The slow cooker is surprisingly versatile. We rely on it for comfort food season (think soups and stews, hearty chilis and fork-tender roasts) as well as Sunday dinners—like meatballs and red sauce with that simmered-all-day flavor. But, this handy countertop appliance can do so much more. It’s capable of cooking chicken in so many different ways, can produce a fluffy loaf of no-rise bread and is essential when you need to get a healthy meal on the table without too much effort. It can even be used to make dessert! All you need to make the most of your slow cooker is the right recipes—like these irresistible chicken thighs. Soy sauce, honey, garlic and ginger (along with the natural juices of the chicken) create a flavorful sauce to serve over chicken thighs and rice. If you like a thicker sauce, simply add cornstarch at the end and cook a little longer.

If you have yet to cook beans from scratch and own a slow cooker, this is the recipe for you! It comes together with pantry ingredients, requires minimal prep and thanks to the slow cooker, you’ll be rewarded with plump, perfectly tender beans with almost zero hands-on time. (Navy beans would also work well here.) Seasoned with warm spices and pickled jalapenos, they are a great side dish. Or serve them over rice or with warm tortillas as a meal

Enjoy this simple cozy recipe with the flip of a switch. With a few easy-to-find ingredients and minimal prep, you can enjoy a pork chop dinner for four. Serve with creamy grits or buttered rice for a filling family meal.

These meatballs taste just like your nonna’s without any pre-cooking or tending to—just throw them in the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. The recipe makes enough meatballs and sauce to serve with two pounds of pasta. They are also delicious over polenta, stuffed into sub rolls or as a pizza topping.