[ADVICE] your best slow cooked creations for the whole family?

[OceanPrincess]

I cheat and use the packets. I've just put a beef and red wine on for tomorrow - I double the ingredients and use two packets, tonnes for freezing.

I don't have a problem with reheating - I've done that one plenty of times, it always tastes yum!

We had defrosted Bol sauce today, yum.

We also do a mild chicken curry that freezes really well and the kids seem to love that one. It's another packet.

I do a stroganoff too, from first principles but we haven't frozen that one.

[Rouge]

Something I find to get rid of the bland is a few tricks. Make yourself some caramelised onions and store in the fridge/freezer for later. To freshen a slow cooked meal stir through some fresh herbs or a bit of zest before stirring, even some pitted kalamata is good. When I make red wine beef casserole I save part of the batch and stir through plain risotto with a bag of baby spinach, a squeeze of lemon juice and some zest. Or serve it up with some pasta. I always add more herbs/spices that are part of the dish at the end of cooking time to liven it up. If you're worried about veggies overlooking don't add them till half way through and stir through some frozen peas or blanched fresh veg (you can blanch fresh veg the night before and keep them in a zip lock bag in the fridge) not long before cooking.

Another good trick is prepping meals for the slow cooker and freezing all the ingredients in a zip lock bag. Then pulling one out the night before and popping it straight into the slow cooker I the morning even if still partially frozen.