Slow cookers, or crock pots, are wonderful tools in any home kitchen. Not only do they allow you to make a wonderful meal, you don’t even have to be present the entire time it’s cooking! You may want to try one of these three super-easy slow cooking recipes if you’ve never used a slow cooker before.

One meal commonly prepared in a slow cooker is pot roast. While this meal is often traditionally prepared in a cast iron Dutch oven or in the stove, there’s nothing quite like how moist and tender a slow cooker makes the meat.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

1 rump roast or shoulder roast
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
6 small potatoes cut into quarters (red or golden)
1/2 onion, diced (or 1 teaspoon onion powder)
3 cups chopped carrots
3 cups mushrooms, whole or chopped

Begin by removing any large pieces of fat from the roast and put it into a slow cooker set on low. Chop the vegetables so they’re ready when needed. Add the soup, water, herbs, spices, and onions with the roast and let this simmer. When the roast has cooked 3-5 hours, add the rest of the vegetables and allow this to simmer for another 1-2 hours.

Perhaps your family is vegetarian. You can still use the slow cooker for making Vegetarian Chili.

1 – 16 ounce tomato sauce
1 – 32 ounce kidney beans, drained
1 – 16 ounce canned corn
1 onion, chopped
1 crushed clove of garlic
1 sliced green pepper
1 chopped tomato
2 teaspoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon of salt

Add all ingredients into the slow cooker and stir them. Put the cover on the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. This will make 6 to 8 servings and is great for leftovers, if you have any.

For those who like dessert with their meals, you can use your slow cooker for that, too. Here’s a recipe for Blueberry Cobbler:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar – divided
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 pinch each salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon of milk
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 cups of blueberries
1/4 cup of water

In a small bowl, combine flour, half of the sugar, baking powder, and spices. Combine eggs, milk, and oil in another small bowl then pour this mixture into the dry ingredients until it’s moistened. Grease the slow cooker on the bottom and sides and then spread the batter on the bottom of the cooker.

On the stove, over medium heat, combine the blueberries, water and the other half of the sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil and then remove it from the heat. Pour the berries into the slow cooker and cook on high for two hours. Turn off the cooker after the two hours, uncover it, and then allow it to set for at least 30 minutes before serving. You may want to serve with vanilla ice cream, home-made or store-bought.

Slow cookers are great for those days you want to have dinner waiting for you due to time constraints, but they’re also good for making dessert. If you try one of these three super-easy slow cooking recipes, you may find the slow cooker is one tool you’ll want to have in your kitchen.

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