I have just invested in a slow cooker...

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

And my DH says it will be a waste of money as I'll never use it.

I am a terrible cook, lack inspiration but really want to be able to throw some basic ingredients together and out pops a lovely meal. This can be done, yes?

I'm tired of using jars for sauces and would love to be able to use a good stock to make a lovely gravy instead of bisto.

So... can I have your all time favourite slow cooker recipes, pretty please?! :)

My slow cooker is a 3.5l and the food will need to feed me, DH and 3yo DD who eats anything and everything thankfully. DC2 is on the way so in time there will be four mouths not three.

I'm looking for ways to incorporate it into everyday use, so stews, joints, curries, anything really. but quite basic to begin with until I get the hang of things.

I hate knowing I'm not feeding my family properly and really want to learn while I have time before baby comes.

Thanks in advance :)

I use curry paste - about two dessert spoons for this recipe.

One tin of coconut milk
chicken thighs or chicken breast cut into strips
2 dessert spoons of curry paste to your liking

put all the food in the slow cooker and turn on

add one pepper about 2 hours before you want to eat if you like.

A way to reduce the liquid if there us too much is to take the lid off and whack it up to high for half an hour,then some of the liquid will evaporate.
This is what is says in my slow cooker manual.

I do pork loins in my sc.You get about 8 loin chops for about £4 in sainsbo's.I bung them in with one quartered onion and some chopped carrots,I trim that fat off first,brown it all (some people don't) and cover with water(no stock cube or anything).
Cook on low for hours (I do 7-7 usually).
I pour the liquid into a jug and mix in bits granules and it is gorgeous.

i've just had a look at the chicken and chorizo stew your talking about but it doesn't include tomatoes! essential in my view

I'm always right. DP never does her research

dumplings have just gone in... cornflour has worked a treat :) and it looks so yummy. im so proud of myself and would like to say thank you to everyone who has helped me take what is essentially a huge step for me :)

Aw, i'm glad you got on with it There'll be no stopping you now though!

The best thing about this is, even though I knew how to make a stew and have done several in the past, I know that the gravy is proper and not from half a pot of bisto. That's what I most proud of.

Well done you!

So what are you going to try next?

I have no idea, am spoilt for choice but I expect I'll begin with spag bol from scratch instead of dolmio! I suppose I ought to menu plan in advance really as obviously i won't have the daytime to go out and buy things if they need putting on to cook in the morn.

Will chat to DH and see what he fancies.

I have even seived the left over gravy and put it in a tupperware pot to freeze for if we have sausage and mash or something. Get me! And DH said the dumplings were perfect :)

It's amazing how different I feel after eating it. Usually with my bisto gravy my mouth feels all thick and I have almost instant indigestion but I haven't either after todays dinner :)

It was ready a little earlier than I'd have liked but we were all hungry anyway and the anticipation was too much so will start an hour later next time stew is on the menu.

Aw, fantastic! I'm so glad you enjoyed - tbh using a slow cooker has for me, revolutionised the way i cook. I like cooking, but the whole standing for hours at the cooker never really appealed to me, and using a SC means i can just throw everything in, go away and get on with my day and still get delicious meals at the end of it.

Or maybe i'm just lazy

well done - chefs (i am one myself) like to make cooking look incredibly difficult, and it can be, but feeding your family nice homecooked food is straightforward and ultimately a joy, knowing your giving them something healthy and delicous is one of life's pleasures.

hope you move onto other things and as you can see there's plenty of people to help you on your way

I will definitely try other things TFS, thanks so much for all your advice :)

Hopefully as time goes by I will become more confident and adventurous and safe in the knowledge i'll have something to teach my DCs.

Hooray for your delicious stew! I am jealous of your dumplings

My dumplings were just from a packet, I'm not that brave yet! Think they're called Farmhouse something or another in a yellow box down the flour aisle for about 70p. Only DH likes them so I'll stick to that!

Just read your thread top to bottom. Reeally glad it worked out well, I love my slow cooker & will post a few recipes for you - sticky ribs are a fav this time of year because you can do a large pot of them & finish off on the BBQ. I also do jacket pots on low during the day for a nice easy meal for the children after being at holiday club all day.

I would like the chocolate brownie cup recipe if anyone would be willing to post it for me, I did have it & then deleted it accidentaly

It's in the slowcooker recipe section on here, Bohica.

I had a feeling it was you that posted it *Deemented wasn't it mentioned on the AWT live web chat?

Yes

Not got time to read all the contributions but if you haven't already tried it you MUST do Nigella's ham in coca cola. It is lush. I am always worshipped for making this and it's very easy. Google it and it's easy to find. Top tip though, use a disposable baking tray - a small square one - we get 4 for 1.19 in our village as the juice and bits stick like you wouldn't believe at the bit where you bake it to crisp up at the end...

My easiest recipe, and always popular is creamy chicken chowder.

Brown skinless, boneless chicken thighs and one chopped onion. Add to crock pot with a crushed clove of garlic and half a pack of frozen mixed veg (you know the sort, diced carrot, sweetcorn, peas, etc) Pour over a cup of chicken stock and cook on low for about 12 hours. Just before serving add a splosh of double cream or a dollop of creme fraiche and stir through.

timidvviper - that sounds like my kind of dish - thanks

Hey coconuts - just wondering how you and your SC are getting on?

Hi Dee thanks for thinking of me. Was thinking of coming to do an update actually so Great Minds!

Haven't done anything since the stew but have planned my menu for next week and am trying the chicken and chorizo stew and my own bolognese.

It's been a bit tricky because we were so stocked up on jars and shite so we want to use them up first before making a start on the proper stuff. Can't afford to just throw them away so this week has just been using them up, and buying things I'll need in advance. So have got a dried herb rack and some new measuring spoons so I'm all set to get cracking in the next week or so.

At 32 weeks preg still getting random craving for crap food so won't be cutting it out of my diet completely

Oh and that Diane PAge book came this week too, so going to have a sit down and read that also.