Slow cooker novice

[HackerFucker22]

Just purchased my first slow cooker and I'm a complete novice.

Is it really as simple as bunging x, y and z in and then leaving it?

Can you do things like curries and bolognese? (If so do you have to brown the meat first - which to me would defy the object)

How adventurous can you be? Any recipes people can recommend?

TIA

Bolognese.
Cut and fry onion till soft.
Brown mince in cpsme oan with onion.
Whilst the mince Brown's, pour two tins of chopped tomatoes into slow cooker pot and put on high.
Pour in one carton of passata.
Return tommonce md crumble beef stock cube onto meet and stir.
Once cooked, prtialt drain fat from mince and put into slow cooker.
Leave for 4-5 hours

Chicken stew.
1 pack of cooked chicken (Lakeland for example)
1 pack frozen farmhouse veg
1 pont of chicken stock.
Putnin slow cooker, turn to high, leave for 4-5 hours.

Chicken curry
1 bag Lakeland chicken (ready cooked, sliced etc)
1 large onion, diced and softened in pan
3 cloves garlic, minced and added into onion as it soften
2 tablespoons tomato paste added into onion and garlic
1 can chopped tomatoes into slow cooker, add onion, garlic etc
Add in:
1 to 2 tablespoons garam masala
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
Leave on high for 3-4 hours.
Serve with rice.

For more, Google 'Money saving expert slow cooker index'

You don't have to brown it but it speeds it up if you do. I find the only thing I need to brown really are sausages in a casserole (my preference). The great thing about a slow cooker is that I can bung it on in the morning and it will be ready in the evening for the price of leaving a lightbulb on. It also helps to develop a really nice flavour.

I always recommend looking up Stephanie O Dea she writes for am American paper and took on a year long cgallenge to cook every day in a slow cooker some very easy and delicious recipes. She has a web site but is on facebook as well

On Christmas Eve I had 4 slow cookers on the go. 1-Ham, 2- spiced beef, 3 - mulled wine, 4 spiced hot choc for all the visitors No watching pots etc
Christmas day, garlic and cream potato, christmas pudding, soup and later turkey stock. Less pots to watch and easy wash up ☺
Turkey and dumplings today whilst I worked a10 hr shift.
Tomorrow is Shep pie, topped with aldi frozen mash.

You don't need to brown anything.

Use much less liquid than you think - it won't reduce.

You can stick a whole chicken or a joint in with nothing to roast.

Yes to curry and bol, you can also do baked potatoes and steamed puddings.

I literally just throw stuff in. For Bol etc buy lean mince with less than 10% fat as it cooks better and doesn't need browning.

Currently in mine is turkey curry for tea.

Yesterday I did soup .... Chopped loads of veg. Sweet potato and 1pint stock (from cooking beef Xmas eve)

Throw in and forget!!!!!!

Try a whole roast chicken - just put in, season the top and leave on low for 8/9 hours - it just falls off the bone and you can have with salad, veg etc

Also try those slow cooker sachets from Schwartz - all can be cooked from raw, throw the meat and veg in, add the sachet and tomato purée and voila !