slow cooker- help me before I'm run into the ground

[Tiredqueen87]

Help me slow cooker pros......
I always make tea. DP has cooked twice in the time I've known him, but he's hates what I'd call 'hearty' meals, ie. Stews, casseroles etc etc. What else can I make in a slow cooker to please everyone????

Cook whatever you like in it. If the fussy, lazy bugger can't be bothered to ever produce a meal for everyone, he gets very little say in what is presented to him. My slow cooker only gets used for hearty stuff, by the way. I've never managed to produce anything delicate or 'wow' in it.

Roast chicken, spag Bol, curry (I've actually seen slow cooker curry sauces on sale in tesco I think). Pulled pork, ribs.
Most things you can do on a hob can be adapted just takes some practise working out liquid levels, you need a lot less in the slow cooker as it doesn't burn off the same as a pan.

IMO all you can make in a slow cooker is hearty meals, dp will have to suck it up unless he wants to cook.

Chilli, I do a very nice veg chilli in mine
Curry ( sweet potatoe, chickpea, spinach)
Pulled chicken
Spag Bol
Chicken stew with light herby dumplings

He works all day and provides for us the least I can do is make something we all like.
DD is teething and driving me insane , I would like to be able to just sit on an evening and not be rushing around. I've heard of people doing jacket potatoes and stuffed peppers and things like that. Just wanted some inspiration because like most people I'm stuck in a rut

Jacket potatoes
Felafel

My mate once did a curry and she said her house stank for weeks as it was done in slow cooker ?

BrilloHair- how do you do them ??

You can do a whole chicken instead of roasting one. Would he eat that? then the next night you can turn the leftovers into something like fajitas.

Our favourites are turkey chilli, curry, Chinese chicken and beef chilli. I like the chilli recipes because they have beans and sweetcorn in which DS says he won't eat but he does when it's in a chilli. If you visit your local library they might have a recipe book on the shelf that will give you some ideas.

I have done chicken enchiladas once or twice and they were ok.

Did you do the enchiladas in it?

Your dp could help with cooking a little more even if he does go to work all day to provide for you. His only cooked twice in the time you've known him.

We often make curry in the slow cooker, we put it on before we both leave for work and it has never made our house stink for days.

I don't like jacket potatoes done it the slow cooker, I prefer to put them in the oven for 1 hour - nice an easy and you can top with tuna/beans/cheese/coleslaw and some side salads.

Although not in the slow cooker Fajitas are quick, fry off some chicken/turkey/beef with onion, peppers some seasoning and put out on the table with wraps, sour cream and guacamole then people make there own.

I do make a nice veggie chilli in the slow cooker. We serve this with rice, jacket potatoes or we make nachos with it

I also do a 13 hour slow cooked pulled pork in the slow cooker. It goes lovely and tender and you can serve with salad and baby potatoes for a light meal

You can only really do hearty meals in a slow cooker, they aren't really any good for delicate meals IMO

Jacket potatoes work very well in the slow cooker. I toss them in a little oil first, then just cook slowly all day. No need to prick them. Sometimes I add spices, too.

Lentil- based soups come out lovely. Particular favourite is leek and lentil, but also like sweet potato and lentil with plenty of smoked paprika. You don't need to bring lentils to the boil first, but, if you make soups with beans, the beans do need to be boiled for 10mins before adding to the slow cooker.

It's not so much delicate I'm after, just not a think stew type meal if that makes sense.
I'm back working in Jan so would like to think I could just chuck something in and it would be ready when I'm home.
Curry, chilli, spag Bol would please everyone.
Do you have the link to the pulled pork recipe?
I know about him cooking but he won't do it's pointless even getting into it.

Yes, the enchiladas were done in the slow cooker. It was a two stage cook, day one was cooking the chicken in the slow cooker and then day two used the shredded chicken to make the enchiladas.

Curry, chilli and the like freeze well, the recipes in my book serve six or eight so for us that means one meal on the table and another in the freezer. My book is Judith Finlayson, 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes but she's written others as well. Each recipe has a section in the sidebar for making ahead or time saving tips (which is usually to skip browning the meat)

What about Meatballs, chilli con carne, spag bol, macaroni and cheese, Salisbury steak, Southern Chicken, joint of beef, or pork, vegetables in bottom. Recipes I got online. Rice pudding and soups are great in it also. I've heard you can do lasagne in it, but mine packed in recently so didn't get a chance to do it. Just a thought for you, not slow cooker, but traybakes are great for chops, chicken sausages, and just put the vegetables in as well. One tray to wash. Happy days. I do all the cooking too sweetheart, so your not alone. Hope this helps.

Thank you Diva! I think I'll pop out tomorrow and buy a book (and slow cooker) it's not about who does the cooking to me, I want our time to be spent together , it would be different if we had a big family kitchen but that's not the case.
I did find a tray bake that we liked but I made it that much everyone was sick of it 😂

I've discovered you can put ham joints in. The ones you get which are rolled into a cylinder shape and usually cost 3 or 5 quid (depending on size). Literally put it in. No liquid. Turn it on low and leave for the day- lots of juice comes out of them but the ham has a pulled pork consistency when it's finished. It's lovely. We then have it with wraps/ jacket potatoes/ egg and chips/ salad etc. A big one lasts a few meals and it is really tasty. I didn't believe it would work the first couple of goes and wasn't brave enough to leave it while I was out the house but it's fine.

Gammon is great. An inch of water.
Or any joint of meat. Pork is fab.
Mexican chicken - chicken breast chopped big, jar of salsa poured over (literally just the ones you get to dip crisps in). 4 hours cooking then add loads of grated cheese and another hour.

Yeah I know it's lazy but the shwartz sausage and bean casserole mix you get in supermarkets is genius and a no brainer. I must do this once a week (I prepare while my LO having her breakfast) and by tea time it's ready to eat with some mash or chips or veg or even crusty bread. Easy Peasy. It also freezes well too so you can stick left overs in freezer for another day!

Pulled pork or beef. Quarter an onion, stick it in the bottom. Put the joint on top. Cook on low for sevetal hours. Obviously add whatever seasoning you want too. Beef is lovely with some coarse grain mustard rubbed on.

For pulled meat, cook until it's literally pulls apart.

I use this pork recipe only 8hrs on low in a slow cooker instead of 6 hrs in the oven.

www.shecookssheeats.co.uk/bbq-pulled-pork/

This is also nice but needs more seasoning than the recipe suggests. Nice with rice or noodles or as little lettuce wraps with baby gem leaves.

damndelicious.net/2013/11/02/slow-cooker-crockpot-honey-sesame-chicken/

Today I did roast lamb with potatoes and carrots done in the slow cooker. Added herbs salt and pepper and some red wine.

Also love gammon joints, I don't add any water though.

Love the schwarz sausage & bean casserole it's fab

Roast chicken- brilliant

Bolognese-,dead easy

www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/slow_cooker_recipes

The list includes lamb shanks, pie fillings, beef brisket and ribs.

If you are on Facebook, search for a group called 'slow cooking with Katy kat'

She makes some amazing stuff and shares lots of recipes