This dessert recipe for Decadent Cognac Apricots is nice served hot or cold.  It has only three steps and uses the microwave and the crock pot slow cooker.

You could substitute peaches if you like them better than apricots and use brandy instead of cognac.  If you don't like the taste of cognac or brandy then you can add more orange juice but I encourage you to use the cognac for a wonderful taste sensation and to make the dessert a little more special.

In a microwave jug dissolve the brown sugar and water for approximately 30 seconds.  Add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, juices and cognac.  Microwave another minute.  Stir well and add to crock pot base.  Add the drained apricots and stir through gently, trying not to break them up.  Cook on low for 2 hours and let cool in the crock pot.

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If you are looking for a simple recipe then Marinated Crock Pot Chicken is the one you will want to try.  You use a whole chicken and marinate it for a few hours then place in the crock pot and it does the rest.  How simple can it get!   The flavors of the marinade really penetrate the chicken and you can then thicken the liquid in the base of the crock pot for a lovely sauce.   I hope you like this recipe as I do.

Marinated Crock Pot Chicken

Combine all ingredients in a bowl except the garlic and the rest of the lemon (not used for the juice)  and stir well.   Place the garlic and the lemon in the chicken cavity and then pour the marinade over the chicken.   Place in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, basting with the marinade occasionally.  Place into the base of the crock pot and cook on high for about 4 hours.  You can baste it with the juices about twice during cooking, trying not to leave the lid off too long.  Remove the chicken and cut into serving pieces.  Thicken the juices with a little flour mixed with water to make a sauce to pour over the chicken.  Serve with rice or potatoes and vegetables.  Serves 4.

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This recipe is good for couples or a single person so that you can have at least 2 meals from it, one to eat and one to freeze.  I like vegetarian meals and I love curry so this combines the two.  Cooking it all in the crock pot slow cooker while I am working or doing other things is a lifesaver on busy days.

I have shared this recipe with my girlfriends over the years as I have found women especially love this recipe and it is one anyone, even a novice cook, can make.

Paulineh's Vegetarian Curry

Heat the oil and add the onion, cook until soft then add the flour and then the curry paste.  Cook for a further minute, stirring all the time, then add most of the stock.  Continue to stir until sauce thickens.  If too thick use the rest of the stock. Add the vegetables and stir through, then add it all to the crock pot slow cooker.

Cook for 6 hours on low (check to see vegetables are cooked but are not falling apart).  Serve with rice or poppadoms.  Serves 4.

Notes: * I haven't specified how much vegetables you should use as this will vary with what the vegetables are and what size you cut them into .  As a guide I used about 5 cups.

Variations: You can add a small can tomatoes, chick peas or some frozen peas in the last 15 minutes before serving.  You can also add about 1/2 cup coconut milk for a different taste and add this just before serving.

This Beef and Red Wine Stew recipe is fairly easy to make and if you like big serves then it will feed 2 people.  It's not as easy finding recipes for two for the slow cooker so finding this one was like gold. You can vary it by adding mushrooms or bell peppers.  You can also swap the onions with leeks for a slightly different texture and taste.

Crock Pot Slow Cooker Beef with Red Wine Stew

Coat meat in flour and brown meat in oil.  Remove and put aside.  Add to the pan the onions, carrots and herbs and toss until softened a little.  Remove the vegetables and put into the base of the slow cooker. Place the meat on top of the vegetables.

Add the wine and stock to the pan and mix well together as this then combines the juices from the pan as well.  Pour into the crock pot slow cooker over the meat and vegetables. Put the lid on and cook on low for 6 hours.  Thicken with the instant gravy mix combined with a little water if you think the stew is too thin.

Serves 2 large servings or 3 medium ones.  I serve it with sweet potato mash but you can serve with rice or just some of your favorite crusty bread.  Get out your crock pot slow cooker and start cooking.

This is another chicken crock pot recipe which is easy to make.  I like this honey mustard recipe for pork ribs also, so if you like pork ribs better, go ahead and use them instead.  This is a quick and easy crock pot slow cooker recipe to make and you should have the ingredients in your cupboards.

Honey Mustard Chicken

Place chicken in your crock pot.  Mix together the mustards, garlic, honey, BBQ sauce and salt and pepper in a jug and mix together well.  Taste to see if the sauce is how you like it as you can then add more mustard or BBQ sauce to get the taste you like.  Pour over chicken, making sure it is coated well. Cover and cook on low for 6 - 7 hours.  Mix together 2 tabs cornflower with 2 tabs water and add this to the sauce to thicken if necessary.  Serve with rice or mashed potato and vegetables.

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I love crock pot meatballs and this recipe is just so yummy.  Its not a one step recipe as you do need to mix and roll the meatballs and brown them first but its still an easy recipe.  You can double this recipe if you want to cook for a large family or for a party.  I make this recipe on the weekend and have another meal during the week ready to heat up.

Crock Pot Meatballs in Tomato and Beer Sauce

Combine the above ingredients and if you need more breadcrumbs then add a little more until you get a mixture you can roll into balls.

Tomato and Beer Sauce

Brown the meatballs then add to the crock pot.  In a large microwave jug combine the sauce mix and cook on medium for 5 minutes stirring half way through.  Note:  Add more Tabasco if you like it hotter so I suggest you taste the sauce to get it to your liking.  Pour over the meatballs making sure you have enough sauce to cover them and cook on Low for 6 - 8 hours depending on how hot your crock pot cooks.  Serve the Crock Pot Meatballs with your favorite pasta or spaghetti and chopped fresh basil .  Serves 4.

PS You can add a little chutney to the meat balls to give it a bit of a different texture and taste.

I like this easy crock pot recipe as it is one that has only 4 ingredients in it.  Cake cooked in the CROCK POT is moist and can be served with coffee or tea or as a dessert served warm with ice cream or cream.  A quick and easy icing is to drop chocolate chips and peanut butter on the warm cake and leave a minute or two then swirl them together with a knife.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well for 2 minutes.  Pour batter into greased crock pot or a cake tin that will fit in your crock pot.  Cover with paper towels and cover with lid.  Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

*Look at the packet and try and pick a mix that uses only 1 egg if possible.  I added the egg with the muffin mix and the chocolate chips. If the mixture looks too thick add a little more water.

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This crock pot beef recipe is a very tasty one that a friend shared with me.  It was a regular recipes that I had to adjust to the crock pot and it worked very well.  It will suit a family or for a party as it will feed 6 or 7 people.  It has a lot of ingredients and some like the baby carrots and round beans I had to buy in but most of the other ingredients you should have on hand. I suggest you use fresh ingredients as the canned variety will go to mush in the long cooking process.

Casserole cooking

I cooked this recipe on high but in hindsight I think it would have been better to cook it on low as the longer cooking time will tenderize the meat better.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Beef with Prunes and Orange

In a plastic bag add the flour and add the beef in lots and toss to coat.  Heat a frying pan with half the oil and brown the meat in batches and add to the crock pot as they brown. You may need a little bit more oil and if so add to pan and now brown the onion then add the turmeric and cumin then add the tomato paste and cook until aromatic.  Add the orange juice, the beef stock and the prunes to the pan and cook for a few minutes.  Add this to the crock pot and cover and cook on high for 4 hours (7 hours on low).

Add the carrots, parsley, spring onions and round beans half way through the cooking time and stir in well.  You can add more parsley to the finish dish.  Serve with potato mash, noodles or rice.

I hope you like this crock pot beef with prunes and orange as much as I did and love the mix of spices and the sweetness of the orange and the prunes.

This beef and healthy carrots crock pot recipe is a low cost one except for the beef but because it is slow cooked you can use the cheapest cuts for this. I like to cook this recipe on low because it give the meat time to tenderize. It's a traditional kind of recipe and you can jazz it up to your tastes fairly easily.   You can set and forget these kind of crock pot meals and I often will cook this on a Sunday morning and let it cook all day.  I then have a meal for Monday night dinner as well.

Beef and Carrots Crock Pot

Brown the onion and garlic in a non stick pan with the splash of oil then add the meat which has been coated in the flour.  Continue to cook for a minute or two then add the tomatoes, wine, stock, and parsley.  Transfer to the crock pot and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours.  You can thicken with a little more flour mixed with some water if needed.  Sprinkle the extra parsley when serving.  I like this recipe served with mashed potatoes and extra vegetables.

This is a nice warming meal on a cold night or a great family meal.  Beef and carrots crock pot is one of my favorite old time recipes and I hope you like it too.

This recipe for crock pot spaghetti sauce is one I have made for many years and is a fairly simple one.  The only preparation is the browning of the onion, garlic and meat.  Just turn on the crock pot add the ingredients and cook on low.  You then only need to cook whatever spaghetti or pasta you like to go with the sauce.  I usually use spaghetti but occasionally I will use fettuccine.

This crock pot spaghetti sauce recipe will serve at least 8 to 10 people so it is good for a big family, a party or even to freeze for future use when you are busy. You can also adapt it and add mushrooms, bacon or chili for a different taste.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and find it easy to prepare.

Paulineh's Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce

2 lb (1 kg) minced steak (use the best quality you can afford)
3 tabs oil
2 onions chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teas oregano
2 teas basil
2 cans whole or chopped tomatoes
5 ounces (140g) tomato paste
3/4 cup beef stock
1/2 cup red wine
1 tab sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Place the 2 tabs oil in a frying pan and heat, add the onion and garlic and stir until transparent.  Place in the base of the crock pot.  Add 1 tab oil and brown the meat in 3 batches and adding to the crock pot as they brown.  Now add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, herbs and salt and pepper and mix well.  Put on the lid of the crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours.  In the last hour stir and add the sugar.  This cuts down on the acid from the tomatoes.

To serve cook the spaghetti or other pasta and pour the sauce on top or stir through.  Add Parmesan cheese if you like it.  You can also serve some crusty bread to mop up the sauce and a tossed salad.  Freeze any sauce that is left over for another meal.  I hope you like my crock pot spaghetti sauce.

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