A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

Saturday, August 25, 2018

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SATURDAY

Mango Chicken with Rice

and Naan Bread

Saturday night is take away night in our house! I love it! Sometimes, however, I fancy whipping up something quick and easy that is just as tasty! This Mango Chicken is the perfect alternative and it's even better the next day! This recipe requires very few ingredients and can be ready in less that half an hour! I mean, what more could you ask for? 

Serves: 2

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts

1 Red Pepper

1/2 Red Onion

Handful of Mushrooms

Jar of Mango Chutney

Rice - I use Microwavable

Naan Bread

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC

2. Chop chicken into chunks and fry in a little oil until cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, chop peppers, onions and mushrooms into thin slices. Add to the pan with the chicken and cook until soft.

4. Pop Naan Bread in the oven and cook per pack instructions.

5. Once chicken and veggies are cooked through, pour 2/3 Jar of Mango Chutney into the pan, stir and allow to simmer.

6. Pop rice in the Microwave (if you are being lazy like me ;) )

7. Take Naan out of the oven, and now its time to plate up and dig in! 

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

Friday, August 24, 2018

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FRIDAY

French Bread Pizza

I don't know about you but at the end of the week I am always left with a lot of bits and pieces in the fridge! Instead of them getting thrown out, I like to use them as toppings for these yummy French bread pizzas - totally Pioneer Woman inspired! After an impromptu Fish and Chip lunch this is the perfect Friday night dinner and an all round favourite in our house! 

Serves: 4

Prep: 25mins  (depends on toppings)

Cook: 12 minutes

Ingredients

(Based on what I had in the fridge)

2 Sausages

2 Rashers of Bacon 

1/2 Red Onion

1 Tsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Handful of Mushrooms

Mozzarella Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

Pizza Sauce (see recipe)

Pack of 4 Half Baked White Rolls

Pizza Sauce:

1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes

1 Tsp Mixed Herbs

1Tsp Garlic Pepper

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Smoked Paprika

1/4 Tsp Onion Granules

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180oC

2. Make Pizza Sauce - Drain tomatoes, blitz in food processor, add herbs & spice, mix and bobs your uncle!

3. Prep Toppings - I cooked sausages, fried some bacon and mushrooms, grated cheese and caramelised some red onion (fry onion gently in oil until soft, add sugar, stir, add balsamic vinegar and let simmer)

4. Cut Half baked roll in half, sprinkle top half with water, pop in oven for 6 minutes.

5. Remove bread from oven. Spoon over pizza sauce, top with cheese and then your delicious toppings.

6. Pop back in the oven for 5-6 minutes.

7. Remove from oven, plate up and dig in! 

A week of go to dinners

A week of go to dinners

Thursday, August 23, 2018

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THURSDAY

Easy Beef and Pepper Stir Fry

I love a good take away dinner, but if I'm being honest, my thighs are starting to loathe me for it! What better on a Thursday night than this quick and easy stir fry with only a fraction of the calories! (Ok so technically I don't know how many are actually in it - but its definitely got to be better for me than what I would really love right now!) 

Serves: 2

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients

1 Red Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

1\2 Onion

325g Stir Fry Beef

1 Tsp minced garlic

1 Tsp Easy Ginger (or minced ginger)

2/3 Cup Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Cornflour

2 Nests Dry Egg Noodles

Method

1. Slice peppers and onions into thin strips. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan or wok and when hot, add peppers and onions. Fry until soft and then remove from the pan.

2. Heat another glug of oil in the pan and add the beef pieces. Fry until cooked through. Add ginger and garlic, stir and cook for about a minute.

3. Next, add peppers and onions back into the pan and continue to cook.

4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, sugar and cornflour. (Add more soy sauce if too thick)

5. Pop egg noodles in a pan and cook per packet instructions.

6. Pour sauce over the beef and veggies and stir. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes - make sure the sauce coats everything evenly.

7. Drain noodles and add a splash or two of soy sauce.

8. Time to plate up! 

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

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WEDNESDAY

Creamy Champ with Sausages and Caramelised Onion Gravy

Hump Day? What hump day? This go to dinner is sure to keep those hump day blues at bay! This is the perfect meal for our whole family! Stuart loves the creamy mash, Freddie can't get enough of the sausages and I am all over that caramelised onion gravy! 

Serves: 2

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Ingredients

4 Sausages

4 Large Maris Piper Potatoes

1/2 Cup Milk

Bunch of Spring Onions

Large Knob of Butter

Salt and Pepper

For the gravy: 

1 Onion

1 Tsp Brown Sugar

1 Tsp Plain Flour

2 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar

200ml Chicken Stock

Method

1. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks.  Pop them into a saucepan of lightly salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile, cook sausages. I use our ActiFry to cook sausages so I just pop them in there for 25 minutes and let them cook away! Choose your method and go for it! 

3. Prep onions by slicing them thinly and get your spring onion ready for your champ.

Caramelised Onion Gravy 

•  Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add onion and fry gently until soft and golden.
• Next, sprinkle in brown sugar and stir. Allow to caramelise slightly.
• Add Balsamic Vinegar and stir. Next, add the flour and stir.
• Cook gently for 1 minute before adding the stock - stir immediately until your gravy is smooth.Simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile back with the champ...

4. Heat Milk and spring onion in a saucepan on a low heat until warm.

5. Once potatoes are cooked through, drain and pop back in the pan. Add butter and season well.

6. Mash potatoes until smooth and pour in heated milk and spring onion. Stir to combine.

7. Now you are ready to plate up!

8. Start with a generous helping of creamy mash, top with chopped sausage and spoon over that delicious onion gravy! 

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

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TUESDAY

Italian Meatball Pasta with Crusty Bread

I have never been a fan of Spaghetti Bolognaise! Oh even the look of it turns me - I think I have the early days of my first pregnancy to thank for that! Meatballs though - Oh, I'm all over that! This is a super easy and quick recipe that is super tasty and perfect with a freshly baked crusty baguette straight from the oven - and by freshly baked I mean the ones you buy and stick in the oven! ;) 

Serves 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Oven: 200oC Fan 

Ingredients

12 Meatballs
250g Pasta
300g Passata
75ml Beef Stock
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tsp Sugar
Pinch of dry oregano
Salt & Pepper 

Method 

1. Oil a baking dish and cook meatballs in a preheated oven for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook the pasta per packet instructions.

3. Make the Sauce by combining passata, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and sugar in a jug. Add a pinch of oregano and season well. 

4. Take meatballs out of the oven, add pasta and cover with sauce and cheese.

5. Pop back into the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.

6. Serve with Crusty bread and enjoy! 

The original recipe can be found here - I changed a few of the quantities and added a few extra ingredients also. This recipe also gives quantities needed to make your own meatballs if you are feeling adventurous enough! 

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

A WEEK OF GO TO DINNERS

Monday, August 20, 2018

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MONDAY

Creamy Garlic Chicken Spaghetti

with Grilled Garlic Ciabatta

There is nothing I love more than a big bowl of this creamy garlicky goodness! It is so tasty and so super easy to make. It is a pretty versatile dish and it is one of my favourite go to Monday night dinners. 

Serves 4

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts

2 Large Closed Cup Mushrooms, chopped thinly

1 Small White Onion, chopped

1 Clove Garlic, minced

3 Rashers Smoked Streaky Bacon

Olive oil

2 Ciabatta 

Garlic Spread

20g Butter

2tbsp Plain Flour

11/2 Cup Milk

2 Tbsp Parmesan Cheese

1 Tbsp Garlic Pepper

300g Spaghetti

Method

1. Chop chicken into strips and add to a hot frying pan with a little olive oil. Fry until cooked through.
2. Cut mushrooms in half and slice thinly. Chop onion and mince garlic. Add to the pan and cook until soft. Remove all from the pan.
3. Cook spaghetti per packet instructions, drain & set aside.
4. Meanwhile pop bacon rashers in the pan and cook until crispy. Remove and set aside.
5. Cut ciabatta in half and then in half again & pop in toaster until lightly crisped.
6. Add butter to the pan (the one that you cooked everything else in) and allow it to melt, add 2 tbsp of flour and stir right away until it forms a paste. Add milk and stir well until it starts to thicken and bubble.
7. Once thick, add garlic pepper and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and take off the heat.
8. Add everything back into the pan and toss so the sauce covers everything. Heat through until piping hot.
9. Pop into a serving dish ready to go.
10. Butter the ciabatta quarters with garlic spread (top with cheese for extra yumminess) and place under the grill for a few minutes.


Plate up and tuck in!