We have been very unlucky with appliances recently. Within the last month the dishwasher, the oven, the television and the glass on the fire have all broken. We have been without an oven for about a week and the new one is not being delivered for another week.

Luckily we have a slow cooker and my husband is the slow cooker king! He loves throwing in random vegetables and some meat and seeing what happens. 9 times out of 10 his ‘recipes’ work and they are delicious! Our slow cooker has definitely been our saviour!

Guest Post – Slowly does it: Slow cooking filling comfort food

When the wind and rain are battering the windows, it’s very hard to summon up the energy for any type of kitchen activity. Yet, this is precisely the right time to indulge in some warm, filling comfort food.

Using your slow cooker to create some comfort food

Despite all the TV shows portraying kitchen gods and goddesses creating wonderful food using masses of ingredients and techniques, sometimes it’s easier to use a simpler cooking method. Electric slow cookers have been on the market since 1971 and have been a popular kitchen appliance ever since. These devices are easy to use and are the perfect way to prepare some warming winter comfort food. Stews and casseroles are particularly flavoursome when cooked in this way.

Ideal stews for a slow cooker

When it’s cold out, pop into your local butcher’s and ask which cuts of meat they would recommend using in slow cooking. Once you’ve selected your meat, then take it home and freeze. Try to look at some alternatives to mix up your weekly meals and introduce some variety to the kitchen table. Ox cheeks and other less usual common cuts can result in a delicious stew. When the weather is really bad you can rest assured that you won’t have to negotiate floods or blizzards to feed yourself.

Preparing your dish

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Gather all the vegetables, herbs and meat and dice. Trim any excess fat from the meat. If you are preparing a beef stew, rub some olive or vegetable oil over the meat. Once you have done this, coat the meat in flour, put some more oil into a pan and add the meat until it has browned on all sides. You can then add some Worcester sauce, herbs and any other seasoning you fancy. Add some prepared stock to this mixture and stir in with the beef. Add the whole concoction to the slow cooker together with the vegetables. Set the cooker onto a low setting and allow 7 – 9 hours for the process to complete.

Optional extras for your stew

If you have had to brave the elements as spring struggle to shake off winter’s icy grasp, imagine the delicious smell that will greet you on your return. Fresh crusty bread is wonderful with a beef stew or you could heat up a French stick in the oven and then spread some butter over the top. No one wants to follow a strict diet when they are feeling cold and wet. You could always prepare a fresh salad to have as a separate course to cleanse your palate.

In Association With Schwartz

 Posted by Charlotte on March 8, 2014 Being a Mother  Add comments

  3 Responses to “Slowly Does It – Guest Post”

  1.  

    I must admit I just don’t get the whole slow cooker thing – if you have to cook and heat everything first why do that and then stick it on one side to stew for 9 hours, I’d rather do it in the oven in a couple!

  2.  

    Slow cooker is really one best appliance that i use in my kitchen. My family like non-veg most so it is perfect to cook . Actually using a slow cooker to make fish and seafood recipes helps to keep the subtle fish flavor intact because no moisture is lost during the slow cooking process and the heat is kept low.

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