Crocktober Is Here | Make Family Meals With Us!

I’ll be keeping this post up to date with all things Crocktober - so check back for recipe updates as I have them!

Fall is in full-swing and to be honest? I’m busier than ever. I’m a big fan of home-cooked meals and I’ve not only been in a recipe rut, but I could use some accountability and fun to prioritize family-friendly dinners throughout the month.

Eating at home has always been a priority for our family for a million reasons - it's cost-effective, usually healthier, and it gives us the opportunity to eat together every single night. I know my content is mostly car-related, but I get so many DMs to share the recipes I make for my family, With that said, I thought it might be fun to knock out our meal planning together! What if we challenged ourselves to make one crock pot recipe every week of October? So, you’re obviously in, right??

If you’re up for the challenge and want to share your delicious results, be sure to post your recipe re-creation on IG stories. Don’t forget to tag me @thecarmom!

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Crocktober Recipe #8 - Crockpot Tuscan Garlic Chicken Thighs with Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Eat Well 101

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 6 – 8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/3 cup (80ml) chicken broth

• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes, optional

• Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

• 1/2 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)

• 2 cup Spinach (chopped, packed)

Instructions:

1. To prepare your crockpot chicken thighs recipe: heat oil or butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for about a minute, until fragrant.

2. Add the cream and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, then set heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce should thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.

3. Meanwhile, place the chicken thighs at the bottom of your CrockPot. Season chicken thighs lightly with Italian seasoning, crushed red chili pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Top chicken thighs with sun-dried tomatoes.

4. When the cream sauce is ready, lower the heat and whisk in the Parmesan cheese, little by little until smooth. Adjust seasoning for the cream sauce if needed.

5. Pour the cream sauce evenly over the chicken thighs in the CrockPot. Try to get as much sauce as possible on top of the chicken thighs and less on the bottom.

6. Cook your crockpot Tuscan Garlic Chicken thighs for 3-4 hours on HIGH or 6-8 hours on LOW. When cooking time is over, remove gently the chicken thighs from the crockpot and set it aside.

7. Turn the crockpot on HIGH if it isn’t already. Add the chopped spinach to the crockpot and stir for a few minutes, until the spinach wilts.

8. Return the chicken to the slow cooker, and spoon the liquid, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes on top, or just pour them over the Tuscan chicken when serving. Serve your CrockPot Tuscan Chicken thighs over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice, or rice, couscous, or pasta for non-Keto. This crockpot chicken thighs recipe is Keto and low-carb diet-friendly. Enjoy!

Crocktober Recipe #7 - Crockpot Chicken & Stuffing by The Cozy Cook

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts,

• 1.5 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning

• Salt/Pepper

• 10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup, low sodium

• 8 oz. sour cream, (equivalent to 1 cup)

• 6 oz. box stuffing mix

• ¾ cup low sodium chicken broth

• 2 cups fresh green beans

Optional Stuffing Additions:

• 1/2 cup onions, diced

• 1/2 cup celery, diced

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/2 cup crumbled sausage, (cooked or raw)

• 2 teaspoons dry rosemary

Instructions:

1. Season the chicken with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Place on the bottom of a lightly greased Crock Pot.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the soup, sour cream, stuffing, and *half* of the chicken broth.

3. Add the stuffing and green beans to the Crock Pot. (You can place them all side by side or layer the stuffing on top of the chicken, followed by the green beans.)

4. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 6-7. 

5. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy, and buttermilk biscuits if desired.

6. If you’d prefer additional moisture, add the rest of the chicken broth, stir, and heat for an additional 10 minutes.

7. For firmer stuffing, leave the lid off the crock pot for the last 30-40 minutes of cooking. Use foil to cover the chicken to keep it moist.

   You can also pop it in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes to brown up the top.

8. Optional: Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes if desired.

Crocktober Recipe #6 - Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Mercedes Gonzalez Mayo | Inspired By Panera Bread

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 6 cups broccoli

• 2 cups shredded carrots

• 1 cup of diced onion

• Garlic powder to taste

• Pepper to taste

• 3 cups of chicken broth

• Another cup of chicken broth mixed with 1/4 cup of cornstarch

• 1 cup heavy cream

• Velveeta OR 1 block of cream cheese and 3 cups cheddar cheese

Instructions:

1. In your crockpot combine the broccoli, shredded carrots, onion, garlic power, pepper, chicken broth, and chicken broth mixed with your cornstarch.

2. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.

3. Mix in 1 cup of heavy cream and velveeta.

4. Let the cheese melt and serve!

Crocktober Recipe #5 - Citrus Garlic Shredded Beef Tacos from Little Bits of Real Food

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 pounds chuck roast

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1/2 cup beef broth

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon orange zest

• Salt

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl combine cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika and salt.

2. Chop chuck roast into about 4-6 large cubes.  Rub spice mixture all over the meat.

3. Meanwhile, turn the instant pot on saute and let it get warm.  Add oil the pot then add in onion and garlic. Saute onion and garlic for about 1 minute, stirring a few times.

4. Add in beef and sear on each side for about 30 seconds a side then remove and set aside.

5. Turn off instant pot, add in orange juice, beef broth and tomato paste, stir to combine and add back in the beef.

6. Then place the lid on and make sure the knob is on sealing.

7. Turn the instant pot on manual high pressure for 60 minutes.

8. When it is done cooking, let it naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then turn the knob to venting to release the rest of the pressure.

9. Remove all of the meat to a baking sheet and shred it with 2 forks.  Scoop about a cup of the liquid in the instant pot over the shredded beef, then add orange zest and toss to combine.  Season with salt as needed and feel free to add more liquid if you would like!

Note: For the perfect shredded beef in the crockpot you will want to follow the first two steps in the recipe. Next you will need a skillet to sauté the oil and onions and sear the beef for a few minutes on each side. While the beef is searing grab your crockpot and add the orange juice, beef broth and tomato paste and mix. When the beef has been seared, pour the beef and the sautéed onions into your crockpot. You can cook on low for 6-8 hrs, or high for 3-5 hrs.

Crocktober Recipe #4 - Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup from Damn Delicious

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• ½ pound lean ground beef

• ½ pound Italian sausage, casing removed

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium sweet onion, diced

• 2 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

• 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes

• 6 cups beef stock

• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 ½ cups uncooked campanelle pasta

• ½ cup whole milk ricotta cheese

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and sausage, and cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef and sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.

2. Stir in garlic and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Place ground beef mixture into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef stock, Italian seasoning and basil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 5-6 hours. Uncover and stir in pasta; cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until tender; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Serve immediately, topped with dollops of ricotta and garnished with parsley, if desired.

Crocktober Recipe #3 - Dr Pepper Pulled Pork in the Crock Pot from Dance Around The Kitchen

Ingredients you’ll need:

• One 4-5 lb boneless pork butt or pork shoulder can also use bone-in, see notes below

• Seasoned salt

• One 12 oz can (or 1 ½ c) Dr Pepper soda (or root beer)

• BBQ sauce of choice

Instructions:

1. Rub seasoned salt over the entire pork shoulder.

2. Place the pork into the Crock Pot and then add the soda.

3. Place the lid on the Crock Pot and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.

4. Remove the pork to a pan and use two forks to shred the meat; discard the bone or any really fatty pieces.

5. Remove all but 1 ½ cups of the juices in the Crock Pot and stir in the shredded pork.

6. Add the barbeque sauce and stir. Serve right away or cook on low for an additional hour.
   

*This is assuming you start with a 4 pound boneless shoulder.  Once it's cooked and shredded, you'll have about 2 - 2 ½ pounds of pork.**A bone-in shoulder may take a bit longer to cook.*

**Nutrition calculated for one 4 ounce portion of the pulled pork; nutritional information will vary depending on the amounts and brand of salt and barbecue sauce used.

Crocktober Recipe #2 - Crockpot Swedish Meatballs from Our Community

Ingredients you’ll need:

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup

• 1 14oz can beef broth

• 1 envelope onion soup mix

• 2 tbsp A1 sauce

• 1 bag homestyle frozen meatballs

• 1 cup sour cream

• 1 bag egg noodles

Instructions:

1. Add first 4 ingredients to the crockpot, stir to combine.

2. Add frozen meatballs.

3. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours OR on HIGH 3-6 hours. Stir in sour cream when finished!

4. Serve on top of cooked egg noodles.
   
   
   
   

This week’s Crocktober Recipe was submitted from someone in our DMs!

Crocktober Recipe #1 - Honey Butter Chicken from Naptime Kitchen

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RECIPE

To kick things off, we are doing Honey Butter Crockpot Chicken from Naptime Kitchen! I am such a huge fan Kate’s recipes and this one looks AMAZING.

Ingredients you’ll need:

• -1-2 chicken breasts

• -1/2 onion, diced

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tsp curry powder

• 1/2 tsp salt (or 1 tsp if you're a salt enthusiast like me)

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1/3 stick of butter, cut into small slices

• 1/4-1/3 cup honey

• 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1 can chickpeas (optional), drained and rinsed

There you have it - our inaugural Crocktober recipe from Kate @naptimekitchen! Looks amazing, right?

What I’m Pairing It With

• Car Mom Broccoli (Try this - just trust me)

• White or Brown Rice

More Ditch The Drive Thru Recipes:

So, are you ready for Crocktober? We can't wait to see what you cook up! Until next week, happy slow-cooking! 🍂🥘🍁