make do and mend for tougher times

grandma247

Hello Tink.
I almost always use the Auto cook function on my slow cooker because it does the high/low thing for you. I am not sure if all slow cookers have that option though.

prepareathome

I just had a look there are quite a few kindle slow cooker recipe books for around 77p at the moment - some you can look inside and there are recipes there so you could just read what they put up and learn from that.......they give you times and settings for the slow cooker.

Me I just throw everything in,very often frozen meat with all the bits the night before and leave it to cook on low till next day. Might not be what the books say but I have been doing it for many, many year. The only time I use high is for chicken(which I never put in frozen of course).

The one thing you must remember is yo u don't need anywhere near as much liquid in the slow cooker as you would on the stove or in the oven as it doesn't evaporate - well it does but so slowly that you lose nothing over 8 hrs (I know it does evaporate as I once wasn't to good and in bed two days and hubby just left the food I had cooking in slow cooker on and after two days it wasn't burnt but all the liquid had gone. Food was a bit overcooked but still edible.

luxor4t

Tink_04 wrote: »

.........Acutually managed to burn leeks to the bottom of it once :S

De-lurking to say the hottest part is the bottom so put the stuff that needs to cook the most, ie the meat, on the bottom, then the dense items eg grains, veg like chunks of carrot and potato, and final what MiL calls 'sleeshy stuff' like tomato on top.
I'd say leeks should be in the upper middle.
I give my 'creations' a good stir towards the end so that the layering disappears.
HTH

elona

Tink

I buy chicken drumsticks and thighs when there is an offer as it is much cheaper . Some tv chefs are now recommending using chicken thighs as they have more flavour ( bet prices will go up now).

I either marinade the chicken by making up a mix of soy sauce, honey, ketchup, spices - whatever I have in cupboard - coat chicken , place in plastic bag and put in fridge overnight before roasting for 30 mins or so.

If you can get a turkey thigh and cook in slow cooker till meat falls off the bone, you get a lot of cough "chicken" to use in stir fries, pasta bakes, pies etc.

I got an AF order the order day and some Dr. Oet**** batter mix was in it - thought a bag of it would be handy.

The bag is massive!!! I have about half a stone of batter mix!! Managed to rejig plastic containers so I could fill two huge containers with it and labelled it clearly. I am determined to actually use it up so apart from experimenting with pancakes, maybe fish in batter - I am wracking my brains to think what to use it for.

Anyone think I could just consider it as ordinary flour and use it to make white or cheese sauce etc ? Have promised DH that I will use everything I order and don't want to let myself down by wasting stuff.

grandma247

Do you need to add egg or milk to the batter mix?

D&DD

I could never really get on with my slowcooker..left a funny taste in my mouth( and I don't have many tastebuds as I smoke!) but persevered with it and found if I use those knorr stockpots everything tastes lovely weird eh?
They are a bit pricey but I stockpile them when they're on offer.

Kidcat glad you got it sorted out I'm like you I tend to get excited over new appliances too lol

Just waiting for a lift to the sewing shop,busted two of my 3 machines I'm so heavy handed being used to industrial ones,domestics never stand a chance with me
The overlocker just needs a service really as I've knocked the timing out again but my posh embroidery one I think will need the needleshaft totally re-aligned..again thankfully found a mechanic but when I told him where we live his van to pick them up is conveniently out of action this week.
The estate's not that bad now but suppose it still has a reputation..not had that happen for a while!

smileyt_2

Morning peeps (waves at Tink and Luxor4t, welcome!)!

Kidcat I hope the new washing machine is the machine of your dreams !

Had a peek at the hoarding thread yesterday and was inspired to go and do something (as opposed to nothing, which has been my modus operandi for the last few weeks due to the depression). To my shame I managed to clear out a huge bag of rubbish, a huge bag of recycling, and a huge bag of assorted 'stuff' which is destined for the charity shop - from my bedroom . I have no idea where it all comes from. Even though it is a lovely day, this morning's plan is to tackle the ironing mountain, which will clear another surface in my bedroom. When my bedroom is done I will have a go at clearing down here. The kitchen is clean, though so that's a start.

Had a brainwave yesterday, too. My Housing Association holds three or four fundays/info days in the local park every year. I live in an area with high ethnic minority populations. So I am going to contact the blood donor and organ donor folks and see if they would want to link up with the HA (have spoken to HA neighbourhood officer and she thinks it's a good idea) and have a stall at the fundays. They might be able to encourage people from the different communities to sign up to give blood or be an organ donor or bone marrow donor as there is a shortage of people from the non-white populations doing this. Plus any white British folks who sign up won't be unwanted! I can't give blood because I just go into shock every time I try - last time I got sent home in a taxi and gently told not to come back again as my body just can't cope with it and they were fed up of having to revive me, plus I could never squeeze a full 'pint' in the allotted time.

Anyway, up and at it. Greyqueen enjoy your holiday; I'm sure you'll have tales to tell when you get back!

Gintotmelinda

hi Tink

Just to say I have tried making cheese sauce with cornflour and milk as recommended by the keen os'ers on here. half a pint of milk and a tablespoon of cornflour slightly rounded. Pur the cornflour in a pan and add enough milk to mix to a runny paste. Add the milk and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Cook on a low heat with it just bubbling for a minute or to. Add a small handful grated cheese and a bit of mustard and stir in. Done!

I like this on steamed cauli and broccoli. Cook veg, broccoli takes less time than cauli. Put in ovenproof dish and pour cheese sauce over. Sprinkle a bit of grated cheese over. Either put under grill or in oven for a bit to brown and keep your eye on it.

PS have a look at the grocery challenge thread as there are some good recipes and lovely people on there as well as the lovely people on this thread..

Good luck.

Gintot

greent

smileyt wrote: »

Had a brainwave yesterday, too. My Housing Association holds three or four fundays/info days in the local park every year. I live in an area with high ethnic minority populations. So I am going to contact the blood donor and organ donor folks and see if they would want to link up with the HA (have spoken to HA neighbourhood officer and she thinks it's a good idea) and have a stall at the fundays. They might be able to encourage people from the different communities to sign up to give blood or be an organ donor or bone marrow donor as there is a shortage of people from the non-white populations doing this. Plus any white British folks who sign up won't be unwanted! I can't give blood because I just go into shock every time I try - last time I got sent home in a taxi and gently told not to come back again as my body just can't cope with it and they were fed up of having to revive me, plus I could never squeeze a full 'pint' in the allotted time.

Fabulous idea! Blood service is always in need, as we all know

I give blood intermittently (often borderline anaemic or actually anaemic - now I take iron supplements in the run up to a donation and eat red meat (which I don't normally do) - disppointing otherwise to get turned away when they do the check

As to squeezing blood out, they always look at my arms and tut (well hidden veins, take a lot of persuading to show themselves) - can take a while to find it, but my record for filling a bag is in under 3 minutes (they had me and another fast donor unofficially 'race' one time...! )

Pooky

Mornin all

GQ - hope you have a lovely time whatever you're upto.

Fuddle - good luck with your visitors today.

ST - good thinking on the blood/bone marrow link up, hope it comes off. I can't give blood either, my veins go into hiding and I end up looking like some sort of well tackled rugby player every time I go for a blood test, they normally end up opting for the back of my hand which makes them so sore.

DD2 had friends sleep over last night, even at 14 they loved making a den in the living room and are still all cosied up on blow up mattresses and blankets watching tv. Will be taking them all home after lunch.

I tend to only use my SC on low for everything, the secret is in getting the liquid levels right, if it's too sloppy it won't evaporate down and intensify the flavours as it would on the hob. You can always remove as much liquid as you can at the end of cooking and reduce in a pan but it won't have given everything else the deeper flavour. I always use extra seasoning and herbs/spices in the SC and either a good spoonful of cornflour made up and stirred in or a sprinkle of gravy granuals to help thicken (watch out for the salt content in the granuals though)

Going to see what @ldi super 6 are and meal plan around them before I head out. Managed the fast and really quite enjoyed the challenge and looking forward to doing it again next week. (thanks to whoever it was for the advice about checking with GP, i'm still in my 30's and reasonably fit and healthy so am happy to give it a go, DH won't be trying it until he's had a chat with the GP because of his meds (38 tablets a day is enough to fill him up anyway )