Slow Cooker Chatter #19

[Astrid]

Thanks for all the info on pea and ham soup. Actually I do think I got the smoked bacon hock, so hopefully it is fine. DH does not understand though why I want to use the slow cooker, as he does his on the stove thinking that if he wants it done his way, then he can cook it. It may not be a good thing trying to cook a dish he normally makes.

[Netix]

My Man didn't even try the soup! He doesn't like pea and ham soup. Great, I didn't know that until after I had made the soup!

Well, you could say that you would just like to try a different way of making it? Maybe. A different version..... Not sure on that one.

[Heaven]

Weird, I just saw some recipes for bread in the slow cooker!! Interesting to know if anyone has tried it, I'm a bit sceptical.

White bread

A simple white bread recipe cooked in a slow cooker.

Ingredients:
2 tsp sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 1/4 oz / 8 g sachet dry yeast

2 cups plain flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp salt

1 cup plain flour

Method:
Stir first amount of sugar and warm water together in large bowl.
Sprinkle with yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast.
Add first amount of flour, second amount of sugar, cooking oil and salt. Beat on low to moisten. Beat on high for 2 minutes.
Knead this second amount of flour until a stiff dough forms. Grease bottom of slow cooker. Turn dough into slow cooker. Lay 5 paper towels between top of slow cooker and lid. Put a matchstick or similar object between paper towels and edge of slow cooker to allow steam to escape. Do not lift lid for the first 1 ? hours cooking time. Cook on High for about 2 hours. Loosen sides with knife. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Cuts into about 16 slices.

[SugarDust]

I just picked up my "Breville Slow Cooker" on wednesday and am really looking forward to using it!

Any good ideas on what to cook as a 1st meal!?

[Astrid]

Well the pea and ham soup went down very well, even DD1 really liked it and was asking for it for dinner the next night. Pretty sure it tasted a lot like DH's version, he tends to use the bone leftover from the Christmas ham. Only thing DH commented on was the lack of seasoning, he has a real thing for salt and pepper in everything. I prefer to leave that to the individual, also with DD eating it I want to keep the salt levels down. So next time I will add some ground pepper. DH is a fan of the thicker soups, so I will just have to find some more to do.

[Netix]

Glad the soup was a hit Astrid.

I wouldn't have thought that a ham or bacon soup would need too much salt, if any at all, but, yep, its up to the individual. I do add a bit of salt to my cooking, but I only use the iodised salt, which is good for brain development/staying healthy. Can't think of the right word there.

I don't want Steph eating much salt (goodness knows there's a lot in most foods! - even more reason to get away from the pre packaged stuff), but I don't mind her having a bit of the iodised stuff.

[BekZ]

Hi Ladies,

I have slow cooker and the couple of times I have used it I got the thumbs down from DH...but I have bought a marinated beef roast and was thinking about giving the slow cooker another go.

Anyone got any tips for cooking a beef roast?

[Rivlas]

SarahJane,
My SC is a 4.5 ltr and when I made pumpkin soup I used 4 cups of stock, about 3/4 full but not covering the pumpkin. It will also depend on how thick you want your soup after you blend it. Remember you can always thin the soup down if needed. Haven't made potato & leek yet but will try it when I use up the pumpkins we grew. Let us know how it went.

[BekZ]

I just discovered the sc recipe list...I cruise through that instead of bothering everyone

[JCE0810]

I was just wondering if a convection oven is similar/same as a slow cooker?

I've looked everywhere for recipes for the convection oven my DF bought me but havent had much luck, so i was just curious....

[Netix]

Am going to make the sc roast chicken in the first recipe thread next Sunday, the one with french onion soup. It says to cook it on low all day. The thing is, we will be leaving home at 7am, and have no idea when we would be returning home. Might even be as late as five or six pm!

Would this be too long to leave it cooking? Its not a very big chicken. Should I get a timer and plug the sc into the timer to start at something like nine or ten am?

HELP!

[Heaven]

I'm doing a roast chicken tomorrow for the first time! So I'm no help! How long do you put it on for? And was it face down I read (or breast down, lol). And do I put anything in with it?

[Muppity]

I have a chicken curry on at the moment and I can smell it from the other end of the house - Hmmm - so hungry - bless my slow cooker

SaraJane - did you ever try the bread recipe?

[Heaven]

No, never tried it, I didn't believe it would work, rofl.

[Salsa]

Ok, so no one has posted for a while - cause its getting all sunny and lovely. But I am still hoping to get a slow cooker soon. I figure it will be very helpful even during summer with a newborn. I could do with one now really, as by mid - late afternoon I just dont have the energy or interest to make an evening meal (and theres only so long you can live on oven chips till you get sick of them ).

I see Myer are selling a cooker by the brand name 'dome'. Is that a Myer homebrand? Has anyone tried one of these Dome cookers?

I was thinking I`d wait till Kmart or someone has a sale and get the sunbeam or russell hobbs, but not sure if there will be a sale on wintery items for a while...?

[briggsy's girl]

you can get a kambrook one for less than 40 i think (6L) in BigW at the moment - we just picked one up for my aunt who has an intellectual disability - we'll be teaching her early next year when i restock the freezer for when Gremlin arrives.

nothing stoping you using it in summer - sometimes it's hot during the day, but cooler in the evening and a hot meal is still appreciated! we use ours all year and have done since we got it. i do tend to do a huge cook up every few weeks and freeze meals rather than using it daily though...

[Jewel]

Hey everyone.
I'm a newbie to the slow cooking world. :P
I'm just wondering how soups go in them. Pea and ham soup in particular.

[briggsy's girl]

we make all our soups in the slow cooker - it's delish!