Autumn and winter is the time for warm hearty comfort foods, but if like me you don’t get much time to cook then these dishes will save you time and you will still get your tasty meals to warm you up on those chilly days. All of these meals are slow cooker and family-friendly. I cook all of these meals for my family and they always go down a treat!

Beef stew and dumplings

This dish reminds me so much of my childhood. Just the smell brings back so many memories of my mum preparing this before the school run and coming home to the house smelling of stew! I now make this for my children!

Recipe

• 800g (1 3/4oz) stewing beef, cut into cubes
• pinch salt
• 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
• 2 onions, cut into wedges
• 3 sticks celery, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 1/2in slice
• 15g (1 tbsp) tomato puree
• 2 garlic cloves,
• beef stock 350ml
• add some rosemary to taste (if you like)

Boil the veggies until semi-soft, then place all the ingredients into your slow cooker and leave to cook for a minimum of 3/4 hours.

Chicken Casserole

My great Nan made the most belly-warming chicken casserole, which was always followed by an apple and rhubarb crumble (with custard of course)!

Recipe

• 50ml olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium white onion, finely chopped
• 2 red peppers and 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 400ml chicken stock
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes

Lightly fry off the chicken, just to seal, then put all of the ingredients into your slow cooker and leave to cook for a minimum of 2 hours. I like to serve mine with some boiled new potatoes.

Leek and Potato soup with a twist

This is a nice simple, cheap meal what will warm you up on those frosty days!

Recipe

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 500g (1lb) leeks, sliced500g
• (1lb) potatoes, cubed
• 1·2 litres (2pts) hot vegetable stock
• handful of thyme leaves
• 100g (3½oz) curly kale, sliced, then chopped into small pieces
• 4 slices prosciutto (optional gives a slightly smoky flavour)
• 2tbsp half-fat soured cream (optional)

This is a really nice easy recipe and is perfect for the slow cooker, I would suggest part boiling the potatoes first. Add the kale (can be served separately or put in with the rest of the ingredients) and you’ve got a perfectly healthy warm meal for winter, serve with a nice slice of a crusty loaf for extra points!

Honey and garlic chicken

I love honey and who knew it would go so well with chicken. This has to be one of my favourites, and my children love it too!

Recipe

• 8 skinless chicken thighs or 4 chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 8 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 200ml (1/2pt) chicken stock
• 2 courgettes, diced
• 1 carrot, grated
• tsp ground cumin
• flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested

You can make this one of two ways, either in the slow cooker for 2/3 hours (perfect if your going out for the day) or you can roast it in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 deg C. If your roasting this dish, then I’d squeeze the honey over the top of the chicken just before it goes in the oven this will give you a lovely sweet glaze over your chicken. Again I like to serve this with either boiled new potatoes or roast potatoes!

What are your favourite autumn/winter meals?