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  1. Midwest Living
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  4. Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers

Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
Updated August 27, 2020
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Make zesty meatballs, tender pulled meat, crunchy snack mixes and savory dips in your slow cooker—perfect for serving at your next gathering.

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1 of 21

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Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled-Pork Sliders

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A boneless pork shoulder roast slow cooks with vegetables and herbs until it's fork-tender. Combine with a homemade barbecue sauce for the last hour of cooking, then spoon onto sliders with coleslaw and chopped pickles. 

1 of 21

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Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon

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Smoky bacon and salty blue cheese bring new flavor to an old favorite.

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Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer

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Shape and bake the chicken meatballs ahead of time, then pop them in your slow cooker with cranberry and barbecue sauces.

3 of 21

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Swiss-Artichoke Dip

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Artichoke hearts, dried tomatoes and sauce combine for a rich, creamy dip. Our recipe calls for processed Swiss cheese because it melts smoothly, but regular Swiss cheese will work fine, too. The dip will have a more stretchy, less creamy texture, but it tastes just as good.

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Caramelized Onion-and-Cranberry Cheese Toasts

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These tempting bite-size treats feature a slow-cooked mixture of onion, apple and cranberries served over a blend of cheeses on toasted French bread. Use any leftover onion mixture as a relish for pork or poultry.

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Greek Stuffed Meatballs

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Stuff these easy slow-cooker meatballs with Greek Kasseri or feta cheese and top with our Greek Tomato Sauce for a crowd-pleasing starter.

6 of 21

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Lemon-Zested Snacker Mix

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Healthy snacking made easy! Slow cook cereal, seeds and nuts with a savory blend of lemon peel and herbs.

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Mulled Cranberry Punch

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Cranberry juice, juice concentrate, spices, orange juice and water simmers in your slow cooker. If you're serving this punch at a party, keep it warm on the low-heat setting for up to two hours.

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Caponata Sicilianata

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Spoon nutritious slow-cooked veggies onto sliced bread or crackers for a healthy appetizer.

9 of 21

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Mango-Habanero Pulled Chicken Bites

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Sweet barbecue sauce, refreshing mangoes and hot habaneros give zesty flavor and color to slow-cooked chicken. Serve on baguette slices with additional mango.

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Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce

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Don't let the short ingredient list fool you: these chicken wings have huge flavor. That's because they're slow-cooked in a zingy garlic-and-ginger peanut sauce, with a pop of lime for good measure.

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Spicy Mustard Stir-Fry Bites for a Crowd

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Start this appetizer by stir-frying packaged strips of chicken, pork or beef, then let the strips slow cook in a mix of spicy mustard and fajita seasoning. Fill warmed tortillas, slice and serve!

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Barbecue Turkey Wedges

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This combo of barbecue sauce, chopped veggies and cooked ground turkey tastes great on oven-crisped pita wedges. 

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Tea and Cider Wassail

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Tea, four fruit juices and spices brew in your slow cooker. Serve the drink from the cooker or a heatproof bowl.

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Hoisin-Garlic Mushrooms

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For a super-easy appetizer: Slow cook mushrooms with crushed red pepper, hoisin sauce, water and minced garlic.

15 of 21

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Fruit Chutney with Spiced Chips

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Guests will love this spiced mixture of apples, pears and cranberries. Cinnamon pita chips can be prepared a day in advance or purchased to save time. Top each serving with crumbled goat cheese.

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Sweet-and-Sour-Glazed Chicken Sausage Bites

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Choose your favorite flavor of chicken sausage links and cover with an easy homemade glaze.

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Slow Cooker Sweet-Hot Nuts

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Nuts in your slow cooker? Sure! Just toss them with sugar, butter and spices, and cook on low heat for two hours.

18 of 21

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Cuban Pork Wraps

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Slow-cooked pork shoulder roast turns to a tender shredded meat filling for flour tortillas.

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Bourbon-Glazed Cocktail Sausages

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A rich blend of apricot preserves, maple syrup and bourbon adds a sweet accent to smoked sausage.

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21 of 21

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Molasses-Lime Meatballs

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Molasses, lime juice and soy sauce add a pleasant kick to slow-cooked meatballs.

21 of 21

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com

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Everything in This Slideshow

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1 of 21 Balsamic Vinegar and Honey Pulled-Pork Sliders
2 of 21 Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon
3 of 21 Cranberry-Sauced Meatballs Appetizer
4 of 21 Swiss-Artichoke Dip
5 of 21 Caramelized Onion-and-Cranberry Cheese Toasts
6 of 21 Greek Stuffed Meatballs
7 of 21 Lemon-Zested Snacker Mix
8 of 21 Mulled Cranberry Punch
9 of 21 Caponata Sicilianata
10 of 21 Mango-Habanero Pulled Chicken Bites
11 of 21 Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce
12 of 21 Spicy Mustard Stir-Fry Bites for a Crowd
13 of 21 Barbecue Turkey Wedges
14 of 21 Tea and Cider Wassail
15 of 21 Hoisin-Garlic Mushrooms
16 of 21 Fruit Chutney with Spiced Chips
17 of 21 Sweet-and-Sour-Glazed Chicken Sausage Bites
18 of 21 Slow Cooker Sweet-Hot Nuts
19 of 21 Cuban Pork Wraps
20 of 21 Bourbon-Glazed Cocktail Sausages
21 of 21 Molasses-Lime Meatballs

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Irresistible Slow-Cooker Appetizers
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