Warm those winter blues away with these crockpot recipes:
From award-winning chili to comforting mac and cheese. It’s time to get cozy and fill up on something delicious.
1. Award-Winning Chili
What more could you want to warm away winter blues than a delicious chili? It’s the perfect bowl of comfort food while watching something uplifting with your children. For the ultimate chili recipe, check out the steps below.
Step-One: Dice and seed 1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, and 1 jalapeno pepper. If you want a less spicy chili, use less of the jalapeno pepper.
Step-Two: Then roughly chop 3 stalks of celery and finely dice 1 small yellow onion.
Step-Three: Take 5 thick sliced hickory smoked bacon rashers and cook on a moderate heat in a skillet. You want the bacon crisp but not overdone. Do not wash the skillet.
Step-Four: Rest the bacon on a paper towel lined plate.
Step-Five: Put the peppers, onions, and celery into the skillet and cook for 5-minutes over a moderate heat, or until they have softened.
Step-Six: Remove the vegetables from the skillet.
Step-Seven: This recipe uses 2 pounds of ground beef. To brown, add 1 pound of beef to the skillet and cook over moderate heat. Breaking the ground beef into smaller chunks to ensure it is cooked fully. Once the first portion of beef is cooked, continue with the rest.
Step-Eight: In a bowl mix 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, 1 tablespoon of white sugar, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 3 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of basil, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper, 4 tablespoons of chili powder, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. If you want a milder taste, reduce the chili powder and cayenne pepper used.
Step-Nine: Add 1 beef stock cube to 10-oz of boiling water. Stir until the stock cube is fully dissolved. Then add 6 oz canned tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to the stock. Mix to ensure they have combined and then pour into your crockpot.
Step-Ten: Add the spice mix to the crockpot and stir.
Step-Eleven: Add 2 cans of dried tomatoes, 1 can of pinto beans, and 1 can of kidney beans to the crockpot. There’s no need to drain these before adding. Give the crockpot a stir to make sure contents are evenly spread.
Step-Twelve: Break up the bacon into small pieces, and then add it, along with the browned beef and softened vegetables to the crockpot.
Step-Thirteen: Finally, cover and cook on low for 6-hours. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, grated cheese, and fresh onions.
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2. Slow-Cooked Mac and Cheese
This classic mac and cheese dish is one of our favorite crockpot recipes. With bubbling and oozy cheese, it’s perfect for a cozy family night in.
Step-One: Get a large pot and fill with water. Place on a medium heat, adding two large pinches of salt and bring to a boil
Step-Two: Add 2 cups of macaroni noodles and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5-minutes, or until the macaroni is soft but still has bite
Step-Three: Grease up the crockpot with butter.
Step-Four: In a large bowl mix 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard powder, 12oz of creamed chicken soup, 12oz of sour cream, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
Step-Five: Drain macaroni noodles and wash under cold water.
Step-Six: Add macaroni to the crockpot and cover with the mixture. Stir until mixed.
Step-Seven: Add 3 cups of grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup of grated gruyere to the crockpot covering the macaroni mixture.
Step-Eight: Cook on a low heat for 3 hours and then serve.
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3. Meatball Sliders With Tomato Sauce
This classic juicy meatball and slow-simmered tangy tomato sauce will give your taste buds a rollercoaster ride. The tomato sauce alone is one of our go to crockpot recipes.
Step-One: Put 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, 3 large fresh basil sprigs, 2 garlic cloves (minced), 2 (28-oz.) cans of whole crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp of salt, and ½ tsp of pepper into a crockpot. Cook on a low heat for 7-hours, stirring every 30-60 minutes to make sure the ingredients are cooking down.
Step-Two: Add 1 pound of ground chuck and ground pork in a bowl. Add 5 teaspoons of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 cup of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), 1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese, and 1/4 cup of loosely packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and mix until blended. Once the mixture is formed, shape them into meatballs and place on to a baking sheet, and cover them.
Step-Three: Leave the meatballs at room temperature for 20 minutes. Once the sauce has cooked down, add the meatballs to the sauce in the crockpot. Up the crockpot heat to high and cook for an hour. Make sure the meatballs are cooked through before serving.
Step-Four: After the meatballs are done, you need to prepare the buns. Take the meatballs and put one on each of the buns. Then top with some of the tomato sauce, making it as messy as you like. Then top with 1 halved provolone cheese slice and heat for 2-3 minutes under a grill to melt the cheese.
Step-Five: Put the buns on a serving plate and garnish with basil leaves.
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4. Sweet Savory Candied Yams
Give yourself a treat this winter with some candied yams. Prep time is only 20 minutes, the rest is down to the crockpot.
Step-One: Take a 1/4 cup of butter and melt it in a microwave. Use a microwave-safe bowl and heat it until it melts.
Step-Two: In another bowl, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of brown sugar. Stir well.
Step-Three: Take the crockpot and lightly grease it. Then add a layer of yams. Add the sugar mixture and top it with the butter mixture. Once you have done this, cover the crockpot and cook on its lowest setting until the yams are tender. This can take up to 4-hours.
Step-Four: Once the potatoes are cooked, transfer them onto a serving plate. Do not throw away the remaining juices in the crockpot.
Step-Six: Transfer the juices in the crockpot to a saucepan. Whisk in cornstarch over a moderate heat for about 2-3 minutes, or until it thickens.
Step-Seven: Cover the candied yams with the thickened juices and serve hot.
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5. Classic Shredded Beef Nachos
Everyone loves nachos. So this winter, serve your family up nachos topped with shredded beef and other delicious goodies.
Step-One: Take 3 pounds of boneless beef rump roast and season it with salt and pepper. Put this into a frying pan with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat until all the sides are browned.
Step-Two: Once browned add the beef to your crockpot and add mild banana pepper rings to taste (or add 12-oz if unsure), 15-oz of beef broth, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook this on a low heat for 6 hours or until the beef shreds easily.
Step-Three: Once done, shred the beef and put it back in the slow cooker on low to keep hot.
Step-Four: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, place tortilla chips on a tray, and top with shredded beef, 15-oz of black beans, 1 finely chopped onion, and shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Bake the items for 10 mins and serve with cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.
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