Slow Cooker Mexican Beef
You don’t need a slow cooker to slow cook, so simmer this on the hob or in the oven if you have a lidded casserole-dish (or tin-foil to cover). I ususally put this on at lunch time when I’m working from home. You can serve…
Recent Quick Eats
Forever Garlic
If you’re wondering how to freeze garlic – or even if you can – then yes, you can. Once I learnt this trick I honestly never run out of garlic. Garlic that’s frozen is much easier to cook with. A clove of frozen garlic on…
Egg Fried Rice
This is a Chinese egg fried rice. It’s absurdly easy. Nuff said.
Time to make: 5 minutes
Mouths: feeds 1 (double the amounts if you’re having a guest)
Ingredients:
- 1 x packet of ready-made rice
- 1 x egg
- 1 x glug of oil (vegetable or coconut oil)
- 1 x tsp glug of sesame oil
- 2 x tsp soy sauce
- 1 x good pinch or salt
Optional:
- 1 x small handful of frozen peas
- 1 x teaspoon of coconut oil
- Change the rice for brown basmati if you prefer
Other stuff:
- A large non-stick saucepan
- Wooden spoon/spatula
- Before you open the rice packet smush it on the counter top under the heel of your hand a bit to loosen up the rice; you don’t want to drop a rice block into your pan, you want separate rice grans
Method:
- Put the pan on a medium high heat. Add the oil/cocunut oil first and then add the sesema oil to that.
- While that’s heating up, whisk the egg in a small bowl with a good pinch of salt
- Add the soy sauce to the pan and then add the contents of the rice packet, stirring well. You want your rice coated in oil and soy sauce.
- Move the rice to the edges of the pan to make a clearing in the centre. Now, add a small splash of your egg mixture and stir it up as it cooks so that it begins to break up. As it does, bring some rice in and incorporate it, stirring the whole time. Do this one egg-spash at a time, cooking the egg into portions and bringing the rice in to help break it up.
- Bring the whole thing together and cook for further further few minutes. Both the rice and eggs should now be cooked.
- Add the frozen peas if you’re using them. Stir them in well and then turn of the heat. The peas will gently defrostinfg and warm through.
- Serve.
Corned Beef Stew
This true classic – sometimes called a corned beef hot pot – is mega easy and I roll it out every time autumn rolls around. My ma used to make this once a week in the winter and it was a life-saver. I make this…
Pickled Eggs
Pickled eggs are amazing. When you’re hungry and looking for a post workout snack at night these eggs WILL stop you reaching for the the naughty treats. Trust me. They’re easy and they taste great. Serve these with a few lumps of cheese and a…
Easy Chocolate Brownies with Salty Pretzels ?
Okay, the pretzels are optional here but I do love to mix sweet and salt. I went a step further and threw in some vanilla fudge because I just can’t stop myself. You can add white choc chips, nuts and dried fruit or some ginger biscuits or mint Oreos. The real joy here is that you can throw in any tasty yummies you like or just choose to make plain old brownies. Either way, you’ve got an easy-to-make and easy-to-clean-up sweet-treat recipe right here.
Time to make: 35 mins overall
Mouths: feeds 4-6
Ingredients:
- large block dark chocolate (about 110g so just a bit less than a large block)
- 110g butter
- 340g of icing sugar (or caster sugar)
- 344g cup of plain four
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- Pinch of salt
- Something to throw in. I added fudge chunks and salted pretzels but you can use white choc chips or some nuts or dried fruit or something. Whatever you use make sure you break it up into bite-size bits. For the pretzels I just crushed them in my hand and dropped them in. Try to use up what you already have without buying more stuff.
Other stuff:
- A mixing bowl or something of that size
- A saucepan for the mixing bowl to sit in and do the initial melting
- An 8×8 baking tray. Line it with baking paper otherwise you’ll need to heavily grease it with your butter.
- A wooden spoon or spatula; anything large like that to do the mixing
Method:
First turn the oven to 175° C.
Next, break up all of the chocolate and throw it into the mixing bowl with the butter. Now, melt them down together. I did this by just boiling the kettle and sitting the mixing bowl in a saucepan of the boiled water and leaving it for five minutes. If the chocolate hasn’t melted just boil the kettle again and change the hot water in the saucepan and give it another 5 minutes. Once you have a melted goo add the sugar and vanilla and stir it in. Next, beat in the two eggs and when that’s incorporated stir in the flour. Add a pinch of salt and then your fillings.
Pour the mixture into the baking tray and cook for 25 minutes and not a second more otherwise they’ll be dry.
Five minute stir fry rice
Well. This isn’t really a fried rice – you won’t need to touch the frying pan – but it’s such an easy thing to throw together on a Monday night after the gym when you just can’t be bothered to ‘cook’. Five minutes! This is…