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hi, i don't think you need to soak the peas (but don't hold me to it lol). I'm sure I recall on Better homes & Gardens recently they did a pea & ham soup which was cooked on the stove top for maybe 3 hrs, and the split peas that went in didn't need soaking as a result. So therefore, it should be fine in the sc. I made bhg recipe btw & it was good.
Astrid, I made pea and ham (well, turned out to be smoked hock) soup recently, and I didn't presoak the peas. Let's see if I can find what I did.....
That was in May, can't believe I found it! I didn't whizz the soup at all, just shredded all the meat off the hock. It was quite a strong tasting soup, from the smoked bacon instead of just using a ham, but delicious nonetheless. I am sure that it was on low, from probably about 10am to late afternoon.:
My pea and ham soup ended up being pea and smoked bacon hock soup. But it was delicious! The ham bone I had looked a little suspect, so I chopped all the meat off it and gave it to the dogs. They thought all their Christmas's had come at once! Even though the two of them had to decide on who got the actual bone! So I had to go down the street again and get another bone. But the butcher didn't have one, so I got a lovely looking smoked bacon bone/hock from the deli. It only just fitted into the SC! It was cooking most of the day, and my Mum looked after it. I used Cailin's recipe from thread #17, but instead of the soup pack, I used two carrots, an onion and couple of garlic cloves, All finely chopped. And six or eight cups of water. I forget now.:rolleyes:
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 :rolleyes: 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.
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! :rolleyes:
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.
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.
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!?
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.
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.
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?
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.
I just discovered the sc recipe list...I cruise through that instead of bothering everyone
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....
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!
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?
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?
No, never tried it, I didn't believe it would work, rofl.
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...?
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...
Hey everyone. :hello:
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.
we make all our soups in the slow cooker - it's delish!
Thanks BG , thats a great price. If I can manage to get into the city soon I will go have a look at Big W.
Hi, I am new to this thread, just wanted to tell you about my tagine. It's a Moroccan slow cooker and is fantastic. I got it for xmas last year. I got the Emile Henry one and it can go in the oven or on the stove top. You can cook anything in it and while it isn't as deep as a traditional slow cooker the flavour is better I think. You can do roasts etc but it has also made me experiment more with different flavours and moroccan cooking. DH loves it and offers to make heaps in it, an added bonus!
Thanks, briggsy's girl.
I'm so going to give it a whirl this weekend.
I made Pumpkin Soup for the first time ever.. I used my slow cooker (breville), I got the receipe off BB - Christy's Pumpkin Soup.
It was the best .. my DH was so impressed as was I.
Next one will be Pea & Ham, I love that.
it's so easy isnt it? i do a vegie soup with a pumpkin base - and it's delish!
I have just ordered a 'slow cooker' cookbook today that is on special.
It has recipes for using the cooker to make terrines etc
Ohhh yum - looking forward to getting a cooker and it trying out !
WOoHOoo!
I just brought me a Kambrook 6lt cooker today - only $48 from the Good Guys.
There was the Russell Hobbs one I have been wanting reduced too, but I figured $48 for a Kambrook was pretty darn good bargain. :dance:
Im looking forward to trying out some recipes.
Hi ladies. I got a slow cooker for Christmas (you know you really are a grown up when this is the sort of present you get excited about!!) and I'm a bit disappointed. I've cooked two chicken dishes in it and they were both a little tough - I thought it was supposed to give me melt in the mouth tender meat???
Am I doing something wrong, or have I just picked two recipes that were duds?
I got a 5 litre slow cooker for christmas!!!1
Used it tonight ond OMG chicken had fallen of bone before serving yummo!!!!!!!!!
Just used the packet mix mediteranian chicken!!
cant wait to try more!!!!!!!!!
Lulu- did u use Chicken breast??
I find breast doesn't take long to cook at all, not really slow cooking, lol.
lulu - if you're using breast fillets (it's all we use) - try cutting it up and freezing it first - put it in frozen - makes for MUCH better meal - and it doesn't need as loong to cook as cuts of beef/lamb or chook on the bone
I was going to use our cooker tonight for 2nd time. I was thinking of using sliced chick breast, but its still in freezer - so you think I should still make it? I guess I can put it in frozen (thought it had to be defrosted first - thats what the instruction book said) and cook for lesser time, but do I still cook on low or put it on high? I was going to put pumpkin, mango in with it to make some sort of mild curry...
put it on now on low hun - we usually cook things for about 6-8 hours on low if using frozen chooken fillets
a number of friends at work cook while working (they live nearby) - and they have all said to put chook breat fillets in frozen as they don't dry out. from my own experience (i use it regularly both fresh and frozen) frozen has a much better texture when it's cooked. i put 3kg of frozen chook in spag bol sauce the other day and cooked it over night - was perfect - cooked from 10pm til 8am (wouldn't need that long for less meat obviously!)
Thanks BG and SJ. It was breast fillets so I'll definitely try using frozen meat and reduce the time. It smelled so great so it was such a disappointment.
Hello lovely ladies.
Can someone tell me the best way to do corned beef in the SC?? How much liquid should I have in there?
Hey - just making something yummy (yes in this heat :lol: ) but it needs thickened.
My SC book says to thicken add a butter flour ix and stir at the end of cooking, but when we try this it makes all the food go mushy.
What can we do (for tonight and or future meals) to make a thicker sauce/gravy rather than the water stuff that is usually there at the end of cooking?
I would say corn flour. Good on you for using the slow cooker, probably generates less heat than slaving over the oven and stove, must dust mine off!
yup, i would use cornflour but we out of it.
Definatly good with new baby to chuck stuff in the cooker earlier in the day whenever i get a chance. that way we get something decent to eat rather than oven chips late in the day....
eewww - i have just got vomit running down my clevage :doh:
ok, these are some super simple recipes we made up for my aunt (who has an intellectual disability and intelligence somewhere between a 10 and 12 year old) - so far, she's managed to make them all perfectly! they are VERY basic, very vege rich and work out very economical (even doing the big bad and using spag bol sauce rather than making it from scratch!). so, hopefully for those who arent sure how a SC will work for them (or those who've had issues in the past) these might get your mojo happening again!
a quick note - if i put "soup pack" and you can't get one at the moment, it's basically 3 carrots, a parsnip, swede, turnip, onion and a spud.
i use powdered stock, rather than cubes, as they work better, aren't as salty etc - if i have the time, i make up stock myself but not possible for my aunt, so again we made it easy for her!
Slow Cooker ? Spaghetti Bolognaise
1kg mince
4 jars of spaghetti sauce
1 small tub tomato paste
Soup pack* (finely diced)
2 decent onions (finely diced)
3 large spuds (finely diced)
4 sticks of celery (finely diced)
Capsicum traffic light** (finely diced)
Average zucchini (finely diced)
Frozen peas and corn
500g packet of spiral WHOLEMEAL pasta
Brown mince in electric frying pan ? make sure that the mince is well broken up, just cooked. Don?t over cook. If you like the onion slightly cooked first, you can brown it at the same time
Transfer browned mince (and onion) to the slowcooker pot. Add all vegetables (excluding peas and corn). Mix to combine
Add jars of sauce and tomato paste.
Fill one jar to approx ? with water. Add lid, shake to get sauce of outside of jar. Transfer this fluid to next jar, cap, shake. Continue with all four jars. Transfer the water mixtured to the pot. Ensure not to add too much water.
Mix well
Put lid on slow cooker, turn it to LOW and leave to cook.
Stir every hour to two hours.
After FOUR or FIVE hours, cook pasta in water on the cook top (per instructions on the pack)
While that is cooking, stir through peas and corn ? generally about a cup and a half, but you can add more or less to taste
When pasta is cooked, drain well, and stir through bolognaise sauce. Leave on low for approx half to an hour more (not essential). Depending on the size of your cooker, you may need to remove from the cooker and add pasta in another pot. Turn cooker off, allow to cool then dispense into the containers for freezing. Serve straight away if you?re having it for current meal.
Defrost in the fridge overnight. Before heating, transfer to microwave safe container. Heat until piping hot. Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese if desired.
Slow Cooker ? Chicken Bolognaise
1kg chicken breast fillets, skinned and diced
4 jars of spaghetti sauce
1 small tub tomato paste
Soup pack* (finely diced)
2 decent onions (finely diced)
3 large spuds (finely diced)
4 sticks of celery (finely diced)
Capsicum traffic light** (finely diced)
Average zucchini (finely diced)
Frozen peas and corn
500g packet of spiral WHOLEMEAL pasta
Transfer diced chicken breast to the slowcooker pot. Add all vegetables (excluding peas and corn). Mix to combine
Add jars of sauce and tomato paste.
Fill one jar to approx ? with water. Add lid, shake to get sauce of outside of jar. Transfer this fluid to next jar, cap, shake. Continue with all four jars. Transfer the water mixtured to the pot. Ensure not to add too much water.
Mix well
Put lid on slow cooker, turn it to LOW and leave to cook.
Stir every hour to two hours.
After approx FIVE hours, check chicken to ensure it is cooked through (break a piece in half and ensure it is enitrely white through). If chicken done, cook pasta in water on the cook top (per instructions on the pack)
While that is cooking, stir through peas and corn ? generally about a cup and a half, but you can add more or less to taste
When pasta is cooked, drain well, and stir through bolognaise sauce. Leave on low for approx half to an hour more (not essential). Depending on the size of your cooker, you may need to remove from the cooker and add pasta in another pot. Turn cooker off, allow to cool then dispense into the containers for freezing. Serve straight away if you?re having it for current meal.
Defrost in the fridge overnight. Before heating, transfer to microwave safe container. Heat until piping hot. Serve with a sprinkle of grated cheese if desired. If chicken is in the tin container, it can be reheated in the oven as it is ? ensure it is piping hot. DO NOT reheat in microwave in a tin dish! this dish can also be topped with white sauce and baked in the oven for a simple dinner
Slow Cooker ? Braised Lamb
1kg lamb chops (preferably with single round bone)
Soup pack* (finely diced)
2 decent onions (finely diced)
3 large spuds (finely diced)
Extra carrot and onion (or a second soup pack) to taste
Chicken stock powder
Beef or vegetable stock powder
Traditional Gravox gravy powder
Curry powder, salt and pepper (to taste)
Dice the meat from the bone of your chops ? take notice of how many bones you have! Place ALL of this in the slow cooker pot ? bones included (they add flavour)
Add all the vegetables and mix together
In a seperate bowl, combine 4 teaspoons of chicken stock, 2 teaspons of beef or vegetable stock, some salt and pepper, curry powder (teaspoon) and approx a cup of gravox. Mix. Add boiled water to cover, stir into a paste ? make sure there are no lumps
Add to pot and mix. Cover ingredients with water
Lid on the cooker, put it on low and leave to cook. Stir every hour or so. When meat is cooked thoroughly, turn it off and leave to stand.
if you find the liquid is a little too watery, remove some liquid, mix with gravox to make a paste and mix this into the pot.
Serve as is or with mash. Ensure you locate and remove all bones (as noted in the first step ? so if you put 8 in, take 8 out!) Freeze remainder in meal containers.
Defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in microwave safe container
Slow Cooker ? Braised Beef
1kg stir-fry beef or similar (we use 1kg diced blade steak)
Soup pack* (finely diced)
2 decent onions (finely diced)
3 large spuds (finely diced)
Extra carrot and onion (or a second soup pack) to taste
Chicken stock powder
Beef or vegetable stock powder
Traditional Gravox gravy powder
Curry powder, salt and pepper (to taste)
Place your meat in the slow cooker pot. Add all the vegetables and mix together
In a seperate bowl, combine 4 teaspoons of chicken stock, 2 teaspons of beef or vegetable stock, some salt and pepper, curry powder (teaspoon) and approx a cup of gravox. Mix. Add boiled water to cover, stir into a paste ? make sure there are no lumps
Add to pot and mix. Cover ingredients with water
Lid on the cooker, put it on low and leave to cook. Stir every hour or so. When meat is cooked thoroughly, turn it off and leave to stand.
if you find the liquid is a little too watery, remove some liquid, mix with gravox to make a paste and mix this into the pot.
Serve as is or with mash. Freeze remainder in meal containers.
Defrost in the fridge overnight. Reheat in microwave safe container
Slow Cooker ? Vegetable Soup
2 soup packs* (roughly chopped)
4 sticks of celery (roughly chopped)
Small head of brocolli (roughly chopped)
Small cauliflower or half large cauliflower (roughly chopped)
Average sized zucchini (roughly chopped)
3-4 extra potatos (roughly chopped)
1-2 extra carrots (roughly chopped)
Pumpkin ? ? butternut, ? jap OR full butternut OR ? decent sized jap***
2 tetra packs of liquid stock (generally use one chicken, one vegetable) OR
8 teaspoons of chicken stock powder, 4 of vegetable ? dissolved in 1L of water ? plus additional water as noted
Salt and Pepper to taste
Peel and roughly dice all vegies ? place in the slow cooker crock pot. Add any other vegies you want to add until crock pot is almost full
Season with salt and pepper
Add 2L of stock. You may need to add more liquid ? use boiled water from the kettle ? take fluid levels to within approx an inch of the top of cooker
Place lid on cooker, turn it on low, and allow to cook until vegies are cooked. Bamix or food process until it is pureed. Serve.
Freeze additional amounts. Defrost overnight in the fridge ? reheat on stove top in a saucepan to ensure it is piping hot.
Brontide requested my slow cooker baked beans recipe, so here 'tis. I like this one for breakfast :D You can drain the beans or not, depends on how much sauce you like with them.
1 can of pinto beans
1 can red beans
2 cans white beans or navy beans
250 g sausages (can put in whole and chop at serving or cut into bits and cook first)
1 1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped onions (optional)
1/8 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/8 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared mustard (we use Hot English)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
Bung it all in the crock pot. Cook on LOW 5-6 hours. I have put this on at bedtime and left it cooking for 8 plus hours with no detrimental effects in our crock pot. You may want to make sure that the sausage is covered by the liquid as otherwise it can dry out a bit (gets crispy bits on it).