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Slow Cooker Recipes to Make Weeknight Cooking Easier

Beef Bourguignon (Crock Pot)

From the Instant Pot to an air fryer there are lots of kitchen gadgets to make cooking easier. A slow cooker is still one of my favorites, though.

I love that I can place ingredients into it in the morning and have a delicious meal by dinner. A bonus is how fantastic the kitchen smells while the ingredients are simmering. These Crock Pot recipes will make an easy and full-flavored weeknight meal.

“This Crock Pot Rosemary Cornish Game Hen recipe came about as an easy dinner for me to throw together when I am home on my lunch break,” explains Nicole Darty (Redmond, WA). “It has quickly become one of our favorite dinners.”

What a terrific and easy recipe if you’re cooking for two. The Cornish hens are savory and tender. The skin does not crisp, though, when simmering in the slow cooker. If you like crispy skin, I would definitely put it in the oven until golden brown and crispy as Nicole suggests. Adjust the garlic and rosemary to your liking and you have a can’t-miss meal.

I love a good comfort food recipe that warms your soul. Vicki Butts’ Beef Bourguignon (Crock Pot) is one of those recipes.

The beef is extremely tender with an essence of the red wine. It pairs well with the smoky bacon and sweet carrots. Vicki suggests serving it as a soup, over rice or with mashed potatoes. In the Test Kitchen, we opted for the potatoes and fell in love.

On a cold day, soup is one of my go-to meals. A favorite is Danielle Sprueill’s (Mountain Center, CA) Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup.

“Delicious and easy,” is how Danielle describes her recipe. She adds ingredients like black beans, green chilies, and enchilada sauce that give this slow cooker soup a Southwest flair. It’s tasty on its own, but the toppings take it over the top! Danielle suggests adding tortilla chips, sour cream, cheese, chopped onions, and avocado. This hearty soup is super flavorful.

Cassie’s Comforting Chicken & Noodles is not only hearty, rich and delicious, but it’s also easy to prepare. “I made this tasty meal for my mom to help out while ill,” explains Cassie. “She loved it.”

Cooking the chicken low and slow for several hours makes it tender and flavorful. The noodles take on the flavor of the chicken and the creamy soup to make the whole pot irresistible. Even your pickiest eater will clean their plate. This is soon to become a new family favorite.

After one bite, kids (big and small) will request Leena Corral’s (La Miranda, CA) Crock Pot Cheeseburger Mac again. It’s cheesy, meaty and full of flavor.

The kids will love the creamy, hearty meal and mom will love how easy it is to make. Once everything is in the Crock Pot, you only have to give it an occasional stir while it’s cooking, fold in cooked macaroni and, voila, dinner is ready.

This week when planning your weeknight menu, pull out the Crock Pot and try one of these Blue Ribbon slow cooker recipes. What’s your favorite Crock Pot meal? Share your recipe below and Happy Pinching!