General Chat

Oh great excuse to go to the garden centre lol, will get o.h. along there next week and he can get some plants too lol

Got some reduced braising steak the other day, had to freeze it as I hadn't got the veg I want to put with it, but will do that for next weekend when o.h. is here for meals, he is on late shift this week so I can eat things I want and can do quickly, like my favourite salmon. You wouldn't believe I can't swim, the amount of fish I eat lol

Lizx

Spag Bol sauce cooking in mine at the moment. Smells lovely

Called at a garden centre yesterday and the only book they had that was relevant was Slow cookers and One pot cooking, it was £4.99
As they didn't have something else I wanted either, I will wait and try another garden centre in a different direction during the week.

Lizx

Hi Purple **^*Sparkly*^** Diamond,
My book was £4.99. didn't like to say because the others were cheaper!!

Ann in Glos.
I put my leg of lamb on high at 7am and then turned it down at 10 to low. I wasn't sure how long it would take. Ready by 1pm.

It did 2 us on Sunday, OH had a lot last night for dinner and enough for us both tonight.

I definately like doing my roasts in the slow cooker. It is a lot easier and not so fiddly.
SueBx

Yes, the only trouble is you still have to have the oven on for the roast potatoes.

I boiled the carrotts and potatoes. Then I gently fried them turning them often. They were delish.
But missed out on my Yorkshires.

Ann l saw on here that you do spag bol in the slow cooker, could you give us the recipe you use please.

Erm recipe Mummo?? I am renowned for throwing it all in.

Right this week I sliced mushrooms and put in the bottom of the slow cooker, then the mince on top, then a jar of Dolmio (is that right) spag bol sauce, rinsing the jar out with a small amount of red wine. I also added a teaspoon of Mojo sauce which comes from the canaries and is very spicy.
This one didn't have garlic in.

Another way of doing it is to lightly fry onions and garlic, then mince and mushrooms. Put in slow cooker then add a sauce made by adding red wine and stock and gravy thickening (whatever you use) to the frying pan, stir in all the juices and add to the mince etc.

Both cooked on low for about 8 hours.

I always have a bag of chopped peppers, bag of chopped onions and bag of chopped mushrooms in the freezer, cheap, and so quick and easy to use when the fresh stuff has been used up. It's actually usually more nutritious as it's frozen at it's best, I also get tins of chopped carrots as storecupboard stop gap, so plenty of choice. Oh and I have started to get frozen chopped spinach as that makes another vegetable to add to my five a day and bulks out casseroles and all meals. I cook my veg in a pyrex casserole dish with a small amount of water, in the microwave, you can put several veg in together, I sometimes add a fresh courgette sliced up on top so it steam cooks. I rarely boil veg on top of cooker as it makes so much steam and you lose a lot of nutrients, I use the veg water for gravy too.

Susan, you made me laugh! I think that's the book I saw.

Lizx

Thanks Ann, l will have to learn how to * throw * lol.

Going to try to get some beetroot to boil today when I go to another town. I got some from there the other week, and put it in the slow cooker. After about 5 hours, it was cooked beautiful. Have been trying to get some in M****sons ever since but they hav'nt had any in. So making the most of my trip to the other town.
Julia in Derbyshire

PS. OH set over a hundred beetroot plants the other day, on the allotment, so in a few months I will not have to go to another town chasing it. Ha,ha,

Julia in Derbyshire

You could start a mail order business Julia, if they all grow, you have lots of potential customers on here lol

I never liked beetroot but started eating a few years back only about 3 or 4 and now I use it a lot, I get the small ready cooked ones in a pack, and pop one or two on the plate with roast meals, nice with baked sausages and such or even with my favourite salmon.

Lizx

Here's the thread Aunty Sherlock couldn't find!

Using mine for the first time, I have braising steak and lots of veg in mine, saves me cooking later today - lovely!

LIzx

Does anyone have any microwave recipes suitable for holiday cooking. I don't like to spend too much time in the kitchen when on holiday so use a microwave quite a bit. I have a few recipes but wondered if anyone had any favourites.

Oer Ann. Sorry, I can't help you on the microwave thing. I do not have one, and the two I have had over the years were given away to daughters who asked to 'borrow' them. Needless to say, they never came back.
However, I could not get used to microwave cooking, as, as I like traditional cooking so much, I never got used to them, and they are not for me.
Having said that, I can see your need, for your holiday, as you do not want to be staying in, doing lots of cooking. In the days when we had holidays, I would serve our normal breakfast, cereal/yogurt/fruit and tea or coffee. Whilst out at lunch time we would have a sandwich/sausage roll etc. Then in the evening we would eat out, and I would not have to spend time cooking.
I hope someone can come up trumps for you, and you have a nice, cook free holiday.
Julia in Derbyshire

Julia yes we eat out quite a bit but for 4 weeks that proves a bit expensive. However, if the flight ban continues we wont have to worry. I think I will put up a separate thread for the microwave.

chilli in my slow cooker today!

Ann, my recipes might not suit as I have a combi oven. Does shepherds pie in twent minutes and toad in the hole in 30mins, using my usual recipes. Aquick thing is to make toast in the toaster, spread with cheese and give about 40 seconds, no more than a minute, in the microwave on the plates you will eat from,as it is quite soft, but lovely melted cheese, we had it today. You have to use good quality meat in the microwave or it will be tough.
I always cook my potatoes for mashing in the microwave, takes 5 minutes or a little more, like 30seconds more. If they are mashed and then put back in the microwave for 1 minute they get quite fluffy.

We used to have a combi oven but microwaves in holiday apartments usually are not. Thanks Jean, Yes I do a sort of toasted sandwich in the microwave, two slices of toast and make a sandwich with tomatoes and cheese and cook in microwave for about 30 seconds. Then be careful not to burn your tongue (from experience.)

I got my first slow cooker many years ago while I was a working Mum. There is nothing as welcoming as the smell of a lovely stew or casserole wafting towards you as you walk in the door!

The brilliant thing was that I had done the cooking, but was still the beneficiary of coming home to a cooked meal!

Retired now, but still a great fan. Pop off on a shopping trip for the day and a hot meal to come home to! Bliss!