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10 Reasons Why I Love My Slow Cooker

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Have you forgotten about your Crock-Pot? I’m sharing 10 Reasons Why I Love My Slow Cooker to remind you how awesome it is to cook low and slow!


I know that it’s been all about the Instant Pot for the past few years.  But, I don’t know, I have this fear of blowing up my kitchen using one.  I’ve seen way too many retro films where a pressure cooker’s blown open and food explodes everywhere (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I’m looking at you)!  I’ll admit that if one was gifted to me, I’d probably use it.  But I’m quite content with my slow cooker in the meantime.

Have slow cookers been abandoned since Instant Pots have become so popular?  Again, I’m not completely sure.  But I do use mine all the time!  And especially now that the weather’s getting cooler.  Slow cookers are great for so many recipes!  Here are 10 reasons why I love using my slow cooker!

1. It’s great for meal prepping

Do you meal prep for the week?  Using your slow cooker to prep meals is unbelievably easy!  Slow cookers tend to make a lot, so you can make a big batch of your favorite meal prep meal and be done for the week!  Not only that, it’ll save you a ton of time and money!  

2. You can use it for every meal

That’s right!  You can slow cook just about everything.  Make a tasty breakfast casserole.  Dinner is a breeze.  Dessert?  Yup!  You can make that in a slow cooker, too.  I’ve even managed to make some delicious, boozy apple sauce and candied walnuts in my slow cooker!

3. Cleanup is a breeze

It doesn’t get easier than dumping a bunch of ingredients into your slow cooker and closing the lid.  Clean up is just as easy!  Especially if you line your slow cooker with liners!  Divide up your leftovers into storage containers.  Then, pull out the liner!  Dishes are done! 

4. Slow cooker recipes are so easy to make

If you’re a beginner cook, I totally recommend a slow cooker.  Just add your ingredients to the slow cooker, close the lid, and set the time and temperature.  That’s it!  You pretty much can’t mess up a slow cooked meal! 

5. It’s great for entertaining

Love entertaining?  You can easily cook for a crowd in your slow cooker!  Keep sausage and peppers in one and mini meatballs in another.  You can even mull wine in your slow cooker or whip up a fabulous homemade hot cocoa! 

6. It doesn’t heat up your house

I use my slow cooker a lot more during the fall and winter months.  But it’s pretty amazing in the summer when I don’t want to heat up the house (it’s hot enough outside!), or the weather’s bad and we can’t grill.  

7. It makes amazing soups and sauces

I hate standing over the stove, watching a pot of sauce, or soup.  So I usually make them in my slow cooker instead.  I just dump everything in, set the timer and temperature, and I’ve got a nice, flavorful sauce or warm, comforting soup to enjoy later! 

8. Cheaper cuts of meat are perfect for slow cooking

You know those cheaper cuts of meat that are so tough to make (and chew)?  They’re actually perfect for the slow cooker!  The slower they cook, the more tender they get.  And when it’s time to serve your meal, the meat shreds like magic!  

9. Meals are totally transportable

My first slow cooker came with bands I could wrap around the lid of the slow cooker to transport it safely.  My casserole slow cooker has a lid that locks making it even easier to tote to a family gathering!  But if you’re still afraid of spills while you’re bringing your favorite slow cooker recipe to a party, put it in a carrying case!

10. They come in different sizes to fit your needs

I gave my sister my gently used, larger Crock-Pot to downgrade to the casserole slow cooker.  Slow cookers come in all different quart sizes to accommodate your needs.

Now that you have a bunch of reasons to love your slow cooker, try some of my favorite slow cooker recipes!

 

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Hatfield® Pork Chile Verde Burrito Bowls

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

These slow cooker Hatfield® Pork Chile Verde Burrito Bowls are an easy, flavorful weeknight dish that you can start in the morning and prep ahead of time for convenient cooking!


Pull out the blankets, slip on a hoodie, and let’s get cozy!  It’s officially my favorite time of year!  The other day it rained and it was that chilly sort of rain that just felt like fall.  So what did I do?  I snuggled under a blanket with a bowl of warm, comforting food and binge watched TV.  Food always seems to taste better in a bowl, for some reason.  That’s probably because some of my favorite fall foods are served in one!

Take this burrito bowl, for instance.  It’s inspired by one of my favorite Mexican fast food restaurants.  I always get a burrito bowl when I’m there!  I usually customize mine with brown rice, a choice of meat, and a bunch of yummy toppings like shredded lettuce, black beans, cheese, salsa verde (my absolute favorite), and more!

A flavorful pork chile verde burrito bowl for an easy weeknight dinner!

 
We’re big fans of Hatfield® Dry Rubbed Marinated Tenderloins and usually have one in our freezer at any given time!  They’re perfect for slow cooking and make the most delicious and easy shredded pork! 

So this week, I grabbed a Hatfield Dry Rubbed Marinated Tenderloin from ACME and decided to make burrito bowls for dinner in our slow cooker. I’ve been using my slow cooker a lot more since it’s starting to feel like fall again. And pork tenderloins are one of my favorite things to make in it.  They stay juicy and I never have any trouble shredding them apart for meals!


I used Hatfield’s Honey Chipotle Dry Rubbed Pork Tenderloin for our burrito bowls to add a slightly sweet and spicy flavor.  Hatfield’s pork products are from family owned, American made farms.  They’re easy to use and full of flavor making dinner a breeze!  Plus, having them marinaded right in the package is so convenient, saving you a step during weeknight meal prep! 

Make juicy, flavorful shredded pork with just two ingredients!

 
I started these burrito bowls by cooking the pork tenderloin in our slow cooker with just a jar of salsa verde.  That’s it!  While that was cooking, I prepared all of our toppings ahead of time.  Once dinner was ready, I served them separately so we could easily customize our burrito bowls.  The only thing I had left to cook was the rice!  You could even use leftover rice from the night before to make this recipe that much easier!

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Hatfield® Pork Chile Verde Burrito Bowl

Yield: 4

Hatfield® Pork Chile Verde Burrito Bowl

Ingredients

  • Hatfield Honey Chipotle Dry Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
  • 1 lb. jar salsa verde 
  • 1 cup brown rice + 1 cup water + 1 cup vegetable broth, or leftover rice
  • Topping options: lettuce, corn, black beans, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges

Instructions

  1. Place the pork tenderloin in the slow cooker.
  2. Pour the jar of salsa over the pork. Then, place the lid back onto the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
  3. Once the pork has cooked, use two forks to easily shred the pork apart. Keep warm in the slow cooker and prepare the rice.
  4. Bring the cup of water and cup of vegetable broth to a boil.
  5. Add the rice and cook for about 30 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
  6. Spoon the rice into each bowl. Then, top with lettuce, corn, black beans, pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, and more!

Notes

To make a quick pico de gallo: chop a large tomato and add it to a bowl with a little chopped onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Squeeze in a little lime juice, season with salt, and stir!

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Grab everything you need to make this easy and delicious burrito bowl at ACME, or where Hatfield pork products are sold!  If you want to make an even better-for-you bowl, use cauliflower rice instead of brown rice! 


This recipe made about four servings for us. So we each had lunch for the next day. Yay leftovers!  It would also be great to make ahead of time and meal prep for the week! 

If you’re adding this recipe to your fall weeknight menu, share your pics on Instagram using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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If you like this Hatfield recipe, you might enjoy these as well:

Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Beer Battered Fries

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This post is sponsored by McCain Potatoes but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Score a touchdown with your game day crowd with these Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Beer Battered Fries topped with cheddar, pulled pork, green onions, and coleslaw! This dish a definite win for fans of football food!


Here’s the deal – I might not be able to talk football, but I can definitely talk football food!  You’ve got to have some great finger food during the big game whether it’s sandwiches or a spread of frozen appetizers and snacks!  There’s nothing easier than pulling out your slow cooker the morning of the big game, cooking up some hot sandwich fillings, and then baking up frozen snacks for your crowd.  

One of the easiest hot sandwiches you’ll ever make in your slow cooker is pulled pork.  Serve them with a side of fries and boom – dinner’s done!  So I decided to take inspiration from one of the ultimate tailgating sandwiches and make some seriously loaded fries!  I mean, what’s better during game day than a pulled pork sandwich, a side of crispy fries, and a cold beer?  Putting it all together in one dish!


These Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Beer Battered Fries start with crispy McCain Craft Beer Battered Thin Cut Fries from Walmart.  Bake them in the oven or start them in the air fryer, like I did, for extra crispiness.  Then, load them up with shredded cheddar cheese, BBQ pulled pork, green onions, and a hefty spoonful of coleslaw!  

My tip to you is to make the pulled pork the night before.  We had pulled pork sandwiches for dinner and then I used the leftovers to make these loaded fries the next day!  So easy!  You could also swap McCain Craft Beer Battered Thin Cut Fries  for McCain Seasoned Curly Fries or McCain Extra Crispy Crinkle Fries.  


Print
Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Beer Battered Fries

Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Beer Battered Fries

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. boneless pork loin
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 12 oz. can beer
  • 18 oz. bottle barbecue sauce
  • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 bag McCain Craft Beer Battered Thin Cut Fries
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese mix
  • 1-2 green onions, sliced
  • 3/4 cup coleslaw
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: splash of Tabasco

Instructions

  1. Place the boneless pork loin in the slow cooker.
  2. Add the garlic powder to the pork loin and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Pour the beer, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce over the pork loin. Add a splash of Tabasco sauce, if desired. Stir well to combine.
  4. Set the slow cooker on low for 8 hours. During the last hour, shred the pork with a fork and continue cooking.
  5. While the pulled pork finishes, cook the McCain Craft Beer Battered Thin Cut Fries according to package (I cooked them at 400º for 12-15 minutes in my air fryer).
  6. Add the fries to a large cast iron skillet. Top with shredded cheddar and pulled pork.
  7. Place the skillet back into the 450º oven for a few minutes, just until the cheese melts.
  8. Top with coleslaw and serve with extra barbecue sauce, if desired.
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The ultimate game day dish!

 
You could make the pulled pork with pork shoulder, but I always use pork loin. It’s a little more tender and I still get the same delicious results! I also recommend saving some of the barbecue sauce you made for the pulled pork to dip the fries into!  It came out really good!

If this isn’t ultimate game day food, than I don’t know what is!  Grab a fork (or just use your fingers) and dive into these Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Beer Battered Fries!  It’s definitely a snacking win!


Grab everything you need to make this game day dish at Walmart. You can find McCain Craft Beer Battered Thin Cut Fries, McCain Seasoned Curly Fries, and McCain Extra Crispy Crinkle Fries in the freezer section.

We love how McCain Craft Beer Battered Thin Cut Fries stay crispy, even loaded up with pulled pork and toppings!  They’re made with American pale ale, giving them an amazing flavor that’s perfect football food!

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What’s your favorite ultimate loaded fries recipe?

Get Warm & Cozy with these Delicious Fall Soups!

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This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.

Get warm & cozy with these 20 delicious fall soups to enjoy on a chilly day!  These recipes include traditional soups to the super creative!  There’s something for ever soup lover!


The days are officially shorter and the weather is just going to keep getting colder.  It’s the perfect time of year to celebrate soup season!  Who doesn’t love to warm up with a big bowl of soup on a chilly day?  There’s really nothing better than a hearty, homemade soup. 

My husband isn’t much of a soup eater, but I love cooking up large batches, portioning them out, and keeping them in the freezer.  That way, I can have soup for lunch whenever I want!  Most of my favorite soups are loaded with veggies.  I used to hate chunky soups, but soups – like this Tuscan Meatball and Bean Soup – have quickly become a favorite of mine! 

Warm up this fall with these 20 cozy and delicious soup recipes!  There’s a different soup for everyone!  Maybe even my husband!

  1. Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe – CincyShopper
  2. Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Chickpeas – Busy Being Jennifer
  3. Stuffed Cabbage Soup – Mama Loves Food
  4. Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup Recipe – Eating on a Dime
  5. Greek Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe – A Spicy Perspective
  6. Easy Chicken Dumplings Soup with Pumpkin Recipe – Raising Whasians
  7. Instant Pot Beef Stew – Tasty Galaxy
  8. Cheesy Italian Sausage Potato Chowder – A Night Owl Blog
  9. The Best Creamy Butternut Squash Soup – Pass Me Some Tasty
  10. Roasted Apple & White Cheddar Soup – 4 Sons R Us
  11. Creamy Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup – Little Sunny Kitchen
  12. Smoked Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup Recipe – Diethood
  13. Instant Pot Creamy Taco Soup Recipe – Eating on a Dime
  14. Chicken, Wild Rice & Mushroom Soup – Simply Stacie
  15. Hearty Vegetable Beef Soup – Busy Being Jennifer
  16. Roast Pumpkin Soup – Eat, Little Bird
  17. One-Pot Tomato and Basil Tortellini Soup – Gal on a Mission
  18. Creamy Bacon Spinach Tortellini Soup – Small Town Woman
  19. Acorn Squash Soup – CopyKat
  20. Chicken Parmesan Soup – Closet Cooking

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What’s your favorite kind of soup to enjoy on a chilly, fall day?



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