[arista]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Pfft. Healthy? Winter is the perfect excuse to eat a load of junk and blame it on comfort eating

no keep Your Hips
Hot

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by arista

Cost effective
and you leave it on while you go to Work.


Pro People use them

yes Kizzy, not overnight when you are in bed!

[Kizzy]

Mmm that minestrone sounds lovely! deffo going to do that, if you do freeze meals whats the procedure?
If I were to cook double of a chicken stew today say, freeze half, with it have to be fully defrosted before reheating?

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I'm a bit weird with frozen meat and bones haha, I do drain the cooking juices from a chicken let it settle and skim off the oil to get stock, but not boil bones.
I wish I liked curry more, we are right wusses chip shop stylee is as hot as we go
Lad loves pork and braised steak, but you hear stuff about red meat and it puts you off

No I don't boil bones either the fox gets any chicken bones in this house.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Mmm that minestrone sounds lovely! deffo going to do that, if you do freeze meals whats the procedure?
If I were to cook double of a chicken stew today say, freeze half, with it have to be fully defrosted before reheating?

Yes you need to fully defrost anything with meat it in. With anything just veg based, you can get away with reheating it without fully defrosting.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Cherie

yes Kizzy, not overnight when you are in bed!

Haha my mates mum had one she came in from a nightclub and devoured whatever her mum was making overnight once
That's what made me think overnight haha!

[Josy]

This thread has made me want to go into the kitchen and start cooking.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Josy

This thread has made me want to go into the kitchen and start cooking.

Yes do it now

Later Relax



Life In The Fast Lane

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Cherie

Yes you need to fully defrost anything with meat it in. With anything just veg based, you can get away with reheating it without fully defrosting.

Right, I'm on it!
soaked some butter beans and red lentils last night so here goes... Will post the recipe once I decide what it is, and if the result is edible

[Cherie]

well did you dust off your slo cooker Kizzy?

[Vanessa]

Sausages.

[Kazanne]

Slow cookers are great for stewing meats.

[Kizzy]

No... I did a chicken and spinach concoction on the hob though night before last, can rustle up a stew in an hour now so will keep it in the cupboard for now here's how it went...
Chicken
dried mixed beans,chick peas,lentils (soak 24hrs or more)
onion
kallo stock cube (2 chicken1veg)
spinkle of shwartz 'season all'
3-4 drops fish oil (trust me)
splash soy sauce
black pepper
Bulger wheat and or quinoa
loads frozen spinach and mixed veg.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Mmm that minestrone sounds lovely! deffo going to do that, if you do freeze meals whats the procedure?
If I were to cook double of a chicken stew today say, freeze half, with it have to be fully defrosted before reheating?

baked potatoes Kizzy with coleslaw and other toppings.

[Kizzy]

Yep love a jacket tatty having them tonight ... well, it's tradition lol!
hate having the oven on just for a few spuds but meh, Or I could do a fritatta too?...

[fingers]

If you don't have a slow cooker the next best thing is just to use your Gas or Electric Hob with a Simmer Mat between the heat source and the base of your pot.
I use one all the time for slowcooking, you turn the gas to its lowest setting and cook for as log as you want.
Cheapest I've found online are from EBay, regular prices go from about Ł7 - Ł15 - EBay do them from Ł1.50!

> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/33098...f13=80&ff14=95

[Kizzy]

I was trying to work out what is the cheapest cooking method too, is is slow cooker as the temp is so low or the hob for speed?
If I use the oven I try to do as much as poss to utilize the energy efficiently.

[fingers]

Can't answer that, kizzy, but I reckon that gas hob simmering has to be about the cheapest, you are using the absolute minimum when using a Simmer Mat.

[Redway]

Try these:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/c.../top-20-winter

And the lot - http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hea...&client=safari

Admittedly googled it just now but they usually have some pretty solid ideas.

[michael21]

i just order Large Donner Kebab cant wait for it to get here

[Josy]

I'm making soup today, just ham and veg I think but may decide to add more meat later..

For a massive pot:

1 decent sized Ham Hock
7 large carrots (5 diced and 2 grated)
4 Onions chopped
2 large Leeks sliced
1 small Swede/Turnip diced
3 Potatoes diced
1 Cup of Pearl Barley
Half a cup of lentils
A couple of ham or veg stock cubes
Black Pepper

I blend mine a little once cooked with the hand blender.

Using the cooker to make this because I already have a gammon joint cooking in my slow cooker.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Josy

I'm making soup today, just ham and veg I think but may decide to add more meat later..

For a massive pot:

1 decent sized Ham Hock
7 large carrots (5 diced and 2 grated)
4 Onions chopped
2 large Leeks sliced
1 small Swede/Turnip diced
3 Potatoes diced
1 Cup of Pearl Barley
Half a cup of lentils
A couple of ham or veg stock cubes
Black Pepper

I blend mine a little once cooked with the hand blender.

Using the cooker to make this because I already have a gammon joint cooking in my slow cooker.

Delicious, and apart from the pearl barley, you use the same ingredients as I do.

I love cooking ham shank with steeping peas, onions, a bit of celery and seasoning - scrumptious.

[Josy]

Do you not like Pearl Barley Kirk?

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Can I tell you a secret?....
I have NEVER used my slow cooker
But I promise I will!

Kizzy ,you should,they are a God send,put ingredients in ,in the morning and hey presto it's ready for tea time and beautifully cooked.

[Josy]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

Kizzy ,you should,they are a God send,put ingredients in ,in the morning and hey presto it's ready for tea time and beautifully cooked.

I agree.

I love my slow cooker