats can handle a lot of toppings.

One thing that surprised me is how the brats browed during the cook time. I didn’t expect that since they were cooking partially submerged in the beer.

This recipe couldn’t be easier since it has only two basic ingredients. This is summer cooking at its simplest – 2-minute prep, the slow cooker doesn’t heat up your house, go have fun while it cooks – my kind of recipe!

Here’s what you’ll need: [Read more…] about Slow Cooker Beer Brats (or Italian Sausages)