Hi Everyone,
It's been a long time since I've posted on this blog but does this mean I've stopped blogging or fallen out of love with my slow cooker? Heavens, no!
I know many people still visit this site for recipes and ideas so you might like to know I'm transferring most of the recipes here, bit by bit, over to my newer blog The Errant Sock.
There are still lots of slow cooker recipes (obvs!) but also other recipes, especially allergen-avoiding creations created around my son's dietary needs, posts on books, crafts and family life....the works.
So come on over and get your usual fix of crazy, chaotic but always tasty and fun at The Errant Sock. Come on in, kick off your shoes and make yourself at home. See you there in a second or two.
Best,
Jennie a.k.a. The Gently Eccentric Mum
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Slow cooker Indian pudding recipe
Just so there's no confusion for UK readers, this should probably be called "Native American" pudding. However, although puddings like this were eaten by early settlers in the USA, the name comes from the cornmeal (or "Indian meal") it contains rather than referring to the recipe's ethnic origins. The pudding itself is a simplified version of a typical English pudding of the time. Food history lesson over. All you need to know is, it's yummy.
I got the molasses required for this pudding in Holland and Barratt as they're hard to come by in supermarkets here but black treacle is a pretty good equivalent.
Ingredients for 4 - 6 portions:
3 cups / 750 ml milk (I used semi-skimmed and it was fine)
1/2 cup / 90 g cornmeal or polenta (fine)
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup / 60 g light brown sugar
1/3 cup / 120 g molasses or treacle
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
2/3 cup / 100 g raisins or chopped dates
Directions:
Lightly grease the slow cooker pot. Switch it to High while you prepare your pudding. Bring the milk, cornmeal and salt to the boil in a saucepan. Boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix everything else except the raisins or dates. Gradually add the hot cornmeal mixture to the egg and treacle mixture, beating as you go. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the dried fruit. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and cook for 2-3 hours or, if you prefer, switch it to Low and cook for 6 - 8 hours.
Verdict:
This was unlike any dessert I had ever tried before. It had a smooth, velvety texture, somewhere between a baked custard and a baked semolina. Despite the reassuring texture of a nursery pudding, the taste was quite grown-up; spicy but not overpowering. I could imagine it would be fabulous with some vanilla ice-cream. The smell was quite Christmassy and it was definitely a winter or autumn pudding. It's not hard to make so, if you like unusual recipes, give this historic treat a go.
1/2 cup / 90 g cornmeal or polenta (fine)
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup / 60 g light brown sugar
1/3 cup / 120 g molasses or treacle
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
2/3 cup / 100 g raisins or chopped dates
Directions:
Lightly grease the slow cooker pot. Switch it to High while you prepare your pudding. Bring the milk, cornmeal and salt to the boil in a saucepan. Boil, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer for another 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix everything else except the raisins or dates. Gradually add the hot cornmeal mixture to the egg and treacle mixture, beating as you go. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the dried fruit. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and cook for 2-3 hours or, if you prefer, switch it to Low and cook for 6 - 8 hours.
Verdict:
This was unlike any dessert I had ever tried before. It had a smooth, velvety texture, somewhere between a baked custard and a baked semolina. Despite the reassuring texture of a nursery pudding, the taste was quite grown-up; spicy but not overpowering. I could imagine it would be fabulous with some vanilla ice-cream. The smell was quite Christmassy and it was definitely a winter or autumn pudding. It's not hard to make so, if you like unusual recipes, give this historic treat a go.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Jambalaya recipe for the slow cooker
No, don't worry. You've not got a bad link. This great recipe is moments away, right here
I'm gradually transferring all my Blighty recipes to a new blog called The Errant Sock. As well as slow cooker recipes, you'll get lots of other conventional recipes with lots designed to avoid common allergens, plus crafts, reviews, parenting and home hacks, all with the same dash of realism and humour that you get here. So do take a look around and let me know what you think!
Hope to see you in a few seconds over on the Sock!
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Hungarian Goulash slow cooker recipe
No, don't worry. You've not got a bad link. This great recipe is moments away, right here
I'm gradually transferring all my Blighty recipes to a new blog called The Errant Sock. As well as slow cooker recipes, you'll get lots of other conventional recipes with lots designed to avoid common allergens, plus crafts, reviews, parenting and home hacks, all with the same dash of realism and humour that you get here. So do take a look around and let me know what you think!
Hope to see you in a few seconds over on the Sock!
Monday, April 9, 2012
Slow cooker Cuban Roast chicken recipe
No, don't worry. You've not got a bad link. This great recipe is moments away, right here
I'm gradually transferring all my Blighty recipes to a new blog called The Errant Sock. As well as slow cooker recipes, you'll get lots of other conventional recipes with lots designed to avoid common allergens, plus crafts, reviews, parenting and home hacks, all with the same dash of realism and humour that you get here. So do take a look around and let me know what you think!
Hope to see you in a few seconds over on the Sock!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Slow cooker chicken paprikash recipe
I've wanted to try this recipe ever since I watched "When Harry Met Sally" about 20 years ago. I'd never heard of Paprikash until Harry said "Waiter, I need more pepper on my paprikash" in the museum scene, but it sounded good. I was right. It is very, very good. I'm starting to learn that finishing a braised meat dish with sour cream, as they often do in Eastern European cooking, works extremely well. I'll soon be posting a stroganoff recipe that works the same way. In the mean time, do try this. And if you can think of any other meals from movies I can try, let me know!
Ingredients for 4:
8-10 chicken thighs and/or drumsticks (or breasts, but I find they have less flavour)
4 tsps sweet (i.e. standard, not hot) paprika, ideally Hungarian
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp flour
1 cup / 250 ml chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup / 4 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp flour
Directions:
This looks long-winded but isn't complicated or time-consuming in reality.
Put the chicken pieces into a large frying pan / skillet. Sprinkle half of the paprika, salt and pepper over them. Turn the chicken over and sprinkle the other half of the seasoning over the other side.
Put the chicken pieces into a large frying pan / skillet. Sprinkle half of the paprika, salt and pepper over them. Turn the chicken over and sprinkle the other half of the seasoning over the other side.
Put the pan onto the burner on medium to high heat. Watch the chicken pieces carefully as you're adding no extra fat which means they will brown quite quickly - that's exactly what you want as it adds flavour. Cook for 2-4 minutes each side until browned without moving them about too much.
Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker and throw the onion into the frying pan to fry using any drippings left by the chicken. Sauté the onion for several minutes until it starts to soften then add the flour and cook, stirring well, for around 90 seconds. Add the chicken stock and allow it to bubble until the sauce starts to thicken. Tip the sauce and onion over the chicken.
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4.
30 minutes before you want to eat, mix the sour cream with the remaining 2 tbsp flour in a small bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of stock from the slow cooker to warm the sour cream. This prevents it from curdling when you add it to the chicken. Add the sour cream mixture to the slow cooker and stir well. Through all of this, try not to leave the lid off the slow cooker for any longer than necessary as it takes a while to regain heat. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes.
Serve with noodles, rice or mashed potato. Lick the plate clean and put me in your will. Leftovers freeze well. Apparently!
Verdict:
You may have picked up that this was absolutely awesome. The house smelt amazing. The method meant that the chicken had good colour and that lovely, slightly charred "umami" taste. The sauce was creamy and had body but wasn't hot or spicy. 5 stars all round. Love it. Love it. Love it.
Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker and throw the onion into the frying pan to fry using any drippings left by the chicken. Sauté the onion for several minutes until it starts to soften then add the flour and cook, stirring well, for around 90 seconds. Add the chicken stock and allow it to bubble until the sauce starts to thicken. Tip the sauce and onion over the chicken.
Cook on Low for 6-8 hours or on High for 3-4.
30 minutes before you want to eat, mix the sour cream with the remaining 2 tbsp flour in a small bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of stock from the slow cooker to warm the sour cream. This prevents it from curdling when you add it to the chicken. Add the sour cream mixture to the slow cooker and stir well. Through all of this, try not to leave the lid off the slow cooker for any longer than necessary as it takes a while to regain heat. Continue cooking for 30 more minutes.
Serve with noodles, rice or mashed potato. Lick the plate clean and put me in your will. Leftovers freeze well. Apparently!
Verdict:
You may have picked up that this was absolutely awesome. The house smelt amazing. The method meant that the chicken had good colour and that lovely, slightly charred "umami" taste. The sauce was creamy and had body but wasn't hot or spicy. 5 stars all round. Love it. Love it. Love it.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Slow cooker Lamb Navarin recipe
No, don't worry. You've not got a bad link. This great recipe is moments away, right here
I'm gradually transferring all my Blighty recipes to a new blog called The Errant Sock. As well as slow cooker recipes, you'll get lots of other conventional recipes with lots designed to avoid common allergens, plus crafts, reviews, parenting and home hacks, all with the same dash of realism and humour that you get here. So do take a look around and let me know what you think!
Hope to see you in a few seconds over on the Sock!
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