For the last couple of days we have talked about how football season started in my house and how that means little league times three for me. That’s because I have three boys playing little league football this year and a daughter who swims on a swim team. That means every weekday night we are at four different practices at four different places but the times all overlap. I decided that I need to find a good answer to making dinner even though I won’t be home. Otherwise we will end up eating lots of fast food, sandwiches, cereal and hot dogs! Yuck! The need for good healthy but quick dinners made me think I need to start using my crock pot, or slow cooker, again. I’ve gathered a couple of family favorite crock pot recipes that make crock pot cooking easy and yummy.

Sometimes the most simple crock pot recipes are the ones that end up being family favorites. That’s what these recipes are – simple family favorite crock pot recipes. My whole family loves them all. Do you have some simple family favorite crock pot recipes? If you do, share them with us! We’ll feature a few in an upcoming blog.

Crock Pot Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained

1 (15.5 ounce) can corn, undrained

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, undrained

1 (15 ounce) can sliced black olives

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 cup tomato juice

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir beef until crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink.
2. Drain and discard any excess grease.
3. Transfer beef to a slow cooker and sprinkle with the taco seasoning mix and ranch dressing mix.
4. Add the diced tomatoes and green chilies, corn, and black beans, all with their liquid, to the slow cooker.
5. Stir the black olives, onion, bell pepper, and tomato juice into the ground beef mixture.
6. Cook on low until the vegetables are completely tender, about 5 hours.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle root beer

1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce

8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

Directions:

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat.
2. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. The actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.
3. Drain well. Stir in barbecue sauce.
4. Serve over hamburger buns.

Crock Pot White Chili

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast

1 (15.5 ounce) can white beans, drained

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1 (15.25 ounce) can white corn, drained

1 (7 ounce) can green salsa

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions:

1. Stir chicken, white beans, chicken broth, white corn, green salsa, green chilies, tomato, cilantro, green onion, lemon juice, and lime juice together in the crock of a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low until hot, about 1 hour.