20 Comforting Crock-Pot Recipes

During long, dark winter days, we crave hot meals with comforting flavours that are low on prep and big on taste. The easiest way to execute those dinner: the slow cooker, every mom's greatest friend in the kitchen. Is there anything better than coming into the house after a long day and smelling dinner cooking? Divine. Which is why we asked our perennially brilliant Savvy Storytellers to share their best time-tested slow cooker recipes. Bon appétit!

Skip the preservatives and sugar that come with many recipes for pulled pork. This one packs on the flavour without the salt, sugar and other nasties.

Just imagine waking up to a hot breakfast, ready to go and waiting for you. mmmn...

Cooking a roast in a slow cooker produces meat that is tender and moist, with loads of rich gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes and freshly baked Pumpkin Biscuits.

Warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg along with a bit of sweet maple syrup give this soup depth and flavour while keeping it fresh and light. Perfect for those transitioning-to-winter November days.

Apricot preserves have a mild, sweet flavour that pairs beautifully with the acidic tang of balsamic vinegar. Feel free to use frozen turkey breasts in the place of a full turkey if you don't feel like committing to a whole bird.

Bored of bean chili? This fresh and healthy take om the winter classic is now in our weeknight dinner rotation.

This slow cooker coconut chicken curry is an excellent way to introduce ethnic flavours and new spices to kids, without the heat that often accompanies these types of dishes.

Nothing beats a classic, comforting chicken stew. Except one that cooks itself!

When you need a set-it-and-forget-it recipe, turn to this flavourful dish chock-full of bright winter vegetables.

We'll be whipping out this recipe the next time company comes for dinner. They'll never know we spent all of 10 minutes making these gorgeous sliders. This is also delicious over rice or quinoa or stuffed into tacos, and the flavourful but mild sauce is kid-approved.

If you love beets, you'll love this traditional Ukrainian soup. A little tangy, a little sweet....it's survived the test of time for a reason.

With a shredded beef centre, gooey cheese and a zesty sauce, these enchiladas are impossible to resist. The best part? The stew-like filling simmers away untended.

This twist on a classic is light and healthy, but still filling and satisfying.

While this dish certainly isn't the prettiest one you're going to put on the table this season, it just might be one of the tastiest. There is no fussing with a roux, no specialty ingredients that need to be sourced, and no extra time required to turn this slow-cooked dinner into one worthy of serving to your guests.

Loaded with tomatoes and corn and a medley of beans, this is a great way to sneak some nutrients and fibre into the kids.

Our brilliant food editor Jan says, 'when in doubt, make pulled pork.' To which we say, 'Yes, Chef!'. Even a good-quality piece of pork shoulder is fairly inexpensive, making it a great budget-friendly meat, and the leftovers make fab lunches.

You can feed a lot of people with a big slow cooker full of ribs! Keeping your main dish so hands-off makes entertaining a breeze.

In our experience, even picky kids love ham. Remind them that the yummy stuff in their favourite sandwich is also in this warming, stick-to-your-ribs filling soup and you'll add another family-friendly recipe to your repertoire.

If you're trying to stay on track this winter, go for recipes with lean meats and lots of veggies, like this tomato-based turkey chili.

Interested in stashing your freezer with uncooked, ready-to-go dinners? Just chop, portion, and freeze, then transfer to a slow cooker when ready to use. Savvy!