Summer Slow-Cooker Recipes

By The editors of MidwestLiving.com
May 12, 2014
Andy Lyons

Not just for winter, slow cookers keep summer simmering while you play outside. Try our summer slow-cooker recipes for pulled pork, tacos, beefy chili dogs and more.

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Soy-Ginger Pulled Pork with Tangy Sesame Slaw

Andy Lyons
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Your crew will love this Asian twist on classic pulled pork. Feeding a crowd? Swap the sesame buns for slider rolls, and you'll get twice as many sandwiches.

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Shredded Pork Tacos

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Root beer and chipotle peppers yield pulled pork that's sweet, spicy, smoky and marvelously tender-perfect for wrapping in a tortilla with cheese and vegetables.

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Lemony Lamb Pitas

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If you love gyros, give these easy sandwiches a try. Compared to chops, this slow-cooked roast is a budget-friendly way to cook lamb.

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Soy-Ginger Soup with Chicken

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Somen are thin Japanese wheat noodles. Find them at Asian groceries or large supermarkets, or substitute vermicilli in this light chicken soup.

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Root Beer

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A surprise ingredient, root beer, adds sweetness to this roast and its dark sauce. Try leftover pork in quesadillas or stir it into ramen noodles.

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Tex-Mex Chicken Sloppy Joes

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Scoop this versatile chicken-pork filling into toasted tortillas for taco night, combine with hot rice to stuff into flour tortillas for burritos or serve on a hoagie bun for a more traditional sloppy joe sandwich.

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Asian Lettuce Wraps

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Sweet hoisin and rice vinegar flavor slow-cooked beef chuck pot roast in these low-carb wraps.

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Beefy Chili Dogs

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Here's a dinner kids and moms love! Kids for the flavor, moms because the franks and meaty filling cook together. If it's party or potluck fare, everything can sit for up to one hour on the low-heat setting.

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Jalapeño Chicken Breasts

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Chili powder and sliced pickled jalapeño chile pepper turn up the heat on these slow-cooked chicken breasts. Add a cream cheese sauce before serving, and sprinkle with bacon, if you like.

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Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya

Kritsada Panichgul
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The three-pepper homemade Cajun seasoning adds lots of fiery flavor to this slow-cooker version of jambalaya. We've used no-salt-added and reduced-sodium products to create a healthier main dish.

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Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes

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Medium to hot salsa adds a touch of heat to this favorite meal. Simmer the meat and veggie mixture for up to eight hours for a classic sandwich filling-and set some aside for Spicy Beef Taco Salad the next day.Spicy Beef Sloppy Joes

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Tomatillo Chicken Soup

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Tomatillos (the key ingredient in green salsa) look like green tomatoes with papery husks. Although they can be eaten raw, we like to cook tomatillos with other ingredients to mellow and balance their tart flavor.

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Sesame Turkey

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Peppery soy-ginger flavors lean turkey breast tenderloins. For a nutritious meal, serve with rice and a crisp cabbage slaw.

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By The editors of MidwestLiving.com