00Speedy Chicken Chow MeinA cheap and cheerful midweek dinner that is always a crowd pleaser.
You can adapt it to suit your families tastes by add any veg you like -mushrooms, broccoli, baby corn etc, but this is all I had in at the time.
You can also bulk it out by adding beansprouts and water chestnuts too, but again, I had none in. If you like it spicy you can add a sprinkle of chilli flakes, sweet - add a little honey or sugar.
It is very adaptable. Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback.
E x00Baked Stuffed CourgettesThis stuffed and baked Courgette recipe is quick,easy and full of summery flavours. It is also making the most of seasonal produce and adding some healthy nutrition to your lunch or dinner menu. It can be eaten as a main dish or as a side. Its also a great picnic addition as it can be eaten hot or cold. This simple dish takes very little time to prepare so is great for midweek dinners.. It can be adapted to suit you and your families tastes and I'm sure will soon be a great addition to your menu, so why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. E x00Halogen Chicken, Fennel & Parmesan BakeThis recipe is full of flavour and makes a great midweek dish. Fennel is part of the carrot family, which you wouldn't think of, as its more akin to a giant onion. It has a liquorice smell that once cooked, melts away to produce a sweetness that lends itself well to lots of recipes. It's lovely in soup, stew, curry, or bakes. Pairing it with the nutty taste of Parmesan and the tang of lemon makes for great trio. I used 2 chicken breasts to cut down on costs but you could use 4 if you prefer, or swap for thighs. I also mixed the Parmesan with mature cheddar for the same reason. This dish only has a little sauce so I didn't use a lot of stock but if you like more sauce then its fine to add more if you prefer. This can also be baked in a conventional oven.
Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback. E x 00Winter to Spring Vegetable SoupSunshine in a bowl is how my daughter describes this soup. Its full of spring fresh vegetables and some bits that needing using up...soup is always a fantastic way to clear out that fridge drawer. The yelliw peppers give it that glorious sunny glow. You can adapt it to whatever you have available as the principles are the same. Prep, chop, cook then mash down or blend till you get the consistency you prefer. Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback. E x 00Halogen baked Bread and Butter PuddingA family favourite that everyone will love. You can change it up to use whatever bread you have - white, brown, seeded etc. I've also used brioche rolls, hot cross buns,tea cakes, croissants, and ring doughnuts(just cut off the icing). This is a great recipe for using up that reduced loaf you bought as day old, or slightly stale, is best for this dish. I've also replaced the fruit with chocolate chips and added Jam or Marmalade for extra taste. (just reduce the sugar your adding). The only limits are your taste buds.
Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback. E x 00Halogen Fried Chicken & PancakesComfort food doesn't come much better than this. Serve it hot or cold, as a snack whilst watching the football,in a bucket- KFC style-at a picnic or just as a midweek dinner. This recipe will become a family favourite in no time. I've teamed it with a batch of Pancakes-medium sized and mini, which are quick and easy to prepare whilst your waiting on the chicken to cook, but you can adapt it for larger ones or even waffles if you prefer. Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback. E x 00Speedy Meatball Curry SoupSometime you just want a speedy lunch or dinner and this is when a bit of meal prep beforehand comes into its own. I used my hidden vegetable curry sauce (recipe on the website), some extra veg and a packet of cooked meatballs I had bought in B&M/Farmfoods. Most people would look at these and think a packet of 12 small meatballs isn't enough to make a meal but with a few extra ingredients you can make a curry, a soup or a stew with these. I didn't want a pasta meal or anything too tomatoey, so I made my curry sauce into a soup. I didn't have to add anything other than a bit of stock to thin it down to soup consistency as there were enough spices in the sauce to begin with. The meatballs are Chicken and Chorizo bites which lend really well towards adding more depth to the curry. At £1 a packet they also add to our ethos of using cheap ingredients to make a meal go further. This made 4 filling bowls that everyone was happy with. You could easily adapt this and use any cooked meat/sausages etc that you have available and any other veg too. Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback.E x00Noodle Soup with MusselsThis dish looks expensive and a bit fancy, but its really not. There's nothing better than getting an expensive ingredient at a knockdown price in the reduced section, adding a few bits from the fridge and making a delicious dinner. This cost me less than £1 for 4 filling bowls of yummy goodness.
Lots of people are scared of mussels as they're not sure what to do with them. Yes, they take a little prep but the very quick cooking time more than makes up for it.
I've left it quite plain as I wanted just the fresh taste of the mussels to shine through, but you can easily add garlic,ginger, chilli etc.
I finely sliced the carrot and pepper using a potato peeler, added some mushrooms and salad leaves (sounds weird but it really works) that needed using and it was ready in no time.
Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback. E x 00Hidden Vegetable Curry base Sauce.Just like the hidden vegetable tomato base sauce we have, this was borne out of necessity. I had acquired a wonky veg box from the supermarket that I had great plans for, but life got in the way as it's want to do, and I didn't have time to use it before it started wilting sadly. So I did a minimal prep- washed and chopped basically 😅 - popped it all into the slow cooker, added some curry powder, cooked till it was soft enough to blend, then once cooled I decanted into freezer bags and froze it. I've done this ever since, as its a great way to use up veg that you've forgotten about or you don't like in it's original form. When I'm going to make a curry I then defrost a batch and use it like a jar of sauce- I cook the meat or whatever I'm using, plus any other vegetables-onion, etc, then add the sauce and reheat it for 10-15mns or until its piping hot. This sauce can be used as soup or added to mince, chicken, beef, fish, sausages, etc.
I use Mayflower Curry Powder as it has a blend of Curry powder,Coriander, Turmeric, Cumin, Chillies etc but you could use whatever curry powder you prefer.
The curry powder disguises the taste of the vegetables and your family will never know they are having their 5 a day in one dish 😀 Its easy to adapt by using whatever vegetables you have available and by adding a little more spice, flavourings, coconut milk, yoghurt, etc once you have added to your main dish. It also makes a great dip to use with crisps or crackers. I don't add too much liquid when cooking as I find if I keep it thick, then it takes less room in the freezer, plus its easier to add more liquid later if needed.
Why not give this a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below. We love to hear your feedback. E x
