In a world of fast food, microwaveable meals and take-out, it’s a good feeling to go home to a warm homemade meal that you can enjoy with the rest of your family. However, if you’re working full time, this is not always an option. That’s where the beauty of having a slow cooker comes in. You can prepare and throw in the ingredients in the pot before you leave for work then come home to a fully-cooked meal.
Try these mouth-watering easy crock pot dinner recipes:
The Pot Roast Special
What you need:
- 1 1/4 kilograms boneless beef chuck roast
- 5 peeled carrots
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 packet dry beef gravy mix
- 1 packet ranch dressing mix
- 1 packet dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
- 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray then spread onion slices at the bottom. Rub the meat with salt and black pepper, coating all sides. Sprinkle the flour on a clean surface then roll the chuck roast into the flour, covering all sides. Pound the flour into the roast then place the roast in the cooker on top of the onions. In a medium bowl, mix together dry beef gravy mix, ranch dressing mix and dry Italian-style salad dressing mix with water until smooth. Pour mixture over the meat. Place carrots around the roast. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low heat until gravy is thick and beef is tender.
Creamy Green Bean Casserole
What you need:
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup
- 4 cups frozen cut green beans
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3/4 cup french-fried onions, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix together cream of chicken soup, green beans, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper and half of the french-fried onions in a crock pot. Stir, cover and cook for 5 to 6 hours on low setting. Pour remaining french-fried onions on top of casserole before serving.
The Best Jambalaya
What you need
- 1/2 kilogram boneless and skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 kilogram andouille sausage, sliced
- 1/2 kilogram frozen cooked shrimp (tails removed)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Combine chicken cubes, sausage, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, celery and chicken broth in a slow cooker. Season with Cajun seasoning, oregano, parsley, cayenne pepper and thyme. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low. Stir in shrimp half an hour before dish is cooked.
These crock pot dinner recipes will surely make your night more special!