3 COLD WEATHER CROCKPOT RECIPES TO GET YOU THROUGH THIS WINTER

Although slow cookers can be used year-round, there’s something especially comforting about wintertime crockpot meals. On a cold winter’s day, who doesn’t look forward to coming home to a warm house and getting comfy? It’s even better knowing you’re about to come home to the warm aromas of a hot, delicious, slow cooked meal meal that’s ready the moment you walk through the door!

If you’re struggling with ideas for crockpot meals, Uncle Charley’s sausage just happens to be the perfect addition to many fantastic crockpot recipes. Here are 3 crockpot sausage recipes you’ll want to cuddle up with on a blistering cold day.

SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE WITH PEPPERS & ONIONS

So simple, yet so effective, this delicious crockpot recipe can either be served on its own, as part of a hand-held sub roll, or over pasta. Toss approximately 2 pounds of Uncle Charley’s Sweet Italian Sausage or Hot Italian Sausage into the slow cooker with tomato sauce, sweet onions, and both green and yellow bell peppers. Stir the ingredients together to ensure everything is literally bathing in the sauce. The sauce is actually the star of the show here.

Although you can get away with using whatever store-bought sauce is in your pantry, we recommend you go for it and make a homemade sauce. Sauce that simmers low and slow for hours gets super thick, rich and abundantly flavorful. You’ll want to sop up whatever is left on your plate with some bread or a fresh baguette; not letting any drop of sauce go to waste.

Making your own sauce is relatively easy. Just combine tomato sauce and tomato puree with some minced garlic cloves, sugar, salt, coarse black pepper, dried oregano, dried crushed red pepper, and basil.
You have the option of cooking on a HIGH crockpot setting for 3 to 4 hours or at a LOW setting for 7 to 8 hours. An absolutely perfect recipe for anything from dinner with the family to a game day treat. Get the recipe at Every Day Good Thinking.

STUPID EASY CROCK POT/SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE & POTATOES

Carrying on with our theme of simplistic yumminess, this hearty recipe is easy to make and can be served as either a side dish or entree. With really just 5 main ingredients, it’s really just as “stupid easy” as the recipe’s name implies.

Cut some red or yukon gold potatoes into wedges and toss them into the crockpot. You’re then going to throw some cut up (¼”) slices of either Uncle Charley’s Fresh Kolbassi, Pork Sausage, or limited edition Tex Mex Tailgate into the pot, too.
In a separate bowl, mix some softened cream cheese, cream of celery soup, and a packet of dry ranch dressing mix. Pour it over top of the potatoes and sausage. Set your crockpot to LOW and cook for 6 to 8 hours. This Heather Reynolds’ recipe is a family favorite. It was also a community pick at Genius Kitchen. Be sure to read the reviews. Many reviewers are getting a little experimental with the original recipe and incorporating everything from half and half to chicken stock to garlic, salt, and pepper into the mix to varied results.

SLOW COOKER SAUSAGE, BEAN & PASTA STEW

This hearty and delish sausage stew smells like heaven as it’s slow cooked. 1 cut up onion will fill the bottom of the crockpot. Top those onions with some finely chopped carrots and garlic cloves, rinsed dried white beans (like cannellini), a thyme bundle, 1 pound of Uncle Charley’s Sweet Italian Sausage or Hot Italian Sausage, and a Parmesan grind.

In a separate bowl, mix the fire-roasted diced tomatoes with low-sodium chicken broth or stock, and three cups of water. Pour this over top of the sausages and cook for either 4 to 5 hours on HIGH or 7 to 8 hours on LOW.

Prior to serving, the sausages should be removed and cut into bite size pieces. Ditalini pasta, or really any leftover cooked pasta, should then be stirred into the stew. The pasta should cook through in approximately 20 minutes. The sausages are then stirred back into the stew along with seasonings like parsley, vinegar, salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan.
See the full Food Network recipe to make this delicious slow cooker stew yourself.