clever mummy who use slow cookers - what can I do with?

[surprisenumber3]

OK, had slow cooker 10 years, am finally going to use it

I have some turkey breasts, carrots, onions, veg stock, dumplings, potatoes (although I think I'll do the potatoes separately as 4 of us and not a huge slow cooker!).

Do I just shove it all in? How much water/stock?

DC's will be eating about 5.30, me and DH about 7.30, can I leave ours in for the extra couple of hours? What time should I put it on?

Is this a cheaper way of cooker than say putting it in the oven for 2 hours?

Sorry about all the questions but thanks in advance for any help!

Whinegums - dp would LOVE that lamb shanks recipe! Is it freezable? Two of us are veggie and two carnivores, so if it could be frozen for a second carnivore meal that would be great.

Janeite - yes, I've frozen it. Also done it with a shoulder of lamb and got two meals from that. Will try and post actual recipes later.

oh perfect, i bought my slow cooker today am sat here now trying to think of what to try out first in it.
some good ideas to try here - Thanks

Any more recipes?

I 'par boiled' my potatoes in mine for our Sunday roast, they were the best roast potatoes I've ever made - seriously!

if you can't face or don't have time to brown meat and or onions, peppers in the morning then I do them the night before let them cool and then place them in the slow cooker casserole dish and place it in the fridge.

Next morning take it out and add the wet stuff.

Presumably you cannot reheat something that has been cooked in a slow cooker ? Anyone know?

Though good idea to make more and freeze it.

I have made beef casserole, bolognese sauce, chill and sausage casserole.

Apparently very good for making porridge in too. Overnight

I've done Oxtail in the slow cooker before... it's my new favorite thing!

In the bottom of the slow cooker, place 1 onion, chopped into biggish pieces, 2 tomatoes chopped the same, a large fennel too, on top of which you arrange the oxtail pieces. Pour a mixture of red wine, beef stock and oxtail soup powder over, and simmer for HOOOOURS... it's even better if you cook it, cool it down, put in the fridge overnight (still in the cooker dish) and in the morning scrape off the fat that's come to the surface. That way you get a healthy meal that is sooo rich and delicious... and cheap too!

My MIL gave me a slow cooker and I tried pork and cider casserole
Brown 1 onion and pack of pork (think it was steaks-they were cheap)
add chopped carrots,apple and leeks
add can magners cider heat till bubbling
bung in slow cooker for 5 hours, 1 hour on high then 4 hours on med heat
Hubby and ds liked it