Fast Mama, Slow Cooker

Take a break from your busy schedule and enjoy a home-cooked meal that tastes like you spent hours preparing it! With these slow cooker favorites, all it takes is a little prep work and advance planning to come home to a delicious dinner that's healthy and full of flavor. With selections like Creamy Bacon Chicken and Hot Fudge Cake you can't go wrong!

BRENDA STANLEY is a former television news anchor and investigative reporter for the NBC affiliate in eastern Idaho. She has been recognized for her writing by the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Hearst Journalism Awards, the Idaho Press Club, and the Society of Professional Journalists. She is the author of four other books--three novels and one cookbook. Brenda is an adjunct professor at Idaho State University in the Mass Communication department. She is a graduate of Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She is the mother of five grown children, including two sets of twins (born twenty months apart--yes, four kids under the age of two), and she is now a grandma. Brenda and her husband, Dave, a veterinatian, live on a small ranch near the Snake River with their horses, sheep, chickens, and dogs.
SUZIE ROBERTS is one of those busy mothers who knows how challenging (not to mention boring!) putting dinner on the table night after night can be. She started her own Make-Ahead Meal Group in 2004 and became such a believer in this method of cooking that she decided to share her succes with others. She continues to come up with creative and fun ways to give her more time to spend with family and friends. Suzie lives in Perry, Utah with her husband, David, and their five children, Kyra, Kuen, Tatem, Bryson, and Mylee.
KRISTENA EDEN was born in Oceanside, California but she grew up around the world because her dad worked for the military. She has a degree in child development and was the owner and operator of Discovery Preschool. She also taught private kindergarten. Kristena is the mother of six kids and the grandmother of eleven. She currently lives with her husband and two dogs in Bluffdale, Utah, where she spends her time developing her artistic talents with painting and pottery.
CHRISTI SILBAUGH is the self-educated chef and author of three cooking blogs including: Mom, Whats for Dinner, Gourmet Cooking for Two, and Zero Calorie Life. She writes for foodie media giants Glam Media and Federated Media and works for Fast Forward Events, covering food and wine events in San Diego. Since 2009, she has created and posted over 1,000 gluten-free recipes. She lives with her family in California.
MICHELE VILSECK is a mother, entrepreneur and health enthusiast. She enjoys creating in al of its forms including writing, cooking, artwork, and teaching. She has been gluten-free for 10 years. She lives in New Haven, Connecticut.
ANNALISE THOMAS is a big-city girl married to a small-town boy. Every day is a joy and a challenge as she learns to live and love this small-town life. Annalise is a foodie with a deep passion for everything edible and for sharing what she loves with others. Annalise is a wife and mom, a baker, a cook, and a blogger. She and her family live a very real life and eat as much real food as possible.
CARLENE DUDA attended Ricks College (BYU-Idaho) and Brigham Young University. She is a culinary writer, teacher, and cook. Her award-winning recipes have been published in newspapers and copyrighted by C&H Sugar Company. Carlene lives in Puyallup, Washington, with her family.
LYUBA BROOKE grew up surrounded by talented chefs. For her tenth birthday, she received her first cookbook as a gift and has been cooking and baking ever since. Although her first recipe, on her tenth birthday, turned out to be a disaster, she did not give up and learned to cook with passion. In 2011 , she put her passion for cooking and creating recipes to use by sharing her creations at willcookforsmiles.com.