Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

holiday slow cooker ez dinner

Recipe by
Lyla Gray
Spokane, WA

My mom is over 4 score years old and she doesn't get out for the Holidays anymore, so I put the ingredients I had on hand into the slow cooker in the order described and took it over the hill and far away to grandmothers house for a holiday dinner. It was so good that my husband and sons went back for seconds, but the true test was that my mom loved it. That's when I decided I had to share this easy recipe with others. The parsnips and carrots give it a unique flavor along with the dried mustard powder and balsamic vinegar. Enjoy this easy pork roast any day!

yield 4 - 6
prep time 20 Min
cook time 4 Hr
method Slow Cooker Crock Pot

Ingredients For holiday slow cooker ez dinner

  • 3 to 4 lb
    pork loin roast
  • 1
    medium size chopped onion
  • 1/2 tsp
    dried mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp
    garlic salt
  • 1 can
    healthy selection cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 c
    balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 c
    water with a splash of soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp
    dried rosemary herb or 2 sprigs fresh
  • 3
    carrots, peeled and cut in 1" chunks
  • 3
    parsnips, peeled and cut in 1" chunks
  • 6
    small red potatoes, cut in half (optional)
  • freshly cracked pepper (to taste)

How To Make holiday slow cooker ez dinner

  • 1
    Saute chopped onion in a large oiled skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle dry powdered mustard over top and let sit for about 30 seconds to one minute to allow spice to bloom (you'll smell the aroma) then stir fry.
  • 2
    Add pork roast and brown on all sides in same pan along with onions. (cut roast into chunks or bite size pieces if desired before you stir fry) Sprinkle the garlic salt on top of the meat while stir frying to brown on all sides. These first two steps should only take about 3 to 5 minutes altogether.
  • 3
    Add all these ingredients into the slow cooker. Pour the healthy choice cream of mushroom soup over the roast. To get all the goodies out of the soup can rinse it out with 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup water and pour over roast. Strip two sprigs of rosemary onto roast or use 1/4 tsp dried rosemary. Mix together and let cook on high for 3 hours before adding vegetables.
  • 4
    Meanwhile, wash, peel and cut up carrots and parsnips into 1" chunks and put into slow cooker with 1 hour left to finish 4 hours of cooking on high. (Also add the optional potatoes at this time with the cracked pepper if desired).
  • 5
    This cooks up to have a nice tangy gravy sauce for over the roast, vegetables and optional potatoes. I served this as an easy Holiday dinner at grandma's with a green salad, a green bean casserole and Strawberry Rhubarb pie.
  • 6
    I've been cooking and teaching children to cook from scratch for decades - so I cook to taste. Most measurements can be an approximation, and I may have added a little bit more or less of the spices and liquids. I hope you will enjoy the dish as much as my family did.
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