
Tonight I'm forgoing my usual
soups, stews, and chowders for a relaxed Southern favorite:
barbecue. This morning I'll literally be dropping my pork into the
slow cooker, pouring in a few basic ingredients, and in six hours, the sweet aroma of North Carolina-style pulled pork will be wafting out of my kitchen. The fall-apart tender finished product, with its intensely tangy sauce, will no doubt become a family favorite.

Making
seafood in a
slow cooker can be tricky, but this hearty fish chowder is a rare gem.
The key is to add the fish in the last hour, so as not to overcook it. Cream of celery soup and milk powder add richness and body to the stew; chunky potatoes, stewed tomatoes, and legumes add texture.

If you associate pot roast with Mom's mystery leftovers, then think again: this pot roast, with its horseradish and white wine-spiked gravy, is not your mother's. Chuck roast is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat that is typically tough, but when it's been slow cooked overnight, it becomes pull-apart tender and soft. Serve this atop a bed of rice or mashed potatoes, and you're guaranteed to please the whole family.

If you're in search of a new
chicken recipe and you love
pears, then this
slow-cooked meal is for you.
Dried pears, in combination with pear nectar, truly bring the fruit's nutty, fragrant flavor forward. Add in mildly sweet, herbaceous
fennel, and you've got a timeless recipe.

Now that we've cleared up any confusion you may have about
curry and curry powder, I wanted to share a great recipe for it that you can make in your
slow cooker.
This veggie dish makes a rounded meal whether or not you're a
vegetarian; meat lovers will find it's full of robust flavors. To get this easy-prep recipe, read more.