Slow Cooker / Crockpot BBQ Meatloaf

My recipe for BBQ Meatloaf is adapted from largefamilytable.com and I have to be honest with you, this was the first time I have ever eaten, let alone cooked meatloaf.  As a 39 year old woman, don't be shocked and give up on me just yet at this revelation.

Ingredients

• 1 lb minced (ground) beef
• 1 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup chopped veggies (I used onions, courgette, and bell peppers)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp oregano
• BBQ sauce

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together by hand. Take your time with this and be sure everything is combined well.
Form into a loaf shape.
If preparing ahead for the freezer, place in a freezer bag and freeze until the night before you are ready to use them. Thaw in fridge overnight.
Place meatloaf in slow cooker and spread barbecue sauce over the top.
Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for up to 8 hours. Careful not to burn. It'll still taste nice if you do...I'm not telling you how I know that ;)
I served ours with buttered potatoes and roasted courgette and tomatoes.  Delish!

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker / Crockpot pea and ham soup

I urge you to try this slow cooker, crockpot recipe.  If you like your pea and ham soup, this recipe is for you.  It tastes even better when it is cold outside, that's a promise ;)  I made this in between getting the kids up and doing the animals early one morning.  I was so pleased it took next to no time to put together!.

Ingredients

• Small smoked gammon joint.
• 2 peeled potatoes, cubed.
• 2 large white onions, chopped.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced.
• 1kg frozen garden peas.
• Water

Instructions

Put the garlic, onions, peas, raw potato and gammon in to the Slow Cooker.  Put the potatoes and gammon in first, unlike me as you can see below!  Don't forget to remove the protective layer off the gammon, saves you doing it at the end and burning yourself.

Pour in enough water to cover the gammon 1/2 way - more if you like thinner, less if you prefer a thicker soup.

Cook on high setting for 4 hours or low for 8.

Remove the gammon and trim off any fat before shredding with two forks.

Blitz the soup into the consistency you prefer and put the shredded gammon back in, combine.

Season to taste serve in a soup bowl with a little of the shredded gammon to garnish.

To make a less healthier version, add cream at blending and a little cream to drizzle before adding the gammon garnish but the truth be told, I really don't think it needs it.

This recipe freezes well, I use plastic containers and label them with a marker.  They stack well in the freezer.

Recipe - Slow Cooker - pea and ham soup

This is SUCH a delicious soup, please try it once if never again!  In the slow cooker too, double win.

Ingredients

• Small smoked gammon joint.
• 2 peeled potatoes.
• 2 large white onions.
• 3 cloves garlic.
• 1kg frozen garden peas.
• Water

Instructions

Put the garlic, onions, peas, raw potato and gammon in to the Slow Cooker.  Put the potatoes and gammon in first, unlike me!

Pour in enough water to cover the gammon 1/2 way - more if you like thinner, less if you prefer a thicker soup.

Cook on high setting for 4 hours or low for 8.

Remove the gammon and trim off any fat before shredding with two forks.

Blitz the soup into the consistency you prefer and put the shredded gammon back in, combine.

Season to taste serve in a soup bowl with a little of the shredded gammon to garnish.

To make a less healthier version, add cream at blending and a little cream to drizzle before adding the gammon garnish but the truth be told, I really don't think it needs it.

Bashful Beef Stew recipe - slow cooker / crockpot one pot

Bashful Beef Stew

Serves 4-6 people

I cook this in a cast iron pot in the simmering oven of the Aga which is the same as the Slow Cooker.  I do not brown the meat as we love it just as it is, but feel free to before you put it in the slow cooker.

Ingredients:

500 - 750g diced beef

2 carrots

1/4 turnip

3 medium potatos

1 onion

1 leek 

1 parsnip

Beef gravy Granules

Method:

This recipe is nice and easy and perfect for busy lives and when you're short on time.

Chop the vegetables up on to bite size chunks, one thing I love about this recipe is that it is literally one pot 

Layer everything in the slow cooker, starting with the longest to cook on the bottom, so beef, potatoes, turnip, carrots, onion/leek/parsnip

Make enough gravy to cover the contents of the slow cooker and pour it over.

Switch the slow cooker on and leave it for 6 - 8 hours on low.

Trust me, it's delicious!  

Some people prefer to brown the beef and not use gravy granules, which is also fine.  This is just what works for me when I'm working full time and also running the smallholding.

Enjoy :)

Comforting Chicken stock/bone broth - recipe slow cooker

Comforting Chicken stock/bone broth

Link to my YouTube video which includes how I make chicken stock

Makes as much stock as you add liquid. 

This is a guide, use what you have in and that you like.  Adapt and be flexible, it'll turn out great regardless!  

Point to note, the healthier life your chicken has had, the healthier your bone broth/stock will be for you.

The addition of ginger is recommended to help with immunity (my opinion only!).

Ingredients:

1 chicken carcass, all odds, sods and last bits of meat included.

2 onions or leek

3 sticks celery

2/3 carrots

1/4 turnip/swede

Lots of garlic cloves

Root ginger, thumb size or so

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp whole cloves

Herbs such as thyme, mixed herbs

Bay leaves

Method:

Don't be precious about this.  

Bung it all in, you can even afford the skin on the onions, it's up to you.
Roughly chop the rest of your veg and put in the SC with the carcass.

Garlic I bash and thrown in.  

Ginger I cut up or bash to release the flavours and throw it in.

I don't measure the peppercorns, cloves or herbs but feel free to.
Cover with as much water as it needs to have everything submerged, season with salt if you use it, I do.
Leave it on low overnight or for 6-8 hours and then once cooled, strain it through a colander then a sieve.  The liquid is your stock which you can freeze or pop in the fridge for a few days.  Use it whenever recipes as for stock and it is so nice!

Enjoy :)

Slow Cooker Fantastic Frittata - recipe

Fantastic Frittata (Slow Cooker)

Makes 1 large frittata, serves a family of 4 with sides. 

Ingredients:

8-10 eggs (I use 8 as I use duck eggs)

1 cup of either milk/cream/water or a combination

Any ingredients you like such as

Cooked bacon/chorizio

Vegetables (I like peppers and spinach)

Cheese (1 cup ish - we use cheddar)

Salt and Pepper

Method:

Butter your slow cooker

Beat the eggs and add the liquid, mix together.

Pop everything in the slow cooker and stir

Leave with the lid on low for up to 5 hours or adjust for your slow cooker.

Enjoy :) 

Trying new things

Part of the journey we're on is learning to cook more things from scratch.  Now I already make things from scratch but when I sat and thought about it properly (usually when I am in the shower!) I realised there is a lot more to do.  I already knew this, I just hadn't actively thought about it.
Not only is it making things from scratch but finding new, hopefully cheaper ways of doing things.
So last night saw me trial out homemade garlic bread.  It turned out very nice, even it meant we were later than normal eating supper.

Grace thought it best to get a photo for the blog

I also put a couple of potatoes in the slow cooker, wrapped in foil, ready for Ste's packed lunch today.  he said they tasted fine but looked awful as their skin had taken on a discoloured, dark tinge.  As long as they taste ok in my book, that's fine :)

On writing this, I realise I've not tagged anything as slow cooker before.  Now that's something I need to rectify as the slow cooker (or indeed simmering over) should be my friend given that I work full time and run this place...

Goodbye February, Hello March

Spring is definitely in the air and it's lovely to feel.

Today I have been to the stables with my daughter and enjoyed seeing her ride her pony and a friend's pony too.  Following this we all went to the father in laws for a lovely Sunday lunch.  This afternoon has seen me take inspiration from notjustgreenfingers' blog and whip up some chocolate chip cookies, flapjacks and currently in the bread-maker is a dough to make rolls.  Following her advice I will slice them and freeze ready to make up for the packed lunches.  Great idea!

I've been making bread in the BM weekly now when we run out of shop bought.  At the moment, we rely on shop bought to see us through the beginning of the week and I top up with homemade.  Eventually I may get to homemade 100% of the time but for now I'm happy with the balance.

It struck me the other day how far we've come since our journey had it's initial, dim spark.  I say dim as it's taken me a long time to start living a more frugal lifestyle but the fact is, we've come so far.  We don't buy things that we don't need, we make do and mend, make the most of free activities and generally live a happy yet frugal lifestyle. 

So this coming week I have my meal plan done, shopped yesterday to get everything I need for it and have the treats made to fill up the lunch boxes and after tea requests.  I'm going to make some rice pudding later in the week.  I think I will use the slow cooker as I've never done rice pudding in the slow cooker before.  That will be or Friday's soup and pudding night.

Two years time we will have our house up for sale and the farm will be in our sights.