Slow Cooker

A question about : Slow Cooker

Just bought a slow cooker, but the recipe booklet that accompanies it is rather complicated ('brown meat and veg before putting in the cooker') and I wanted to bung it all in a leave to cook. So does anyone know any easy (really easy) recipes or a book that gives easy recipes?

Thank you.

Best answers:

• This is one of our favs
  mushrooms
  pork steak
  red and green peppers cut into strips
  red wine
  paprika
  worcester sauce
  tin chopped tomatoes
  Just throw it all in.....ready when you are !;D
• It's trial and error really, anything you would normally cook in a casserole dish, even curries.
  I love cooking this way, it's so quick to just chop and wash everything, throw it in and leave it and it doesn't need watching. !8) Just make sure you put enough liquid in it, although it doesn't tend to evaporate like conventional cooking.
  I've never bothered browning anything before putting it in, except for mince when making a chilli or spag bol.
  It's also useful to cook extra to freeze
• one of my faves:
  look in bottom of fridge & locate all random bits of veg...if not enough try the freezer.
  wash, chop and throw into slow cooker
  add some tinned toms / passata
  add an organic stock cube / lea & perrins / some kind of seasoning
  (sometimes i add quorn chunks or similar.)
  as ausielle says - mainly trial and error - i use it loads, especially in the winter.
  lentils and beans also cook really well in here and soak up the flavour nicely.
• well I don't mind - but keep these recipes coming - they sound great.
  I think I'll try the pork one tonight!
• pork
  apples
  onions
  tin cream of celery soup &
  cider
  throw in some dumpling 40 mins before serving
  when nearly cooked, thicken with cornflour
• Make sure you cook it for a good long while if you're trying the pork without browning it first ... about 8 hours or longer. (Apologies if I'm stating the obvious!).
• Aussielle - how much red wine? And does it matter what type. I got some very nice Australian red, but thats probably too good for cooking.
• MimiJane - just read your post - so basically I should put it in NOW (8.45 am) to get best results?
• make up the 'liquid' ingredients to about 1- 11/2 pints, about 1/2 pint should be wine.....use your own judgement and taste.
  I only use cheap red for cooking.
  Don't be shy with the paprika!
  I hope your gonna like it !
• aussielle i think i'm gonna try thre pork one too tonight as i have some pork steaks sitting in the freezer that needs using. do you cut the pork up or leave it in large steaks?
• whichever you prefer will be fine, I cut mine up.
  I'm fed up now everyone's having my fav for tea except me! :
• Here's another for you.
  Casserole
  paprika ..a few desert spoons
  worcester sauce
  salt
  black pepper
  red wine and water (to make the liquid)
  mixed peppers/onions/leeks/mushrooms/carrots....basically any veg you want but I don't use cauli/brocolli as it gives it a funny taste.
  Meat of your choice, chopped into chunks
  small tub single cream*
  cornflour and water mixed to thicken*
  Just chop and wash everything and throw it in, about 1/2 an hour or so before the end add *the cream and thicken with the cornflour
• what do the asterisks denote?
• Lyniced
  put them in later, not at start with everything else !
• For a quick tasty curry :-
  I use a ready-make sauce like Lloyd Grossman's Thai Red Curry Sauce ... this is really lovely, but of course any make can be used.
  Chop up any meat into medium sized chunks (enough for 2 - 4 people).
  Mash up a tin of carrots to make a puree (for a richer taste).
  Add a couple of chopped garlic bulbs and one onion (if you can be bothered!).
  Bung into the slow cooker and cook on low all day.
  Serve with favourite rice and naan bread.
  I made the above when we had some friends round and served it up when we'd been to the pub. Everyone wanted the recipe, so had to admit I'd cheated!
• It's classed as "hot", though I find it more "medium" (I don't like curries too hot). I think that when you've added the extra ingredients and cooked it for a long time, it probably calms it down quite a bit.
  You can always add a pot of yogurt if it's still too hot ... always yummy in a curry!