Slow cooker dinners

Let these slow cooker dinner become easy entertaining for busy families.

From everyday to old fashion favorites, use the slow cooker to deal with the main course or the side dish when you are busy cooking something else.

Slow cooker dinner ideas

You know how useful they are for getting meals on the table for your family during those hectic everyday evenings. Why do the holidays have to be any different? Wouldn't it be great to actually be able to spend time with friends and family during the holiday seasons instead of slaving over the hot stove all day? You can. If you have a slow cooker, put it to work so you can go and play! Let's take a look at a few ways you can turn your slow cooker into a holiday helper:

Drinks

Hot drinks are great to have when you come in from a day of sledding or shopping. Everything from apple cider to a toasty adult beverage can be simmering while you are out doing your thing. By choosing a slow cooker with an adjustable temperature setting, you can simmer your beverage, then keep your drinks warm while you gather to enjoy. Add a couple sticks of cinnamon or a few cloves to your drink and the whole house will smell like the holidays as the aromatics begin to warm up.

Appetizers

Nothing gets your appetite warmed up like a hot dip or your favorite holiday appetizer. Little smokey sausages cooked in barbecue sauce or a warm spinach and artichoke dip can help shake off the chill of a cold winter. Even something as simple as a bowl of assorted nuts gets better when toasted first in the slow cooker with a blend of spicy or sweet spices. The best thing about appetizers in a slow cooker is they are self serving. Friends and family can come by and help themselves while you relax nearby. Effortless entertaining, freeing up your time and stove top for the rest of the meal.

Soups

You can fix almost all of the traditional holiday staples in a slow cooker. From matzo ball soup to the classic chowders, a wide variety of soups can be put together ahead of time and left to cook while you are watching the ball games or playing with your new gadgets. If watching the Bowl Games is a part of your holiday tradition, just think how nice it would be to quickly and easily mix up a batch of chili to feed all your favorite fans.

Main course

Now, there is no way you can fit an entire turkey into a slow cooker, so your main course will have to get a little creative. But it can be done. For smaller gatherings, you can opt for turkey breast or parts in the slow cooker instead of a large turkey. For larger gatherings, you may want to make several smaller main dishes, such as a chicken in the slow cooker in addition to the big turkey. If you are having ham, you might want to think about slicing the ham first or buying a precooked ham you only need to warm up.

The point is, you shouldn't have to slave over the stove while everyone else is hanging out and having a good time. Your slow cooker can be your best friend during the holidays. Just plug it in, turn up the heat and join your family for some quality time.

Slow cooker side dishes ideas

Soups, stews and roasts are all great dishes to fix in your slow cooker. But what about side dishes? Slow cookers are there to help you out in the kitchen. When you are busy doing other things, like cooking a turkey or baking a loaf of bread, your slow cooker can perform some of the smaller tasks, like side dishes. Let's take a look at some of the possibilities for side dishes you can make in your slow cooker:

What do green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, candied yams, and brown sugar glazed carrots all have in common? That's right. They can all be made, rather effortlessly, in a slow cooker while you are doing something you enjoy. Your side dishes can take care of themselves. Of course, it may feel a bit odd at first to be out of the kitchen during a holiday get-together, but I'm sure you could get used to relaxing and enjoying the day while the slow cooker works to keep your family well-fed.

Holiday side dishes

Classic holiday dishes are another great match for your slow cooker. Green bean casserole in a slow cooker is quite heavenly. The extended cooking time enhances the smooth, yummy goodness of this creamy classic. You'll want to make an extra big batch so you have plenty for leftovers. Other holiday side dish favorites like stuffing, creamed corn, macaroni and cheese, and rice pudding can be relegated to the slow cooker, freeing up valuable stove top and oven space for your main holiday fare.

If your holiday dishes include soups, like matzo ball soup or French onion soup, then the slow cooker can be your best friend. Instead of having to keep an eye on the stove for extended periods of time, try plugging in your slow cooker near the dining room table. Then you can sit down and relax while you prepare a great holiday feast for your family.

Go ahead and put your roast or chicken in the oven, then put your slow cooker to work slow simmering your favorite side dish. Enjoy a filling meal without all the fuss, but with all the flavor.

Everyday side dishes

Baked beans, German potato salad, and glazed carrots are a breeze in the slow cooker. Just drop in the ingredients and let time take care of the rest. Your side dishes should not be difficult or time consuming for you. After all, you are busy doing other things you would rather do - like relaxing.

Scalloped potatoes are incredibly easy in a slow cooker. Not only are they easy, but they are a hearty side dish. Great with almost any main course, this creamy potato creation will have your family wondering how you found time to slave over a hot stove with your busy schedule.

You don't have to juggle dishes in and out of the oven when you have a slow cooker cooking the side dishes for you. You can even bake potatoes in your slow cooker.

Old fashioned side dishes

Some of the best side dishes are slow cooked. When your parents and grandparents used to make your favorite dishes, they would often use a nice, heavy Dutch oven and cook it for a long, long time over very low heat. Unless you have inherited their Dutch oven, it is difficult to replicate the same taste of these slow cooked specialties.

Luckily, your slow cooker comes close in recreating these wonderful side dishes you remember. Because of the long cooking time, your side dishes will taste like they have the same amount of love poured into them as if you stirred the pot for hours.

The slow cooker seems to have been designed for old fashioned side dishes. Dishes like corn pudding, black-eyed peas, green beans and ham hocks, red beans and rice, and calico beans are a few sides that are reminiscent of old time kitchens. Typically, these old fashioned side dishes require quite a bit of preparation work and attention. With a slow cooker, once the ingredients are in, your work is done - no stirring and no worrying over the heat setting. You can walk away and return to your favorite side dish from days gone by.