Slowcooker

Last week? Oh honey, it was rough. Everyone in my house caught whatever awful bug is going around—sniffling, coughing, cranky, and pitiful. At one point, I was holding a thermometer in one hand, a cough drop in the other, and trying to remember the last time I brushed my hair. Glamorous, right? By midweek, the kitchen looked like a pharmacy had exploded. And don’t even get me started on the mountain of tissues. But amidst the chaos, I remembered an old favorite I hadn’t made in ages—a simple, soothing lemon-ginger drink that simmers in the slow cooker and somehow makes …

You know those evenings when the sky turns pewter-gray by four o’clock, and the wind whistles through every little gap in the windows? That’s when I start craving this soup. Not just any soup — I’m talking about a Slow Cooker Creamy Sausage & Tortellini Soup that practically hugs you from the inside out. Now, I didn’t grow up in an Italian village, but let me tell you, this dish channels all the magic of slow, rustic cooking. It reminds me of my grandma’s kitchen — not because she made anything like this (she didn’t), but because it feels the …

Let me just say it: the minute the leaves start turning and I can see my breath in the morning, I live for slow cooker season. There’s just something about tossing a few things into that trusted old crock, going about your day, and returning to a house that smells like comfort. You know what I mean? This Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken has become a bit of a legend in our house. It’s creamy, savory, and just indulgent enough without being over the top. And here’s the kicker — it takes less than 10 minutes of prep. I’ve made this …

Let me tell you — some days just call for soup. Not the kind that comes from a can, mind you. I’m talking about a big, warm, creamy bowl of homemade chowder that tastes like comfort, like quiet evenings, like someone wrapped you up in a quilt and said, “You’re doing just fine.” It started with a craving. One of those days where you don’t even know what you want, you just know it needs to be warm and slow and smell like herbs. I had a handful of leeks I’d bought with the best intentions (and nearly forgot about), …

A Cozy Midwest Classic for Busy Days and Big Appetites Let me just start by saying this: if you’re looking for a fancy, fussy pork recipe with 17 steps and ingredients you have to Google… you’re in the wrong kitchen, sweetheart. But if you’re after something honest, warm, and downright delicious — something that fills your house with that mouthwatering “Sunday dinner is coming” smell — then pour yourself some iced tea and settle in. You’re gonna love this one. Out here in the Midwest, we don’t always do things fast — but we sure try to do them right. …

You know how some foods just stick with you — like really nestle into a cozy little corner of your memory? That’s how I feel about those fried apples from Cracker Barrel. My husband and I had them on one of those lazy Sunday drives, back when the kids were younger and we could still sneak off for a quick bite between soccer games and birthday parties. One spoonful of those warm, cinnamon-soaked apples and I was hooked. And while I don’t always have time to stand over a skillet (or, let’s be honest, deal with one more dirty pan), …

A Little Story from My Kitchen You know those kinds of recipes that become a little tradition in your home? This slow cooker hoisin pork is one of those. I first made it on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, sometime back when I had a fridge full of random odds and ends — half a bell pepper, a can of pineapple, a hunk of pork shoulder from the butcher’s weekend special. The idea was simple: toss it all in the slow cooker and hope for the best. Well, that “best” turned into a family favorite. Now I make this dish at …

Some meals just feel like a hug. I don’t mean fancy or fussy — I mean those dishes that smell like home and taste like somebody loves you. This one? Oh honey, this one takes me straight back to my grandma’s kitchen in late October, when the leaves were turning and the slow cooker had been doing its thing since early morning. You’d walk in from church or from raking leaves, and that smell would hit you right in the heart. Chicken simmering low and slow, herbs blooming in broth, potatoes bubbling on the back burner. There’d be green beans, …

You know what this is? This is that dish. The one that’s always on the table at every big family dinner, every potluck at the fire hall, every Sunday supper when the weather’s cold and nobody feels like fussin’. It’s warm. It’s cheesy. It’s got corn, butter, cream cheese — I mean, what else do you really need? I’ve been making this for years now, and I swear, every time I take it somewhere, someone says, “Who brought the corn thing?” and then they take the tiniest polite spoonful… and come back five minutes later for a second helping that …

Comfort food that practically cooks itself… and makes you look like a genius. You ever have one of those days where you’re just… done? I’m talkin’ dishes in the sink, emails ignored, maybe a sock in the middle of the living room floor (and no clue who it belongs to). That’s exactly the kind of day that brought this recipe into my life. It was a “throw it in the slow cooker and pray” kind of moment. I had some frozen beef patties, a packet of ranch, and a little heavy cream that was one day away from going bad. …