Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. You know what else is delightful on these cold winter days? Coming home to a ready-made feel-good meal. That’s right, it’s time to put your slow cooker to work. Soups, chilis, roasts and more await you and your family. The sun goes down so much earlier, and we’re all so tired at the end of our work day to put together a meal. The following recipes will satisfy your taste buds and are simple to prepare. Thank you to eatingwell.com for the inspiration!

 

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

This hearty jambalaya is bursting with chicken, smoked turkey sausage, and shrimp. It takes just 25 minutes to prep in the morning and then your slow cooker will work its magic and deliver a tasty meal at the end of the day.

 

Vegetarian Lasagna

Sure, the slow cooker’s great for stews and soups, but it also happens to make a mean lasagna! In this ingenious slow-cooker recipe, all you have to do is chop your veggies, then layer the ingredients (raw) into the crockpot. Serve with: Garlic bread and a green salad.

 

Brisket and Onions over Mashed Potatoes

This brisket is seasoned with tangy mustard, sweet turbinado sugar and pungent garlic. Substitute brown sugar for the turbinado, if desired, and use the tube variety of tomato paste so any leftovers stay fresh longer. We recommend serving this braised beef over mashed potatoes, but it’d be just as delicious over rice, spaghetti squash or pasta.

 

Kale, Wild Rice and Chicken Stew

Chicken thighs get perfectly tender in just a few hours in the slow cooker. Plus, cooking everything together low and slow infuses all the flavors together for complexity in every bite. 

 

Honey Orange Chicken with Butternut Squash

Combine orange juice, cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, salt and crushed red pepper with chicken and butternut squash in this delicious slow-cooker recipe. Serve over high-protein quinoa, which contains all nine essential amino acids.

 

Winter Minestrone

This version of the Italian classic vegetable and bean soup is made in the slow cooker and mixes in flavorful sausage and squash. Use any variety of winter squash.

 

Chile-spiced Beef with Cheesy Polenta

Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting to make a Sunday dinner that yields leftovers for another night. Tuck the rest of the spiced beef and your favorite fixings into corn tortillas or spoon over baked sweet potatoes.

 

Squash, Chickpea, and Lentil Soup

Modeled on North African stews, this aromatic vegetarian main course can be served over brown rice or steamed spinach.

 

Buon Appetite! Share your favorite recipes on the Branch Facebook page!