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365 Days of Slow Cooking and Pressure Cooking

Easy slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes for each day of the year

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January 1, 2009

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Hi I’m Karen! I love to answer your questions or hear any comments/suggestions you might have for me! Please contact me by email me at [email protected]

I’m a stay at home mom trying to answer one of life’s most mysterious questions…what is for dinner?

In January 2009, I set out on an interesting journey.  I decided to see if I could cook 365 different slow cooker recipes in 365 days.  I did it without any repeats!  I have done everything from main dishes, sides, desserts, breakfasts and breads. I rate all the recipes and let you know if they’re worth cooking up.  Since finishing my project I’ve been able to do a lot of media appearances and I’ve put together 2 cookbooks of all my best recipes.  I also continue to update my blog a few times a week with new and improved slow cooker recipes (along with other things I find interesting and fun like baking, travel, etc.).

The slow cooker is a wonderful appliance that can give you the freedom to cook dinner at any time but dinner time (which is often the most busy and crazy time of the day).  It frees your mind so you don’t have to think “what am I going to make for dinner” all day long.  Because my blog is all about slow cooking, it’s all about recipes that are (hopefully) 1.  Easy  2.  Tasty  3.  Budget-friendly.  Also, I have a life other than cooking dinner…so I try to make my recipes something that ANYONE can put together in a few minutes (with as few dishes to clean up as possible).  I’m about practical and functional, functional and practical!!!

So come follow me on my slow cooking adventures and get some great recipes and slow cooker tips in the meantime.

If you want to ask me a recipe question or contact me about something else click here.

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32 Comments Filed Under: All Recipes Tagged With: All Posts, about me, biography

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Comments

  1. Laurie says

    May 13, 2021 at 10:59 am

    Hi, Karen. I love your recipes. I recently made the Crock Pot Million Dollar Pasta using my slow cooker. I followed the instructions but unfortunately, the cooking time for the cavatappi pasta was way too long, and my dish ended up more like a hot dish. It’s delish, but I’m wondering if you could help me out and give me the measurements and instructions for if I wanted to cook the pasta and then layer in a casserole dish and bake in the oven? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 13, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      Hey Laurie,
      I do have an Instant Pot Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-cream-cheese-spaghetti/
      Is that the one you tried?
      If so, as you realized it’s not a good candidate for the crockpot.
      I haven’t tried making this in the oven. But I did get the idea for this recipe from Buns in my Oven. You could try her oven based recipe: https://www.bunsinmyoven.com/creamy-baked-spaghetti/

      Reply
  2. Judy Brewer says

    April 20, 2021 at 1:53 pm

    I am no longer receiving your recipes via my email. Sure would love getting them again!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 20, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Sure I’ll sign you up again. It looks liked you “complained” on April 9th which probably means you hit the spam button by accident.

      Reply
  3. Christine Forsyth says

    July 2, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    I use your recipes almost exclusively. They are so good and use ingredients that I usually have on hand.

    I have to share a story with you. You don’t need to post it but in case you ever have a similar question, you will have the answer, if you don”t already have one.

    I gave an Instant Pot to both of my daughters-in-law. Of course I told them about how wonderful hard boiled eggs cooked and pealed from the Instant Pot. Both were very happy with them and used them. Both are outstanding cooks. It was much later, my one daughter-in-law, confided that she didn’t know what she was doing wrong but her eggs were terrible to peal. I told her the only thing I could think of was that she has the softest water I have ever felt. You feel like you can’t get the soap off your body. The next time I talked to her my grandson, 14 years old, had solved the problem. He added salt to to the water! Who would have thought.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 6, 2020 at 2:32 pm

      Wow that is so crazy! I will suggest that when someone has this problem. Thank you.

      Reply
  4. Carol says

    January 30, 2020 at 8:44 am

    Karen-
    I don’t subscribe to many things, but I love your site/emails. They are informative, fun and useful. I thank you for the hard work you put in so the rest of us can make a wonderful meal for our families. I even recommended you to my mother in law.
    Thank you so much and God’s blessings.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 30, 2020 at 11:04 am

      Thank you Carol!

      Reply
  5. Courtney Irons says

    November 12, 2019 at 6:46 pm

    Want recipes

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 13, 2019 at 12:41 pm

      Would you like me to add you to the email list?

      Reply
  6. Sophie says

    June 21, 2016 at 6:47 am

    Thanks for compiling such a huge list of your recipes I did not think it possible to do so much with one appliance. Well done. What made you come up with such a challenge?

    Reply
  7. Ahmed Safaa Eldin Hassan Ataiw says

    March 9, 2016 at 12:08 pm

    Hi,

    Please, I am wondering if you can help me with this, I want to buy Crock-Potยฎ 6-Quart Digital Slow Cooker with iStirโ„ข Stirring System, but I need to know if it can stir non stop for 8 hours?!

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      March 11, 2016 at 2:30 am

      no, it doesn't stir non stop. It stirs every hour for 30 seconds. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  8. [email protected] says

    August 22, 2013 at 5:35 pm

    oliva, that is too funny! Ha ha! Now you can make it at home too ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  9. oliviaguillemette says

    August 22, 2013 at 5:54 am

    I was babysitting today and the lady that I was babysitting for had your Beef Burgundy cooking in her CrockPot and I could not resist the smell and I tried "some". I was so embarrassed when she came home because I NEVER eat other peoples food but I could not resist. Now I am sitting at home with my new crockpot and 365 days of deliciousness waiting for me. THANK YOU! I am a busy student and practical and functional is what I live for!

    Reply
  10. Karen says

    August 28, 2012 at 2:08 am

    Hey Mandy, good question. Here is my answer: refer to this post…
    http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2009/09/day-225-stuffed-flank-steak.html

    Reply
  11. Mandy says

    August 26, 2012 at 4:40 am

    Aren't you just copying the original 365 days of slow cooking website from 2008. I think her name was Stephanie Dea.

    Reply
  12. CJ - Food Stories says

    May 7, 2012 at 7:12 pm

    Found your site on RecipesUS and thought I'd stop by and check it out. I have subscribed to your feed and can't wait to see what the next post will be!

    Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    December 26, 2011 at 4:11 am

    I was thinking you cooked gluten free, but i guess its not you. There is a lady who did the crockpot a day blog, only all of the recipes are gluten free and she has a cookbook out.

    Reply
  14. Karen says

    July 29, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    Patty, refer to this post…
    http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2009/09/day-225-stuffed-flank-steak.html

    Reply
  15. Patty says

    July 29, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    Maybe at least you should have credited Stephanie O'Dea, who did this in 2008. I found your site accidentally looking for hers and was SO confused by the eerie similarity in name and theme. I'll use your site too but come on! Be a good sport and give Steph the credit!

    Reply
  16. Gwen Poche says

    April 10, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    I just stumbled upon your blog and forwarded your Tortilla Soup recipe to all my friend whom I know LOVE to cook with a crock pot. I look forward to giving it a try.

    Reply
  17. Miriam says

    March 11, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    Hi Karen,

    It was a pleasure to meet you this past Wednesday evening.

    As a "slow cooker" myself, I was encouraged by your information!

    Thanks…time to take that first step!

    Will get your book later; slow cooking is easier on the money, so when I've saved enough… ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  18. Jen T says

    January 4, 2011 at 8:26 pm

    Saw your article in BYU Today and tried your Tomato Basil Soup. Yummy! Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to visiting your site for more recipes.

    Reply
  19. Anonymous says

    December 13, 2010 at 10:56 pm

    Karen –
    As a grandpa to a wife who is weary of cooking but one meal a day, I felt inspired Saturday to use your Tomato-Basil Parmesan Soup recipe as featured in the BYU Magazine. It worked out great and my grandchildren, daughter and son-in-law partook too when they dropped by Saturday evening. (They are picky eaters.) It but barely lasted until Sunday! Mike in Payson

    Reply
  20. m says

    November 18, 2010 at 7:38 pm

    I looked at your website and saw the comment about crockpot liners! I didn't even know they had been invented. Ya–hoo! Which stores carry them? Thanks for your website. I enjoy reading what to fix for dinner. Thanks for doing my homework! [email protected]

    Reply
  21. Marilee says

    October 27, 2010 at 8:57 pm

    I am trying the recipe in the BYU Today magazine tonight and I am excited to try your other recipes. Great idea for a blog!

    Reply
  22. Christy says

    October 26, 2010 at 3:43 am

    I also just saw your article in the BYU Today magazine. Reading your article inspired me to go ahead and try a challenge myself. I am going to read a book every week and post a review on my blog, along with a recipe that relates to the story. It's something I've been doing off and on for awhile now and I'm going to take the plunge and go for it! Thanks for the inspiration!
    Christy http://www.dearestdreams.com

    Reply
  23. Khristian says

    October 7, 2010 at 7:04 am

    i can not figure out how to follow you i love this i need this i have such a hard time with meals please help me

    Reply
  24. Cookin' Mama says

    September 2, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    I am totally obsessed with my crock pot too! Glad to find others that are too…. I'm following you from http://crockpotrecipeexchange.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  25. jenettew says

    August 1, 2010 at 4:23 am

    I just read about your blog on BYU Today as well. Looks like I need to try some of your recipes!

    Reply
  26. Jenette says

    July 31, 2010 at 4:14 am

    I just read about your crockpot adventures in the BYU Today–Alumni Connection. Sounds like you have had a lot of fun… Now I am going to have to try some of your recipes.

    Reply

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Welcome!

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Hi, I’m Karen. I know that dinner time can be less than relaxing. Busy schedules and cranky kids and a hundred other things can lead to weariness when it comes to putting dinner on the table. I can help! I make homemade, family-friendly slow cooker and Instant Pot dinners and share the recipes with you.

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