I bought a slow cooker today ...

Thanks for your advice, Setanta. It's now around 8:30 pm, so it's been cooking for about 3 hours. Smells good!

I was not so much worried about the house burning down. (Didn't think of that! ) I was thinking that I might over-cook it if I left it on overnight. Can you overcook a soup in a slow cooker, hmmmmmm? So let's see: if I wake at my usual Saturday morning time - between 7 - 8 am) that'd make it around 13 1/2 hours in all. Is that too long? Will it turn to sloppy mush on me, I'm wondering? (The other alternative is to adjust the setting to the "keep warm" (lower than "slow") option when I head off to bed.)

You can get things to plug in the wall and then plug your cooker (or anything else, like lights, radios etc...to discourage burglars when you go away etc.) into that have timers.

Yeah, you can overcook something in a slow cooker. If you leave it on low all day, it will gradually come to a low boil, or maybe what you could call a "high simmer." It will use up a tremendous amount of liquid. If you experiment a little, you discover how yours works, but i'd say that you need to add from 50% more to twice as much water as you would normally use, depending on how long it's going to be cooking, and how your unit performs.

Of course, these are early day, and this is how you will learn how that bad boy operates.

The low setting on ors (which is but 3 years old) is set to be just below a boil. Id say about 180 or so. With the lid kept tight, it recycles any steam as a condensate and doesnt lose much water. The really slow and "below boil" temp is ok for setting and going to the beach for a day.
We still, cook the bastid on a patio wall because anything with an internal electric circuit can short out and start a fire from within.

There have been stories of fires from electric blankets. Thats why the really good ones(electric blankets, not slow cookers) use natural fibres.


Do not never make pasta dishes in a slow cooker. The sauces are ok but dont add pastas. Also, as far as noodles, we like to cook noodles separately and either serve the schmutz over top the freshly cooked noodles, or add the cooked noodles to the sauce, just before your ready to eat.
Cooking noodles all day in a slow cooker will turn a good al dente noodle into a roll of snotbread.

Our crock pot is a good one, but the lid doesn't fit tightly, so you can lose a lot of moisture in the course of a day. Drives the little doggies mad with the aroma, too . . .

Thank you, thank you, Setanta, farmer & Deb for all the advice & information.
About the timer thingy: I recall, on another thread, someone (Jespah, as best I recall) mentioned setting the timer for 4 hours. Maybe I dreamed that? But I don't think so. Anyway, looks like I have a pretty standard slow cooker, seeing as an in-built timer doesn't appear to be part of the usual deal That's a really good idea, that plug-timer-thingy ... have used one of those before, to confuse potential burglars while off on travels.

It's no a bit after 10:30 & the soup smells FANTASTIC! Five hours of cooking on "slow". I think I will turn turn it off when I go to bed (soon). That'll make it possible to get rid of any excess fat from the chicken, when it's cool in the morning ... then I'll reheat. Feeling pretty pleased with my first slow cooking venture!

While I was looking for recipes for soothing, restorative comfort food on the internet earlier in the day, I came across this recipe. Looks good! I'll definitely try it at some stage, before too long. But well after I've recovered from an over-dose of this chicken soup, though! :

Chicken Rice Congee

This Chinese porridge is traditionally prepared to soothe the sick. However, this versitle dish can be made for any meal and is a perfect place to use leftover meat, beans, or vegetables.

You Will Need:
* 8 cups unsalted chicken stock, homemade or low-
sodium canned
* 1 cup rice
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 cups chopped chicken meat
*12 shitake mushrooms
* 2 cups bok choy, coarsely chopped, or napa cabbage

What to Do:
* Place all the ingredients in a slow-cooker and cook on low for six hours.

Serving suggestion: serve in flat bowls garnished with fresh coriander and chopped scallions. Toasted sesame seeds or sesame oil are also a nice touch.

~

This looked interesting, too, though could someone suggest suitable substitutes for the cans of white & yellow "hominy", please? Or translate hominy to Oz speak? Thanks:

Pozole Stew:

Pozole is a traditional Mexican stew that dates back to pre-Columbian times. Today this dish's popularity has spread to the Southern United States and is served in New Mexico on Christmas Eve to celebrate the year's blessings.

You Will Need:
* 1 pound country-style boneless pork ribs, cut in 1 inch squares
* 1 small onion, diced
* 1 teaspoon minced dried poblano chili pepper
* 6 plum tomatoes, stems removed
* 1 can (fifteen ounces) white hominy
* 1 can (fifteen ounces) yellow hominy
*1 teaspoon chili powder
*1 teaspoon salt
*1/2 teaspoon thyme
*1/2 teaspoon dried cumin

What to Do:
Sautee the pork in a non-stick skillet until halfway cooked, remove. Leave fat in skillet and sautee the onion.
Add the meat, the onion and all the remaining ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low heat for six to eight hours.

Serves 6.

Serving Suggestions: Pozole can be served in large flat bowls, garnished with fresh cilantro with warm corn bread on the side. Avocado slices and fresh lime can be passed, along with hot sauce or salsa.

~

hominy

Looks like you might be able to get away with subbing corn or maybe dried or parched corn if you can get it.

Cooks Thesaurus: Corn



Do you have any ethnic stores that cater to Mexicans or Texans?

Here's Kambrook's website. I linked to the cooking page where you'll need to select which of the several models of slow cooker you purchased. Once selected, it takes you to the product detail page where there is a link for downloading the instruction booklet.

http://www.kambrook.com.au/category.asp?id=3

I just looked at the instruction booklet for the Essentials model and it also has several recipes specific to the size and model you purchased.

Thanks, Jespah.

Hmmm ... dried corn.
]

Not an ingredient I can recall coming across. Will check out the health & ethnic shops & see what I can find.

I'm sure they do exist, DrewDad, though not in my immediate (shopping) neighborhood. I'll do an online search & see what I come up with. Thanks.

In the US , a brand of dried corn is a "SHoepeg "variety of dried corn. It cooks up with a nice texture and is very sweet . Its great for stews.
Its made by a comapny in Lancaster County (right here in the heart of Dutchland) named JOHN COPE Inc. Ill see if I cant get a website.

I found something from a Pa mail order line. It has some reciped for dried corn also. When you look at the box, its only a half pound but when it is rehydrated, it makes a big pile of corn. Its actually a wintertime holiday treat for us around here. Thanksgiving without some dried corn dish would be just some chicken dinner with that red jelly ****.

http://www.caneandreed.com/copescorn.htm

I never learned how to insert a "title line" onto a url in the new format , so I just have to post the URL directly

Ah, should have done this earlier, Butrflynet, while waiting for the manual to arrive by post. (As I mentioned earlier, I rang Kambrook a few days ago & they're sending me a copy of the manual & other material that I should have received with my slow cooker.) It must be rather maddening to watch a person asking lots of very basic questions that everyone else (in the know) knows the answer to!

So - how was the chichen soup? Hmm?

Thank you again, farmer. You're a brick! (Always wanted to say that to someone! )
Seriously, you & Setanta & others have been very helpful. Much appreciated.


I am going to track down dried corn in Melbourne! Just watch me!

Why thank you for asking, Imur!

It was very good! Just what I needed (though perhaps not quite so much of it! <Burp>) There is quite a bit in the freezer for LATER & some in the fridge for tomorrow's dinner. I think I might wait a few months before another chicken soup episode!

(HaHa ... I just remember a old thread of yours. Should you eat your wife's dinner or not? (I think she was delayed somewhere?) It was hilarious. Smiling to myself, remembering, as I type this. )

And now (as I search Melbourne for dried corn) I am contemplating my next slow cooked extravaganza! Next weekend, I think!