Madhouse recipe : Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

The weather has gone distinctly autumnal so we've all been craving winter warmers. Add to that the fact that we've all gone back to work and school and it was definitely time to bring out the slow cooker ! As it's a mixture of beans and sausages, using nothing but store cupboard basics (always a bonus !), I decided to name it Cowboy Casserole !

 Slow Cooker Cowboy Casserole

ingredients :

8 thick pork sausages

4 smoked sausages (saucisses de Toulouse), chopped into halves

2 onions, quartered

1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced

3 carrots, peeled and chopped into thick slices

3 large mushrooms, quartered

1 tin of baked beans

1 tin of red kidney beans

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

1 stock cube

a sprinkle of gravy granules

1/2tsp smoked paprika

garlic salt, black pepper, oregano

As I was throwing this in the slow cooker in the morning for the evening meal, I put the sausages in straight from the freezer. This meant that they came out very pale so they'd be better if you can brown them off in a frying pan before putting them in. Toss in the halved smoked sausages, the baked beans and tomatoes.

Gaily throw in the diced red pepper, mushrooms, carrots and onions. Rinse the kidney beans (is it just me that hates all the sludge in the bottom of the can ?!) and add those, then the salt and pepper, herbs and spices. Mix the stock cube up with a small glass of water, add to the pot and stir it all up.

Leave to cook on low for about 6 hours. Give it a stir every now and then if you can (but I was at work and it managed just fine all by itself !). Just before serving, stir in a sprinkle of gravy granules to thicken up the sauce.

This can be eaten on its own, or over rice, baked potatoes or mash if you like. A think chunk of crusty bread to mop up the sauce is another welcome addition.

I'd forgotten how lovely it is to come home from work to dinner ready and waiting in the slow cooker !