Nothing completes the winter experience more than the scent of a hearty meal wafting from the kitchen. And whatever high-intensity winter sport you choose this snowy season, make sure to back it up with a filling meal from the depths of your crock-pot. Whether it’s skiing, climbing El Capitan, or snowshoeing your way up a mountain, use any one of these 5 recipes collected from crock-pot cooks around the web to warm up your winter.
Loaded Hash Browns
Recipe Provided by Better Homes and Gardens
Cook Time: 4 ½ (high) – 9 (low) hours
Nothing starts a day better than some Loaded Hash Browns and a big cup of coffee. The best part—start this recipe right before bedtime and you’ll wake up to an easy-to-serve breakfast of champions.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked bulk turkey sausage
- 8 ounces uncooked ground turkey breast
- ½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)
- 5 cups frozen diced hash brown potatoes
- 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese (4 ounces)
- 1 ¼ cups chopped red sweet pepper (1 large)
- 1 4‑ounce can (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained
- 1 medium fresh poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 10.75-ounce can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
- ¼ cup of water
- Shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese (optional)
- Thinly sliced fresh jalapeño pepper (optional)
- Salsa and/or light sour cream (optional)
- Disposable slow cooker liner
Directions
- In a large skillet cook sausage, turkey, and onion over medium until sausage is brown. Drain off fat.
- Using slow cooker liner, line a 5–6 quart slow cooker. Combine sausage mixture, hash browns, 1 cup of cheese, sweet pepper, poblano pepper.
- In a medium bowl combine soup and water. Pour over hash brown mixture in the slow cooker and stir.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 8–9 hours or on high heat for 4–4 ½ hours.
- Stir before serving, add optional toppings, enjoy.
Warm Spinach Dip
Recipe Provided by Crock-Pot Ladies.com
Cook Time: 3 Hours
Be the winner of your next winter gathering by following this easy recipe for Warm Spinach Dip. And with enough spinach to give Popeye a run for his money, this is a great addition to any high-intensity winter workout you might have planned.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 8‑ounce package cream cheese, cut into cubes
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. The mixture is going to be dry because of all the fresh spinach, almost like a salad.
- Put the mixture into a 3–4 quart crock-pot.
- Cover and cook on low for 1 ½ hour.
- Open the lid and give everything a stir.
- Cover again and cook an additional 1 to 2 hours till everything is creamy and the spinach has cooked down.
Lasagna Soup
Recipe Provided by Family Fresh Meals.com
Cook Time: 6 Hours
Before you go on your epic snowshoe adventure, start this crock-pot Lasagna Soup recipe and come home to a delicious meal that delivers a big punch. Perfect for dinner and leftovers, double the recipe for double the fun.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 cups of beef broth
- 4–5 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
- 1 6‑ounce can of tomato paste
- 1 cup V8 (or any vegetable drink)
- 2 cups uncooked shell pasta
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of water
- Optional topping- shredded cheese
Directions
- Mix together the can of tomatoes and tomato paste in the crockpot.
- Next add broth, beef, garlic, parsley, basil, onion, V8, salt, and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or on high for 4–5 hours.
- When 30 minutes are left of cook time, add in the 1 cup of water and noodles. Stir to combine. Put the lid back on and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Recipe Provided by Food Network.com
Cook Time: 9 Hours
Just the name alone makes you want to drool. That’s because this classic Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe is a savory concoction that even the most loathing cabbage haters have to enjoy. Ask your butcher about the corned beef you want and make some new friends with this recipe.
Ingredients
- One 4‑pound piece corned beef brisket, rinsed
- 1 1/2 pounds small redskin potatoes, halved
- 4 carrots, cut into 2‑inch pieces
- 1 large onion, cut into 1/2‑inch wedges
- 2 stalks celery, peeled and cut into 2‑inch pieces
- 1/2 small head green cabbage, core intact and cut into thick wedges
- 12 ounces stout beer
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
Directions
- Layer potatoes, carrots, onions, celery and thyme in a 6‑quart slow cooker. Add in the brisket, beer, and pickling spice. Add enough water to just cover the brisket. Cover and cook on low until ingredients are tender (about 8 hours).
- Arrange the cabbage over the brisket, not worrying about overcrowding, and cook until soft or wilted (45 minutes to an hour+).
- Whisk together sour cream, horseradish, and mustard in a small bowl.
- Remove the cabbage and toss with 1 tablespoon of butter and pepper to taste. Remove the meat and let rest. Strain the remaining vegetables (save some of the broth for serving).
- Eat!
All-Day Apple Butter
Recipe Provided by All Recipes.com
Cook Time: 12 Hours
Something about Apple Butter and rock climbing seems to be a good match. Maybe it’s because this easy to pack and delicious spread delivers everything you could want as you post up next to the crag. Eat some right away and freeze the rest for a winter’s share of delicious apple butter.
Ingredients
- 5 ½ pounds apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
- 4 cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Directions
- Place the apples in a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Pour the mixture over the apples in the slow cooker and mix well.
- Cover and cook on high 1 hour.
- Reduce heat to low and cook 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.
- Uncover and continue cooking on low 1 hour. Stir with a whisk, if desired, to increase smoothness.
- Spoon the mixture into sterile containers, cover and refrigerate or freeze.