All the Ways to Use Your Slow Cooker this Fall

Here's all the best ways to use your slow cooker this season from Food Network.

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Slow-Cooker Brisket Tostadas

The lazy hazy days of summer are over and now that you’re shuttling between school drop-off and soccer practice finding time to make dinner might feel like an impossible feat. Instead of scrambling for a quick fix during the week, rely on your slow cooker to do the work for you. You can also use this set-it-and-forget-it method for weekend cooking and parties when a special dessert or cocktail is in order. Read on for all the best ways to use your slow cooker this season.

Slow-Cooker Brisket Tostadas (pictured above)

Try Marcela Valladolid’s tostada recipe for your next dinner party. Slow cook the meat and veggies during the day and serve it just in time for your meal with toppings that guests can add themselves.

Chicken Noodle Soup

FNK SLOW COOKER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (comfort food) Food Network Kitchen Food Network Carrots, Celery, Onion, Parsley, Thyme, Bay Leaf, Chicken Thighs, Egg Noodles, Lemons

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Make a big batch of soup on Sunday and have dinner for the week. Store the soup in your freezer for days when you’re feeling under the weather and need a comforting meal.

Sunday Gravy

Start this hearty sauce in the morning and have a family meal ready by dinnertime. Everyone will think you slaved away at the stove when they taste the layers of flavor that come from using three kinds of tomatoes.

Gumbo

Eddie Jackson uses file powder, a classic gumbo seasoning, to give this dish an authentic flavor in spite of an inauthentic cooking technique.

Brownie Cake

Photo by: Brian Kennedy ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Brian Kennedy, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

This cake has all the best parts of a brownie in one: the crunch outside and gooey interior. Plus, it takes almost no time to prep, so you can have an easy dessert in a flash.

Make this sweet summery dessert any time of year. Alton Brown calls for frozen peach slices to make his fruity cobbler.

Hard Cider

Warm up with a hot cup of cider straight from your slow cooker. This recipe is the perfect way to use jugs of apple cider you’re definitely going to buy on your seasonal apple picking trip. Add the optional alcohol at the very end of cooking to preserve its potency — or skip it altogether to keep this kid-friendly.

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