Tag: easy family meals

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Cauliflower Chicken

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Cauliflower Chicken
Cauliflower Chicken

30ml vegetable oil
15ml butter
1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
200g bacon, chopped
200g baby spinach
250ml cream
15ml thyme leaves, chopped
6-8 chicken breasts
200ml grated mozzarella cheese
3 salad onions, sliced

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and spray a 28cm x 21cm ovenproof dish with cooking spray.
Place a large pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and butter to it. Wait for the butter to melt.
Add the cauliflower florets and bacon bits and stir-fry for 10 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted.
Turn off the heat and add the cream and thyme and mix through.
Spoon this mixture into the prepared oven dish and set aside.
Wipe the pan clean and spray with cooking spray.
Season the chicken and then brown the breasts by cooking them for about 2 minutes a side.
Arrange the chicken on top of the cauliflower mixture and then push it down slightly.
Sprinkle the cheese around the chicken and then the salad onions over everything.
Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, until golden.

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Parmesan Chicken

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Parmesan Chicken
Parmesan Chicken

45ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 x 400g tin of diced tomatoes
250ml panko breadcrumbs
2,5ml salt
250ml + 250ml finely grated parmesan cheese
190ml flour
2 eggs
6 chicken breasts
250ml vegetable oil
250ml grated mozzarella cheese

Turn your oven on to grill and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Place a small saucepan over medium heat and pour in the 45ml oil.
Add the onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the diced tomato, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir every now and then.
Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool slightly.
Add the breadcrumbs, salt and 250ml parmesan to a shallow bowl.
Add the flower to another bowl.
Add the eggs and 15ml water to a third bowl and whisk together.
Place one chicken breast between two layers of plastic wrap and gently thin it out by pounding it with a meat mallet or rolling pin. The chicken should be no thicker than 1cm.
Season with salt and dip it into the flour. Shake off the excess and dip it into the egg and then into the breadcrumb mixture.
Keep the breaded chicken on a baking sheet until all of the chicken is done.
How place a pan on medium-high heat, add the 250ml oil and wait for it to heat up.
Fry the chicken in batches for about 1 minute before flipping it over for another minute or until it is golden brown.
Arrange the fried chicken on the prepared baking sheet and spoon the cooled tomato sauce over.
Mix the mozzarella and remaining 250ml parmesan and sprinkle over the chicken.
Grill the chicken for about 2 minutes – it is important to watch the chicken as it can easily burn but you want the cheese melted and browned.
Serve the parmesan chicken with any of the remaining tomato sauce.

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Banana-Meatball Bake

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Banana-Meatball Bake
Banana-Meatball Bake

This recipe makes about 30 medium sized meatballs.

Meatballs:
4 slices white bread, crusts cut off
500ml water
1kg minced/ground beef
2 eggs
15ml salt
2,5ml ground coriander
2,5ml ground cumin
5ml white pepper
10ml ground ginger
125ml flour
vegetable oil

Banana and Onion Sauce:
3 onions, sliced
10ml ground turmeric
20ml curry powder
20ml sugar
25ml flour
30ml apricot jam
50ml vinegar
500ml water
4 bananas, sliced
125ml desiccated coconut

For the meatballs:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a large ceramic dish with cooking spray.
Place the bread in a bowl and pour over the water.
Stand for 1 minute. Drain the water and squeeze out any excess.
Add the bread to a large mixing bowl and break it up.
Add the minced meat, eggs, salt coriander, cumin, ginger and white pepper.
Mix together with your hands, squeezing it through your fingers.
Roll medium sized meatballs (about 15ml scoop) and place them on a baking sheet.
Add the flour to a shallow bowl and lightly roll each meatball in it.
Place a large pan on medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover the surface and fry the meatballs in batches until brown.
Place the meatballs in the prepared baking dish and set aside.

For the banana and onion sauce:
Place the same pan in which you browned the meatballs over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until soft.
Add the turmeric, curry powder, sugar and flour and stir-fry for one minute.
Now add the jam, vinegar and water and stir while cooking, until you have a thickened sauce.
Season with salt.
Add the banana and stir through.
Pour the sauce over the meatballs, sprinkle over the coconut and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Serve the meatballs and sauce on fluffy steamed rice.

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Lamb Curry

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Lamb Curry
Lamb Curry

45ml sunflower oil
2 onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5ml salt
15ml ground ginger
5ml chilli flakes
10ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
15ml turmeric
2,5ml smoked paprika
30ml sugar
4 cloves
3 cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
2 star anise
1 x 400g can of chopped tomato
2kg stewing lamb
4-5 potatoes, peeled and diced
fresh coriander leaves

Add the sunflower oil and onion to a large saucepan set over medium-high heat.
Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until it begins to caramelise.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Now add the salt, ginger, chilli flakes, coriander, cumin, turmeric, paprika and sugar.
Stir through and then add the whole spices: cloves, cardamon, bay leaf and star anise.
Pour in the chopped tomato and give everything a good stir.
Add the lamb and stir until all the meat is covered in the spices.
Pour in enough water to cover the meat.
Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes, stirring every now and then.
Add the diced potato, stir through and simmer the curry for another 30 minutes.
Serve on white rice with fresh coriander and a good chutney.

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Saucy Chicken

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Saucy Chicken
Saucy Chicken

200g bacon, diced
4 chicken breasts, skin removed
125ml flour
60ml panko breadcrumbs
5ml salt
60ml vegetable oil
60ml butter, cubed
60ml flour
625ml chicken stock
80ml milk
10ml Worcestershire sauce
5ml onion powder
5ml dried tarragon
2,5ml salt

Place a heavy-bottom saucepan on medium heat.
Add the bacon and cook until crispy and browned. Remove from the pan.
Place the chicken breasts on a flat surface and halve them horizontally so that you have 8 thin chicken portions.
Mix the flour, breadcrumbs and salt together in a shallow dish.
Coat the chicken generously with the flour mixture.
Pour the vegetable oil into the saucepan and allow it to warm up.
Fry the breasts for 3minutes per side, remove from the saucepan and set aside.
Remove the oil from the saucepan and wipe it clean with paper towel.
Now add the butter and allow to melt over medium-high heat.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir around until it forms a paste. Cook for one minute while stirring.
Gradually pour in the chicken stock and milk and whisk continuously.
Now add the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder and tarragon.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the chicken back into the sauce.
Sprinkle over the bacon and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes.
Serve the chicken and the sauce on creamy mashed potatoes.

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Spelt Salad

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Spelt Salad
Spelt Salad

250ml spelt
250ml fresh tomato, chopped
250ml cucumber, chopped
250ml marinated sweet peppers, chopped
a handful of sprouts

Lemon Dressing:
62ml lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, minced
5ml dijon/wholegrain mustard
1,2ml salt
ground black pepper
7,5ml honey
62ml olive oil

Cook the spelt according to the instructions on the packet and set aside to cool.
Add the spelt, tomato, cucumber, peppers and sprouts to a large mixing bowl.
Add the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, a few grindings of black pepper and honey to a small mixing bowl and whisk together.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously. Keep going until all the oil is incorporated and you have an emulsified mixture.
Pour about half of the lemon dressing over the salad and mix through.
The rest of the lemon dressing may be kept in the refrigerator.

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Cottage Pie

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Cottage Pie
Cottage Pie

30ml sunflower oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1kg minced beef (ground beef)
62ml flour
50g tomato paste
500ml beef stock
125ml red wine (or water)
5ml stock powder
30ml Worcestershire sauce
15ml thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
5ml salt
2,5ml ground black pepper

Topping:
1,2kg potatoes, peeled and cubed
125ml milk, warmed
100g butter, cubed
60g butter, melted
40g grated parmesan cheese

Place a saucepan on medium-high heat and add the oil to it.
Add the garlic and onion and cook for 1 minute.
Add the carrot and cook for another 3 minutes while stirring every now and then.
Turn the heat up and add the beef. Break the meat up with a wooden spoon and stir around until loose and browned from cooking.
Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir through.
Add the tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, stock powder, Worcestershire sauce, thyme leaves, bay leaves and salt and pepper.
Stir the mixture and bring it to a simmer. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
You should now have a reduced, gravy consistency that isn’t watery.
Taste the beef and adjust the seasoning according to taste.
Spoon the mixture into a 18cm x 28cm ovenproof dish and allow it to cool. If the meat is cool when you add the mashed potato topping, the meat won’t cook through the topping.

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Cook the potatoes in a saucepan with boiling water for 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and add them back to the saucepan.
Add the warmed milk and 100g butter and mash the potato until smooth.
Season with salt.
Spread the mash on the beef and rough up the surface with a fork.
Sprinkle the melted butter over and top with a sprinkling of the parmesan.
Bake the cottage pie for 30 minutes until it is beautifully golden on top and bubbling on the edges.
Serve piping hot.

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Quick Creamy Chicken

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Quick Creamy Chicken
Quick Creamy Chicken

250g bacon, cut into small pieces
45ml butter
83ml flour
6-8 chicken breasts
15ml garlic powder
250ml chicken stock
15ml lemon juice
250 ml cream

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat, add a very small amount of oil and fry the bacon pieces until just crispy on the edges.
Remove the bacon pieces from the pan but keep the fat and keep the pan on the heat.
Mix the flour and garlic powder together and dredge the chicken in the flour.
Add the butter to the warm pan and brown the chicken breasts on both sides – about 3 minutes per side.
Pour in the stock and allow the chicken to cook for about 8 minutes before turning and cooking for another 8 minutes.
Add the cooked bacon, lemon juice and cream to the pan, give it a stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
Serve the chicken breast on a starch of your choice.

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Buttermilk Roasted Chicken

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Buttermilk Roasted Chicken
Buttermilk Roasted Chicken

This is one of the easiest ways of roasting a chicken and will leave you with juicy, fall-off-the-bone meat and a delicious gravy.

1 whole chicken
10ml salt
30ml vegetable oil
30ml butter
60ml sage leaves, roughly chopped
the juice of two lemons
one garlic bulb, halved horizontally
500ml buttermilk
100ml milk

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Wash and dry the chicken and rub the salt over the entire bird.
Add the oil and butter to a saucepan over high heat and brown the chicken, turning it as you go along.
Turn off the heat and add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan.
Put a lid on/cover with aluminium foil and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.
Remove the lid and cook uncovered for a further 50 minutes.
Place the chicken on a serving dish.
Strain the sauce through a fine mesh/sieve and serve it on the side with the chicken.

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Pork Chops with Crushed Olive Dressing

by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment on Pork Chops with Crushed Olive Dressing
Pork Chops with Crushed Olive Dressing

6-8 pork chops
45ml + 30ml olive oil
10ml ground turmeric
10ml salt
125ml apple cider vinegar
375ml olives, pitted and crushed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
250ml soft herbs (sage, basil, parsley, chives) chopped
30ml water

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Place the pork chops on an oven tray and drizzle the front and back with 45ml olive oil.
Sprinkle the turmeric and salt on the chops and give it a rub with your hands to spread evenly.
Put a cast iron pan on high heat and brown the chops on both sides. Place them back on the oven tray.
Mix the 30ml olive oil, vinegar, crushed olives, garlic, chopped herbs and water together and spoon over the meat.
Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
Serve the chops warm or at room temperature.