Easy slow cooker or oven meals so host can join the chat

[Nextdoortomeis]

Friends are coming over tomorrow evening.
Normally someone is in the kitchen and misses the chat.
Don't want to do a Stew.
Is there anything that can be left in either the slow cooker or the oven that is easy.

Traybake where the protein, veg and ideally even the carb are all cooking together in the same roasting tin. You can chop up everything in advance, assemble it on the tray (you can even do this the night before), stick it in the oven just as your guests arrive, and bob's your uncle.

My two favourite books for this kind of cooking (recipes from the books at the link, you don't have to buy the book):

https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/articles/recipes-the-greatest-traybake-cookbook-ever-john-gregory-smith/

https://www.nigella.com/cookbook-corner/from-the-oven-to-the-table-by-diana-henry

Other recipes I make all the time for friends:

https://www.tamingtwins.com/honey-mustard-chicken-traybake/

https://simplehomeedit.com/category/one-pot/

Chilli con carne.
The meat mixture will be lovely and tender. Cook the rice ahead of time and reheat when you are about to eat.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Chickpeas https://share.google/QDiucZeDSx12i40n3

Serve with rice. Its delicious.

Went to a party recently where we had Beuf Bourguignon with mash and oven paked veg. Also meant host spent all their time eith us

If you’ve got time, head to your nearest library and browse the cookbooks there. There are loads of slow cooker recipe books around, and loads of tray bake focussed ones too.

If it’s a super-relaxed evening though, I’d be doing slow cooker chilli, with proper oven baked potatoes and salad. Plonk it on the table and everyone serves themselves.