Any tips or recipes for a slow cooker?

[rnbsmum]

I have recently bought a slow cooker and have cooked three meals in it, one good and two nasty!! Am usually a good cook, I like to think. Any tips VERY gratefully recieved by me and my poor family!

Buy yourself 'Slowcooker Easy' - a recipe book full of loveliness. I'll try to find a link for you.

to be honest, if I;m in a hurry, I use the packet mixes that you just add water to & meat & veg - the meat is usually really tender & my kids love it

I love my slow cooker as a working (part time) mum - the smell when we walk in the door is great!

do you have a book?
my slow cooker came with a receipe book

there you go

Spag bol is lovely slow cooked. Just fry up your veg and brown the mince, add your tinned tomatoes etc then transfer to slow cooker. The meat goes really tender and the flavour is far nicer.

There are some really gorgeous meals in there - I'm not Masterchef but everything I've ever cooked out of it has been fab, even if I do say so myself.

Thanks to you both for that, I shall definitely buy the book. To be honest, mistressmiggins, the one good meal came from the book I got with the slow cooker - think I cockily started improvising too early!! I also work, three days a week, and the yummy smells welcoming me home were what I was aiming for! Do you always brown meat on the hob before putting in the slow cooker? I have done thus far, but seems a faff before setting off for work. Thanks for help.

Actually, my one success way spag bol Ledodgy, it gives me hope!!! I shall certainly give that a few more goes.

no I dont brown the meat as dont have the time in the morning when I work
it doesnt seem to affect the taste

Good oh! I shall get myself to Waterstones tomorrow, buy "Slowcooker Easy" and take it from there.

I did a joint of beef in mine today. I did actually brown it off first as I had time, then put it in the pot with an inch of water.

Was really tender.

Have a look on here for some ideas.

I did a lamb casserole with last night's lamb tonight - tomatoes / peppers / onions / tin toms x2 and a tin of cannellini beans. Took the dd's out then chucked in some curry paste for dh and I - that's when i find it the best, when i have left over meat to use in a casserole.

Sausgaes go down well in a casserole, brown them first or they look obscene