Weeknight Slow Cooker Meals

Slow cooker meals are almost magical; you place ingredients into the pot, set the machine, and walk away. When you return tired and hungry at the end of the day, you have a delicious meal that really seems to have appeared out of thin air. Here are two tasty slow cooker meals that feature one versatile ingredient: organic frozen meatballs.

Crock Pot Tuscan Meatball Soup

When temps are cool, nothing satisfies like a warm bowl of soup. This delicious Tuscan soup is just about the easiest, most delicious thing you can make at home.

Ingredients

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 bag frozen Farm Rich Italian Style Meatballs

1 14.5-ounce can Italian-style diced Tomatoes

1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups chopped fresh kale

shredded parmesan cheese

Directions

• Add the broth, diced tomatoes, and beans to your crock pot and stir.
• Add the meatballs.
• Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or on high for 1 1/2 hours.
• Add chopped kale for the final 30 minutes of cooking.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve with shredded parmesan cheese.

Coney Meatball Subs

Meatball subs are a fun weeknight supper that your whole family will love and making them is easy with this crockpot version of an amusement park favorite.

Ingredients

40 frozen Farm Rich Homestyle Meatballs, about 1 ½ pounds

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

1 green bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1 15-ounce can pork and beans

1 can condensed tomato soup

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 Tbsp water

iceberg lettuce, torn or shredded

8 slices cheddar or pepper jack cheese

8 good-quality hoagie buns

Optional: hot sauce or hot peppers

Directions

• Place the meatballs in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
• Chop the onion and bell pepper in a food processor or blender. Add pork and beans, soup, seasoning, and water and process until smooth.
• Pour the mixture over meatballs and then cover and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours or on high for 3 1/2 – 4 hours.
• To make the subs, layer lettuce, 5 meatballs, and a slice of cheese on each hoagie bun and serve.
• For a spicier variation, add chopped hot peppers or hot sauce to your sauce before cooking.

Frozen meatballs are a freezer staple. They’re nutritious, satisfying, and versatile. You’ll never be at a loss for weeknight dinner ideas when you start with a bag of frozen meatballs. So go out and pick up a bag or two of meatballs and then give one of these recipes a try this week. Your family will thank you.