Tasty Tuesday

I've been waiting for a chance to whip up a big batch of this to photograph and share with you all. It's a recipe which has been in my family since my Nan first heard about "exotic Mexican food" (oh how times have changed!) and is, guaranteed, the nicest chilli recipe you will find. Plus, it's cheap and yummy, what more could you want?!

Again, please excuse my photography. No excuse this time, I'm just dreadful. 

Chilli con Carne

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 large onion (or 2 medium), diced

1 large clove of garlic, crushed

500g minced beef (or quorn alternative)

2 tins of chopped tomatoes

3 teaspoons of hot chilli powder (or less to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon of cumin

2 tablespoons tomato puree

150ml of red wine

1 can of drained kidney beans.

1) Saute the onions and garlic in a large saucepan until softened (I use a stock pot for this).

2) Add the mince and cook until brown, stirring to break up the lumps.

3) Add the tomatoes with their juice and a quarter of a can worth of boiling water. Bring all to the boil and then let simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Mix the chilli powder, cumin and tomato puree with a couple of spoonfuls of the hot tomato/meat mix. Stir until smooth and add to the meat. Then add the red wine and season lightly. Stir, cover and let simmer for a further 45 minutes.

5) Serve and enjoy! 

Lovely with tortilla chips or a sliced tortilla wrap, rice or a jacket potato and a big dollop of creme fraiche.

This also freezes well, so cook up a batch and freeze what you don't eat. Then simply defrost on the day you wish to eat it and chuck it back in a saucepan and heat through. 

Tasty tuesday

This is a nice, hearty casserole which can be served with rice, potatoes and green veg or just simply in a bowl with a big chunk of crunchy bread. It's the one my family request me to cook, so it must be good if it passes their standards!

Again, please excuse my photography, my camera is still with the manufacturer.

Mediterranean chicken casserole.
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 chicken legs (I have used 1 drumstick and 1 small chicken thigh per person, it depends on what is on offer)
2 whole peppers, one red, one yellow/orange, cut into chunky strips.
1 tin of cherry tomatoes (NOT normal chopped/whole tinned tomatoes)
1 large red pepper cut into chunks
2 tsp of chilli powder
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1 chicken stock cube made up with 175ml of water
2tsp olive oil.
100g pitted black olives

1) Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.
2) Fry the peppers and onions in 1/2 tsp of olive oil for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
3) Remove the peppers and onions from the frying pan and set aside in a large, oven-proof dish.
4) Return the frying pan to the heat and add the rest of the olive oil. When hot, add the chicken pieces to the pan and fry, turning frequently, until golden brown.
5) Place the chicken pieces on top of the onion and peppers in the oven-proof dish. Pour on the tin of tomatoes and add the chilli powder. Stir lightly and put in the oven to cook for 30 minutes, covering the dish with a lid/tin foil.
6) After 30 minutes, remove from the oven and add the olives. Stir lightly again and return to the oven for a further 40 minutes.
7) Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

This also freezes well, so rather than halving the recipe for 2 people, cook the lot and freeze what you don't eat. Then simply defrost on the day you wish to eat it and reheat for 45 minutes in the oven.

Tasty tuesday

This brownie recipe is, if I do say so myself, absolutely to die for. Probably literally, given the amount of butter, chocolate and sugar but hey, if you wanted a low-fat, healthy recipe then I doubt you would have even got this far. So indulge and enjoy.

PS. Excuse the photography, my usually shoddy skills are worse seeing as my camera is with the manufacturer for repair and this is the best I could muster on my blackberry.

Chocolate Chip Chocolate Brownies
Makes 12-16 slices.

Ingredients
150g dark/cooking chocolate (ideally 70% cocoa solids)
150g butter
80g milk chocolate (cut into 1cm square chunks)
80g white chocolate (cut into 1cm square chunks)
100g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
3 large eggs, beaten
175g caster sugar

1) Prepare by setting to oven to preheat at 175 degrees celcius and line a 30x30cm tin (I used a roasting tin) with lightly buttered greaseproof paper. (If like me you don't usually see the point in greasing greaseproof paper, then you will struggle to get the brownies out).
2) Put the dark chocolate into a large mixing bowl with the butter and put over a saucepan of boiling water and stir until melted.
3) Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and baking powder.
4) Gradually fold in the flour and chocolate chunks, sieving the flour into the mixture as you do so.
5) Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared baking tray and spread evenly using a spatula.
6) Place in the oven and bake for around 20-25 minutes.
7) Let the brownie cool in the tin before removing and serving.

Tasty Tuesday

This is such a quick pudding, it can be made on those days when your main meal doesn't go far enough and you want to quickly whip up a pudding. It takes 20 minutes from start to finish, even the first time you make it, so it's ideal for weekdays.

Quick Lemon Sponge Pudding.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
100g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter (softened)
2 medium eggs
Zest of 2 lemons and 4tbsp juice
150g lemon curd

1) Lightly butter a 2pint/1litre pudding basin.
2) Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar, butter, eggs, lemon zest and 2tbsp of the juice.
3) Use an electric hand whisk to beat the ingredients together until the mixture becomes pale and thickens.
4) Spoon the mixture into the bowl, making a small hollow in the centre.
5) Microwave the pudding on the highest setting for 4-6 minutes, until springy to touch in the middle.
6) Remove from the microwave and leave for a few minutes before turning out onto a plate.
7) Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, mix the lemon curd and the remaining lemon juice and then pop into the microwave on high for 30 seconds.
8) Stir the sauce then pour half over the sponge. Leave for 2 minutes to allow this to soak in, then pour on the rest and serve.

Tip: Make the sponge and sauce but keep separate and simply serve portions of the sponge, repeating step 8 when required. This means you can make a giant one for just one or two people and eat it over a few days (the sponge will keep in an airtight container for 3 days, the sauce will keep in the fridge and both will need 30 seconds in the microwave to reheat).

Tasty Tuesday

So following my inspiration earlier this week, I'm hopefully starting myself a little blog tradition today with my first recipe. Fingers crossed my food serves you well, even if my photography and general food presentation at the moment leaves much to be desired!

Sweet potato, spinach and feta quiche

Serves 4

Pastry

(Ok, I'm suffering here from my Mum having taught me, so excuse the imperial measurements here.)

4oz plain flour

2oz butter (room temperature for ease)

2-3 tablespoons cold water.

Filling

200g sweet potato, diced to about 2cm squared.

150g baby spinach leaves

100g feta cheese

80g cheddar cheese, grated

1 small onion, finely chopped

100ml milk (I used skimmed)

100ml creme fraiche

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon olive oil

1) Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees (or 170 degrees for a fan oven).

1) Put the butter and flour into a mixing bowl and rub together with your finger tips until you are left with fine breadcrumbs. Add the water gradually and mix into a ball of dough.

2) Roll the pastry out onto a floured surface until large enough for your flan dish.

3) Pop the pastry into your flan dish and trim the edges. Line the pastry with grease-proof paper and fill with baking beans (or dry rice if you don't have any).

4) Bake the pastry blind for about 15 minutes.

5) Meanwhile, fry the onion and sweet potato in the olive oil on a medium heat for 5 minutes.

6) Add the spinach to the frying pan for 1 minute.

7) Remove the ingredients from the heat and layer into the bottom of the baked pastry.

8) Mix the two cheeses together and layer on top of the vegetables.

9) Whisk the eggs in a mixing jug, add the creme fraiche and milk and whisk. Pour over the other ingredients in the pastry case.

10) Pour the mixture into the baked case and pop all of it into the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until topping is set and lightly browned.

11) Leave to set for a further 10 minutes, then serve. Also tastes great served cold as left-overs the next day.

Enjoy!