# Need Slow Cooker Inspiration **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161 "2014-12-13T22:38:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/41 "2014-12-21T08:55:50Z")
Here’s one for chicken wings: cut the wings apart turn the crock pot on high with about 1/8 to 1/4 cup water in it lightly brown the wings in a skillet toss with Lawry’s Caribbean Jerk and dump in cook for about 2 or 2 1/2 hours They’re flavorful and fall off the bone. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/42 "2014-12-21T13:15:59Z")
> [@Becky2844](#): > > Here’s one for chicken wings: > > cut the wings apart > turn the crock pot on high with about 1/8 to 1/4 cup water in it > lightly brown the wings in a skillet > toss with Lawry’s Caribbean Jerk and dump in > cook for about 2 or 2 1/2 hours > > They’re flavorful and fall off the bone. Oh, that sounds good. OK, I linked to this one earlier but I just made it again Friday - I get requests for this crock pot dish. It’s SO good, cheap, and dead easy. Dump in: Four chicken thighs (remove some but not all of the skin.) One can black beans (I usually use two cans, but only had one this time.) One can corn One jar salsa Cook for 8 hours or so. For the last hour, add one package cream cheese, give it a stir. It will melt in. Garnish if you want with fresh cilantro. It’s really, really delicious. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/43 "2014-12-21T13:41:40Z")
Do you brown the thighs first, **chiroptera**? I have to say I don’t use my crockpot a lot and partly it’s due to the need to brown things first. If I can just throw stuff in (like the candy I mentioned earlier) I will be a lot more likely to do it. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/44 "2014-12-21T14:02:20Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Do you brown the thighs first, **chiroptera**? I have to say I don’t use my crockpot a lot and partly it’s due to the need to brown things first. If I can just throw stuff in (like the candy I mentioned earlier) I will be a lot more likely to do it. Nope. 🙂 Here’s [the recipe on food.com.](http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-chicken-with-black-beans-cream-cheese-89204) I use thighs because I prefer the taste; the original recipe calls for frozen chicken breasts. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/45 "2014-12-21T14:10:31Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Do you brown the thighs first, **chiroptera**? I have to say I don’t use my crockpot a lot and partly it’s due to the need to brown things first. If I can just throw stuff in (like the candy I mentioned earlier) I will be a lot more likely to do it. Here’s a similar one I love. I also use chick’n thighs, no browning needed. We do this about once a week or so. > **[Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls](https://www.budgetbytes.com/taco-chicken-bowls/)** > > Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls are the ultimate "set it and forget it" easy weeknight meal that the whole family will love. Step by step photos. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/46 "2014-12-22T00:35:23Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > I use thighs because I prefer the taste; the original recipe calls for frozen chicken breasts. Me too - I don’t know why chicken breasts became the default, they’re so bland and too often dry. I much prefer dark meat. ---
**Author:** ![Clothilde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Clothilde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothilde)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/47 "2014-12-28T16:30:36Z")
> [@Clothilde](#): > > If I’m able to make this recipe this weekend, I’ll come back and post my impressions to let you know if it’s worth a shot or not. I meant to come back and post that I did make the nomato sauce recipe. I didn’t use it right away but put it in the fridge until that night. It thickened up like tomato paste, so I had to add some water to it. Broth would have been good, too. I added too much water so the beets “bled” a bit, but, honestly, the taste was JUST LIKE tomato sauce - I was amazed! I thought about this thread just now because I plan to use the last of it up tonight in a meatloaf. And I will DEFINITELY be making it again! Sorry it took me so long to get back here. ETA: the color is BRIGHT red…like blood red, lol. Just thought I’d warn you in case you think you’ve done it wrong…you haven’t. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/48 "2014-12-28T18:04:11Z")
This is on Yahoo right now: [11 Slow Cooker Recipes That Will Sack Your NFL Game-Day Hunger](http://wallstcheatsheet.com/life/11-slow-cooker-recipes-that-will-sack-your-nfl-game-day-hunger.html/?a=viewall) ---
**Author:** ![liirogue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@liirogue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liirogue)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/49 "2014-12-28T18:37:10Z")
I also love the [taco chicken bowls](http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/07/taco-chicken-bowls/). One of the few things I like eating several days in a row, so I’ll often make extra just for leftover purposes. This [beef pot roast](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-pot-roast.html) is amazing. Takes a little bit of work up-front but I literally had to fight the rest of the family off to get my share! I’m trying this [garlic chicken](http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-super-garlic-chicken-legs-179050) recipe today. It calls for chicken legs but I didn’t have any on hand so I’m using breasts with a few random drumsticks I had in the freezer. I doubled the seasonings after reading some of the reviews and added dried thyme and basil as well. We’ll see how it comes out! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2014, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/50 "2014-12-29T04:46:44Z")
Baked beans are easily adapted for the slow cooker. It’s delicious, filling, and CHEAP, but doesn’t taste cheap! There are zillions of recipes online for slow cooker baked beans. I make mine with dark brown sugar and/or molasses. Pork is not necessary, if that’s an issue for you. I like the taste of bacon or salt pork in it, but you can skip it, or use turkey or beef bacon. ---
**Author:** ![oft\_wears\_hats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@oft\_wears\_hats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oft_wears_hats)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161/51 "2015-01-26T17:49:19Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > Budget Bytes is one of my favorite food blogs. Here’s a link to her slow cooker recipes. Some will have tomatoes, so you’ll want to see if you can adapt them. They’re generally pretty straightforward and tasty recipes > > Budget Bytes: [40+ Budget Friendly Slow Cooker Recipes - Budget Bytes](http://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/miscellaneous/slow-cooker/) Thanks for this. I have now tried her [Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup](http://www.budgetbytes.com/2014/07/slow-cooker-black-bean-soup/) and the [Slow Cooker White Bean Soup](http://www.budgetbytes.com/2013/09/slow-cooker-white-bean-soup/). The black bean variety was quite good, a nice staple for lunch. The white bean variety turned out to be **amazing**. I left out the olive oil (and instead put in two ripped up slices of prosciutto), substituted anisazi beans for navy beans, and used smoked hot paprika, and it turned out to be incredible. It was also quite easy, only needed to cook on high for 3 to 3.5 hours, then mash up the beans a little with a potato masher, add salt to taste, and done. Pretty healthy, too, aside from the prosciutto. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-slow-cooker-inspiration/707161.md?page=2)