Holiday Slow Cooker Recipes

When it comes to cooking for the holidays, nothing beats using the slow cooker to create all your favorite recipes. A slow cooker is great because you put the food in, set it and forget it. This can really work to your advantage because you can get the stuffing going in it while you prepare the turkey. Or, you can prepare the cranberry sauce in it and bring the crock to the table and present it very attractively.

Another tip that takes the stress out of holiday cooking is to ask your guests to bring a slow cooker with their favorite holiday side dish inside. One guest could bring cranberry sauce, and another could bring their favorite stuffing. Then, the slow cookers can be put on the serving table, and everyone helps themselves to firsts, seconds, and even thirds whenever they want.

Slow cookers are such a great invention, you may even want to cook the Thanksgiving turkey in one to save time and to help free up oven space!

To give some ideas on holiday fare, here are some recipes that are sure to please everybody, no matter how picky your guests are.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Turkey Breast

This delicious take on turkey with cranberry sauce will be sure to delight your guests because they will love the delicious juicy turkey with the sweet and tangy taste of the cranberry sauce.

Ingredients:

1 (16-ounce) can cranberry sauce

1 (1 ounce package) dry onion soup mix

1/2 cup orange juice

1 (3 pound) boneless turkey breast

Directions:

Place the cranberry sauce in a bowl, then mash. Mix in the onion soup mix and orange juice, then stir till combined.

Spray the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray, then place the turkey inside. Pour the sauce ingredients over the turkey breast. Set the cooker on low, and cook until the breast is very tender, about 7 hours.

This recipe is so simple, and it will absolutely make your mouth water.

Makes 6 servings.

Here is another recipe for Thanksgiving turkey:

Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Turkey

5 slices bacon

1 (5 1/2 pound) bone-in turkey skin removed

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper

1 (10.5 ounce) can turkey gravy

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried sage

Directions:

Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain and crumble. Spray a slow cooker with cooking spray. Place turkey in the slow cooker. Season with garlic pepper. In a bowl, mix together flour, Worcestershire sauce, sage, bacon, and gravy. Pour over turkey in slow cooker. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or until turkey is tender.

The convenience of the slow cooker is also great for cooking the side dishes, so you will definitely want to try these recipes for stuffing and cranberry sauce!

Makes 12 servings.

Slow Cooker Stuffing

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups chopped onion

2 cups chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

12 ounces sliced mushrooms

12 cups dried bread cubes

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 /12 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 1/2 cups chicken broth, or as needed

2 eggs, beaten

Directions:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, mushroom, and parsley in butter until tender, stirring frequently. Spoon cooked vegetables over bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl. Season with poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, marjoram, and salt and pepper. Pour in enough broth to moisten and mix in eggs. Transfer mixture to slow cooker, and cover. Cook on high for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to low, and cook for 48 hours. Makes 16 servings.

Slow Cooker Cranberry Sauce

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

Directions:

Combine orange juice, water, brown sugar, white sugar, in a slow cooker; stir in cranberries. Cook on high for 3 hours, stirring each hour. Remove lid; stir well. Cook on high until sauce has thickened and most of the cranberries have popped, about 45 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

This is so easy and delicious, you will want to make it again and again, year after year. It is also great to make for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

And now that we have covered Thanksgiving slow cooker recipes, let’s move on to Christmas recipes.

Christmas Eve Beef Stew

A scrumptious, warm, and delightful meal in a pot, this Christmas Eve Beef Stew is just the thing to welcome in the Christmas season and your guests.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with juice

1 cup chopped celery

4 carrots, sliced

3 potatoes, cubed

3 onions, chopped

3 1/2 tablespoons tapioca

2 cubes beef buillon

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 cup red wine

1 (10 ounce package) frozen green peas, thawed

Directions:

Place all ingredients except frozen peas in a slow cooker coated with cooking spray. Cook on high for 3 hours, and then turn the heat to low and cook an additional 2 hours, or until beef and vegetables are tender and beef is brown.

Add frozen peas during the last half hour of cooking.Makes 8 servings.

Doesn’t that sound good? I think it would also be a good entree for Christmas Day.

Another main course selection that is mouth-watering and irrisistable is Easy Slow Cooker Ham. It comes out fork tender and delicious; great for your Christmas gathering.

Easy Slow Cooker Ham

1 (6 pound) bone-in country ham

30 whole cloves

3 cups apple cider, or as needed

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons ground cloves

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)

1 orange peel

Directions:

Press whole cloves into the ham so that they are evenly distributed. You may score the ham for easier insertion if you desire. Place the ham in a slow cooker. Pour in apple cider until only about 2 inches of ham is above the surface. Pack the brown sugar on top of the ham, pressing into the cloves.

Pour the maple syrup over the ham. Season the apple cider with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, ground cloves, and vanilla. Add orange peel. Pour more apple cider into the cooker without going over the max fill line. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Makes 12 servings.

Can’t you just smell the apple cider, cinnamon, cloves and ham cooking already? This mouthwatering recipe would also be good on Easter, too!

There are many recipes that are great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, and whatever holiday you find yourself cooking for a crowd. Slow cookers are so nice for taking the stress out of cooking several dishes and sides at once. Try it the next time you want to whip up something special.

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