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View Full Version : who has a slow cooker...?



marnieb
03-05-2011, 03:09 PM
and would you recommend it???

I'm full on a wednesday and Thursday, and so am running out of quick things to make for mindees and my kids tea, so i was thinking of getting a slow cooker.

I can only think of a few things to make on it tho, so do they come with recipe books, or are there any websites with ideas on them???

As always, thank you!! :)

LOOPYLISA
03-05-2011, 03:16 PM
Best thing i was given (present) :thumbsup:

I pop anything in there, mince, currys, stews, whole chicken :D

You will wish you bought one years ago x

caz3007
03-05-2011, 03:29 PM
Definately recommend. I mainly do curries and casseroles, but its sooo easy and you can feed the mindies from it and then when they all go home, your tea is ready too

lma
03-05-2011, 03:51 PM
I love my slow cooker and cant fathum how I managed before I got it.
The children also love coming in from school and the house is smelling all yummy as they say.:D

We've had sausage casserole, chicken casserole, umpteen curries, mince for a mince and veg dinner, corned beef hash, corned beef hotpot. The list is endless and most nowaday do come with a basic recipe booklet.

blue bear
03-05-2011, 03:54 PM
Love mine, came with a recipe book but a bit fancy for every day eating I do stews , chicken, gammon, mince, curry, carbonara, you can buy books but I haven't just keep asking friends for ideas

Hebs
03-05-2011, 03:58 PM
i couldnt be without my slow cooker :thumbsup:

JumpingJacks
03-05-2011, 04:03 PM
Love my slow cooker, couldn't survive without it in the cooler weather, also fab for making curries :)

try this site, I have used it before
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/popular-dishes/slow-cooker

or
http://www.parents.com/recipes/cooking/family-favorites/ready-when-you-are-5-slow-cooker-meals-kids-love/

Hope theses help x

Jac x

miffy
03-05-2011, 05:14 PM
Wouldn't be without mine - makes life so much easier especially if I have children to take/collect from school at lunchtime as food can be ready as soon as you walk through the door! :thumbsup:

Miffy xx

mushpea
03-05-2011, 05:51 PM
I lurve my slowcooker,, we do
bolognaise sauce which we then make in to lasagne
currys
chilli
shepherds pie
casserole
stews

I also do joints of meat,, I dont add any water they just cook in their own juices and come out lovley and moist.

Trouble
03-05-2011, 05:53 PM
i have 2 a big one (bit too big and
a little one which holds alot

love it

make sure you get one with automatic on as its handy xx

PixiePetal
03-05-2011, 05:57 PM
I have a ham joint in mine now - been on all day. Just finished work, put potatoes on and just veg to do :thumbsup:

wouldn't be without it :)

Donkey
03-05-2011, 06:06 PM
I looooooooooove mine!!!

just trying to find some nice summery recepies...

I cant spell today :( lol

I have done a whole chicken but it doesnt come out all roasted, but the meat is lovely and moist, beef, pork, ham....

mmmm

chilli, bollognese, stews, casseroles... great for minding... get everything in before 9am mindee arrives and forget about till tea time!

amanda1309
03-05-2011, 06:18 PM
I love mine

Its brilliant coming in after a day out and you can smell tea:laughing:

Rmead
03-05-2011, 06:22 PM
Love mine too. Don't have any mindees that have dinner but it's so nice to be able to quickly stick meat and veg in while they're eating lunch or morning snack and know that dinner's ready whenever I want it.

Tealady
03-05-2011, 06:27 PM
The Argos cookworks ones were a Which? Best Buy and v.affordable if you want to give it a go and not splash out too much cash.

I got the biggest one (about £20) so I can get in a whole chicken

alwaysright
03-05-2011, 07:52 PM
this may sound a bit dim but i have never had or used one of these, so for example if i was making a bolognese sauce i would just put eveything in raw and it cooks itself?? doesnt need stirring etc??

little miss chatterbox
03-05-2011, 08:05 PM
i would love some summery recipes too if anyone has any? I love my slow cooker, wouldn't be without it

mushpea
03-05-2011, 08:11 PM
this may sound a bit dim but i have never had or used one of these, so for example if i was making a bolognese sauce i would just put eveything in raw and it cooks itself?? doesnt need stirring etc??

yep you just bung everything in and it will cook all day,, some people brown their meat first but I dont,, apparently it dosent use anymore electricity than a light bulb,
with a joint i just put the joint in the cooker, no water and it cooks in its own juices,, lovley and moist

Heaven Scent
03-05-2011, 08:22 PM
I recently got 1 and love it!!!! - I'd love some nice summer recipes

LOOPYLISA
03-05-2011, 08:56 PM
this may sound a bit dim but i have never had or used one of these, so for example if i was making a bolognese sauce i would just put eveything in raw and it cooks itself?? doesnt need stirring etc??

I always brown my mince and drain as it can be a bit fatty otherwise but you don't have to :thumbsup:

I give mine a stir now and again if im home but you should'nt keep taking the lid off really :thumbsup: its my excuse to have a bit :D

alwaysright
03-05-2011, 09:08 PM
yep you just bung everything in and it will cook all day,, some people brown their meat first but I dont,, apparently it dosent use anymore electricity than a light bulb,
with a joint i just put the joint in the cooker, no water and it cooks in its own juices,, lovley and moist

thanks for that!! i may well have to get one of these, just checked out the argos one, its £17.19 so worth a try :laughing:

BuggsieMoo
04-05-2011, 06:22 AM
Its one of my best investments. You can make all your usual oven meals in it also - I do tend to brown my meat off first though just to give it some colour.

Its fab cos I put it on around an hour before I do school run, by the time we are home and sorted - dinner is ready.

x Lisa

marnieb
04-05-2011, 06:32 AM
Thanks for the replies ladies - off to order one now!!!!!

loocyloo
04-05-2011, 12:02 PM
i've got a bolognese cooking in mine as i type!

i do brown off mince and onions/mushrooms as i like them 'coloured'.

i'd like some 'summer' meals too! all i can think of is to cook a chicken/ham etc and then have that cold with salad.

nannysue
04-05-2011, 01:03 PM
I haven't had mine long but now wonder why i didn't get one sooner . Its so easy , put it on in the morning and tea is ready when you are.

I haven't done a whole chicken yet , but lots of mince type meals , casseroles, gammon is lovely.

Mine is on now , doing meatballs in a smokey BBQ sauce, the smell is wonderful.:thumbsup:

sweets
04-05-2011, 01:08 PM
i love mine and use it loads in winter. i often put casseroles etc in late at night so its ready for the next lunctime, which is when my mindees have their main meal.

i did try a whole chicken in it once, left it about 8 hours but it was disgusting, it smelt like boiled chicken while cooking then when i lifted it out it all fell apart and the bottom of the pot was just covered in bones and skin, it tasted nice but wouldnt do one again!

LOOPYLISA
04-05-2011, 01:11 PM
i love mine and use it loads in winter. i often put casseroles etc in late at night so its ready for the next lunctime, which is when my mindees have their main meal.

i did try a whole chicken in it once, left it about 8 hours but it was disgusting, it smelt like boiled chicken while cooking then when i lifted it out it all fell apart and the bottom of the pot was just covered in bones and skin, it tasted nice but wouldnt do one again!

I do agree about the chicken :thumbsup:

Rubybubbles
04-05-2011, 01:29 PM
I love my slow cooker too:thumbsup: homemade soups is a big fav here, and if I feel really naughty I will put the breadmaker on too 'droolll'

Favs here, currys!, any meat with stock cube and loads of veg (not parsnip, for some reason I find it overpowers everything:p ). make filling for a pie, steak ad kidney, then put into a dish with filo pastry on top oh now I am hungry and haven't got it on! we are having paprika chicken tonight stir fried:rolleyes:

PixiePetal
04-05-2011, 01:37 PM
I have meatballs and tomato sauce in mine today. I have training this eve so won't get to eat it but at least family will get fed :rolleyes:

Flisspaps
04-05-2011, 01:48 PM
This thread made me get mine out of the cupboard yesterday, I've got a huge veg curry in there for mine and DD's tea tonight!