5 Crock Pot Recipes for Your Campsite this Fall

Our crock pot was a wedding gift almost 20 years ago!

A slow cooker is handy for busy weeknight meals at home, but why not take your crock pot on the road for your next camping adventure? Cooler weather always makes me want to take my crock pot out for a hearty warm meal. You can turn on a slow cooker and forget it while you take a long hike or a day trip for a local excursion. Slow cooker meals are the ultimate in comfort food. Here are 5 of my favorite crockpot meal ideas for your family.

1. Barbeque Chicken

This tangy barbeque from Family Fresh Meals has become a weeknight staple at our house. Simple barbeque sauce is dressed up with zesty Italian dressing, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over boneless chicken breast and cook until tender.

I remove the breasts and shred the chicken before adding back into the sauce. We serve this with baked potatoes and veggies or on sandwiches. The leftovers heat up well and are enjoyed to the last bite! Make your sauce ahead of time and pack in a sealed jar or container to reduce a number of ingredients that you pack when traveling.

The ingredients for this barbeque chicken are already found on hand at most homes.

2. Baked Potatoe Bar

You can have baked potatoes without a stove. Prepare them right in a slow cooker. Take your baking potatoes and wrap them in foil. Leave them cooking in your crock pot all day. Serve at night with your favorite toppings for a satisfying meal that everyone can customize.

Leftover baked potatoes make an excellent breakfast side with eggs. You can do double duty with this meal. I'm always looking for that angle.

3. Fiesta Chicken

Prepare a chicken filling that can be served over rice or stuffed into tortillas or even a bun. You can add whatever ingredients that you like once you have the basic mixture down.

Basic Chicken Mixture
1 package of boneless, skinless chicken breast (3 to 4 boneless breasts)
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1 package of taco seasoning

To this basic mixture add any of the following ingredients to your liking.

1 bag of frozen corn
chopped onion
chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper
canned of tomatoes
can of drained and rinsed beams

Choose up to three ingredients to add. You want a balance of flavors. My favorite combination is corn, onion, and peppers.

Remove the chicken at the end to shred and return to the sauce.

4. Overnight Apple Cinnamon Oats

Crock pots aren't just for dinner. You can wake up to a hot crock pot breakfast. I'm a big fan of a breakfast bowl with whole grains and fruit. This overnight oat recipe has lots of cinnamon and apples for a warm creamy treat to wake up to on a cold morning.

The longer this cooks, softer your apples will become. Choose a crisp tart apple to offset the sweetness of the brown sugar. If you want, you can use a mixture of evaporated milk and water for the liquid. The evaporated milk is much more stable for cooking at a low, slow temperature. Even still, this makes me worry a bit. So, I make this with water only.

If you like creamy, dairy mixed into your oatmeal, add a little after you serve up a bowl to enjoy. Drizzle evaporated milk over your cereal. A small can would pack easily and could be used for coffee creamer to keep you from wasting any leftovers.

Follow the recipe in terms of how to layer and prepare your crock pot by greasing the sides with butter. It makes for a much easier cleanup.

Our whole family loved this meal. I couldn't believe how easy and delicious it was. And, everything smelled wonderful when we woke up!

Prepare this hearty breakfast while everyone is getting ready for bed at night and wake up to a breakfast that allows you more time to relax and drink coffee in the morning.

Breakfast is ready!

Breakfast is served! So much cinnamon flavor!

5. Apple Spice Dump Cake

I couldn't write this post without including at least one dessert. Some families celebrate Thanksgiving at the campground. While desserts could easily be prepared in advance, you could prepare a warm cake right at your campsite in your crockpot. With some apple pie filling, spice cake mix and butter, you can create a sweet tooth satisfying dessert.

The ingredients for this dessert can be packed and transported with little fuss.

Top your finished dessert with whipped topping.

Layer 2 cans of apple pie filling. Top with boxed spice cake mix. Finally, add 2 sticks of butter. This dessert is cooked on high for 2 1/2 hours. Don't overcook, or you will have a lot of burned edges. Timing is everything with a dessert.

If you would prefer a different flavor, then you can substitute the pie filling and cake mix combination. Try chocolate cherry or blueberry with yellow cake mix. Whatever the combination, you can create an effortless dessert in the crockpot too!

Line your crockpot with parchment paper or Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners 2 Pack (8 Liners Total). These make clean up a snap. I've used both. I prefer parchment paper because plastic liners concern me a bit, but that is just a personal preference. I use parchment paper for everything!

If you are looking for an inexpensive crock pot to take in your camper, there are lots of models available to use. A basic manual slow cooker will work perfectly. You don't need a lot of bells and whistles. We have a crockpot at home that is almost 20 years old and still works great!
Crock-Pot 4-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Red (SCV401TR)

For more menu and meal ideas when you are at the campsite, visit my Camping Menus and Lists Page. You can also follow my Campfire Cooking board on Pinterest. And feel free to share ideas that you have. I'd love to hear from you!