Coffee and chocolate

miggy

Lemon_Tree wrote: »

sorry for the confusion, my slowcooker has a pottery crock pot that sits inside it but then it is almost 20 years old. I think these days they're metal pans or something (can't think of a better way of explaining it).
the works is a cheapish book shop that sells lots of bargain books. Mr LT is thinking about our getting his parents a slow cooker for christmas and i've suggested a cookery book as well which he likes the idea of this.

Oh - got you now!

I think what you're describing is very like my new slow cooker - there's a ceramic central pot that lifts out of a metal outer shell. My old one didn't have a part that lifted out at all, which meant I always worried about it when it came to washing up time as obviously it couldn't be immersed in water.

I have a feeling there's a 'The Works' in Middlesbrough now you mention it. I'll have a look next tikme I'm over there - might even get some Christmas presents while I'm at it. If it's not The Works it's something very similar. I had never thought of that as a source for slow cooker stuff but they usually have quite a lot of recipe books, don't they? And art stuff (thinks stocking fillers for art student...)

If Mr LT gets a slow cooker for his parents, my experience with this one is so far, so good, and it was only £9 for a Mr. T 3.3 litre slow cooker. Main points if a review is of any use to you:

• looks smart
• only £9 at present (usually only about £12 from what I've heard elsewhere)
• glass lid that shouldn't be dishwashed (!)
• removable black interior pot that will dishwash but won't go on the hob or in the microwave
• Instructions included but no recipes
• Exterior gets hot while cooking (suggesting low insulation?)
• settings are off / low / high / warm (for keeping food hot - seems to be a suitable temp)
• no cord storage
• quite big to store but then aren't they all?

I think my next foray onto Amaz*n might include a search for recipe books... the 1p ones... (sigh)

miggy

Celebrate with me - virtual bubbly / cake / poison of your choice all round!

The insurance woman says 'yes'! However before I go and order my cooker (MY COOKER! :rotfl:), I have to get that birthday present I managed not to got on Saturday...

... and there's a sausage casserole in the slow cooker for tonight.

miggy

P.S. Still resisting breadmaker. Still resisting... still resisting...

miggy

Present bought, bread maker resisted, cooker still hypothetical!

DH sensibly points out that the money isn't in our account yet - while they've agreed to pay us, they could change the amount as it had to go to be authorised by somebody senior. Apparently the people who answer the phones can only authorise so much. Fair enough.

In the meantime I have found it cheaper online so my next job is to find out how good the online people are (and not forget to go through Quidco).

Meanwhile the ancient vacuum cleaner is throwing a bit of a wobbly so DH is speaking sternly and wielding a screwdriver. It's done this before. No panic - yet.

MissShoes

miggy wrote: »

P.S. Still resisting breadmaker. Still resisting... still resisting...

Don't resist! Give in! xx

miggy

MissShoes wrote: »

Don't resist! Give in! xx

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

MatyMoo

How was the sausage casserole?

We did a slow roast beef joint in ours yesterday and it was amazing, very moist & falling apart with a great flavour. £6 for the joint and it will do the 2 of us at least 3 meals, more if I put it in to pies and things.

miggy

DH loved it, DS1 and I thought we should have put nicer sausages in. (DD was eating out and DS2 was putting things in the toaster and microwave as usual - casseroles not being his thing.)

That beef sounds gorgeous! Am I right in thinking meat cooks better than other things in the slow cooker? I am off to the shops in a minute for chicken and a sauce to do for tonight - I will have to work out a way to keep DS2's chicken out of the sauce, LOL!

(*thinks* 'Buy another slow cooker just for DS2? Nah... don't be daft! Don't even be tempted even if they are a bargain!')

MatyMoo

The beef was yummy and I had put quite a lot of liquid in (2 pints) as we like a lot of gravy - it helps when you want to serve it up another day to warm it through in that.

You can cook meat in a slow cooker with minimal liquid if you want though. When I do a whole chicken I make 3 balls of tinfoil to act as a trivet and just place it on top with salt and pepper. I do add chicken seasoning too, but just because it makes the skin look a better colour

When it comes out it is literally falling off the bone so you can strip it very easily and it seems to stretch sooooo far it is better than elastic!

I then bung the carcass back in with some carrot, onion, herbs, bay leaf and anything else to hand and make stock which I turn in to soup. So far with pies, soup and dinners my record is 20 portions!

I think my biggest mistake the first few times I slow cooked was too much liquid

I am told you can do a great rice pudding in there too, but I haven't tried that yet. It is worth checking the old style board for ideas, that is what got me going.

miggy

MatyMoo wrote: »

I am told you can do a great rice pudding in there too, but I haven't tried that yet. It is worth checking the old style board for ideas, that is what got me going.

*Allocates another six hours to browsing*

I tried rice pud once but I have definitely not got the knack so maybe I should read up and try again. I noticed when I cooked a chicken that meat actually releases lots of liquid so I am cutting back.

Are there any particular threads you'd recommend, Maty?