Hot potato soup takes off the chill after shopping. (Pinot & Dita)
If you've got a slow cooker gathering dust in a closet, there's no better time to haul it out than the pre-Christmas season. After a full day of battling long checkout lines and even longer waits in bumper-to-bumper traffic, wouldn't it be a relief to come home to a piping hot, already-cooked dinner?
The beauty of the slow cooker is in letting it cook on low heat --so low that it can be left to cook unattended just as you might leave on a lamp. You can stay away for hours without the risk of overcooking, as the crock-pot keeps the moisture locked in, making evaporation nonexistent.
Here are five crock-pot-friendly recipes you can come home to after hitting the mall.
Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes Recipe
Did you know you could "bake" potatoes in the steam of your slow cooker? Not only do they come out deliciously fork-tender, but they're almost impossible to overcook. Let your family members choose their own favorite toppings.
You don't have to wait for Bastille Day to cook a French dinner. This wine-rich dish is proof that you can cook gourmet-quality dinners in a slow cooker if you have the right recipe. (Hint: this is it!)
Slow Cooker Skinny Cheese-Potato Soup Recipe
The slimmed-down version of a baked potato soup, this recipe is hearty enough to make a meal with a hot loaf of bread and a salad or veggie on the side, but without the fat content of traditional cheese-laden soups.
Crock-Pot Spicy Tomato Soup with Tortilla Strips Recipe
Feeling a little Tex-Mex? Come home to a spicy hot soup that will undoubtedly take off the chill. Serve with ultra-quick grilled bean burritos for a complete meal.
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Stew with Turkey Sausage Recipe
For a meal that captures the essence of winter, you can't do better than this savory stew with winter squash and turkey sausage. Toss it in the crock-pot in the morning, then you're done --it's a meal in a bowl.
Last-minute shopping can be brain-draining, but you can at least have the peace of mind that a ready-made dinner brings.
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Comments
That spicy tomato soup sounds really good. And I still have leftover tomatoes from the final tomato harvest!
My kind of cooking.
Third culture kids examiner
Seattle stay-at-home moms examiner
I don't know how working people get by without a slow cooker. It's an essential gadget for me most every week.
My slow cooker is used every week - Sunday was a pot of black bean soup. The baked potato sounds like a great idea.
I just got a new slow cooker. The probe one from Hamilton Beach... one of the best Christmas presents ever!
Christmas’ magic can overwhelm people and makes them forget about fitness and diet programs. Average Americans gain up to 12 pounds between Halloween and the end of the year. I have read on Project Weight Loss how can you avoid this problem: Don’t eat too much. Eat and drink slowly, focusing on your friends and the event. The brain requires almost 20 minutes receiving the signal of fullness. Alcoholic beverages have calories too. Drink wine or light beer, but don’t mix drinks. Mixed drinks can include up to 300- 500 calories, even more.
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I love the slow cooker. These look like great recipes. TY.
My slow cooker never gathers dust!
Nice recipe roundup. The tortilla soup sounds great for winter - and even for clearing heads with colds! ;-)
they all look so delicious
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