Slow cooker - is it worth buying or waste of space

[WorriedRuby]

I bought crock-pot one with 'keep warm' function and I am very happy with the results.

Have tried couple of receipes so far, need to buy a good receipe book which includes veg and non veg receipes.

Any suggestions?

[doodles]

Those little square Olive / BBC cook books have a slow cooker one in the range which is excellent. Otherwise I have an old book called "Slow Cooking Properly Explained" if you can get it it's a really good basic book that I refer to a lot.

Enjoy your new cooking style.

[DIY Mum]

A slow cooker sounds ideal!
Just to be sure though- if I buy a large slow cooker (to feed a family of six-seven) will the food turn out alright if it is left on 'to warm' for longer than 6 hours?

What I mean is that if I put the food in the pot before 8 a.m, will I be greeted with a wonderful meal when I return home at 6 p.m or is it the case that the food will be charred? Last thing I'd want is to have five hungry dc gaping at me

[doodles]

Should be fine, never had a charring yet!! but I do make sure that there is plenty of liquid and then if it is too runny thicken with cornflour or chuck some rice in for the last bit.

Think we will have sausage and rice casserole with tomatoes and peppers this weekend.

[scarlett]

I've just bought one now !! With my clubcard vouchers and so mine cost the princely sum of £3.50 !

At least now I have a piece of equipment to blame my bad cooking on.....but I'm hoping everything will turn out delicious !

[rachag]

I have also bought one inspired by proponents on here. Mentioned it to an acquaintance this morning and it turned out she was another person who said she couldn't be without it, but she especially liked to use it at the weekend so that the family could go out all day and still come home to something nice.
"slow cooking properly explained" by Dianne Page. If this is the book mentioned above, I found it in a small whs this morning.

[Morning Glory]

I had a slow cooker for a wedding present - 18 years ago and it was the best present we got. Still going strong after 18 years, makes fab food.

We are going to France with a large group this Summer and a couple of slow cookers are coming too. Means you can prepare everything and leave them on while you go out and enjoy yourself. When you're ready to eat - you just need to serve.

I also have a rice cooker - another good gadget.

[Ed's mum]

I mentioned this thread to my husband a few days ago and said that I thought we should unearth ours from the back of the cupboard (had it for years and only used it once).
Anyway, today I returned from work to the most delicious smells coming from the slow cooker - a Moroccon mince, aubergine and potato type thing.
Delicious!
Thanks for the thread.

[Y]

Can you post the recipe!?

[Warks mum]

I bought one cheaply from the local supermarket, which obviously overstocked significantly before Christmas and still has some on the shelves now!

I've tried a few recipes with varying success from basic ingredients but I've found the standard packet casserole sauces seem to work well (this week's one cost 50p) and have the advantage of ingredient lists on the back... especially for those of us who are culinarily challenged...