I am really enjoying discovering new recipes, especially those that are quick to cook. I fancied some comfort food after a busy weekend, and this seemed to hit the spot. I cheated as I was in a rush and bought ready chopped onions, used garlic paste and mixed parmesan and cheddar instead of just cheddar. It was lovely, even my son who ‘doesn’t like tuna pasta bake’ cleaned his plate. This recipe was found on the Jamie Oliver site. I have made a few modifications that I have included below.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, or 2 tsp garlic paste
• olive oil
• 1 pinch of dried chilli flakes
• 3 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 bunch of fresh basil , (or use 1 teaspoon dried oregano instead)
• 2 large handfuls of spinach
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 500 g dried penne
• 2 x 180 g tins of tuna from sustainable sources , (275g drained weight)
• 150 g mature Cheddar cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Place a large shallow pan over a medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, the onion, garlic and chilli flakes (if using) and fry for 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat up to high and pour in the chopped tomatoes. Tear the leaves from the basil stalks, keeping a few pretty ones aside for later, and stir them into the sauce with the spinach leaves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place a large pan of water on to boil. Once boiling, add a good pinch of salt followed by the pasta. Cook according to the packet instructions, draining just before it’s done – it’ll finish cooking in the oven.
3. Drain the tuna and stir through the sauce, making sure you don’t break it up too much. Season with a tiny pinch of salt and a generous pinch of black pepper. When the pasta is ready, drain and tip straight into the sauce. Toss and coat the pasta in the sauce, then transfer to an ovenproof baking dish (roughly 25cm x 30cm).
4. Coarsely grate the cheese and sprinkle over the pasta. Arrange the reserved basil leaves on top, then sprinkle lightly with black pepper. Drizzle lightly with oil, then place in the oven for 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then serve with a nice salad.

I don’t know about you, but I love those recipe cards that the supermarkets produce. I often pick them up and plan to cook them at some point in the future. They then sit in a cupboard for many years until we have a clear out. This time I picked up the card and bought the ingredients immediately. I just fancied mushroom pasta. The original recipe is also online – here.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

150g Bucatini
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, crushed or 3 tsp garlic puree
Small bunch of flat leaved parsley, chopped
4 tbsp white wine
2 tsp Waitrose Porcini Mushroom Powder
200ml half fat creme fraiche

Method:

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Lower in the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and fry for about 3 minutes, turning frequently until beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in the parsley, wine, mushroom powder and crème fraîche and season. Heat through, stirring for 1 minute.

Drain the pasta and return to the pan and tip in the contents of the frying pan. Pile into shallow bowls and serve scattered with extra parsley.

The verdict? Clean plates, I am loving this current trend of kids actually eating food that I prepare! I wouldn’t change anything with this recipe, it is quick, easy and tasty.

This is an easy midweek meal that we eat with broccoli and rice. We make it a really fast meal by using ready chopped onion, and chicken mini fillets. This is from the BBC site, you can see the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• spray olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, skinless and trimmed (200g/7oz each)
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
• 100g/3½oz mixed or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock (made with ½ a stock cube)
• salt and pepper
• 100ml/3½fl oz half-fat crème fraîche
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley, for garnish
• 300g/10½oz broccoli, steamed, to serve

Method

1. Heat the spray oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chicken breasts and fry for about 10 minutes, or until well browned on both sides. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, add a little more oil and fry the onion for 2–3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another 1–2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry until golden-brown. If they start to stick, add a little stock to the pan.

3. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the stock. Bring to the boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid, lower the heat and simmer for 12–15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli in boiling salted water until tender.

5. Stir the crème fraîche and parsley into the sauce and serve immediately with the broccoli.

If using mini fillets, reduce cooking time in step 3.

 

I live in a household of marmite haters. I like it, in my opinion you can’t beat marmite on white toast with butter. I saw this recipe and decided to try it myself and made a portion for one, rather than impose it on the whole family.

Ingredients:

• 375 grams spaghetti
• 50 grams unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon marmite (or more to taste)
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (to serve)

Method:

1. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water, according to the packet instructions.
2. When the pasta is almost cooked, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the Marmite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water, mixing thoroughly to dissolve. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water; then drain the pasta and pour the Marmite/Vegemite mixture over the drained spaghetti, adding a little reserved pasta water to amalgamate if required. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.

I substituted some tube pasta for the spaghetti – I had 100g in a bag and I hate mixing my pasta shapes. I have also run out of parmesan, so strong cheddar had to do. It was nice, didn’t blow my mind though. It would have been better with parmesan I think. I might try it on the kids but they will have to be in the other room when I cook it – they will spot the marmite!

This is a messy favourite. I have based this on Jamie Oliver’s beef taco recipe, but I found it pretty bland so have added a few twists of my own. Jamie’s recipe also includes ingredients and a method for guacamole and salsa – but I always buy shop bought but fresh rather than in jars. I serve these with either crispy or soft stand up tacos (depending on how messy we want to get!), shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese and creme fraiche.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 1 red pepper
• 1 green pepper
• olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp of smokey paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 500 g quality minced beef
• 250 ml organic beef stock
• 12 corn taco shells or 12 soft stand up tacos
• Lettuce, shredded
• Grated strong cheddar cheese
• Creme fraiche
• Fresh Salsa
• Fresh Guacamole

Method

1. Peel and dice the onion, then deseed and dice the peppers. Soften in 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan over a low heat.
2. Peel, finely slice and add the garlic, along with the paprika and cumin, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beef and stir until it has browned.
3. Pour in the stock, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until reduced and delicious.
4. Heat the tacos (instructions on pack) and serve!

I love this dish. I would make it every week but the family would get bored very quickly. Next time I make it I will upload pictures. Variations include serving with humus and sweet chilli sauce – a little too deviant for me.

 

So, I have a few packs of Lamb mince in the freezer which needs to be used. Instead of making the usual shepherds pie, I thought I would try this instead. It is another Nigella recipe (I have had fun trawling through her website!), so I have high hopes for this!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
• 8 spring onions (finely sliced)
• 2 teaspoon dried mint
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed chillies (or 1/2 tsp cayenne as my crushed chillies had disappeared!)
• 500 grams minced lamb
• 2 x 400 grams can chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon redcurrant jelly
• 3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• pinch of salt
• grinding of pepper
• 500 grams pappardelle
• fresh mint to serve (optional)

Method

1. Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta, and warm the garlic oil in a small, heavy-based pan that comes with a lid, and cook the spring onions, stirring for a minute or so.
2. Sprinkle in the herbs and chilli, stirring again before adding the meat. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, until it loses a bit of its pinkness.
3. Add the tomatoes, redcurrant jelly, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, then give a good stir and bring to a bubble. Partially cover with the lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. At the appropriate time, salt the boiling water and cook the pasta according to packet instructions (ours took eight minutes), and once cooked and drained, dress with the lamb ragù. Sprinkle a little bit of fresh mint onto each bowl to serve.

I have to admit, I didn’t use Paradelle. The supermarket only had one type, it was £3 for 250g… and I think that £6 for pasta is probably pushing it. I am using Napolini Tortglioni for a much more reasonable price.

The verdict is back. Clean plates all around. The lamb is undoubtedly sweet, the chilli gives it a subtle kick but not enough to upset the kids. A huge thumbs up, and we will be having this again soon.

Update: We had leftovers tonight, and it wasn’t as good as when freshly cooked. The sweetness and chilli flavours seem to have disappeared. Still good though.

I am a huge fan of coq au vin, cooking with wine, drinking wine… and when I saw ‘Coq au Riseling’ packaged as a ready meal by the Ready Meal Kings – Cook (https://www.cookfood.net/) I knew I had to find a recipe to try out on the family.

After doing a really quick internet search I decided to go with the Nigella Lawson version. It is simpler than most I found, and it is an easy midweek meal.

Serves 6

Ingredients (slightly modified from Nigella’s):

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• 200 grams bacon lardons
• 1 leek (finely sliced)
• 750g/7 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 400g mini chicken breast fillets
• 3 bay leaves
• 400 grams mixed mushrooms (torn into strips or sliced)
• 1 x 750 millilitres bottle riesling
• 1 splash of double cream (optional)
• salt (to taste)
• pepper (to taste)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (to serve)

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a casserole or large, wide pan and fry the lardons until crisp.
2. Add the sliced leek and soften it with the lardons for a minute or so.
3. Cut chicken fillets into 2 or 3 pieces each, tip them into the pan with the bay leaves, torn mushrooms and wine.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste and bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for 30-40 minutes, stirring in the double cream for the last couple of minutes if you want. Like all stews, this tastes its mellowest best if you let it get cold and then reheat the next day. But it’s no hardship to eat straight off. Whichever, serve sprinkled with dill and together with some buttered noodles.

 

It is really easy to cook, it is more of an assembly job to be honest. I used a 2.4l round le Creuset casserole and it filled it. It was a bit of a squeeze.

OK, I didn’t add cream. I also served it with basmati rice and broccoli (have to get your veggies). Final scores on the doors to be posted later.

 

Update: Clean plates all around. No pictures of the finished article (d’oh), however, it wasn’t very pretty. This has made the list of favourites. We might try the leftovers with some cream tonight!

Final update… my Husband warmed the leftovers up and added Bisto. He ate it with my son. I have no desire to find out how it was… think adding Bisto changed the spirit of the dish!

So, this is my first blog. I feel a bit self conscious about it, but I guess it isn’t about me. The purpose of this is for my kids to be able to access our family favourites and hopefully cook them fondly when they are older.

Insert inspirational quote here…