#busydaymeal

This easy pot roast crock pot recipe is perfect for busy days. With minimal prep, you can enjoy a delicious and hearty meal with tender beef and flavorful vegetables.

Ingredients: 3 lbs beef chuck roast. 1 packet dry onion soup mix. 1 cup beef broth. 1/2 cup red wine optional. 4 carrots, chopped. 4 potatoes, chopped. 2 onions, sliced. 4 cloves garlic, minced. 2 tablespoons olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: Season beef chuck roast with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on all sides until browned. Place seared roast in the slow cooker. In a bowl, mix together onion soup mix, beef broth, and red wine if using. Pour mixture over the roast in the slow cooker. Add carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until beef is tender. Once done, remove the roast and vegetables from the slow cooker. Optional: Thicken the sauce by transferring it to a saucepan and simmering until desired consistency. Slice the roast and serve with vegetables and sauce.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 300 minutes

Salisbury steaks that are cooked in the Instant Pot and covered in a tasty mushroom gravy. A quick and easy way to make dinner on nights when you're busy.

Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef. 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. 1/4 cup finely chopped onion. 1/4 cup milk. 1 egg. 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. 1/2 tsp garlic powder. Salt and pepper to taste. 1 tbsp olive oil. 8 oz mushrooms, sliced. 1.5 cups beef broth. 2 tbsp tomato paste. 2 tbsp all-purpose flour. 2 tbsp butter. 1 tsp dried thyme. Chopped fresh parsley for garnish.

Instructions: Put chopped onion, milk, egg, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the ground beef and mix it all together. Make oval-shaped patties out of it. Press "Saute" on the Instant Pot after turning it on. Warm up the olive oil and sear both sides of the patties. Take it out and set it aside. Put the sliced mushrooms in the same pot and cook them until they turn brown. Do not put the mushrooms back in the pot. To make a roux, add butter and flour to the pot and stir them together. Just a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the beef broth, making sure there are no lumps. Add tomato paste and dried thyme and mix well. The beef patties and mushrooms should be put back in the pot. Put the lid back on the Instant Pot and set it to "Pressure Cook." After that, let the pressure drop naturally for 5 minutes, and then quickly let go of any extra pressure. You can put mushroom gravy on top of mashed potatoes or rice and serve Salisbury steaks. Add chopped fresh parsley as a garnish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

This tangy balsamic pork roast slow cooker recipe delivers tender and flavorful meat with minimal effort. The combination of balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce creates a deliciously tangy sauce that infuses the pork with rich flavor. Perfect for busy days when you want a satisfying meal ready with minimal hands-on time.

Ingredients: 1 pork roast about 3-4 lbs. 1 cup balsamic vinegar. 1/2 cup brown sugar. 1/4 cup soy sauce. 4 cloves garlic, minced. 1 teaspoon dried thyme. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Salt, to taste.

Instructions: Place the pork roast in the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix together balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, thyme, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour the sauce over the pork roast. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the pork is tender and easily shreds with a fork. Once cooked, shred the pork using two forks and mix it with the sauce in the slow cooker. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot, optionally garnished with chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 360 minutes

Barbecue, honey, and soy flavors come together in a delicious way in this Slow Cooker Sweet and Saucy Chicken, making a tender and flavorful dish that's great for busy days. It's all done by the slow cooker, which gives the chicken rich flavors and keeps it juicy and moist.

Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. 1 cup barbecue sauce. 1/2 cup honey. 1/4 cup soy sauce. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 teaspoon dried basil. 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper, to taste. 2 tablespoons cornstarch. 2 tablespoons water. Optional: sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish.

Instructions: In the slow cooker's bottom, put chicken breasts. Put garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, honey, soy sauce, barbecue sauce, and mix them all together in a bowl. Put on chicken. Keep the lid on and set the heat to low for four to five hours, or until the chicken is fully cooked and soft. Take the chicken out of the slow cooker when it's done cooking and shred it with two forks. To make a slurry, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Slowly add the slurry to the sauce that is already there. Put the chicken back into the slow cooker and stir it around to coat it with the sauce. Put the lid on top and cook on high for another 30 minutes, or until the sauce gets thicker. If you want, you can serve it hot with sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 300 minutes

This hearty and nutritious stew combines chickpeas, red lentils, and butternut squash with aromatic spices, cooked to perfection in a slow cooker. It's a comforting and flavorful meal that's perfect for busy days.

Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas, rinsed and drained. 1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and drained. 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced. 1 onion, diced. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes. 4 cups vegetable broth. 1 teaspoon ground cumin. 1 teaspoon ground coriander. 1 teaspoon paprika. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Salt and pepper to taste. Fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish.

Instructions: In a slow cooker, combine chickpeas, red lentils, butternut squash, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the chickpeas and lentils are tender and the stew has thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 360 minutes

This simple rice recipe for the slow cooker is great for days when you are busy and don't want to cook. Every time, the rice is fluffy and cooked just right.

Ingredients: 2 cups long grain white rice. 4 cups water. 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil. Salt to taste optional.

Instructions: Run cold water over the rice until the water is clear. The rice, water, butter or olive oil, and salt if using should all be put in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for two to three hours or high for one to two hours, or until the rice is soft and the liquid is gone. Before you serve, use a fork to fluff up the rice.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 120-180