garlic

Back to school garlic mashed potatoes

September 10, 2013

“We’ve got the dark nights again” as my Grandma used to say.

Despite 30c temperatures late last week probably most of us have had a taste of autumn over the weekend; coats are being donned for school once more.

A nip in the air is as good as excuse as any for some rib sticking comfort food. Armed with fluffy spuds and garlicky Boursin I whipped up the first mashed potatoes I could remember having in ages.

It’s hard to recall now but for a good six weeks this summer I couldn’t bear to light the gas hob never mind the oven.

So mashed potatoes were definitely off the menu and although I’m not glad to see the warm weather go, I do rather like the return of comfort food.

Easy peasy garlic mashed potatoes: mash potatoes with half a pack of Boursin garlic and herbs cheese and a glug of smooth olive oil. My variety today was an extra virgin variety from Crete. A sneaky pinch of salt flakes and a grinding of pepper and you’re good to go.

Are you ready to serve comfort food again?

With thanks to Sainsbury’s for samples of Taste the Difference mashing potatoes. I found they mashed incredibly easily. If a recipe calls for a “floury texture” potato then this is your spud. I warn you though, they soak up lots of butter and some of them were so tiny they were fiddly to peel. The ones in my bag were grown in the UK. Say hi to Sainsbury’s on Twitter @sainsburys

With thanks also to Candiasoil for samples of “Oi1 Peza” Cretian olive oil sold in these attractive tins which also protect the oil’s flavour being damaged by sunlight. Crete lays claim to having cultivated the first olives as far back as 3500BC. Oi1 Peza and Oi1 Viannos Cretian olive oils are due to be sold in Tesco this autumn, priced £6.35 for 500ml. Also ongoing thanks to Boursin for cream cheese.

Left over beef bolognaise #nowastefoodchallenge #creditcrunchmunch

September 3, 2013

Using minced beef in pasta sauce is a staple dish for many of us – but there’s no need to limit yourself making minced beef dishes with packs of ready minced beef.

I had two cooked flash fry steaks left over plus one cold lonely beef burger off the barbecue.

Come supper time I chucked the lot into the Magimix and blitz blitz had cooked ground beef ready the throw into the dinner.

It’s fairly pointless blogging a bolognaise sauce – this post is really about using up cold cooked beef so I won’t go into huge detail.

Just soften an onion in olive oil, add some tomatoes and garlic.

If I’m making minced beef in a large enough quantity I tend to keep the first batch for pasta (or a cottage pie if using stock rather than tomato) then spice up the second half in a chilli. Since this was just using up left overs I was a little sad not to have enough to do this!

With a sprinkle of cheese and few torn bits off the long suffering basil plant it was another speedy supper.

How do you use left over beef?

This dish using left over ingredients is also being submitted to:

Credit Crunch Munch organised by Helen and Camilla, this month hosted by Elizabeth

No Waste Food Challenge, organised by Kate, this month hosted also by Elizabeth

Mid week Moroccan turkey with cous cous

April 26, 2013

My Moroccan turkey with cous cous is a super easy turkey recipe for a weekday supper that’s not too spicy for kids and not too bland for grown ups.

Something I’m ever thankful for is that my son enjoys spiced food and so long as I don’t go too crazy with the chilli he will eat food virtually as spicy as my husband and I like it.

This dish starts with a base of garlic and cumin (which isn’t hot) and you can decant your child’s portion before you hot things up to your own taste.

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