Tag: Recipes

Slow Cooker Sunday – 6th May 2012

You may not be aware but Slow Cookers are making a huge comeback, soon they’ll be as trendy as knitting. Did I see a Gwenyth Paltrow uses one?

They’re no longer used for just Stews and Casseroles. Many of us are getting more and more adventurous with our slow cooking and on a Sunday we come together to share and be inspired. I’ve been truly astounded by the quality.

For those of you with blogs, simply link up old or new recipes at the bottom of the post. If you don’t have a blog you can always leave your recipe in the comments section.

I can’t wait to see what you’ve all been up to. If you do try some of the recipes do come back and let us know how it went.

Feel free to grab a badge but you don’t have to.

Thanking you in advance and I hope you find it as useful as I do.

Photobucket

Slow Cooker Chorizo and Sweet Potato Soup

When I first put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, I really wasn’t convinced and if I’m honest, I thought it was going to be gross. But, I was pleasantly surprised as it was gorgeous and we’ve had it at least another 4 times since.

Recipe: Chorizo and Sweet Potato Soup

Summary: A surprisingly tasty soup with an interesting mix of chickpeas, chorizo sausage and sweet potatoes

Ingredients

  • 2 TPSP of olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp of Lazy Garlic or 2 cloves
  • 170g of Chorizo Sausage, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 3/4 tsp of paprika
  • 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
  • 1 litre of chicken stock
  • 1 TBSP of tomato puree
  • 375g of sweet potato, bite size pieces
  • 400g chickpeas, drained
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan, saute the onions for approx 3 minutes until they are soft.
  2. Add the garlic and sausage and cook for a further two minutes.
  3. Mix in the paprika, thyme, chicken stock and puree, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  4. Place the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker, pour over the sauce, mix well, cook and cover on low for 6-8 hours.
  5. Ladle into large soup bowls, garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 6 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 4 stars:  ★★★★☆ 1 review(s)

Note: This recipe was originally by Sara Lewis of 200 Slow Cooker recipes, but has been modified ever so slightly.

Introducing Slow Cooker Sunday! You in?

I know this doesn’t ooze with originality, but as you know I have a ‘thing’ for my slow cooker, I know many of you do to, I use mine at least 3 times a week, last week I used it 5 times!  There seems to be a ‘quiet’ revolution going on.

There is nothing wrong with cooking a stew in the slow cooker, but I’m determined to show people that slow cooking is more than stews and casseroles.  I’ve cooked everything from Thai Curry to Italian Lamb Ambruzzi to a Pork Stirfry .  For a laugh, I once tried to cook pancakes, which wasn’t one of my better ideas!  I’ve even seen someone do a pizza in one????

I spend hours on the net looking for new recipes, but I’d rather try things that are tried and tested.  This is where you come in.

Each Sunday I will post one of my own recipes, most likely bastardized from someone else’s recipe, but I will disclose this.  At the bottom of it there will be a ‘Linky’ where you can share one of your own recipes.  It can be old or new, it doesn’t have to be a full recipe, possibly just a photo of one of your creations, or you could just share one of your favourite slow cooker websites.

Fingers crossed, it will be all fairly simple, but please be patient as this is our first week. Simply, add a short description of the recipe, a link to your blog/url and of course a photo.  If you get stuck or lose the will to live, shout!  I’m always happy to help.

In time, if all goes well, I hope to have themed weeks.  I’m sure I’m not alone but I’m desperate for a few summer ideas!

I do hope you join in and are excited about it as I am.

If you’re on twitter we will be using the hashtag #scsunday

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday!

 

 

 

 

With Hello Fresh, Mums can cook amazing food at home in no time

Every once in a while a new idea comes along that makes people wonder why nobody thought of it before. Hello Fresh is a brand new grocery delivery service tailored to the needs of busy mums. With Hello Fresh anyone can easily prepare amazing food for their family and friends in their own home.

Hello Fresh delivers amazing recipes and all the necessary ingredients to your door every week. It is easy to sign up on the website for a weekly subscription. Simply choose how many meals you would like to receive and Hello Fresh does all the hard work for you.

The recipes are created by professional chefs who have worked in world-famous restaurants such as the Fat Duck. These chefs have taken the hassle out of weekly meal planning, ensuring your family has a healthy balanced diet. And don’t worry; they are so easy to prepare that busy mums can create a Hello Fresh meal in no time. Kids love trying the exciting new meals. Take them on a journey around the world with dishes like Emperor’s Chocolate Chilli Con Carne, and Penne at Sunset. Pickier eaters can easily leave ingredients out of a recipe, or be bold and try something for the first time. Who knows, it could be a favourite!

In fact, Hello Fresh takes easy cooking to a new level. Recipes typically take only 30 minutes or less to prepare and don’t require fancy kitchen equipment. The recipe cards are lovely to look at and provide a photo for each step, making sure that every meal is just perfect. So if you enjoy great food but want to save time on meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking, – Hello Fresh comes to the rescue!

The company was started by a small group of food fanatics in Central London who believe that it should be easier for busy mums to cook delicious food in their own home. Launched in early January, the service has already found a following among savvy Londoners and is taking off as a revolutionary new way to eat. Currently, Hello Fresh only delivers to addresses within the M25 but expect this to change soon. Certainly one to watch for 2012!

The website is www.hellofresh.co.uk and and find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hellofresh.co.uk

Slow Cooker Ale & Skirt Casserole

I really did think that Gary from Norfolk Deli was winding me up when he said Beef Skirt as I’d never heard of it.  I thought he was hoping I’d go to the shops and ask for it, similar to glass hammers, skirting board ladders etc.  However, I’ve now learned that it’s a great cut of meat for slow cooking, it almost had a slight sweet taste to it.

Here’s a recipe that’s very simple but relies on good quality ingredients to make it sing. It uses beef skirt which is a wonderfully tasty and a less expensive cut of beef and is perfect for slow cooking. Serves 4 increase qty’s for larger families.

Ingredients:

  • 500 gms of beef skirt, my preference is Aberdeen angus or a rare breed but failing that use your local butcher.
  • 2 large organic Parsnips
  • 3 good size organic carrots
  • A large onion or 2 small ones.
  • 1 Bottle of dark bottle conditioned ale. Try to use locally produced ale, expect to pay £3 for this. Supermarket mass produced dark ales don’t cut it I’m afraid.
  • Some beef stock (see note*)
  • Fresh garden herbs or a bouquet garni.

Method:

Dice the skirt into cubes and brown it off. Chop half the onion chunky and half thinly and put it, the browned skirt and half of the bottle of ale into the slow cooker crock.

Chop the carrots and parsnips into large(ish) batons and put them in too. Top up the crock with stock so that the liquid is level with the contents. Add seasoning (careful with adding salt as some shop bought stock is packed with salt) and fresh garden herbs or a bouquet garni.

You can always thicken the gravy towards the end. I serve it with crispy roast potatoes and green veg but you can have it on its own or experiment by adding other veg such as celeriac or swede; Or add a handful of peas in last 25 mins for colour.

Put your slow cooker on following manufactures instructions (low 6-8 hours).

* I make my own stock from bones I get from my local butcher. Bring to boil then let simmer for hour and then once cooled and sieved put the liquid into ice cube bags and freeze until you need it.

If you want to use the whole bottle of beer then feel free, I just enjoy a drink whilst cooking!

My method:

Gary won’t be best pleased with me, but as a busy mum I didn’t have time to track down a bottle of conditioned dark ale and opted for a supermarket one and as we’re trying to watch the pennies I didn’t use organic veg.  The only other thing I did that was different was that I added some dumplings (Aunt Bessie’s) 90 minutes before the end.  Turning them once.  If this was a detriment to the recipe I couldn’t tell as it was gorgeous.  Makes me wonder how delicious it would have been if I stuck to the recommended ingredients.

Thanks for the recipe Gary.  We will definitely be having it again and you’re welcome on the blog anytime.

For more our our tried and tested Slow Cooker Recipes Click Here.