Coming home from work, then motivating yourself to make dinner can be hard. It may just feel easier to throw in a frozen pizza and call it a day. Creating a homemade dinner on a weeknight doesn’t have to be hard, it just takes a bit of planning, a little prep, then tossing it all in a slow cooker and letting it do all the work. Here are some super easy recipes that I’ve tried and some I’m eager to try this month.
Slow Cooker Nacho Soup
This is a cheesy soup. Tastes like you’re having a taco but its a hot and comforting soup with corn, black beans, diced tomatoes and you can use ground beef or turkey. It’s the best way to warm up on a chilly fall day. When you’re ready to serve, top it with green onions and tortilla chips.
I found the original recipe at BakedbyRachel.com but here’s my version:
Serves 8-12 | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 4 hours on high
Ingredients
1 lb turkey, cooked and drained of any fat (or beef)
1C yellow onion, chopped
1C green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced (optional)
1 450oz can of corn, drained
1 450oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 450oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
A pinch of red pepper flakes
3 1/3C of chicken (or beef) broth
2C shredded chedder cheese
1C milk
3-4 tbsp all purpose flour
Green onions, chopped for topping
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Brown your ground turkey with some salt & pepper.
In the bowl of a 5-6 quart slow cooker, add your cooked meat, vegetables, beans, seasonings and broth. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
When you’re close to serving, stir in the shredded cheese. Whisk together your milk and flour and pour into slow cooker. Gently stir everything together. Cover and continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes on high.
Serve warm with chopped green onions, or avocado, limes, tortilla chips or bread.
Slow Cooker Meatballs
Slow cook these meatballs in an Italian tomato sauce and make some sliders, little mini burgers, top it with cheese and you’re good to go!
I found this recipe on CountryLiving.com but here’s my (faster) version!
Serves: 12 | Prep time: 5-10 minutes | Cook time: 8 hours on low
Ingredients:
24 Frozen Cooked Meatballs (I like the Swedish Meatballs from Ikea…lol)
2 jars of your favourite Tomato Sauce
1 small bunch of fresh basil
Fresh slider buns
Shredded cheese (your choice)
Directions:
Place frozen cooked meatballs in slow cooker. Gently stir in your favourite tomato sauce. Cook on low for 8-9 hours.
When you’re ready to serve, stir in freshly chopped basil.
Place a meatball on a bun, top with cheese and serve with salad.
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Imagine a really tender and juicy French Dip Sandwich. The recipe calls for beef chuck roast, but I think what’ll really make it is a fresh hoagie bun!
I found the original recipe here at carlsbadcravings.com but I’ve adapted it just a little for my family:
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 6 hours on low
Ingredients
3 lbs beef chuck roast, trim the fat off
olive oil
1/3 C of reduced sodium soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
1 C of Coke (not diet)
2 1/2 C beef broth
1/4 C dry minced onions
1 tbsp beef Bouillon
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
6 Fresh Hoagie buns
Cheese like Provolone
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium nonstick pan. Sear your roast on all sides so they’re lightly browned. Put it in the slow cooker and top with the rest of the seasonings, soy sauce, Coke, broth and onions. Try to stir it around the roast.
Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8. Then remove the roast, cut it up into thin slices and put it back in the slow cooker and continue to cook on low for 1 hour.
When you’re almost ready to serve, turn your oven on at 350 degrees, get a baking tray and place beef on hoagie buns and top with slices of cheese on the tray. Place tray with open face sandwiches in the oven to melt cheese. this may take 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it.
Strain the fat from the broth from the slow cooker so you can use the broth for dipping! Enjoy!
Super Easy Veggie Crockpot Lasagna
It’s a lasagna in a slow cooker! IT can be done people!
Serves: 9 | Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 6 hours on low
Check out the full recipe at Pinchofyum.com
Do you have any quick, go-to or favourite slow cooker recipes? Lemme know in the comments! 🙂
Amanda is a writer, photographer, videographer and a content creator with a passion for sharing stories. With her family of 5, they share experiences, tips and ideas that empower Moms to make memories with their families right here in British Columbia.
