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My Best Friend in the Kitchen – The Crock Pot

Mom's Favorite Crock Pot Chili

I love making Crock Pot recipes. I just add all of the ingredients to the pot and, basically, forget about it. With all the cooking I do in the Test Kitchen, sometimes I just don’t feel like making dinner. I’m sure you’ve had those types of days too!

One of my favorite things to cook in my Crock Pot is chili. Recently, I tried Jenni K’s Mom’s Favorite Crock Pot Chili recipe. This filled my large Crock Pot all the way to the top. But I was glad my oh my… it was good.

The meat combination of beef and turkey is a great idea. The combination of spices gave the chili a nice depth of flavor without being too spicy. Jenni says to cook this without the lid on for the last hour for the chili to thicken. I was really surprised at how the chili thickened when I left the lid off… a great cooking tip!

Another great tip (and reason the Crock Pot’s so great) is you don’t need to buy the most expensive cuts of meat. Since it’s cooking away for hours, the meat will almost always end up juicy and tender.

“I usually use a chuck roast or sirloin tip -whatever is on sale,” explains Gretchen H when describing what meat to use in her Crock Pot Roast with Gravy recipe. “This always makes a tender roast and the gravy is sooo good.”

This is a really easy to prepare, and so delicious. The perfect recipe to make when having family and friends over. It’s just so easy to make, you’ll have even more time to spend with everyone.

“My favorite thing to do is create a recipe from scratch,” explains Jackie Marinoff of her Crock Pot Italian Chicken & Carrots. “My family fell in love with this dish last night and have already asked me to put it in the recipe book for next time.” The fresh herbs really take this recipe over the top.

Brining first, really makes this chicken extra tender – it literally fell off the bone after cooking in the Crock Pot. There are a few steps, but Jackie’s recipe is really easy and will definitely impress your guests. Add some crusty bread and a salad and your meal is complete!

Next time you’re having guests over, whip up a batch of Angie Robinson’s Unstuffed Green Pepper Soup. It smells and tastes just like stuffed peppers. When guests arrive, they’ll think you have stuffed peppers baking in the oven. “I am a stuffed pepper and also a soup fanatic, so this is a great way to get both in one,” says Angie. “To me it’s much easier than stuffing the peppers.” You may want to double the recipe so you have some leftovers for the week. It’s that good.

Robynne Glenn’s Pulled Pork & Crispy Onion Ciabatta Sandwiches are a great weeknight meal. Just title of the recipe alone will have your mouth watering, so imagine the state of affairs in the kitchen when you being to smell the aroma of it cooking!

This is another very easy recipe. You won’t need to add any extra sauce (unless you want to) because there is so much flavor in the meat. The fried onions on top add a nice bit of crunch. If you have any pulled pork leftover, try creating some tasty quesadillas the next day. This sandwich is all you imagine it to be… and then some.

Have you noticed a pattern with all these recipes? They’re easy! There are so many great recipes for the Crock Pot, that you’re bound to find something that suits your taste buds. What types of dishes do you like to make in your Crock Pot?