Not digging standing in the kitchen on a cold winter’s night fooling around with food prep? The answer is slow cooking.
A slow cooker does all the work for you, leaving you feeling warm, belly filled and basically smug AF.
Seasoned slow-cooker cooks will tell you, “just chuck everything into the pot and let it do its thing.” But I totally get it, you want more guidance than that, right? After all, you want your dinner to be less pot luck and more delicious and edible.
Well, don’t despair because we’ve got six slow cooker recipes to get you well on your way to coming home to tasty winter’s meal.
1. Slow-cook pork shoulder roast
From Eatwell 101, this is a glorious slow-cooked pork shoulder roast. Excellent for tacos, sandwiches and everything in between, the slow cooking ensures the pork is cooked to tender perfection. PLUS you’re sure to have leftovers. YES!
COOK TIME: 8-10 hours on LOW.
2. Cheesy chicken penne pasta
Pasta in the slow cooker? HECK YES. This is quite possibly the greatest comfort food to hit little bellies after a cold footy training session. This cheesy chicken from the Magical Slow Cooker is right up my kids’ alley. Cheese, chicken and penne pasta – what more do you need? Garlic bread, maybe?
COOK TIME: 6½ hours on LOW.
3. Beef and sweet potato stew
An oldie but a goodie, everyone loves a stew. This slow cooker beef and sweet potato stew lends itself to adding all and any of your favourite vegetable add-ins (and all of those not-quite-so-fresh vegetables in the fridge crisper)! Find the recipe at Cafe Delites.
COOK TIME: 8-10 hours on LOW.
4. Beef and red wine casserole
If it’s a hearty beef casserole you want, it’s a hearty beef casserole you’ll get. A splash of wine for the pot and a glass for the cook, it’s happy days with this heart-warming beef and red wine casserole dinner.
COOK TIME: 8 hours on LOW.
5. Turkey meatballs
You absolutely CAN cook meatballs in your slow cooker. Turkey is such a great meat for kids. It’s packed with protein and it’s easily accessible at the supermarket. Serve with pasta, mashed potato or turn them into meatball subs – either way, turkey meatballs are a go!
COOK TIME: 2 hours on HIGH.
6. Kid-friendly chicken curry
A family favourite, slow-cooker curry (pictured top and below) is loved by all – young and.. not so young. Shred the chicken for minimal fuss and serve it with lots of rice. I adore this kid-friendly chicken curry recipe by Healthy Little Foodies.
COOK TIME: 8 hours on LOW.
If you’ve been sitting on the fence about buying a slow cooker, check out our guide to 10 of the best slow cookers from just $20!
