Slow Cooker Potato and Corn Chowder

The easiest chowder you will ever make. Throw everything in the crockpot and you’re set! Easy peasy!

It’s crockpot season! I finally dusted off my slow cooker, which was covered in a lot of Butters’ fur, and put it to use immediately. And even though it’s hitting close to 90 degrees F, this cozy chowder is an absolute must.

Now the beauty of this recipe is just how easily this comes together. Simply throw everything into the crockpot, let it cook on high for 4 hrs (or low for 8 hrs), and then stir in your butter and cream.

Done and done. Super easy, right? It’s practically fool-proof.

Best of all, this soup is enough to feed an army and freezes beautifully. Just be sure to hold off on the cream and butter until after defrosting.

Now if it’s still 90 degrees F in your area, just be sure to crank up the AC and serve yourself a bowl of this hearty soup. It’ll keep you cozy all year long!

SLOW COOKER POTATO AND CORN CHOWDER

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time8 hours

Total Time8 hours, 10 minutes

Yield8 servings

The easiest chowder you will ever make. Throw everything in the crockpot and you're set! Easy peasy!

INGREDIENTS

• 24 ounces red potato, diced
• 1 (16-ounce) package frozen corn
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place potatoes and corn into a slow cooker. Stir in flour and gently toss to combine. Stir in chicken stock, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.* Stir in butter and heavy cream.
• Serve immediately.

NOTES

*Cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on the thickness of the potatoes.

Adapted from Crockpot Gourmet

Slow Cooker Pork Ragu

Flavorful, tender pork easily made in the crockpot for a crowd pleasing dinner with such minimal effort!

This week had completely dragged on for me. The highlight of this week was catching up on Grey’s Anatomy last night. The show has gotten progressively worse over the years but I still watch each and every new episode, even though some of the main characters don’t even show up half the time. Like where was Patrick Dempsey the entire episode? I’m also not too thrilled about the outcome of Mr. Feeny.

Anyway, before I get all teary-eyed about the Mr. Feeny that I adore so much, let’s talk about this slow cooker dish.

The weather is cooling down here in LA (I can barely manage the 50-60 degree weather here!) which means I can finally bring out the slow cooker and make some pork ragu. It’s a simple recipe of searing a huge pork loin that gets thrown in a crockpot for 8 hours to get absolutely tenderized in a stew of so many flavors. Plus, this dish can serve an army so be sure to bring the leftovers to work or freeze the rest so you can have this comforting dish any time during the week!

SLOW COOKER PORK RAGU

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time8 hours, 35 minutes

Total Time8 hours, 45 minutes

Yield8 servings

Flavorful, tender pork easily made in the crockpot for a crowd pleasing dinner with such minimal effort!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 pound boneless pork loin
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/3 cup grated carrots
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 16 ounces wide egg noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

• Season pork loin with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides.
• Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat. Add pork loin and sear both sides until browned, about 3-4 minutes per side.
• Place pork loin into a slow cooker and top with crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, onion, carrots, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaf, wine, salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Remove pork loin and bay leaf from the slow cooker and shred the meat before returning to the pot with the juices; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
• Serve pasta immediately topped with pork mixture.

NOTES

Adapted from Mother Thyme

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

The easiest carnitas you will ever make right in the crockpot, cooked low and slow for the most amazing fall-apart tender pork goodness!

Have you joined The Walking Dead fan club yet? The season premier is on Sunday night and they’ve been playing every single episode from start to finish on AMC for this premier. And even though I’ve already watched all the episodes, I’m still hooked.

There’s just something about creepy zombies that leaves you in front of the tv. That and Norman Reedus, his poncho, and his bow and arrow. But I digress. Zombies or not, it’s officially fall and the slow cooker is being put to very good use in these epic carnitas. After all, you can’t go wrong when you let this baby cook in all its glory for 8 hours.

You can even prep everything the night before and put it in the slow cooker right before leaving for work. And when you get home, you’ll have the most tender, most juicy pulled pork ever. Although I highly recommend finishing this under the broiler, letting these babies get nicely caramelized.

I should also mention that this recipe creates enough to feed an army so be prepared to have tacos, quesadillas and burritos all week long!

SLOW COOKER PORK CARNITAS

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time8 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time8 hours, 40 minutes

Yield8 servings

The easiest carnitas you will ever make right in the crockpot, cooked low and slow for the most amazing fall-apart tender pork goodness!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt, or more, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 pound pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 onions, quartered
• 2 oranges, juiced
• 2 limes, juiced

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Season pork loin with spice mixture, rubbing in thoroughly on all sides.
• Place garlic, onions, orange juice, lime juice and seasoned pork shoulder into a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
• Remove pork shoulder from the slow cooker and shred the meat before returning to the pot with the juices; season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to broil. Place carnitas onto a baking sheet and broil until crisp and crusted, about 3-4 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

NOTES

Adapted from Closet Cooking

Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Amazingly tender, flavorful Korean beef easily made in the crockpot with just 10 min prep. It doesn’t get easier than that!

The slow cooker can do some amazing things – you can make pastas, soups, dips, snacks, and even desserts. And to add to this wondrous list is, of course, Korean beef, something I never thought could be made in the crockpot.

 

But like I said, the slow cooker is really amazing, not to mention – it does all of the work for you! All you have to do is gather a handful of ingredients and throw them right into the crockpot. That’s it.

Really. Just set it and forget it. From there, you’ll come home to the most amazing, most tender Korean beef that the whole family will devour. You can serve it over rice, stuff it in tacos or even make quesadillas – the possibilities are endless!

SLOW COOKER KOREAN BEEF

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time8 hours, 30 minutes

Total Time8 hours, 40 minutes

Yield8 servings

Amazingly tender, flavorful Korean beef easily made in the crockpot with just 10 min prep. It doesn't get easier than that!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger, Sriracha, onion powder and white pepper.
• Place chuck roast into a slow cooker. Stir in beef broth mixture until well combined.
• Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours.
• In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup water. Stir in mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Why It’s A Smart Choice

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size

Servings Per Container 8

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 481.8Calories from Fat 139.5

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15.5g24%

Saturated Fat 5.8g29%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Cholesterol 158.6mg53%

Sodium 710.0mg30%

Total Carbohydrate 14.2g5%

Dietary Fiber 0.4g2%

Sugars 9.8g

Protein 66.3g133%

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*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

This recipe has 6.7mg of iron per serving, making it a great choice for someone looking to boost their iron intake. It’s also a high protein, lower fat choice, and eating more protein is a great way to stay fuller for longer.

Nutritional information provided by Jessica Penner, RD at Smart Nutrition.

Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken

Simply throw everything in the crockpot and you’re set for a family-friendly meal – it doesn’t get easier than that!

You know how you get a song stuck in your head and you sing it over and over and over for a week and a half until a new song gets stuck in your head? Well, my current song is Boy Dance Party by Bruce Willis and the boys from SNL. Ever since they played that skit, I’ve had it stuck in my head non-stop! I’ll go around the house singing it at the top of my lungs until Jason looks at me and says, “But babe, you’re not a boy.”

Figures.

I apologize in advance if you have this song stuck in your head for the next couple of weeks. It’s so catchy!

But enough about what the guys do when their ladies aren’t around. Let’s talk about this easy crockpot dish!

It’s such a simple, effortless dish that comes together so easily in the slow cooker. Simply throw everything into your slow cooker and that’s it! There’s just one tedious part shredding the chicken. But other than that, it’s an easy-peasy, no fuss dish with a sweet honey flavor that even the pickiest of eaters will enjoy!

SLOW COOKER HONEY SESAME CHICKEN

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time4 hours

Total Time4 hours, 10 minutes

Yield6 servings

Simply throw everything in the crockpot and you're set for a family-friendly meal - it doesn't get easier than that!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish
• Sesame seeds, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, vegetable oil and red pepper.
• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken thighs into a slow cooker. Add honey mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 3 hours and 30 minutes.
• Remove chicken thighs from the slow cooker and shred the chicken before returning to the pot with the juices. Cover and keep warm for an additional 30 minutes.
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

NOTES

Adapted from The Comfort of Cooking