Recipe 37 & 38: Simple Cheesy Pasta, Complex Macaroni Cheese

"Cheat!" I hear you say - Well, not really. When you think about it all recipes are loosely based off one another. So in this blog entry I am going to provide the simple, 10 minute Macaroni Cheese and the more complex one, which I also have tried but on more rare occasions as it takes a bit longer and to be honest if I am grasping at straws for a meal - I generally want the quick version!
I haven't included mushrooms in either recipe as I am not a huge fan on fungi, but obviously this can be added aswell.

Recipe 37: Simple Cheesy Pasta

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups milk
1 tsp chilli powder 
2 cups grated tasty cheese
1 cup shredded ham
2 cups of cooked pasta (e.g. spirals, macaroni, penne)
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour and cook until frothy.
2. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly until sauce boils and thickens.
3. Reduce heat, add chilli and grated cheese. When cheese has melted, add ham and cooked pasta, stir to combine.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste serves 4

Recipe 38: Complex Macaroni Cheese

2 tbsp butter2 tbsp plain flour
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cups milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 cups grated tasty cheese
1 cup shredded ham

2 cups of cooked pasta (e.g. spirals, macaroni, penne)
1 cup breadcrumbs

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and cook until clear.Stir in flour and cook until frothy.
2. Add mustard powder, gradually add milk, stirring constantly until sauce boils and thickens.
3. Remove from heat, add 1 cup grated cheese.  When cheese has melted, add ham and cooked pasta, stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. pour mixture into an oven proof dish. Sprinkle the cup of breadcrumbs over the the top of the mixture and add the remaining cheese to the top aswell.
5. Cook at 190c for 20 minutes or until golden and heated through. serves 4

 

Recipe 33: Quick Stew - Joss Style

I used to love steak. Growing up on a farm allowed me to appreciate meat- knowing where it came from, how the animal was raised and ultimately how it was culled. However, ever since my pregnancy I cannot stomach the thought of steak. I can handle meat in stews etc, but not by itself.

So when hubby cooked up rump steak last night, I could barely stomach the thought of eating it. I didn't want to waste it, so what was left (which wasn't much after the man had a go at it) was quickly and easily made into a stew for lunch. 

Quick Stew

Left over meat - chopped
Frozen mixed vegetables
Boiled Potatoes (again left over from the night before)
1 tsp Gravy mix (or cornflour to thicken up)
1 cup Water
Pepper and Salt (for taste)
1 tsp Chilli powder



METHOD

1. Add Chopped meat with water bring to boil
2. Reduce heat and add frozen mixed vegetables, also add chopped potatoes. Cook for 6 minutes at a simmer until the veges are cooked.
3. Add 1 tsp chilli powder and 1 tsp Gravy mix (I use gravox) to make a thick sauce (add more water if you want it more runny). Taste and add salt and pepper for taste.

Leftover magic

Yesterday we were lucky enough to catch up with family who we haven't see in 5 months. Roast chicken buns for lunch and so much leftover, that again hubby had chicken sandwiches for dinner and lunch today!

Already due to this challenge I have discovered with a few key ingredients in the house a yummy meal is not far away. This particular meal goes to show that a creamy pasta does not need to go to your ass and you don't need to add chicken either for this pasta to be nice. It is also a 10 minute meal - which is brilliant.

Lefties Creamy Carbonara

300g fettuccine
4 rashers of bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely diced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup carnation light and creamy evaporated milk
1 tbsp cornflour
2 tbsp parmesan
Leftover chicken

METHOD

1. Cook pasta according to directions on the packet.
2. Heat fry pan, add bacon ad oio, cook 3 minutes, then add mushrooms and left over chicken, cook for a further minute.
3. Add combined carnation light and creamy evaporated milk and cornflour (using the above trick of the trade), bring to boil, stirring, add pasta, remove from heat.
4. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately. Serves 4

Recipe 30: Angel hair pasta with Garlic and Olive oil

Only six recipes behind.... May have to get creating this week with some more recipes- can't have my husband beating me on this resolution!
Recipe 30 is a 10 minute easy meal. Apart from Jamie Oliver, one of my other favourite chef's is Ed Halmagyi or "Fast Ed" and this is one of his.
I love quick and easy meals especially when its a quarter to 6 on a weekday and the husband is due to walk in at 6pm!

Angel hair pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil

6 cloves Garlic
6 anchovy fillets
2 lemons
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely
800g dried angel hair pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 red chilli, finely diced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper


METHOD

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Peel and chop the garlic very finely, Chop the anchovies very finely as well.
2. Set a frying pan over a medium heat, whilst this is heating, grate the lemon zest finely, then halve the lemons.
3. Drop the angel hair pasta in the boiling water and stir well - this will take only 4 minutes to cook.
4. Pour the olive oil into the pan and add the garlic, anchovies and lemon zest. Stir well then add the breadcrumbs  to the mix and stir.
5. Drain the pasta (after the 4 minutes) thoroughly and toss into the pan.
6. Stir in the chilli, parmesan and parsley. Squeeze the lemon juice in and season with salt and pepper. - serves 4

Something a little bit flashy

Have realised that you don't need to be slogging away in the kitchen to make something that will impress. This recipe takes less than 10 minutes and I cannot believe how well it goes down with visitors. Only problem is, just like the title states of this post, it is a little bit flashy in terms of $$$. So in truth, this is something I put together when we used to be DINK's (double income, no kids).

Prosciutto sticks with grilled Pear, Honey and Walnut salsa

16 fine slices prosciutto
16 Italian breadsticks (thin sticks)
2 firm pears
1/4 cup walnuts
1 spring onion
1/4 bunch mint
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2 tbsp honey


METHOD

1. Using a sharp knife halve the prosciutto slices lengthways. Wrap each breadstick with two prosciutto halves.
2. Heat a ribbed griddle (a pan with ridges) over a medium heat, whilst heating, peel the pears, quarter them and remove the stems and seeds. Lay the pear slices on the griddle (or pan if you don't have a griddle) and cook for 2 minutes until lightly caramelised (a nice golden brown colour).
3. Chop the walnuts, finely dice the spring onions and mint. Combine the spring onions, walnuts, mint with the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Do taste this salsa and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
4. Lay four breadsticks on each serving plate and garnish with two pear quarters. Drizzle with honey and garnish with salsa.