Mini (1.5 Quart) Slow Cooker Meals

 

Now that my kiddo is off to college, I had to figure out how to cook for just one so that there is less food waste and to keep my budget on point.  I'm a huge fan of slow cooker cooking as it makes the life of a busy working mom easier when it comes to making healthy home-cooked meals everyday.  I wanted to find a way to make my favorite slow cooker meals but in smaller portions.  That is when I stumbled across the Pioneer Woman 1.5 Quart (6 cups) slow cooker 2 set pack for $23 at Walmart.  I LOVE that it comes in a two pack so I don't have to wash the mini every day to use the next. 

This picture shows the different in sizes of the larger slow cooker compared to the mini.  The 1.5 quart fits nicely inside the bigger one.  I have been using these slow cookers for a while now so I can honestly say they have been amazing!  In the rest of the blog, I will be giving you some of my "Go To" recipes to help get you started on making smaller meals.   I will keep adding to them as I make each meal so you can see pictures.

Side note before I jump into the recipes, I want to add another product I use to help make slow cooker meals easier.  I love the Souper Cube one cup freezer pans as it helps make some of these recipes in advance.  Two frozen cubes (2 cups) fit in the mini slow cooker at a time.

 

 

Recipes for 1.5 Quart Slow Cooker

I signed up for a Facebook Group just for Mini Slow Cooker Recipes but after being on there for just a short week, I realized it was NOT the place for me.  They do not believe in putting frozen food in a slow cooker but I don't feel the same way.  My meals normally cook for 9 hours while I am at work and feel that the meals come out better when some items are put in frozen.  Such as the Potato Soup below.  If you put in defrosted potatoes and try to cook at these long times then the potatoes can come out mushy.  You can be the judge of your own meals and feel free to just use these recipes as a guide to change and make your own.  I'm no trained chef but I have been cooking with a slow cooker for many years and just want to help others who are just getting started!