I great book of really useful slow cooker recipes as well as some really helpful information regarding the care and purchase.
This had great pictures and some really versatile and varied creations.
I was really pleased with the selection that was given.
My only minor and really it's a slight one is that being from the UK some of the ingredients sourced were unfamiliar to me: I'm sure with some innovation I could procure similar though so really was a small issue.
This really is a great and handy book to have especially for the busy parent.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of The Crock-Pot Ladies Book Of Slow Cooker Dinners.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own

The popularity of the Instant Pot has made the good old fashioned slow cooker less popular, since most Instant Pots and other multi-cookers have slow cooker functions. Unfortunately, the slow cooker function on Instant pots and multi cookers seems to cook at a higher level which takes a bit of adjusting when you use the actual slow cooker function on them. However, Heidi Kennedy, Katie Handing, and Sarah Ince, the authors of the excellent cookbook The Crock-Pot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners: More Than 300 Fabulous and Fuss-Free Recipes for Families on the Go note that although they used regular slow cookers for their testing, the others are definitely suitable for preparing their recipes.

This cookbook caters to busy cooks who sometimes rely on convenience foods (i.e. frozen meatballs, commercial sauces and mixes), and want to make quick dinners. There are recipes for everyone, from singles to those with large families to empty nesters. The variety of dishes is excellent: appetizers, mains, soups and stews, vegetables, and desserts with influences from all over the globe. The different dishes sound appetizing, and there is enough variety that it’s easy to look for ingredients in the fridge and find something in the book to use it in.

There is a recipe for Bacon Au Gratin Cauliflower that is so good, it’s reason enough to purchase this cookbook. It’s also great using broccoli. Savory Zucchini Gratin was yummy, as well as Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Chicken (a new go-to favorite), and Cheesy Mexican Black Bean Taco Dip. Two luscious desserts include Lemony Lemon Spoon Cake and German Chocolate Spoon Cake, both starting with cake mixes to speed up preparation. The Classic Apple Crisp wasn’t a favorite, but with the addition of extra flour on the apples (too runny for us) and some flour added to the topping, it turned out delicious (personal preferences – nothing wrong with the recipes).

Heidi, Katie, and Sarah shame on you! There are only one or two photographs in each chapter. In this modern day, there is no excuse for not including pictures. Most of us are spoiled and want to see what we are cooking and what the dish should look like when it’s finished. Other than that, and the fact that a few recipes could use a bit of adjustment (due to altitude, personal taste, etc.) this is an excellent book. The recipes are written simply with good easy-to-understand instructions. Albeit the lack of pictures most cooks will find dozens of mouthwatering recipes to add to their queue, and will turn back time to rely on their slow cookers again. Highly recommended.


Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I didn't find the recipes particularly unique or particularly easy, but there are a few good ones. Not many pictures but the title is catchy. I think it would probably circulate well because slow cooking is so popular and the cover is attractive.

Useful, clear and simple. A good stock of basic recipes for when your stuck. Enjoyed looking at the pictures too.

This book is comfort food in a slow cooker. Most ingredients you could probably find in a well stocked pantry. Amazing poultry and beef recipes! There's even wild game and more than usual lamb recipes. The tips are fabulous. For the amount of recipes there were, there weren't nearly enough pictures.

I love this cookbook! I use my crockpot all of the time and was in need of new recipes. They offer up a wide variety in this book and they all look amazing. I can't wait to get cooking!

There are tons of really good looking recipes in this book! So much so that I just ordered my own copy!!

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Harvard Common Press who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley. These opinions are mine.

Thank you ladies for putting this book together! I haven’t had the opportunity yet to try a lot of recipes out of here but the ones I have have been very enjoyable. And talk about time saving. In any busy household you know that is a key for dinner.
I look forward to many more recipe tries and seeing what you ladies come up with next.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

This is a lovely cook book with lots of yummy recipes that you can prepare and enjoy a few hours later. The instructions are very straightforward and easy to follow.

Really enjoyed this Crock-Pot cookbook! (I sometimes call my crock pot, my "crack pot" because it makes the most delicious meals for little work.) I really appreciated that they said which recipes are freezer-friendly. I am trying to make more freezer meals for my future self and to give out to others. I marked a lot of recipes I want to try, but so far these were hits with the family: Aloha Pineapple chicken, Super Simple Beef Tips, and Bubbly Italian Lasagna Dip. It also has a good "how to" in the beginning of the book for people that are newbies or those that need helpful tips/ reminders. I also liked the tip of using a cheese grater for onions. We hate chopped onions in our house, so I usually omit them. Might have to try that once!

(Posted reviews to Amazon and Goodreads too)

A great book. Loads of recipes that are very easy to follow. I love the wide selection and the way they are sorted. I have tried a number of recipes and can't wait go try more.

Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! If I could give this cookbook 10 stars, I would. There are so many recipes here that are easy to make and will taste good. I have already earmarked many of them to try out and I’m not a busy working mother of a family… I am in my early 60s and heading towards retirement and just cooking for me and my husband. And if I find these recipes valuable, then so many more will!

The book is beautifully laid out, easy to find certain recipes, attractive inside and out, and there are full-color gorgeous pictures scattered throughout. The only thing missing, in my humble opinion, is nutritional information.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Great collection of recipes that will actually be eaten for the normal family. My only complaint is the lack of pictures. A perfect cookbook is one that is chock full of pictures of the food.

Thank you Quarto for allowing me to review The Crockpot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners. Publishing November 6, 2018.

The slow cooker and I have a very temperamental relationship. I do love having something made on days when I can not be in the kitchen though. This book has the widest variety of meals for the slow cooker that I have seen in a while. Great for when you want something ready that isn’t stew or the usual meal. I would highly recommend this to busy families who want to try something new in the slow cooker!

The Crock-Pot Ladies Big Book of Slow Cooker Dinners by Heidi Kennedy, Katie Handing, and Sarah Ince is full of recipes for more than just dinner. It includes everything from appetizers to desserts. I was happy to see that the recipes went beyond the "add these ingredients and cream of whatever soup". I also liked that the size of crock pot required was clearly noted for each recipe. I served the Beefy Au Gratin Potatoes after a day of running errands. They were full of flavor, but the potatoes were not mushy. I have marked several other recipes to try which is the sign of a good cookbook.

I’m always happy to learn new recipes for my slow cooker. Nothing is better on a cold day than to smell the delicious aroma that fills the house while the crock-pot cooks away.

THE CROCK-POT LADIES BIG BOOK OF SLOW COOKER DINNERS is as good a cookbook as you’ll find. It begins with the introduction, SLOW COOKER MAGIC which is everything you need to know about buying and using the best slow cooker. Each chapter that follows is filled with wonderful recipes. And not just dinner ones as the title suggests. From appetizers to entrees and sauces to desserts, you’ll find something for everyone’s tastes.

Prepare your taste buds for recipes like . . . Warm Broccoli and Cheese Dip, Sweet-and-Sour Pineapple Little Smokies, Decadent Lobster Bisque, Tex-Mex Chicken Taco Soup, Kid-Friendly Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pasta, Simple Ravioli Casserole, N0-Fuss Chicken Marsala, Delicious Turkey Potpie, Cornish Game Hens and Potatoes, Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes, Salisbury Steak Meatballs, Spicy BBQ Bison Brisket, Asian Pork Lo Mein, Spicy Sausage and Rotini, Crustless Veggie Pie, So-Easy Coconut Quinoa Curry, Tart Apple Crumble, Sweet-Sugar Cookie Party Mix, Lemony Lemon Spon Cake, Pizza Sauce, Italian Dressing Spice Mix, Au Jus Mix, and so very much more!

There aren’t many photos in this book. I prefer mine filled with them. But the large color photos that are included will make your tumbly rumbly. The recipes range from easy to follow, to a little more in depth. From classic, to revamped with a twist, your mouth will water with every page.

With THE CROCK-POT LADIES BIG BOOK OF SLOW COOKER DINNERS, authors Heidi Kennedy, Katie Handling, and Sarah Ince will have you breaking out your slow cooker every day!

This is truly a "big book" of recipes for the slow cooker. There are many that I might consider trying, in all categories from appetizers to desserts. Recipes are clear and easy to follow. The down side is that there are very few photos of the foods produced, typically only one or two per chapter. For most recipes, there is not any visual of what that dish would look like. For me, and for many other visually-stimulated readers, this is a huge disappointment. The appearance is a big factor for me in deciding whether I'd like a dish or not. Thus, I would not purchase this book. Any cookbook I buy must have a photo of each recipe.

Just started slimming world and have a slow cooker tried many of the recipes in this book excellent although my cooking it on a gas oven wouldn't have worked. Not many books on the market for slow cooking well done

Cannot wait to try out some of these recipes. Nicely laid out. Would have preferred some more pictures, esp for a cookbook. Recipes seem easy enough and easy to follow.

Having read the description of this book I expected simple yet nutritious and interesting recipes. However I was disappointed, and primarily because of the amount of sugar in many of the recipes as well as the plethora of canned and prepared ingredients. I accept that for many parents, speed of preparation is important, but for me the major advantage of a slow cooker is the ability to prepare great nutritious meals, and in this respect this recipe book fell short. For example, the Chunky Beef Potpie included canned cream of chicken soup, canned onion soup mix, brown gravy mix and refrigerated pie crusts. The Venison Tenderloin comprised 4 ingredients, three of which were canned cream of mushroom soup, canned cream of chicken soup and a packet of ranch dressing mix! Definitely not my style of cooking.

The introduction to "Slow Cooker Magic" includes a guide to buying a crockpot as well as a troubleshooting guide which would be very useful for someone new to crockpot cooking.

In order to give a fair review of the book I tried two recipes that had no canned or prepared ingredients; the Ruby Port Wine braised lamb shanks were tasty and quick to prepare, although I did find that 3 cups of port and 2 cups of stock were a lot of liquid for 4 shanks. However, the Veggie Loaded Spaghetti was uninspiring and soggy - sautéing the vegetables would have brought out more flavour, and stock instead of water would have added. Spaghetti cooked in the sauce for 30 minutes on high was definitely not al dente. It would not have taken much longer to quickly stir fry the vegetables and cook the spaghetti on the stove top to produce a far tastier meal.