Any failsafe slow cooker recipes?

[cheekychopsmum]

Just bought a slow cooker and have no idea what to cook!

I usually do lots of cooking in my le creuset pot and am now wondering why I bothered buying a slow cooker, when I enjoy using hte pot I have already. Is there something I can do with the slow cooker that I couldn't do before?

I'm just not sure I can be bothered to brown meat and fry things up before I set off for work, or is it possible to just stick everything in the pot and turn it on? If so, some recipes please?

Also do I need to put anything at the bottom of the pot? A friend mentioned her husband puts a saucer at the bottom to stop things sticking.

thanks

Thanks Pinkone will have a look at that one.

Though I have found this one

is it worth it? especially at this price, can anyone recommend it?

I have that one Mrs Gok it works perfectly - it is big and never had problems with anything sticking etc. Have had it about 3 years now and still going strong.

Bertie! Come back with those recipes!!

Chicken was gorgous! Didn't take the skin off, could be bothered, but when it was cooked skin just slid off before serving. Very impressed!

Bought a load of joints yesterday, so am going to try small leg of lamb (any suggestions?) and a whole large chicken.

Can you do pork shoulder ?

Mrsgok, someone told me last week that one is in asda for £20.

I bought this one for only £14. Used it twice so far and very happy with it.

I did a whole chicken in it, and even the skin was nice, though prob helped that there was spices and olive oil on it.

In a smaller one, what about a guinea fowl? Sains have them on offer atm for £4. This Delia recipe is fab, and would be great in a slow cooker. I have one in the fridge to make over the weekend.

I find the slow cooker perfect for when I want something slow cooked but don't want to wait at home with the pot for 8 hours. I can go out to work, flick the slow cooker on and rest assured that my house is safe and sound. (I wouldn't feel confident about leaving it on and being out all day).

I love loads of things for the slow cooker, chicken thigh tagine is perfect:

• 4 Chicken thighs, skinned (2 per person)
• A few tablespoons cumin fried down gently with two sliced golden onions
• A large knob of ginger and same volume of garlic, finely diced
• 3/4l chicken stock
• 6 preserved lemons, cut into chunks
• The rind of one whole unwaxed lemon
• Two peeled and quarterd carrots
• Fresh corriander (to serve)

Method:
Pop all the ingredients (bar the corriander) in the slow cooker and put it on a low setting for around 6 hours, serve with cous cous or rice, fragrant bliss!

Another wintery fave of mine is Hobgoblin casserole.

The full recipe is on my blog (link below) but basically it's beef feathersteak (a gloriously economical cut thats made for slow braising) cooked with carrots, chestnuts and chestnut mushrooms in Hobgoblin ruby ale - I serve it with smoked bacon and rosemary dumplings.

It's a fab slow cooker dish, requiring little prep and delivering maximum flavour and hearty impact.

Recipes for it and more slow cooker jobbies here, I hope they help you on your quest! x

secretdiaryofafoodie.blogspot.com/

Cheers shiney and ducks

I bought a slow cooker 2 weeks ago - £14 in Argos, Rachel someone? Its a 6litre one, even though there are only 3 of us its good as I can fit a whole chicken in, or make a couple of extra portions and freeze some.

So far I've made:

Garlic and Lemon Chicken
Lamb and Mushroom Casserole
Lamb shanks in red wine
Meatballs in tomato sauce.

All fab - its earnt its keep already!

Recipes please geordie!

big bump from a new sc owner.....

Any veggie recipes, please?

I use mine ALLOT
today i did some pork loin chops with veg stock, peppercorns and salt, mixed in some gravey and it was delish.

i do a ham joint in coke, just falls to bits absolutely delish

a whole chicken, roast all day

spag bol, is lovely

cheeper cuts of chicken, drummers or thighs, the meat just falls off the bone for curry or pie, make some gravey with the juices. mmmm

sausage cassarole is gorgeous.
Its fab to come in from work to the house smelling of your tea, jsut serve up and its ready.

Ive just started putting all my sunday joints in my slow cooker and i now cook all my chickens in there on a bed of celery, onion and carrot so i can make a gravy. The best thing i have cooked from there though that is gorgeous and cheap as chips is pulled pork, made from pork shoulder in a lovely bbq sauce that you serve on rolls, its gorgeous

so can you just lob something in and then set it on low for 6 to 8 hrs or so? (sc is so new i have not even looked up recipes on the internet yet!)

Yes.

The only thing you have to remember is root veg take longer to cook. So I just cut them up smaller. And any liquid need to be hot.

Am making chicken drummers, red onion, white onion herbs in mine tonight.
Chicken will fall of tomorrow,
will strain the juices to make a stock, mix into a roux and sling in the oven with a pastry top on for chicken pie.
MMMmmmmmmm

Chicken and chorizo casserole, chicken piece, onion, chorizo, red peppa, a carton of passata (or tin of chopped toms, I just don't like mine chunky), bit of chilli powder and paprika if you have it. Just as you are about to serve add a couple of spoons of creme fraiche. Makes a yummy creamy casserole which we eat with mash one night and either pasta or rice the next night.