A Crock Pot – or any other brand of slow cooker – can be a mom’s best friend in the kitchen. Just set it up in the morning (when you’ve still got some energy), and dinner is all ready at the end of the day. It’s perfect for working moms and stay-at-home moms, alike. My little guy hits his fussy time around 5pm – just when I need to start making dinner – so I love to get the dinner prep done in the morning and keep the late afternoon free for quiet reading time with my son. I also love using my slow cooker on the weekends because it means that we can go out for the day as a family and know that dinner will be waiting for us when we get home. Even though you do the work yourself in the morning, having a fully prepared, home-cooked meal ready for you at the end of the day can make you feel like you’ve got your own personal cook!
These recipes work great when you plan ahead!
‘So Good’ Stew
I love a warm bowl of stew on a chilly day! This is the perfect dinner to follow a day of playing outside with your kids. When you come inside at the end of the day, the delicious smell will start warming you up before you even make it to the table.
You’ll Need:
1 pound stewing beef
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3-4 yellow potatoes, scrubbed and cubed (I don’t peel them)
1 small yellow onion, diced
8-10 cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 28oz can diced tomatoes with herbs
2 cups beef stock
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved into 2 tbsp cold water)
Directions:
Add all ingredients, except for the cornstarch slurry, to the slow cooker.
Stir well to combine everything.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.
Add cornstarch slurry.
Cook on high for 30 minutes.
Serve with whole wheat rolls or biscuits.
Also try the Family Friendly Chili and the ‘Really Simple’ Ratatouille…
About The Author
Thank you so much for providing a vegetarian recipe! I’m considering buying a new crock pot, but most slow cooker recipes out there are meat-based.
Wow! I tried the Crock Pot Stew and it is simply delicious! It beats any stew recipe I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried lots). My family even took note of the change in taste and made sure I understood this was the recipe I was to stick to. No more experiments. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. you’ve made my family and me VERY HAPPY.
great recipe
when i tryed that it worked!
I love using the crock pot