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Fall is really here and we are heading towards winter! Not that long ago, I was outside in capri pants and a T-shirt; this week it’s jeans and a heavy jacket. The weather sure has changed quickly; with that cooler weather, I start craving more hot and hearty meals…and I bet I’m not the only one.

As a lot of you already know, I love to cook and I love my kitchen toys! I would have to say that my most used small kitchen appliance is my slow cooker or as some would call it…the crock pot.

I got my first slow cooker about a million years ago. Well, I suppose that’s a bit of an exaggeration. It’s probably only about 25 years or could be a bit longer. I can’t remember anymore, because my memory has become non-existent.

Would you believe that I still have that very first slow cooker? Yep, it’s true. I still have it! This is what it looks like:

This old slow cooker, however, cannot be called a “crock pot”. Usually you can use the descriptive names interchangeably, but in this case, my ancient slow cooker is definitely not a crock pot! To start with, it’s rectangular instead of round or oval and it does not have the removable crockery insert that crock pots are famous for. This senior citizen of the slow cooker world has a non-stick top that sits on a tray thingy like a heating plate. I used this slow cooker exclusively up until a few years ago when my significant other got me a crock pot with a digital timer for Christmas (Yes, I am one of those people who love household gadgets as presents!)

I still use the old slow cooker on occasion, just so it doesn’t think I totally abandoned it. However, I tend to use the one with the timer most of the time now. It’s so much easier than trying to remember what time I started cooking and figuring out if it’s done without opening the lid…or setting the timer on the stove…

I’m not one of those people that can put the slow cooker on in the morning and go to work for 8 hours (when you add in travel time, it’s closer to 10 hours for me) leaving it all alone to cook. I know I am probably being cautious, but that’s just me. I do know many people who do just that, and they never have a problem. But I love to use my slow cooker on days that I work from home and can check on it periodically. Or even better on a weekend when I have to run out and take care of errands, buy groceries or even just go for lunch. I don’t mind leaving the slow cooker if it’s only for a couple of hours at a time. And then at the end of the day, it’s just serve and eat!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Slow Cooker Soups

I love all my easy recipes that I make in the slow cooker, but some of my best ones are soups! My favorite soup to make in the slow cooker is so easy. It takes about 10 minutes to throw together and then I let the pot do the rest over the next few hours. Let me introduce you to “Italian Meatball Soup”…made from Italian (frozen) meatballs, beef broth, canned italian tomatoes and white kidney beans, with a little sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan on top. How easy is that?!

Click here to view Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Soup recipe!

Another soup recipe that I like to do in the slow cooker is Spicy Chicken soup. This is a nice, hearty soup with a bit of a bite to it. Perfect for those cool fall evenings but still great for a nice meal anytime of the year.

Click here to view Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken Soup recipe!

Slow Cooker Dessert Recipes

Are you like me and always buy too much fruit? I am constantly making something with leftover fruit because I love the look, smell and feel of fresh fruit. And who can resist a sale? Not me. Pears were on sale people…yes, they were!

So flash forward a couple of days when the basket of pears is getting soft. I needed to do something with them before they went bad and my money was wasted.

I love applesauce, so I figured I would love pear sauce as well. I was right! I love it served warm over vanilla ice cream, but have also used it other ways as well such as cooled and mixed into plain yogurt, substituted it in baking instead of the oil and even as an accompaniment to pork instead of applesauce.

Click here to view Slow Cooker Pear Sauce Recipe!

Don’t want to turn on your oven to make a coffee cake for breakfast or brunch? Try this moist, flavorful coffee cake made in the Slow Cooker. And to add just a little more depth to the taste, use brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar. This will also insure that the cake stays nice and soft!

Note: if you make the Pear Sauce above, spoon a bit over the warm coffee cake as you serve it for a gourmet brunch experience!

Click here to view Slow Cooker Coffee Cake Recipe!

Some Quick Tips for Slow Cooker Use:

Most slow cookers have multiple settings. Many dishes suited for the slow cooker can be cooked for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
When your dish is complete, but your sauce is still a little thin, remove the lid to your slow cooker and cook on high to allow the liquid to reduce a little and thicken.
Add softer vegetables (like squash or canned beans) towards the end of the cooking process so they don’t become mushy. Also, to retain the potent flavor of herbs, add them towards the end, as well.
To turn your slow simmer into a braise, sear the meat first in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker. This extra step will add depth of flavor to your final dish.