The Holiday season can be a stressful time for everyone, especially the cooks (but even if you don’t, we’ve got you covered)!  Slow cookers help millions of people make delicious meals without having to slave over the stove for hours.  If cooking isn’t your specialty, don’t worry, slow cooker meals are quite simple.  For the most part, all you do is throw the ingredients in and the slow cooker does the rest.  So if you would like to spend more time watching the parade with your family instead of cooking all day, here are some easy, stress-free slow cooker recipes that your whole family will enjoy this Thanksgiving.

Enjoy some Citrus Turkey Roast - A New Twist on Turkey Day Tradition

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds of frozen, boneless turkey breast, thawed
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 peeled cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup of water
• ¼ cup of orange juice
• ¼ cup of white wine
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation:
Cut the turkey breast in half. Combine the garlic oil, paprika, powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper then rub over the whole turkey. Place in a 5 quart or larger slow cooker. Add the garlic, half of the broth, water, wine or additional broth, lemon juice and orange juice.  Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F.  Remove turkey and keep warm while discarding the garlic cloves.  For your gravy, combine cornstarch and the broth you have remaining, until it is smooth and stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Slice turkey and serve with the gravy.

A Turkey Alternative – Enjoy a Simple, Savory Pot Roast this Thanksgiving
Whether for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a family dinner, a pot roast can be a simple-to-make, mouthwatering meal that everyone can enjoy – so long as you have the right recipe. Here’s a take on a holiday classic that will have your dinner guests coming back for more.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 pound top/bottom roast
• One 32 ounce can of beef broth
• ½ - 1 Cup of Red Table Wine (depending on size of roast)
• 8 Medium-Sized Onions
• Crushed Garlic (to taste – typically no more than 1-2 TBSP)
• Salt & Pepper (to taste)
• 4-6 Medium Red Potatoes, Cubed (Optional - see directions)
• ½ Pound of Chopped Baby Carrots (Optional - see directions)

Preparation:
Dice up the onions, then add them to the slow cooker along with the beef broth, red wine, garlic, salt and pepper, and set to the site. On a pre-heated pan, sear the outside of the roast, then add to the slow cooker. Space permitting (dependant on size of roast), add cubed red potatoes & chopped carrots – these will make for a great side dish for your roast, and will become incredibly flavorful from cooking with the meat. Set to medium high, and let simmer for 4 hours.

No Thanksgiving Meal Would be Complete Without Stuffing!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter
• 2 chopped cups onion
• 2 chopped cups celery
• ¼ cup parsley sprigs
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 12 cups of dry bread cubes
• 4 cups turkey or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons sage
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon thyme

Preparation:
Melt butter in a pan. Saute onion, parsley, celery and mushrooms. Pour over the bread cubes in a large bowl. Add the seasoning and dried seasoning. Pour broth to moisten the bread. Add the beaten eggs and mix well. Pack lightly in the slow cooker. Cover and set to high for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 to 8 hours.

And of Course We Can’t forget the Mashed Potatoes!

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds of cubed potatoes
• Milk
• Butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 8 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz low fat sour cream
• 5 oz evaporated skim milk (1 small can)
• Salt & pepper, for taste

Preparation:
Add the potatoes to a large pot of water.  Boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash.  In the meantime, saute onion in a small skillet until onion is translucent. If you skip this step, the onions will be crunchy in your finished potatoes.  In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, evaporated milk, onion, salt, and pepper until blended. Add to mashed potatoes and mix well.  Transfer mashed potato mixture to the crock pot. We use a 6-quart crock pot, and the potatoes totally fill it.  Can be cooked on low up to 4 hours. Re-moisten with milk and butter if needed.

Last but not least, a delicious Apple Cobbler Dessert

Ingredients:

• 1 Yellow cake mix
• 20 oz can of apple pie filling
• 6 tablespoons of melted butter

Preparation:
Place the whole can of apple pie filling into the bottom of the slow cooker.  Spread the yellow cake mix over the apple pie filling.  Then spoon the butter onto the cake mix - do not mix the cake mix and butter around,  the moisture will cook the cake mix to perfection once the slow cooker has been covered..  Cook in the slow cooker on high for 4 hours.

 

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