Crock Pot Recipes for Tired Planters
A slow cooker, also known as the Crock Pot, is a beloved appliance held in great esteem amongst planters. Nobody likes extra work, especially when you’re exhausted, dirty, and starving. The slow cooker is a no-fuss, set-and-forget solution to meal prep that allows you to cook large quantities of warm, hearty meals that are ready when you get home, and help you refuel after a long day of work with minimal effort. Plus, cooking with a crock pot is generally dead easy, usually just requiring you to add ingredients, turn it on, and wait. Some even have timers to automatically start and stop at preset times, which is convenient if a recipe doesn’t require a cook time that is as long as a day at work.
One thing to note is the difference between slow cookers and pressure cookers. Although similar, these appliances are fundamentally different and should not be confused. For more info on that, click here.
We’ve already mentioned our love of crock pots in our article on meals you can cook in your motel, so if you haven’t seen that, you can check it out here. This article will provide a few more simple and delicious recipes that will help with recovery and will soothe the soul.
Slow Cooker Chicken:
Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Season the chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub the seasoning evenly on both sides of the chicken.
Place the seasoned chicken breasts in the slow cooker.
Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Once cooked, you can shred the chicken with two forks for use in other recipes, or serve it as whole chicken breasts.
Use the cooked chicken in salads, sandwiches, wraps, tacos, or any other dish of your choice
Slow Cooker Beef Stew:
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into cubes
1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a slow cooker, combine the beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, beef broth, diced tomatoes, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the beef is tender.
Slow Cooker Chili:
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup beef broth
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain any excess fat.
In a slow cooker, combine the browned beef, kidney beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, beef broth, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Slow Cooker Lentil Soup (Vegetarian):
Ingredients:
1 lb dried lentils, rinsed and drained
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
8 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a slow cooker, combine the lentils, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until the lentils are tender.
Slow Cooker Quinoa and Black Bean Chili (Vegetarian):
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado
Instructions:
In a slow cooker, combine the quinoa, black beans, diced tomatoes, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, vegetable broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Stir the chili occasionally during cooking, if possible.
Once the chili is cooked and the quinoa is tender, taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.
Serve hot with your choice of optional toppings such as chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, or diced avocado.
