Non soupy crock pot meals?

[Mother of Sons]

I am buying a crock pot against my will. I've never liked them as it seems all the recipes are the same and usually end up some kind of gravy like slop that you have to serve over rice :duck

With our schedule this year I have to be more realistic. We are out of the house a lot and most activities are a very long drive away. That means at least a couple of nights a week we get home very late and everyone needs to eat. Last year I just got a pizza on the way home but I'd rather avoid that this year. I don't want to cook or to do sandwiches because it's not substantial enough although I may do that sometimes. Anyways that leads me to reluctantly buy a crock pot.

So will you give me your absolute favorite crock pot meal? Please?

[knitlove]

Have you ever used a presser cooker? They cook thing much faster than normal with out turning everything to the same texture.

[MegMarch]

Kalua Pork - pork butt with salt and liquid smoke. Easy and my husband was like :jawdrop:heart:yes I guess it could go over rice but it's mostly used for sandwiches and I think some people like it on baked potatoes?

A chicken. Seriously, ball up some foil or chunk an onion and put that under a chicken that's cleaned up and put on whatever seasoning you want. Skin is uggo, though you could probably broil it before serving if you want? But the meat is really great.

Salsa chicken is popular with moms I know and is usually served as a taco filling kind of deal.

[Mother of Sons]

I haven't, although I've used a pressure canner. At 10 or 11 at night though I don't want to have to prepare anything, ideally I just want it all done and ready to eat when we walk in. How fast do pressure cookers usually get dinner on the table?

[houseforjoy]

Bbl I have a few good ones

[knitlove]

I can do dried beans beans in 30min and huge cuts of meat in an hour.

So not really a walk in and it is done type thing.

[Dovenoir]

Love my pressure cooker, but it's so loud.

[Aerynne]

You can make lasagna in the crock pot. I also use it for making refried beans from dry beans. You can also make bread in it.

Another favorite of ours is lentil rice casserole:

1/2 c. brown rice
3/4 c. brown lentils
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp each of oregano, thyme, and garlic powder

Cook on high for four hours. You can eat it with cheese, in a tortilla, or the absolute yummiest way, with cheese inside a taco shell wrapped in a fluffy mission-brand tortilla (carbs much? :giggle)

It's good for making roast as well, which cooks in liquid, which makes it very tender, but you don't actually eat the liquid (unless you want to make it into gravy) When you do this you would just put in some baby carrots, potatoes, and the roast with a package of onion soup mix and water to almost cover the roast. You have to cook it for like 14 hours until it's really tender and then it's great! If you just cook it until the meat is hot then it's still tough (no, I do not eat meat, but I used to, in case anyone recognizes me from the vegetarian board).

[Singingmom]

This is a fun blog to browse. She has all kinds of ideas.
http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/ (http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/)
Actually she has two blogs now I guess...
http://www.ayearofslowcooking.com/

The first time you walk into the house at dinner time and dinner is ready and waiting, you'll be so glad you got that crock pot. :sillygrin

[charla]

Most of what I do in the crockpot is soup, but I've tried these recipes and I really like them:
Pepperjack Chicken (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/367747125795336755/)
Slow Cooker Risotto (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/367747125791998131/)- Not quite the texture of a true risotto, but good nonetheless
Minnesota Pot Roast (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/367747125796579618/)
- This is so good, but probably not very good for you. ;)

I have made most of my Easter and Christmas dinners in crockpots which made prep so easy. I make brisket, roast, ham, hashbrown casserole, mashed potato casserole, baked potatoes, any kind of frozen veggie like green beans or corn all in a crockpot. I don't really have any recipes for those at the ready but I can type some of them out if they interest you. I've heard you can bake sweet potatoes in the crockpot, too, but haven't tried it yet.

I haven't made this but I'd really like to one of these days:
Turkey Breast (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/367747125792407364/)

[milkmommy]

you can cook a whole chicken in a crock pot. I like to slice some red potatoes place on bottom then season a whole chicken as you like place on top and cook on high about 4 hours or low around 7.

[mommylove]

I know you're not vegetarian, but most people I've talked to are surprised to learn there are tons of non-meat (and healthful!!!) slow cooker recipes.

My favorite cookbook is Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker (http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Vegetarian-Slow-Cooker-Recipes/dp/1558322566/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1440658032&sr=1-1&keywords=fresh+from+the+vegetarian+slow+cooker). I can't think of a single gravy recipe :giggle instead there are things like potpies, pastas, polenta, curry, paella, risotto, dal, Hungarian Goulash, Moroccan stew, sloppy joes, etc. With a couple exceptions, every recipe uses normal pantry ingredients. :tu

[Thia]

Boneless chicken, chicken gravy (or cream of mushroom soup), cheese of choice, a box of stuffing. Cook on low all day.

I love doing roasts. I throw some water, bullion cubes, and minced garlic in. add the roast. Season and let it go all day. Some people like to put their veggies in too, but I don't like the flavor of the gravy that way. For veggies, everything can still be prepped the night before. Potatoes will not brown if left soaking in water. (Nice tip for Thanksgiving time too).

Lazagna, salsa chicken, any kind of meat can be cooked with whatever seasoning to use in wraps/tacos, sandwiches...oh, french dip! Huge favorite here.

[Anne Ofalamo]

A huge pot of chili!
I use canned beans, red, black, navy, pinto and a few cans of tomato sauce or diced tomatos, add a couple envelope packages of chili mix, hamburger if I have it, I have used kielbasa too! You can serve in a bowl, or over rice (my kids love it over mash pots). Lots of cheese, and great over hotdogs a 2nd night!
I adore my crock pot, and use it to precook chicken, pour a bit of liquid smoke, put on low, and then fire up the grill and BBQ, add sauce of your liking and brilliantly tender!
I think Braising (frying the edges) to any pork cut helps the consistency of the meat. Boiled meat is not appetizing to me! :shrug3
I have a few of them, and use the smaller ones for canned vegi's.

[tempus vernum]

On my list for the next few weeks are the following crockpot meals

Roast (bbq or salt pepper garlic and onion - we put veg in the second option)
chicken fajitas
cheesy chicken tater tot casserole
chicken curry
company chicken (like chicken alfredo with mushrooms)

These are dump and leave type meals requiring some chopping or prep work but can be done in 15 min or less in the mornings. I have other recipes but haven't looked beyond the list I made yesterday of easy fast meals. ;)

LMK if you want recipes.

A few I got off this link a GCm'er gave me and others I have been making for years ;)
https://newleafwellness.biz/2015/08/06/31-crockpot-freezer-meals-for-back-to-school/

[Johns_Gal]

I make soups and stews. Pinto beans with veggies and a can of diced tomatoes is a recurring favorite. Then this chicken thigh/stout beer/carrot and mushroom stew that is delicious and tastes like beef.

I don't know if you are anti soup at this point, though, so I'll hunt down the recipe for the chicken if you'd like.

I've taken to keeping a quiche in the fridge too.

[bananacake]

You said no soups, but I have 6 or 8 bean based freezer meal crockpot dishes if you're interested.

[Sparrow]

That was my concern too. All that food tasting the same!

You can do pasta sauces in the crockpot so all you need to do is your pasta.

I have a great bourbon chicken recipe. It's just chicken but you could steam some veggies to go with it.

[ReadingMommy]

In my crockpot right now: Links of chicken sausage, with sliced onion, bell pepper and diced tomatoes (from a can). I plan to serve with rice and a green veg tonight. :)

[bananacake]

Chicken sausage with a can of marinara on it with buns waiting is good.

[Johns_Gal]

Chicken sausage with a can of marinara on it with buns waiting is good.

He long do you do this? High or low?

Sounds like something my people would love.

[RiverRock]

Another favorite of ours is lentil rice casserole:

1/2 c. brown rice
3/4 c. brown lentils
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp each of oregano, thyme, and garlic powder

Cook on high for four hours. You can eat it with cheese, in a tortilla, or the absolute yummiest way, with cheese inside a taco shell wrapped in a fluffy mission-brand tortilla (carbs much? :giggle)



How much and what kind of liquid goes into this casserole?

[ECingMama]

I made rice in my crock pot this week. Jasmine rice (3 cups) and water (6 cups). I put butter ALL OVER the crock pot, put the rice in, and added the water. 90 minutes or so later, we had delicious, fluffy rice. I heated the beans on the stove in about ten minutes, and we ate.

I made lasagna in the crock pot this week. It wasn't all soupy like it normally is when I take it out of the oven. Yummy!

I put a pack of chicken tenders in the crock pot and added just a bit of liquid. They will cook pretty quickly (90 minutes), but I can leave them in there for 4-5 hours on low and they still taste moist. I just put some sweet potatoes in there too. It wasn't soup.

I used it three times this week! No soup!

[bananacake]

He long do you do this? High or low?

Sounds like something my people would love.

Low and it was ready in a few hours. Last time, I did brown the sausage first, but you don't have to.

[esperanza]

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/creamy-crock-pot-chicken-and-rice