Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

Thriftkitten

Hi I am a total newbie as far as the slow cooker is concerned, so may seem like a stupid question, but hey ho, if you don't ask you don't learn!
I want to do a thrifty bolognaise in the slow cooker today,as was inspired by Mbaz on a similar thread, could someone tell me if I need to brown the mince first or just chuck it all into the slowcooker with the lentils, tomatoes, water, herbs etc, also how long would you estimate I leave it to cook and at low, med, or high please, thanks for your patience on what maybe a silly question:o

Kitcaboodle

Cooking the apple dumplings last night might have been traumatic with all the crying DS did while I was trying to prepare them - but boy were they a success! I will definitely make them again!

I made some sweet, short crust pastry & added a pinch of bicarb and a sprinkling of cinnamon (which resulted in possibly the best pastry I've ever made!) I then put the pastry in the fridge in a bowl while I sorted out the apples.

I had granny smith apples which I peeled & cored. I kept them from browning by putting them in a bowl of water & lemon juice as I did the rest of the apples.

I filled the insides of the apples with amber sugar crystals, which I like as they don't seem as sweet as regular sugar. I sprinkled the apple with cinnamon, put a sliver of butter on top of the hole & then wrapped in the pastry.

I found I was only able to make four dumplings out of 8oz of pastry & the apples weren't large. Just thought I'd share that for anyone else trying to make them!

I greased some baking parchment and put the dumplings on that in a casserole dish & I baked them in the centre of the oven at 200 degrees C. I gave them 20 mins to brown slightly and then covered with foil for another 40 mins so the apple would be totally soft. The dumplings split open and the contents created a really great syrup at the bottom of the dish. I then popped them back in without the foil and turned off the oven so the residual heat would crisp up the pastry.

They are seriously yummy!

On other notes. Due to deadlines, DH didn't get home last night from work until nearly 11:30pm! He got out so late that his car was shut in the car park so he's gone off to reclaim it before anyone breaks into it! DS has been very fussy the last few days, not napping properly during the day and going to bed around 2am, so I really couldn't face being left with him again on my own on a day when I usually have a bit of a break. I know it will take DH 3-4 hours to go, get the car & get back.

Thankfully DH is an absolute star, so has taken DS with him on his first train journey! So I get some very much needed me time at last!

Pitlanepiglet

Thriftkitten, I brown the mince first, then add the tomatoes and herbs and lentils and leave to cook for four or five hours. My crock pot goes on the hob though so I brown the mince, add everything else and then move the pot into the slow cooker. I don't think all slow cooker pots are safe for the hob.

If I make stew I often just chuck the meat in without browning it so if you don't have time I wouldn't lose any sleep over bunging it all in together. Use slightly less water than usual though as the slow cooker tends to create more fluid.

Red_Doe

Sorry I appreciate you are trying to preserve your limited food supplies but

---

we usedto live in the middle of nowhere in Aberdeenshire and lost a much loved fluffy grey cat in a rabbit snare. Over 20 years ago but still hurts. I know things are tough and I also get annoyed at losing hard-grown vegetables but aforementioned snare was in the wilds--local farmer just needing much needed food.

I understand your point, but if you knew my circumstances....
there isn`t another cat around here for miles, excepting mine, that`s the truth. Beyond that, if a stray cat gets caught in my snare, people will think I am heartless for this, but I will keep on snaring. The rabbits here are a serious problem, not just for garden crops but for crofting land..I can look out my window and see first hand what damage they have done and will do.
I`m afraid I`m very bullish when it comes to making ends meet...when things get so tough, I`ll do what it takes to feed me and mine. Don`t mean to be offensive to people with cats, I have one myself and will make sure she`s in the barn whilst the snares are set (she`s a barn cat anyway so no hardship for her) but beyond the usual precautions, I can`t do anymore.

Primrose

kezlou wrote: »

But i have to admit i don't think i could stomach sprouts, makes me shudder just thinking about them urghhhhh

.

Have you tried:
1. Shredding them finely and mixing them raw with grated carrot & celery in coleslaw?
2. Shredding finely and using them in a vegetable stir-fry?

Raw sprouts or barely cooked as they are in stir fries seem to have a completely different flavour to the boiled ones, and many people who can't stand the flavour of sprouts which have been boiled are surprised how nice and crunchy the raw, or almost raw ones are.

Thriftkitten

Thanks for that x

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Thriftkitten, I brown the mince first, then add the tomatoes and herbs and lentils and leave to cook for four or five hours. My crock pot goes on the hob though so I brown the mince, add everything else and then move the pot into the slow cooker. I don't think all slow cooker pots are safe for the hob.

If I make stew I often just chuck the meat in without browning it so if you don't have time I wouldn't lose any sleep over bunging it all in together. Use slightly less water than usual though as the slow cooker tends to create more fluid.

Lindy_-_Loo

kezlou wrote: »

xmas presents -i'm checking fleabay for a lego fire station etc as thats what my 6 yr old is currently into. But will cost me over £200 alone for it, far too much for one child. Not sure what DS1 wants, i know he's love taking pictures so might see if i can get a cheap digital camera for him. I've seen some locally for about £25.

B&M here currently have a lego police station for £12.99 and lego construction site for £12.99. They are made by build it but the pieces fit with normal lego pieces. Weve bought the police station for the boys to share and Im hoping a fire station comes in soon

the_cat

I never bother to brown anything before it goes in the slow cooker. I'm too lazy!

There isn't a right or wrong way, so do whichever you prefer. Mine gets plenty of compliments but I can't compare the two methods as I've only had it 'my' way

sammy_kaye18

Lindy_-_Loo wrote: »

B&M here currently have a lego police station for £12.99 and lego construction site for £12.99. They are made by build it but the pieces fit with normal lego pieces. Weve bought the police station for the boys to share and Im hoping a fire station comes in soon

From what I remember wilkinsons do a similar one too but they had a fire station and a police station in and its similar to lego and fits with it but was under another name - Ben is getting one of each too as he has only asked for five things, wwe stuff, lego, beyblades, transformer and board games.

Well have had an ok day today - body has finally decided after having holly that is going to get itself back in order so have the fun of the TOTM at the minute. Nto helped by the fact that durign Bens football match there was anotehr match going on so I figured if I stood behind the net with babe I'd be far enough and protected from balls etc that she wasnt at risk of being hit (she was in her buggy) um....................wrong - and I had a full force ball hit me right int he kidneys from some 18 year old. Wasnt amused but it was our team scorign so hey ho.

Went to watch Ben play football and he won 7 - 5. They haven't lost a match yet but am a bit upset with the lack of coaching he gets whilst match playing - they are doing well but the coach is favouring the other team so our team are left to it basically with the mums shouting instructions to them. Ben has asked if he can try rugby now. His little best friend wants to go to so will take the pair of them next week I think to see how they like it (its only touch rugby) but might enjoy it more in which case he can play that instead.

Am looking online at meat prices at the minute. I want to get ben eating more meat as he looks awful thin and boney when hes undressing so need to bulk him up a little bit and want to get more meat in him bu tits getting so expensive I really have no idea how Im going to do it. Also would like to look into getting plenty of meat in the freezer as with Owen working delivering curtosy cars all day he wants to come home to a good solid meal but he likes his meat in cold weather so think plenty of hot pot/stews are on the agenda once I figure out how to make them!

dollydaydream07

Hi,

DH changed jobs back in March and where he is at now, the salary is £7000 less a year, to make up this shortfall i took on a temporary summer job but that's now ended, we were paying out for childcare as well so tax credits made up a huge chunk of that, but now we won't be getting as much in tc and we won't have my income so we need to get used to living off a lower income
we have done it before - but that was 5 years ago - so i know we can do it again, it's just getting used to it again!

i think might ask our utility company for some money back as we are over £200 in credit with them - is it worth doing now or should we wait till after the winter??