Missy’s family of 4, paying off debts, saving for a house and just trying to survive!

WelshKitty85

I used to do a bbq pulled pork in the slow cooker. That was delicious. I'd actually forgotten about it until just now so must do it again soon.

i agree with joedenise about using cous cous for a quick meal. I often use flavoured cous cous (either a packet, or plain cous cous flavoured with stock, chilli, paprika) to stuff peppers, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bung it in the oven until the cheese is melted. Really quick, tasty, and healthy. 

Bluegreen143

One thing I occasionally do - Tesco do a bag of cooked frozen chicken pieces. It’s handy to have them in and you can throw them into stir fry and pesto pasta etc. And they are there as an emergency wrap/sandwich ingredient too. Sorry not a slow cooker idea. You can get frozen bags of stir fry veg too and could keep packs of micro rice and cooked noodles in.

missymoo81

Wow am loving all of these ideas! Thank you so much! I’m going to have a look in the freezer section in my Tesco app and also the goodfood website. Cheap, easy, healthy ish throw in dinners are what I need!

joedenise

@missymoo81 - another website checking out is the Jack Monroe one for cheap easy recipes - www.cookingonabootstrap.com

I use a few of her recipes.  Her early recipes are with meat but she gradually went completely vegetarian and now all vegan so take your pick!

MagicCat

Another thing I used to find with the slow cooker was that casseroles would end up quite watery (I've never seemed to master how much water/stock to put in) - I now use a value tin of soup as the base for casseroles and they come out tasty and not too thin and watery.

joedenise

When. I use the SC I cut the liquid down by at least half as none of it evaporates.  Alternatively you can just take some of it out an hour or so before it's finished and thicken it up with some cornflour before adding back in.  I don't actually like tinned soups so that wouldn't work for me.

Toni'sfriend

Yes, I find that you have to cut down on the amount of liquid too and when the veg cooks down it increases the volume of liquid. If a recipe calls for a tin of tomatoes I just use half.

Bluegreen143

It’s definitely a tricky one with the slow cooker! I usually use an instant pot/pressure cooker instead & it has the same issue. I got a proper instant pot cookbook and am always amazed how little liquid it suggests using and it always turns out great. When I just wing it I end up putting too much water in every time. So now I do still wing it but I check the cookbook for a similar type of recipe and confirm the water amount first. Agree with using cornflour to thicken as well.

missymoo81

Thanks so much for all of the help with the slow cooker. I have shopped this week. I picked it up at 9.57pm last night. Had the 8-10 slot, don’t think they were too happy about it as I was the last! So I’ve got some more convenience type food, as in pre prepared sfuff to help on busy days. Work has been manic, I haven’t enjoyed it. Just need a rest. Watching trolls with the children whikSt other half works in the garage, we’re going to try and have a ‘date night’ but it Depends  when he finishes work 🙄. Have so much to update on the spending front 😳. Going to catch up with the diaries.

missymoo81

Hi,
Sorry for not updating sooner, life has been crazy! I’ve spent money and shouldn’t have, ex is debating paying maintenance this month and I don’t know what I can do about it. He also might be made redundant so what that means for the maintenance money for the future I don’t know, which is very worrying. 

About to go to work, then home at 1730 then online class at 1830, going to try and sit down tonight to get things sorted and right in my head. 

So will update all Later.