Tag Archives: crock pot

Easy Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Meatballs (Perfect for Parties or Weeknight Dinners)

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When it comes to party snacks, I’m all about recipes that deliver big flavor without demanding much time. These Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Meatballs are exactly that — a simple, spicy-sweet crowd-pleaser made with just a handful of ingredients and a slow cooker doing most of the work. Whether you’re hosting a holiday open house, a game-day gathering, or a casual potluck, this dish checks all the boxes: easy, delicious, hands-off, and guaranteed to disappear fast.

One of the things I love most about this dish is how effortless the prep is. Frozen meatballs go straight into the slow cooker. A scoop of sugar-free raspberry jam (I used Good Good’s Raspberry Jam to keep the carb count in check), a pour of your favorite lower-sugar barbecue sauce, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce get stirred together to create a glossy, tangy, spicy-sweet glaze. Flip the switch, walk away, and let the heat work its magic. In a few hours, you’ve got party-ready meatballs that taste like you spent all afternoon fussing over them.

Because they stay warm directly in the slow cooker, these meatballs are ideal for entertaining. You can set out a spoon or toothpicks and let guests help themselves as they mingle—no need to worry about reheating or the dish drying out. The slow cooker keeps everything warm, saucy, and irresistible for the entire gathering.

And don’t think of these meatballs as just an appetizer. They make an amazing main dish, too. Spoon them over rice, quinoa, mashed or baked sweet potatoes, or even cauliflower rice for a sweet-heat dinner that feels comforting but still aligns with your nutrition goals. The raspberry chipotle flavor profile is surprisingly versatile and works with chicken, pork, or beef meatballs. That means you can customize based on whatever you have on hand or what your family prefers.

Pro Tips for Slow Cooker Meatball Success

  • Choose your meatball: The raspberry-chipotle combo pairs beautifully with chicken, pork, or beef—use what you love!
  • Lower-carb swaps: Using sugar-free raspberry jam and a lower-sugar barbecue sauce keeps the carb and added sugar count in check without sacrificing flavor.
  • Minimal ingredients, maximum payoff: With just a few pantry staples (like canned chipotle in adobo) and a slow cooker, anyone can make this dish and instantly become the hero of the party.

Effortless prep, incredible flavor, and a recipe flexible enough to serve as both a snack and a full dinner — this one deserves a spot in your party-season rotation.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission on purchases made through links. Proceeds help offset operating expenses for The Fit Fork. Thank you!

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Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Meatballs – Lower Carb
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
4 mins
Total Time
4 hrs 5 mins
 

This easy, spicy-sweet Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Meatballs recipe is made in the slow cooker (with oven option). Perfect for parties or weeknight dinners, with low-carb tips and effortless prep. Plus, lower-carb options to moderate carb intake.

Course: Appetizer, dinner, entree
Keyword: chicken, low carb, meatballs, raspberry
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 20 ounces frozen meatballs chicken, beef or turkey meatballs
  • 6 ounces Good Good Sugar Free Raspberry Jam
  • 10 ounces BBQ sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 chopped chipotle pepper in adobo + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from can
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients to 4-quart slow cooker.
  2. Stir to combine sauce and coat meatballs.
  3. Cook on high heat for 2 to 3 hours or on low heat for 4 hours.
  4. Alternatively, make recipe in 9×9 baking dish, cover with foil or lid, and place in oven cook for 40 minutes.
  5. Garnish as desired (I did green onions). Serve as appetizer with toothpicks or as a main dish over rice, sweet potato, etc.
Recipe Notes

Macros per 7 meatball serving*: 128 cal, 13.6g carb, 3.5g fat, 14.1g protein

Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken – Meal Prep Winner!

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Sure, you can slow cook chicken breasts with just two ingredients, chicken and water. It’s fine, it’s no-frills and it does yield a protein that is, ahem, serviceable to the body (but less so to the taste buds). However, my recipe for Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken is soooo much more flavorful, with really not any significant additional effort.

Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken

While ever-so-slightly sweet and gar-lip-licking good, the seasonings are still mild enough to make this easy Crock Pot chicken recipe versatile enough for a myriad of meal prep plans. Read on to get all the easy-peasy details. Continue reading →

Cranberry Orange Bourbon Beef Stew w/ Sage Romano Grits + #StubbsInsider Giveaway

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This post and giveaway was sponsored by Stubb’s Legendary Bar-B-Q , however all opinions, comments and enthusiasm are my own.

Cranberry Orange Bourbon Beef Stew on Sage Romano Grits

This holiday season, I’ve made a vow to make all my meals with love, happiness and smiles. Not just the big celebration dinners, but also the crazy night meals when we’ve been out all day running errands, visiting with family or volunteering with our favorite charity (Brown Santa).  Some times on these chaotic nights, I get grumbly about making supper, but shortcuts with Stubb’s Legendary Bar-B-Q products  keep me grinning even after sitting in shopping mall traffic or spending hours trying to figure out which bulb in a string of lights has burned out.

Cranberry Orange Bourbon Beef Stew on Sage Romano Grits in slow cooker

For this slow cooker recipe, I’ve used Stubb’s Smokehouse Bourbon Cookin’ Sauce. This convienient product (which is gluten free) works in both the skillet and slow cooker. It contains a flavorful sauce pouch made with bourbon, garlic and rosemary along with a spice packet that can be used to prep the meat. Browning Stew Meat

One little hint extra step I have for this quick and easy recipe is to brown the stew meat before putting in the crock pot. While this may seem unnecessary (and you can skip if absolutely pressed for time), it does create an amazing caramelization on the beef which helps to create a more complex flavor experience. Cranberry Orange Bourbon Beef Stew on Sage Romano Grits - an easy slow cooker meat that will satisfy your guests this holiday season.

Don’t just think of Stubb’s ONLY as a way to fix traditional Texas BBQ. They have so many delicious Bar-B-Q sauces, marinades, rubs and Cookin’ Sauces that offer bold flavors to spur on your creativity in the kitchen this holiday season.

Of course, I love to create my own new holiday recipes as well as revisit family food traditions, but why recreate the wheel on every single side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas and other winter family gatherings when Stubb’s has complied a delicious collection of recipes for the season?! stubbs-roasted-brussels-sprouts

Yes-sir-ee, the Stubb’s Roasted Brussels Sprouts will be a delicious compliment to my Slow Cooker Cranberry-Orange Beef Stew with Rosemary Garlic Grits. You need to try these, so amazing!   

stubbs-cranberry-orange-beef-packageTo help you get cooking with down-home but daring style, I’m hosting a giveaway for one reader to win a Stubb’s Prize Pack that includes a spatula, T-shirt, Stubb’s hat and coupons for free Stubb’s products (yeehaw)!  Just enter via the Rafflecopter app below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cranberry Orange Bourbon Beef Stew on Sage Romano Grits
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Cranberry Orange Bourbon Beef Stew w/ Sage Romano Grits
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
 
Warm up with this tasty beef stew that is slightly spicy, sweet and tangy -- it makes a hearty meal topped on grits but you can also pair with pasta, potatoes, and whole grains.
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew meat
  • 1 Stubb’s Cooking Sauce Smokehouse Bourbon Spice Packet*
  • 1 large sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 16-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 1 large orange, peeled, segmented and cut in pieces or usee 3 smaller "halo" or "cutie" tangerines
  • 1 ounce bourbon whiskey
  • 1 Stubb’s Cooking Sauce Smokehouse Bourbon Spice Packet Sauce Pouch*
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries
  • garnish Fresh Parsley and Orange Zest
For Grits:
  • 1 cup instant grits
  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Romano cheese
  • 1 teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
for stew
  1. Sprinkle stew meat with spice packet from Stubb’s Slow Cooker Sauce (or simply season with salt and pepper for alternative preparation).
  2. Heat large, heavy-duty skillet to medium-high heat and brown stew meat in single layer. Don’t overcrowd, work in batches if necessary, draining cooking liquid between.
  3. Add browned stew meat to 6-quart slow cooker along with chopped onion, cranberry sauce, orange segments, orange zest, bourbon and Stubb’s Slow Cooker Sauce. Stir to combine.
  4. Top slow cooker with lid and simmer on high heat for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef tender. If desired, add 1 cup fresh cranberries to last 1 hour of simmering.
  5. *** If you can’t find Stubb’s Cookin’ Smokehouse Bourbon Flavor, the use this substitute. To season stew meat before browning, sprinkle with mixture of 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground pepper and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. For liquid, add 1 cup beef broth, 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin and add an additional 1 ounce of bourbon whiskey.
for grits
  1. Add water to saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Slowly stir in grits, sage and salt and then reduce to medium-low for simmer.
  2. Simmer for about 7 minutes stirring frequently. When thickened, stir in cheese until incorporated. Remove from heat.
  3. To serve, place a mound of grits on a plate and use a slotted spoon to remove beef, onions and fruit from slow cooker. Top with optional garnishes of grated orange zest and chopped parsley.

Slow Cooker Beef Meatballs with Sriracha Lime Sauce

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Disclaimer: I was provided compensation for the development of this recipe and my time at #FreshSummit, however this blog post, my opinions and enthusiasm are provided complementary! 

Jennifer Fisher of TheFitFork.com at Litehouse Foods booth PMA Fresh Summit 2016

 I was in Orlando earlier in the month for Fresh Summit 2016, a massive trade show that brings together produce industry peeps from around the world to showcase innovation, provide inspiration and track trends. With more than 1,100 exhibitors on the expo floor, there were fruits, veggies, nuts, and fresh packaged foods at every turn. But, were there meatballs? Why, yes, there were!

litehouse-pma-booth-menu-2016That’s right; I was cooking up a storm again for Litehouse Foods in their beautiful, backyard inspired booth. With football playing on the big screen, a spread of apple cider and snacks, and good eats coming from the kitchen (including my Sriracha Lime Meatballs), this was the ultimate homey hangout.

 

Sriracha Lime Dressing over meatballsHopefully in your house, the crowd gathering for these (Slow Cooker) Beef Meatballs with Sriracha Lime Sauce will not be smaller than at the packed expo. Although, there WILL be a  crowd (just sayin’) becase this super simple, slow cooker recipe is a real weekend AND weeknight winner.  Just toss in a short list of ingredients into a Crock Pot, pour over a bottle of their new Srirarcha Lime Dressing and walk away. In a couple hours, you’ve got the ultimate football party appetizer to skewer up on toothpicks or a fusion-inspired, “take-out” take off dinner that you can serve with the slow cooker sauce over rice. My kids loved it!

Slow Cooker Beef Meatballs with Sriracha Lime Sauce is a super simple, easy party appetizer or easy weeknight main dish.

The Sriracha Lime Dressing is a new “sweet heat” product from Litehouse Foods that you can find in the fridge shelves of your produce department – they also make a Mango Habanero version. What I love about these two dressings is that they are super flavorful without being off the charts hot, only have 20 calories per serving, and are made with fresh ingredients that you’ve heard of – no weird chemicals or preservatives. You can also try this dressing as a glaze on chicken, dip for your spring rolls, or drizzle for your salads and wraps.

*I’ve also provided alternate instructions for the sauce in case you can’t find this dressing.

far-east-sriracha-lime-meatballs

 

far-east-sriracha-lime-meatball-appetizerServe meatballs over rice for supper or on a little bed of rainbow slaw for a healthy, balanced appetizer!

 

 

 

 

 

(Slow Cooker) Sriracha Lime Beef Meatballs turning mundane Monday into a sweet-heat celebration @litehousefoods @beeflovingtexas

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What are you cooking in your slow cooker these days? Can you take the heat or do you like things milder? Big plans, races, events for fall — I’m doing a Spartan Beast this weekend!  Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer 

 

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(Slow Cooker) Beef Meatballs with Sriracha Lime Sauce
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
3 mins
Total Time
13 mins
 
Get the party (or dinner) started in spicy-sweet style with this crazy easy recipe that uses frozen meatballs and salad dressing. Lots of protein, low carb.
Course: Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Southern
Servings: 6 servings dinner
Ingredients
  • 1 26- oz package frozen “homestyle” mini meatballs (1/2-ounce each)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow bell pepper
  • 1 large seeded, finely diced jalapeno pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 12-oz bottle Litehouse Foods Sriracha Lime Dressing* *dressing swap instructions in last recipe step
Instructions
  1. Place frozen meatballs in 4-qt slow cooker. Add bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, red onion, soy sauce and Sriracha Lime Dressing and mix to coat.
  2. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 2 to 4 hours., stirring at halfway point. Serve on a toothpick as an appetizer. Or, serve with rice or noodles along with sauce in slow cooker for a meal. 
  3. *If you can’t find the dressing, swap for this mixture whisked together in a bow: 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup lime juice, ¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons corn starch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro.   

{Slow Cooker} Steak & Squash Harvest Stew

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Steak and Squash Harvest Stew comes together in the slow cooker for a hearty, healthy meal that is perfect for dinner on busy weeknights -- weekend meals too!I felt it for a second, the cooler morning that is. So I pulled out fringy scarf, boots and slow-cooker – yeehaw, fall weather is here. But, it was a total fake out, ended up being 90 degrees that day. Even though I shed my fall finery, my Crock Pot creation was a dinner winner not about to be tossed.  Rich, meaty, hearty and amazing nutritious thanks to wholesome ingredients like lean beef, pumpkin, acorn and butternut squashes.

You absolutely must pin this photo below if you like healthy, hearty and helpful! 

Steak and Squash Harvest Stew comes together in the slow cooker for a hearty, healthy meal that is perfect for fall and winter meals.

I originally made this recipe for my friends at BeefLovingTexans.com, I almost tried to call it Chili but then remembered some Texans don’t think beans belong in chili. Well, heck, I don’t care – I think everything belongs in chili! This one has a bit of chipotle chili powder to add smoky spice, but feel free to tone it down or kick it up with your favorite chili seasonings. chipotle-beef-butternut-pumpkin-chile-browning-meat

The beauty of this recipe is just dumping all the ingredients into a slow cooker and walking away. I prefer to sear my chili meat (I cubed up a sirloin steak) because that magical caramelization process that happens in the skillet creates a deeper, more complex flavor. But, if you are pressed for time, the stew still turns out dang delicious if you just dump the uncooked beef straight into the slow cooker crock.

Come to a hearty, healthy bowl of stew filled with pumpkin, squash, kidney beans and meaty steak morsels. Smokey chipotle and a touch of maple syrup magnify the taste magic of this easy slow cooker, crock post recipe. It's a great make ahead dinner when we want soup during fall and winter cold weather season.

I was worried the kids would be suspicious of the trio of winter squashes in the dish – pumpkin, acorn and butternut. But, they loved it and a new autumn family favorite was born – especially when paired with some cast-iron skillet cornbread. I can’t believe I’ve never shared this recipe in photo below — it’ll be served up on the blog next week! COME BACL!

Jalapeno Cheese Cornbread Skillet

So, why don’t you make this Steak & Squash Harvest Stew for supper this weekend – free yourself up some time to hang out with the family, hit a hay ride, visit the pumpkin patch, get lost in a corn maze.  It’s also a great little warmer-upper for those chilly afternoons tailgating and talking all things football or for the neighborhood Halloween potluck!

Warm up your weekend with Chipotle Steak & Squash Harvest Stew #beeflovingtexas #fitfluential

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So, do you have a special family chili (errrr, I mean “stew” recipe)? Doing any special fall activities this weekend? Please share in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Steak and Squash Harvest Stew comes together in the slow cooker for a hearty, healthy meal that is perfect for dinner on busy weeknights -- weekend meals too!
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{Slow Cooker} Steak & Squash Harvest Stew
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
6 hrs
Total Time
6 hrs 10 mins
 
Fall in love with this healthy, hearty stew featuring pumpkin, acorn and butternut squash -- toss in slow cooker to skimmer all day, come home to dinner!
Cuisine: American, Southwestern
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil or, other high smoke-point oil
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder or sub your favorite blend
  • 1 pound lean beef stew meat cut in bite-size cubes huck, round, eye, rump roasts, etc)
  • 1 medium assorted chopped vegetables (onions, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, asparagus, etc.)
  • 8 ounces (16-oz) package frozen butternut squash cubes, thawed or fresh
  • 8 ounces acorn squash cubed
  • 1 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15-oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juice
  • 8 ounces canned pumpkin puree about half a can
  • 1 15-oz fire-roasted crushed tomatoes with juice
  • 1 15-oz can beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons real maple syrup
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chipotle chile powder and “bloom” in skillet by stirring around constantly for approximately 1 minute. Add stew meet and brown; add to 4 qt. to 6-qt. slow cooker.
  2. To slow cooker, add onion, squash, beans and pumpkin. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, syrup, red pepper and salt. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.
  3. Serve with desired toppings such as sour cream, cheese and green onions