A Slow-Cooker Dish A Day: October 2014

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Sometimes it's okay to take things slow. This year, let your slow-cooker do the work with 365 days of foolproof recipes.

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Tortilla Soup

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

October is here and your slow cooker is fired up and ready to prepare all the soups, stews, and roasts until your heart's content. Christen it with a Mexican tortilla soup that will make your taste buds sing like a mariachi band. Be sure to leave room in the bowl for all the toppings--we like crispy tortilla strips, queso fresco, avocado, and a generous squeeze of lime.

Tortilla Soup Recipe

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Slow-Cooked Cowboy Brisket and Beans

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Serve this stick-to-your-ribs dish with garlicky slabs of thick Texas toast and a green salad to all of your cowpokes on the range; then take a bow as they tip their hats.

Slow-Cooked Cowboy Brisket and Beans Recipe

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Healthy and hearty, this quinoa chili will become a family favorite. The recipe calls for a bottle of beer; use your favorite seasonal brew to amp up the flavor.

Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa Recipe

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Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

This will become your new go-to pork shoulder slow-cooker recipe, thanks to the sweet and tangy soy-and-vinegar flavor profile. Pull the pork, and serve it Southern-style over grits or sandwiched between buns, and ladle on plenty of sauce.

Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder Recipe

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Easy Beef Osso Buco

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Brimming with rich, deep flavors, Easy Beef Osso Buco is a slow cooker classic. With just 30 minutes of preparation in the morning, this warm stew cooks in 8 hours while you are at work or running errands throughout the day and is ready to eat when you get home.

Easy Beef Osso Buco Recipe

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Turkey Sausage and Spicy Tomato Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Everyday pasta sauce is elevated to an exotic level when simmered with earthy spices. Stir leftovers into cooked brown rice or farro for a whole-grain dinner with a jambalaya feel. To amp up the veggies, serve over a bed of roasted cauliflower.

Turkey Sausage and Spicy Tomato Sauce Recipe

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Pork Carnitas Nachos

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell

Slow-cooked pork loin, brown rice, seasoned black beans, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and queso fresco make up the savory layers of these nachos.

Pork Carnitas Nachos Recipe

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Asian Turkey Meatballs

Photo: Chris Villano; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Turkey meatballs are flavored with ginger, scallions, and cilantro before simmering in a mixture of soy, hoisin, and plum sauces. Serve over a hot cooked rice or rice noodles for an Asian-inspired meal.

Asian Turkey Meatballs Recipe

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Vegetable Stew

Photo: Susie Cushner

This stick-to-your-ribs vegetarian dish can be served over barley, couscous, or millet. Cook whichever grain you choose separately, according to the label directions, and spoon the colorful stew over it just before serving.

Slow-Cooker Recipe: Vegetable Stew Recipe

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Potato Soup

Oxmoor House

This classic soup gets a double hit of cheese--stirred into the soup and sprinkled over the top. Kids will love coming home to find a hearty bowl waiting for them.

Potato Soup Recipe

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Tangy Italian Beef Sandwiches

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Cindy Barr

Here's an example where the slow cooker excels: The beef slowly braises until it practically falls to shreds. We like the mixture on sandwiches, but it's also delicious over a baked potato and topped with sour cream.

Tangy Italian Beef Sandwiches Recipe

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Slow-cooker Turkey Chili

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

This slow-cooker chili recipe is as easy as it is delicious. Browning the meat before adding it to the slow-cooker brings out the rich flavor of the dish. Enjoy a bowl on game day as your cheer your team on to victory.

Slow-cooker Turkey Chili Recipe

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Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken

Photo: Anson Smart

The addition of butternut squash and a fresh orange makes this braised chicken company worthy. Round out the chicken-and-vegetables meal with rice steamed in the microwave, and your dinner prep is complete.

Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe

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Pork and Beans

Photo: Alexandra Grablewski; Styling: Gerri Williams

Pork loin roast is slow-cooked with onions and bacon in a sweet barbecue sauce with canned red beans added at the end. The result is a very flavorful and easy slow-cooker supper.

Pork and Beans Recipe

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Tuscan Pot Roast

Photo: Susie Cushner

This company-worthy pot roast is surprisingly effortless, absorbing rich, classic flavor in the slow cooker. Serve over a bed of hot cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious tomato gravy.

Slow-Cooker Recipe: Tuscan Pot Roast Recipe

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Sausage Jambalaya

Oxmoor House

This meaty, Cajun-inspired main dish features seasoned chicken thighs, andouille sausage, and shrimp. Round out the meal with a small green salad and a slice of toasted French baguette.

Sausage Jambalaya Recipe

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Ragout of Veal

Oxmoor House

After three to five hours in the slow cooker, this dish will be ready to enjoy over pasta and sprinkled with parsley. This healthy dinner entrée is a great option for any night of the week.

Ragout of Veal Recipe

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Pork and Slaw Sandwiches

Oxmoor House

Pulled pork is an instant classic and slow-cooking it is simply genius. Use pre-packaged cabbage and carrot coleslaw mix to shave off prep time.

Pork and Slaw Sandwiches Recipe

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Indian Lamb Curry

Oxmoor House

Garam masala is the key to achieving authentic depth in this Indian-inspired dish. Serve with a piece of naan to sop up any of the extra sauce.

Indian Lamb Curry Recipe

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Lemon-Rosemary Beets

Oxmoor House

A little lemon juice brings out the vivid color in these beets and keeps the flavors bright, too. Slow cooking the beets yields a fork-tender side dish that's as delicious as it is nutritious.

Lemon-Rosemary Beets Recipe

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Cabbage Rolls

Oxmoor House

In this hearty slow-cooker recipe, pork, cabbage, sauerkraut, and rice blend perfectly together to create a well-balanced entrée.

Cabbage Rolls Recipe

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Saucy Chicken over Rice

Oxmoor House

This slow cooker chicken dish is simple, but packed with rich flavors in the white wine, chopped tomatoes and variant spices. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Saucy Chicken over Rice Recipe

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Oxmoor House

The grated fresh ginger in this classic Chinese recipe makes the chicken extra sweet. You could also substitute pork tenderloin in place of the chicken thighs for a different flavor.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

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Bolognese

Oxmoor House

The beauty of bolognese? It freezes well. Make it ahead to have on hand for busy weeknights. When it's time to serve, spoon the savory Italian meat sauce over any pasta of your choice. We love the long, ribbon-style pappardelle.

Bolognese Recipe

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Curried Pork over Basmati Rice

Oxmoor House

Madras curry powder lends a little spice without being overpowering. Coconut milk stirred in at the end of the cooking time counters the burn with sweet creaminess. Reminiscent of many Indian-inspired dishes, this recipe relies on slow cooking to develop its richness.

Curried Pork over Basmati Rice Recipe

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Chunky Applesauce

Oxmoor House

Apples abound at this time of year. A combination of the Golden Delicious and McIntosh varieties create this chunky applesauce. We left the skins on the McIntosh apples to provide texture and color to this favorite fruit dish.

Chunky Applesauce Recipe

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Pork Vindaloo

Oxmoor House

Seasoned with ginger, garam masala, mustard seeds, and cumin, this fragrant Indian-spiced pork loin braises in a tomato-based sauce. The low-and-slow cooking method renders the pork melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Pork Vindaloo Recipe

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Caribbean Black Bean Soup

Oxmoor House

A little of this spicy soup goes a long way, so it's best when served as an appetizer soup. If you want to decrease the heat, seed the jalapeños.

Caribbean Black Bean Soup Recipe

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Chicken Stew with Green Olives

Oxmoor House

The variety of textures and flavors in this Moroccan-inspired dish creates interest with every bite. Give it a little crunch by lightly sprinkling almonds on top.

Chicken Stew with Green Olives Recipe

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Spiced Caramel Cider

Oxmoor House

This hot spiced cider is perfect for sipping on cool October nights. If you'd prefer a beverage with less spice, try substituting apple juice for the apple cider. It's fantastic either way.

Spiced Caramel Cider Recipe

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Green Chili with Chicken

Photo: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Have some fun with your food this Halloween! This cozy chili is made in a slow-cooker, so all you have to do is roast the tomatillos and add everything to the pot. Don't forget the tortilla ghosts!

Green Chili with Chicken Recipe

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A Slow-Cooker Dish A Day: October

1 of 32

Tortilla Soup

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Slow-Cooked Cowboy Brisket and Beans

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili with Quinoa

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Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder

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Easy Beef Osso Buco

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Turkey Sausage and Spicy Tomato Sauce

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Pork Carnitas Nachos

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Asian Turkey Meatballs

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Vegetable Stew

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Potato Soup

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Tangy Italian Beef Sandwiches

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Slow-cooker Turkey Chili

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Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken

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Pork and Beans

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Tuscan Pot Roast

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Sausage Jambalaya

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Ragout of Veal

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Pork and Slaw Sandwiches

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Indian Lamb Curry

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Lemon-Rosemary Beets

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Cabbage Rolls

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Saucy Chicken over Rice

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Bolognese

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Curried Pork over Basmati Rice

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Chunky Applesauce

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