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Your slow cooker can be all singing and dancing (you can even bake in some), or just the simple large heated bowl where you can cook all sorts of great meals for your family.

They also make cooking so much simpler too, and are perfect if you like cooking with your child, as it’s mostly chopping and just adding to the bowl then leaving it to cook…..slowly, while you go to work or get on with managing your busy house.

So if you haven’t yet invested in one for your household, it’s well worth it for the convenience.

1. Slow Cooker Italian Beef Stew

Beef stew is a family favourite in most houses. This easy beef stew recipe from AllRecipes.com takes 4 hours and serves 8 people.

Using stewing beef, carrots, onions and potatoes this is a simple and cost effective recipe that can feed the whole family.

Image credit Allrecipes.com

2. Vegetable & Chickpea Curry

Aromatic Indian spices infuse this vegetarian dish from MyRecipes.com, with an exotic blend of flavours, while coconut milk creates a creamy finish.

This takes 6 hours and serves 6 people. Ideal to put on in the morning ready for after school or suppertime.

Image credit Myrecipes.com

3. Slow-cooked Porridge

The perfect start for every family’s day is a bowl of healthy porridge. In this slow cooker recipe, from BBCGoodFood.com, put all the ingredients in at bedtime, then wake up to breakfast ready and waiting for you. Just add your favourite toppings.

This recipe feeds 4 and only takes 5 minutes to prep.

Image credit BBCGoodFood.com

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4. Sunday Roast

Sunday roast is a weekly favourite of ours – slow cooked. Leave it on low, for hours, and enjoy the mouthwatering smells wafting through the house all day. Finish off pork and chicken in the oven on a high temperature for 10 minutes to brown the chicken or crisp the pork fat.

• Just add an inch or so of water with the meat, plus a couple of onions and carrots too to flavour the juices.
• Season the meat and add whichever fresh herbs will suit the meat – mint or rosemary with lamb, thyme with chicken etc.
• Use a meat thermometer to check when the meat is cooked though you’ll soon know how long it takes depending on the meat and size of it.
• Once your meat is cooked you can leave it to rest and make the gravy from the juices left over – either in the slow cooker if you have time, or just transfer the juices to a pan on the hob and finish off your gravy quickly with cornflour or whatever you would normally use.

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5. Pork Cutlets with Apple & Parsnip

This pork cutlets recipe on Taste.com.au takes 4.5 hours to slow cook and feeds 4 people. The slow cooking leaves the pork cutlets very tender and the meat will drop off the bone, perfect for the younger ones.

With only 15 minutes to prepare it’s perfect for lunch or supper.

Image credit Taste.com.au

6. Crock Pot Lasagna

Yes a lasagne can be done in a slow cooker. This recipe from Food.com follows the usual way to cook a lasagne in the oven, with the browning of the meat and onions plus the layering of pasta and sauces.

However, as it is layered in the slow cooker you can leave it for 4 to 5 hours while you have other things to do. This serves 4-6 people and is only 15 minutes to prep.

Image credit Food.com

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7. Lamb with Olives and Potatoes

This slow cooker recipe for lamb from Martha Stewart feeds 4 and is perfect for Sunday lunch with a 40 minute preparation time and 4.5 hours in the slow cooker.

Lamb is the perfect meat for a slow cooker as the slower it’s cooked the more tender it becomes. You can ask your butcher to cut the shank especially to fit into a slow cooker if needed. Leave the olives out if they aren’t a favourite of the kids.

Image credit Martha Stewart

8. Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

We often think of curries as quick recipes to cook, but they are also equally delicious when cooked slowly.This Slow Cooker Chicken Curry recipe from FoodNetwork,co.uk  takes over 6 hours to slow cook which is ideal for prepping in the morning, ready for the evening meal.

It feeds 4 people and is very simple to follow with only 20 minutes prep time.

Image credit Foodnetwork.co.uk

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9. Slow Cooker Chicken and Sausage Chili

This chicken and sausage chili recipe from AllRecipes.com serves 8 and is in the slow cooker for over 7 hours so another one perfect for a family that can be prepped in the morning.

A family favourite for those that like a bit of spice.

Image credit AllDayRecipes.com

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10. Slow-Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup

For a perfect nutritious lunch or light dinner, this scrummy chicken and pasta soup recipe from RealSimple.com serves 6 people and only takes 5 minutes to prepare.

The slow cooking time is 5.5 hours so it’s perfect to leave to cook through the day.

Image credit Realsimple.com

11. Pepsi Pork Roast

Pepsi pork roast recipe from Food.com may sound strange but tastes wonderful.This recipe suggests that only Pepsi and no other Colas will do.

You can add the potatoes and carrots to make it a complete meal or cook those separately. It only take 5 minutes to prep and 4 hours to cook and feeds 6 people so it’s perfect for a spin on a family meal.

Image credit Food.com

12. Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This pot roast recipe from AllRecipes.com makes for 12 servings, but is adjustable on the recipe online so you can change it to suit your family size.

It takes over 8 hours, has little ingredients and virtually no prep time so it’s perfect for a working parent to start off in the morning ready for the family evening meal.

Image credit Allrecipes.com

13. Slow-Cooker Chicken Lettuce Cups

Fresh chicken lettuce cups are a healthier alternative to taco, with the chicken being slow cooked first.

This recipe from MyRecipes.com makes 4-6 services, takes 20 minutes to prepare and slow cooks for 5.5 hours.The kids will love “loading” their lettuce cups at the table too.

Image credit Myrecipes.com

14. Minestrone Soup with Beans

A wholesome vegetarian option, this minestrone soup recipe from FoodNetwork.co.uk feeds 4 people and is simple to make, with only 15 minutes preparation time and 4 hours slow cooking.

A perfect lunch time treat that you can get started before school or work.

Image credit Foodnetwork.co.uk

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15. Slow-Cooker Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Potpie

This yummy chicken and mushroom pie recipe from RealSimple.com is a perfect family treat for an evening or maybe Sunday lunch.

The prep time is a bit longer with the puff pastry topping but you could also buy ready-made. The prep time is 30 minutes and slow cooking time is 8.5 hours so another great one for cooking through the day ready for supper.

Image credit Realsimple.com

The post 15 Amazing Slow Cooker Recipes Your Family Will Love appeared first on MyKidsTime.

Slow Cooker Soup Recipes to Try

Slow Cooker Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

Credit: Jennifer Causey / Styling: Claire Spollen

This classic split pea and ham soup from My Recipes turns out creamy and delicious every time, all thanks to your slow cooker. After 8 hours of hands-off cooking, this flavourful soup is ready to devour (although leftovers are good for freezing as well so you can double batch and have another meal another day).

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup

This delicious chicken parmesan soup recipe from Foxes Love Lemons has all of the flavours of a typical Chicken Parmesan dish, but in a delicious soup format that the kids will love. And it only takes minutes to prep!

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

This homemade Minestrone slow cooker soup from Little Spice Jar is easy to make and tastes 1,000 times better than any restaurant version! Loaded with colourful veggies and protein-packed with beans, this hearty and nutritious soup is a meal in a bowl.

Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Soup

Fresh vegetables are combined with stock, lentils, split peas and barley in this recipe for Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Soup by One Pot Chef to create a deliciously thick and hearty soup.

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Scotch Broth

This cheap and cheerful Scotch Broth recipe from BBC Food is perfect for the slow cooker – simply tip in all the ingredients and cook on high for 6-8 hours (or until the barley is soft)

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

For a change, why not try this Thai Chicken Soup recipe from Foodie Crush – it’s easy to make and super delicious. The good thing is this recipe is easily adaptable when it comes to the veggies, just swap in different veggies like carrots, potatoes or leeks. Or for a purely veg version, change the chicken broth for vegetable broth and leave out the chicken.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

So hearty, comforting and soothing, this slow cooker chicken noodle soup from Damn Delicious is perfect during the cold weather or fighting off a cold!

Moroccan Lentil Soup

This recipe from This Gal Cooks for slow cooker Moroccan Lentil Soup makes a slow cooker soup that is full of flavour. It goes well served over rice too and you can leave out the chicken to make a vegetarian version.

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Spanish Chickpea Soup

This easy Spanish Chickpea Soup recipe from Eating Well is inspired by cocido, the hearty stew of assorted meats, chickpeas and vegetables considered a national dish of Spain.

Each region, family and restaurant has its own variation, but this slow cooker soup has enough meat to satisfy the carnivores and enough vegetables to make it healthy.

Slow Cooker White Bean Soup

Made with leek and beans (soak dried beans overnight before using them in a slow cooker) and butternut squash there’s lots of goodness in Martha Stewart’s White Bean Soup recipe and it’s perfect for using up those leftover parmesan rinds too.

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Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

This Slow Cooker Beef Barley Soup from The Recipe Rebel is an easy slow cooker meal, perfect for fall or winter! Loaded with vegetables and tender chunks of beef.

Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup

This slow cooker creamy tortellini soup from Cafe Delites is loaded with carrots, celery and spinach, soft pillows of cheese tortellini, plus incredible flavours. This soup is thick and creamy without cream or a roux to get the thick and creamy texture.

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Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Give black bean soup time to simmer low and slow, deepening and building flavour with every minute, and you’ve got a delicious meal on your hands. That’s why the slow cooker is always a great choice for making this warm, smoky classic.

To make this vegetarian black bean soup from The Kitchn, drop everything in the cooker in the morning and by the end of the day you’ve got a full-flavoured broth loaded with soft, tender beans and all the spiced undertones you expect from black bean soup.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

This easy Crock Pot taco soup from Homemade Interest puts all the classic southwestern flavours into one cozy bowl. With easy prep, you’ll love making it almost as much as your family will love eating it!

Slow Cooker Carrot Butternut Soup

Roast up a tray of delicious winter veggies, then sit back as your slow cooker turns them into the most silky carrot butternut soup, like this one from Peas and Crayons.

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The post 15 Slow Cooker Soup Recipes That Are Super Easy to Make appeared first on MyKidsTime.

The post This Easy Slow-Cooked Mexican Bean and Vegetable Chilli is a Zinger! appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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This year, I tasked myself with two dinner-related challenges – one, to use my slow cooker at least once a week; and two, to try at least one new recipe each week. Clearly, my oven was in on the challenge and decided to take the test to the extreme!

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All of a sudden, I was fully immersed in 14 days of slow cooker family meals, which thankfully featured more successes than failures. Granted, my oven was fixed at the end of week one, but we were really enjoying the results of the slow cooker meals, so I just kept going! I should clarify that this is completely unheard of – I go through phases of using my slow cooker, and truthfully had forgotten about it entirely in recent months.

I love to cook, so sometimes the ‘leave it alone’ aspect of using the slow cooker doesn’t appeal as I like to stir, taste and tweak as I go. However, when it’s busy – and let’s face it, isn’t it always?! – there is no doubt that getting things ready in the morning and forgetting all about it until you want to serve dinner is unbelievably enticing.

So, what did I learn during the past two weeks?

• I need to add more variety to our weekly dinners, as we all enjoyed the new flavours of these slow cooker family meals
• I didn’t actually keep track of how much I saved or spent on these meals, but it was undoubtedly cheaper than my normal meal plan – particularly meals like the veggie burrito bowls and the mac ‘n’ cheese.
• Without question, we ate better and healthier. I always add a lot of veggies to our meals, but the slow cooker meals were even better and we had a lot less ‘quick fixes’ like pasta.
• I need to plan in more meatless meals as they were enjoyed by the whole family
• Certain days during the week where after-school activities leave a 10-minute window for dinner are ideal for making these slow cooker family meals – they are ready to eat whenever you are.
• I really like the feeling of reassurance that dinner is under control – I can concentrate on helping at homework time and chauffeur to the various activities without worrying about the eternal ‘what’s for dinner’ dilemma.
• Ultimately, I need to plan better! I’ve never quite gotten into meal planning more than a day or two in advance, but the last 14 days have made me organise myself better to ensure I can get dinner into the slow cooker in the morning.

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14 Days of Slow Cooker Family Meals

If you’re on the hunt for a variety of slow cooker family meals to keep both adults and kids happy, take a peek at what I’ve been cooking – and don’t miss my tweaks, comments and our family verdict under each image.

Moroccan Beef and Barley Stew

This Moroccan beef and barley stew was really very tasty, and probably my favourite dish of the lot! I served it with bulgar wheat, but rice or couscous would also have been really tasty. There was a gentle heat to it, but nothing too spicy – and you could always add a dollop of natural yoghurt if needed.

Tweaks: I had some tomato puree (about 1 tbsp or a little more?) left in the fridge that needed using, so added that with the harissa paste. I added a good splash of Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan after the pastes went in, as I love the flavour when cooking beef. I added a little less raisins than called for, and I also added some frozen peas about 45 mins before serving.

Verdict: 10/10. An all-round success when everyone wants seconds, and my 8-year-old asked to have leftovers the following day. This is like the equivalent of being inducted into the Slow Cooker Family Meals hall of fame!

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Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

This chicken and vegetables dish really appealed to me because it was a slow cooker one-pot meal, that required nothing more of me than to dish it up at dinner time.

Tweaks: My plans for a one-pot went awry when I realised I had forgotten to buy the green beans – so I went ahead with everything else and ended up cooking the beans separately before serving (typical!).

Verdict: 6/10. I love balsamic, however everything had the same flavour (other than the beans) which was perhaps a little overwhelming. I think in future I would definitely look to have at least one vegetable cooked separately.

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Vegetarian Burrito Bowls

This is my idea of comfort food – warmth, spices, and plenty of flavour! These vegetarian burrito bowls were perfect for a busy weeknight as it was all store-cupboard ingredients and things I had in the fridge. It would also be perfect for using up whatever you had to hand. For toppings, we had sour cream, sliced avocado, grated cheese and some tortilla chips.

Tweaks: Having looked at other recipes for burrito bowls, I made a few changes to this one. Firstly, I had some extra veggies that needed using, so added about half a dozen mushrooms, half a green pepper (in addition to the yellow), and half a courgette. I also added a small tin of sweetcorn to up the veggie quota. I wanted to use up what I had in the cupboards, so used chilli flakes instead of a red chilli, and used basmati rice instead of brown rice. I pulled back on the heat to keep it kid-friendly, so only used half a tablespoon of chipotle sauce, but also added one teaspoon of chilli powder for the warming flavour. Finally, I used vegetable stock instead of just water – I started with 500ml but it didn’t seem to be enough water for the rice, so I added another 400-500ml of boiling water during cooking.

Verdict: 6/10. It was tasty and definitely one of the most straightforward slow cooker family meals we tried, but undoubtedly it’s the toppings that really bring this to life. I had leftovers the following day for lunch and used a flour tortilla to make a burrito – yum!

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Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This slow cooker pot roast may seem like an extravagant midweek meal, but it was half price when I went shopping this morning (and needed to be used today) so it gave me the chance to try something new without a big ‘it was expensive’ panic!

Tweaks: For the veggies, I added a couple of chopped parsnips in with the carrot, onion and celery, and I didn’t add the garlic straight into the slow cooker, but rather sauteed it in the pan after searing the beef and deglazed with the stock. I didn’t use the bacon as using it to then throw away seemed pointless (although I’m sure the flavour would be lovely). For thickening the gravy, I prefer to use cornflour and will just mix with water rather than more stock.

Verdict: 2/10, points purely for how delicious it smelled while cooking. We were so disappointed, but this was not good. At all. Despite all the herbs and flavour that went in, it was surprisingly bland and very tough. Thankfully, there were plenty of leftovers in the fridge…

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Creamy Beef Stroganoff

I chose this recipe for beef stroganoff because I liked how simple it seemed – chop, cook, eat – which would seem to be ideal for a busy weekday.

Tweaks: I prefer to brown my meat before adding it to the slow cooker, so I browned the beef in a pan and added it on top of the mushrooms. Into the same pan as the beef had been, I sauteed an onion until softened and added in a few crushed garlic cloves – when these were ready, I added the sauce ingredients to just bring them together before pouring over the beef in the slow cooker.

Verdict: 2/10. Points only for simplicity, however it was not to our taste at all. The ‘sauce’ was very liquid-y going into the slow cooker, and then had to be thickened quite substantially at a later point. I have never had to use as much cornflour as the recipe called for! I’m not sure the cream cheese is needed at all, and certainly not as much as stated.

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Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

I love sweet potatoes so I really wanted to give this slow cooker chipotle sweet potato soup a go – there is nothing more comforting than soup for a weekend lunch, plus I love that I can get the family’s veggie quota up with something so tasty.

Tweaks: Chipotle powder is hard to come by here, so I just used chilli powder (I used medium, but you could opt for hot if you prefer extra spice).

Verdict: 6/10. I would love to try this again with the chipotle powder – I do love the heat and smokey flavour that it brings. My daughter preferred her soup with a spoon of creme fraiche stirred in, but it was definitely a success.

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Slow-Cooked Loin of Pork

I bought a loin of pork with the intention of roasting it, then the oven went BOOM on the same day, so I had to think of an alternative. I was really nervous about doing it in the slow cooker, but wow – it was amazing! The comments on this recipe and others I read said that it would be necessary to pop the pork under the grill to crisp up the bacon (as in the photo) – I wasn’t able to do this thanks to the faulty oven, so check my tweaks below.

Tweaks: The big one, is that I didn’t use any bacon – and, surprising as it may seem, the dish didn’t lack for it. For the rub, I added half a teaspoon of dried sage. I didn’t have fig jam, so used orange marmalade instead, and added some ground cloves and ground cinnamon (1/4 tsp each), ground ginger (1/2 tsp) and orange juice (1/2 cup approx) to the glaze as I wanted it to be more of a sauce. Searing the pork on all sides is essential (a total game-changer for flavour!) so don’t skip that step – I then put the pork sitting on a bed of chopped Bramley apple in the slow cooker. Once the pork was in, I quickly added the sauce to the pan to deglaze it and pick up all the lovely pork flavour, before pouring it into the slow cooker. At the end of cooking, I removed the pork to a board for slicing and poured the sauce (including the softened apples) into a small pan. I mixed 1 tsp of cornflour in 1 tsp of water, and added it to the sauce to thicken. After a few minutes, I strained it into a jug for serving.

Verdict: 10/10. I have never had such tender pork, ever! It was a revelation – and my family are still talking about it. The sauce was really delicious, but the dish would still be tasty without.

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Vegetarian Chilli

We love chilli, so I decided to try a vegetarian version that’s packed with beans, quinoa and veggies.

Tweaks: Some of the ingredients aren’t as readily available here, so I substituted as needed – for example, some chopped chilli and a good dash of chipotle sauce in place of the adobo chilli. I used half kidney beans and half black beans, and omitted the green chillies. We had a variety of toppings – sour cream, grated cheese, avocado, crushed tortilla chips and chopped coriander.

Verdict: 5/10. I usually add quite a bit of veg to chilli (chopped carrots, courgette, peppers, corn, etc) and I missed them in this (ironically, vegetarian) version. I also made it too spicy for my daughter, so even with plenty of sour cream stirred in, she ended up eating yesterday’s leftovers.

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Sesame Honey Chicken

This sesame honey chicken had a combination of ingredients that we all LOVE, so I was excited to give it a go.

Tweaks: I halved the recipe due to the amount of chicken I had, but I was a little generous when measuring out the sauce ingredients as I didn’t want it to be dry. When I removed the chicken from the sauce to shred, I kept some aside from my daughter as the sauce had a bit of a kick – she loved it, I just didn’t give her too much of the sauce itself. I served this meal with rice and a side of steamed broccoli which was necessary as there was no veg in the recipe.

Verdict: 7/10. I thought it was a bit too sweet (although no one else did), so I would probably tweak that a little in future. It also needs veggies added, either on the side or within the dish, to really make it a family meal.

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Butter Chicken

I absolutely LOVE Indian food, so when I came across this recipe for butter chicken I just had to give it a go.

Tweaks: I made this recipe as is, but would make some amends for another time. It needed a vegetable added, perhaps peas or spinach, and was very mild so I would increase the spices and also add some fresh grated ginger.

Verdict: 7/10. Definitely a winner with us and will be added to our slow cooker family meals rotation – although I would make the above tweaks in future.

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Butternut Squash Mac ‘n’ Cheese

I have to admit, I have a complete girl crush on the lovely Ree Drummond (aka Pioneer Woman) – yet have actually cooked very few of her recipes. This butternut squash mac ‘n’ cheese ticked all the boxes for easy, slow cooker, veggie and kid-friendly.

Tweaks: The recipe doesn’t call for much squash (in fact it was only about half of the one I had) so I doubled it to really justify bothering with the slow cooker. I then removed half of the puree before adding the pasta and cheeses, bagged it up and froze it for another day. As I was tasting the sauce, I really thought it was going to be too much of one flavour, so I quickly chopped and sauteed some chorizo to top off the bowls.

Verdict: 3/10 (or 5/10 with the chorizo). Unfortunately, this was one of those dishes that tastes good for the first bite or two, but then becomes very heavy and stodgy. The squash was an interesting addition, but it was the chorizo that in any way saved it. I really wanted to like this one, but it just didn’t live up to expectations. The frozen puree will be added to a soup at some point.

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Apple Crisp

Today’s slow cooker meal was actually dessert as we had quick quesadillas and corn on the cob for dinner. This apple crisp, with all it’s cinnamon flavour, is pure comfort food! Serve with ice cream, cream, caramel sauce or any of your favourites for a winning dish.

Tweaks: I halved the recipe as there was only three of us, and added half a teaspoon of ground ginger to the apple mixture.

Verdict: 9/10. What’s not to love about apples and cinnamon? We really enjoyed it and, although it wasn’t quite as crunchy as you would achieve in the oven, it was really tasty and got the thumbs up from us all. It definitely needed ice cream (or cream), and would be delicious with added blackberries or rhubarb.

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Barbecue Shredded Chicken

This pulled pork-type dinner was exactly what we were craving today, and with only five ingredients (including salt and pepper!) it was a super lazy Saturday meal that required absolutely no effort on my part!

Tweaks: I used a mix of chicken breasts and thighs, and tried to alleviate some guilt around the ‘convenience’ aspect of this dinner by using a low-sugar BBQ sauce.

Verdict: 6/10. This was like the slow cooker version of a Saturday night takeaway – not the healthiest of meals, but it was pretty tasty. We had the chicken in soft white rolls, with some shredded carrots and chopped spring onions for crunch, a green salad, and coleslaw.

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Honey Lime Ginger Pork

After the success of last Sunday’s slow-cooked loin of pork, I wanted to try and recreate the melt in your mouth flavours. This time, I chose a honey, lime and ginger pork and served it with broccoli and sweet potato mash.

Tweaks: Instead of just using salt and pepper for the rub, I added 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar and some crushed garlic to ensure the seared crust was as tasty as possible.

Verdict: 8/10. This was so incredibly tender – so much so, I couldn’t really slice it! The sauce, once thickened, was delicious and necessary. Definite thumbs up from the whole family and it will certainly be on the menu in future, however I think last week’s version edged this one just a fraction.

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The post Cheaper, Easier and Tastier: 14 Days of Slow Cooker Family Meals appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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#1. Slow Cooker Barbecue Brisket

This easy slow cooker recipe for  Barbecue Brisket from the Food Network combines spices with ketchup, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and takes 8 hours to slow cook to perfection.

Image credit Food Network

#2. Slow Cooker Beans

This recipe for Slow Cooker Beans from Wholesome Ireland combines cannellini and butter beans with a hint of chilli and paprika for a delicious flavour after 7 hours of slow cooking. Caitríona also has some great advice about using dried beans with the slow cooker.

Image credit Wholesome Ireland

#3. Slow Cooker Hassleback Apple Pork Loin

Doesn’t this look yum? It’s Hassleback Apple Pork Loin from 12 Tomatoes:

Facebook.com/12Tomatoes/videos/1361574480543945/

#4. Balsamic Chicken

This recipe for Balsamic Chicken from Family Food on the Table is easy to prep, requires just a few basic ingredients and takes 6 hours.

Image credit Family Food on the Table

#5. Slow cooked pork cheeks with apple sauce

Yum yum yum is all we can say about this recipe for Slow Cooked Pork Cheeks with Apple Sauce from Wholesome Ireland. Caitríona says that she should really have called it an “eat with a spoon pork dish that will warm you from the inside out”.

Order pork cheeks from a butcher in advance, but if you can’t get pork cheeks then use pork chunks or chops and they will taste just fine. This easy slow cooker recipe takes 4 hours cooking time.

Image credit Wholesome Ireland

#6. Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Warm rice topped with steamed vegetables, chicken and tasty teriyaki sauce, what’s not to like! This recipe for Chicken Teriyaki Bowls from Six Sisters Stuff takes 6-8 hours and is also a good way of sneaking a few extra veggies into the kids.

Image credit Six Sisters Stuff

#7. Ham Potato and Green Beans

We like the look of this recipe for Ham Potato and Green Beans done slow cooker style from Good in the Simple, yummy comfort food that takes 5 hours cooking time.

Image credit Good in the Simple

#8. Garlic Parmesan Chicken

How about delicious garlic parmesan chicken? This recipe from Delish.com takes 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low in the slow cooker.

Image credit Delish.com

#9. Broccoli and Cheese Soup

We love the look of this healthy Broccoli and Cheese Soup from Well Plated made with lots of veggies and cheddar, it takes up to 6 hours to cook depending on the setting.

https://youtu.be/WFcZCpvSiAc

#10. White Chicken Chili

Instead of a minced beef chili why not try this White Chicken Chili from The Chunky Chef which combines Mexican flavours for a delicious chili after 8 hours in the crockpot.

Image credit The Chunky Chef

#11. Slow Cooker Beef Curry

This Beef Curry recipe from Wholesome Ireland is the kind of thing that reminds us how easy it is to cook plenty of different meals for the family each week with a slow cooker. Taking 4 and a half hours to meld the flavours, serve your curry with basmati rice or naan bread.

Image credit Wholesome Ireland

#12. Creamy Slow Cooker Stroganoff

The “creamy” part of this Creamy Slow Cooker Stroganoff actually comes from cream cheese. You could also substitute pork for the beef, and if you have fussier kids, I would recommend chopping up the mushrooms really finely so they don’t notice them! This easy slow cooker recipe takes 10 to 12 hours cooking.

#13. Slow Cooker Cassoulet

This Slow Cooker Cassoulet is good value (cassoulet is a traditional French peasant dish), it’s hearty, rib-sticking food for cold nights and it makes more than enough for two meals and is ready in 8 to 10 hours.

#14. Slow Cooker Stracotto

This Slow Cooker Stracotto (fancy word for pot roast) recipe uses pot roast beef with porcini mushrooms and carrots, and takes about 8 hours.

Over to you now. Do you have any favourite easy slow cooker recipes that the family loves? Share them with us in the comments below. 

The post 14 More Easy Slow Cooker Recipes The Family Will Devour appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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Tips for prepping your freezer meal

• Use ziploc bags (buy better quality ones so that they don’t burst in your freezer) and add the key ingredients to your bag.
• Label each bag with the name of the meal. You might also want to add cooking time and anything that you need to remind yourself to add like stock or liquid.
• If you subscribe to the NewLeaf mailing list they give you free printable labels that you can use for your bags. It’s a blog with ebooks and recipes all about freezing and using your slow cooker so well worth checking out.
• You can freeze them flat or upright depending on your freezer space.
• Remove as much air as you can from the bags before freezing as the air in the bags will cause freezer burn.
• Thaw the bag in the fridge overnight before you put the ingredients into the slow cooker.

#1. Lemon Garlic Chicken

I make this all the time, I got the idea from Nigella Lawson, who I first saw adding ingredients and her chicken fillets to a freezer bag. The trick here is that as you thaw the bag out, the lemon juice tenderizes the chicken and whatever flavourings you have used act as a marinade. I usually use lemon juice with crushed garlic for my flavouring but you could experiment with lots of different things.

Ingredients

• 1 chicken fillet per person
• 1-2 cloves crushed or finely chopped garlic
• Juice of 1-2 lemons depending on number of fillets, I usually use 1/2 lemon per fillet that I’m using
• Glug of olive oil
• You can also add chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary or parsley

Method

1. Shake your bag ingredients well before freezing.
2. Thaw overnight before baking/grilling/slow cooking (low for 6 to 8 hours).

#2. Turkey Chili

This Turkey Chili Crock Pot recipe from mum and coach Kelsey Shackley is great for your slow cooker and uses turkey mince instead of beef mince as a lighter alternative.

You can also make it ahead of time and freeze, or put the ingredients into your freezer bag ready for a dump meal later.

Image credit Kelsey Shackley

#3. Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Make slow cooker chicken fajitas like these ones from Kitchenstewardship.com and everyone can enjoy assembling theirs at the table.

This video demonstrates how quickly you can assemble a double batch of Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup plus two double batches of Slow Cooker Chicken Veggie Curry (one for the freezer, one for dinner) as well as the Fajitas.

#4. Country Style BBQ Ribs

This recipe for country style BBQ ribs from Happymoneysaver.com uses apple sauce as a delicious ingredient and is hearty, delicious, and full of flavour.

Image credit Happymoneysaver.com

#5. Mushroom Barley Stew

Go meat-free one day with this delicious Mushroom Barley Stew from Helloglow which can be served with hot crusty bread or rolls

Image credit Helloglow

#6. Roast Beef with Green Beans

With only four ingredients, this pot roast beef with green beans recipe from New Leaf Wellness is so easy.

The meat cooks down in your crockpot to the point that it melts in your mouth and it makes your house smell amazing in the process.

Image credit New Leaf Wellness

#7. Saucy Pulled Pork

This recipe for Saucy Pulled Pork from Slowcookercentral.com uses shoulder chops but many cuts of pork would work just the same including leg roast pieces.

Image credit Slowcookercentral.com

#8. Classic Chicken, Beans and Rice

Comfort food at its best, this recipe for Chicken, Beans and Rice from Onecrazyhouse.com is hearty, filling and full of fibre.

Image credit Onecrazyhouse.com

#9. Hearty Lentil Stew

This recipe for Hearty Lentil Stew from Superhealthykids.com uses lentils, quinoa, veggies for a delicious veggie freezer meal option. They also have a delicious recipe for Lentil-Butternut Squash Curry for a change.

Image credit Superhealthykids.com

#10. Forgotten Jambalaya

This easy version of the Cajun classic Jambalaya on Tasteofhome.com cooks for 4-6 hours before you add the shrimp for the final cooking.

Image credit Tasteofhome.com

#11. Italian Tuscan Soup

This recipe for Crock-Pot Italian Sausage Tuscan Bean & Kale Soup from Crockpotladies.com is full of flavor and fibre which comes from healthy beans, kale and other veggies.

Image credit Crockpotladies.com

#12. Chicken Cacciatore

All you need for this delicious chicken cacciatore from Morelikehome are chicken breasts, pepper, courgette, onion and a red sauce (homemade or a jar of e.g. pasta sauce)

Image credit Morelikehome

#13. Honey Teriyaki Chicken

This super easy recipe for delicious honey teriyaki chicken from Twindragonflydesigns uses store cupboard ingredients to make the sauce for the chicken.

Image credit Twindragonflydesigns

#14. Easy Crockpot Meatloaf

If you’ve usually made your meatloaf in the oven, try this Crockpot Easy Meatloaf recipe from Stockpilingmoms, it’s a real comfort dinner recipe and you can prepare this ahead of time as a freezer meal, it’s very easy to prep taking less than 10 minutes.

Image credit Stockpilingmoms

#15. Sweet Salsa Dump Chicken

This recipe for Sweet Salsa Dump Chicken only uses 4 ingredients! How easy is that? Just pop them into your freezer bag and dump into your slow cooker when you’re ready to cook.

Image credit Food.com

Over to you now. Do you have a favourite freezer meal you like to prep ahead which the family loves? Tell us about it in the comments below.

The post 15 Tasty Freezer Dump Meals Guaranteed to Save You Time appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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You can also make it ahead of time and freeze, or put the ingredients into your freezer bag ready for a dump meal later.

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tblsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste; optional)
• 2 (15 oz) cans black beans (or pinto beans) drained, rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can all-natural diced tomatoes, no sugar added
• 12 fresh cilantro sprigs or green onion, finely chopped (for garnish; optional)
• Sprinkle frozen corn (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium-high heat
2. Add turkey, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink
3. Add cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute
4. Add beans and tomatoes (with liquid). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low; gently bio, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened.
5. At this stage you can freeze your ingredients for later cooking.
6. Set your crock pot/slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours to cook.
7. Serve warm, sprinkle with cilantro and the corn

Kelsey has a free ebook of Busy Mom Crock-Pot Recipes which you can grab over here.

The post Turkey Chili Crock Pot Recipe appeared first on MyKidsTime.

You can find these recipes and more family favourites on the Dinnerdujour blog, www.dinnerdujour.org.

The post Creamy Slow Cooker Stroganoff appeared first on MyKidsTime.

This Slow Cooker Stracotto (fancy word for pot roast) recipe is adapted from Giada De Laurentiis at Food Network. It uses pot roast beef with porcini mushrooms and carrots.

The post Slow Cooker Stracotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Carrots appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

• 450 g dried cannellini or haricot beans, or 2 x 400 g tins of beans
• 1.5 kg boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this for you)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• 3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 500 ml dry white wine (or use stock or water if you prefer not to use alcohol)
• 60 ml tomato puree
• 2 x 400 g tins whole plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 500 ml chicken stock
• 450 g fully cooked or smoked chorizo or garlic sausage links, sliced on the diagonal
• 1 garlic head, halved crosswise
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• a handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus extra for garnish
• crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. If you’re using dried beans, soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain the beans and put them in a large pot with enough fresh cold water to cover them by 1 inch (see above if you want to add some aromatics). Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat and simmer until the beans are tender but still retain their shape, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, season the pork generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Heat a large frying pan and add a splash of olive oil. Add half of the pork to the pan and brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining pork.
4. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon coarse salt to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and softened, about 7 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Transfer the onion and wine mixture to the slow cooker, then stir in the tomato puree, tomatoes, stock, cooked beans, chorizo and garlic.
5. Set the cooker to low and cook, covered, until the pork pulls apart easily with a fork, about 8 hours (though it could be as much as 10 hours). Skim off any fat and remove and discard the garlic. Fold in the breadcrumbs and the parsley. Taste and season as needed.
6. Let the cassoulet stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Sprinkle each serving with parsley and serve with warm crusty bread.

You’ll find more family recipes on the Dinnerdujour blog www.dinnerdujour.com 

The post Slow Cooker Cassoulet appeared first on MyKidsTime.