Slow Cooker

Spicy No-Sugar Baked Beans

Spicy No-Sugar Baked Beans

Bring on the smoke…

Brown sugar is a staple for many tasty baked bean recipes- it’s earthy and sweet, perfect for the rustic flavor of this popular BBQ side. But that extra sugar isn’t the best option for everyone. If you’re cutting the sugar from your life, here’s a no-sugar baked bean recipe that still provides plenty of flavor, including a nice level of heat.

Liquid stevia subs in for the sweetness while a little liquid smoke and chipotle powder bring the fire and an earthy smoke to the side. This is a slow cooker recipe, so plan ahead. You’ll need time to both soak the beans (8 hours) and slow cook the heck out of these ingredients (another 8) to get a nice smoky flavor through and through.

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Spicy Cajun Gumbo

Spicy Cajun Gumbo

Plenty of spicy Cajun attitude…

Slow cooker spicy cajun gumbo is a real gift that gives all day (and week) long. The smells bring a kitchen to life during cooking, and it makes a ton – meaning you could have delicious leftovers for days to come.

The heat comes a little from the Cajun seasoning (try making your own), but mainly from the additional cayenne pepper powder added near the end of the cooking process. Use your discretion on the amount used – 1/2 teaspoon can go pretty far, even with a big pot of gumbo.

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Spicy Pulled Pork

Spicy Pulled Pork

A plateful of BBQ yum…

Now here’s one of the best reasons in the world for owning a slow cooker. Spicy pulled pork may be the perfect “throw it into the crock pot” BBQ meal. A cut of pork butt, a little beer and BBQ sauce, and a handful of common spice rack spices are all you need. Just start early in the day as you’ll need a good six hours all-in before you’re ready to enjoy this deliciousness.

We call for cayenne pepper powder in the recipe, but depending on the BBQ sauce you choose, use your best judgement. If you use a sweet BBQ sauce with no heat (like the traditional Sweet Baby Ray’s), cayenne provides a nice pop to get this recipe to a proper heat to label it “spicy”. If you choose an already spicy BBQ sauce, cayenne may be too much heat to pair with it. If that’s the case, you can opt for a mild paprika to provide a little extra simmer without the sweat. 

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Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

Chipotle Butternut Squash Soup

Smoky and smooth…

You may have tried one of many spicy squash soups before (like our delicious option that uses jalapeños), but you haven’t experienced what can be until you slow cook a squash soup with chipotle peppers and adobo sauce. Seriously, if you like smoke, earthy sweet, and spicy, this is a go-to soup in the waiting. It’s a simple soup to make, just chop, stir, and blend. But plan ahead: You’ll want to really let this slow cook on low for most of the afternoon to get the flavors to meld just right. 

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Spicy Split Pea Soup

Spicy Split Pea Soup

Hearty with a healthy kick…

This spicy split pea soup hits with heat in quite a few ways. Spicy Italian sausage, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper all have a part in delivering the kick to this hearty meal. And when we say “meal”, it’s true. This is a soup that can handle a lunch all on its own, especially if you pair it with fresh bread. It’ll fill you up quite well.

If you want it a little less spicy, control the heat more from the amount of spices used rather than the sausage. Pulling back on cayenne by half will still keep the soup quite “warm”.

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Pepperoncini Beef

Pepperoncini Beef

Simple and delicious…

Sometimes the simplest ingredient list can turn out the most delicious results. That’s the beauty of pepperoncini beef. It’s pretty much a chuck roast, a jar of pepperoncini peppers, and some spices, but the flavor impact just seems like so much more.

This is a perfect slow cooker recipe for spicy sandwiches – simply stuff some hoagie rolls and you’re off to the races. Though, there’s many other uses too. Try it over rice, or use it as a stuffing for a delicious twist on stuffed bell peppers. Yes, you heard it right – pepper-stuffed peppers. There should be a law. 

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Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Spicy Slow Cooker Barbacoa

Big smoky flavor with extra spiciness…

A spicy slow cooker barbacoa is, to us, the perfect beef option for taco night or for juicy shredded beef sandwiches. The smoky spiciness of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce just makes people’s mouths water without even taking a first bite! This recipe is very similar to the barbacoa you’d find at Chipotle, the restaurant chain – but with a lot more kick with the healthy portion of chipotles and the dash of cayenne to top things off. If you’re concerned about too much spiciness, simply remove the cayenne and lower the amount of chipotles used from four to three. It’s still spicy, but without the double down on heat. 

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Sweet And Spicy Meatballs

Sweet And Spicy Meatballs

Simple, but oh so tasty…

It’s hard to believe that only three ingredients are needed to make something this delicious. Of course, one of those ingredients is meatballs, but this sweet and spicy meatball recipe performs very well with the frozen variety. Just plan a little ahead and you have a simple-to-whip-up slow cooker dish perfect for cookouts, family gatherings, or game days.

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Spicy Chicken Soup

A feel-good soup with a little more zip.

Slow cooker chicken soup is one of those dishes that fills the home with yummy aromas. It’s a comfort food staple – just the kind of recipe that’s a ton of fun to twist with a little extra spice.

This recipe uses two types of pepper: jalapeño for the heat and red bell pepper for a little extra flavor. It’s a nice amount of spice – not so hot as to turn off those with sensitive taste buds. The cumin and taco seasoning give it a little more Southwestern taste too.

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