The most useful kitchen gadget?

Anne_Marie_2

Stilton is great in soups, broccoli or potato already mentioned, also parsnip or leek or just onion.

Also nice mixed with other cheese in a pasta bake. Frequently do one with some cheddar, little bit of stilton and whatever other cheese I happen to have around such as edam/gouda/mozzarella or soft cheese like Philly type.

Anne_Marie_2

Seanymph wrote: »

I did chickpea and tomato spicy soup in mine this morning, went shopping and we've just had it - it was awful the baguette from Lidl's was lovely, the soup not so much....

So, disasters happen - but we keep going!

Did you blitz the soup? I'm not keen on whole chickpeas in soup. Might help anyway if you have some left over.

carriebradshaw

I love my slow cookers I've got 2 & although I'm not that adventurous I have been using them both a lot especially this Winter. Today I've got both of them on the go as I'm typing this reply:j The big one has got lentil & smoked bacon soup in which is so simple to do, chopped carrots, chopped onions, bacon bits from lidl, red lentils, stock, water, salt, pepper & I lifted a couple of leeks & some kale from the veg garden & added them in as well all just thrown in the pot and switched on, will blend it later on with my stick blender,put some in the fridge & freeze the rest for lunches. Sometimes we will eat a bowl before it's blended for tea so it's like a bowl of chunky stew, very tasty indeed.

The other smaller slow cooker has a lamb casserole/hotpot type dish cooking away for tea, which I usually make with either lamb or pork chops or diced lamb,but today has got leftovers from a cooked joint, then I add chopped onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, plus kale from the garden, white wine, thickened stock and sliced pots on the top, again effortless but good and tasty. I love that I can throw it all in,switch it on & don't have to worry about it boiling over any time. :T

ejbg2001

Hi Red,

My must have gadgets are the George Formby (other grills are available) ;-) my garlic press and my wok. I had to replace my grill when I fatally dropped it one year and until I could I was up the creek without a paddle.

There is only me n OH but he is awkward to cook for. I love soups n stews but he hates all but Chilli and Spag Bol so long as they are not gloopy and don't taste of tomato as he hates that cooked tomato taste. Throw in T2 diabetes and I have fun on my hands at meal times. So I go for a lot of stir frys with noodles (precooked) or rice and grilled meat. For a healthy side dish or a quick lunch I grill aubergine or courgettes and sprinkle paprika or sesame seeds over the top.

My all time fave tho for a family meal is a warm potato salad. I cook new pots froz peas n sweetcorn then drain and cool em slightly once cooked. In a big bowl I chop cucumber, onion and a protein (usually hot dogs or cooked chicken/ham), throw in cherry tomatoes and add the pots and peas. Then just fold in mayo and herbs of your choice till covered and hey presto. I made a bag of new pot salad do 4 adults and 3 kids.

Glad to hear you are recovering, depression of any type is a big bag of rubbish for anyone to deal with. I hope our replies are giving you an energy boost to help get you thru the day.

RedCola

Thank you for all the lovely ideas, lots to get me started and I will be noting some down later.

Today, I feel I left to late for my slow cooker, will be on without a doubt tomorrow though! I have decided to attempt some kind of pasta bake or macaroni this evening. I have macaroni shapes, so may do them and was thinking of adding a leek and slicing a gammon slice up, frying them both off and adding to the pasta? Will that work? I also have a white sauce mix, which will help as I am very tired now. Have a lot of leftover cheeses too. I was also wondering how to add some kind of crunchy topping?
I realised I may need scales too, as when I tried to search recipes, everything was measured out. I do have a measuring jug though.

Would love some advice on how to do this tonight, I will be starting to cook around 4.30pm

curiousralphy

Cook pasta in water and put to side. Then in a wok or large fry pan very gently fry finely chopped leak in a big dollop of butter with a splash of olive oil until is it very soft and then add finely chopped gammon and keep frying until it starts to just brown at edges, add a handful or two of frozen peas if you have it as well as a crushed garlic clove and a small squeeze of honey (half to one teaspoon only) and fry gently for another minute or two, then add white sauce and handful or two of grated cheese and keep cooking till it is hot. Mix white sauce and pasta together and then put in pyrex dish and cover with a mix of breadcrumbs and grated cheese if you have it. Cook at high temp until browned on top. - not sure if you have all those ingredients but you seem to have most.

nearlytherenow

I'm another massive fan of the slow cooker. I've considered soup makers in the past but not sure what they have to offer me that a saucepan/slow cooker/stick blender can't.

Good luck with your slow cooker, there are loads of excellent recipes on these forums to help.

bouncydog1

Favourite gadgets - ipad for looking up recipes, magi mix, kenwood chef, stick blender with soup attachment, good set of knives and good set of pots and pans transferable from hob to oven to table e.g Le creuset but they are heavy!

Also have a slo cooker but don't use that much but have had nearly 30 years so it's doing o.k.

RedCola

OK curiousralphy - I followed your recipe and am now waiting for it to come out of the oven. I don't have a pyrex dish (recommended?) so I used a baking dish.

It was really easy to follow, and I think I could whizz up the ingredients in the processor during the day, whilst my toddler has her nap and the boys are at school. Then its just a throw in the pan job.

I will let you know what the verdict is from the children! Can this be kept for my husband for when he gets home? I wonder if cheese sauce will go sticky, if that makes sense?

Seanymph

I don't like macoroni cheese reheated, but he might!

How did it turn out? Did you get to use your low cooker today?