Slow Cooker

Calico beans are a satisfying cross between chili, baked beans, and a sloppy joe filling. Full of a homemade barbecue-style sauce, these calico beans are meaty, tangy, salty, and deliciously perfect for any barbecue, picnic, or potluck you are heading to!

This slow cooker dessert recipe combines all of the elements that make a traditional upside-down cake so irresistible.

Start cooking them right before dinner, and these boozy peaches will be ready just in time for dessert.

Tender, tangy, and accented with just a hint of bourbon, these slow-cooker–cooked ribs are messy, saucy, and perfect for devouring over a long weekend.

I used to shy away from making pot roasts for my family because choosing the right cut of beef among all the various cuts seemed overwhelming. Take it from me, picking up a relatively inexpensive chuck roast (like the one I use here) provides a moist, juicy, and tender roast every time.

This dish is made with chicken thighs, which have more flavor than chicken breasts but you can substitute chicken breasts if you like. The meat needs to be raw for this dish so it can absorb more of the flavor as it cooks. Although the recipe calls for tequila, you can substitute beer, orange juice, or pineapple juice if you prefer. The liquid smoke is optional, but it does add a nice extra kick of smoky flavor. Serve this dish with rice, refried beans, and frozen margaritas or a frosty glass of beer.

Tom Yum is made so many different ways that no two batches are really ever alike. Simultaneously spicy, tart, and sweet, this soup grows on you the more you eat it. Try it along with rice to cut some of the heat, or eat it throughout a meal for a welcome contrast.

The leftovers from this wholesome, spiced-up chicken dinner are just as good as the meal itself.

This delicious and flavorful slow cooker chili comes together very easily. It only takes about 10 minutes to prep the dish, and you let the slow cooker do the rest of the work for you. This chili is one of my favorite things to eat after a long day's work! Created by Lisa Lin of Healthy Nibbles and Bits.

Barbecue purists may claim that pulled pork has to be smoked in a pit to be the real thing, and we won't quibble with that. But this recipe, prepared right in your kitchen (on the counter, no less), is one deliciously simple variation on the theme.

We use a slow cooker with a browning option to crisp the chicken skin for this Moroccan-flavored dish. The stew is great on its own but couscous would be an easy and fitting side dish.

Everything about these sandwiches screams "backyard summer party" to me. Simmering vegetables all day really brings out the individual flavors, and I love how I can get so many good-for-you vitamins into such a delicious package.

The longer you cook this nourishing broth, the more savory and concentrated it will become.

A creamy, cheesy, savory, slow-cooked dish your family will love. No wonder this recipe was a Grand Prize-winner in the Ben's BeginnersTM Cooking Contest.

In the melting pot of New Orleans culture, our Irish heritage is one of the lesser-known components. However, the Irish played a pivotal role in the history and development of this great city. Lauren's ancestors' landing here can be traced to the year 1825. Today, many Irish pubs are scattered around town, and we refer to the area where many immigrants settled as the Irish Channel. Every year, in addition to attending local St. Patrick's Day parades and festivities, we like to celebrate the Irish by making this recipe.

The Creole dish of red beans and rice has been part of our cuisine for centuries. Traditionally, ham or pork was served on Sundays, and Monday was wash day. Because the beans could cook on the stove all day, it was the perfect meal to use the leftover ham and free up several hours away from the stove while tending to the laundry. You might even say this meal was one of our ancestors' original slow-cooker recipes!

When it comes to cooking, we like things to be quick and easy—as long as flavor is not sacrificed. However, when it comes to soup, we realize that an extra few minutes of prep work make a real difference in the richness and quality of a recipe. Quickly sautéing vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker scales back their acidity and firmness. Allowing them to then simmer in the slow cooker for hours allows all of the ingredients to meld. It's the perfect formula for a successful soup!

EFFORT: NOT MUCH
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 6 HOURS
KEEPS ON WARM: 1 HOUR The ingredient list is designed for use in a medium (4- to 5 1/2-quart) slow cooker. See the cook's notes for ingredient lists for small (2- to 3 1/2-quart) and large (6- to 8-quart) models.

EFFORT: NOT MUCH
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 6 HOURS
KEEPS ON WARM: 1 HOUR The ingredient list is designed for use in a medium (4- to 5 1/2-quart) slow cooker. See the cook's notes for ingredient lists for small (2- to 3 1/2-quart) and large (6- to 8-quart) models.