A chill in the air = slow cooker season!

I was excited to wake up to a nip in the air this morning. Mmmmmmm slow cooker weather!

When you are trying to stretch those dollars further, there is hardly a more economical meal maker than the slow cooker ... or crockpot as they say in the USA.

Look what we're having for tea tonight!

Do please excuse the grubby finger marks on the stainless steel exterior of my slow cooker and look into the hearty goodness of the meal!

Here's what I like most about cooking in the slow cooker ....

• 
  
  sooooooooooooo easy - once it's in the cooker, consider it done! Put it on in the morning, leave it on low all day and dinner is done for the evening! Convenience plus! 
• 
  
  budget friendly -  by being able to use cheaper cuts of meat - the slow cooking process tenderises these cheaper cuts so you can make great value healthy dinners
• 
  
  super way to use up all the veges at the bottom of the crisper - cuts back on food wastage
• 
  
  if you are cooking for just one or two, you can make a load and freeze for later!
• 
  
  delicious aromas fill the house all day!

There is a Facebook group dedicated to sharing slow cooker recipes and it can be found here. There are heaps of members (just over 26,500!) and as it's an Australian group the ingredients actually make sense and are easily sourced.

Here though is the recipe for tonight's slow cooked meal - which was all prepared by 9.00am!

Simple Slow Cooked Tandoori Beef

Don't be put off by the name as it is actually very mild and totally delicious!

• 
  
  1 bottle of Taylors Tandoori marinade - this is the brand stocked by most butchers and is around $3.75 for the bottle - wellll worth it mmmmmmmmmmmm
• 
  
  approx 1kg of beef, diced - cheaper cuts work just fine as the meat will be melt in your mouth tender by the time this is done
• 
  
  veges - I added 3 onions (sliced), 4 potatoes (cubed), about half a sweet potato (cubed), a handful of green beans (sliced) and 3 stalks of celery (chopped)
• 
  
  a little bit of water - not much more than a dribble as the cooking process will release moisture

Split the meat into 3 portions. Brown each portion in a non-stick fry pan and add to the slow cooker bowl. This step is not necessary if you wish to save on washing up, but it does enhance flavour and is therefore worthtaking the time to do.

To the beef, add the veges.

Then add the entire bottle of Taylors Tandoori marinade. Put a dribble of water into the bottle and swirl it around to get the last out. Add this to the crockpot.

Stir thorougly to mix everything through.

Put slow cooker onto low setting.

Walk away and come back for dinner tonight!

*this can be served with rice or extra mashed potato if you need to pad it out for many hungry folk

*can be cooked on higher setting for less time if need be

*monitor whilst cooking to see if any extra liquid is needed - unlikely though!

If you have a tried and tested delicious slow cooker recipe that you would like to see featured here, just send me an email here!

Happy slow cooking!

Yummmy Pasta Budget Beater

As much as I'd love to be great in the kitchen, the sad and pathetic truth is that I'm not.

In fact, I even aspire to be ordinary. Sigh, one day ....

I do say that it's good to know your own strengths and weaknesses though and, in order to improve on my domestic-goddess-cooking-stuff deficiency, I am always on the look out for recipes that are super simple to make and that will satisfy the family. Even better are those meals that taste so much more delicious than the effort required and here is one of those - a Monday night favourite in this household and absolutely quick and easy!

Trev's Tomato and Bacon Pasta!

Thanks go to my father, Trev, for this foolproof easy-peasy dish!

The Recipe

You'll need:

Bacon - approximately 375g (I use more but have a big eating man!)

Onion

Garlic (1 teaspoon crushed or the equivalent fresh)

Tin of Tomatoes (I use home brand diced tomatoes)

Sugar (approx. 2 teaspoons to reduce acidity of tomatoes)

Pepper to taste

Pasta of choice (spirals are good!)

Method:

Chop bacon and onion. In a non-stick pan cook bacon, onion and the teaspoon of crushed garlic until the onion is transparent and the bacon is cooked.

Add the tin of tomatoes and the little bit of sugar. Adjust amount of sugar you use according to taste as it will help reduce any acidity in the tomatoes. Season with pepper to your preference, you won't need salt because of the bacon being salty.

Turn it down to a low heat and let it simmer while you cook the pasta as per packet directions. Serve the sauce over the pasta and top with a little grated cheese. QUICK, EASY and YUM!

All the ingredients can be purchased for under $10 and this easily feeds our family. Bargain! Thanks Trev, you're a legend!

 Let me know if you rustle it up and be sure to share any delicious variations that you invent or stumble across!