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Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

November 16, 2019 by Laurie 28 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This simple recipe for slow cooker chicken & dumplings will knock your family's socks off – without you slaving away in the kitchen!

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

Of all the recipes I've posted here on Passionate Penny Pincher, these Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings (and of course everyone's favorite Italian Beef) are consistently the ones people mention to me. In fact, I notice folks searching for them almost daily on PPP.

These are just so easy, and while I love to make these old fashioned homemade Chicken and Dumplings in this recipe here (so good too!), you can't beat these for a busy weeknight.

(You can also try out this Chicken & Dumpling Casserole . . . can you tell we like some Chicken & Dumplings around here?) 😉

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

1-2 pounds chicken breast
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 10 oz. can chicken broth
1 can water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 onion
2 cans inexpensive biscuits cut in quarters

Instructions

Place chicken breast, soup, broth, water, salt, garlic powder, pepper & onion in crockpot.
Cook on low six hours.
Two hours before dinner time, add quartered biscuits to crockpot. Gently stir in biscuits so that they’re covered. (I used 1 and 1/2 of the two small cans of biscuits – enough to fill up the top of my crockpot. . .you can use any leftover biscuits to bake and enjoy with your meal!)
Cook two more hours on low.
Serve and enjoy!

If you’ve tried out a great slow cooker recipe I’d love the recipe. . . there are so many good ones, and since I’m planning to keep Mrs. Potts busy this month, I’d love to try out a few of your suggestions! Leave a comment to share your tips. And if you're looking for more slow cooker recipes, here are several more in the series:

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

5-Ingredient Crockpot BBQ Ribs

September 28, 2019 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs Recipe

Ready for another slow cooker recipe? If you'd like ribs but don't want to fire up the grill, these are a simple way to make them inside. So good, and you only need five ingredients . . . love that!

I think I've finally figured out ribs in the slow cooker (WOOHOO!) After reading through a few suggestions on how to cook ribs in the crockpot, I made these today and they were perfect.

And EASY.

What more could a girl ask for? 🙂

Here's the trick: do NOT just put the ribs in the slow cooker.

(I know, I know . . . that takes a little of the fun out of slow cooking, but I promise spending a few minutes to prepare those ribs in the morning will reward you with some fall-apart-heavenly ribs!)

Allow just thirty minutes in the morning to pre-bake them in the oven, and then let your slow cooker to the rest of the cooking for you. These were so good that my family declared them better than Logan's Roadhouse, and liked them as much as our favorite rib recipe for the grill.

Yup, I was a rockstar at our house this week.

Here's the recipe if you'd like to be a rockstar today too. 🙂

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Ingredients

Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Barbecue Sauce (we used Sweet Baby Rays)
3-4 lbs. Pork Long Country Style Ribs, or Pork Sirloin Chops

Instructions

Season ribs with salt, pepper and garlic salt.
Bake at 350 in oven for 15 minutes, then turn ribs over and bake another 15 minutes.
Transfer ribs to slow cooker (you may need to cut them to fit into Mrs. Potts!) 🙂
Pour bottle of barbecue sauce over top of the ribs.
Cook for 6-7 hours on low.
Serve along with extra barbecue sauce (optional).

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Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes

March 2, 2013 by Laurie 1 Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Find more penny pinched recipes HERE and also visit the Recipe Gallery for more menu inspiration. So glad you're here!

Here's a peek at my favorite slow cooker recipes now that the 25 Days of Slow Cooking Serie s is finished. (Whew!) Hopefully thils will make them easy for you to access if you need one in a hurry.

If you've made any of these recipes, I'd love to hear which ones you've liked! To find the recipe, just click the picture below, and you can click the “25 Days Series” at the top of the page or the logo in the right side bar to access this list. Happy Slow Cooking!

Sweet Stuff

Soups

Chicken

Beef

Pork

Pasta

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

See more penny pinched recipes at Passionate Penny Pincher.

Slow Cooker Ranch House Pork Chops

February 28, 2013 by Laurie 5 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I'd sure love for you to share it with your friends on Pinterest, and come join me there too!

Slow Cooker Ranch House Pork Chops

I bought pork chops yesterday to re-make this recipe (and take a better picture!), however it turns out I've got three kids going three different directions tonight, so we'll be having leftovers on our way out the door. I'll update the picture when we actually do have a night home to make this one, but oh-my-goodness I promise this one's delicious and you'll love it!

I've tried several recipes for pork chops in the crockpot, and not really been all that impressed. (A crockpot is a wonderful thing, but a bad recipe in the crockpot always seems to turn out just horrible!) So, I was a little skeptical about this recipe, but it turned out perfectly! (In fact, my son called it a “five star meal” . . . yayyy!) I literally found this recipe on Pinterest at noon, popped my pork chops in the microwave for a minute to defrost, threw them in Mrs. Potts with the rest of the ingredients while they were still half frozen (really!), and sure enough they were just delicious five hours later. Woot!

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Slow Cooker Ranch House Pork Chops and Potatoes

Ingredients

6 pork chops
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz. can cream of chicken soup
4 lbs. potatoes
5 tbsp. butter or margarine
6 cloves roasted garlic
1 1/2 cup warm milk we used skim
1 tbsp. salt optional to taste
1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper optional

Instructions

Directions (for the pork chops)
Place pork chops, ranch seasoning & soup in slow cooker and heat on high four hours or low six hours. (Ours cooked on high for four hours, and were even a little frozen when they went in.)
Directions (for the potatoes)
Roast garlic. (To roast the garlic, cover the entire garlic bulb including skin in aluminum foil and bake at 350 for one hour. Then let cool, remove from skins and mix into a paste to add to your potatoes.)
While garlic is cooling, cook peeled potatoes in large pot of water for about 15-18 minutes, until ready to mash.
Mash potatoes, then add garlic, salt, and pepper.
Slowly add in milk until the potatoes are the consistency that you'd like them (mine only needed about 1 cup of the milk.)
Add potatoes to plate, then cover with pork chops from slow cooker and use the sauce for your gravy. . . yummmm!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

February 27, 2013 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I'd sure love for you to share it with your friends on Pinterest, and come join me there too!

I posted this simple recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff way back in September of 2011, but it's one of our favorites and I'm adding it to our menu plan next week! If you try it out, I'd love to hear what you think.

I’ve never tried Beef Stroganoff in our slow cooker before, so I was thrilled to find a simple recipe that made cooking a night of cooking a little simpler at our house! This was so good, but a wee bit on the pricey for us. However, it made enough for dinner plus tons of leftovers, so we’ll freeze what we don’t eat tomorrow and then just reheat the meal when we need a quick dinner. (You can freeze it in plastic bags even with the noodles as long as they’re cooked, then just re-heat and serve!)

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Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

2 lb. beef stew meat
2 cans Golden Mushroom Soup
1 onion
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp Worcestershire
1/2 cup water
1 beef bouillon cube
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 cup mushrooms
noodles cooked

Instructions

Heat bouillion cube in water in microwave for 30 seconds. Then place all of the first ten ingredients in slow cooker.
Cook on low 5-6 hours.
About 30 minutes before meat is cooked, saute mushrooms in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add to stroganoff and let it cook another fifteen minutes. Whisk any cream cheese that has not melted completely until smooth.
Serve over cooked noodles, enjoy!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Slow Cooker Honey Chicken

February 26, 2013 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I'd sure love for you to share it with your friends on Pinterest, and come join me there too!

When I saw this Slow Cooker Honey Chicken recipe on Table for Two I couldn't wait to try it out! We had it tonight for dinner along with broccoli and Sesame Noodles. Super easy and very good. . .

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Slow Cooker Honey Chicken

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 cup honey
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic
cornstarch
sesame seeds optional ~ we didn't have any so I left them out!

Instructions

Place chicken in slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.
Mix next seven ingredients in medium bowl and then pour over chicken.
Cook 3-4 hours on low or 1 1/2 hours on high.
Remove chicken from crock pot and cut into pieces.
Meanwhile, mix 4 teaspoons cornstarch in 6 teaspoons water, then pour into crockpot.
Replace lid and cook sauce an additional ten minutes on high to thicken juices.
Return chicken to pot to let it soak up the juices and warm. Sprinkle sesame seeds if desired.
Serve over noodles or rice.

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Originally adapted from Baby Center.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

February 25, 2013 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I'd sure love for you to share it with your friends on Pinterest, and come join me there too!

I made these Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches today in Mrs. Potts, and they were so simple to throw together in a hurry! They were the perfect recipe to make with the $1.99/lb. Boston Butt Roast on sale at Publix this week, and are an easy meal dump in your crock pot on a busy morning. Here's the recipe if you need something simple to make for dinner at your house this week!

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

3-4 lb. boston butt roast
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup water
sandwich buns

Instructions

Trim ALL fat from roast. (This is really important ~ these tend to be fairly fatty cuts and you'll want to get rid of as much fat as possible prior to cooking.)
Mix together all the spices and rub into roast.
Place roast in slow cooker
Add water around the roast.
Cook 8-9 hours on low.
Shred pork, cook in juices an additional 15 minutes.
Serve on buns and top with your favorite barbecue sauce.
Enjoy!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

February 24, 2013 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I'd sure love for you to share it with your friends on Pinterest, and come join me there too!

If you've been looking for a way to make Macaroni and Cheese in the Slow Cooker, here you go! So simple, and a great way to pinch those pennies while eating at home. Enjoy!

As my son headed out the door on his way to school earlier this week, he said “Mom, can we please have Macaroni & Cheese for dinner tonight?” Well, normally I don't consider Mac & Cheese an entree, but I had everything we needed, and had been dying to try out some Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese in Mrs. Potts (I really didn't think it would work . . . .) Oh my goodness: it. was. perfect.

I'd seen several recipes for macaroni & cheese in the crockpot and read reviews saying they usually came out mushy, but this one was just right! I skipped a few steps in the original recipe to make life easier, so it should take you ten minutes or less to get this recipe thrown together. All I added were some Simple 7 Up Biscuits, green beans, salads and applesauce, which made for one yummy frugal feast at our house. If you've got some macaroni-and-cheese loving kids at your house I'm betting they'll enjoy this one too.

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Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 box uncooked elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup milk we used 1%
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

Boil macaroni for six minutes and drain.
Meanwhile, spray slow cooker with cooking spray and soften butter for a few seconds in the microwave to make everything easier to combine.
Once pasta is cooked, combine all ingredients in slow cooker and stir well.
Cook on low for between 2 and 2 1/2 hours, stirring about every thirty minutes.
Enjoy!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

February 23, 2013 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This is a re-post of our favorite Slow Cooked Potato Soup recipe that we make each Christmas. If you need a warm meal while it's chilly outside, this one is a great penny-pinched option!

We made this Slow Cooker Potato Soup on Christmas Eve, and goodness gracious, it was perfect! I've made it once before but had forgotten just how yummy it was, however my husband decided after tasting it that this is the only Potato Soup recipe I need to make from here on out.

I did use half and half this time (before I'd only tried it with skim milk, which worked well too but it never thickened quite as much.) It was so simple, and would be a great penny-pinched meal to enjoy on a cold winter night this week!

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 slices bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
5 cups peeled russet potatoes (about five potatoes)
1 medium stalk celery
1 carton (4 cups) chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half or milk (we used skim milk and it was fine, but it might be a little creamier if you use half and half)
8 oz. shredded Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

In skillet, cook bacon over medium heat, until browned & crispy. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels, then refrigerate until dinner time.
In bacon drippings, cook onion over medium heat 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix onion, potatoes, celery, broth, salt & pepper. Cook in slow cooker on low for 6-7 hours.
In small bowl, beat flour and half and half (or milk) with wire whisk until well blended; stir into soup.
Increase heat on slow cooker until high. Cover; cook about 30 minutes longer or until thickened.
Stir in cheese until melted & smooth. (If you want fewer lumps in your soup, you’ll want to mash the potatoes a bit with a potato masher.)
Crumble bacon, serve on top of soup.

https://passionatepennypincher.com/slow-cooker-potato-soup-2/

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.

Slow Cooker Chicken Ro-Tel Dip

February 22, 2013 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Slow Cooker Chicken Ro Tel Dip, adapted from All Recipes

Earlier this week my twelve-year old was in charge of making pancakes for his little sister's birthday. He did such a great job, but after mixing the batter in the Kitchenaid (he didn't know you could mix it by hand), making a pancake the entire size of the griddle (he didn't understand how quickly it would expand while he was dumping . . . his sister was thrilled with her 16″ inch round birthday pancake which took three of us to flip over), and cooking up the first batch to a nicely (errrr . . . more than nicely?) browned state, he said: “Seriously, mom . . . cooking should be a sport!”

To which I wisely replied, “Yup, and I do it. Every. single. day.”

Not easily impressed (of course. . . he's twelve, right?), he quickly came back with. . . “No, you don't. You just dump everything in your crockpot and let it do the work.”

Guess he's figured he out. 😉

Here's another easy recipe that requires absolutely no skill at all so long as you can dump stuff in that crockpot of yours. Because we all know us moms never do any work. (ahem.)

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Slow Cooker Chicken Ro-Tel Dip

Ingredients

1 can Rotel
1 lb. Velveeta
2 cooked chicken breasts shredded (or substitute with canned chicken)
1/3 sour cream
1/4 cup green onion
1 1/2 tbsp. taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper
1 cup black beans drained

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in slow cooker.
Cook on high until cheese has melted, 1-2 hours.
Stir in black beans, reduce to low.
Cook an additional 15 minutes.
Serve over tortilla chips.

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

February 20, 2013 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

please forgive the photo . . . it was late and we were hungry, so no time for a pretty pic! 😉

I saw this great recipe for Pesto Ranch Chicken Thighs over on Pinterest, but when I went to actually make it, I was missing almost all of the ingredients! Because I'll do anything to avoid a last minute (un-planned) trip to the grocery store, I decided to see what I could come up with using what we did have on hand.

Guess what? This Slow Cooker Italian Chicken turned out perfectly! I served it with green beans, mashed potatoes, and some of those Country Crock Apples that were $.50 at Publix last week (those taste just like Cracker Barrel. . . ), and my little family gobbled down every bite on their plate. I'm planning to shred the leftover chicken for lunch to make a Caesar Chicken Wrap. Here's the recipe if you'd like to add it to your menu plan:

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Slow Cooker Italian Chicken

Ingredients

1 - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 cup parmesan cheese I used the DiGiorno grated cheese
1 tsp minced garlic
4 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tablespoon minced onion
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Place chicken in slow cooker.
Mix remaining ingredients, pour over chicken.
Cook on low 6-8 hours, or on high 3-4 hours.
Enjoy!

Here are the sale items and coupons you’ll want to watch for this week (2/20/13) to pinch those pennies at Publix this week on this meal:

Crisco Olive Oil 16.9 oz BOGO $5.99 at Publix
Or Extra Light Olive Oil 17 oz. $2.79 at Aldi's
Perdue Chicken Breast Individually Wrapped Frozen 32 oz. $6.99, use $1/1 Perdue Chicken Breast
Sam's Club also has 6 lbs. Daily Chef Frozen boneless skinless chicken breast for $10.98 (makes it $1.83/lb.)

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . . .

Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.

Slow Cooker Ravioli

February 19, 2013 by Laurie 5 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

This Slow Cooker Ravioli Bake is the easiest ever recipe to throw in Mrs. Potts, and yesterday as I was racing out the door to pick up my girls for gymnastics, I knew it would hit the spot! I literally dumped everything in as I headed out the door, and came home four hours later to dinner all cooked up for me. (Have I mentioned lately I love my slow cooker?) We ate it with a side salad and some garlic bread, and dinner was done with less than ten minutes of effort. That's less time then it takes to get through the drive-thru window ~ success!

If you're like me and grabbed some of those BOGO ravioli in the current ad at Publix (it ends tonight in some areas, but some of you lucky ducks can still pick them up tomorrow!), this is a great simple meal to add to your menu plan this week. I'd love to hear if you like it, and if you have any other tips on cooking pasta in the crockpot, please leave a comment to share. (By the way, I added a little of the DiGiorno Parmesan Cheese that you'll find in your deli area on top. It's BOGO in the upcoming ad at Publix, and tastes so much better than the Grated Parmesan.)

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Slow Cooker Ravioli Bake

Ingredients

1 package frozen Ravioli we used cheese cheese
1 26 oz jar pasta sauce
1 8 oz can tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Pour half the pasta sauce on the bottom of your slow cooker.
Add ravioli,.
Put additional pasta sauce in slow cooker. Then mix together tomato sauce and water in empty pasta jar, give it a shake and dump over the ravioli.
Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top of sauces.
Add cheese.
Cook on low 4 -5 hours (watch it towards the end to make sure it doesn't burn on the edges.)
Enjoy!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . .

Slow Cooked Italian Beef

February 18, 2013 by Laurie 22 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Looking for more penny pinched recipes? Here you go!

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These Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches (or Sliders) are the best recipe you'll ever taste in a crockpot . . . seriously. If you haven't made these before you really need to add them to your menu this week ~ I promise you'll be so glad you did!

I have a problem. Every single time that I see a shoulder roast at anything near a decent price, I just have to make these Slow Cooked Italian Beef Sandwiches! I know I should be way more creative, spend hours visiting Pinterest looking for something else to cook with that bargain beef, and then spend hours cooking it up. But since this beef tastes perfect as you taste-test it right out of Mrs. Potts, even better as you enjoy it on a sandwich at dinner time, and is best for leftovers the next day, I figure you'll humor me on this one more time. Seriously, what other recipe does that for you?

If you haven't made this one yet, try it out for me . . . I'd love to hear what you think! And, if you're worried about it being a little too spicy, you can drastically reduce the spiciness by carefully removing the peppers after cooking without letting them open, and using a turkey baster to remove about half of the juices while it simmers in the Au Jus mix. I promise. . . you'll be glad you made this one!

Slow Cooked Italian Beef Sliders

Ingredients

2-3 lb. Beef Shoulder Roast On Sale $3.99 at Publix
1 jar Pepperoncini Peppers
1 Package AuJus Seasoning Mix Use Publix brand, about $.49 each
Hoagie Rolls

Instructions

Trim fat from roast. Place roast in crock pot, cover with pepperoncini peppers (in liquid).
Cook 7-8 hours on low. Remove peppers (I usually save the jar in the morning and put the peppers back in it to throw them away in).
Shred beef and mix in AuJus Seasoning. If you want it to make it a little less spicy, drain about half the liquid using a turkey baster.
Cook another 30 minutes on low in crock pot. Serve on hoagie rolls.

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . .

This post is linked to Crock Pot Ladies Slow Cooker Saturday. Thanks for the opportunity to link up!

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

February 17, 2013 by Laurie 7 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you like this recipe, I'd love for you to use the Pin it button to share it on Pinterest, or click the “like” button to share with your friends on Facebook! Thanks, guys 🙂

This is a re-post of one of our favorite Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili. So simple, and easy to add to your menu plan with many ingredients you probably already have in your pantry! Enjoy.

We made this for dinner earlier this week, and it was so yummy and of course wonderfully easy! I baked some homemade bread to go with it, and my hubby and I enjoyed the leftovers yesterday for lunch. I loved that it was so simple and included simple basic ingredients, and we'll definitely be making it again soon!

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Ro Tel
1 package Ranch Dressing Mix
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz. package light cream cheese
2 chicken breasts

Instructions

Drain & rinse black beans.
Put chicken in the bottom of the crockpot, then add the corn and black beans.
Add seasoning and ranch mix, stir together.
Place cream cheese on top of everything.
Cook on low 6-8 hours.
After it's cooked all day, shred chicken and mix all ingredients together well.
Enjoy!

Looking for more slow cooker recipes to add to your menu plan this week? Here you go . .

Thanks to Plain Chicken for a great recipe!

Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

February 16, 2013 by Laurie 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I’d sure love for you to “share” it on Facebook or “pin” it on Pinterest ~ just click the buttons above. Thanks so much for supporting PPP!

Here's a super easy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes recipe that definitely helped make dinnertime run smoothly at our house! I served them with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. . . super easy, and I only spent 15 minutes in the kitchen. (Love that!) If you've tried out sloppy joes in the slow cooker, I'd love to hear how you make yours too.

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Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 bottle chili sauce 12 oz
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
buns we served on Sara Lee dinner rolls ~ they were perfect!

Instructions

Cook beef, onion and red pepper in skillet on medium heat until meat is cooked.
Add meat to slow cooker.
Add everything else (except the buns!) to slow cooker and cook on low 3-4 hours.
Enjoy!

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

This post is linked up to Crock Pot Ladies Slow Cooker Saturday. Thanks for the opportunity to link up!

Best Slow Cooker Pot Roast

February 15, 2013 by Laurie 6 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I’d sure love for you to “share” it on Facebook or “pin” it on Pinterest ~ just click the buttons above. Thanks so much for supporting PPP!

This is my all-time-absolute-best-slow-cooker-pot-roast-on-the-planet recipe, and if you haven't tried it yet you've got to add it to your menu plan this week! I'd love to hear if you have other ways to cook your roast, but this one (at least right now. . . ) is our family's favorite.

I've tried way too many pot roast recipes to count. . . fairly unsuccesfully. (At least according to my not-always-impressed-with-my-penny-pinched-meals hubby.) But when I saw shoulder roasts on sale at Publix this week, I was determined to get it right, and I think I finally did! I realized that the biggest problem with the pot roasts that I've tried in the past has probably been the cut of meat ~ I thought that because everyone said to use a chuck roast, that was what I needed. But I don't think think I'll ever use another chuck roast again!

I've also tried the ever famous cream-of-mushroom & Lipton soup trick over and over again, but to me the roast always tasted like a soupy cream of mushroom mess. (I know some of you may just love it, but it wasn't a favorite at our house!) This however, was perfect. I started with a basic recipe from A Year Of Slow Cooking (if you love your slow cooker you've gotta check that site out), but adapted with what I had in the pantry. Here was my secret ingredient ~

The original recipe called for 3 tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce, but when I couldn't find it in the pantry I decided this Beefy Mushroom soup might just work. It worked, and was really, really good. In fact, my son said it was the best recipe I've ever made and decided that we needed to pack up our slow cooker for our next family vacation. Yup, this is my new Slow Cooker Roast Winner! I'd love to hear what you think if you try it out.

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients

For the Roast:
2-3.5 pound roast I used a shoulder roast I'll never try any other kind because this one was so good!
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion sliced in rings
1/2 cup beef broth
1 can Beefy Mushroom Soup *NOT* cream of mushroom
For the Gravy:
2 cups broth from slow cooker
1/2 tbsp. beef bouillion
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp. corn starch

Instructions

Trim all fat from roast.
Mix together flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in large plastic bag.
Put the roast in the bag and shake it until completely coated in flour, then brown all sides in large skillet in olive oil.
While the meat is browning, add your onion slices to the bottom of the slow cooker.
Put roast on top of onions, then pour beef broth and soup over top. (If you want to add carrots or potatoes, you could also put those on top.)
Cook 9 hours on low heat in slow cooker. Serve with mashed potatoes, veggies, and (of course!) gravy.
Gravy Directions:
Remove 2 cups of the broth and place in saucepan over medium heat.
Add bouillon and stir until it's completely mixed in to the broth.
Mix together 2 tbsp. corn starch and 1/4 cup water.
Slowly add corn starch mixture into broth, stirring constantly.
Simmer over medium heat for one minute. Season if needed. (Ours didn't need any extra seasoning!)

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas

February 14, 2013 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I’d sure love for you to “share” it on Facebook or “pin” it on Pinterest ~ just click the buttons above. Thanks so much for supporting PPP!

Here's a super simple recipe for slow cooker beef fajitas that will make the dinnertime hour quick and easy! I'm usually such a fan of chicken (it's just so much easier on this penny pincher's budget!), but decided to treat our family to a little splurge, and using pre-cut beef stir fry strips made it so easy to make.

You *might* even just add the beef to the crockpot without searing it for a few minutes to save time in the morning, but taking just a few minutes of cooking kept the meat nice and tender. I'd love to hear what you think if you try it!

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Beef Fajitas

Ingredients

1 - 1 1/12 pounds beef stir fry strips
1 14 oz can drained diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
2 garlic cloves
1 packet fajita seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium green pepper chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper chopped
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
12 flour tortillas
toppings i.e. lettuce, tomato, salsa, sour cream

Instructions

Cook beef on stovetop over medium heat until lightly browned.
Add meat and next 7 items to slow cooker. Cook on low 8 hours.
Mix water and cornstarch until smooth Slowly add to slow cooker, then cover and cook on high for an additional thirty minutes..
Spoon meat mixture down center of tortilla. Fold bottom of tortilla over filling and roll up.
Add toppings and serve. Enjoy!

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Slow Cooker Monkey Bread

February 13, 2013 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I’d sure love for you to “share” it on Facebook or “pin” it on Pinterest ~ just click the buttons above. Thanks so much for supporting PPP!

Try out this yummy Slow Cooker Monkey Bread. Your family will love it. You can also try out this one, but either way I'm pretty sure you'll have a happy bunch of monkeys on your hands. (And yes, I'm kinda sad that I'm giving up this one for Lent.)

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Monkey Bread

Ingredients

cooking spray
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
4 7.5 oz cans refrigerated biscuits I get the inexpensive Pillsbury ones
1 1/2 cups apples optional
1/2 cup butter melted
1/3 cup apple juice
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
Mix together white and brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons on the bottom of the slow cooker.
Cut biscuits into quarters (I use scissors) and coat with remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. (At our house we put the biscuits in a plastic bag and my kids shake until their heart’s content!)
Add biscuits to slow cooker, pouring any extra sugar on top.
Mix together butter, vanilla and apple juice, and pour over biscuits in slow cooker.
Cook on low 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Let cool for fifteen minutes. Then turn over onto platter. (I was worried it wouldn't turn over, but they popped right out!)
Cool for a few more minutes, then serve.
Enjoy!

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Slow Cooker Ham & Cheese Melts

February 11, 2013 by Laurie 2 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

We're still hoping to get back to Sweet Home Alabama soon, so instead of getting a new Slow Cooker Recipe up today I'm posting another one of our favorites! It would be great to use with leftover ham from this Slow Cooker Ham recipe. Enjoy!

This is one of those recipes that I've been thinking about all summer long, and finally took time to try out this week. . .yummm! I love my crockpot in the winter for delicious soups, roasts, and simple meals, but in the summertime it's just as good to keep my heat form overheating by turning the oven on,.

I found the idea for this recipe over at the Big Red Kitchen, and tweaked it a little to fit a meal that our family would enjoy. What I loved is that it was so simple to adapt for everyone, so while my hubby and I enjoyed a spiced up meal, the kids got plain ole' ham and cheese . . .which made them very happy. I was a little concerned that the bread would get soggy, but only found a few tiny bits that did seem a little more moist, but they still tasted delicious! Here's how to make it at your house. . .

Slow Cooked Ham & Cheese Melts

adapted from Big Red Kitchen

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Ham & Cheese Melts

Ingredients

1 large round Artisan Loaf
provolone or swiss cheese
ham or turkey
onion slices
sweet banana peppers drained well
olive oil
Italian Seasoning optional
salt and pepper optional
1/4 cup water for bottom of slow cooker

Instructions

Slice bread 11 - 13 times (you will need a very sharp knife for this!) Do not slice completely through the bread, instead leave a small amount unsliced at the bottom of the loaf to keep the sandwiches together.
Ball up a few pieces of aluminum foil and place in the bottom of the crockpot to keep your bread up off the top of the slow cooker. Add 1/4 cup water to the bottom of the slow cooker.
On countertop, layer cheese and slices of ham or turkey, then add banana peppers and onion slices. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning and salt and pepper.
Place each layer in between two slices of bread. (Be sure to drain the banana peppers so that they don't make the bread soggy.)
Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and cook for 2-4 hours on low. (We baked ours for about 4 hours and they were perfect!)
Remove from foil and slice into sandwiches.
Drizzle olive oil or add a little mayo to the inside of each sandwich if you'd like, and enjoy!

A big thanks to Big Red Kitchen for the wonderful recipe idea! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

February 9, 2013 by Laurie 10 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

If you enjoy this recipe, I’d sure love for you to “like” it on Facebook or “pin” it on Pinterest ~ just click the buttons above. Thanks so much for supporting PPP!

This is a re-post of my all time favorite slow cooker soup recipe… if you haven't tried this one yet, you'll want to add this penny pinched soup to your menu plan soon!

Let me just start by saying: if you like French Onion Soup, you've got to try this Slow Cooker French Onion Soup . . . yummm! My husband has a favorite restaurant in Colarado Springs that makes some plain-old-fantastic French Onion Soup, and he even agreed that this was almost as good as theirs.

I saw the recipe a few weeks ago over on One Hundred Dollars A Month, and love that it's a simple to make but tried and true recipe straight from Betty Crocker I made a few adjustments to make what we had in our pantry work, but other than that we followed the recipe pretty closely and oh-my-goodness it was good! And, while serving this meatless meal will help you pinch a few extra pennies at the grocery store, I promise you'll be plenty stuffed when you finish this one . . . that cheesy gooeyness couldn't be one bit better.

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

Ingredients

3 large bouillon cubes
7 1/2 cups water (could also substitute with 4 14 1/2 cans ready to serve beef broth ~ omit bouilion cubes if you use the broth)
1 packet Au Jus seasoning mix
3 large onions (about 3 cups)
3 tablespoons margarine or butter melted
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon worcestershire
1 teaspoon sugar
1 loaf French bread, sliced 1" thick
3/4 cups mozzarella or Swiss cheese

Instructions

Put melted butter and onions in slow cooker. Stir so that onions are coated with margarine.
Cover and cook on high for 30-35 minutes, until onions begin to slightly cook.
Meanwhile, if using water and bouillion cubes, boil water in microwave and drop cubes into boiling water.
Mix together flour, Worcestershire, sugar, and pepper.
Pour broth, Au Jus Mix and Worcestershire mixture into crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
Pour soup into oven-proof bowls (if you have them!) Place on baking sheet, and put a piece of sliced bread on top of soup.
Cover with cheese, and broil in oven for 2-3 minutes, until cheese is bubbly
Cool slightly (your bowls will be hot!), and enjoy..... yummmm!

https://passionatepennypincher.com/slow-cooker-french-onion-soup-2/

Slow Cooker Mug Brownies

February 8, 2013 by Laurie Leave a Comment This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

See more Slow Cooker recipes HERE.

Several years ago, I found this wonderful Slow Cooker Mug Brownies recipe on A Year of Slow Cooking, and it's one of my children's favorite treats. They're so simple, amazingly yummy, and your family will think you're a rockstar the minute they devour them.

We used this homemade brownie recipe in place of a mix because I didn't have any mixes on hand. However, Publix has Betty Crocker brownie mix on sale Buy One Get One Free this week, or you can pick up Brownie Mix this week at Aldi's for $1.29, so mix it up from scratch or use a box mix for a penny pinched deal!

Warning: depending on the number of mugs you can divide your mix into, this is a lot of brownie all in one mug, and if you're kids are like mine they'll quickly gobble down on every bite. So, watch out and be sure to limit this yumminess before they send themselves into a sugar fit . . . we split them into 2-3 servings at our house!

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Mug Brownies

Ingredients

4-6 mugs depending on the size of your crockpot (I fit 6 in my large crockpot and used ones that were fairly worn to be on the safe side)
brownie mix
ingredients to make your brownie mix
optional: cool whip or ice cream and chocolate syrup for topping

Instructions

Mix together the brownie ingredients.
Grease mugs well with cooking spray.
Cook in crockpot for 2-3 hours on low, checking for doneness after two hours.
Remove mugs carefully from slow cooker (they'll be hot!) Wait until they've cooled before serving.
Top with cool whip or ice cream and chocolate syrup, if desired. Yum!

If you've tried out a great slow cooker recipe I'd love the recipe. . . there are so many good ones, and since I'm planning to keep Mrs. Potts busy this month, I'd love to try out a few of your suggestions! Leave a comment HERE to share your tips. Here are more recipes in the series:

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Recipe adapted from Food.com.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Noodle Soup

February 7, 2013 by Laurie 8 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Mrs. Potts did absolutely no work today. Instead, my husband and I snuck out of town for a conference he's attending way up in Rhode Island, and we've been following the news closely as they're bracing for over 20 inches of snow in the area. Yikes!

Thankfully I was planning to work from the hotel tomorrow while he's away, so I'm kind of looking forward to watching it snow from my cozy room . . as well as praying for the safety for everyone in the Northeast. It's quite an adventure for the two of us, but I think the biggest adventure is undoubtedly for my parents at home watching our three {sweet-busy-active} kiddos…. bless their hearts! (You might just want to say a prayer for them too . . . )

Here's a picture of the Breakers House that we toured today in Concord thanks to reader's suggestions on the PPP Facebook page ~ it was just incredible and I felt like we were on the set of Downton Abbey! 🙂

Before we left though I made a few extra recipes to share while we're gone, and this Slow Cooker Chicken & Noodle Soup made the menu plan last night at our house. I found a loaf of markdown Italian bread for $.99 at Kroger yesterday, and we enjoyed some yummy comfort food for dinner! I love that it's made completely with whole foods, and since Kroger has their whole chicken on sale for $.88/lb. this week, it makes for a delicious frugal feast.

{If cooking a whole chicken completely grosses you out, you could also just use boneless skinless chicken breast in it's place. However, I really think you can do this!}

Slow Cooker Chicken & Noodle Soup

Ingredients

4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup carrot, cut into 1/4″ slices
1 cup celery, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp thyme
4 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 3-4 pound whole chicken (can also substitute with 3-4 chicken breasts)
3 1/2 cups wide egg noodles

Instructions

Pour first 9 ingredients in slow cooker.
Place whole chicken (or boneless skinless chicken breast) on top of veggies.
Cook in slow cooker for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred.
Meanwhile, add noodles to slow cooker and cook an additional 20 minutes on low with lid on.
Skim any fat from the soup and discard. Add chicken back to soup and serve.
Enjoy!

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker to $46 (regularly $110)

Recipe adapted from Food.com.

Slow Cooker Ham

February 6, 2013 by Laurie 13 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet: if you like ham, you've got to try this oh-so-easy-but-incredibly-delicious-slow cooker ham. It's perfect. And easy. And all you have to do is add three items to your slow cooker in the morning.

Yup, you've got this.

(It's also gluten free . . . I'll be making it at our house this Easter for my mother-in-law and am so excited to have that part of the meal already planned!)

Slow Cooker Ham

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened Pineapple Juice
2 cups brown sugar (divided)
1 picnic ham (I used a 6.5 lb. Semi Boneless Cumberland Gap Ham ~ it just fit in my crockpot, so you probably want to watch to make sure you don't get one much larger than that.)

Instructions

Pour pineapple juice in the bottom of the crockpot (I just used the juices from a can of chopped pineapple).
Add 1 1/2 cups brown sugar on top of the pineapple.
Rub remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar over the ham.
Place ham in fat side down.
Cover and cook on low 8 hours. (You may baste it if you want to once during the day, but I left it alone.)
Slice and serve ~ done!

Note: if the ham is just a bit too big for your crockpot, you can put the lid on and secure with aluminum foil. The ham will cook down throughout the day, and should fit nicely by dinnertime!

Here are the sale items you’ll want to watch for this week (1/31/13) to pinch those pennies on this meal:

Cumberland Gap Ham On Sale $1.99/lb. at Publix (regularly $3.29/lb.)
Use $0.75/1 Dixie Crystals Product-Granulated, Poly Light Brown, Dark Brown, Powdered, or Redi-Measure Light Brown Sugar printable

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Recipe adapted from Food.com. Thanks to I Heart Publix for the coupon matchups, and check out $5 Dinner Mom for more bargain meal deals! If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE.

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

February 5, 2013 by Laurie 18 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

See more Slow Cooker recipes HERE.

It's day three of our 25 Days of Slow Cooking series and Mrs. Potts is keeping busy! These Slow Cooked Buffalo Chicken Sliders are one of those super easy throw it in the pot meals that you can't mess up, and always get great reviews.

I was completely scared off the first time I made these after reading through the ingredients, however since our pantry always has six bottles of Frank's Hot Sauce (because my hubby is addicted to Buffalo Chicken Dip), I decided to try them out a few years ago, and now they're on our regular dinner rotation. Here’s a quick warning though: this recipe is just a wee bit on the spicy side (obviously!), so if you tend to shy away from spicy foods try out these yummy-slow-cooker-not-spicy-at-all barbecue sandwiches. 😉

To pinch those pennies on dry ranch packets, we use this homemade mix.

Print Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Sliders

Ingredients

1 1/2 - 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
10 oz. Frank's Hot Sauce
1 dry ranch dressing packet
1 package dinner Rolls our favorite are King's Hawaiian Rolls
ranch dressing for topping

Instructions

Place chicken in crockpot.
Mix together ranch seasoning and hot sauce, pour over the meat.
Cook on low 6-8 hours.
Shred chicken, and slice buns in half.
Add chicken to buns, drizzle with ranch dressing.
Enjoy!

Here are the sale items and coupons you’ll want to watch for this week (2/5/13) to pinch those pennies on this meal:

Frank's Hot Sauce ~ Use $.50/1 or $0.75/1 Franks Redhot Sauce, exp. 3/31/13 (SS 01/20/13)
Ranch Dressing ~ $1/1 Ken's Dressing, exp. 2/28/13 (SS 01/13/13) or $0.75/2 Wish-Bone or Western Dressing, exp. 2/24/13 (RP 01/27/13 R)
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $3.99/lb at Publix (yikes. . . )
King's Hawaiian Rolls ~ Use $1/1 Kings Hawaiian Round Bread or Kings Hawaiian Dinner Rolls, exp. 2/9/13 (RP 12/09/12 R)

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

This post is linked up to Crock Pot Ladies Slow Cooker Saturday – thanks for the opportunity to link up! Recipe adapted from Taste of Home. If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE, and don't miss this penny-pinched collection of Slow Cooker Recipes!

Slow Cooked French Dip Sandwiches

February 4, 2013 by Laurie 7 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

Here's the second recipe in the 25 Days of Slow Cooking series here on PPP, and I promise you'll love these Slow Cooked French Dip Sandwiches. They're one of those simple recipes that you can just pop in Mrs. Potts in the morning, and then come home to a delicious home cooked meal at the end of the day. Enjoy it either on traditional hamburger buns or slider sandwiches ~ either way you're in for a simple meal that will help you pinch those pennies while you skip the drive thru this week.

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

Ingredients

2-3 pounds beef sirloin roast
1 package dry au jus mix
1 cup water
8 oz. provolone cheese
1 package slider buns or hamburger buns

Instructions

Trim all fat from beef and place in slow cooker. Stir together water and au jus mix, and pour over the roast.
Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.
Remove roast and shred or slice. Add to sliced rolls, top with provolone.
Use au jus mix from the slow cooker to dip in.

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Slow Cooker Meatloaf

February 2, 2013 by Laurie 20 Comments This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and purchase something, I may earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you.) See my disclosure policy HERE.

I'm so excited to start out this very first post in our 25 Days of Slow Cooking recipes series! I'll let you know up front that these posts will be pretty short and sweet . . . maybe a few quick words at the top along with any tips about the recipe, but know that each recipe I share are tried and true ones that our family really enjoyed.

(I love food bloggers who have tons of great witty things to write about all the methods of their cooking, but in all honesty, I'm a penny-pinchin' momma with three busy kids, a pretty hopping website, and way too much running around inside my head to have any room left for more than a quick few words about how good it is. Just trust me, you'll like 'em!)

We tried out this recipe for slow cooker meatloaf this week, and when I shared it over on Facebook I was surprised at how many people asked for the recipe. It's incredibly easy, and if you already have a favorite meatloaf recipe, you could easily substitute it for this one, then just cook in your crock pot following these directions. I was tickled that it actually worked!

I am not a girl who likes meatloaf, but this is one might-fine meatloaf. My husband loves the stuff and it was a treat for him, so if you have a meat-loaf-lovin'-man at home you'll make him very happy. And I never think pictures of meatloaf look all that appetizing . . . but I promise, this one is good. 😉

Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Meatloaf

Ingredients

2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 teaspoons minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Combine first six ingredients in large bowl.
Add in beef and mix well.
Shape into loaf.
If you have a large slow cooker, put loaf in loaf pan and then place in slow cooker (that's what we did.) If you don't have a larger slow cooker, you can cook this directly in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours.
Mix together ketchup, mustard, brown sugar and Worcestershire.
Spoon over meat loaf after it has cooked.
Cook an additional 15 minutes, or until heated.
Let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. (Be sure to let it stand, as otherwise it will fall apart very easily.)
Enjoy!

Need a slow cooker to get started? Here are a few decent deals on Amazon:

Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Slow Cooker for just $29 (regularly $39.99)
Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker $49, regularly $59.99
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel $79.99 (regularly $119.99)
Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cookerto $46 (regularly $110)

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home. If you need a little more menu inspiration, go HERE, and don't miss this penny-pinched collection of Slow Cooker Recipes!