'This is by far the simplest way to make roast beef and gravy,' assures Abby Metzger of Larchwood, Iowa. 'On busy days, I can put this main dish in the slow cooker and forget about it. My family likes it with mashed potatoes and fruit salad.'
This hearty chowder cooks conveniently in a slow cooker so I can spend more time fishing and less in the kitchen. Adding fresh taste and lively color to the rich cheesy broth is broccoli. -Linda Kesselring, Corning, New York
Kidney beans, baked beans and butter beans are combined with ground beef, bacon and onion in this hearty meal. You can also put the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook for about 8 hours on low.
Inexpensive veal shanks become a succulent meal in the slow cooker. Even if you aren't an anchovy lover, don't omit the anchovy paste--it adds immeasurably to the flavor. Use the remaining broth mixture in soups and stews.
It took all summer to grow your tomatoes, now use a slow cooker to make them into a versatile tomato sauce flavored with sauteed onion, garlic and bell pepper, and seasoned with oregano, basil, parsley, sugar and tomato paste.
Whatever you call this all-American, family-pleasing hot dish -- American goulash, beefy mac, American chop suey, Johnny Marzetti, or anything else -- it's an easy stove-top version of the classic. You can also make it in the slow cooker -- see the notes.
Brisket is rubbed with spices and liquid smoke and then cooked in a slow cooker with barbeque sauce until tender and juicy. This calls for just enough barbecue sauce for that smoky flavor while still allowing the flavor of the meat to come through.
Cream of mushroom soup mixed with french onion cook with beef all day in a slow cooker to make a savory gravy style sauce to serve over hot noodles. Prepared in no time, 5 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes before dinner, this simple recipe is a winner any day of the week.
This is an amazing shredded pork recipe similar to what you would eat in a rice bowl (or in an enchilada) at a Mexican restaurant. It is easy to prepare and simmers in a slow cooker all day, ready to enjoy when you arrive home. I serve it over rice (laced with lime juice and fresh cilantro), Cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, and a dollop of sour cream. Amazing!
This authentic Italian-style risotto is cooked the slow, painful way, but it's oh so worth it. It's the perfect complement for grilled meats and chicken dishes.
Want the flavor of barbecued sandwiches, but don't want to get the grill out or turn on the oven? Fix this slow cook version of barbecue pork for sandwiches.
Pork shoulder slow cooks in a sauce of orange juice, guajillo chile peppers, vinegar, garlic, and achiote paste to deliver traditional Mexican flavor with relatively low effort.
A chuck roast slow-simmered in a beefy broth is delicious when shredded and spooned onto rolls. Carla Kimball of Callaway, Nebraska serves the cooking juices in individual cups for dipping.
A tagine is a slow-cooking stew and this lamb stew recipe gets its Moroccan flavor from a blend of aromatic spices such as turmeric, cumin,ginger, cardamom and cinnamon.
You'll find many uses for this versatile pasta sauce. Let tomatoes, garlic, sugar, parsley, garlic powder, oregano and basil go for a nice, slow simmer with zesty jolt of flavor from capers and crushed red pepper.
Leafy collard greens take a long, slow simmer in a ham hock bath, with flakes of hot pepper tossed in for kicks. Some folks like to shred the ham hock meat into the greens before serving up in bowls.