Slow cookers

When we got married about 18 months ago, one of the presents that Skry and I received was a slow cooker. I can't remember where I got the idea of putting one on our wedding list, as I can't think of anyone else I knew at the time who had one, but it was a very welcome gift and we have got lots of use out of it.

The beauty of the slow cooker is that is can be left on overnight, or all day while I'm at work, without using up much electricity at all (about the same as a light bulb, I believe) and without requiring any attention. It's so nice to come home from work and smell dinner ready to eat, or to come downstairs in the morning and have a hot lunch ready to pack up and take to work. Since we moved into our new place in Christchurch I have used ours quite a few times, and our friend Don (who is staying here at the moment) also bought one and uses it often. We are all very domesticated, aren't we?

My favourite recipe at the moment is extremely simple:

• one tin of creamy tomato soup (the dreaded Wattie's brand, but more tolerable than their tomato sauce)
• two chicken breast fillets
• sliced carrots and potato and onion if I can be bothered
  

1. Switch on slow cooker.
2. Place chicken (on top of veggies if using) in base of pot.
3. Pour soup over chicken.
4. Replace lid on pot.
5. Leave for 7 or 8 hours.
6. Wake up/return from work to find lovely tender chicken in a thick tomato sauce, ready to be eaten with mashed potato or chips.

Don has being getting very creative with sausage and vegetables, so I think I'll copy him soon. Maybe chuck in some lentils - there are some great ideas on allrecipes.com so I just need to go shopping and then do my Nigella routine. Now that the nights are drawing in and the colder weather is somewhere around the corner, it'll be good to have a store of comfort-food ideas to see me through!