Need help to get started please

Crisp_£_note

Hi everyone

I am looking for some help please after being inspired from reading other posts:

This is going to sound really stupidly dumb but I just dont know where to start with a slow cooker. Ours is big enough for 2 (ideal as we dont have kids) so quite small but deep. All the receipie books I have found are for fancy stuff that me and hubby wouldnt normaly eat. Hubby hates most veg, his limit is carrots and peas but loves meat basic fish and pasta, rice, potatoes so am happy to bulk his up with those whilst having lots of veg for myself cooked in steamer or something.

My challenge this week is to find meals that will feed us both for a whole month on a budget of max £100. Whether its tinned, crockpot, steamer, conveinience, quick cook (beans / spaghetti on toast, jacket spuds, soup, sarnies / toasties etc) cook from scratch whatever so long as its £50 (max £100 includes other non food items). and has enough fruit and veg for me and a few treats along the weeks.

Any ideas? Or any inspiration for books I could try from the library?Are the student cook books really any good or full of baked beans on toast?

Thanks

wssla00

None of my meals cost over £3 a head as im a cheapskate!

What about steak and ale stew? Yum Yum I buy waitrose beef from the counter (costs about £2.50) add two carrots one cellery stick, a tin of tomatoes and a pint of guinness or ale so for about four normal portions or two greedy ones lol it costs me about £4

wssla00

Mac and cheese- costs about £1.50

Boil a bag of pasta, make an easy white sauce (2 tbs butter/marg melted then add two tbs plain flour until combined, add milk to loosen to desired consistency) add grated cheese and melt into the white sauce
pour over the pasta and pop under the grill

(obv not a slow cooker one)

Another non slow cooker one but good and yummy (about £4 again for about four portions)

Chicken ramen (sort of)
Cook a big chicken breast and cut into chunks
boil some veggie stock and add a small amount of broken spaghetti and the chicken
add some spinach and wilt
finish with a few chopped spring onions

y5d

There is a whole thread just on slow cookers

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2197233

BitterAndTwisted

A slow-cooker is the perfect way to get flavour and value from the cheapest cuts of meat you can get your hands on. Think about lamb especially. You might need to spend a little time paring off some of the excess fat but the effort will be worth it.

NEVER buy chicken breasts or chicken pieces! A whole chicken whichever way you choose to cook it will be much better value. Plus you get skin and the carcass to make stock for your next delicious meal.

Bear in mind that anything over 4 ounces of meat per person, per meal is extravagant in the extreme and not necessary for rude, good health.

Crisp_£_note

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

A slow-cooker is the perfect way to get flavour and value from the cheapest cuts of meat you can get your hands on. Think about lamb especially. You might need to spend a little time paring off some of the excess fat but the effort will be worth it.

NEVER buy chicken breasts or chicken pieces! A whole chicken whichever way you choose to cook it will be much better value. Plus you get skin and the carcass to make stock for your next delicious meal.

Bear in mind that anything over 4 ounces of meat per person, per meal is extravagant in the extreme and not necessary for rude, good health.

Can one cook a whole chicken in a slow cooker or does it have to be disected?

Thanks all for the replies so far they are a great starting point and all soind delicious!

Meal plans and shopping lists could also come in handy so I will have a pad and paper at the ready.

Thanks

onetomany

ive done a whole chicken before its nice x just falls of the bone so no waste

melspur

you can cook a whole chicken in the slow cooker, comes out really juicy and yummy, just falls off the bone, just one problem there though, it can be great fun trying to lift it out of s/c in one piece!!

mrbadexample

Stew. :drool:

mardatha

Following this with interest ! If I do a whole chicken then the bit that's left over and goes in the fridge will disappear as if by magic. We seem to have a very big mouse ...

BitterAndTwisted

Cold chicken sandwiches are a temptation from the Devil especially with mayo, Branston and a slice of tomato