When compiling 7 life hacks for working parents I noticed that anything no matter how small that helped reduced the amount of time we take out of our working day to deal with food-related issues is always a winner. When your working hours are limited, nobody wants to spend them food shopping or cooking (or in my case cleaning!) but when you are working around a hungry growing family then needs must. Most nights after school we have some form of activity whether that’s dancing, Scouts or football, we usually don’t get home until 5/5:30 pm. This means I’ve developed a loving long term relationship with my slow cooker.
Slow cookers are the best!
I’m such a lazy cook but I do like things to be tasty! With a slow cooker, you literally bung your items in, turn it on and let it work its magic! I think the secret to a great meal is in the “slow” cooking process it allows all the flavours to develop and get to know each other. I’m partial to a chuck it in and see what happens kind of dinner. Because quite frankly that’s how I roll. Slow cookers are great for using up any odds and end’s in the fridge – random mushroom, baby sweetcorn, that splash of wine so it doesn’t look like you nailed the whole bottle in one night! Slow cookers also make an excellent vessel for creating delicious puddings too, Chilling with Lucas has a list of slow cooker dessert recipes to try out, I do love rice pudding!
7 Simple Slow Cooker Recipes to Feed Your Family in Style.
- Monday – Simple Bolognese Recipe: Savvy In Somerset is a woman after my own heart – chuck it in and hope for the best – no set recipe whatever you have hanging around! I’m partial to adding a limp celery stick but my kids can smell them from a mile off. The great thing about cooking a bolognese sauce is that any leftovers you can turn into a lasagne or a topping for jacket potatoes if you are tired of pasta.
- Tuesday – Beef Stifado & Orzo: Being an English Greek family finding simple ways to cook Greek food is a must! We love orzo such an underrated pasta. This recipe from PinkOddy is not only easy but delicious.
- Wednesday – Easy Chicken Stew: Stew has to be a Winter staple and this recipe from Baby Not Included is lush! Chorizo and chicken are a perfect combination. I never think to add fresh herbs before serving as I usually add dried ones in the cooking stage. An awesome vegetarian alternative is to make a sweet potato and peanut butter stew, Stapo’s Thrifty Life Hacks recipe is suitable for vegans and gluten free too.
- Thursday – Hunters Chicken: A meal using 4 ingredients! You heard right! A Strong Coffee’s Hunters Chicken recipe is right up my street! Chicken and bacon are a match made in food heaven.
- Friday Night Fakeaway – Chicken Curry: Is it even Friday if you haven’t prepared a fakeaway to munch in front of the telly? Any recipe that has a 5-minute prep time is a winner with me! This chicken curry from KatyKicker is so easy I’m pretty sure even Charlie could rustle this up in the morning before school (well if he got up early enough). If you fancy something a little spicier, then Real Girls Wobble has an excellent chicken tikka masala recipe. Or if your takeaway option is a kebab you won’t want to miss this fakeaway slow cooker doner kebab from Mum In The Madhouse.
- Saturday – Brisket Beef Chilli: I’m not a fan of chilli, and neither is Olive but I’m not averse to cooking things like this for everyone else who loves a bit of spice in their lives. I love also that this recipe uses an underrated piece of beef, great for saving a few pennies too.
- Sunday – Roast Dinner (of course): The great thing about cooking a roast in the slow cooker is you can go for a long Sunday walk whilst the meat is cooking away. I like to cook a whole chicken in mine, I fill the bottom with roughly chopped onions, carrots and peeled potatoes, a splash of olive oil and wine (sometimes the aforementioned limp celery stick) then put the chicken in the breast side down. This helps keep that meat juicy and stops the breast from drying out. You can use the juices and onions etc .. as a stock base to create gravy if you want to so there’s very little waste (I personally don’t like gravy #justme and Olive won’t eat it since the incident in 2013 when I poured it in her hand – don’t drink and dine – she’s fine BTW).
Loving these recipes as much as me?
What are you cooking for dinner this week?
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