Let’s be realistic: Every day is a busy day. I wish I had a slow-cooker meal for every day but I tend to not be a huge fan of slow-cooker meals. I want to love them, but they usually aren’t great. That being said, out of the dozens I have tried, there are a few that we really like. These are meals I make at least once a month because they are easy and they give me a break from cooking dinner in the evening. Sometimes, if I am really burned out, I will make them all in one week so I get a real break from cooking.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

I heard about this recipe on the podcast, Sorta Awesome. I think what sold me was listening to Kelly talk about how she thinks chicken thighs are gross but says you should use them anyway. I totally think chicken thighs are gross but I trusted her and tried it. The meat has such great flavor! We use it for tacos and quesadillas. Sometimes, I use chicken breasts because I always have them in the house. It still works but the thighs are better.

To save me some preparation time, I buy and chop an entire can of chilis in adobo sauce and then freeze the extra in ice-cube trays.

Crock-Pot Pulled Pork

I LOVE this pork. Seriously, it has such great flavor. I use it for pulled pork sandwiches and then I freeze the leftovers for fajitas or quesadillas. The recipe says to massage the spice rub on the pork, wrap it, and let refrigerate for a few hours — I never plan that far ahead and it is still amazing!

Spinach and Cheese Tortellini Soup with Sausage

There is nothing to say other than this is SO seriously good. It is my favorite fall and winter meal. Use spicy sausage,  trust me on that one. And don’t put the tortellini in until the last hour or two, or it will get overcooked.

Taco Soup

This isn’t the exact recipe I use, but it is close. Instead of stewed tomatoes, I use a can of diced tomatoes. I also only use 1 pound of ground beef. Don’t forget to top it with cheese and crushed tortilla chips with serving. That is the best part!