the slow cook

Slow Cooker Recipes Via elephantgrace.com

Breakfast
6 7 8 9 10

warm drinks apple butter granola strawberry jam/sauce cinnamon rolls

Desserts
31 32 33 34

coconut nutella pudding cake pumpkin pudding cake peach cobbler baked apples

Entres
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

ginger chicken soup chinese 5 spice pork chicken noodle soup apple roasted pork chicken & dressing chicken fettuccine lasagna baked potato soup spaghetti sauce catalina chicken pot roast

More Entres
23 24 25 26 27

broccoli & cheese soup lemon pepper chicken ham & beans chicken burritos spanish pot roast w/olives

Sides
29

baked potatoes

breakfast

your favorite warm drink

things you need

1/2 cup of your favorite drink mix 1 quart liquid (e.g. milk, cider, water, etc.)

heres how
1 Combine the mix and the liquid and cook on low for 1-1.5 hours. Just long enough to heat it through and meld all the flavors together.

helpful notes
I was able to get 2 large portions (think grande size at the coffee shop) out of this recipe.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 6

apple butter
things you need
12-15 apples, cored and sliced.
Use a variety of sweet and tart apples, and as many as you can fit in your slow cooker. Dont worry about peeling them.*

1 tbs cinnamon 1 tsp allspice 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground clove

1 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/2 cups white sugar**

1 Cup Apple Cider***

heres how
1 Put Apple Pieces and Cider into slow cooker. I used 4 Granny Smith apples, 4 Gala apples, and 4 of some other kind that looked like Gala's but weren't and were still on sale.... Cook on low 8-12 hours, stirring occasionally I put it on overnight and give it a good stir when I wake up in the morning. 2 After 8-12hrs, blend apple mixture by using an immersion blender or carefully transferring to a stand mixture. Again, don't worry about the apple skin unless it just really bothers you. I leave mine on and by the time the immersion blender has done its job you can't tell the skins were ever there. Blend until smooth or preferred consistency and then transfer back to slow cooker 3 Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and Cook on low 1 hour 4 Remove lid and continue to cook on low 1 final hour. Can and process; or eat and enjoy. This makes roughly 4.5 pints worth of apple butter.

helpful notes
*If apple skins really bother you, you can peel the apples. I just dont take the time to peel 15 apples because I run my immersion blender through the batch. **Clearly I like sugar. You can alter this recipe to suit your preferences. Im sure that you could use honey, maple syrup, or other natural sweeteners to enhance the flavors. You could also add more of the sweet apple varieties and cut the sugar out all together. ***The Cider is just a suggestion, really. I completely forgot to add it in the last batch I made and it didnt really alter anything. If your apples seem a bit dry then I would go ahead and add it (or at least add some apple juice or water). If your apples are super moist, Id say you can leave it out.
the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com page 7

original recipe found at: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com

granola

things you need

5 cups old-fashioned oats 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup molasses 1/4 cup melted butter 1 Tbls flax seeds 1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut 1/2 cup dried cranberries

heres how
1 Put all dry ingredients in slow cooker (make sure youre using a 4 Quart or larger cooker) 2 Add honey, molasses, and butter to dry ingredients and stir to combine. Cover, and vent the lid with a wooden spoon or chopstick 3 Cook on high 3-4 hours, stirring frequently* Granola is done when its a deep brown color and very fragrant

helpful notes
*If you can smell the granola cooking, go stir it. It will burn if its left unattended. I ended up having to stir my mix roughly every 30 minutes, and more frequently as it was closer to being finished. This makes a cereal like granola. If you want a chewy-er batch, youll need to up the honey/ molasses mixture. I double the original recipes amounts (see link above) and still ended up with a very dry granola, so Id say youd need at least 1.5-2 cups total sweet liquid mixture (be it honey, molasses, or a combo of both).

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 8

strawberry jam/sauce
things you need

2 lbs strawberries 4 cups sugar 1/2 cup lemon juice

heres how
1 Combine all ingredients and cook on high for 3-4hrs. 2 After cooking, carefully transfer mixture to a stand blender, or using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. 3 Can and process, or store and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving (to allow the sauce to firm up a bit)

helpful notes
I ended up canning 6 one half pints of this sauce and put the remainder (maybe 1/4 a pint) in the fridge to use. This makes a very smooth, but very runny strawberry sauce . After 5ish hours, the sauce in the fridge had thickened slightly, and tasted amazing on some fresh, hot biscuits!

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 9

cinnamon rolls
things you need

1 package refrigerated biscuits 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar 1tsp 1tbs cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 stick melted butter non stick cooking spray

handful of chopped pecans

for topping roughly 1/3 cup (could substitute with your favorite nut)

heres how
1 spray your slow cooker with the cooking spray 2 In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and vanilla 3 In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. I guesstimated my measurements and you can adjust them to suit your tastes 4 Dip the biscuits in the melted butter and then roll them in the sugar mixture until they are well coated. Then place coated biscuits in the slow cooker 5 Top with pecans, left over sugar mixture, and remaining butter. Cook on low 2-3 hours.

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 10

entre

ginger chicken soup

original recipe found in Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publications: Diabetic Slow Cooker

things you need

5-6 frozen/fresh chicken tenders 3 medium carrots, coarsely grated (or 1 cup shredded) 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

ground black pepper to taste 2 cups water 4 cups chicken broth 2 ounces samen noodles 6oz frozen snow pea pods, thawed

heres how
1 Put everything except the noodles and pea pods into the slow cooker and cook on low 6ish hours. 2 Shred the chicken with a fork, add the pea pods and noodles, and cook an additional 3 minutes.

helpful notes
If you have access to fresh ginger, use that (1 tablespoon grated) , this has a tendency to turn out kind of bland, so if you like soy sauce, Id say youd be safe in upping the amount to suit your taste.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 12

chinese 5 spice pork

things you need

2 whole oranges quartered. (No need to peel the oranges)

4ish Tbs of Chinese 5 Spice 1-2 lbs pork tenderloin

heres how
1 Dry your tenderloin and coat with the 5 Spice. Use as little or as much as you want. I like a strong flavor, so I make sure that mine resembles a dry rubbed bbq by the time Im finished. 2 Put the seasoned pork and orange wedges in the slow cooker and cook for 8ish hours on low

helpful notes
You wont want to eat the oranges after cooking them for so long but they will provide a really nice flavor (and the cooking liquid) to the dish.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 13

chicken noodle soup

original recipe found at www.creativelydomestic.com

things you need

1/2 white onion chopped fine 3 carrots, peeled & chopped fine 3 stalks of celery, chopped fine a handful of green onions 4 cups broth 1 cup water

1 can cream of chicken 1 can corn (whole kernels, 15oz) 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 1/2 bag egg noodles

heres how
1 add everything into your cooker except the noodles and chicken. Cook the mix on low for about 6 hours 2 add the noodles and chicken and then cook on high one additional 45min.

helpful notes
Monitor your noodles at around 30-45 min. You can let the noodles cook as long as an hour, but after that they become mushy.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 14

apple roasted pork tenderloin

things you need

1 lb pork tenderloin 2 Red Delicious Apples 1 cup Apple Cider

heres how
1 Core and slice the apples, cut slits in the pork tenderloin across the short end to form pockets for some of the apple slices, and stuff apple slices in slits. Place remaining apples in bottom of slow cooker 2 Put stuffed tenderloin on top of apples in slow cooker, pour cider over all of it, and cook on low 7-8 hours

helpful notes
I did everything but the cooking the night before letting the pork loin marinate in the cider overnight in the refrigerator. When I left for work, I simply popped the slow cooker in its base, set it to low, and let it go. It was fall-apart tender when I got home that evening. It came out a bit dry to me next time I fix it, I will probably prepare some sort of apple gravy to go with it.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 15

chicken & dressing

things you need

2 pans cooked cornbread, crumbled 2 hot dog buns, torn into small pieces 2 stalks celery, chopped fine 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped 2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 cups chicken broth* sage to taste 1 stick butter, melted 1 small onion, chopped fine 3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

heres how
1 The night before you want to serve the dressing: cook and shred the chicken, cook and crumble the cornbread, boil the eggs, and chop the onion and celery 2 The day you want to serve the dressing combine the crumbled cornbread, torn hot dog buns, chopped celery, chopped onion, chopped eggs, 1 can cream of chicken soup, the chicken broth, sage, and melted butter. Stir to combine. 3 In the bottom of the slow cooker, layer 1/2 of the remaining cream of chicken soup, 1/3 of the dressing mixture and 1/2 of the chicken. On top of the chicken, add 1/3 of the dressing and the rest of the chicken. Top the final layer of chicken with the remaining dressing mixture 4 Spread the rest of the cream of chicken soup on the top. Cover and Cook on low for 3-4 hours

helpful notes
*The original recipe used roughly 4 cups of broth. For me, I found that to make my dressing too runny so I decreased the liquid amount here. I used a sweet cornbread bagged mix for my two pans of cornbread easy and delicious. If you use a homemade cornbread, I would probably bump the liquid back up to closer to 4 cups. Basically youre looking for a bread pudding like consistency. But, if you get too much liquid and its still kind of runny after 4 hours of cooking, turn your temp to high for 30min-1hour and remove the lid. The excess liquid should cook off and leave you with a delicious chicken and dressing dinner.
the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com page 16

chicken fettuccine
things you need

3 lb boneless, skinless chicken (about 6 tenders or 3 breasts) Zesty Italian Salad Dressing mix 4tbs melted butter 1 small onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced

1 can cream of chicken soup 1 block good cream cheese 1/2 cup chicken broth Fettuccine noodles

heres how
1 Place chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle with 2 tbsp. melted butter and the Italian seasoning mix. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, then shred the chicken pieces and return them to the slow cooker. 2 Saute onion and garlic in remaining butter, add cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Stir until smooth and pour in the slow cooker. Stir to combine soup mixture with chicken pieces & cook on low for an additional hour. 3 Prepare Fettuccine noodles as directed on package. Serve chicken sauce with cooked noodles.

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 17

lasagna
things you need

6-9 lasagna UNCOOKED noodles

2 tbs fresh basil, chopped

or 2tsp dried

4-6 cups of your favorite spaghetti

sauce (see page ____ for my recipe)

1 15oz pkg ricotta

2 cups shredded mozzarella 1 cup shredded Parmesan 1 egg

heres how
1 In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of mozzarella with the parmesan, egg, ricotta, and basil. Reserve the other cup of mozzarella for adding later. 2 Put 1/4 of the spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker, layer on 3ish noodles (enough to make a single layer, break them to fit if you need to), and top with 1/2 of the cheese mixture spread evenly. Repeat this layering one more time. 3 Add 1/4 of spaghetti sauce, put another layer of noodles down and finally, top with remaining spaghetti sauce 4 Cook on Low 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender. After noodles are tender, remove slow cooker lid, top with remaining cup of mozzarella and cook, uncovered for 30min-1hr.

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 18

baked potato soup

things you need

1 small onion, chopped 1 can cream of chicken soup 6 cups stock 1 30oz bag frozen shredded hashbrowns cracked pepper to taste

1 block of good cream cheese (dont get the fat-free or low-fat version b/c it wont melt correctly)

traditional baked potato toppings (bacon, cheese, sour cream, chives, etc.)

heres how
1 Combine the onion, soup, stock, pepper, and hashbrowns in a 4-6qt slow cooker & Cook on low around 8 hours 2 1 hour before serving, add in the cream cheese and let it melt into the soup 3 Serve with the traditional baked potato toppings

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 19

spaghetti sauce
things you need

2 10oz cans tomato sauce 2 small cans tomato paste 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 lbs of hamburger meat, browned and drained 1 small onion chopped fine

1 tsp sugar 2 tsp Italian Seasonings black pepper to taste

heres how
1 After cooking and draining the hamburger meat, combine all ingredients in slow cooker and mix well 2 Cook on low for 3-4 hours

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 20

catalina chicken
things you need
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast or
tenders (can be frozen)

1/2 bottle Catalina Salad Dressing

heres how
1 Combine ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low 7-8hrs or high 3-4 hours

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 21

pot roast
things you need

1 pot roast (as large or as small as what will fit comfortably in your slow cooker) 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can beef broth 1 pkg onion soup mix

heres how
1 Pour the mushroom soup, beef broth, and onion soup mix in the slow cooker and stir to combine 2 Add the roast and cook on low 7-8hrs or high 3-4 hours

helpful notes
I usually put my roast in frozen when I leave for work and by the time I get home its been cooking about 10ish hours and is perfectly tender and fall-apart good.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 22

broccoli & cheese soup

original recipe found at www.food.com

things you need

1 10oz bag frozen, chopped broccoli 1 can cream of chicken soup 1lb Velveeta cheese, cubed 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1-2 tbs olive oil or butter 1 1/2 cups milk

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded

(or about a pound of shredded chicken)

heres how
1 Saute onion in olive oil or butter until slightly brown (this step is optional but does give a deeper flavor). While onions are browning, combine everything but the chicken in the slow cooker. Once onions are slightly brown, add them to the slow cooker 2 Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours, stir once about 1/2 way through. 3 About 5 min before serving, stir in the cooked chicken to heat it through

helpful notes
Do NOT add salt, the cheese is plenty salty to season the entire soup. Also note, you can substitute a pound of good melting cheddar for the Velveeta.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 23

lemon pepper chicken

things you need

1 lb frozen chicken tenderloins (about 6 tenders) 1 packet lemon pepper marinade mix 1/2 cup lemon juice 1/2 cup water

heres how
1 Put frozen tenders in slow cooker and sprinkle on lemon pepper marinade mix. Pour lemon juice and water into the slow cooker 2 Cook on low 8 hours

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 24

ham and beans

things you need

1 lb Northern Beans 1 lb smoked ham, cubed* 1 small onion 3 cloves garlic, minced** 1/4 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp allspice

1 tbs dried parley 1/2 c brown sugar black pepper to taste 4 cups chicken broth

heres how
1 At least 8 hours before you want to turn on your slow cooker: rinse, sort, and soak the beans. You can let the beans soak for up to 24 hours I soaked mine overnight and put them in to cook the following morning 2 Once your beans have soaked, drain and rinse them again, then put them in your slow cooker. Combine ham, onion, garlic, sugar, and spices with the beans, then add the liquid. 3 Cook on Low roughly 8 hours

helpful notes
*I used a ham steak because it was cheap and easy. It was also the perfect thickness. You could use whatever ham you have on hand though, with the exception of thin deli ham

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 25

chicken burritos
things you need

1lb frozen skinless chicken breast or tenders (I use about 6 tenders) 1 16oz can of your favorite salsa tortillas your favorite burrito toppings

heres how
1 combine the still frozen tenders with the entire can of salsa and let it cook in the slow cooker for 8ish hours on low or 4ish hours on high. 2 Remove the chicken from the cooker, shred with a fork, and pile high on warm tortillas or taco shells with whatever toppings your heart desires.

helpful notes
I top mine with homemade pico de gallo:

8 smaller tomatoes -chopped 1/2 of a small onion minced a pinch of red pepper flakes a splash of lemon or lime juice maybe 2 tbls chopped fresh cilantro we like a lot of cilantro, you can add as much or as little as you like. If you dont like cilantro, you can substitute parsley or just leave it out all together.

Combine all ingredients and let them mingle for at least 10 minutes.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 26

spanish pot roast with olives

things you need

2ish pound of good marinating steak or roast (I used a flank steak) 1 10oz can of green olives stuffed with garlic

heres how
1 Put all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

helpful notes
Be sure you put the entire container of olives in with the steak including the liquid theyre bottled in. Just open the bottle and dump it all in on top of the steak

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 27

sides

baked potatoes
things you need
4 baking potatoes (or as
many you can fit into your slow cooker whole)

A fork for venting the potatoes Your favorite potato toppings

aluminum foil sea salt olive oil

heres how
1 Clean the potatoes you dont have to peel them, just wash them off really well. Make sure you dry them after washing, though. 2 Using the fork, prick several holes in the potatoes to serve as vents during cooking. Coat the potatoes in olive oil then sprinkle with salt, then wrap each potato in aluminum foil and place in slow cooker.
3 Cook on low 8ish hours or High 4ish hours. Serve with your favorite potato toppings

helpful notes
I wouldnt cook the potatoes over 10 hours or you risk over cooking them.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 29

dessert

coconut nutella pudding cake

original recipe found at: http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com

things you need

1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup powdered sugar 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/3 cups coconut milk 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup shredded coconut, (plus more for serving) 1/4 cup Nutella Cooking spray 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder Vanilla ice cream, for serving

heres how
1 In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, 1/3 cup of the coconut milk, oil, vanilla extract, and coconut. Whisk until smooth and then stir in the Nutella. 2 Spray a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour in the batter. Mix the sugar and cocoa powder together and sprinkle on top of the batter in the slow cooker. In a small pot, bring the remaining coconut milk to a boil and pour over the batter in the slow cooker; do not stir. 3 Cover with the lid and cook on high for 1 -3 hours (depending how hot your slow cooker cooks and how big of a slow cooker you use). 4 Scoop out cake into individual bowls and drizzle with the chocolate sauce. Top with additional coconut, if desired. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

helpful notes
I found this cake to be incredibly rich and decadent. By the time it was finished cooking, it almost resembled an upside down cake where the cake part was on the top and the sauce was on the bottom. It spooned out of the cooker easily, and was wonderful served with extra coconut shreds and vanilla ice cream. But, if youre not a fan of coconut, you could easily leave those elements out and substitute in regular milk. Im sure it would still come out great.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 31

pumpkin pudding cake

original recipe found at: http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com

things you need

2 cans pumpkin puree 1 box spice cake mix 1 tbs pumpkin pie spice cinnamon 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1 cup sugar

heres how
1 Combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in the bottom of your slow cooker 2 In a separate bowl, combine the butter and cake mix using a fork or pastry blender to cut into the cake mix until you have pea sized chunks and the mix is crumbly. Add cake mix to slow cooker and somewhat combine* & sprinkle with cinnamon 3 Cook on low 3-4 hours or high for 1.5 2 hrs. Before putting the lid on the cooker, place a layer of paper towels over it. The paper towels will absorb condensation and prevent water from dripping back down onto your cake. Place the lid on top of the paper towels and make sure that it is secure. 4 After 3-4 hours on low, remove lid and set cooker to keep warm. Let it sit for 30 minutes or so. This will allow the cake to firm up a bit. Serve with ice cream

helpful notes
* The original recipe says to just sprinkle the cake mix on top and leave it be. Clearly I have trust issues because I was worried the cake would come out as a raw flour mix on top and too much like a pudding on the bottom. To alleviate this fear, I gently stirred the mix into the pumpkin just a bit not so much that it was completely combined, but enough to ensure that at least some of the cake mix got to the bottom of the cooker.
the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com page 32

original recipe found at: http://www.4hatsandfrugal.com

peach cobbler
1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cinnamon pinch of nutmeg 1 cup milk 1 cup sugar

things you need

2 bags frozen peaches (thawed) 1 tsp black walnut extract (could substitute vanilla) 1/2 cup sugar 1 cup all purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

heres how
1 Turn your slow cooker to high and put in the butter. Let it melt (mine took about 30-45 minutes) 2 While the butter is melting, combine the 1/2 cup sugar, thawed peaches, and black walnut extract in a large bowl. Mix to coat the peaches. 3 In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk and cup of sugar. Once butter is melted and bubbling, SLOWLY add the flour mixture to the slow cooker. 4 Slowly pour in the peach mixture on top of the flour mixture. The peaches will sink as they cook. Put the cover on the slow cooker and let it go for 2 1/2 3 hours on high 5 After 2 1/2-3 hours, sprinkle a bit of sugar on the top of the cobbler, vent the lid open with a chopstick or wooden spoon and let it cook for an additional 30 minutes.

helpful notes
Mine never got very brown, but it was cooked through. I served it topped with a sprinkling of wheat germ (for added crunch), a pinch of additional cinnamon, and a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 33

original recipe found at: http://www.food.com

baked apples

things you need

4 baking apples

2 tbls melted butter 1/2 c water 1 tsp-1tbls cinnamon 2 tbls lemon juice ice cream & caramel sauce

1/4 c packed brown sugar + 1

heaping tablespoon (you may not need that much, but it sure makes it tasty)

1/4 c chopped pecans 1/4 c chopped dried apricots

heres how
1 Core the apples, leaving roughly 1/2 an inch to an inch at the bottom. Peel 1 inch around the top of the apple and brush the core and peeled edge with the lemon juice. 2 Combine the pecans, apricots, brown sugar and melted butter and spoon mixture evenly into apples 3 Pour water into slow cooker and gently sit the apples in the water. Cook on low for 3-4hrs 4 Remove apples from slow cooker, top with cinnamon and caramel sauce, and serve with ice cream .

helpful notes

the slow cook: slow cooker recipes via www.elephantgrace.com

page 34