Slow Cooker Double Tomato-Caper Sauce

4 c. grape tomatoes

2 c. chopped onions

2 c. finely chopped red bell peppers

1/3 c. sliced oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and patted dry

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. water

2 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

1/2 c. chopped fresh basil

1/4 c. drained capers

1 T. olive oil

1/4 c. heavy cream

4 c. hot cooked mostaccioli or penne pasta

In a 4-5-qt. slow cooker stir together tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, dried tomatoes, garlic, water, red wine vinegar, and red pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours or HIGH for 2 hours.

Turn off slow cooker. Stir in basil, capers, and oil. Cover and let stand 15 minutes. Use a potato masher to coarsely mash tomatoes in sauce. Stir in cream.

Serve sauce over hot cooked pasta.

Makes 6 servings. 

Adapted from Slow Cooker: Bring on the Cozy, p. 90.  

Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken

6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 t. dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, undrained

2/3 c. balsamic vinegar

4-1/2 c. hot cooked spaghetti or other pasta

1/2 c. finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh parsley, orange zest, and crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Place chicken in a 5-6-qt. slow cooker. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Top with onion and garlic. Add tomatoes and balsamic vinegar. Cover and cook on LOW 5-6 hours or HIGH 2.5-3 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken from sauce in cooker. Thinly slice chicken. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta. Top with parsley, orange zest, and goat cheese, if using.

Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from Slow Cooker: Bring on the Cozy, p. 87.  

Slow Cooker Mexican-Style Red Rice with Shrimp

Nonstick cooking spray

1 32-oz. carton reduced-sodium chicken broth

1-2/3 c. converted (parboiled) rice, such as Ben's Original

1 c. water

3/4 c. chopped green bell pepper

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, halved, seeded (if desired), and finely chopped

2 t. ground cumin

2 t. chili powder

1 t. salt

2 lb. fresh or frozen peeled, deveined medium shrimp, thawed if frozen and tails removed

1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

Lightly coat a 3.5 or 4-qt. slow cooker with cooking spray.

Combine chicken broth, rice, water, green bell pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, cumin, chili powder, and salt in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2-1/2 hours.

Stir in shrimp and tomatoes. Cover and cook on HIGH until shrimp are opaque, 10-15 minutes more. 

Just before serving, stir in cilantro.

Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from Slow Cooker: Bring on the Cozy, p. 78.  

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon

2 center-cut bacon slices, chopped

2 lb. boneless lean chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

3 T. olive oil, divided

1 c. dry red wine

2 c. unsalted beef stock

3 c. carrots, diagonally cut

10 oz. fresh cremini mushrooms, halved

1 8-oz. package frozen peeled pearl onions

1 T. chopped fresh thyme

3 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 T. red wine vinegar

1-1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. black pepper

12 oz. egg noodles

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, 5-6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a 6-qt. slow cooker, reserving drippings in skillet. 

Increase heat to medium-high. Toss together beef and flour in a large bowl. Add one third of coated beef and 1 T. oil to skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 7-8 minutes, then transfer to slow cooker. Repeat with 2 more batches of floured beef.

Add remaining coating flour from bowl to drippings in skillet and whisk until smooth. Stir in red wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add wine mixture, beef stock, carrots, mushrooms, pearl onions, and thyme to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until meat is tender and sauce is thickened, about 8 hours. 

Cook noodles per package directions. Stir parsley, vinegar, salt, and pepper into beef mixture. Serve over hot noodles.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 51. 

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

1 T. olive oil

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

1 c. chopped red onion

1 T. minced garlic

1-1/2 t. ground cumin

1 t. dried oregano

2 c. unsalted chicken broth, divided

1 15-oz. o-salt-added Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

2 4-oz. cans diced mild green chiles, drained

2-1/2 oz. one-third-less fat cream cheese, softened

2-1/4 t. kosher salt

1 c. thinly sliced green cabbage

1 medium avocado, halved and sliced

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes. Turn and cook another 2 minutes. Transfer browned chicken to a 5-7-qt. slow cooker. Repeat process with remaining chicken (no need to add more oil).

Add onion, garlic, cumin, and oregano to skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onion is softened and spices are toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 c. chicken broth and remove from heat. Stir to loosen browned bits. Transfer mixture to slow cooker.

Stir beans, chiles, cream cheese, salt, and remaining 2-1/2 c. chicken broth into chicken mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, about 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW.

Remove chicken from slow cooker and let cool 5-10 minutes. Shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Stir mixture in slow cooker to incorporate all ingredients; stir in shredded chicken.

To serve, ladle chili into bowls. Top with cabbage, avocado, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 43.   

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef

2 T. no-salt-added taco seasoning

1 15-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

1 15-oz. can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-oz. can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed

3 c. unsalted beef broth

1 c. frozen corn

2 t. kosher salt

1 c. shredded iceberg lettuce

3/4 c. crushed tortilla chips

1/2 c. sour cream

1-1/2 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend (1/3 c.)

Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring often, until browned and crumbled, about 8 minutes. Add taco seasoning and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a 5-qt. slow cooker.

Stir tomatoes, pinto beans, black beans, beef broth, corn, and salt into beef in slow cooker. Cover and cook until flavors meld and mixture thickens slightly, about 4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW. 

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Top with lettuce, crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, and cilantro.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 39.   

Slow Cooker Spiced Lentil Soup

2 T. olive oil

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. ground turmeric

1/2 t. ancho chile powder

6 c. unsalted vegetable broth

1-1/2 c. uncooked red lentils

2 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4"-thick half moons

2 T. thinly sliced garlic

1-1/4 t. kosher salt

1-1/2 t. lemon zest plus 2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. black pepper

Chopped fresh cilantro

Stir together oil, coriander, turmeric, and chile powder in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds.

Stir spice mixture, vegetable broth, lentils, carrots, garlic, and salt into a 5-7-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until lentils are tender, 3-4 hours.

Stir lemon zest and lemon juice into soup. 

To serve, ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with black pepper and chopped cilantro.

Serves 4.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 36.   

Slow Cooker Southwestern Quinoa

2 15-oz. cans no-salt-added fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained

1 15-oz. can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed

2 4.5-oz. cans chopped green chiles, undrained  

2 c. uncooked tri-colored quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 c. frozen corn kernels

1 T. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. black pepper

3 c. unsalted vegetable stock, divided

2 oz. (1/2 c.) grated Monterey Jack cheese 

1 avocado, sliced

1 c. diced tomato

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Stir together fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, chiles, quinoa, corn, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and 2-1/2 c. vegetable stock in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 3-1/2 hours. 

Stir in cheese and remaining 1/2 c. vegetable stock. 

To serve, spoon quinoa mixture into shallow bowls and top with avocado, diced tomato, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Serves 6.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 30.

Slow Cooker White Bean Ragout

3 T. unsalted butter

3 8-oz. pkg. fresh cremini mushrooms, chopped

2 T. finely chopped garlic

1-1/4 t. kosher salt

3/4 t. black pepper

3 fresh thyme sprigs

3 T. tomato paste

1 c. unsalted vegetable stock

3 15-oz. cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, undrained and divided

6 c. chopped fresh spinach

1 T. red wine vinegar

2 T. olive oil

1 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are very tender and liquid is evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste.

Transfer mixture to a 6-qt. slow cooker. Pour in vegetable stock. Rinse and drain 1 can of cannellini beans. Stir drained beans and remaining 2 cans of undrained beans into slow cooker mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours. 

Add spinach and vinegar; stir until spinach wilts. Remove and discard thyme sprigs. 

To serve, drizzle lightly with oil and sprinkle with parsley.  

Serves 6.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 29.

Slow Cooker Red Beans & Rice

1 lb. dried light kidney beans

1-1/2 c. chopped celery

1-1/2 c. chopped white onion

1 c. chopped red bell pepper

3 T. chopped garlic

1 T. dried oregano

2 t. smoked paprika

2 t. dried thyme

2 t. onion powder

2 t. Creole seasoning

2 dried bay leaves

7 c. unsalted vegetable stock

2 t. black pepper

1 t. kosher salt

4 c. cooked brown rice

1/2 c. chopped scallions

Stir together beans, celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, paprika, thyme, onion powder, Creole seasoning, and bay leaves in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir in vegetable stock. Cover and cook on HIGH until beans are very tender, 7-8 hours.

Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in black pepper and salt. Serve bean mixture over rice; top with scallions.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 29. 

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter

2 15-oz. cans pumpkin

2/3 c. unsweetened apple juice

1/2 c. pure maple syrup

2 t. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

Stir together all ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook until thickened, 2-3 hours on HIGH or 4-5 hours on LOW. 

Spoon evenly into 4 1-cup lidded jars and secure lids. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

Makes 4 cups.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 12.    

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

4 lb. small Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (12 cups)

1/2 c. unsweetened apple juice

1 T. vanilla

1 t. fresh lemon juice

1/2 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. ground allspice

Stir together all ingredients in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook until apples are tender, 5-6 hours on HIGH or 10-12 hours on LOW.

Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Cook, uncovered, until apple mixture thickens and turns dark brown, 1-2 hours on HIGH, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Spoon apple butter evenly into 3 1-cup lidded jars and secure lids. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 year.

Makes 3 cups.

Adapted from Cooking Light Slow Cooker, p. 12.  

Slow Cooker Classic Barbecue Ribs

4 lb. bone-in country-style pork ribs

2 t. salt, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

1 c. apple butter

1 c. ketchup

1/2 c. lemon juice

1/2 c. orange juice

1 T. A-1 steak sauce

1 t. coarsely ground black pepper

1 t. minced garlic

1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Cut ribs apart, if necessary, and trim excess fat. Sprinkle 1 t. salt evenly over ribs.

Stir together remaining 1 t. salt, onion, brown sugar, apple butter, ketchup, lemon juice, orange juice, steak sauce, black pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce until blended. 

Pour half of mixture into a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place ribs into slow cooker, then pour remaining mixture over ribs.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 6-7 hours or until ribs are tender. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

Adapted from Southern Living Dinner in a Dish, p. 225.

Slow Cooker Beef with Red Wine Sauce

3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1" pieces

1 medium onion, sliced

1 lb. fresh mushrooms, halved

1 1.6-oz. package brown gravy mix

1 10-oz. can beef broth

1 c. red wine

2 T. tomato paste

1 bay leaf

Hot cooked egg noodles or rice

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Place beef, onion, and mushrooms in a 6-qt. slow cooker. Whisk together gravy mix, beef broth, red wine, and tomato paste. Pour mixture evenly over beef and vegetables. Add bay leaf. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf. Serve over noodles or rice. Garnish with parsley, if desired. 

Serves 6.

Adapted from Southern Living Dinner in a Dish, p. 217.

Slow Cooker King Ranch Chicken

4 c. chopped cooked chicken

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 10-oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 10-oz. cream of mushroom soup

1 10-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chiles

1 t. chili powder

1 garlic clove, minced

12 fajita-size (6") corn tortillas

8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, stir together chicken, onion, green pepper, soups, tomatoes and green chilies, chili powder, and garlic.

Tear tortillas into 1" pieces; layer 1/3 of tortilla pieces in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker. Top with 1/3 of chicken mixture and 2/3 cup of cheese. Repeat layers twice.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3-1/2 hours or until bubbly and edges are golden brown. Uncover and cook on LOW for 30 minutes (this step is important for oven-baked texture).

Serves 6.

Adapted from Southern Living Dinner in a Dish, p. 229.

Slow-Cooker Red Beans & Rice

1 lb. dried red beans

7 c. water

3/4 lb. smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced

3 celery ribs, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 sweet onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. Creole seasoning

Hot cooked long-grain rice

Hot sauce

Garnishes: finely chopped green onions, finely chopped red onion

Combine beans, water, sausage, celery, green pepper, red pepper, onion, garlic, and seasoning in a 4-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 7 hours or until beans are tender.

Serve red beans with rice and hot sauce. Garnish with green onions and red onion.

Serves 10.

Adapted from Southern Living Dinner in a Dish, p. 237. 

Woodchuck Warmer Apple Cider

6 large or 8 medium apples, chopped, plus slices for garnish

1 lemon, halved

3 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish

1 t. whole cloves

2 star anise, plus more for garnish

1 2-1/2" piece of fresh ginger, sliced

1/4 - 1/2 c. pure maple syrup

1-1/2 c. apple brandy (such as Laird's) or bourbon

Place apples, lemon, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and ginger in a slow cooker. Add just enough water to cover apples (about 4-1/2 c.). Put the lid on and cook on HIGH for 4-1/2 hours or LOW for 8-9 hours.

Strain contents through a fine mesh strainer, pressing out all liquid. Stir in maple syrup to taste.

Add apple brandy or bourbon to mugs, dividing evenly. Top with hot cider and garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, and star anise.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Adapted from Country Living magazine, Sept. 2022, p. 102.   

Buffalo-Ranch Macaroni & Cheese

1 14.5-oz. package dried multigrain rotini pasta

1 c. shredded carrot and/or thinly sliced celery

1/2 c. to 1 c. cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank's Red Hot)

1 1-oz. envelope ranch dry salad dressing mix

4 c. water

8 oz. sliced American cheese (10-11 slices), torn into bite-sized pieces

Milk (optional)

In a 3.5 qt. or 4 qt. slow cooker, combine pasta, carrot and/or celery, cayenne pepper sauce, and ranch dressing mix. Add water and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on high for 2 hours (pasta should absorb all the liquid by this time). Top with cheese; do not stir. Cover and cook 5 min. more. Stir gently to combine. If desired, add milk to reach desired creaminess.

Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from Southern Living Slow Cooker Favorites, vol. 5, p. 22. 

Updated Chicken Marbella

5 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1/4 c. white wine vinegar

3 T. drained capers

1 T. chopped fresh oregano

1 T. honey

3/4 t. kosher salt, divided

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb.), skin removed

3/4 t. black pepper, divided

16 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1 c. dry white wine

2 bay leaves

24 pitted Castelvetrano olives

1 c. dried pitted plums (prunes)

1 small orange or Meyer lemon, unpeeled, but into 1/2" slices

Whisk together 1/4 c. of the olive oil, vinegar, capers, oregano, honey, and 1/4 t. of the salt; set aside.

Heat remaining 1 T. oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 t. of the pepper and remaining 1/2 t. salt. Working in batches if needed, add chicken to pan, meaty side down, and cook until well browned, 6-7 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add garlic to pan drippings and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and blistered, about 2 minutes. Add wine and bay leaves; cook until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Pour mixture into a 6-qt. slow cooker.

Add olives, plums, chicken, vinegar mixture, and citrus to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW until chicken is tender, 6-7 hours. Discard bay leaves and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 t. pepper.

Serves 4-6.

Adapted from a Southern Living magazine recipe.

Chicken Cassoulet

1 lb. dried Great Northern beans

3 bay leaves

3-1/2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bit-sized pieces

12 oz. fully cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced

 2 c. chopped white onion

1-1/4 c. chopped carrots

1 c. chopped celery

2 T. chopped fresh thyme

2 T. unsalted tomato paste

6 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 c. dry white wine

1 14-oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained

1 c. unsalted chicken stock

3/4 t. kosher salt

3/4 t. black pepper

2 oz. multigrain baguette, torn into small pieces

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 c.)

2 T. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place beans and bay leaves in a 6-qt. slow cooker.

Heat 1-1/2 t. olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add sausage and brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and sausage and set aside.

Add onion, carrots, and celery to skillet; saute 5 minutes. Add thyme, tomato paste, and garlic, and saute 2 minutes. Add wine and cook 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits.

Add chicken mixture and vegetable mixture to slow cooker. Add tomatoes, stock, salt, pepper, and 1-2/3 c. water. Cover and cook on LOW until beans are tender, 7-8 hours.

Place baguette in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs form. Add cheese, parsley, and remaining 2 T. olive oil. Pulse to combine. Toast in a skillet over medium-high heat about 5 minutes. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over cassoulet.

Serves 6-8.

 Adapted from a Southern Living magazine recipe.