I Used My Slow Cooker All Month & Here’s What I Made

This taco casserole has been a longtime favorite in our family, yet I've never made it in the slow cooker. I assumed it would get mushy, but the reverse is actually true. The chips stay crisper than when baked.

While assembly is exactly the same in the slow cooker, the cook time is a little longer. The advantage, however, is that you could easily take the casserole to a potluck or prep it farther in advance and let people eat when they're ready.

We've been making this delicious taco filling for a long time. It's actually one of my son's favorite meals ever. He prefers it in burrito bowls rather than in tacos.

One note: chuck roast cooks down a lot, and even though it was a large roast, it really only made enough for one meal for our family.

If you want to feed a crowd or freeze extra for later, do 2 to 3 roasts. Two should fit in the 4-qt round slow cooker. Three would fit in the 6-qt.

I often make Carnitas Soft Tacos, but it'd been awhile since we'd made the "little meats" into tostadas. So easy and good!

A pork shoulder always makes a lot so one cooking session fed us many nights.

I'd forgotten how good Slow Cooker Applesauce was until my daughter forgot that we still had some and she dished me up applesauce from a jar. Gag.

Never buying that stuff again.

Instead, I crunched the numbers and found that if I can get apples for less than $1/pound, it's in my best interests to make it myself.

So delicious on oats in the morning! Or afternoon! Or evening!

This was an amazing surprise dish. These Slow Cooker Potatoes that have less than five ingredients were gobbled down in minutes.

Baby potatoes are on sale this week at Ralphs so I can't wait to make them again.

I plan to make these as an additional side at Thanksgiving since they're naturally dairy-free/vegan, and so easy to make.

I'd cooked oats overnight in the slow cooker and been disappointed with the blown out results. Oats cooked to smithereens!

Instead, cooking them for just a few hours resulted in perfectly cooked oats that need no stirring or babysitting. These are now on my regular rotation for breakfast prep.

These Sweet and Sour Pulled Chicken Sandwiches have long been a favorite of ours. That was before we'd ever had bahn mi.

Now that we have, this chicken sandwich filling is going up higher on the rotation. We had these sammies once on hawaiian rolls and once on baguette with bahn mi toppings. Both are delicious!

Such an easy dessert! You'll wonder why you ever mess with baking. Simple to make dairy-free or even vegan, Crockpot Chocolate Fondue is where it's at!

This chili is a no-brainer. So easy to mix together on the fly, it cooks up quickly on the stovetop or at your leisure in the slow cooker.

SImple, yet packed with flavor, definitely put it on your meal plan this week!

Cooking a chicken in the slow cooker is a pretty easy process that gives you lots of cooked meat for any number of recipes.

Then once you've carved the chicken, throw the bones and trimmings back in the slow cooker and make stock. Something from nothing that's so easy and takes soups and sauces over the top!

Homemade chicken stock has been referred to as "liquid gold". Rich and delicious, it's great for enhancing soups, stews, rice dishes, and sauces with savory goodness.

Whether you buy a rotisserie chicken or cook your own, be sure to make stock with what's left!

Crockpot Enchiladas take minutes to make, but have all the comfort of rolled enchiladas. This easy recipe can be adapted for any number of fillings and sauces. Whatever you have on hand will result in a delicious enchilada supper.

French dip sandwiches are the ultimate fall comfort food, even more so when the slow cooker does the work!

This cranberry sauce is a must-make every fall and winter. My kids eat it plain out of bowls for weeks. Trying it in the slow cooker was a fun experiment, and one that we'll repeat.

Be sure to leave the lid off for a few minutes at the end of cooking to help it thicken just a tad.

How can you go wrong with Cheesy Potatoes in the slow cooker? While it didn't get the trademark, crunchy top, we stuck it in the oven with breadcrumbs for a few minutes right before serving and it worked just as well.

It was also delicious without the breadcrumb top, so I think either way is a winner.

This is a three-generation family favorite. Despite my husband's dislike for sauerkraut, I've slowly accustomed my kids to the dish. We have it for lunch on days my husband's not home.

You can prep it in the pressure cooker which is how my mom always made it, but I've been cooking it in the slow cooker for close to 20 years and appreciate the slow braise.

Now that one of my kids eats vegan, this has become a go-to chili recipe. The quinoa and beans provide enough protein for everyone and the three chiles give it just the right kick of flavor.

It's super freezer-friendly, making for easy snacks and lunches, too.

If you need a versatile pot roast that you can mold to what you have, this is the one for you. Raid the fridge and pantry and you'll easily come up with some mix and match flavors to complement your next roast dinner. So easy and good!

Meatloaf has been a classic American dinner for decades. Make it the easy way next time with this simple Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipe!

This Slow Cooker Chocolate Cheesecake will score big points with everyone at your table. A chocolate cookie crust and a filling of cream cheese, sugar, egg, chocolate, cream, and vanilla extract bakes in the slow cooker for the creamiest cheesecake ever!