by Catalogs.com Info Guru Terri Wallace

There is nothing better than coming home after a long day and being greeting at the door by a fragrant meal just waiting for you.

This is the beauty of crockpots! And, trust me, they have come a long way from just being an easy way to cook a roast. Crock pot recipes have evolved to suit sophisticated and multi-cultural culinary palates. So, as the weather turns brisk, now is the perfect time to try these slow cooker recipes.

10. Apple Spice Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Crockpots are not just for dinner. Try this warm, apple-cinnamon infused oatmeal just once and you will stop making excuses for skipping breakfast. This recipe will also earn you “Good Mom Points” for giving your kids something other than soggy, cold cereal before sending them off to school in the cold rain. The best part is that only you will know how quick and easy it really is.

9. Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Pudding is a lot like Thanksgiving in a crock—rich, decadent, spicy and comforting. Topped with ice cream, or lightly sweetened cream, or both, and you have a desert that is elegant enough for company.

8. Gingerbread Latte

Crockpots rock at keeping hot beverages toasty warm on shivery cold nights. Mix up a batch of Gingerbread Latte before you go caroling or start your Black Friday shopping, then come home to a decadent spiced latte that, at the fancy-pants coffee house, would have cost you more than your sister-in-law’s Christmas present.

7. Braised Pork Roast with Vegetables

When you crave something warm, and comforting, and traditional, try this Braised Pork Roast with Vegetables. All the flavors you remember from Sunday dinner with none of the hassle. This roast is so good that you serve it to your mother-in-law with no worries!

6. Corned Beef and Cabbage

Corned Beef and Cabbage is not just for St. Patrick’s Day. It is perfect for a snowy night or a rainy afternoon. Add some soda bread and colcannon, maybe grab a pint, and you have the perfect antidote to the dreary weather.

5. New England Corn Chowder

For a bit of New England in a bowl, try this Corn Chowder. It is hearty and filling and saves well…assuming you actually have any leftover. Next time, plan on making a double batch and, if you plan on taking it to a pot-luck, consider making a triple batch!

4. Scouse

For a traditional “working-class” meal, try some scouse. This classic Liverpudlian dish is rich and hearty with stick-to-your-bones goodness to help ward away the winter chill.

3. Pasta E Fagioli Soup

If you adore the Pasta e Fagioli soup from Olive Garden, try this interpretation of the beloved soup. Rich tomato, comforting pasta, savory herbs…this is an Italian meal reminiscent of the old country. Serve it with a side salad and crusty bread for a meal to remember.

2. Whole Chicken

When you want a meal worthy of leftovers, a meal that can be stretched for another day or two—or can be reinvented and used as the base for a completely different dinner the next night, try a whole chicken. Everyone needs a go-to chicken recipe, and this one is it!

1. Steak and Black Bean Chili

Steak and Black Bean Chili is perfect for game night, or after a day out skiing, or shopping, or…well, just about anything. Top it with sour cream, cheese, green onions, and a few peppers, and expect to be asked to make it again and again.