I am a huge fan of using a slow cooker as part of my preparation for dinner each night.
Slow cookers can be used through all 4 seasons - summer, autumn, winter and spring.
Some of my favourites are slow-cooked potatoes (just like baked potatoes), spaghetti bolognese and mince for our tacos. All 3 of these recipes drastically reduce the amount of time and effort I need to put into making dinner when I return home from work.
I recently asked our community for their favourite slow cooker recipes and I had a wonderful response! Here are some recipes and links for you to try - I’d love to know how you go!
Beef
Beef and Veggies with Parmesan Dumplings (Thanks to Amy Nommag)
Place in slow cooker any browned beef (like blade), onion, garlic, any veggies you have on hand, a can of tinned tomatoes, a glass of red wine and a pinch of salt. Set for 6 hours on low. Finish with parmesan dumplings and gremolata (which is chopped parsley, garlic & lemon zest).
Parmesan dumplings: Combine 75g self-raising flour, a pinch of cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan and 1 egg. Mix well, knead until smooth then roll into teaspoon size balls. Pop them into the slow cooker with about 15 minutes to go on the timer - they usually triple in size.
Beef Stroganoff from Taste
Corned Beef from Kidspot
Curried Beef & Vegetables from Create Bake Make
Curried Sausages from Australia’s Best Recipes
Indian Sweet Curry Beef from Be A Fun Mum
Lasagna from Australia’s Best Recipes
Mongolian Beef from Slow Cooker Central
Pasta Bake from Create Bake Make
Porcupine Meatballs from The Healthy Mummy
Spaghetti Bolognese from Cafe Delites
Taco Mince from Slow Cooker Central
Chicken
Chicken Fajitas from The Cooking Jar
Chicken Curry from Healthy Little Foodies
Mexican Chicken (Thanks to Abbe Weckert)
Add 3x chicken breasts, a can of mixed beans, frozen corn, 2x jars of salsa, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper and oregano to the slow cooker for 4-5 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low. Once the chicken is cooked, shred with 2 forks, place back in and stir. Serve with rice, then slow cooked chicken mix, avocado, capsicum, sour cream and grated cheese.
Satay Chicken from Slow Cooker Central
Shredded Chicken (Thanks to Carolyn White)
Place 1 jar of salsa, 1 packet of taco mix and 3x chicken breasts into the slow cooker, mix and set for 3 hours on high. When cooked, shred the chicken with 2 forks, add 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream, mix and serve with salad wraps, tacos or nachos.
Teriyaki Chicken from Show Me The Yummy
Whole Chicken (Thanks to Linda Kingsley)
Slice an onion and place on the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle a whole chicken with herbs and spices of choice, place in the slow cooker on top of the onions and turn on for 6 hours on low - super easy and minimal clean up!
Pork
Pulled Pork from Australia’s Best Recipes
Roast Pork (Thanks to Hayley Pinel & Sarah Hardcastle)
Place pork into the slow cooker, fill with water so it covers half the meat. Set for 8-9 hours on low for a 2kg shoulder piece. Remove, place in oiled roasting pan, pat rind dry, season with salt and place in a 220 degree oven for 1-1.25 hours until crackling is perfect (or place under the grill).
Sweet and Sour Pork (Thanks to Kirralee Randle)
Add a bottle of BBQ sauce (Fountain brand is preferred), a tin of pineapple, a red and green capsicum, onion and pork chops to the slow cooker, layering as you go, and then cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. Once cooked, cut up meat and remove bones, adding cornflour to thicken. Serve with rice.
Lamb
Lamb Curry from Taste
Lamb Kebabs from Slow Cooker Central
Lamb Obsession from Slow Cooker Central
Lamb Shanks from Small Steps Living
Lamb Stew from Chelsea Winter
Side Dishes
Baked Beans from Slow Cooking Perfected
Baked Potatoes from Add a Pinch
Fried Rice from Slow Cooker Central
Pasta Sauce (Thanks to Sarah Hodge)
Add cream cheese, passata, veggie stock and garlic powder for an easy pasta sauce, or to pour over cooked chicken.
Potato Bake from Stay at Home Mum
Soups
Black Bean Salsa Soup from Freeze Your Way Fit
Minestrone Soup from The Chunky Chef
Pea and Ham Soup from Taste
Pumpkin Soup from Slow Cooking Perfected
Vegetable Soup from Eating Well
I hope you’ve spotted a new recipe you’d like to try for dinner this week! To finish, here’s a link suggested by Karna Shaw. Slow Cooker Central has a list of 14 ‘dump bag’ freezer meals which you can prepare once a month, then just simply ‘dump’ the bag of ingredients into your slow cooker, and set and forget for an easy evening meal!