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...

Bargain beef bourguignon

After a very successful teatime shop at Lidl I managed to bag some great bargains! Among them I got lots of meat including a great big pork carvery joint for Christmas for just £6.99 (last year I paid £14 for the same joint!) and some stewing steak reduced. We have not long had a steak pie so I wanted to do something different so I thought I would do beef bourguignon. I'm sure there will be wine snobs out there demanding I rename it as I haven't used Burgundy but I wanted to prove you can have a tasty meal without using the expensive ingredients. Of course the more expensive and tastier the wine, the tastier the meal, but I had no complaints and I used a £2.99 bottle of house red. This meal is such a delicious winter warmer. You can serve with a pile of creamy mash, or in a bowl on its own with crusty bread. My husband demanded a pastry lid so mine was a pie. What hubby wants....

                                                

Pack stewing steak

5 shallots sliced/ or 2 onions

2 carrots sliced

300g mushrooms chopped

Tsp dried or fresh thyme 

75cl bottle red wine

Flour 

                                                

Coat the meat in flour seasoned with pepper and fry in a hot pan with tbsp oil until browned.

Transfer into a deep pan.

In the same pan you browned the meat, add the chopped vegetables, thyme and a glass of the red wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan.

Cook these for about ten minutes or so then add to the pan with the meat.

Pour in the whole bottle of red (okay no-one will notice a glass missing wink wink!)

                                                       
When it begins to simmer leave for at least 2 hours on a very low heat.
When you come to serve if it needs thickening add some gravy granules or corn flour.
                                     

Tea so easy the kids made it

I have to start by admitting this doesn't look the most appetising dish granted. But it's so tasty and you can run wild with this one using up whatever vegetables you have left and turning them into a tasty  treat that the kids can get involved in making. Letting the little ones help is the best thing you can do for them after all its one of the biggest skills they will need in life. So these tasty vegetable fritters are pretty much open to being played with as you see fit try adding spices or herbs anything you like.

Med. Potato grated
Onion sliced
Carrot cubed
Red pepper cubed
Spring onion sliced
2 med tomatoes skinned, deseeded and sliced
2 tbsp sweet corn
2 tbsp frozen peas
100g flour
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Oil for frying

Put all the vegetables in a bowl
Add the eggs and flour and mix well and season
Heat a frying pan with some oil on a medium heat and preheat oven to 180
Fry a tablespoon of the mix for two mins each side until golden and finish off in the oven for 10 mins.