While I was still pregnant I bought a nice big slow cooker. I thought that it would be handy for the busy work days, particularly when I was feeling tired and unwell. It would also be handy after I had the baby however, I used it once [maybe twice]. That was until last week!
Over this past week I have developed a new love for my slow cooker! The cooking is long but the effort required by me is quick and easy. At 10 am, whilst Rupert is still having his morning nap, I chop up and prepare the required foods and ingredients to put into the slow cooker. And BAM just like that I have extra time in my afternoon and evening to tend to other things. It really does take the rush and stress out of cooking. Each time I have cooked on low for 8 hours.
I have taken my friend Nadia's advice and tips and I have been very rewarded with most of the dishes cooked in the slow cooker. You can follow Nadia's blog "The Everyday Blessings" here. She posts her weekly meal plans as well as recipes and cooking tips.
Here is what I cooked in my slow cooker this week.
Thursday: Nadia's Beef Stew - The beef very tender but I did forget to add some gravy powder to thicken so it was a little soupy.
Monday: Kangaroo Stew - Again the meat was so tender and almost melted in your mouth. I served this with homemade bread.
Tuesday: Apricot Chicken - My favourite dish! And having slow cooked it made me even more in love with it! I used drumsticks as they were cheapest and, I also took the skin off. Served with white rice.
Thursday: Spaghetti Bolognese - I found the mince to be somewhat dry, this may have been because I did not add enough water? I shall try again.
If you have some favourite slow cooked recipes you'd like to share than please feel free to! I'm up for trying anything.
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I have a question - do you have to 'cook' the meat first? Or do you throw it in with veggies and stock etc and let it go slow? That sound so silly because it's a slow cooker but do you get what I mean? I have only ever used it for a vegetable curry and I just throw that all in at once.
ReplyDeleteMy housemate has a slow cooker and she uses it all the time with meat too but I am never around to see what she does. Always smells delicious at the end of the day though!
Most recipes tell you to brown the meat first... I do not do this! It would defeat the purpose. And I think this is why I didn't bother slow cooking after my using it once or twice, until I spoke with Nadia and she doesn't brown either.
DeleteYay! I'm so glad you love your slow cooker. Enjoy those slow afternoons xxx
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