Crock pot dinners have slowly gained popularity with a lot of families in the United States and across the world. Not only is it a great way to help a lot of families save money for meals, it also makes anyone's cooking experience fun and easy. The crock pot was first introduced as an electrical Dutch oven and it has come a long way since then.  Crock pot dinners cook in 4 - 8 hours and can stay heated for hours, depending on the model and cooking settings, without needing a lot of attention.

One of the advantages of the crock pot is that it is very efficient when it comes to the use of energy. You can guarantee that cooking for a crowd can be done cheaply and you wont heat your kitchen up either in summer.  All you need to do is to load it with all the raw ingredients of your crock pot dinner, set and forget. This allows you to save a lot of money and to eat healthier food than buying out.

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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.

If you looking for an easy recipe for the crock pot then this Chicken Thighs Oriental Style is the one for you.  Mix up your marinade the night before and pour over chicken then cook the next day.  Presto, there is your dinner.

I turn the chicken a few times when I think about it so both sides are coated with the marinade.  This helps with the color and flavor so remember to do that step. You can also use drumsticks or wings if you prefer them to thighs.  Here is the recipe.

Chicken Thighs Oriental Style

Mix all the ingredients except the chicken and mix well.  Pour over the chicken pieces and marinate in the fridge overnight.  Turn once or twice.  Spray the crock pot with some oil spray and place the chicken pieces in the base.  Spoon any of the left over marinade over the chicken and cover.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with rice or with vegetables as I tend to do (you have probably noticed by now) as dinner is when I try and get my four serves in.  You can also serve this dish cold with salad.

*  You can use 2 dessertspoons of honey if you like it sweeter.

If you love chicken like me and especially if it has a savory sauce then you will love this crock pot chicken breast recipe.  I am always conscious though of cooking and eating healthily so this recipe is fairly low on fat.  You can even reduce it more if you want by using a non stick pan to brown the meat and omitting the oil.  I hope you like it and would love to hear any variations you may make to suit your own tastes.

This chicken recipe is an adapted one from an old regular recipe I had written in a cook book going back to the 80s.  Sometimes the old recipes though are worth keeping and using again even just for the variety in your crock pot meals.  Note:   I give alternatives in the recipe, with my choice being listed first.

Crock Pot Chicken Breast

Cut the fillets into thick long pieces (or to your liking) and heat the oil in a pan and brown the chicken.  Remove to the crock pot and turn down the heat.  Combine the rest of the ingredients except the salt and pepper and add to the pan and bring to the boil.  Add this to the chicken in the crock pot and turn on cook on high for 3 - 4 hours.  If your crock pot cooks fast then use the lower cooking time.  You will know this unless this is a new pot you are using.  I tend to quickly check about the 3 hour mark anyway as chicken breasts cook fairly quickly.

Serve with rice and vegetables (see image above) which we like or you can serve with potato or pasta. If you are cooking for two what I do is freeze what I don't eat and use for another night when I get home late and want a quick meal without having to buy take away.  This crock pot chicken breast  recipe serves 4 - 5.

For other crock pot meals  like this one you can get the recipes here by CLICKING HERE.

This is one of my favorite recipes from my childhood.  It is also a traditional Australian dessert usually served in winter but it is a good dessert for any season and is easy to make and tastes great.  It makes an easy crock pot recipe from the original as you don't need to adjust it at all except the cooking time.

I'm afraid the image doesn't do it justice really.  I used a small crock pot for this crock pot recipe but if you use a larger one then the pudding will not be as deep and you may not need to cook it for the same time.  It is not an overly sweet dessert and it goes very well with ice cream.

Chocolate Pudding

Turn on the crock pot to high and grease the bowl.  Beat the butter and sugar together well and then add the egg and vanilla.  Mix together the flour and the cocoa and then fold into the mixture alternatively with the milk.  Spoon into the crock pot.

To make the Sauce
Mix the brown sugar and cocoa together and sprinkle evenly over the cake mixture.  Slowly add the boiling water (I pour it over a spoon) making sure to add it evenly covering the mixture.  Cover crock pot and cook for around 1.5 hours or until the top springs back when touched lightly.  Turn off and let cool in the pot.  You can sprinkle with a little  icing sugar if desired and then serve from crock with fresh cream or ice cream.

Check out my other Crock Pot Meals Recipes.

Cooking at Christmas can be stressful.  I seem to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking.  This year I am determined to prepare as much as I can beforehand so I am free to enjoy myself more.  Crock pot Christmas cooking makes life easier for you.  Also if you cook in your crock pot it frees up room in your oven for other cooking.  You can put your crock pot on in the morning and it cooking slowly during the day.  Cook the dessert in the crock pot and have the oven free for the main meal.

I have two size crock pots and the small one is good for cooking foods such as fondues and dips and even making gifts like chutneys and spiced nuts.  You can even make hot drinks such as cider in your crock pot.  Here is a recipe which I think you will enjoy for your Christmas cooking.

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If you are looking for a soup that is super easy to make and won't take as long as some recipes in the crock pot then this Chinese Crab and Corn Soup is perfect for you.  This recipe was given to me from a friend many years ago and I have adapted it to the crock pot.  This recipe does use canned products so I think of the soup as a kind of fast food substitute.  I like to use fresh ingredients when I can but eating this soup is still better for me than burgers or fried chicken. It is also easy to make for a late night supper.

Chinese Crab and Corn Soup

Add the first 3  ingredients to the crock pot and half of the shallots.  Stir well and turn on the crock pot slow cooker to low and cook for 1 - 2 hours.  Before serving add the egg and the soy sauce.  Sprinkle the remainder of the shallots over the top and serve with some crackers or toast.   If you like a slightly thicker soup then you can thicken with some cornflour. Serves 4.

I like this Chinese Crab and Corn Soup when I want a nice warming soup but have limited time and I hope you try it and enjoy  it too.  To top it off it's probably one of the easiest soups I make as well.

I love the taste of Kalamata olives and sun dried tomatoes so this dish was always going to be a favorite.  Cooking the Osso Bucco in the crock pot ensures that the veal is tender and tasty.

If you don't like olives you can leave them out but maybe give them a try and you might be surprised at the wonderful taste it gives this dish.  This is another crock pot meal ideal for Pot Luck parties.

Osso Bucco with olives

Coat meat in the flour and heat the oil in a large heavy pan and brown the meat for a few minutes each side.  Transfer to the crock pot.  Add onion and garlic to the pan cook for 1 minute then add the carrot and celery and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, puree, red wine and stock.  Stir thoroughly until blended well and pour over the meat in the crock pot.

Cook on low for approximately 6 hours.  Add the sun dried tomatoes and olives in the last hour.  Stir in the lemon juice and thicken the gravy if needed before serving.  Serve with mashed potato or polenta.

Many people say that it's best to cook in a crock pot during the winter months and they are probably right because most people use their slow cookers only for soups and stews.  A roast is also considered to be a winter dish but these meals are a convenience to those of us who work and like to come home to a cooked meal.

Well the crock pot slow cooker is your friend in summer as well.  You can cook breakfasts and still have your roasts and the advantages are that your kitchen wont get hot from the oven and you can still walk away from the cooking and come back to a lovely cooked crock pot meal.

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Most people know that crock pots are an excellent choice for cooking easy and healthy recipes. But did you know that your slow cooker can also be used for a variety of projects besides making edibles?

Your crock pot can be used as an air freshener. It takes only three ingredients: baking soda, essential oil and water, in a slow cooker on the low setting without the lid, and your house will smell noticeably fresher in just a few hours.

Candles are easy to make in the crock pot , and this project makes good use of leftover candles that don’t light anymore. With your slow cooker and old candle wax, heat-proof glass containers and wicks, you can have brand new candles in just a few hours.

Slow cookers make easy and fun Christmas ornaments. First, make a flour and salt-based dough and cut shapes with cookie cutters. After baking for a few hours in the crock pot, the ornaments are ready to paint and hang on the tree. This technique can also be used to make beads for stringing.

You can dye yarn or fabric in your crock pot using just hot water, vinegar and dye. Be sure to rinse the dyed fabric or yarn in clear water thoroughly to ensure colorfastness.  Amazon has this great book on Fast, Fun & Easy Fabric Dyeing check it out for more detailed but easy instructions on dyeing.

Everyone loves play dough, and it is simple to make in a slow cooker. With a few ingredients such as flour, corn starch, salt and water, you can have a fresh new batch of  Play Dough in under two hours.

If haven't got a crock pot in your kitchen then NOW is the time to do something about it.