Using your crockpot can save you a lot of money, slash the amount of time you have to spend preparing meals, allow you to prepare more wholesome meals for your family and reduce your overall stress. Cooking with a crockpot can also save a lot of energy, because you dont have to heat up the house in the summer when youre trying to keep it cooler. Here are a few crockpot tips and recipes from ourEasy Crockpot Recipes and Menus e-book to help you with your crockpot cooking.
10 Easy Crockpot Recipes and Tips
Crockpot Tips
- Unless the recipe states otherwise, always cook with the lid on your crockpot. It is best not to open the lid while cooking.
- Many recipes that you cook in the oven or on top of the stove can be adapted to the crockpot. If it takes 2-4 hours to cook in the oven or on the stove top then it will take about 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low in the crockpot.
- If you need to reduce the liquid, take the lid off for the last half hour of cooking. You could also make a mix of 2 teaspoons cornstarch with some of the liquid from the dish and stir it into the rest. Then allow it to cook and thicken.
- If you find yourself going out to eat a lot because you hate the clean up, then try using crockpot liners. It is much less expensive to use them than to eat out. Liners are especially good to use when you have company and during the holidays.
- To make crockpot dishes even easier and faster keep a supply of ingredients like cooked hamburger, sausage, bacon or ham in the freezer. Then you wont have to dirty a skillet or take the time to cook things like hamburger before you toss them into the crockpot.
- Normally you should fill your crockpot about 3/4 full, especially if you are cooking soups and stews. Add the ingredients and then add liquid to fill it to 3/4 full.
- If you have a large crockpot and a smaller recipe, simply put the recipe ingredients in an oven proof dish (like Pyrex) and set it down inside your crockpot. Then cover and cook.
Barbecue Chicken Crockpot Recipe
4-6 pieces chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2-1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Place chicken in a crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cook on low in the crockpot about 4-6 hours.
Brown Rice and Chicken
1-2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Combine all ingredients but almonds in a crockpot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on low 4 to 5 hours. Serve with almonds.
Delicious Slow Cooked Roast
1 beef roast, 3-5 lbs.
1 onion, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup (omit for GF and sprinkle with seasoned salt)
carrots and potatoes, diced (optional)
Place roast in crockpot. Pour cream of mushroom soup and onion on top. Cover. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Add carrots and potatoes 2 hours before dinner.
*This recipe is an excellent way to prepare inexpensive roasts. This slow cooked roast recipe makes them so tender they fall off the bone and are almost impossible to lift out of the pan. It is an excellent way to make a delicious meal for Sunday after church or for guests, because it can cook for 2 or 3 hours longer than required without overcooking. Since it is so tender that no meat is left on the bone, you get more for your money. Serves 4.
Crockpot Salisbury Steak Recipe
2 lbs. ground beef
1 pkg. onion mushroom soup mix (If you cant find it, then onion soup mix will work too.)
1/2 cup saltine crackers, crushed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup flour
2 (10 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. brown gravy mix, prepared according to package directions.**
Mix the first 5 ingredients and shape into 8 patties. Pour vegetable oil into frying pan, dredge the patties on both sides with the flour*. Brown in the hot oil on both sides. Place patties in a crockpot. They can overlap. Combine soup and mixed gravy. Pour over patties. Cook on low for 4-6 hours until patties are cooked through.
*I just pour the flour onto a plate, lay the patty in it and dredge on each side.
**You could replace the gravy mix with about 1 cup leftover roast gravy.
Crockpot Bean Goulash Recipe
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. bacon
1 stalk celery
1 small onion
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans or 2 cups cooked beans
1 (15 oz.) can butter beans
1 (15 oz.) can pork and beans
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
Brown ground beef, bacon, celery and onion. If using canned beans, drain them. Mix the remaining ingredients together with the beef mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or put in the crockpot on low for 1-2 hours. Serves 8-10.
Crockpot Meatloaf Recipe
2 lbs.of lean hamburger
2 eggs
1 Sleeve of Saltine Crackers
Ketchup
Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
Start by crumbling up your crackers. I keep the sleeve closed and just gently crush them until Im ready to use them. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a fork. Add the meat, chopped onion, crushed crackers and salt and pepper to taste. Mix it all together with your hands and put it in the crockpot. I pat it down a bit so it molds itself to the shape of the crockpot. Pour enough ketchup on top to cover your meatloaf. Cook on low for 8 -9 hours.
Chicken Tacos
4 bonelessskinless chicken breasts
1 package taco seasoning
1 can Rotel tomatoes*
Place all of the ingredients in the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred and use in tacos, burritos, enchiladas or in a salad. You can also serveit hot or cold so it would be great as leftovers to take in a lunch.
*Rotel tomatoes are canned tomatoes with chopped green peppers or jalapenos.Any brand that is labeled tomatoes and green chilies should be OK or just used canned tomatoes and add the kind of peppers you would like.
Garlic Roasted Chicken Recipe
3-5 lb. chicken
salt
pepper
paprika
3 Tbsp. minced garlic
about 1/4 lb. butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika. Rub the bird inside and out with garlic. Place in the crockpot. Lay a couple of pats of butter on top of the breast and pour in broth. Cook on Low 6-8 hours. Serve with the garlic butter sauce.
Crockpot Bread Recipe
Submitted by Liz A.
I use my Automatic Bread Machine to make a batch of dough, then bake it in the 3-4 qt. Slow Cooker.
1 cup + 2 Tbsp.water (or more if necessary)
1/4 cup sugar, honey or sweetener of choice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp.butter
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds, roasted & salted
1 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp.non-fat dry milk powder (optional)
2 1/2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
Place ingredients in pan according to ABM instructions. Run on Dough Cycle. Place a piece of Parchment Paper in the bottom and slightly up the sides of your Slow Cooker.
When the dough cycle is complete, shape into a large ball and place on the paper. Place a single layer dish towel across the top of the cooker (above the dough) to absorb excess moisture, then top with the lid. Cook on HIGH at least 1 hour, then check for doneness.
Im at 6300 ft above Sea Level, and a loaf this size takes 1 hour, 15 minutes. The top will be pale and may shrink back a small bit after cooked. At the end of cooking, turn it off but leave it in the cooker 15 minutes. Then remove and cool on a wire rack. The crust closest to the heating element will be darker and thicker changing in color and thickness the further from it. Something for everyone!
Slow Cooker Apple Dip
2-12 ounce cans condensed milk
6-4 ounce canning jars with lids
Open the cans of condensed milk and pour them evenly into the jars. One jar will fill three 4 ounce canning jars perfectly. Leave a little room for expansion.
Put the jars into the crock of your slow cooker. Add water to cover the jars by at least an inch.
Cook on low for 10 hours, or until the caramel is the color you want it to be. Remove the jars, carefully, and let cool completely before opening. Serve with sliced apples.
Click here to get the Dining On A Dime Cookbook, with tasty recipes and great tips to make your life easier and save you money!
Eating out is expensive! You can make wholesome meals at home in minutes for the entire family for less than the cost of one person eating out! For more easy crockpot tips and recipes, check out our brand new Easy Crockpot Recipes and Menus e-book today!
The post 10 Easy Crockpot Recipes and Tips appeared first on - Living on a Dime To Grow Rich.