Beef Casserole and Yorkshire Puds

Beef Casserole and Yorkshire Puds

Friday, April 5, 2019

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I wish I had a picture to put along with this recipe! Maybe some day, eh? This is one of those meals where its gone before I can even think of getting my phone out, and rightly so!

Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy Peasy

Ingredients

500g Steak pieces

3 Carrots

1 Onion

Mushrooms (if you like them)

800ml Beef Stock

Gravy Powder

To serve: Mash Potato  & Yorkshire Puds - you didn't actually think I would make my own!?

Method

1. Brown steak in a little oil, add to an ovenproof casserole dish, meat juices and all.

2. Chop your veg and throw in on top.

3. Add your stock, pop lid on and into oven for 2.5-3 hours at 160oC

4. Add gravy powder until thickens and serve with your mash and Yorkshire puds! 

I have no words! 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

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Cooking for friends or a crowd anytime soon? This is the perfect meal for you then! Not only is it so handy to just bung the whole lot into the slow cooker but it is absolutely delicious served on Brioche baps with coleslaw and homemade chips! Oh, and if you somehow happen to have any leftovers, it makes the perfect pizza topping on a BBQ base! 

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

1kg Pork Joint

1 Onion, sliced

1 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1 dsp Salt

1/2 tsp Pepper

1 tsp Sugar

2 Garlic cloves, crushed

80ml cloudy apple juice

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp Onion Chutney

Method

1. In a bowl, mix paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper and sugar. Rub onto pork joint.

2. Add sliced onion to the bottom of the slow cooker and set the pork joint on top.

3. In another bowl, combine the garlic, apple juice, honey, apple cider vinegar and onion chutney. Add to the slow cooker.

4. Cook on low for 8 hours.

5. Remove pork, trim fat (if needed) and using two forks, pull the meat apart.

6. Thicken the liquid in the pot with a cornflour slurry (1 tbsp cornflour - 2 tbsp water) - you might have to do this a few times to get it to the right consistency.

7. Pop the pork back in and mix into the sauce - turn up high for 30 mins.

8. Serve up and enjoy! 

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

Chicken and Broccoli Bake

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Broccoli is a big favourite in our house with the boys, well except for my husband so hiding it in his food is how I get him to eat it! I love chicken and broccoli bake and its so easy to make - its especially tasty served with sweet chilli potatoes...oh I'm drooling just at the thought of those bad boys!!! This is another one thats good to batch cook, so you can add it to your list if you are planning that anytime soon.

Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts

400g Broccoli

1 Tin Condensed Chicken Soup

1/2 tin Mayo

1/2 tin Milk

1 Tsp Curry powder (or more if you like spicy)

Breadcrumbs

Crisps (optional)

Method 

1. Cook the chicken breasts and chop into bite size chunks

2. Cook the Broccoli and cut into bite size chunks 

3. Make the sauce by combining chicken soup, half tin mayo and half tin milk. Add curry powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stir all together with chicken and broccoli and pop into a casserole dish if cooking straight away.

5. If its going to the freezer, pop into container and let it cool before freezing (if chicken and broccoli are still warm)

6. To cook - top with breadcrumbs (and crisps for extra crunch) and pop into a preheated 180oC oven.

7. Cook for 30 mins or until golden brown and piping hot. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

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I love love love Chicken pot pie! It is a real favourite of mine in the winter and it is perfect for batch cooking! It is delicious topped with baking, shortcrust pastry, puff pastry or even filo! It is so versatile and super warming on a cold wintery day.

Ingredients

4 Chicken breasts

Vegetables of choice - I used peas, carrots & sweetcorn 

1 Tin Condensed Chicken Soup

1/4 Cup Milk

1 Tsp Curry Powder 

Salt and Pepper

Pastry top (shortcrust, puff, filo - your choice) - also nice with mashed potato topping! 

Method 

1. Prep and cook the chicken. Cut into chunks and place in a bowl.

2. Add the vegetables.

3. Make the Sauce by combining the soup, milk, curry powder  and season to taste. 

4. Add the sauce to the chicken and vegetables. Stir to combine.

5. If freezing - do it now.

6. If cooking - top the pie with your topping of choice and cook in a preheated 180oC oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown and piping hot. 

Fancy Mac and Cheese

Fancy Mac and Cheese

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This Mac and Cheese is comfort food at its finest. Not only is it a crowd pleaser but it is super easy to make and tastes even better the next day!

Serves: 4

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

125g Macaroni

1/2 Tbsp Butter

Topping: 1 cup breadcrumbs

1 Tbsp melted butter

Sauce: 30g butter

25g plain flour

1.5 cups milk

1.5 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp mustard powder

Extra: 1 Onion, Finely sliced 

4 Bacon rashers

1 Tomato, sliced 

Method

Preheat oven to 180oC

1. Cook Macaroni for 1 minute less than package instructions, drain and coat in butter. 

*Tip - this helps the macaroni to not all stick together when baking in the oven.

2. Fry the bacon in a little oil.

3. Make the topping by combining breadcrumbs with melted butter.

4. Remove bacon, set aside and add the onion straight to the pan. Cook until soft and caramelised.

5. Make the sauce by melting butter in a saucepan, add flour and whisk so a paste forms. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously until it thickens. Add the garlic, onion and mustard powders and cheeses. Stir to combine.

6. To the sauce, add the macaroni, bacon and onion.

7. Place into a baking dish, add tomato slices and top with breadcrumbs.

8. Cook for 25 minutes

9. Serve up and dig in! :) 

slow cooker September

slow cooker September

Saturday, September 15, 2018

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Mongolian Beef

Ingredients

500g Frying Steak

2 Tbsp Cornflour

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce

1/2 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 Red Pepper

1/2 Onion

Handful of Mushrooms

Scallion, to garnish

Method

1. Chop frying steak into strips, coat in cornflour and set aside. 

2. In the Slow Cooker, add the oil, water, soy sauce, sugar and garlic. Stir to combine.

3. Add steak to the slow cooker, coat in the sauce and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

4. 30 minutes before the end of cooking, add the chopped pepper, onion and mushrooms. Coat in the sauce and continue to cook.

5. Serve with Rice and top with some scallion to garnish. 

Slow Cooker September

Slow Cooker September

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Cola Gammon

Ingredients

700g Gammon Joint

1.75 Ltr Coke

3 Tbsp Honey

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tsp Ground Ginger

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

Salt & Pepper

Whole Cloves

Method

1. Boil Gammon in pot of hot water for 5-10 minutes to remove excess salt.

2. Place in slow cooker, cover with coke and cook on low for 6 hours.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 180oC

3. Remove gammon from slow cooker and pierce with whole cloves (remove layer of fat if necessary beforehand) 

4. Make a glaze using honey, soy sauce, mustard and ginger. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Brush the glaze over the gammon and place on a baking tray.

6. Cook in the oven for 40-45 minutes.

7. Serve with accompaniments of choice and enjoy! 

Slow Cooker September

Slow Cooker September

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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts

2 Tbsp Cornflour

Pepper, to season

2 Peppers

Small Tin of Pineapple

Sauce: 2 Tbsp Pineapple Juice

1/2 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Honey

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Tbsp Grated Ginger

2 Cloves Grated Garlic

Method

1. Chop chicken into chunks and coat in cornflour, fry for 2 minutes in a pan of hot oil and then pop into the slow cooker.

2. Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients and pour over the chicken. Stir to coat.

3. Set slow cooker to Low and cook for 3-4 hours.

4. Add pepper and pineapple and cook for a further 30 minutes. 

5. If sauce is too loose, thicken with a cornflour slurry or too thick, add a little water.

6. Serve over rice and enjoy.

Slow Cooker September

Slow Cooker September

Monday, September 3, 2018

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Honey and Garlic Chicken

To kick of "Slow Cooker September", I decided that I would start with this really tasty chicken dish! I normally make this yummy Honey and Garlic Chicken in a pan so I was intrigued to see if I could do it in the slow cooker too and, not to big myself up or anything, it was delicious! 

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts

1 Spring Onion, divided

3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

1 Tsp Grated Ginger

1/2 Cup Honey

3/4 Cup Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Demerara Sugar

1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

 1 Tbsp Cornflour

Rice to Serve

Method

1. Place Chicken at the bottom of the Slow Cooker.

2. Make the sauce by combining Soy Sauce, Honey, Sugar, Garlic, Ginger, Rice Wine Vinegar and White part of Spring Onion in a bowl.

3. Add the mixture to the chicken.

4. Cook on LOW for 3-3.5 hours (this may take longer depending on the size of your chicken breasts)

5. After 3-3.5 hours, remove the chicken and using two forks, shred it and set aside.

6. Cook your Rice.

7. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and make a slurry using the Cornflour and 2 Tbsp Water. Add this to the sauce.

8. Heat the Sauce until its bubbling and starts to thicken. Throw the chicken into the pan with the sauce and toss to cover it completely.

9. That's you ready to serve and tuck in!

This chicken is delicious the next day as a pizza topping or in a hot baguette with cheese! It is even pretty tasty cold, so you could use it to brighten up a salad or in a sandwich. 

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!