Chilli gone barmy and nom nom nachos

With the cold spell we are having at the moment, (it makes for some beautiful pictures) this tea is perfect. It was going to be a chilli con carne, however I forgot to buy some of the ingredients and had to improvise and do you know what? It tastes better for it! This is a good one for this time of year as it's filling, healthy and cheap! Have it on it's own, with the nachos, jacket potato, rice, pasta or chips, it's your choice. I have a very slap dash approach to cooking just lately and want to stress to you all even though I give you a recipe, feel free to play around and make it your own. The nachos make a lovely supper or an accompaniment to a Mexican meal, these however are probably not as good for the waist line. Then again with the weather at the moment we need a little fat on our bones.....right?

Nachos

Tortilla chips (Asda's own brand are only 46p for a 200g bag!)

Rocket (optional)

Sweet chilli sauce

Cheese grated

Layer the crisps and cheese and grill until the cheese melts

Dish up on top of the rocket (it makes you feel less guilty)

Dribble on the sauce and enjoy!

My son Chase, hubby Paul and Louie the lab enjoying the snow!

For the chilli

500g minced beef

Red pepper diced

Onion sliced

Passata 500g carton (Lidl)

Tin kidney beans

Tin baked beans

Tsp cumin

Tsp chilli powder

Tsp paprika

300ml beef stock (oxo and water)

Fry off the mince and drain off the fat

In a pan with some oil add the pepper and onion and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes with the cumin, chilli and paprika

When the onion and pepper are soft add the drained mince, passata, beef stock and give a good stir

Add both tins of beans and leave to simmer for at least 20 minutes serve as suggested above!

Its that easy...Here are some more of my snow pictures to enjoy

Louie is such a poser

Barbeque bean bake that won't break the bank

Try saying that after a few...Okay so this one is thanks to the fantastic Jamie Oliver and his money saving meals however I have tweaked it slightly and you are welcome to do the same. That's the secret to cooking, there is no right or wrong, just somebody else's way and yours! I also did this with Jamie's cheesy croutons (ciabatta torn into chunks, cheese grated over the top and oven for 20 minutes at 180) however, with the jacket potato as well, it was a bit too much for me. I would suggest these deliciously smoky, sweet beans with either the jacket potato and some salad, maybe as a spicy version of beans on toast with the ciabatta halved and grilled or throw in some sausages! Have fun with it, throw in the remains of the tomato pasta sauce that's been sitting in the fridge all week (I did) Also the best part, it's good for you! I used good old baked beans for this but you could use kidney, cannellini, mixed beans, any you like.

2 tins baked beans

2 carrots chopped

2 red onions sliced

500ml passata (It's just tomato sauce, use chopped tomatoes if you like)

100ml bbq sauce (I'm intrigued to know how brown sauce would taste with this too!)

Tsp cumin powder (Leave it out if you haven't got it)

Tsp chilli powder/flakes

1 and half tsp paprika

Rosemary

4 large potatoes 

Preheat the oven to 180

Pierce the potatoes, rub the skins in oil, sprinkle on some salt and place in the oven on a baking tray

Place the chopped carrots, onions, rosemary, spices and a drizzle of oil in a roasting tray and put in the oven for 20 minutes

They should be nice and sticky and soft

Pour on the beans, tomato and bbq sauce and give it all a stir before returning to the oven for 40 minutes

It should be reducing nicely now, stir it again (if you are having the croutons stick them in now) and return for 20 minutes when everything should be ready together. 

Don't blame me for the aftermath....you know what they say.....beans, beans good for the heart...