Your slow cooker can be just as useful to you in the summer as it is in the winter. I have put together some great slow cooker recipes that will have you spending less time in the kitchen while keeping you cool!
I don't know about you, but during the 100 plus temperatures over the summer, I am not a fan of cooking. While I do love to grill, sometimes it can just be too hot to stand outside over a blazing grill. If I use my oven, then the kitchen and family room are a hot box. Well, the slow cooker can solve these problems.
I searched my Pinterest board for the best recipes that would be great for summer. Check these out!
My mother made the best baked beans. She made them with brown sugar and BBQ sauce and they cooked low and slow for hours. They were sweet like candy and we could never get enough of them. My father would make ribs and corn on the grill, but her baked beans were the star of the picnic table my family would gather around. These baked beans from Spicy Southern Kitchen look so good! The addition of bourbon and bacon to baked beans bring this side dish to a whole new level! These beans cook for 20 minutes in a slow cooker, unlike my mom's version, which took all day.
I just made similar potatoes with smoked paprika and garlic. While it was 106 degrees outside here in Scottsdale, Arizona, I had my oven turned up to 425° for 40 minutes, and I was sweating in my kitchen. What was I thinking? I should have made these yummy looking Greek style potatoes. Though they take a couple of hours to make, you won't be dying of heat in your kitchen. Give your oven a break and let the slow cooker do all the work. I bet you could change up the seasonings with this recipe too. Don't these look AMAZING?! These would be delicious along side grilled chicken.
No matter if it's hot or cold, I can enjoy a bowl of soup! We are chicken tortillas soup fans, and this recipe from Evolving Table is an easy one. Use fresh corn, instead of canned, for a sweet, summery taste. Add a cold dollop of sour cream, and some creamy chunks of avocado and you have a winner here for dinner! This soup simmers in the slow cooker for 6 hours. So, go outside and enjoy a beautiful summer day. You don't need to watch soup cook when you can be playing in the yard or swimming in your pool.
When peppers are bountiful at the market, try this recipe by I wash You Dry.
These Steakhouse Stuffed Peppers are delicious! My first experience with stuffed peppers were the Stouffer brand ones. My mother would make them when she didn't feel like cooking. Sure, it's easy to pop a frozen dinner into the oven, but why would you when you can make this fresh and tasty version in your slow cooker. You can also make them with ground turkey for a low-fat option. You could change up the flavors and add some taco seasoning to the meat too.
This dish is a favorite at my house! Slow cooker Greek chicken with roasted red peppers and olives by Well Plated is fantastic. I'm sure you could add fresh peppers to this, instead of the jarred roasted ones. You could also add jarred, marinated artichokes. You would have all the Mediterranean flavors combined in one dish. Another flavor option would be use some fresh, chopped rosemary. The chicken is topped with kalamata olives and feta and is so good. I serve this chicken with couscous on the side, along with hummus and pita bread. Company worthy!
Tomato and basil together remind me of an Italian summer. This fresh and bright recipe by Real Food Whole Life, is a perfect dish to make when you have so many tomatoes and basil from your garden! This dish is healthy on its own, but I'm thinking of adding some burrata to this, or serving over angle hair pasta. Doesn't that sound good?! This healthy dish is ready to enjoy in 4 hours, when cooked on high. I love this recipe because it uses fresh ingredients. If you like spicy flavors, try adding some crushed red pepper for a little heat. Crusty garlic bread would go great with this too.
I came across this recipe for poached salmon in the slow cooker. Sadly, I was unable to save the image, but I will still share the link with you. I think this is a great idea. This classic poached salmon is perfect in salads, mixed in with pasta, or on its own with some rice or vegetables.
I hope you try some of these recipes! Until next time, friends. XO!