Ingredients 500g (1 lb.) ground beef 1 onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 250g (9 oz.) mushrooms, sliced 2 tsp. garlic, crushed 2 tsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 bay leaves 1 tsp. basil, dried 1 tsp. oregano, dried 800g (24 oz.) can diced tomatoes ¼ cup red wine Salt & Pepper Instructions Firstly, fry off the ground beef in a frypan over high heat. Once browned, drain and transfer to the slow cooker. In the slow cooker, add all the ingredients and mix to ensure that it is all combined. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Season with salt & pepper. Recipe Tips As with any good pasta some Parmesan and fresh herbs make for the best garnish. The sugar is optional but helps reduce the acidity of the tomatoes. I used dried herbs in this dish but they can easily be replaced with fresh herbs instead. You shouldn’t need to adjust any of the amounts to make up for this change. You can use either red or white wine without making a significant impact on the overall dish. Personally, I try to stick to red wine but sometimes there just isn’t any around to use for cooking. You can leave the wine out altogether but you will miss out on that extra flavor it brings to the dish. If you love your bolognese extra saucy then feel free to add another can of diced tomatoes. Be careful not to go overboard as you don’t want too much tomato and not enough beef.
Ingredients: 420g (15 oz) cream of chicken soup 2 cups sour cream 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 1kg (2.2 lb) hash browns (patties or shredded) I'm going to add drained mushroom stems and pieces to see what happens Instructions In a bowl, combine the sour cream, cheese, and cream of chicken soup. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly spray the slow cooker. Add the hash browns then pour over the cheese mixture. Cook on low for about 4-6 hours. Recipe Tips You can use either shredded or patty hash browns in this recipe. There is very little difference between the two by the time you’re finished cooking. Chopped chives go incredibly well with this dish. You can mix the chives in with the cream and cheese mixture or just sprinkle them over the top once you're ready to serve. If you want to go one bit further, you can add some bacon, sausage, or even shredded chicken to the dish. Add these to your cheese mix for the best flavorsome outcome. I made use of regular full fat sour cream in this recipe but haven’t tried using low fat. You may find that the result will be slightly different if you use low-fat sour cream. Personally, I wouldn’t cook this for any longer than the recommended four hours; otherwise, you may find it will start to burn, or the cheese will curdle and become a bit unappetizing.
Ingredients: ½ cup soy sauce ½ cup honey 1 Tbsp garlic, minced 1 Tbsp ginger, minced 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1.5kg (3.3 lb) chicken drumsticks Thickening 2 Tbsp cornstarch 2 Tbsp water Instructions Mix the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in the slow cooker. Add chicken drumsticks to the slow cooker, baste them, so they are well coated. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the water until it forms a paste. Add the cornstarch mixture to the slow cooker and mix. Add the chicken back in and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened. Optional: Baste chicken with the sauce and place it under a grill for a few minutes to caramelize. Recipe Tips I recommended grilling the chicken as it will help the marinade caramelize. It’s still amazing straight out of the slow cooker. You use any cut of chicken for this recipe. I made use of chicken drumsticks. However, you can use chicken thigh, breast, wings, or basically any cut of chicken you want. A thickener such as cornstarch is perfect if you want a nice thick marinade. However, you can use something like arrowroot instead. The sauce is still pretty good without any thickener. Soy sauce brands can vary heavily in flavor and saltiness. If you're unsure about the soy you're using, then don't hesitate to tinker the amount of honey and soy you use.
