Palmer - Slow cooker dump dinners : 5-ingredient recipes for meals that (practically) cook themselves

TO BUSY PEOPLE, EVERYWHERE Please bookmark your page before following any links. Its no secret, slow cookers are the best! Who doesnt love dumping a bunch of ingredients into a pot before rushing off to work or to run errandsand coming home hours later to a perfectly cooked meal? Thats the joy of Slow Cooker Dump Dinners. Theyre an essential option for any busy household. What makes this slow cooker book unusual is that all the recipes require just five ingredients or fewer, plus herbs and spices! Instead of recipes that require a grocery list thats ten items (or more) long, Ive kept it simple (and less expensive). Included here are the best recipes Ive tried and tested and I cant wait to share them with you. Serving size: These recipes will generally feed two or three adults with leftovers or two adults and two children unless otherwise noted, but use your best judgmentif you have a hungry teenager at home you may want to double the recipe! These recipes can all be made in a 6-quart slow cooker although many can fit in a 4-quart size (thats what works best for me and my husband in our tiny New York kitchen). Cooking from frozen: You can precook many of these recipes and cook them straight from the freezer (see the Freezer + Slow Cooker = Easiest Dinners Ever section). Cooking from frozen: You can precook many of these recipes and cook them straight from the freezer (see the Freezer + Slow Cooker = Easiest Dinners Ever section).

Most of the recipes here call for frozen vegetables. You can easily substitute the same amount of fresh vegetables if you prefer or if thats what you have on hand.

Slow cookers come in varying sizes with loads of different features, so its important to determine your needs before you go shopping. Ive listed four most important considerations when choosing a slow cooker: 1. Size: The first consideration when selecting a slow cooker is probably the size. Slow cookers come in capacities ranging from 1.5 quarts to 12 quarts or larger.

If youre cooking for yourself or one other person, the 1.5-quart or 4-quart is probably right for you. If you regularly cook for a large number of people or cook in large batches and freeze your recipes, an 8- or 12-quart may be what youre looking for. 2. Automation: Not all slow cookers are created equal. If youre looking for one with a programmable timer and automatic shut-off youll have to pay a bit more. 3. 3.

Portability: Some slow cookers come with metal fasteners that fix the glass lid to the base of the slow cooker, which allows you to transport the appliance easily with no mess. If youre often off to potlucks or family dinners this may be worth investigating. 4. Multitasking: Some slow cookers come with two pots in one unit. This lets you cook two different recipes at the same timeso if you want soup as your starter and pork chops for your main course, a unit like this may be worth considering.

If eating healthier is your goal, there are a few easy adjustments to help make your slow cooker recipes even better for you and your family.

Here are a few key things you can do to help you maintain your healthy objectives. 1. If you want to reduce your sodium intake: Use low-sodium or reduced-sodium broth and soy sauce for your recipes. 2. If you want to eat less red meat: When a recipe calls for ground beef, try swapping it out for lean ground turkey instead. 3.

If you want to eat more vegetables: Add your favorite vegetables to any recipe. If youve mastered the bacon and potato casserole for example, try adding mushrooms or broccoli next time. 4. If you want to reduce your fat intake: Try using low-fat dairy products or slightly reducing the amount of butter or cheese in a recipe. Garnish with cilantro or spring onion rather than cheese or sour cream.

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Slow cooker liners: Slow cookers keep your clean-up time to a minimum. But to make things even easier for you, some brands have developed single-use slow cooker liners that fit inside. Once youre done cooking, just throw the liner away with no additional washing required. You can achieve this same effect by creating a do-it-yourself aluminum foil liner as well. 2. Browning the meat: Some people swear by this method.

If you find the texture of the meat in your recipes is just lacking a certain something, try quickly browning your steaks or chicken in a skillet with a bit of oil before adding them to the slow cooker. 3. Adding liquid: Some slow cookers may keep hotter than others, so to ensure your dinner is as juicy and tender as possible feel free to add in extra liquid at any stage. A half cup of hot water or broth should do the trick. Remember, the point of a slow cooker is to make cooking as easy and as painless as possible! So have fun with the recipes and experiment as you go. Happy slow cooking!

By planning ahead you can make your slow cooking experience even easier.

How? By cooking and freezing the entire recipe (or just certain ingredients) ahead of time. Just remember these four easy steps: 1. Prepare the recipe and place into a freezer-safe container 2. Label it with the recipe name, cooking instructions, and the date 3. Freeze it 4. Slow cook it! A good place to begin is to choose your five meals for the week, head to the grocery store to get the necessary ingredients, and take an afternoon to prepare all the meals.

Once you see how easy it is to pull full meals from the freezer and dump them into your slow cooker youll want to keep doing it. In general, things like chili, soups, and curries make great freezer meals. In addition to full meals, its also handy to prepare specific ingredients ahead of time. Things like pasta, rice, sauted vegetables, or ground beef are great to have ready-made. Remember to freeze in family-sized portions (1 cup of cooked rice or pasta per person, for example).

Always thaw your frozen dinners before placing them in the slow cooker. Always thaw your frozen dinners before placing them in the slow cooker.

This is to ensure the meat is thoroughly cooked before serving. Thaw the meals in the fridgenever leave them out at room temperature. Once youve made your meals for the week, you can put the first two straight into the fridge. When you use a meal from the fridge, remember to replace it with one from the freezer so you always have a thawed meal on hand. Vegetarian meals and ingredients can be cooked directly from frozen. Avoid freezing potatoes whenever possible.

They tend to get mushy when thawed. Avoid freezing dairy products like cheese or cream cheese. They can separate, curdle, and lose texture. Eggs also should not be frozen. Use freezer-safe containers or plastic freezer bags. Remember to label each container with the contents and the date on a freezer label or piece of tape.