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Quick Meals for the Slow Cooker:

Easy Recipes

Slow cookers, often called crock pots, are a very useful appliance for busy moms. Since most slow cooker recipes can be set up in the morning – or even the night before – it simplifies dinner preparation to side dishes and table setting. Slow cooker meals are also handy when family members will be eating at different times since it keeps the meal moist and hot and individual servings are easy to scoop out.

For each of the following recipes, place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and cook on low for seven to ten hours. If you prefer to do preparation the night before, place the ingredients in a removable slow cooker pot and refrigerate overnight. In the morning you can simply place the whole pot in the slow cooker base and turn it on.

Try these slow cooker recipes for delicious and fast family meals:

 Barbecued Short Ribs Crock Pot Recipe

2-3 lbs boneless beef short ribs

1 bottle prepared barbecue sauce

2 TBSP olive oil

 Pour olive oil in the base of the slow cooker dish to coat the bottom. Place the short ribs in the slow cooker and pour the barbecue sauce over them. Cook for 8+ hours on low. Either serve with additional barbecue sauce, or cook some of the juice/sauce mixture from the pot in a saucepan to reduce and thicken it slightly. Serve with French rolls for barbecue sandwiches or with baked potato. Add a salad or green vegetable for a complete and wholesome meal.  

Herbed Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

3-4 lbs chicken

2 TBSP butter

1 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp dried tarragon (or 1 tsp fresh chopped)

1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh chopped)

1 TBSP dried parsley (or 2 TBSP fresh chopped)

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

2 TBSP white wine vinegar

2 cups chopped carrots

Place the chicken, carrots and the vinegar in the slow cooker, spread the butter over the top of the chicken then add the herbs. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hrs without removing the lid. If you would like to serve it with gravy, dissolve 2 TBSP cornstarch in approximately 2 TBSP of cold water. Add it and 1 cup of liquid from the slow cooker to a small saucepan, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens.

Serve with biscuits, noodles or baked potatoes and a salad for a meal the whole family is sure to love.

Pot roast Crock Pot Recipe

1 TBSP olive oil

3-4 pound beef rump or chuck roast
1 teaspoon salt

5 whole black peppercorns

1 cup white wine

2 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

1 sprig fresh thyme

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped carrots

4 cups chopped potatoes (or frozen cubed hash brown potatoes)

Coat the bottom of the slow cooker pot with olive oil and place the meat in the pot. Place all of the remaining ingredients on top of or around the meat. Cook on low for about 8 hrs without removing the lid. You may also add green vegetables such as chopped green beans or peas, but they should only be added in the last 30 minutes of cooking so they do not overcook.

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