Slow cooker recipes

[Zan]

so does anyone have any great slow cooker /TMX recipes.
I'd like things that use the TMX to make a great all natural ingredient base but then cooked in the slow cooker.
So you get the milled spices etc flavours but the tenderness of the slow cooked meals.
And with the start of school term and the many after school activities something I can put on earlier in the day.

[cookie1]

I have Sally Wise's slow cooker book. Will have a look for you. We're about to be hit with a massive storm so I'll put it up tomorrow or later today.

[faffa_70]

I have a heap of books, will try to find the time to have a look for you. I also tend to just chuck a heap of meat and veg in and what ever else I have in the cupboard  I do also use both of these websites

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cooking-Style/Slow-Cooker-Recipes

[cookie1]

Zan the book I have is mainly very plain type of things. Like adding sauces to the meat etc. I will keep looking. Try having a look at the Taste website. They have an entire section on slow cooking.
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/slow+cooker+recipes

Also here, there's 76 pages of it.
http://www.taste.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=438

[Zan]

I've got quite a few books, but when I used it a lot I tended to use bought sauces etc.
Am thinking a lot of the meat curries etc would go well.
Maybe I'll just blitz up some herbs and spices and chuck in with some stock and meat/chicken.
I would have thought tmx recipes in general would work quite well as they don't have as much liquid as conventional anyway.
Will be an experiment, lol. 

[KarenH]

What does everything think about the need to brown off the meat in a frypan before putting into the slow cooker?  Most recipes I have got for the slow cooker all recommend browning off the meat first, which can end up taking quite a lot of time if you are making a bulk batch of whatever you are cooking ....... am wondering if it would work as well just chucking it all in raw and setting the thing going 

[Yvette]

I never brown off chicken KJH not sure about other meats

[AmandaN]

I have the Sally Wise book, and i think she says that you can just throw the meat in without browning, unless you are using mince, and then the browning also helps with the breaking up.  I like to brown lamb shanks first however...don't know why!

ETA:  another of her recommendations is that when using chicken breast, it is best cooked for 3 hours on high temp, to avoid getting tough.

[Zan]

I never brown off anything to go in the slow cooker - when I use it is because I have zero time - so less than 5 mins in the morning to throw the contents in and then have it ready to serve up in the evening.
I think I did once and it was a bit nicer, lol, but not a necessary.

[cookie1]

I never brown anything. Lazy bones. I just reduce the amount of liquid in ordinary recipes to much less and go for it. I do add hot water though if the recipe calls for water. I've used the Tikka paste in the slow cooker with a tiny bit of stock and it was lovely.

[obbie]

i use the slow cooker, but never brown things off first.

Robyn

[achookwoman]

I just love my slow cooker,  almost as much as my TMX. .   When I worked full time I used it 2 or 3 times a week.  never browned anything.   Added all sorts of veggies for variety.   Sometimes cooked a steamed pud. In it while at work.  a tin of tomatoes for liquid is good.  2 Chickens wedged in firmly against the sides,  with a little water makes a moist roast chicken dinner.   Chinese Chicken with ginger and garlic

[andiesenji]

I have "several" slow cooker cookbooks and have been using Crock-Pots and slow cookers since they appeared on the market.

My very favorite cookbooks are those by Beth Hensperger.

"Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook," with Julia Kaufman
"Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Family Favorites"
"Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Entertaining"
and "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two: For the Small Slow Cooker"

As I live alone, the last one is perfect for the small slow cooker I use on days when I will be out most of the day and won't feel like cooking (even in the TMX) when I arrive home.   She has developed these recipes for that very purpose and I have certainly gotten my money's worth out of that one.

The others all have great recipes for when I have guests for dinner or whatever. 
The "Entertaining" one has some great recipes for small groups that allow the hostess to mingle with guests instead of being trapped in the kitchen.

(I've also got her microwave and rice cooker cookbooks.)

[Twitterpated]

I love the idea of slow cookers and agree that they make great meals but I just cant bring myself to go out for the day and leave them on. Cant go out while the clothes dryer is on either for that matter. So I guess this just voids one of the major benefits of the machine. For the record I never browned anything either - just chucked it all in.

[andiesenji]

I have one of the slow cookers that allows the liner to be used on the stove top for browning meats & etc., or for bringing liquids up to the desirable temp if you want to avoid having foods at an undesirable temperature (below 140° F.) for too long.