Slow Cooker Archives - Busy Moms Helper

Easy Potato Soup & Cider Recipe

January 14, 2019 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Thank you Idahoan® Steakhouse® Soups for sponsoring this post. Enjoy the flavorful, slow-cooked taste of restaurant-quality soup at home, in minutes.

While I’m grateful to live in a place warmer than Utah now, it’s still been plenty cold here lately with a bit of freezing rain this month. I don’t know about you, but when it gets cold I have even less of a desire to spend forever cooking – but, we still have to eat, right? Luckily we can still make a delicious and comforting (aka: nice and warm!) meal with this Easy Potato Soup & Cider Recipe! with hardly any effort required, you can whip up a family-pleasing dish in practically no time at all, meaning more time you can spend wrapped up in that blanket.

Okay, so maybe us moms don’t ACTUALLY have time to just lounge around wrapped in a blanket – but you know I’m gonna try to stay as comfy and bundled as possible once the temperatures get into the 30’s and 40’s here! That’s one reason this meal is so perfect – the apple cider cooks in your slow cooker a few hours, making the house smell like cinnamon and deliciousness. Meanwhile the Idahoan Steakhouse® Soups cook in just 5 minutes, and are full of flavorful seasonings and rich cheeses – not to mention real Idaho® potatoes – giving you a creamy, hearty flavor with every bite. All you have to do is add water, making it about as easy as a quality meal can be!

Are you in for several weeks of chilly weather in your area? Don’t worry, you can enjoy more than one tasty meal that’s easy to make and brings warming comfort to your family because Idahoan Steakhouse Soups offer a variety of great flavors, such as Loaded Potato (which we enjoyed for this particular dinner), Creamy Potato, Cheddar Broccoli (my favorite!!) and Cheddar Potato. So many options to choose from, but since they’re quick to cook maybe just whip up a variety and let your family test out their favorites!

Apple Cider Recipe

Ingredients

Large Container Apple Juice
3-4 Cinnamon Sticks, plus some for garnish as desired
Caramel Syrup, if desired

Directions

Pour the apple juice into your slow cooker.
Add 3-4 cinnamon sticks.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally to spread the cinnamon flavor throughout.
When serving, add a bit of caramel syrup as desired – enjoy!

When your cider is close to done, grab your flavor choice of Idahoan Steakhouse Soup and follow the directions on the back. For our Loaded Potato, I simply had to boil 4 cups of water (for 1 package), whisk in the contents of the pack, lower heat and simmer (uncovered) for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then remove it from the heat and let cool about 5 minutes. That’s all it takes, guys!

I’m a huge fan of things that help make our busy lives easier, so of course I not only love the great, slow-cooked, full-of-flavor taste of Idahoan Steakhouse Soups – but also being able to give my family restaurant-quality soup right in our home in just minutes! They really help make comfort easy, despite the chilly temps outside.

What’s your favorite cold-weather drink recipe?

17 Slow Cooker Christmas Recipes

December 10, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

The holidays are busy enough, then add in all that cooking and baking for one crazy season! Now, I’m in no way saying give up the big Christmas parties or meals – they’re awesome and definitely a memorable part of this time of year – but perhaps you can save a little time here and there by using some of the 17 Slow Cooker Christmas Recipes. Go play a fun family game, read stories, decorate the tree, give gifts, help a neighbor with their lights – so many options of how you can spend that time while your slow cooker works its magic to whip up delicious foods for your big feast!

There’s quite a variety here to help you out the most – from turkey, ham and pork, to rolls, drinks, stuffing, and other side dishes. Whatever you choose, I hope it gives you some extra time this season with those you love most!

Cranberry Pork with Cinnamon and Brown Sugar

Bavarian Pork Sirlon Tip Roast with Sour Cream Gravy

Orange Glazed Ham

Dinner Rolls

Caramel Apple Cider

Rosemary Carrot Parsnip Mash

Stuffing

Shredded Turkey

Brown Sugar Pineapple Ham

Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

17 Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Recipes

November 12, 2018 by Danielle Leave a Comment

Y’all know how much I love a good crockpot recipe, but that’s especially true during the busy holiday season. Since there’s so many different dishes to whip up – sides, main courses, desserts – we could all use some help with at least part of it by utilizing this list of delicious Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Recipes!

With some drinks, side dishes, turkey and ham – even butter and pie – there’s something for everyone for your upcoming Thanksgiving meal. Pick a favorite, or try them all. It is Thanksgiving, after all 🙂 Whether you’re in charge of the main meal, or just bringing stuff to share, this may be a huge help to save some time. Then use that time to spend it with those that matter most – family and friends!

1. Pumpkin Bread
2. Hot Apple Cider
3. Pear and Sausage Stuffing
4. Ham In Cider Gravy
5. Honey Glazed Carrots
6. Cranberry Butter
7. Sweet Potatoes and Apples
8. Candied Sweet Potatoes
9. 4 Ingredient Whole Turkey
10. Coca Cola Ham
11. Butter and Herb Turkey Breast
12. Creamed Corn
13. Ham and Sweet Potatoes
14. Green Bean Casserole
15. Cheesy Broccoli
16. Cranberry Sauce
17. Crustless Pumpkin Pie

Which Thanksgiving recipe would you try?

17 Italian Slow Cooker Recipes

March 20, 2018 by Danielle 2 Comments

I absolutely LOVE Italian food – it’s one of my favorites! Being able to whip a great meal in the crockpot is also a love of mine, so this list of 17 Italian Slow Cooker Recipes is the best of all worlds! From cheesy pastas, to creamy soups and more, you’re bound to find the ideal busy weeknight meal to please your whole crew.

I can’t wait to try these, especially the beef sandwiches or the broccoli ranch chicken – they sounds super tasty! Take a look through and pick one of these easy, slow cooker recipes to whip up for your family on those nights when life’s just a little too busy (isn’t that almost EVERY night?) 🙂

1. Italian Chicken with Tomatoes
2. Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
3. Zesty Italian Shredded Chicken
4. Italian Pork Roast
5. Zuppa Toscana
6. Chicken Stroganoff
7. Italian Turkey Stew
8. Italian Beef Sandwiches
9. Italian Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Chili
10. Italian Sausage Wedding Soup
11. Italian Beef
12. Italian Two Bean Chili Soup
13. Broccoli Ranch Chicken
14. Cheesy Crockpot Tortellini
15. Italian-Seasoned Potatoes
16. Italian Swiss Steak
17. Italian Chicken

Which Italian slow cooker recipe do you want to try first?

17 Slow Cooker Recipes for Kids

January 4, 2018 by Danielle

When it’s cold outside, it seems that my desire to cook just goes out the window. That’s why we do a LOT more crock pot meals during the winter months! So if you’re looking for an easy recipe that the whole crew will love, you’ve got to check out these 17 Slow Cooker Recipes for Kids! A tasty meal that’s simple and makes the whole family happy? That’s a definite win-win in my book!

Don’t worry, it’s not all soups here – we’ve got a whole variety from pot pies, to chicken, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes, even steak and nachos! So no matter what your family prefers, this list is almost certain to have a delicious and EASY TO MAKE slow cooker recipe for kids of any age to enjoy.

1. Shredded Beef Tacos
2. Cherry Pie Oatmeal
3. Nacho Bake
4. Steak Bites
5. Cowboy Casserole
6. Lasagna
7. Chicken Pot Pie
8. Pizza Casserole
9. Chicken Quesadillas
10. Mac and Cheese
11. Chicken Alfredo
12. Teriyaki Chicken
13. Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
14. Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
15. Chili Recipe For Kids
16. Buttered Corn On The Cob
17. Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Which crock pot recipe would YOUR kids prefer?

25 Slow Cooker Desserts & Pastries

October 25, 2017 by Danielle

Growing up, we never made slow cooker desserts. That was for making roast or soups and such, not for more ‘unique’ things. It was a HUGE eye-opener when someone first told me they made brownies in theirs – I was totally on board for trying new things in my own! Since then I’ve tried various deliciousness, but one of my favorites (maybe because it still seems so cool to me) is making treats. If you’re up for cooking something new, try one of these 25+ Slow Cooker Desserts (and pastries) for yourself!

With the weather finally starting to cool down, maybe you’ll try a rich hot chocolate. Or perhaps a s’mores cake or fruit cobbler are more your preference. Whatever you choose, it’s super fun being able to whip up a tasty dessert in your slow cooker with hardly any effort at all!

Decadent Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate – Sally’s Baking Addiction

Pumpkin Pie Slow Cooker Cake – Mom on Time Out

Crock Pot Pecan Pie – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Slow Cooker Cherry Dump Cake – Life Love Liz

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp – Kristine’s Kitchen Blog

Slow Cooker Peach Cobbler – Six Sisters’ Stuff

Slow Cooker Sticky Pecan Buns – Amy’s Healthy Baking

Slow Cooker Berry Cobbler – Chef in Training

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp – 12 Tomatoes

Chocolate Banana Slow Cooker Cake – Childhood 101

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Brownies – Baking Queen

Slow Cooker Brownie Pudding – Crazy for Crust

Slow Cooker Triple Berry Crisp – Well Plated

Slow Cooker S’mores Cake – A Savory Feast

Slow Cooker Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars – The Stay at Home Chef

Crock-Pot Cheesecake – Crock Pot Ladies

Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Brownies – Wine and Glue

Lemon Crock Pot Cake – Low Carb Yum

Slow Cooker Pineapple Coconut Spoon Cake – The Slow Magical Cooker

Slow Cooker Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Swirl Cake – Betty Crocker

Salted Caramel Cookie Bars Slow Cooker – Slow Cooker Gourmet

Slow Cooker Sticky Buns – Delish

Slow Cooker Banana Bread Cake with Brown Sugar Sauce – Averie Cooks

Hot Fudge Slow Cooker Brownies – Spend with Pennies

Slow Cooker Chocolate Lava Cake – Hip 2 Save

Crock Pot Pumpkin Pie Pudding Cake – Tammilee Tips

Butterfinger Cheesecake (Slow Cooker) – Domestic Superhero

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Spice Cake – Yellow Bliss Road

What’s YOUR favorite slow cooker dessert recipe?

17 Crock Pot Breakfast Casseroles

October 18, 2017 by Danielle

If you want a delicious breakfast but don’t have a lot of time, give one of these 17 Crock Pot Breakfast Casseroles a try! Whether you’re a fan of eggs or french toast, there’s a bit of something for everyone in this tasty list.

I’m a HUGE believer in having a good, quality breakfast in the morning – especially before school or work. Nobody can do well if you get hungry an hour later! That’s why I love having a list of reliable, great tasting breakfast recipes on-hand that I can turn to. It’s even better that these are crock pot breakfast recipes, since heaven knows we don’t have much time in the mornings!

1. Spicy Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
2. Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
3. Delicious Breakfast Casserole
4. Easy Breakfast Casserole
5. Breakfast Casserole For Large Family
6. French Toast Casserole
7. Breakfast Cobbler Casserole
8. Italian Breakfast Casserole
9. Egg Brunch Casserole
10. Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread Casserole

11. Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
12. Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
13. 3 Meat Breakfast Casserole
14. Overnight Breakfast Casserole
15. Healthy Breakfast Casserole
16. Greek Breakfast Casserole
17. Weight Watchers Breakfast Casserole

What’s YOUR favorite crock pot breakfast recipe?

Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup

March 8, 2016 by Danielle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #YesYouCan #CollectiveBias

I love easy meals, don’t you? I especially love them when it’s cold or stormy outside, like it is this week in Texas. TONS of rain and thunderstorms! Nothing says ‘comfort food’ to me than a nice soup in a yummy bread bowl. To warm us up, why not a Slow Cooker Enchilada Soup?

While my hubby loves his food more on the spicy side, my kids tend to prefer it mild – this recipe is super easy to switch based on tastes. Just choose mild, medium, hot or even find a super hot if that’s your thing!

Grab all the needed ingredients quickly at Walmart, including some delicious bread bowls from their bakery. Don’t miss out on the perfect ConAgra products such as the Hunt’s diced tomatoes and Rosarita refried beans to make this simple recipe! They help save you time – so you can get other things done, or have more time to curl up in a fluffy blanket on a rainy day!

Ingredients

2-3 lbs. Chicken Breast, boneless, skinless – diced
Two 15.5 oz. cans Pinto or Black beans
1 small can Chopped Green Chiles
1 28 oz. can Enchilada Sauce
1 28 oz. can Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes
1 can Rosarita Refried Beans
12-24 oz. Frozen Whole Kernel Corn
12 oz. Chicken Broth
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Bread Bowls

Directions

Put all of the ingredients, EXCEPT the bread bowls and refried beans, into your large slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours (make sure chicken is cooked through).
Use a spatula to spread the refried beans inside the bread bowls, so it’s lining it. Scoop the soup into the bowl and enjoy!

Kitchen Hack!

Save yourself some time peeling large garlic cloves with this awesome kitchen hack – take a bulb of fresh garlic and break it up just a bit (like at the top pointy part). Place between two metal bowls and shake aggressively a minute. Your individual garlic pieces should be nice and divided from that annoying, flaky outside layer.

Check out these other great cold weather recipes here: Yes You Can Recipes!

Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala

February 13, 2016 by Danielle

Recently we had a lot of ‘date night occasions’ – there was New Years, our anniversary, and soon it will be Valentine’s Day. Lots of reasons for delicious dinners! Since we’re keeping our food budget low and our time is crunched, it’s lucky we can make our favorite Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala in hardly no time at all, and it still comes out delish!

Many of you probably remember that one of our favorite dishes is marsala chicken – and while we often make it the ‘old fashioned’ way, I’m thrilled that now I can make it even when I’m in a hurry! Great for those days we want a romantic dinner at home, but can’t spend forever in the kitchen.

Contains affiliate links that support this blog at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for more info.

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts, boneless & skinless, thawed
32 oz. Marsala Wine
2 tbsp. Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper – few dashes each
12-24 oz. Portabella Mushrooms, diced
16-24 oz. Heavy Whipping Cream
1 medium Shallot, minced
1/2 cup All-purpose Flour

Directions

In your slow cooker, combine the wine, garlic, and shallots. Add your chicken breasts, sprinkle with salt & pepper, then top with the mushrooms. Cook on low about 4-5 hours.
Remove the chicken breasts, then whisk in the heavy cream (if you like more Marsala flavor, use less of the cream; if you like less Marsala flavor, use more of the cream) and the flour. Replace the chicken and continue cooking on low another hour.
Enjoy your creamy Marsala sauce and flavorful chicken!

Other slow cooker recipes…

Tomatillo Dressing

May 1, 2015 by Nikki Cole

Hey it’s Nikki with Busy Mom’s Helper, who here likes sweet pork? It is one of my favorites! I love going to Costa Vida and getting their sweet pork burrito, but it can get expensive so I found a good copy-cat recipe. To spice it up more I added this Tomatillo Dressing that makes it more moist and adds a lot of flavor.

Ingredients

3 tomatillos
1 bunch cilantro
1 tsp garlic salt
1 lime
1 packet hidden valley ranch dressing
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Cut into smaller pieces the tomatillos and cilantro and place in blender. Remove the skin from the tomatillos, most of the time the skin will fall off on its own or its really simple to peel off.

2. Add in the garlic, ranch, and buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk just add 1 cup milk and 2 tablespoons butter.

3. Cut the lime in half and squeeze juice into the blender.

4. Blend well, I usually blend only half the cilantro with everything for about a minute then add the rest, scrape down the sides, and blend for another minute or two.

Serve cold over any dish! I especially love it with my sweet pork burrito, but it is also great on salads as well – I have even put it on rice.

Sweet pork

Ingredients

2 pounds pork
2 cans pepsi (not diet)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup water
1 can diced green chilies
1 can enchilada sauce (mild, medium, or hot)
1 cup brown sugar

Directions

Marinate pork in a bag over night with 1 can of pepsi 1 cup brown sugar and garlic salt and water.
Place the content of the bag into a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3-4.
An hour before you want to eat, drain the pork, shred it with two forks, then place back into the empty crockpot
Combine the shredded pork with the diced chilies, enchilada sauce, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 can Pepsi. Stir well.
Turn the crock pot on high and let warm for about an hour.

Serve burrito style with rice, sour cream, cheese, and the flavorful Tomatillo Dressing, or over a salad.

50+ Slow Cooker Desserts

October 10, 2014 by Danielle

As a super busy mom, I really dread spending too much time cooking. I love cooking, don’t get me wrong, but there’s so many days where it’s just not going to fit into the time I have. That’s why I absolutely LOVE my slow cooker! But did you know that you can make more than just dinner with it? That’s right, you can make delicious desserts, as well! To help get you started, here’s 52+ Slow Cooker Desserts!

That’s right, fabulous desserts with very little effort! You just may be wishing you had a larger slow cooker so you could make even MORE! I can’t help with the size of your cooker, but now you’ve now got 52+ Slow Cooker Desserts….that’s one every week for a year! You’re welcome 😉

Apple Cake

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

Apple Crisp

Ginger Orange Cheesecake

Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Cake

Pina Colada Lava

Rocky Road Chocolate Cake

Apple Spiked Monkey Bread

Peppermint Coated Pretzels

Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter Balls

Cinnamon Almonds

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Turtle Pudding Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Copy Cat Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies

Molten Chocolate Lava Mud Cake

Reese’s Spoon Cake

Lazy Lemon Delight

White Chocolate Candy Corn Fudge

S’mores Cake

Mexican Custard Flan

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Dulce de Leche

Paleo Almond Bark

Peanut Clusters

Angel Cake with Cherry Sauce

Hot Cocoa Cake

Sour Cream Cheesecake

Pumpkin Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Custard, Sugar Free

Applesauce

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Caramel Apple Cider

Chocolate Cherry Cola Cake

Pumpkin Bread

Nutella Crunch Cheesecakes

Tiramisu Bread Pudding

Simple Homemade Peach Cobbler

Melted Chocolate

Mini Salted Caramel Mocha Cheesecakes

Chocolate Cake

Red Velvet Cake

Quite the selection of Slow Cooker Desserts, right?! I love using my slow cooker, and now with cold weather hitting will be pulling it out even more often! My kitchen is sure gonna smell delicious!

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Relish – in the Slow Cooker!

September 6, 2013 by Danielle

Grilled Chicken with Cucumber Relish

Ingredients – Chicken
4 Chicken Breasts, boneless, skinless
1 cup Yogurt
4 tbsp. Honey
1/4 cup Lemon Juice
4 tsp. Chili Sauce
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. Salt

Directions – Chicken
Combine all the ingredients, except chicken, in the crock pot and mix well. Add the chicken. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until cooked through.

PREPARE THE RELISH ABOUT 1-2 HOURS BEFORE CHICKEN IS COMPLETE

Ingredients – Cucumber Relish
1 Cucumber, cut into fourths then sliced
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup Red Onion, diced
1 cup Tomatoes, diced
4 tsp. Lemon Juice
4 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 cup Black Olives, diced
4 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. Dill, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Directions – Cucumber Relish
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, stir well. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow flavors to mix into the veggies. Enjoy!!!