Just as day follows night, so too does the appearance of the slow cooker follow the first sign of Autumn. And every year I’m blown away. Not only because my 20 plus year-old slow cooker is in the same fine form it ever was, but how much I love a good old-fashioned beef stew. Yes, beef, you were great on the barbie over summer, but how I love you in this form. In this slow cooker French onion beef recipe, chuck steak is slowly cooked in red wine, with sweet carrots, fresh thyme and, of course, the flavour bomb that is French onion soup mix. I swear this tastes as though you’ve put so much more effort into it than you have. Make a double batch and store in the freezer. I have it on good authority that it makes a perfect pie filling!
Meltingly tender and crispy all at the same time - that’s the brilliance of pork belly. The trick to super crispy pork crackling is placing the pork belly in the fridge overnight to help to dry out the skin and maximise the crackle. Plus, cooking it in the air fryer allows the skin to dry out even further while keeping the meat underneath incredibly moist. This is a great way to enjoy pork belly in minutes of cooking rather than hours in the oven.
Wondering why this lemon cake recipe is called ‘meltaway’? Well, it’s the only way to describe the heavenly sensation of the moist, buttery cake melting away in your mouth - you really do have to try it for yourself. The sweet glaze on top adds another lemony touch, but it does require 1 hour to set so make sure you ice the cake well before you plan to serve it. We think this lighter, spongy cake is perfect to serve for morning or afternoon tea, or even as an after-dinner dessert. If you love lemon melting moments, you’ll love this cake.
Are you looking for a low-budget one-pan dinner winner? Well, this delicious excuse to get away with less washing up is the hearty meal for you! It can feed a family or make a great meal-prep option as well. The rice soaks up the beefy Mexican flavour as it cooks, leaving you with a tasty bite every time. What’s more, it’s the perfect filling for taco shells or burritos as well! Add sour cream, avocado and even cherry tomatoes after cooking for some extra freshness.
It only takes 5 ingredients to whip up this next-level potato bake. With layers of tender potato slices, oozing mozzarella, BBQ chicken and spinach doused in a creamy sauce (with a hint of mustard), midweek dinners don't get much better than this! This super easy potato bake can also be served as a side dish (just leave the chicken out).
We all know that we eat eggs on Easter (even if they are chocolate!). So, what better way to honour that than with these deliciously savoury, cheesy potato crust quiche nests. You’ll just love the crispy texture that baked cheese adds to the potato cups - it is the perfect match for the soft egg, ham and shallot filling. These quiche nests take those familiar quiche flavours and just amplify them. What’s more, they make the perfect school or work lunch. I prefer reheating them for about a minute, but I know others who swear by them as a perfect cold dish too!
Indulge in the rich and savoury flavours of this slow cooker twist on a classic beef a la mode. The dish combines tender beef, aromatic herbs, and a medley of vegetables that bubble away in a delicious, red-wined based broth in the slow cooker. As the beef simmers, it becomes irresistibly tender and will just melt in your mouth with every forkful! The best thing about this dish is that it takes just 30 minutes of preparation, so you can organise your ingredients in the morning, switch that convenient slow cooker on, enjoy your day and a few hours later you’ll be dishing up plates of the hearty goodness of Matt Preston’s slow cooker beef a la mode.
We can’t get enough of hasselback potato (the technique of cutting small slits into the top) so we thought we’d try it out with chicken and fill it with some classic Mediterranean ingredients and flavours. While it looks and taste incredible, it’s actually super simple to make - you only need 6 ingredients and 20 minutes prep. You know how we feel about an easy chicken dinner. Don’t stress too much about filling them neatly, the rustic look is in! You could serve this with a simple side salad or some roast potatoes.
Have this budget-friendly dinner on the table in 30! The chewy, wide glass noodles and crispy lamb mince soak up the perfectly balanced sauce creating this deliciously sticky stir-fry.
Who needs takeout when it takes just 10 minutes to prepare this slow cooker Korean beef? Simply get all your ingredients together and let the slow cooker work its magic. The beef melts in your mouth with every bite thanks to the sweet and savoury flavours of the bulgogi sauce (which can be found in the Asian section of the supermarket), onion, garlic and ginger. The smoky notes from the sauce also infuse into the meat, and the addition of toasted sesame seeds on top show how easy it is to create a rich and complex flavour profile with such simple ingredients. The beef mixture can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, making it perfect to have for leftovers. If you ask me, this recipe has the same strengths as a curry - it tastes even better the next day!
Panang beef curry is a staple Thai dish that is infused with a mixture of salty and sweet flavours, deepened by the rich taste of peanuts. The makrut lime leaves give a subtle lime flavour to this dish. Don’t forget, each leaf is comprised of two sections - so ‘1 leaf’ is this double leaf. They can be found with the herbs at most supermarkets. Don’t worry though, these flavour combinations are not overwhelming thanks to the creamy addition of coconut milk. After letting it cook in the slow cooker, the end result is a dish with a unique and vibrant taste that you’ll be craving each week! What’s more, they do say that curry tastes even better the next day so you’ll have something to look forward to if you manage to spare any leftovers!
Slow cooker meals are always a favourite in my house. With this pulled Mongolian lamb, if you haven’t understood the hype around them before, you absolutely will now. All those spices add together to create a deliciously complex flavour profile. The Asian inspiration is developed further with the addition of hoisin sauce, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, which combine sweet and savoury flavours that infuse into the succulent lamb, as well as the broccolini and rice when serving. Plus, slow cooking a large piece of meat on the bone makes for the most tender, falling apart meat you will ever try.
I adore the sweet and tangy flavours of everyone’s favourite winter comfort food - French onion soup. Sometimes though, I just don’t feel like soup and I crave something with a bit more texture. My solution? This delicious, cheesy French onion pasta bake! It has those familiar, caramelised flavours that we all adore, which are soaked up by the elbows pasta for a twist on mac and cheese that we think tastes just like Smith’s Cheese & Onion chips!
You don’t get truffles much more Christmassy than these. As well as being a delicious treat to serve guests, they also make a lovely gift for any white Christmas lover. They do require 3 hours chilling time - and the occasional stir- so do make sure you start them well in advance and are at home!
French onion soup is a renowned favourite comfort food across the globe. But have you ever thought about how those sweet, caramelised onion flavours would pair perfectly with some delicious meatballs? For a more filling choice try our cheesy french onion meatballs & mushrooms - the perfect meal for a cozy dinner during winter. Serve with warm, toasted sourdough and butter for an irresistible bite.
