Schwartz slow cooker mixes-Beef and Tomato Casserole-review

With winter coming, Schwartz have developed a range of slow cooker mixes, so we can enjoy yummy winter warmer teas, without slaving away at the cooker all day. How about coming in from work, or the school run, and smelling the delicious aromas of your tea, all ready to be dished up.

The Schwartz slow cooker range consists of Beef and Tomato Casserole, Chicken Curry, Chicken in Red Wine, and Sausage and Bean Casserole.

We were lucky enough to sample these, and i can say, they are simply delicious, and make a yummy tea for all the family.
All you have to do it put all the ingredients into the your slow cooker in the morning(i prepare any veg the night before), turn it on, and leave it to work its magic.

All the sachets have a list of ingredients on the back, but i love the fact that you can add or change anything you don't like, or just fancy adding.

First we tried the Beef and Tomato Casserole.

YOU WILL NEED

1 onion, cut into chunks

2 red peppers, cut into chunks

450g (1lb) lean beef, diced 

1 sachet Schwartz Slow Cookers Beef & Tomato Casserole Recipe Mix 

400g tin chopped tomatoes

2 tbs tomato purée

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the onion, peppers and beef into your slow cooker pot.

2. Blend the sachet contents with the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée, and add to the slow cooker pot. Stir through.

Ready to be turned on. I added leeks and cherry tomotoes as they needed using up.

3. Cover and cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW, or until the meat is tender and cooked through.  (Keep covered during cooking.  Cooking times vary between slow cooker models.)

4. Remove the lid, stir through and stand for 5 minutes before serving.

I served this with jacket potatoes, and it was truly delicious, something that not only me and Daz polished off, but that the little ones really enjoyed too.

Not only is it ideal for warming up in the cold winter months, it doesn't cost the earth to cook either.
This is based on what i pay for my ingredients from my local Morrison's.
I usually buy 3 onions for around £1, so about 35p for the onion,
Peppers again i think are around 3 for £1.50, so £1.00 for 2 peppers
Schwartz slow cookers mixes retail at around £1.00,
I use the basic range of chopped tomatoes which are 22p for a 400g tin,
Tomato puree i always have in the fridge, but if you don't it comes in at under £1 for a tube that will last ages.
I bought my beef on offer, as there was a selection of meats that were 3 for £10, so my beef cost around £3.50.
So for the beef casserole for 4 people (would feed 4 adults, as we had some left over from 2 adults and 2 children) it cost between £6 and £7. Add on another £1 for 4 large baking potatoes and that's a total of £2 per person. I think £2 each for a healthy, filling meal is a bit of a bargain.

Slow cookers are ideal for cooking tougher/less expensive cuts of meat, as the way it is cooked makes even the toughest of meats come out tender. If you don't own a slow cooker, they don't cost the earth these days, and i would say are a really good investment, especially as the weather is taking a turn for the worse, and it's getting really cold. I will be experimenting and trying plenty of slow cooker recipes in the next few weeks, so you won't be short on idea's. I have a Morphy Richards 3.5L Slow Cooker which can be bought here for £29.99.

So would i recommend the Beef and Tomato Casserole Slow Cooker Mix? I think you already know the answer to that is going to be a big yes. Why not try it.

Loren x