Crockpot Swiss Steaks

I have a vague memory of my Grandma making Swiss steak when I was a kid. I remember her telling me how fancy it was because it was “Swiss.” Now, having actually lived in Switzerland, I don’t recall ever seeing Swiss steak on a menu. So naturally, I had to know where it came from. Off to Google I went…

Photo from Spend
with Pennies

Turns out, Swiss steak is American and the “Swiss” part refers to the way the meat is tenderized. Basically, it’s the technique used to turn a tougher cut of beef into something resembling cube steak. So, not nearly as fancy as Grandma made it sound. 

Apparently, I’ve made Swiss steak a handful of times over the years, and my reviews of those recipes are all over the place. Some I’ve liked, some I haven’t. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say the recipe matters.

Unfortunately, this particular recipe didn’t do it for me.

It felt like it was missing some depth. Now, I do realize the blog I found this on is Spend with Pennies, which is all about doing more with less, so perhaps I should have expected this to be a pretty basic recipe. And it was. Basic isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but in this case, I just felt like it needed…more. More flavor, more depth, something to make me want to go back for another bite.

What I did really like were the carrots. I absolutely love carrots that have been slowly stewed in a beefy broth for a couple of hours. Those were tender, flavorful, and probably my favorite part of the whole dish.

So, the verdict? I think I like Swiss steak. I just need to find the right recipe.

Crockpot Swiss Steaks

Recipe from Spend With Pennies

Serves 4

• 1 ½ pounds round steak or cube steaks or minute steaks
• 2 carrots sliced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 rib celery sliced into 1-inch pieces
• ½ yellow onion sliced ½-inch
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (14.5 ounce each) can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• salt and black pepper to taste
• cornstarch optional, for thickening

Add sliced carrots, celery, onion, & garlic to the bottom of a slow cooker.

Pound steaks with a meat tenderizer to ¼ inch thickness and season with salt and pepper (cube steaks do not need to be pounded). Put flour in a shallow dish or plate and dredge each steak in the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown steaks on both sides, about 2 minutes per side adding more oil if needed.

In the same pan, add wine and scrape up any brown bits. Add to the slow cooker with remaining ingredients except for the cornstarch.

Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high or until steaks are fork tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes or noodles.

Chicken French Dips

Photo from The Skinny Dish

Sometimes I go into a recipe with pretty low expectations. Usually it's because there's an ingredient or cooking method that I've convinced myself I don't like.

In this case, it was slow-cooked chicken. For some reason, my brain had decided that chicken cooked in the slow cooker just wasn't my thing. Turns out, my brain was wrong.

This recipe was an absolute winner.

I'd never had a Chicken French Dip before, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The ingredient list is surprisingly simple, but somehow those basic ingredients come together to create something incredibly flavorful and satisfying.

One thing I've learned about French dips: the bread matters. A lot. You need a sturdy, crusty roll that can stand up to being dunked in au jus without falling apart. There's nothing worse than a soggy sandwich that disintegrates halfway through eating it.

I almost skipped the mozzarella cheese because I tend to like my French dips pretty plain and straightforward. But lately I've been trying to be more open-minded about foods and flavors I assume I won't like. I'm glad I gave it a chance because the melted mozzarella ended up being the perfect finishing touch. It added just the right amount of richness and took the sandwich to another level.

This one is definitely earning a spot in my Favorites folder for the year. That's two new favorites in two days—I'm on a roll!

Chicken French Dips

Recipe from The Skinny Dish

Serves 8

• 2 lbs chicken breast raw
• 1 large yellow sweet onion thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp light butter I use land o lakes
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups of 98% fat free chicken broth
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp all purpose white flour
• 4-5 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• freshly cracked pepper

For the sandwiches:

• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
• 6 hard rolls or bread of choice
  

In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil and butter. Add thinly sliced onions, a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook stirring often for about 12-15 minutes until the onions become very soft and a little caramelized.

Add chicken breasts to a slow cooker, followed by the cooked onions, minced garlic, chicken broth, and kosher salt & black pepper.

In a small bowl whisk together flour and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk the mixture into the broth on top of the chicken. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Remove the chicken, place onto a cutting board, and cut into pieces or lightly shred.

To assemble the sandwiches: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On a sheet pan lay bottom of the roll down, top each roll with about 4 ounces of chicken, 1/4 cup of the au jus from the slow cooker (*see notes), two tbsp of mozzarella, and then the top of the bun.

(Note: These totally work as open faced sandwiches for those who want to cut back on carbs or calories)

Place sheet pan into oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until the bread is crispy and the cheese is nicely melted. Serve with 1/2 cup of au jus for dipping! Enjoy!

Mississippi Pot Roast

Recipe from Salt and
Lavendar

For a while there, I thought my pot roast era had officially come to an end. The last one I bought rang in
at a painful $44 for just three pounds, and I remember thinking, “Well… it’s been a good run.” But then—the bestie came through. She’s been finding some seriously good deals lately (we’re talking $5.99/lb!), and thanks to my garage freezer—courtesy of the Pantry Goat—I can actually stock up when those deals hit. 

I have six pot roasts sitting in the freezer just waiting for their moment. This week, I decided it was time. My weekly random recipe selection served up Mississippi Pot Roast.

If you were anywhere near the internet and reading food blogs about five years ago, you probably remember the hype—and honestly, it earned every bit of it. I made a version back in 2019 for a company potluck, and let me tell you… I still regret not stashing away a secret portion for myself. It disappeared fast. Like, not-a-single-bite-left fast.

Now here’s the twist: I’m not usually a pepperoncini person. I like the flavor, sure, but I’ll typically pick them out of anything I can. Except in this dish. Somehow, they transform into this tangy richness that completely makes the roast. Add in the au jus mix, ranch seasoning, and yes—a whole stick of butter—and you’ve got a flavor bomb that just works.

This time around, I decided to go all in. I seasoned the roast with Montreal Steak Seasoning and gave it a good sear before tossing it in the slow cooker. Do I always do this step? Honestly… no. I go back and forth on whether it makes a huge difference, especially since I’m not exactly a “super taster,” and neither are tonight’s dinner guests (the bestie and her sister). But hey—company was coming, so I figured I’d give it the full effort.

On the side? Lipton Soup potatoes. Because if we’re leaning into comfort food, we might as well commit. And besides, I can never get enough of those.

So consider this your sign: pull out the slow cooker, grab a pot roast (especially if you can snag a deal), and make Mississippi Pot Roast. It’s rich, it’s ridiculously easy, and it absolutely lives up to the hype.

Mississippi Pot Roast

Recipe from Salt and Lavendar

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 pounds beef chuck roast
• 12 pepperoncini peppers + 1/4 cup of the juice from the jar
• 1 (1 ounce) packet au jus gravy mix
• 1 (1 ounce) packet ranch seasoning mix I use Hidden Valley
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) cut into pieces

Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the roast on all sides until browned.

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker. Pour in the pepperoncini juice. Place the peppers around the roast, sprinkle the roast with the au jus and ranch packets, and then place the butter on top of the roast.

Cover and slow cook on low for 8 hours or until it's fall-apart tender, then shred it with forks.

Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans

Some traditions just stick—and honestly, this is one I have zero interest in breaking. Every year, we celebrate Sherrie’s birthday with BBQ ribs. And I’m fully on board with that plan… mostly because I love a good rack of ribs, but also because it gives me the perfect excuse to switch up the sides and try something new.

Over the years, we’ve paired those ribs with everything from au gratin potatoes to pasta salads and classic BBQ baked beans. This year, though, I found myself wanting to do something a little more meaningful.

My dad has been on my mind a lot lately—it’s his birthday month, so that’s not surprising. Food memories have a way of sneaking in during times like that, and one dish kept coming back to me: his slow-cooked green beans.

Photo from Butter
Your Biscuit

Dad loved those beans. He’d grab pounds of fresh green beans, a ham hock, and red potatoes, then let everything simmer away for hours. They were soft but not falling apart, rich with flavor, and unmistakably his. I loved them then, and I think I appreciate them even more now that he's gone and can't make them.

So, in honor of him, I decided to try a slow cooker version I found on Butter Your Biscuit. And… they were fine. Not bad, not amazing—just fine. I may have gotten a little heavy-handed with the pepper (whoops), but even beyond that, something was missing.

Honestly, I don’t think it was the recipe’s fault. I think it came down to time.

I missed my window to cook them low and slow for six hours, so I cranked the slow cooker to high for four instead. And if you’ve used a slow cooker much, you probably already know—high heat just doesn’t work the same magic as low. I’m a firm believer that “low and slow” isn’t just a saying, it’s a requirement for certain dishes.

Would I make these again? Absolutely. But next time, I’m giving them the full day they deserve—just like Dad did.

Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 8

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans (rinsed and trimmed)
• 8 slices bacon
• 1 medium onion diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 russet potato peeled and diced
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1 T Worcestershire
• pinch of red pepper flakes optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add the trimmed green beans to the slow cooker. (I like to cut mine in half)

Cut bacon into small pieces and cook over medium heat until crispy. Remove and set aside.

Add the onions into the bacon grease and sauté until soft about 3 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds.

Add sauteed onions and garlic and bacon grease to the green beans. Followed by the diced potatoes.

Pour in the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce and red pepper flakes if desired. Give the green beans a toss. Cover.

Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours or until desired tenderness.

Add salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle cooked bacon on top and serve.

Beef Curry Slow Cooker

Photo from
The Food Charlatan

Curry tends to be one of those “you’re either in or you’re out” flavors. It’s bold, rich, and unapologetically itself—and personally, I’m all in. So when I saw a recipe featuring both yellow curry and garam masala, I knew it had my name written all over it.

This dish delivered exactly what I hoped for: deep, warm flavor with just enough spice to wake up your taste buds without sending you running for a glass of milk. It’s the kind of heat that builds gently and keeps you coming back for another bite.

What really makes this recipe shine, though, is the slow cooker. There’s something magical about letting those spices simmer all day—the aroma alone turns your house into the coziest place on earth. By dinnertime, the anticipation is almost unbearable (in the best way).

Now, let’s talk about the age-old debate: to brown or not to brown your meat before it hits the slow cooker. Traditional chefs will insist it’s a must, while plenty of TikTok cooks say it’s skippable. Honestly? I fall somewhere in the middle. I’ve done it both ways and can’t say I notice a huge difference—it usually comes down to time and motivation.

This time, I went for it. I browned the meat, followed the recipe exactly (a rare moment of discipline for me), and let the slow cooker do its thing.

The verdict? Absolutely worth making—if you’re a curry fan. And if you’re not…well, we might need to have a conversation.

Beef Curry Slow Cooker

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• salt and pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 2-3 pounds chopped stew beef or chuck roast*, chopped into chunks
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• cilantro, to garnish
• red onion, chopped, to garnish

Heat a large, high-sided skillet (or a wide-bottomed pot), over medium high heat.

Salt and pepper the beef chunks.

Add about a tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl. It should start to shimmer if the pan is hot enough.

Add 1/3 of the seasoned meat to the pan. Place the pieces of meat so that they are not touching each other (You don’t want them to steam–see photos). Turn the pieces with tongs to brown all sides. Remove the beef to the slow cooker and repeat 2 more batches, adding more oil as necessary.

Once all of the beef is browned and in the slow cooker, turn the heat on the pan down to medium. Add the water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, beef bouillon, black pepper, curry powder , and garam masala .

Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is bubbly and the bouillon has dissolved. It should thicken up a bit.

Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.

Add the chopped onion and stir it all together. Cook on low heat for 6-7 hours, until the beef is fork tender

Garnish with chopped cilantro and hot rice!

I love to serve this curry with lots of cilantro, Coconut Jasmine Rice and Homemade Naan! It's the best combo! You could even throw in a Strawberry Lassi to sip with it, if you wanted to get really fancy!

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Photo from Simply Stacie

Book club night = hosting mode activated, which means I’m looking for something delicious that doesn’t trap me in the kitchen while everyone else is laughing, getting caught up, and refilling their wine. Enter: the trusty “set it and forget it” category—casseroles, slow cooker meals, anything that lets me appear effortlessly put together.

This particular recipe has been sitting patiently on my “someday” list for years, and I finally decided to give it its moment. I went in optimistic—peach preserves and BBQ sauce sounded like a fun little sweet-and-smoky situation.

Unfortunately… it never quite showed up to the party.

I kept waiting for that hint of peachy goodness to peek through, but it was basically a no-show. My guess? The BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s) may have completely stolen the spotlight. Instead of a balanced flavor, it leaned very “BBQ-forward” with none of the fruity twist I was hoping for.

Now, don’t get me wrong—it was perfectly fine. It fed the ladies, required minimal effort, and allowed me to actually enjoy book club instead of playing kitchen hermit. So in that sense, mission accomplished.

But as far as memorable dishes go? This one’s getting a polite nod and a “thanks, but we won’t be needing a repeat performance.” 

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Recipe from Simply Stacie

Serves 6

• 3 lbs boneless country-style ribs
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup peach preserves
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ½ cup BBQ sauce

Add the ribs to the slow cooker.

Sprinkle brown sugar, onion powder, garlic salt and paprika over the ribs.

In a bowl, stir together the peach preserves, honey and BBQ sauce. Pour the sauce over the ribs.

Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Optional: place the cooked ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet and baste with a little sauce from the slow cooker.

Broil for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Beef stroganoff is one of those comfort food recipes that I crave. I have my own "kick ass" recipe that's my go to when I want to make stroganoff without thinking. Then every once in awhile a new recipe comes along where I'm hooked and must try it. 

I've not been cooking much this year and this recipe was a great one to get me back into the rhythm. 

This one earns a solid five stars from me—and not in a casual “everything tastes good when you’re hungry” kind of way. The depth of flavor here is legit. The ingredients come together into something rich, hearty, and unapologetically beefy—the kind of meal that feels like it should be eaten while wearing stretchy pants and making zero apologies.

And let’s talk about the pasta choice for a second. Pappardelle? Absolute genius. I almost never use it (honestly, I can’t remember the last time I did), but those wide, ribbon-like noodles were made for this kind of dish. They hold onto all that creamy, savory goodness like they were born for it. Safe to say, I’m officially a pappardelle convert now.

Of course, no kitchen adventure is complete without a little improvisation. My “whoops” moment came when I completely missed the timing for transferring everything to the crock pot. Rather than panic (or, you know, read more carefully), I pivoted: into a 300°F oven it went, lid on, for about two hours. And you know what? It worked beautifully. Honestly, I might just do it that way on purpose next time.

I did make one intentional change, though. The recipe suggested dolloping sour cream on top when serving. That sounds lovely and all, but I’m not trying to win plating awards here. Instead, I stirred about half a cup of sour cream right into the dish and called it a day. For me, sour cream isn’t a garnish—it’s the heart and soul of stroganoff. And “dolloping” feels a little too fancy for something I plan to eat in pajamas.

Final verdict: cozy, flavorful, and just the right amount of rustic. Definitely going into the 2026 Favorite list.

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, I used light olive oil
• generous salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, (half stick)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1 to 2 cups sour cream, to add after cooking
• 12-16 ounces pappardelle pasta, plus water and salt
• fresh parsley, to garnish
• fresh chives, to garnish

Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the chuck roast into 2 inch chunks. Separate all the pieces out onto a work surface (I had mine on a cutting board) and dry them all over with paper towels.

Salt and pepper the pieces. Be generous. I used at least 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt.

Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.

Carefully place about 1/3 of the pieces of beef into the pan, one by one. Leave at least an inch or two of space in between. If you put them too close together (or just dump the meat in all at once), your meat will start to steam itself, and no browning will occur. (You may as well just skip the entire browning process altogether and dump the raw meat straight into the crock pot.)

Let the meat sear for about 1-2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each piece. When you see nice brown edges on both sides, transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

Continue searing the rest of the beef in one or two more batches, depending on space. Add more oil as necessary, and reduce the heat to medium if your pan starts to smoke. Remove all the meat to the slow cooker, but don’t clean out that pan. We need all those gorgeous brown bits.

Turn the heat off if you need to take a moment to chop your onion and slice your mushrooms if you haven’t already.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium high heat in the pan you seared the meat in. When it’s melted, add the chopped onion and quartered mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 tablespoon dried parsley. Saute for 5-8 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are soft.

Add 1 tablespoon smashed and minced garlic. Saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste. I love to use these refrigerated tubes of tomato paste, so I don’t have to throw away the rest of a 6-oz can.

Add 1/2 cup red wine (I used cooking wine) and 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base.* Let the mixture come to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for another 5-7 minutes until it has reduced a bit.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, adding in every last drop. Stir it together with the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Fill a large pot with water and about a tablespoon of salt (it should taste like seawater.) Bring the water to a boil and add the pappardelle pasta. Stir constantly to make sure the noodles don’t stick. Cook according to package instructions, usually about 3 minutes. Boil until al dente, don’t over cook.

Drain and add olive oil, stirring to coat.

Add some pasta to a serving plate.** Top with beef stroganoff. The chunks of beef may be big, but it’s so fork tender your guests can take care of it themselves at the table.

Add a big dollop of sour cream to each plate. Top with fresh parsley and fresh chives.

Trailer Trash Pot Roast

Photo from Sticky Gooey
Creamy Chewy

This was a recipe that felt like it came straight out of the 70's from a single mom with very little cash. 

Main two ingredients coke and chili sauce are odd ingredients for cooking and even odder to be together. Together, though, they made one helluva pot roast. I'll admit I was surprised. 

I put this expensive roast (pot roast used to be so inexpensive. A 3 lb roast cost me $40. We may forgo pot roast for a bit.) in the slow cooker. I know the recipe says put it in the oven, but I didn't want to babysit it. It worked perfect. 7.5 hours on low and it turned out tender as anything. 

I served this with mashed potatoes. It's unusual that I serve pot roast with mashed potatoes, but I had leftover taters from Turkey Day, it just made sense. 

Trailer Trash Pot Roast

Recipe from Stickygooeycreamychewy.com

Serves 6

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
• Salt and pepper for seasoning roast
• 1 can Coca Cola (classic Coke)
• 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup mix
• 1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 4 carrots, scrubbed and roughly chopped into 1 to 2-inch chunks

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season roast with salt and pepper and sear the meat until browned on both sides, about a minute or two per side. Remove from heat.

Stir Coke and onion soup mix together in a bowl. Whisk in chili sauce.

Pour Coke mixture over the chuck roast, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

Add the onions and carrots to the roast, cover and continue baking for another 2-3 hours, until meat and vegetables are fork tender.

Serve with mashed potatoes, hot buttered egg noodles or a big old loaf of crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Pot Pie

My niece sent a picture last week of her crock pot stew dinner. It made me want stew. Luckily when I did the random selection of recipes this week, this recipe popped up. 

Photo from I Am Homesteader

The only problem I had is I forgot to start it before I had lunch with a friend. So that means I couldn't do the slow cooker thing. I did the oven thing instead. I cooked it in the oven at 300F for 3 hours. Perfection!

I also added about 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste. I like tomato pasted in my stews. It adds a depth of flavor that I like. Otherwise, everything else was the same. 

I'd make this again for sure. It was delicious and kicks off the stew season well. 

Crock Pot Beef Pot Pie

Recipe from I Am Homesteader

Serves 8

• ¼ c unsalted butter
• 3 c beef sirloin or beef stew meat, seasoned with salt & pepper and cubed
• 4 c beef broth, divided
• 1 cube beef bouillon, crushed
• 2 c potatoes, diced
• 1 c carrots, sliced
• 1 can (15 ounces) corn
• ½ c corn starch
• ½ c whole milk
• 1 c peas, frozen
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 package biscuits, cooked to package directions

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter.

Add beef cubes and sauté until browned on all sides.

Transfer beef to slow cooker set to low. Add 2 cups of beef broth, bouillon, potatoes, carrots, and corn. Stir to combine.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Add the remaining 2 cups of beef broth.

In a small bowl, combine corn starch and milk. Slowly add this mixture to the slow cooker, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken.

Add frozen peas, salt, pepper, and oregano and replace the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Serve with biscuits.

Slow Braised Barbequed Beef Bites

Photo from Lord Byron's Kitchen

This recipe had such good intentions. I mean all those ingredients together sounds like it'd make a delicious dish. I wish it had. 

It wasn't horrible, just not what I was expecting. It lacked something. It took me all night to figure out what exactly was missing. And as I dosed off to sleep it hit me (naturally). It needed apple cider vinegar not white vinegar. 

When I think "BBQ" I think tangy and you get that tang from the ACV. This was missing that tang. If I make it again I'll use that instead. 

Otherwise, the recipe was simple, toss it all in a crock pot and leave it kinda recipe. Perfect on so many levels. Just not tangy.

Slow Braised Barbequed Beef Bites

Recipe from Lord Byron's Kitchen

Serves 4

• 2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 T white vinegar
• 4 T Worcestershire sauce
• 4 T brown sugar
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 c ketchup
• 2 c water

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, water, ketchup, salt, paprika, chili powder, and sugar. Set aside.

Place the beef, in an even layer, into a Dutch oven or roasting pan with a good fitting lid.

Sprinkle the chopped onion over the top of the beef.

Pour over the sauce mixture.

Place a lid on the pan and bake for 2 and a half hours, stirring at the one hour and two hour mark.

Remove the lid and bake for 30 minutes more.

Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

I am trying to clean out my freezer again so tonight we did some slow cooking of some pork chops! 

Super easy recipe. Almost literary set it and forget it. I didn't brown my pork chops before I put them in. Seems unnecessary when it's just me. 

One cautionary comment though, don't salt anything until you taste it later. The au jus gravy mix is pretty salty. I sure wish I could find one that's low sodium...well, one that I like. 

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Recipe from Tornadoughalli.com

Serves 4

• 2 pounds boneless pork loin chops about 8 chops
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 1 ounce packet au jus gravy
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• Fresh chopped parsley optional

Season the pork chops on both sides with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Place the flour onto a plate or shallow bowl, set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat, once hot add the oil.

One by one, place the pork chops into the flour and shake off any excess.

Place the pork chops into the pan, not touching, you will need to do this in batches. Sear on both sides until golden brown, 3 minutes per side. You are not cooking them all the way through, just browning.

Place the browned pork chops into the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, au jus packet, and chicken stock until smooth. Pour over the pork chops.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low until tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles with the gravy. Garnish with parsley, optional.

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Photo from Butter
Your Biscuit

Soup "season" is pretty much over for me. The summer months and soup just don't mix. But today was supposed to be wet and gross in Seattle so I planned soup. Turned out to be sunny and beautiful. Alas, soup was still on the menu. 

I didn't do this soup in the crock pot. I completely forgot to put it on, so I just put it in a pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Frankly, I think it was fine. 

I wouldn't change anything about this recipe. And for a change, I didn't over salt the soup. DO NOT ADD SALT until you taste it in the end. The taco mix and ranch mix has plenty of salt to it. 

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuit

Serves 6

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion about ½ an onion
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 16 ounce jar salsa
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15.5 ounce can chili beans
• 1 15.25 ounce can corn, drained
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 packet Ranch seasoning mix
• 4 cups chicken or beef stock Low sodium
• 2 cups shredded cheese

Heat a pan on medium-high heat and add the ground beef or turkey meat, cook until browned for about 10 minutes. Drain fat and add the meat to the slow cooker.

Add onion, garlic, salsa, beans, corn, seasoning, and stock to slow cooker. Mix until well combined.

Cook on low for 4 hours or until onions have softened. Add in the shredded cheese and stir until melted.

Serve with more shredded cheese a dollop of sour cream and corn chips or your favorite toppings.

Slow Cooker Cube Steak

Its really not Slow cooker "season" but I still like using the slow cooker on the weekends to make meals. Set it and forget it is my favorite. 

This was a super easy meal that really has comfort written all over it. I cooked it on low for 6.5 hours and right before I served it, I added a small cornstarch slurry. My gravy was a little loose and that little slurry helped thicken it up...quickly. 

I served this with mashed potatoes and a side of green beans. It's a solid recipe to have at the ready.

Slow Cooker Cube Steak

Recipe from Bake it with Love

Serves 6

• 21 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup (2 10.5 ounce cans)
• 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix (use Recipe Secrets Onion or Beefy Onion flavor)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
• ¾ cup water (optional, for thinner gravy)
• 1½ lbs cube steaks (4-6 cube steaks)
• 1 medium yellow onion (or white onion, sliced)
• 4-8 oz mushrooms (optional, sliced)

Combine the cans of 21 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup with the 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (plus ¾ cup water if desired) in your crock pot. Mix until well combined.

Layer the 1½ lbs cube steaks over the 'gravy' mixture adding one at a time. 

Top each cube steak with some of the 1 medium yellow onion as you add them, staggered in shingle-fashion, over the cream of mushroom base. Top with optional sliced 4-8 oz mushrooms (white mushrooms or cremini) if desired.

Set your crock pot to high and cook for 6 hours. Serve over rice, potatoes, or pasta.

Slow Cooker Smothered Barbecue Green Beans

Photo by Incredible
Recipes

As a side to tonight's BBQ fest Sunday dinner, I found this recipe. I've had it in my list for some time and thought tonight would be a great time to try it. 

Small change, I already had the slow cooker going with the pork, so I did this on the stove. I didn't cook it for as long as it says either. I used canned green beans and I just felt like that would make them mush if I cooked them that long. 

These were super flavorful and oh so delicious. I never thought about putting BBQ sauce in green beans. Glad someone did. 

Slow Cooker Smothered Barbecue Green Beans

Recipe from My Incredible Recipes

Serves 6

• 12 strips thick-cut bacon chopped
• 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
• 1/2 c tomato ketchup
• 3/4 c Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce
• 1/3 c  light brown sugar
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 15 oz. cans cut green beans, drained and rinsed OR fresh if you prefer

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, then Transfer cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.

Drain most of the bacon grease from the skillet, leaving about 2 tbsp. left in the pan.

Add diced onions and sauté until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

Combine tomato ketchup, Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth and well combined.

Spray the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and add green beans, sauteed onions, and barbecue sauce mixture.

Stir to combine and sprinkle top with cooked bacon. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on LOW heat.

ENJOY!

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

It's Sunday dinner night! Tonight I went all our with BBQ as the theme, but not grill type of BBQ. Rather BBQ as the flavor. 

I started with this Slow cooker BBQ Pulled Pork. I had it in the slow cooker for 8 hours and man was it good. I removed most the liquid, shredded it then added enough liquid back to keep the meat moist. 

We had coleslaw to top it as well. It's required. It's the only time I eat coleslaw and man does it make the sandwich.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Recipe from Slow Cooker Gourmet

Serves 12

• 3 pound boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons herb and garlic seasoning
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Rub pork shoulder with seasoning and place in slow cooker

Mix together bbq sauce, vinegar and broth and add to slow cooker

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 until pork reaches internal temperature of 205 degrees

Remove pork and shred

Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the juices back to pork and discard the rest

Add additional BBQ sauce if desired

French Onion Pot Roast

Pot roast is quite possibly THE easiest dinner to get on the table. It takes just a little forethought when using a slow cooker, but set it and forget it is what makes it so easy. 

If you like French Onion Soup (I mean who doesn't?) you will love this recipe. It combines the two in an amazing meal that would be perfect for Sunday dinner, or just a week night dinner with the fam. It's got all the flavors of French Onion soup without being overly oniony. 

I put mine on for 8 hours. I feel like that's the sweet spot for tender chuck roast.

I'm not really sure why this recipe called for red onions. They sometimes give off a more oniony flavor, so maybe that's why. I used one VERY LARGE red onion instead of two. When you cut the onion for this recipe be sure to slice it root to end. This allows them to hold up better for the slow cooking. (thank you Food Network for that gem). 

This would be a perfect time to have mashed potatoes as a side considering how amazing the gravy turns out. I used left over rice pilaf and I was sad. I really should have gone for mashed potatoes. 

French Onion Pot Roast

Recipe from Taste of IzzyT

Serves 6

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• 2 red onions thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup beef broth or beef stock
• 1 packet French onion soup mix 1 ounce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)

Season the chuck roast with salt and black pepper on all sides. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a bit of oil to the pan. Sear the seasoned chuck roast on all sides until it forms a golden brown crust. Place the seared chuck roast at the bottom of your slow cooker.

Add the sliced onions to the skillet. Cook and stir the onions for 3-4 minutes over medium-high heat to lightly brown them. They do not have to be fully cooked, just seared. Spread the thinly sliced red onions and minced garlic over the roast.

In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, tomato paste, beef broth and French onion soup mix.

Pour this mixture over the chuck roast and onions. Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat is tender and easily shreds.

Once the roast is tender, carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it on a serving dish. Sprinkle chopped fresh parsley over the top.

Serve the slow cooker French onion pot roast with your favorite sides like mashed potatoes or crusty bread.

Beef Curry Slow Cooker

I'll just start by saying, this house smells amazing. I love the smell of curry. And thank god because I'll probably be smelling it all week in the house. It tends to linger. 

So...I kinda forgot to get the slow cooker going on time today. Not deterred I just cooked this in the oven instead. I put it in at 350F for about 2.5 hours. Turned out fantastic.

It's not spicy, but very flavorful. If you don't like curry, you won't like this. 

I really wouldn't change a thing with this recipe. I mean remembering to put this in the slow cooker would be good. 

Beef Curry Slow Cooker

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• salt and pepper
• 2-3 tablespoons oil
• 2-3 pounds chopped stew beef or chuck roast*, chopped into chunks
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 & 1/2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• cilantro, to garnish
• red onion, chopped, to garnish

Heat a large, high-sided skillet (or a wide-bottomed pot), over medium high heat.

Salt and pepper the beef chunks.

Add about a tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl. It should start to shimmer if the pan is hot enough.

Add 1/3 of the seasoned meat to the pan. Place the pieces of meat so that they are not touching each other (You don’t want them to steam–see photos). Turn the pieces with tongs to brown all sides. Remove the beef to the slow cooker and repeat 2 more batches, adding more oil as necessary.

Once all of the beef is browned and in the slow cooker, turn the heat on the pan down to medium. Add the water, tomato sauce, garlic powder, salt, beef bouillon, black pepper, curry powder , and garam masala .

Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is bubbly and the bouillon has dissolved. It should thicken up a bit.

Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.

Add the chopped onion and stir it all together. Cook on low heat for 6-7 hours, until the beef is fork tender

Garnish with chopped cilantro and hot rice!

I love to serve this curry with lots of cilantro, Coconut Jasmine Rice and Homemade Naan! It's the best combo! You could even throw in a Strawberry Lassi to sip with it, if you wanted to get really fancy!

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Photo from The Food
Charlatan

It snowed here in Seattle. Not a lot, just a dusting, but enough to make me feel like I need comfort food. Stroganoff is perfect for this type of weather.

The was an amazing recipe. Using a chuck roast and a slow cooker really made this delicious. The addition of red wine - which I almost skipped - put it over the top in flavortown. Sherrie was over to scrapbook and we ate this for dinner. We were silent for the first couple of bites. It was THAT good. 

Here's what I did different:

1. Sherrie's GF so I didn't want to use pasta. Instead I put this over mashed potatoes. And Y'all this might be my new way to eat stroganoff. 
2. I shredded my beef and then put it back into the sauce. 
3. I added about 1/2 c sour cream to the stroganoff instead of a dollop on top like they suggest. It needs to be in the sauce for me. 

Make this meal. It's delicious. And I'm adding it to my 2025 Favorites. 

Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot)

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 6

• 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chuck roast, chopped into 2 inch chunks
• 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, I used light olive oil
• generous salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, (half stick)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 to 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon garlic, smashed and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
• 1 to 2 cups sour cream, to add after cooking
• 12-16 ounces pappardelle pasta, plus water and salt
• fresh parsley, to garnish
• fresh chives, to garnish

Cut the chuck roast into 2 inch chunks and dry them all over with paper towels.

Salt and pepper the pieces. Be generous. I used at least 1 and 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat. When it is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat.

Place about 1/3 of the pieces of beef into the pan, one by one. Leave at least an inch or two of space in between. Let the meat sear for about 1-2 minutes, then use tongs to flip each piece. When you see nice brown edges on both sides, transfer the meat to your slow cooker.

Continue searing the rest of the beef in one or two more batches, depending on space. Remove all the meat to the slow cooker, but don’t clean out that pan. We need all those gorgeous brown bits.

Turn the heat off if you need to take a moment to chop your onion and slice your mushrooms if you haven’t already.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium high heat in the pan you seared the meat in. When it’s melted, add the chopped onion and quartered mushrooms. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons paprika, and 1 tablespoon dried parsley. Sauté for 5-8 minutes, until onions and mushrooms are soft.

Add 1 tablespoon smashed and minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons tomato paste.

Add 1/2 cup red wine and 1/2 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base. Let the mixture come to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for another 5-7 minutes until it has reduced a bit.

Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker , adding in every last drop. Stir it together with the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Add some pasta to a serving plate. Top with beef stroganoff. The chunks of beef may be big, but it’s so fork tender your guests can take care of it themselves at the table.

Add a big dollop of sour cream to each plate. Top with fresh parsley and fresh chives.

Slow Cooker Nacho Soup

Its C-O-L-D outside! Sunny, but cold. Thank goodness I had planned a soup today. And not just any soup, but Slow Cooker Nacho Soup.

This one is being added to this years favorites. It's that good. I cooked mine for 6 hours on low - I prefer low over high for some reason. The house smelled amazing all day and I just kept getting hungrier and hungrier. 

I was so hungry, in fact, I forgot to put any toppings on it. Honestly, it was fine as it was. I did make one small modification and that was I used a canned of Pinto beans instead of black beans. I had the pinto beans in my pantry and I wanted to use them up. And I prefer pinto over black. 

I also just realized reading the recipe again I completely forgot to put in the shredded cheddar cheese. That would have made this THAT much more amazing. Oh well, guess I have to make it again. 

Slow Cooker Nacho Soup

Recipe from Insanely Good Recipes

Serves 6

For the Soup:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel)
• 1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 jalapeno, sliced (optional) - I definitely added this
• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper, to taste

For Toppings (optional but recommended)

• sour cream
• extra shredded cheese
• tortilla chips (for crunch)
• sliced avocado or guacamole
• diced tomatoes
• sliced black olives
• green onions
• fresh cilantro

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until browned and fully cooked. Break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté until the onion is translucent. (About 3-4 minutes.) Drain any excess fat.

Transfer the cooked meat, onion, and garlic mixture to the slow cooker. Add the black beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, corn, chicken broth, taco seasoning, cumin, smoked paprika, and jalapeño (if using).

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the cubed cream cheese and shredded cheddar. Mix well until fully melted and incorporated into the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper as needed.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with desired toppings. Serve warm and enjoy the hearty, cheesy, nacho-flavored goodness.

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

Photo from Fake Ginger

You know I love a good slow cooker Sunday. I'm always game for a soup, stew, or something else in the slow cooker. Set it and forget it.

I wasn't a huge fan of this recipe. I think I should have browned the beef first. That adds so much flavor that I'm sad I didn't do it. 

The recipe was just ok. I think I like barley in soup better than a stew. I also didn't like using baby carrots. They have a very unique taste to me and it over powered the stew, in my opinion. 

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew

Recipe from Fake Ginger

Serves 6

• 1 ½ pounds chuck steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups frozen green beans
• 2 cups frozen corn
• ¾ cup medium pearl barley

Place chuck steak, onion, carrots, and potatoes in slow cooker

Add water, broth, tomato sauce, and seasonings

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours

Add green beans, corn, and barley

Cover and cook on low for 2 more hours or until barley and veggies are tender