Crock pot ideas for the fire station

I like to get some boneless pork chops and wrap them in tin foil (you can also use boneless ribs), put a little water in the bottom of your crockpot and slow cook them all day. At the end of the day remove the foil with the meat from the crockpot, pour out your water, and place just your meat back in the crockpot. Get a fork and shred the meat and mix with whatever BBQ sauce you like. Tastes just like pulled pork BBQ. Dinner is done, just grab a loaf of buns and some chips to go with and your all set. Takes literally no time at all involved.

Slow Cooker Italian Style Pot Roast
Recipe from Ciao Italia Family Classics
Serves 6
Prep Time: 40 Minutes
Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours depending on make of slow cooker

2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1-teaspoon coarse black pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups diced Backyard Farms tomatoes on the vine
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh basil
2 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley

Mix the salt, pepper and oregano together and rub all over the roast. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown the roast well on all sides. This is a really important step because it locks in juices and flavor.
Transfer roast to the slow cooker or heavy-duty oven roaster. In the same skillet used to brown the roast, cook the onion, carrot and garlic until the mixture is soft, then add them to the slow cooker or oven roaster,
Combine the wine and tomatoes in a bowl and add to the slow cooker or oven roaster.
Tie the rosemary basil and parsley together with kitchen string and add to the slow cooker or roaster. Mix the ingredients well, Cover and cook in slow cooker for 4-5 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. For the oven roaster, cover with heavy-duty foil and cook 3 to 4 hours or until fork tender.
When cooked, transfer the meat to a cutting board; cover and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Cut into slices and return the meat to the slow cooker or oven roaster just to reheat. Serve hot with some of the sauce.

Slow Chicken & Lentil Stew by Chef Michael Smith
This classic stew relies on two kitchen basics: the earthy flavour of lentils and the ease of your slow cooker. Just pile all the ingredients into the works and walk away for the day. When you return you’ll be rewarded with a delicious hearty meal!
Prep Time: 5 Minutes Total time: 6 Hours 5 Minutes Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
1 roasting chicken cut into 10 pieces, (2 wings, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs and 4 breast halves)
or a large package of any chickenparts
2 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped or 2 baking potatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
A handful of freshly chopped mushrooms
1 cup (250 mL) of lentils, green, black Beluga, or French Du Puy
5 cups (1.25 L) of water
1 teaspoon (5 mL) of salt
½ teaspoon (2 mL) of freshly ground pepper
1 – 2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon (5 mL) rosemary or thyme, freshly chopped
1 cup (250 mL) of frozen peas
1 cup (250 mL) of frozen corn
Directions
1. Toss the chicken pieces into your slow cooker. Top with all the veggies and lentils. Season the works with the salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Pour in the water and mix everything together to ensure the lentils are covered and the flavours are evenly distributed. Cook eight hours on low. Rest, relax, live your life.
2. Just before serving, stir in the peas, corn and freshly chopped herbs. Ladle into bowls alongside a fresh biscuit or two, serve and share!
3.
Kitchen Tip:
Feel free to try other vegetables in this stew – any root vegetable can be added. A wide variety of herbs will also taste good: thyme, rosemary, oregano, marjoram, basil, tarragon, and even spices like curry all work well.
© Chef Michael Smith

Slow-Cooker Italian Meatball Soup
recipe from Betty Crocker
Prep Time 10 min, Total Time 8 hr 10 min, Servings 5
Ingredients
1 bag (16 oz) frozen cooked Italian meatballs, thawed
1 3/4 cups Progresso™ beef flavored broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 cup water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoeswith basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
1 can (19 oz) Progresso™ cannellini beans, drained
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except cheese.
2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours.
3. Garnish individual servings with cheese.
©2015 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved

Check out Slow Cooker Revolution. Most of their recipes need a bit of additional prep, but for quite a few it's just a matter of 'waving veggies for 5 minutes or so with some soy sauce or tomato paste and garlic.

I save prep time by buying tubs of pre-chopped onion/celery/bell pepper mix and pre-sliced mushrooms (though those are generally so big that I'll run a knife through the shrooms in the shipping container, about 5 times each direction).