Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes (A One Pot Hassle Free Meal)

There's nothing like a fall apart tender roast that's cooked low and slow along with some fresh veggies and a seasonings to highlight all of it's delicious flavors. This meal is one of the easiest meals you'll ever make. Yes there are countless ways to prepare a pot roast. You can be professional and brown the roast in some olive oil prior to slow cooking, as well as sauteing some sliced onions and freshly minced garlic. To me though, a slow cook meal is a hassle free meal. One that you can toss in and go. A busy day one pot meal. So, I created this recipe to be just that, no browning or sauteing required. The hardest part of this meal is dicing the potatoes, yes that's just how easy it is. Anyone can make this and everyone will utterly and completely enjoy it! Flavorful, unbelievably simple and amazingly delicious.
If you want you can throw it all in from the beginning (roast first then veggies on top), I just prefer that my veggies don't turn to mush. That's why I prepared it as listed but just do what works for you. Also, if you'd like you can also use red potatoes in place of the Russet potatoes. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Yields about 4 servings

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs chuck roast
1 1/4 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 medium Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed then diced into chunks about 3/4" - 1"
12 oz. baby carrots

Directions:
Place chuck roast in a slow cooker. Pour beef broth over roast, and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder then season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW heat 7 hours. 
Remove roast to a large plate or cutting board, reserving broth in slow cooker (it should be fall apart tender so it will likely break apart when you lift it out). Add diced potatoes and baby carrots to slow cooker in broth (the broth should cover the veggies), return roast to slow cooker placing on top of vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, or until vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Plate and ladle with broth in slow cooker.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches (5 minutes prep recipe)

Looking for an amazing, delicious and cheap dinner recipe for a busy day? Then look no further, this meal takes about 5 minutes prep work and it's flavor is phenomenal. It only takes is a few simple ingredients to spice up a cheap cut of beef. These french dip sandwiches are loaded with fall apart tender beef (if your roast isn't fall apart tender after cooking it 8 hours then you may want to consider a purchasing a new slow cooker, I used one once that had a gap between the lid and the slow cooker so it didn't have a good seal on it, therefor the roast cooked unevenly and wasn't anywhere near tender enough). Cheese is optional but I'd say it's a must, it perfectly compliments all the flavors of the beef. 
Serve this sandwich with a side of kettle chips and you've get a dinner that couldn't get any simpler. Yes you could brown the beef in olive oil prior to slow cooking it, and you could replace the onion powder and garlic powder with the real thing but I made this recipe to be quick, basic, and incredibly delicious without sacrificing any flavor. No time wasted on chopping veggies and searing the beef. Just toss everything in and relax while the slow cooker does all the work. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Yields about 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs beef chuck roast
1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (regular would be fine, just reduce the salt added)
1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp liquid smoke flavoring
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp garlic powder

6 Hoagie buns or 2 crusty baguettes cut into thirds (I prefer baguettes, the crispiness of them eliminates the possibility of soggy. The hoagies just make for a better picture =)
6 slices Swiss, Provolone or Muenster cheese, optional

Directions:
Place chuck roast in a slow cooker. In a mixing bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, liquid smoke flavoring, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Pour mixture over roast in slow cooker, cover slow cooker with a lid and cook on low heat 8 hours. 
Remove cooked roast from slow cooker and place on a cutting board, reserving broth in slow cooker. Shred roast with two forks. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain reserved broth from slow cooker into a bowl. Return shredded beef to slow cooker (no more cooking necessary) and pour 1/2 cup broth over shredded beef and toss to evenly coat. Sandwich beef between hoagie buns or sliced baguettes (buttered and toasted if preferred) and top warm beef with sliced cheese. Serve immediately with a side of remaining reserved broth for dipping.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki

Slow cooker meals, aren't they just amazing? Throw the food in, say goodbye, then several hours later say hello to dinner. It really doesn't get much easier. I saw this photo/recipe on foodgawker.com and new I had to try it. I think I've finally realized another reason I love slow cooker meals, because I always have dessert after dinner so if I'm making dessert it's nice to have a simple dinner to throw together. Also, I can never get over how tender and flavorful the meat is that's been slowly simmered all day in the slow cooker. 
You will noticed if you follow the link that the recipe is nearly entirely different, yes I will admit rarely do I ever stick to someone else's recipe. It's just too fun to add my own twist. Feel free to try it either way I'm sure the original rendition is amazing too. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
3 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (regular would work too)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3 Tbsp orange marmalade
1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp cold water
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
Cooked long grain white rice, for serving
Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Place chicken in a slow cooker, set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, light-brown sugar, honey, orange marmalade, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour mixture over chicken in slow cooker, cover with lid and cook on low heat 5 - 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred. Strain sauce from slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. In a small mixing bowl whisk together 1 1/2 Tbsp cold water and cornstarch. Pour cornstarch mixture into liquid in saucepan and heat mixture over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to gently boil. Allow mixture to gently boil about 20 seconds until thickened. Return chicken to slow cooker and pour teriyaki sauce from saucepan over chicken. Toss mixture gently to evenly coat. Serve warm over cooked rice garnished with optional sesame seeds and serve with diced fresh pineapple if desired.

Recipe Source: slightly adapted from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen