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Let me ask you a question; how many different meatloaf recipes have you tried? I think I’ve lost count, but I sure have tried many. While most of them have been really wonderful, I don’t think any of them have come even close to this one. To me, it’s very important that the recipes are easy to make and don’t take too much of my time. This one is so simple you won’t believe it, and the flavors come together so nicely! This recipe went straight to my box of favorites!

As American as apple pie, this classic family staple doesn’t have to take a ton of your time to prepare. All you need is a slow cooker and 20 minutes. Ground beef and sausage flavors will waft through your kitchen as this loaf slowly cooks all day, infusing the meat with spicy tomatoes and Worcestershire. This recipe yields 6 servings, but the taste lasts all night!

Recipe courtesy of Mr. Food. Image courtesy of Food.com.

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Quick tip: Use lean ground beef to avoid excess fat.

One of the essential tools for a busy mom is a crock pot. Especially when all you want to do is make a bunch of chocolate chip cookies, sit back and eat them all, instead of spending hours to make dinner for your family… You can bake a million cookies while this chunky, beefy concoction cooks to perfection! So yeah, I’d say that’s a very good reason to get yourself a slow cooker, if you don’t already have one! I actually have two, and sometimes I make dinner in the large one while I have dessert cooking in the other one!

This recipe makes 6-8 servings, but if you have a big pot, you can easily double it.  Set-it and forget-it, and let it cook all day while you can have your hands available for work, exercise (or really, just baking those cookies). You can also add any additional vegetables of your choice, as long as you add a little extra beef stock. Oh, how I love simple and easy dinners!

This meal has been one of my family’s favorites for years, and I’m sure it will stay that way forever. With a few little tweaks (add different veggies and spices) you can make it taste fresh and new each time.

Recipe and photo courtesy of 12 Tomatoes.

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Quick tip: Did you know tomato paste also comes in tubes, like toothpaste? They are great for recipes like this that only need a small amount.

It’s safe to say that this recipe for Baked Ham & Cheese Party Wraps is meant for sharing. As-is, the recipe makes a dozen delicious wraps, topped with a delicious sweet & savory glaze. And especially considering that it’s party food (or VERY hearty snack food), it’s not exactly the most involved recipe in the world.

Ham and cheese makes for a good combination for a simple lunch or for party food. You may not bother with simple sandwiches again, though, once you see how easy it is to put these packed swirls of deliciousness. You can also very easily change the recipe a bit each time you make these – add some of your favorite fresh herbs, or use a little hot sauce in the glaze for a spicier touch!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Kevin & Amanda

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Quick tip: Use your favorite sliced cheese for these!

If you want some fairly quick and easy Southern comfort food for your dinner, this Salisbury steak recipe is a good choice. It comes with a delicious gravy and yummy caramelized onions, and you can have all of it ready in an hour or less.

Think of salisbury steak as a really fancied up version of hamburger steak. (Something very similar to this was one of Mother’s midweek go-to main courses, when I was growing up, and I have continued the tradition.) You’ll often see some version of this in frozen TV dinners and the like, but don’t be fooled: None of that mass-produced, store-bought stuff can hold a candle to this.

And with such a straightforward recipe that you can complete in an hour, why settle for less than homemade?

Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste of Southern

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Quick Tip: You can add any of your favorite seasonings!

Lovers of more traditional Italian spaghetti and meat sauce may cringe a bit when they see this at first, but don’t worry: you can love your original spaghetti recipe and still find plenty to enjoy about this Wild West Spaghetti.  This dish can be ready in about half an hour, meaning you can find time for it on even your more hectic days.

I do love the version of traditional spaghetti meat sauce that Mother used to make, and I still do make it frequently.  It’s good for when you have a fair bit of free time to make something that will provide a meal or two a day for several days.  You do have to be patient with it, though.  This Wild West spaghetti works much better if you are in a particular rush or if you just want to mix things up a bit from the traditional.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste and Tell

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your liking.

Meatloaf is a popular family dinner item for a reason. My favorite thing about it is that it’s easy to double the recipe and make enough to feed even a larger group for two days. Sometimes, however, it can become a bit boring or “blah.”  Solve that problem and liven up your meatloaf night with this Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf recipe! It’ll be a huge hit and your family will beg you to make it again soon.

Meatloaf can be a hearty and satisfying main course, particularly when paired with some yummy potatoes and beans.  Some recipes out there just miss the mark a bit, though, at least in my opinion, and even a good, tried-and-true recipe can become a bit of a yawner, after a while.  This recipe certainly isn’t boring.  After making one small adjustment, I thought that it came out beautifully.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Salad in a Jar

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Quick tip: You can add some brown sugar to the ketchup if you want a sweeter flavor.

Meat gets so nice and tender in the Crock-Pot!  This Slow-Cooked Balsamic Pork Tenderloin makes a nice gravy, as well, and it’s a rather low-hassle recipe. Easy enough for a busy weeknight meal, fancy enough for a large gathering – that’s what I like about a lot of these recipes for your favorite slow cooker.  I have always been a fan of pork tenderloin for any large meal. It’s a lean cut of meat that easily serves a large group.

The recipe is not all that involved, as you will see.  Basically, you put the meat in the slow cooker, dump all of the other ingredients on top of it, cook for the usual six to eight hours, put the meat on a dish to serve, and you have a lot of soft pork with a nice gravy to go over it.  That balsamic vinegar makes for a nice tenderizer and isn’t nearly as over-the-top acidic as some other types of vinegar.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Add a Pinch

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your liking.