Slow Cooker

Bettahm

@Adrian_Scope
Lasagne is one I'll try some time as do like pasta dishes. I wonder if it would do a spag bol? I go to the food bank from time to time and they always give a packet of pasta and a jar of sauce. So add minced beef and onion,  theres another to try.

Chloe_Alumni

I bet that would work @Franstrahan! You'll have to let us know how it all goes.

Bettahm

@Chloe_Scope
Sausage casserole this weekend. A bit like chicken casserole, only with sausages!

Chloe_Alumni

Ooo that sounds lovely @Franstrahan! My mum does one with vegetarian sausages that I love.  

Bettahm

@Chloe_Scope
Sausages, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, potatoes, prob a little bit of carrot and swede too. The mushrooms and potatoes are small so no chopping.
I may try a veggie dish as not keen on meat much.

Chloe_Alumni

This sounds amazing @Franstrahan!

Bettahm

@Chloe_Scope
Yeah I'm on my third sausage casserole this week to use up all the sausages before expiry date!

thespiceman

Hello @Franstrahan   Quick idea for you. Sausages out of skins.

Wet hands then roll in to small sized Meat balls. Means you use up Sausages, before expiry date.

Three sausages makes four or five Meatballs. Must add have herbs, onions already in them, if you buy flavoured ones.

Favourites Chilli, Chorizo or Chilli spices, as it cooks in to sauce.

Other are Chipolatas good quality ones if your buying percentage says on the pack . more than 80% or 90 % sausage meats helps.

You need not have to precook Meat balls just add.

Understand this you could buy ready made Meatballs I do, make a Classic Meatball Soup. Using the veggies you like and adding any tinned pulses, I do this a lot.

Turkey ones great or Beef ones look on websites supermarkets.

ASDA did a variety  Lamb, Pork Thai style and so on.

Hope that inspires you.

Understand am here have just put some more recipes on forum, Mid week cheap eats.

Please take care
My friend
@thespiceman

Bettahm

@thespiceman
Hi, I only had two left. I bought a pack of 8 and had 3, 3, then these last 2 tonight. I saw your midweek one. I thought I might try ratatouille as all veg and have ingredients for that in the little book that came with the cooker. I only like chicken, minced beef and sausages in the meat range. I'm not a fish eater either, only cod and chips. I dont like fat, gristle, bones, skin, anything to do with internal organs or other stuff like that. So minced beef but not beef as I have to cut bits off it. I should go veggie really.

thespiceman

Hello @Franstrahan   nothing wrong going veggies just sometimes different things to do with Sausages. It is just sausage meat.
I do a lot of veggie stuff any tips, or tricks happy to help.

You can go down the Med route like me the food of Italy, Spain and Greece, Southern parts have a vast range of veggie recipes so many.

Or more interesting the food of the cuisines of India and Asia lots of fantastic veggie Curry's using minus ingredients and minimum spices. Spice mixes are not hot, some cultures, castes have no Garlic, Ginger or Onions in their culture as it arouses the senses .

Use roots Potatoes, Swede, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Zucchini Courgettes, Beetroot Cooked.

Onions and spice mixes any one give them a try, use Coconut milk makes it less hot if it ever is.

Great with Kidney Beans or Chickpeas or Lentils used Tinned ones.
Some ideas for you farther North India use Bean and Pulses.

Wish you well.

@thespiceman

Adrian_Scope

Sounds like it's going well with your slow cooker @Franstrahan! Have you attempted any other dishes?

Bettahm

@Adrian_Scope
Not yet. Just the chicken casserole and the sausage one. Might try a chilli con carne. Thinking Christmas dinner will be a slow cooker one this year. Chicken breast, parsnips, potatoes, sausages. Not sure about brussel sprouts in there. Chestnuts are my favourite, and you can get ready cooked microwave ones that heat up in a minute. 
Not a Christmas pudding lover, prob micro some mince pies.
So that's Christmas sorted!

Adrian_Scope

I was actually wondering today how much of a Christmas dinner you could make with a slow cooker @Franstrahan.  That’s sounds pretty perfect, and you can do sprouts in the microwave (although I’d be more than happy without them - I’m not a fan)! And most other veg too. I’ve never tried microwaved chestnuts so you’ll have have to let me know how you get on.

Bettahm

@Adrian_Scope
Will try sprouts in the micro then. The chestnuts are great, no fuss chestnuts. Vacuum packed, if I remember right you just break the seal and heat them up in the microwave. Perfect chestnuts! They're in Tesco, imagine all the supermarkets must do them. 

mrbuttons

I bought myself a luxury mulled wine kit for my lunch with friends next week and I found some recipes online to make it in a slow cooker,

this has to be the weirdest use of a slow cooker yet. I think you have to be careful not to let it get too hot so that the alcohol doesn't evaporate. I might try it. will report back.

Bettahm

@mrbuttons
Will be very interested to hear about that one.
Almost as weird as cooking gammon in coca cola!

thespiceman

Hello @Franstrahan   Good morning to you. You slow cooker can be used for a variety of foods.

Including Baked Potatoes, BBQ Ribs, Porridge, Using it the large ones for Cooking Chicken, joints of Meat .

I would suggest please either contact me  you can PM if you wish to, or look on line.

Lots of recipes simple ones a variety of all sorts you can cook.

Look at just sitting down type in slow cooker and find a lot of easy stuff to do. I have a folder at home always adding new recipes, searching ideas, new foods, new ways to cook.

Put them on here much as I can.

Having a simple meal is the order of the day to me and has to be to be tasty, nutrition. The three s's .

Simple, sexy and sassy.  Appearance as well important feeds the eyes, stimulates the brain. Colour use a variety of colourful vegetables. 

You have to understand the concept that we live to eat in this country other in poor, poverty countries like Italy the Southern parts poor. Poverty rural . Eat to live from limited ingredients.

So there cuisines, culture involved around simplicity. Two or three ingredients. Cucina Provera food of the poor.

I do this now best I can afford and make it easy. Also remember these areas very hot and humid, extreme weather. Why spend hours on the stove or hob, too much.

Often use a large stockpot on the hob leave it for hours to cook away. Many Italian I knew never used Oven in fact one friend used his Oven for storage just used the hob stove top.

Much food is born out of necessity and uses cheap cuts of meat, vegetables a plenty and  Pasta, pulses..

With the microwave you have as well can for example use a selection of vegetables to precook, slice up Potatoes and any Roots then add later save time.

Pyrex do a variety of casserole, glass are ideal for microwave I use this idea some times given short of time, does help.

Add boiling water a small amount microwave drain  and then add to slow cooker. Carrots, Potatoes good to use.

Dice up small not large.

I am aware of the Gammon Cola Recipes .  Heard of the Italian Ones in Milk Pork joints.

What this does is makes the meat falls apart cooks it using sugar in the cola, makes it caramelises . Coconut milk with cuts of specific meat does the same. Tenderises the meat.  Or any dairy products.

The whole science of using different ideas to cook meat is nothing new.

Hay is used wrapped up, in cuts of meat, banana leaves, bay leaves, .

Italian ones Pancetta, Prosciutto and those deli meats are wrapped around Salmon, Fish, Pork.

Gives a lovely mellow taste, my personal favourite.  Trout wrapped in Parma Ham pan fried.

Useful another one used Leeks sauté diced sliced, top with slices of Prosciutto.

Then dice slice meat add to Leeks make a Cheese sauce or use a tub good ones about. Add Pasta drained, easy one pot Pasta.

Hope that helps.

Any questions please ask me  anytime.

Please take care.

@thespiceman