3 Simple Crock Pot Recipes For The Cooking Beginner

If you've recently discovered a passion for cooking, a slow cooker can be a big help in your learning process. It can help you cook more complicated dishes with just little effort. But as a beginner, it is ideal to prepare simple recipes first, even with the use of a slow cooker. Here are some simple recipes you can get started with:

Easy Crock Pot Black Bean Soup

What do you need:

• 1/2 kilogram of uncooked black beans, rinsed
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups of vegetable broth
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of salsa
• 1 tablespoon of chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of oregano

Combine black beans, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, vegetable broth, water and salsa in a slow cooker. Season with chili powder, cumin and oregano. Stir to combine the ingredients well. Cover and cook 6 to 8 hours on high power or until beans are tender. When you're ready, puree the mixture using an immersion blender. Add salt if necessary.

Slow Baked Ziti

What do you need:

• 1/2 kilogram of Italian sausage
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 4 cups of ziti pasta
• 2 1/2 cups pasta sauce
• 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of dried basil
• 1 teaspoon of dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Brown the Italian sausage and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and season with salt, then cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, pasta sauce, chicken broth, basil and parsley to the pot and stir to combine the ingredients well. Cover and cook 6 hours on low heat or 3 hours on high heat. When you are ready, add the pasta to the pot and stir. Bake another 25 to 35 minutes. When ready, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and cover until cheese has melted, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Quick Crock Pot Sweet Ham

What do you need:

• 1 ripened picnic ham with bone (about 3 1/2 kilograms)
• 2 cups packed brown sugar

In a slow cooker, place 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and top with ham, flat side down. Rub the meat with the rest of the brown sugar. Cover and cook for 8 hours over low heat. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

No problem if you're not an expert cook, these simple slow cooker recipes are for you!