*Homemade Beefaroni*
Serves about 4 people
This comes very close to the flavour of the stuff in the tin and is a
great way to make a small amount of meat stretch quite far. Delicious, economical and easy to make.
1/2 pound extra lean ground steak mince
1 500g carton of tomato passata (pureed tomatoes, about 2 cups)
90g of finely grated fresh Parmesan Cheese (1/2 cup)
60ml of water (1/4 cup)
1 heaped teaspoon of sugar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp freeze dried oregano flakes
1/2 tsp freeze dried basil flakes
1 beef stock pot or cube (crumble the cube)
black pepper and salt to taste
1/2 pound of macaroni
Put a pot of lightly salted water onto boil.
Brown the beef in medium sized deep skillet,
mashing it well in with a fork. You don't want too many big lumps.
Add the remaining ingredients
with the exception of the macaroni. Save the salt and pepper for later.
Bring to the boil,
then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes
so that all the flavours
blend well together.
 At the end of that time taste and adjust seasoning as needed
with some salt and pepper. Cook the macaroni in the
boiling salted water according to the package
directions. Drain well and rise.
Stir into the meat sauce, stirring to coat the macaroni well. Serve hot. |
I can remember when I was a little girl that you used to be able to buy a soup at the grocery store called Chicken With Stars Soup.
We did not get a lot of store bought soups when I was a girl. My mother could make a delicious and much tastier soup from almost anything, so bought soup in our house was a real rarity.
A roast dinner of any kind on a Sunday usually meant that sometime during the week we would be having a nice big pot of homemade soup, and we all looked forward to it with great pleasure . . .
If we had had ham, it would be ham and pea soup, turkey . . . turkey soup.
Beef meant a nice pot of Beef and vegetable soup. A roast chicken always something like chicken and vegetable or chicken noodle or chicken with rice.
We never did have chicken with stars though . . . but I always wished that we would.
I spied some Stellini Pasta (tiny star shaped pasta) in the shops the other day and picked it up. I thought it was about time I fulfilled my wish and made myself a pot of Chicken with Stars Soup.
After all I am 58 years old now and I'm not getting any younger! Sometimes you have to feed your inner child!
It's not that difficult to make a homemade pot of soup. It requires very little effort and the rewards are bountiful. It tastes so much better than anything that comes from a tin.
I am afraid that after you taste this, you will be spoilt from ever wanting to have tinned chicken soup again!
Of course when it was done it was just begging for some type of pretty garnish and so I baked some star shaped garlic croutons to float on the top. They dressed it up just nicely.
I was a happy girl and Todd was a happy boy. You can never go wrong with a tasty pot of homemade soup.
*Chicken With Stars Soup*
Serves 4-6
Serves 4-6
Printable Recipe
This is a very simple and easy soup to make. I often use the carcass from a roast chicken to make this, saving some chicken from the roast to use as wl. As I always cut up chickens myself to use in other recipes, I usually always have bags of chicken backs and necks in the freezer as well, which are very good when used in this soup! Its amazing what you can do with a few bones and some vegetables!
1 spent chicken carcass (if there is not a lot of meat left on the carcass you can add a few chicken wings or a leg)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 carrot, unpeeled and cut in half
1 stalk of celery
Handful of celery leaves
1 onion, unpeeled, cut in half, root end removed
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
To finish:
1 carrot peeled and grated
¼ of a swede peeled and grated (rutabaga)
1/2 mug full of Stelline Pasta (star shaped pasta, about 1/2 cup, or more as desired)This is a very simple and easy soup to make. I often use the carcass from a roast chicken to make this, saving some chicken from the roast to use as wl. As I always cut up chickens myself to use in other recipes, I usually always have bags of chicken backs and necks in the freezer as well, which are very good when used in this soup! Its amazing what you can do with a few bones and some vegetables!
1 spent chicken carcass (if there is not a lot of meat left on the carcass you can add a few chicken wings or a leg)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 carrot, unpeeled and cut in half
1 stalk of celery
Handful of celery leaves
1 onion, unpeeled, cut in half, root end removed
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
To finish:
1 carrot peeled and grated
¼ of a swede peeled and grated (rutabaga)
Put your chicken carcass in a pot and cover with boiling water. Add the bay leaf, thyme, carrot, celery, celery leaves, onion and salt and pepper. Bring back to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 ½ hours to 2 hours. Strain broth into a clean pot. Discard vegetables and pick off as much meat as you can from off of the bones. Cut into small chunks. Bring broth to a boil and reduce somewhat. Taste and adjust seasoning. (If it is not very strong you can add a TBS or two of Marigold vegetable stock powder, but it really shouldn‘t be necessary.)
Add the grated vegetables and the Stelline pasta. Bring to the boil and then reduce to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until cooked. Add the diced chicken meat. Heat through and then ladle into hot bowls. Serve with some nice crusty bread or rolls.
Note:
I like to make star shaped croutons for a garnish sometimes. Just cut
your desired bread into star shapes with a sharp cutter, Toss with some
herbs and olive oil. (I like to use parsley, garlic, salt, pepper)
Then toast in a hot oven for 5 to 8 minutes until golden brown and
crisp.
If you are thinking of remodelling your kitchen, you are probably also worried about what it will eventually cost. You can order kitchen cabinets online that are ready to assemble with just the use of a single screwdriver, and these cabinets are also very affordable in price.
When you visit a website such as cabinetsmania.com, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the wide selection that will be available to you. There are many wood finishes and styles from which to choose, and all cabinets are made of 100% plywood and are solid in construction. You will have quality units that will last for many years.
Cabinets that are ready to assemble save you money. They are packed flat in boxes and are easy to install in your kitchen. You may decide on frameless cabinets, which is a style that is becoming increasingly popular. This type of cabinet does not have a frame on the face of it, and doors fasten directly onto the cabinet box rather than on a frame that is on the front of the box. If this is not the type of cabinet you have in mind, there are other styles that are certain to be of interest to you.
The kitchen is one of the most renovated rooms in the house. It is used every day for food preparation, the enjoyment of family meals, and as a gathering place. It stands to reason that the kitchen should also be one of the most welcoming and attractive areas in any home. With the installation of affordable, high-quality cabinetry, you can count on having a beautiful kitchen that will be a pleasure to work in and enjoy.
If you are determined to renovate your kitchen but have a limited budget for remodeling, you will want to obtain discount cabinets that will provide durability along with style. You will also want to be presented with a selection that will offer you many options in choosing the cabinetry that will be perfect for your home. Being able to obtain your cabinets online will also save you time and effort but will still provide you with quality units delivered right to your front door.
Websites offering RTA Cabinets make it a simple process to choose quality cabinets that will be priced to fit your budget. You can have the kitchen you have always dreamed of owning without paying a bundle.
Food seems to be getting more expensive with each week that passes. It is becoming increasingly difficult to feed a family well, and still stay within a budget.
It's ironic that the things which are the healthiest are the things which cost the most in the shops and it's the stuff which is loaded in sugar, fat and calories that are the cheapest.
Walk down the aisles in any grocery shop and you will see what I mean.
Walk down the aisles in any grocery shop and you will see what I mean.
There's lots on offer for a pound, but it's all sausage rolls (mostly fatty pastry and cheap fatty sausage, and not much of that!) jumbo packets of crisps, candy bars, cakes filled with chemicals and artificial flavours, etc.
It's the same in the frozen food section . . . lots of ice cream bars and chips on offer, pizzas, but not a lot that is healthy really. The last time I bought some apples, I paid more than 50p per apple and that's the truth!
Another thing I have noticed of late is that sizes are getting smaller. They may be charging the same prices for certain things . . . but the tins are smaller, etc.
Another thing I have noticed of late is that sizes are getting smaller. They may be charging the same prices for certain things . . . but the tins are smaller, etc.
Oh . . . and don't get me started on toilet paper. Have you noticed how big around the paper tube in the middle has gotten?
It looks the same from the outside of the roll, but with the inner tube having doubled in size, you are only getting half the amount of loo-roll these days.
I was recently challenged to create a meal for a family of four for less than a fiver. It wasn't easy but I managed to do it and I think I did it very well, if I don't say so myself.
I was recently challenged to create a meal for a family of four for less than a fiver. It wasn't easy but I managed to do it and I think I did it very well, if I don't say so myself.
I created a simple dish of Chicken with Cheesy Dumplings, which I think is relatively low in fat, with lots of veg, and a goodly amount of chicken.
I had gotten a package of chicken breasts, with two nice sized ones in the pack, for £3. I cut them into strips and ended up with a nice little pile of chicken.
I had gotten a package of chicken breasts, with two nice sized ones in the pack, for £3. I cut them into strips and ended up with a nice little pile of chicken.
With a bit of veg and a bit of stock, I created a tasty chicken stew chock full of flavour, with peas and carrots and onions.
I then topped this delicious stew with some fluffy dumplings, which I added a bit of cheese to for a bit of extra flavour.
I then topped this delicious stew with some fluffy dumplings, which I added a bit of cheese to for a bit of extra flavour.
The end result was a very delicious meal for four, made from scratch, and coming in at less than a fiver. You could add some mashed potatoes to make it even more filling if you wished.
We both liked this. It really was quite good and fed us for two meals.
*Chicken and Cheesy Dumplings*
*Chicken and Cheesy Dumplings*
Cheap and cheerful. Who doesn't like chicken and dumplings. If you buy your chicken breasts on sale and freeze them individually, you can bring this delicious entrée in for less than a fiver.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 TBS cooking oil
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp dried sage
2 TBS plain flour
428ml chicken stock (use a stock cube and equivalent in water, 14 1/2 ounces)
225ml water (separate from above, 1 cup)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
150g frozen peas (1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
For the dumplings:
200g of plain flour (2 cups)
4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 TBS white vegetable fat
2 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
180ml of milk (3/4 cup, you may not need it all)
4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 TBS white vegetable fat
2 ounces grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)
180ml of milk (3/4 cup, you may not need it all)
Season the chicken pieces with the salt and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet which has a tight fitting lid. Add the chicken. Cook and stir until almost cooked through. Add the carrots and onions. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then add the stock, parsley and sage. Cover tightly and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas. Bring back to the boil, then reduce, cover and simmer for a further few more minutes, until the carrots are tender and the chicken is cooked through. Shake the flour in a jar with the additional water. Pour this into the chicken mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
While the chicken is cooking make the dumplings. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Drop in the vegetable fat and rub it in with your finger tips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in the cheese and the milk to make a soft dough that easily drops from a spoon.
Using a tablespoon, drop the dumpling dough over top of the hot bubbling chicken mixture in dollops. Cover tightly with the lid and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings are well puffed up and look dry on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Don't be tempted to peek ahead of time. Divide the chicken stew and dumplings between four heated plates and serve hot.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
I confess to having a certain fondness for Brownies. Little fudgy bites of chocolate gooey-ness that I have a difficult time to resist. The Toddster could take them or leave them. (He's not human!) I don't make them very often as a result of that because if I do, then I am the only one in the house that will eat them, and I don't need to be eating them!
The second Sunday of every month we have a munch and mingle at church after all of our meetings. It's an opportunity for us to meet together and socialize and share some refreshments. Sometimes there is soup and rolls. Always lots of sandwiches, and cakes and bakes. Brownies are the perfect thing to take for me, because then I can enjoy them, without eating the whole pan myself.
This is a deliciously different version. You have an almost bar cookie bottom . . . chewy and chocolatey . . . topped with a deliciously crunchy and buttery cinnamon streusal topping. A very simple recipe . . .
Easy to make and even easier to eat I'm afraid. I confess I rather inhaled a whole strip by myself before I could pack them away. They just kinda got in my mouth. Not all at once mind . . . one at a time . . . a nibble here and a nibble there while I was photographing them and before I knew it . . . one whole row was gone. Oh, I am such a naughty girl . . . ☺
It's a good thing they aren't staying here is all I can say!
*Streusel Topped Brownies*
Serves 8If desired drizzle melted chocolate over top prior to serving.
For the topping:
overhang to lift out the brownies when done. Butter the foil. Set aside.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before lifting out of the pan. Cut into squares to serve.
I confess I hold a special fondness in my heart for French Toast. It wasn't something which my mother made when I was growing up.
In fact I had never heard of it until a friend at elementary school told me about it one day during recess. She said her mother made French Toast every Friday for lunch, and it was delicious.
It sounded incredibly exotic and delicious . . . even then as a child I was food obsessed. I can remember being thrilled one day when she invited me to go to her house for Friday lunch.
Exciting stuff! First, I got to go on the school bus, and second . . . I got to finally eat this fabulous food!
I fell in love with it. My mother never ever did make it, but I made it often for my own children when they were growing up. We never had it for lunch or supper though . . . usually just for breakfast.
Over here in the UK, they call it "Eggy Bread." The French call it "Pain Perdu." (Lost bread) It's a fabulous use for bread that's gone stale. In fact . . . stale bread is the best kind of bread to use!
I had a loaf of bakery bread that had gone a bit stale here today and I decided to make us some French Toast Sticks for breakfast . . . or as I call them . . . "Crunchy French Bread Toast Batons!"
Which is just a fancy name for french toast in which the bread has been cut into sticks, soaked in the egg custard and then rolled in crunchy cereal, cinnamon and sugar, before baking in the oven.
Of course there is some butter involved . . . isn't there always? Nom! Nom! In any case these are crunchy, buttery little sticks, perfectly sized for dunking in maple syrup or apple sauce or melted jam, or whatever your little heart desires to dunk them in.
Easy to make. Fun to eat. Delicious. Kids adore them, but I confess . . . there are two older people in this house that are mighty fond of them as well.
*Crunchy French Toast Fingers*
Makes 16 to 20 sticksChildren love these. Even the big ones! (Hubbies) They are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside and the perfect size for dipping.
4 TBS butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5. Have ready a large non-stick baking tray.
In another bowl, beat together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Dip each bread stick into the beaten egg, turning to coat it well and allowing it to absorb some of the mixture without them becoming soggy. Drop into the cereal mixture and coat well on all sides.
Bake in the heated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until set and golden brown. Serve warm with your preferred syrup for dipping. Apple sauce is also nice to dip them in.
When I was a child I used to feel really hard done by because my mother would never buy us things that we saw advertised on the telly like . . . Stove Top Stuffing, or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese . . . or Beefaroni by Chef Boyardee. Those things looked really good and the ads were mesmerising. They did their job in wanting us to buy what they were selling.
And I confess, whenever I fly home, I treat myself to a couple of the little pots that you can buy now that you just heat up in the microwave of the Beefaroni as well as the Spaghetti and Meatballs. After all if it's good enough for hoards of Italian children, then it's good enough for me! *wink*
In any case I found a recipe the other day for Home-made Beefaroni, on a page called Cooking for Stolen Moments. And I thought why not give it a go. It looked pretty close to the real deal and I was having a craving. You know what happens then . . . when you got a craving, you just got to feed it. To heck with the pasta hating
It actually turned out really good and was pretty close to the original I reckon. I made a few modifications of my own. I added a beef stock pot for extra beefy flavour, and I cut the recipe in half. I also used Passatta (creamed tomatoes) instead of tomato sauce.
I also used less sugar, and dried basil and dried oregano instead of Italian seasoning. Even at half the recipe, it made a ton! Todd and I both had hearty helpings and Mitzie had some as well, and there was still some left! So half the recipe very generously served 4 and those are the quantities I have given here.
If anything it was better than the original beef-aroni from the tin . . . for one the pasta was al dente and for two the sauce had a nice rich tomato flavour. Half a pound of extra lean mince was just the right amount so it was also a very economical meal. If you wanted to you could pile it into a casserole and top it with cheese and bake it, but then it wouldn't be like Chef Boyardee would it? In any case it was really, really good.
Fine food specialist Cooks&Co has launched an eye-catching new meal kits range that promise to tap into the growing demand for semi-scratch cooking.
In an innovative packaging format, Cooks&Co Meal Kits feature three transparent pots containing a flavoured oil, a stock or paste and a premium herb mix to offer shoppers an easy to make, gourmet meal at home. 
The Beef Goulash Meal Kit
This classic Hungarian casserole combines the warmth and vibrance of smoked paprika with garlic, parsley & black pepper.
Each kit contains:
Garlic Oil 20g,
Beef Stock 30g
Seasoning Mix 10g.
Simply add: 500g diced braising steak, 200g sliced red & green pepper, 2 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes & 100ml sour cream. Serves 2-4
Chicken Arrabiata Meal Kit
This popular, spiced Italian pasta dish adds the subtle yet exciting flavour combination of cumin seeds, chilli & coriander leaf to a rich tomato base sauce. Convenience: This meal kit meets the need for speedy dishes (c. 25 minutes from start to finish). Ideal for the mid-week meal solution.
Each kit contains:
Garlic Oil 10g,
Chicken Stock 30g,
Seasoning Mix 10g.
Simply add: 2-4 chicken breasts, sliced, 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, 200g diced onion & 120-200g tagliatelle. Serves 2-4
Chicken Cacciatore Meal Kit
This Italian casserole combines chicken, tomatoes & mushrooms to create a dish with the traditional flavours of the Mediterranean. This meal kit meets the need for speedy dishes (c. 25 minutes from start to finish). Ideal for the mid-week meal solution.
Each kit contains:
Garlic Oil 20g,
Seasoning Mix 15g &
Mushroom Paste 35g.
Simply add: 2-4 chicken breasts & 400g can of chopped tomatoes. Serves 2-4 adjust protein accordingly.
Jerk for Chicken or Beef Meal Kit
Tantalising exotic spices blended in a hot rub bring some of the excitement and heat from the dish’s native Jamaica. This meal kit meets the need for speedy dishes (c. 25 minutes from start to finish). Ideal for the mid-week meal solution.
Each kit contains
Chilli Oil 20g,
Rub 20g &
Seasoning Mix 10g
Simply add: 400g chicken or beef, 100g sliced onion, 200g green/red pepper strips & 400g can of chopped tomatoes. Serves 2-4 adjust the protein accordingly.
Seafood Linguine Meal Kit
This spiced Italian pasta dish draws on a subtle blend of cumin, crushed chilli & coriander flavours, to bring out the very best in seafood. This meal kit meets the need for speedy dishes (c. 25 minutes from start to finish). Ideal for the mid-week meal solution.
Each kit contains:
Garlic Oil 20g,
Seafood Stock 35g,
Seasoning Mix 10g.
Simply add: 240g seafood mix/prawns, 400g can of chopped tomatoes & 120-240g dried linguine pasta. Serves 2-4
Chicken Provençal Meal Kit
This classic French casserole brings together chicken with the warm flavours of the Mediterranean and the richness of peppers and tomatoes. This meal kit meets the need for speedy dishes (c. 25 minutes from start to finish). Ideal for the mid-week meal solution.
Each kit contains:
Garlic Oil 10g,
Chicken Stock 30g &
Seasoning Mix 10g.
Simply add: 320g chicken breasts/thighs/legs & 400g tin chopped tomatoes. Serves 2-4
This is the meal I made from the Chicken Provençal kit. It was quick to make and very easy to put together. I chose to serve it on buttered ribbon noodles.
I also chose to add a sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese on top, because I like cheese on this type of dish. The flavours were really nice. I didn't need to add any seasoning and as you can see . . .
By following the very well written instructions on the package, I ended up with a nice tender, juicy and perfectly tasty piece of chicken.
Aimed at shoppers who appreciate high quality meals but don’t always have the time or desire to cook completely from scratch, Cooks&Co Meal Kits combine all the flavour benefits of a meal cooked from scratch yet without the fuss of measuring out or sourcing sometimes difficult to find individual ingredients.
While, normally I prefer to cook what I eat from beginning to end using a recipe and adding my own spices, etc., I found that these meal kits were the perfect way for a person who is not that skilled in the kitchen, or who is short on time, to prepare for themselves a really delicious meal with very little effort and in a very short space of time. The kit ingredients were fresh and well put together. I would highly recommend.
“The Cooks&Co brand is all about sourcing the finest ingredients from around the world, and our new Meal Kits bring some of those ingredients together to help people create something special, but with minimal fuss,” says Cooks&Co brand manager Anne-Marie Cannon.
They are also quite affordable at coming for approximately £2.49 per kit and are available at Ocado and via Amazon. If you would like to know more, please check out the Cooks&Co webpage.
Many thanks to the people at Cooks & Co for sending me these kits to try.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons