Jakki’s Beany Bowl(s)

This recipe was shared with me by my friend Jakki.  It is so simple and yet so delicious, it’s perfect for a Saturday night in front of the TV.  Be warned though it is terribly moreish!!!!

Ingredients

Small Onion finely chopped (optional)
Tin of Mixed Beans in Tomato Sauce (I love the spicy version)
Nachos
Cheddar Cheese, grated

Optional Extras – Japaleno Chillies, sour cream, guacamole, salsa

Method

• If using, gently fry the onion in a small saucepan until soft.
• Add tin of beans and warm through.
• Tip into a bowl and cover with a handful of nachos (and slices of Chilli if using)
• Grate cheese over the nachos.
• Place the bowl under the grill until the cheese has melted.
• Serve with any desired extras, then eat and Enjoy. (Take care because the bowl will be HOT!

Meatball Traybake

This is another super simple, and cost conscious recipe adapted from The Sainsbury’s magazine.  I don’t know whether I have raved about this publication before but if I have I’m going to again.  If you are in the UK and you like food then I rate this magazine over all other offerings.  As the mag was originally launched by Delia all recipes are triple checked and I have NEVER found a fault with any of them.  In fact, it has been known for me to host a dinner party and make 3 completely new recipes straight out of the magazine! It hasn’t failed me yet!!!If you are outside of the UK – you can get a subscription… and it’s worth it in my humble opinion.

Anyway, back to the recipe.  This is a fabulous Rectangular Baker – one pot recipe ( and you know how much I love those!).  If you don’t have one of those you could use a Deep Covered Baker or even a Deep Dish Baker.  The ingredient list may seem a little longer than some of my normal recipes but most of them are things that I already have in the house – so I don’t feel it is heavy on the shopping list.

Ingredients

1.25kg potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1x 500g Carton Passata
1 Chicken Stock Cube or melt, dissolved in 200ml of boiling water
150g slightly stale Bread (the original recipe states white but I rarely eat white – so whatever you have in your house works)
150ml Milk
1 x 500g 20% fat Beef Mince
1 Egg beaten (medium is suggested but I only seem to buy large so…!)
1 small Onion, chopped finely with Food Chopper
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1 tsp Smoked paprika
1 Lemon
1/2 pack of cut coriander
100g Green Beans, top and tailed, cut in half

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C, Fan 180, Gas 6.  Wedge the potatoes, using the Veggie Wedger, and put into the Rectangular baker.  Add 1tbsp oil and toss the potatoes to coat them.  Add the passata and stock.  Stir.  Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
• Whilst the potatoes are baking, make the meatballs.  I use either my Food Chopper or Microplane grater to make the breadcrumbs.  If you want to make your food processor dirty then, by all means use that instead!  Add the breadcrumbs and milk to a Classic Batter Bowl (CBB).  Leave to soak for 5 minutes; add the beef, beaten egg, chopped onion, crushed garlic and paprika.  Use the Microplane Zester to zest the lemon and add to the CBB.  Pick the leaves from the coriander stalks, roughly chop them and keep to one side.  Finely chop the coriander stalks and add to the CBB.  Season the mix and get your hands in there!!  (I often ask one of my kids to help me to make these. This is their favourite activity – getting their hands well and truly involved in making tea!!)  Roll 28 or so walnut-sized meatballs and put on a plate.
• Take the potatoes out.  Stir.  Add the meatballs.  Cook for another 20 minutes.
• Blanch the green beans for 2-3 minutes, until just tender.  For me, that means popping into a Micro-Cooker with a tiny splash of water and giving them a 2 minute blast.  If you don’t have a Micro- Cooker, then just add the beans to boiling water for  the necessary time and then drain well.
• When the meatballs have had their 20 minutes, add the green beans to the baker and bake for a further 10 minutes.  By this time the potatoes will be tender and the meatballs goldenand cooked through.
• Drizzle over the remaining 1tbsp oil, scatter over the coriander leaves you kept from earlier.  Take the baker to the table and serve along with quarters of the lemon from earlier.

 

Potato Salad

Following on from the success of sharing my coleslaw I thought I would share the other side salad which is a mainstay of our summers and BBQs!  This potato salad is absolutely divine warm but also fabulous cold which means it can easily be made ahead of the day.  It is also ridiculously easy – ANYONE can make this and feel proud of their own homemade brilliance!

Now, as an ex-Pampered Chef consultant I use my Pampered Chef tools to make my life much easier but you can, obviously, manage without if you haven’t got a Micro Cooker!

Ingredients

Bag of Salad Potatoes – Charlotte or Jersey Royals are ideal.
Mayonnaise
Chives

Method

1. Wash potatoes.
2. Put bag of potatoes into Large Micro Cooker (I buy a 1kg bag), and put the lid on.  Cook in the Microwave on high for 10 minutes.  (If you don’t have a micro cooker, or even a microwave, then gently boil the potatoes on the hob until soft enough for a knife to be able to stab into them.
3. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool.  If aiming to serve warm just cool until the potatoes stop steaming and are just warm.  If serving cold or later allow to cool completely.
4. Chop the potatoes into smaller chunks.  How small you go is up to you.  
5. Add large dollop of mayonnaise, be generous.
6. Snip 2 or 3 ‘blades’ of chives into small pieces into the bowl.  
7. Mix well. Enjoy!

Coleslaw – Susie Style!

Finally, summer has decided to reappear here in Sheffield and along with the summer comes the desire to eat salads.  A few years ago my good friend Anne Brand said to me “once you have made your own coleslaw you will never buy one from the shops again”.  At the time I thought she was mad as we love a good coleslaw but Oh My she is soooo right!!!  I have taken the recipe she suggested and merged it with a Nigella one and this is the result.  The recipe is blindingly simple but this year I have had so many people ask for the recipe I decided to share on here.

Ingredients – (to serve 4/5 with left overs)

White Cabbage – half
Carrot(s) –  one large one or a couple of smaller ones.
Onion – 1.  (I usually prefer red for the visual effect, spring onions are fine, even plain white onions are OK if it is all that you have)
Mayonnaise
Salad Cream
Sultanas (optional)

Method

You will notice that all the ingredient amounts are all a bit vague.  (I understand if this frustrates you – I would much prefer to have specific amounts but this recipe really does need you to decide what you prefer!

1. Shred/ Slice the cabbage, best done using a big and sharp knife.  Cut the cabbage into quarters and then cut the core out from each quarter.  Finely slice.  f you don’t like long slices of cabbage then keep rotating the cabbage and slicing from different  angles.
2. Use a vegetable peeler to “peel” and entire carrot or 2.  Keep turning the carrot in your hand to get even slices.  Again, if you don’t like long strands in your coleslaw peel the top half first and then turn it around and do the other end.
3. If using an onion, top and tail, quarter and finely slice. If using spring onions you obviously don’t need to quarter them.  
4. If adding sultanas add a handful.
5. Mix well.  Personally, at this point I use my hands (quicker and easier!)
6. Add a good splodge of mayo and a good splodge of salad cream – about the same size.  Do not be sparing, you will almost certainly need more than you think you do!
7. Add a good teaspoon of mustard.
8. Mix well until all strands of the vegetables are covered with the sauce.
9. Taste. You are looking for creamy, moreish, slightly tangy taste.
10. More than likely you will need to add more mayo/ and or salad cream.
11. Repeat 9 & 10 until you are happy.
12. Serve!

Jo Murphy’s Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is a slightly different version of a sweet and sour “Chuck & Bung”.  I really like the warmth from the chilli and using the pineapple juice makes this a really juicy family meal.  Try it – you will love it!

Ingredients

4 Skinless Chicken Breasts
2 Medium Onions
2 Peppers (any Colour)
225g can Water Chestnuts, Drained.
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Small piece of fresh Ginger
Freshly Ground Pepper
640g of Tinned pineapple in Juice
4 Tbsp Corn Flour
260ml water
4Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
4Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
4Tbsp Soft Light Brown Sugar
4Tbsp Tomato Ketchup
1 Tsp Dried Chilli Flakes
Small Bag Basmati Rice

Method

• Put oven on to 200C/ 180 fan/ Gas 6.
• Chop the chicken into bite size pieces using Forged Cutlery Knife on the Cutting Board. Add to the Rectangular Baker.
• Using a knife, peel the onions and cut into quarters. Finely chop using Food Chopper. Add to the Rectangular Baker.
• Using a knife, cut the peppers into 3cm pieces. Add to the Rectangular Baker.
• Open water chestnuts using Smooth Edge Can Opener and drain using Stainless Colander. Slice water chestnuts horizontally using the Knife. Add to the Rectangular Baker
• Crush the garlic directly into the baker using the Garlic Press.
• Grate the ginger directly into the baker using the Microplane Fine Grater
• Add freshly ground pepper using Grinder.
• Open Pineapple tin using Smooth Edge Can Opener. Drain the pineapple using Stainless Colander pouring juice into Easy Read Measuring Cup.
• Using large Adjustable Measuring Spoon add 4 tbsp of corn flour to Classic Batter Bowl. Add 3 tbsp of pineapple juice and mix to a paste using Mini Mix ‘N Scraper.
• Add the remaining juice to the Batter Bowl, and add the water using the same measuring cup
• Using Mini Easy Read Measuring Cup and both Adjustable Measuring Spoons add all remaining ingredients (except for rice) into the Batter Bowl.
• Add the sauce to the baker. Mix together using Small Mix ‘N Scraper.
• Place in oven for 30 mins – until bubbling nicely.
• Boil full Kettle. Using Large Easy Read Measuring Cup add 2 cups of rice and 4 cups of boiling water to Rice Cooker Plus. Place in Microwave for 15 mins or until all the water is absorbed.

Mushroom Risotto – Oven Baked… no Stirring?!!

Here is the second of my 2 surprisingly fabulous recipes I’m sharing with you tonight!!  Pampered Chef Stoneware is amazing stuff which allows you to do many “chuck and bung” meals, where you literally chuck the ingredients in the Stoneware and Bung it all in the oven to cook.  Risotto is one of those recipes which just looks like you are doing magic rather than just cooking!  Honestly, this risotto takes about 6 minutes to prepare (tops) and then you bung it in the oven until its done.  No stirring, no hassle, no waiting by the hob for half an hour – just Chuck and Bung!!  Plus, it actually tastes really, really delicious?!!  (That I wasn’t expecting!!!)  Enjoy.

Oven Baked Mushroom Risotto – No Stirring!!

Ingredients 

1 box Arborio rice (500g)
1 box closed cup mushrooms
1 box chestnut mushrooms
1 onion
Veg stock cubes
Fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic
100g grated Parmesan
Med. Pot double cream or crème fraiche

Method

1. Boil the kettle and put the oven on at 200c.
2. Finely chop onion using Food Chopper and add to Rectangular Baker.
3. Using Egg Slicer Plus and/ or Forged Cutlery Knife slice both boxes of mushrooms. Add to Rectangular Baker.
4. Add box of rice to Baker.
5. Using Easy Read measuring Cup measure 1 litre of boiling water. Add double the amount of stock cubes than is recommended on the box (stops it being too bland). Add to Rectangular Baker.
6. Put the coriander in the 250ml Prep Bowl and chop using the Professional Shears. Add to Rectangular Baker.
7. Crush garlic using Garlic Press and add to the baker (no need to peel the garlic first!). Then using Mix ‘N Scraper stir risotto. Put it in the oven for 30 minutes.
8. Whilst cooking grate the parmesan using Microplane Adjustable Fine Grater.
9. When the risotto is cooked remove from the oven. Add parmesan and Cream/ Crème Fraiche. Stir using Mix ‘N Scraper and leave for 5 minutes. Serve.

The Pampered Chef ® Pesto Pinwheels Recipe

This is a super quick recipe for a party or nibbles.  Very, very tasty too!

Pesto Pinwheels ready for eating! YUM!!

Ingredients

Sunflower oil, for greasing
1 packet (145 g) pizza base mix
About 100 ml warm (hand hot) water
40 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 clove garlic
15 g fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato pesto (see Chef’s Corner)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC/Gas 6.
2. Lightly brush Medium Bar Pan with sunflower oil; set aside.
3. Place pizza base mix in Classic Batter Bowl. Measure warm water in Mini Measure-All® Cup; add enough water to pizza base mix, mixing to form a soft dough. Knead dough on lightly floured surface 5 minutes or until smooth.
4. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface using outer tube of Mini Measure-All® Cup to form 30 x 17 cm rectangle. Leave to rise 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, finely grate cheese into clean batter bowl using Microplane® Adjustable Fine Grater. Press garlic using Garlic Press into batter bowl and mix gently into cheese using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®.
6. Roll basil leaves up together and cut into fine strips using Colour Coated Santoku Knife on Bar Board.
7. Spread pesto evenly over bread dough using back of Small Mix ‘N Scraper®. Sprinkle basil leaves and cheese mixture evenly over pesto.
8. Starting from a long side, carefully roll up dough rectangle to form a tight roll. Cut roll in half widthways. Cut each dough half widthways into 10 even sized slices using Santoku Knife on Bar Board. Transfer pinwheels onto Medium Bar Pan, spacing apart evenly and neaten into rounds if necessary.

Pesto Pinwheels ready for baking

Bake 15 – 17 minutes or until pale golden brown. Transfer pinwheels to a serving plate. Serve warm.
Yield: Makes 20

Per serving: Nutrition information per pinwheel: Energy 236kJ/56kcal. Protein 2.2g, Carbohydrate 7.1g, Sugars 0.5g, Fat 2.3g, Saturated fat 0.7g, Fibre 0.3g, Salt 0.2g

Cook’s Tip: Substitute the red pesto with green pesto, if desired.
These appetisers are best served warm and eaten on the day made.

© 2015 The Pampered Chef used under license.

Cook’s Tip: Substitute the red pesto with green pesto, if desired.
These appetisers are best served warm and eaten on the day made.

© 2015 The Pampered Chef used under license.

Vegetable Risotto

This is a really, really tasty risotto that even my meat-loving family enjoy!!  It is also really, really easy because it is another “Chuck and Bung” recipe where all ingredients are chucked in the Stoneware or RokCrok and then bunged in the oven… no stirring required at all!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

250-300g cherry tomatoes
Olive oil
1 garlic clove
Baby spinach (good handful)
2 small red onions
1 small red pepper
6 small mushrooms
2 sticks celery
25g butter
225g risotto rice
250ml white wine
450ml boiling water with a vegetable stock cube added (I like Knorr Stockpots)
2 teaspoons sundried tomato paste
50g piece fresh parmesan plus 25g to shave over

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180/160fan/Gas 4
2. Using Food Chopper, finely chop onions and celery.  Slice peppers and mushrooms with Utility Knife. Place in Large Micro Cooker with the butter, put lid on and microwave on high 2 mins. Take out and stir. Cook on high another 2 minutes until vegetables are softened.
3. Measure stock and wine in Classic Batter Bowl and add with rice and vegetables from micro cooker to Deep Covered Baker or RokCrock. Press in the garlic with the Garlic Press. Slice cherry tomatoes in half and stir in with sun dried tomato paste and a grind of salt andpepper.
4. Put Deep Covered Baker in oven for 40-45 mins until rice is cooked.
5. Stir in grated cheese and spinach. Shave over remaining parmesan with Garlic Slicer and drizzle over a little olive oil.

The Pampered Chef ® Spicy Turkey Tacos Recipe

The finished Tacos – Yum!

These are from the brand new Pampered Chef Season’s best recipe collection.  They really are easy to make and they were gobbled up by the whole family (including my spice averse son!).  My only error (I make the mistakes so you don’t have to!) was to not let the mince cook until nearly dry.  My mince still had some juice left (see the picture below) which I then proceeded to spoon into the tacos.  This made some of them go soggy on the bottom (and who needs a soggy bottom really?!) and the taco didn’t stay in tact which made for slightly tricky eating… we managed though!!!
Ingredients

Tacos
12 crunchy taco shells
75 g medium Cheddar cheese (use straight from refrigerator)
1 onion, quartered
1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil
500 g turkey breast mince
1 packet (30 g – 35 g) taco seasoning mix
100 ml cold water

Toppings
6 tomatoes, deseeded and coarsely chopped (optional)
300 ml soured cream (optional)
15 g fresh coriander, coarsely chopped (optional)

Method

• Preheat oven to temperature directed on taco shell packet. Separate taco shells and arrange, open-end down, overlapping slightly in lid of Covered Roaster; set aside.
• Grate cheese usingMicroplane® Adjustable Coarse Grater; set aside. Finely chop onion with Food Chopper on Cutting Board.
• Add oil to metal pan of Covered Roaster; heat over medium heat 1 – 2 minutes or until hot. Add turkey; cook 4 – 6 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking into small pieces using Mix ‘N Chop. Meanwhile, bake taco shells in preheated oven as directed on packet.
• Add onion, taco seasoning mix and water to turkey; cook 2 minutes or until simmering, stirring occasionally using Bamboo Spatula.
  

  Breaking up the mince with a Mix ‘N Chop

  Remove tacos from oven. Set oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/Gas 4. Fill each taco shell using Mini Mix ‘N Scraper®, dividing evenly.

• Top each taco shell with grated cheese; place tacos in lid and return to oven. Bake 4 – 5 minutes or until filling is hot and cheese just begins to melt.
  

  Tacos ready for the oven

• Remove lid from oven. Serve tacos immediately accompanied by toppings in Bamboo Small Snack Bowls, if desired.

Yield: 12

Per serving: Nutrition information per taco: Energy 730kJ/174kcal, Protein 14.7g, Carbohydrate 8.8g, Sugars 0.9g, Fat 9.1g, Saturated fat 2.4g, Fibre 0.6g, Salt 0.6g

Cook’s Tip: This recipe serves 4 – 6 as a main course with a green salad, or serves 12 as part of Mexican party buffet.
Guacamole can be substituted for the soured cream topping and tomato salsa for chopped tomatoes, if desired.
For a variation, add 1 can (400 g) red kidney beans in water, rinsed and drained, together with the onion in step 4.

© 2014 The Pampered Chef used under license.

The Pampered Chef ® Caramel Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Caramel Thumbprint Cookies – YUM!

These little babies are absolutely DELICIOUS!  My eldest daughter made them first and they are a complete doddle. They look kind of cute but when you eat one they are beyond divine!  Anyway, please try!

Ingredients

60 g salted butter, softened
30 g light soft brown sugar
100 g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
40 g dairy toffees (about 5 toffees)
2 teaspoons milk
Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method

• Preheat oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC/Gas 4.
• Line base of Medium Sheet Pan with non-stick baking paper; set aside.
• Process butter and brown sugar in Manual Food Processor until smooth and creamy. Add flour, egg yolk and vanilla extract; process until a soft crumb-like mixture forms.
• Carefully remove blade. Bring the mixture together by hand to form a smooth ball of dough. On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 16 even-sized pieces using Utility Knife. Roll each piece of dough into a ball by hand.
• Place dough balls on prepared pan, spacing evenly apart. Using thumb, make a small indentation in centre of each dough ball. Bake cookies 12 – 14 minutes or until a pale golden colour.
• Meanwhile, place toffees and milk in (500-ml) Prep BowlM/B>. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 30 – 40 seconds or until toffees are nearly melted. Stir until smooth and well combined; set aside.
• Remove cookies from oven. Carefully slide baking paper and cookies onto Stackable Cooling Rack. Spoon toffee mixture into wells of cookies; let cool 5 minutes or until cookies are firm enough to handle.
• Transfer cookies to serving plate using Mini Nylon Serving Spatula. Lightly dust with icing sugar, if desired. Serve warm or cold.

Yield: Makes 16

Per serving: Nutrition information per cookie: Energy 1183kJ/282kcal, Protein 3.4g, Carbohydrate 33.6g, Sugars 12.7g, Fat 16g, Saturated fat 9.3g, Fibre 0.8g, Salt 0.5g

Cook’s Tip: The cookies can also be baked on the Rectangle Stone lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake cookies 15 – 17 minutes or until a pale golden colour. Finish as recipe directs.
If any baked cookies lose their indentation, gently press cookie centre with the back of a teaspoon whilst still hot, prior to spooning in toffee filling.

© 2014 The Pampered Chef used under license.

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