Slow cookers are awesome if you can set them up so you can come home after a long day at work and walk into the house and dinner is already made. They have the added bonus of turning cheaper cuts of meat into delicious foods due to the long, slow cooking time. There are zillions of recipes out there for all sorts of things, but let's face it ... if you're like me, there's no way in heck you can prep a stuff in the morning with kids and hubby underfoot getting ready for work and school, and in the evenings once I've wrestled the kids into bed, I'd rather watch an episode of Downton Abbey on Netflix or cruise Facebook for crumbs of info from the world outside my parenting bubble. So here are a few super easy things to throw in your slow cooker:
1. Beef or Pork Pot Roast. Place the roast in the slow cooker. Pour a cup or two of beef or vegetable broth over the top. Add some garlic and onions if you feel like it. (Tip: I keep pre-chopped onion and garlic in the freezer, so I can just grab some whenever I need it). Turn the slow cooker on low for about 4-8 hours (depending on the size of your roast, your slow cooker manual should have a guide), or use the temperature probe if your slow cooker has one. Optional: add some potatoes around the roast. (If they are really large, cut them in half).
2. Roast Chicken. Place the chicken in the slow cooker. Pour a cup or two of chicken or vegetable broth over the top. Cook on low for 6 hours. Optional: add some potatoes around the chicken. Note: the skin doesn't crisp up, so you will want to pull it off before slicing up the chicken.
3. BBQ Ribs. Place the ribs in the slow cooker (either attached, or cut apart, depending on your preference). Dump about a third to half a bottle of your favourite BBQ sauce over the top. Cook on low for about 3 hours.
4. Honey Garlic ribs. Place the ribs in the slow cooker (either attached, or cut apart, depending on your preference). Dump a bottle of store bought honey garlic sauce over the top. Cook about 3 hours.
5. Italian Chicken breasts. Place 4 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with Italian dressing mix OR pour on some Italian salad dressing. Add one to two cups of chicken or vegetable broth, or water. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until chicken breasts are cooked through. Optional: add some potatoes around the chicken.
6. Reheat Soup, chili, pasta sauce, etc. Pop a frozen container of soup, chili, curry, or pasta sauce you've previously made into the slow cooker and turn it on to low for a few hours so it's ready to go when you come home.
Do you have a favourite super-easy slow cooker recipe of your own? Please share!
