Slow Cooker? Help me please!!!

rach2403

Hi all!

New to these boards but have really enjoyed reading them for the last few weeks - have finally plucked up courage to post a question!!! :j

Am trying desperately to cut down on household bills - am stay at home mum with husband and 2 children (4 and 2). My husband works variable shifts so eating as a family can be tricky sometimes and have fallen into the trap of not always cooking brilliant meals for us all (feel so guilty!) Anyway new resolution is to sort it out and get cooking wholesome meals!

I've aquired a slow cooker (felt very pleased with myself as got it free from a friend!) and thought this could be the way to go? Maybe make it when children playing nicely (ha ha!) then could eat with the children earlier (5ish) then hubbie could eat later?

Here comes the reason for the post - I don't have a clue about any recipes!!! I'm not a huge fan of curry but everyone else is so would still give it a go! Basically ANY ideas would be greatly received - am determined to be a better mummy and feed my family well!!!

Thank you!
Rachel x

Paige

Hi Rachel

I am also a stay at home Mum of 2 with a husband who comes home at various times. The slow cooker is fab because I can feed the kids and then leave the cooker on keeping his/our food hot for later. This evening I put in 2 chopped onions, handful chopped mushrooms,1/2 pint beef stock, 2 tins toms, 2 larges pieces cubed braising steak,some dried mixed herbs,chopped garlic and salt and pepper. I put this on auto at 9am, the kids and I ate at 5.30 and OH is ready for when he gets home. You can put any 1 pot recepie in the slow cooked providing you have not got any thing that needs browning on top of it. ie Pots. I serve these type of meals with nice crusty bread

Pink.

Hi rach,

The slow cooker sounds ideal for your situation. As my children have got older and because of after school stuff they are coming home at different times I have found mine invaluable!

Have a browse through the The Complete Slow Cooker Collection and you're bound to find a recipe that will suit your family.

Pink

rach2403

Wow that's great thanks - definately think I'll be using it tomorrow night then! My husband won't know what has hit him!

One final question - is it ok to cook things (from fresh) then freeze them? Thinking of emergency meals!

Thank you for all your help!
Rachel x

Pink.

Yes it will be fine to cook and freeze any leftovers. I sometimes make double quantities and freeze the leftovers for another time.

Pink

madauri

I'm sure you can freeze the meals the same as if you cooked other ways.
To me the slow cooker is a great solution to little time to cook. I chuck the ingredients inside in the morning, go to work, and when I'm back dinner is ready!
I usually make chicken casserole there, it's so easy. It can be useful for x-mas too: I've been trying an idea somebody in this forum gave, put a gammon joint in, enough water to just cover it, and let it cook. Apart from the supertender meat, it gives a delicious soup!

rach2403

madauri wrote:

I'm sure you can freeze the meals the same as if you cooked other ways.
To me the slow cooker is a great solution to little time to cook. I chuck the ingredients inside in the morning, go to work, and when I'm back dinner is ready!
I usually make chicken casserole there, it's so easy. It can be useful for x-mas too: I've been trying an idea somebody in this forum gave, put a gammon joint in, enough water to just cover it, and let it cook. Apart from the supertender meat, it gives a delicious soup!

Thanks for that - should the gammon have a bone in it? I have a joint in the fridge - now getting some ideas!!!!

Rachel x

squeaky

Many people think that meat cooked on the bone is much tastier for it. I'm one of them, though I know that others have said that they can't tell the difference.

madauri

In any case you can cook it with or without bone.
Some people buy salted bones to make soup. You can bone the meat once cooked and use the bones to make soup.

madauri

Oh, and the last time I put the meat with the juice and all in the fridge once cooled down, and the thick soup became jelly, which I love! Next time I'm going to drain the liquid before putting in the fridge, to skim the fat.

rach2403

Feel so hungry now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for all the fab recipes - my family will be so well fed!

Rachelx