Tag: crockpot

Slow Cooker Taco Soup
Alliyah Dawud
February 8, 2019

I love my Slow Cooker (crockpot). I use it on the regular…even in the hotter months as it doesn’t heat up the kitchen.

I love tacos….and also easy family meals where you don’t need to weigh out ingredients. So here I present to you my Taco Soup…which tastes soooooo good. And no two bowls are the same when you pimp it up with various toppings.

Makes enough for 6 large bowls. I’ve successfully frozen leftovers too.

Ingredients:

SOUP:
500 grams browned mince (or raw mince)
2 small onions diced finely
1 400 gram tin chopped tomatoes
200 ml water
1 tbsp salt (or less depending on your dietary requirements)
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp dried mexican oregano (or standard oregano)
2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped finely
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika (or standard paprika)

Add the following 30 minutes before serving:
1 400 gram red kidney beans drained
1 400 gram white kidney beans drained

To thicken the soup:
1 tbsp cornstarch

Optional items:
1 whole chipolote chili
Liquid smoke

Garnishes/toppings (mix and match as you please):

Soured cream or low fat yogurt
Grated cheddar cheese
Crushed up taco shells
Crushed up torilla chips
Lemon or lime wedges
Tomatoes chopped finely (I like using cherry tomatoes as they are sweeter but that’s optional normal tomatoes will also work)
Red onion-finely chopped
Jalepeno pepper slices
Fresh coriander leaves-chopped finely
For extra heat fresh chili finely chopped

1) Place all the ingredients listed under soup in your Slow Cooker. Turn the Slow Cooker on to a high. Cook for 3 hours.
2) Now add the drained kidney beans. Stir through. Add two tablespoons of water to the cornstarch and mix. Add the mixture to the soup and stir. This will thicken the soup up for you. If you don’t like thicker soups just skip this step!
3) Place the lid back on and leave for another 25-30 minutes. Turn off and remove lid if you don’t want the beans to ‘cook’ further.
4) Ladle into bowls and serve garnished as you wish. I make a ‘toppings bar’ and allow everyone to personalise their own soup.
5) Leftovers will keep for 48 hours easily in the fridge. Can also be successfully frozen (use within a month).

Busy Mama (or Baba) Slow Cooker Chicken
Stylemesisteradmin
December 21, 2018

Busy Mama (or Baba) Slow Cooker Chicken

I admit that this is more of an instructional tutorial than recipe however if I’m completely honest with you on nights where you are more likely to reach for a fattening takeout or ready meal cheats like this are awesome.

By no means am I saying feed your family this every night however let’s be honest here. Sometimes we need a meal we can prepare whilst juggling a clingy baby, a toddler crying over toys that have somehow ended up down the toilet and a boss that wants to know when you think you’ll be returning to work FULL time.

My children love this recipe (as do I). The only effort in this recipe is the actual browning of the chicken.

Once I’ve browned the chicken it’s pretty much throw stuff into the slow cooker and forget about it until you need to prepare the rice to serve with it (I served the chicken with basmati rice).

Did I mention this meal works out at less than £0.75 per head?

So to put together this super easy meal (that serves 4/6) you will need:

6 pieces of chicken (I purchased three legs, skin on cut in half)
1 tablespoon oil

For the sauce:
60 ml dark soya sauce
3 tablespoons honey
80 ml tomato ketchup (for an extra kick you can use flavoured ketchups)
8 cloves of garlic-crushed
Juice of 2 limes
Optional: salt to your taste (remember that soya sauce is very very salty!)
Optional: 1 teaspoon chili flakes (for some heat!) OR 1 tablespoon chili sauce

To serve:
I served mine with rice. If you are on a low carb diet replace with cauliflower rice.

1) Heat the oil on a medium heat in a large pan. I use a non stick large frying pan.
2) Add the chicken pieces and fry for 5 minutes per side (I find this browns and crisps the chicken nicely. Always check your chicken whilst cooking it to avoid burning it).
3) Once the chicken is browned drain on some kitchen paper and set aside.
4) Now make the sauce. Pour the dark soya sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, lime juice and optional ingredients (if using) into your slow cooker and stir to mix. You could use a whisk if that’s more convienent.
5) Add the chicken to the sauce. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken. Cook on slow for 5 hours. If you are cooking on the high setting check your chicken after 2.5 hours. Remember that chicken on the bone cooks slower than boneless.
6) Check your chicken at half way and baste it with the sauce (your chicken is highly unlikely to dry out but we want maximum flavour).
7) Your chicken is ready to serve.

Notes: if you do wish to add salt please do so towards the end of the cooking process after tasting salt content. I find it easier to add salt that take it out if you over salt a dish.
Leftovers make great lunches the next day.
Or you can shred the chicken and make sliders (sandwiches).

Dead mans ribs…
Stylemesisteradmin
October 26, 2018

Dead man ribs

I’m a huge fan of ribs but the sugar content of marinades puts me off…So here we have a recipe that is sweet, sticky but also a bit tart (thank you lemons).

I originally made this recipe for Halloween 2017; but I love it any time of the year.

I first cook the ribs in the slow cooker…and finish them off in the oven. You can just cook them i the oven if that makes it easier for you (I just wanted the meat to fall off…completely.

These guys actually taste awesome the next day too.

Serve with lots of napkins!

Ingredients:

1 KG mutton ribs (we asked for them to be chopped up)
1 1/2 cup ketchup
OR 1 cup ketchup & 1/2 cup chili sauce (if you want a fiery rib baby)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 TBSP garlic powder
1/2 TBSP onion powder

1) Wash all the ribs and dry.
2) whisk all the ingredients together.
3) place the ribs in a ziploc bag (plastic food bag that can be sealed) and pour in 80% (the majority of the sauce) into the bag. Seal carefully and massage the ribs to get them covered in the sauce.
4) Leave to marinade overnight or for at least 3 hours; in the fridge.
5) To cook in the slow cooker: place the marinated ribs (and the sauce in the bag) into your slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours.
6) Remove from the slow cooker (leaving any liquid in the slow cooker to dispose of) and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Brush over the sauce you kept at step 3.
7) Bake in the oven at 180 for 15 minutes turning once and brushing with any remaining sauce.
8) Serve with plenty of napkins! The meat will be falling off….