Slow Cooker Tips?

[emmily121]

We recently purchased a slow cooker, it's not something I have used before so would appreciate any tips for using it.

Yesterday, cooked a beef hot pot in slow cooker, high setting for 6 hours, that came out just fine.

Tomorrow intending to cook a vegetable stew with dumplings in slow cooker. I've read putting dumplings in vary from 30 min to 1 hour before end of cooking time, can anyone confirm how long before the end of cooking time I need to put dumplings in (I'll be using high setting)?

Sometime soon I'd like to try sausage and onion casserole, as I want to use slow cooker for one pot meals I'd like to add pasta twirls, would that be suitable for slow cooker, maybe about an hour before end of cooking time, and would I need to add extra boiling water if adding pasta?

Any recipe suggestions for one pot slow cooker for 2 people?

[Anniemcc2]

I've used a slow cooker for years - brilliant invention !

BTW - you shouldn't have to cook on high for 6 hours; just the first hour and then switch to low for 5-6 hours to save power. As for the dumplings, I'd go for the last hour to make sure they're cooked properly. And, no, you shouldn't need to add extra water when adding pasta.

I have a Pinterest Board for Slow Cooker recipes - https://www.pinterest.com/anniemcc1/...oker-crockpot/

Just click on any picture to get to original article/recipe. It's easy to adapt ordinary recipes - just reduce the amount of liquid as you won't need so much as when using a conventional oven.

I always soften/brown the onions first for any casserole - for flavour, colour & taste.

And you'd be surprised what you can cook in them besides casseroles & stews. Lasagna, Baked Potatoes & Rice Pudding come to mind ,

[madelaine]

Just before I disappear off to look at Annie's pinterest board, I just want to say that a slow cooker is great for making stock from the bones of your Christmas bird - a turkey may not fit in all in one go but it uses so little power that running it twice is hardly a problem.

[FirstGreenIsGold]

I make several different things in the slow cooker. The last few times when we've made turkey, I've made the bread stuffing in the slow cooker and just used the convection oven for the bird. Also, I've made soups, stews. Recently, I softened up a butternut squash for a recipe.

[emmily121]

Thanks very much Annie, loads of choices on that Pinterest link

[sidthelamp]

best thing i ever did was divorce my slow cooker, then i got a new one

[Tropical_Trish]

Most of the cheaper cuts of meat are cooked beautifully in a slow cooker.
For example, Beef brisket in a slow cooker comes out so beautifully tender and moist.
I like to make my beef stews and Staffy lobby in the slow cooker - although with regards to your opening question about adding dumplings, I add mine about 25 mins before I expect to dish out the meal. I normally serve lobby and stews with hot crusty bread - so whilst the oven is still hot from cooking the bread I shove the pot containing the stew and dumplings into the hot oven - the dumplings are then so gorgeous and light and fluffy on the inside and crisped and browned on the outside.

[emmily121]

Thanks for other replies (missed seeing yours earlier Madelaine)

Trish, your dumplings finished in oven sound like cobblers, no, I'm not insulting you, my mum used to cook things in casserole apparently called cobblers. Does anyone remember cobblers, and what were they made of?

Oh, and Trish what's 'lobby'?

[cheaver]

Thanks for other replies (missed seeing yours earlier Madelaine)

Trish, your dumplings finished in oven sound like cobblers, no, I'm not insulting you, my mum used to cook things in casserole apparently called cobblers. Does anyone remember cobblers, and what were they made of?

Oh, and Trish what's 'lobby'?

.
I used to love peach cobbler. I think it's a bit like a scone mix. (it's years since I last had it).
If you google peach cobbler recipe you'll find it.

[poppa501]

Slow cookers are great. I would invest in some disposable liners. Makes clean-up a snap!