Slow cooker jacket potatoes

After a hectic time moving house and getting back into the swing of after-school clubs and playing taxi driver for the children time has been in short supply and we've been eating lots of very quick, but really unhealthy meals. 

It's getting cold and we're in need of some warming, tasty and nutritious dishes that the children will enjoy so when I heard of jacket potatoes cooked in a slow cooker I wanted to try them but I was rather sceptical. I'm rather fussy with the taste of my jacket potatoes so they had a lot to achieve! We all love jacket potatoes but I'm rarely home at the time they need putting on and I don't trust the timer on the oven so being able to start cooking them in the morning would be perfect for us.

After reading a few instructions online I tried a combination. My stepdad has given us some delicious spuds straight from the farm he works on and they've made amazing chips and mashed potato. I cleaned them thoroughly and pricked all over with a fork. In a dish I prepared a mix of cooking oil with some salt. After patting the potatoes dry I rubbed them with the oil/salt rub and placed into the slow cooker. I had read of some people adding balls of foil to the bottom of the slow cooker but the oil meant that they didn't stick or dry out. 

We had 5 potatoes on low for 5 hours and then for the last hour I switched it on to medium. The kitchen smelled wonderful I couldn't wait to get tucking in. 

The sliced open easily and were really fluffy. I just needed to give each half a gentle squeeze before adding some butter and/or cheese.  

First mouthful reminded me of the jacket potatoes I used to have as a child when we went to the village Bonfire Night. They were incredible! Teamed with sausages they made a fantastic winter warmer meal with minimum fuss. The children couldn't get enough and even asked for extra potatoes! We'll definitely be doing them again but I now need to find room for a second slow cooker so that I can cook meat dishes to go with the jackets.

Do you have a favourite slow cooker recipe?