It’s nice to every now and then to dial back the fancy, and make something super simple and super yummy to keep your family fed.  This one is a long time favourite of mine, where the focus is on good quality ingredients, loaded with classical flavours.

This is a bulk recipe, but keeps and reheats fantastically well, so perfect for hungry mouths for work lunches, or a snack to keep the kids happy after school.

Beef and Broccoli Stirfry

1.2kg Rump or Topside steak, thinly sliced
2 large onions, peeled, cut into wedges
2tbsp cornflour
1/4c vegetable oil
1kg broccoli, chopped into florets
2 red capsicums, thinly sliced
500g water chestnut slices
3 cloves garlic
4tsp crushed ginger
300g snow peas, topped and tailed and chopped in half lengthways
1/4c kecap manis
1/4c honey soy marinade
1/4c sweet chilli sauce
6 spring onions, chopped into 4cm battons
500g Udon noodles

1. Combine your cornflour with a light seasoning of salt and pepper.  Place in a ziplock bag with beef strips and shake to coat thoroughly.
2. Prepare and cook udon noodles as per packet directions, whilst cooking, prepare stirfry as follows;
3. Heat 1tsp oil in hot wok and swirl to coat, cook beef in 4-5 batches, for 2-3 minutes until just browned, before transferring to a heat proof bowl. Add another teaspoon of oil and reheat between each batch.
4. Heat remaining oil, add onion, garlic, ginger and broccoli to the wok, stirfry for 2 minutes.  Then add capsicum, snow peas and water chestnuts.
5. Return beef to pan with spring onions, sauces and any resting juices from beef bowl.  Toss to coat, and warm through.
6. Add cooked and drained udon noodles.  Serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh thinly sliced chilli.

Happy Cooking! ~LC

Forgive me, its been a little while since I’ve managed to get a post up – but never fear, I *have* still been creating yummy dishes to share with you all.  A change of jobs has kept me crazy busy.  But this pasta was so quick, simple and YUM I couldn’t wait to share it.

Prep time – 5 mins, cook time – 20 minutes, serves 4.

Pumpkin & Bacon Pasta

375g dried spaghetti (or 500g fresh)

350g Butternut Pumkpin, peeled and thinly shaved (I suggest using a good veg peeler)

1/3c Olive Oil

6 rashers bacon, streaky part only, sliced into thin battons

1 1/2c coarse breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

1 long red chilli, finely sliced

1/4c grated parmesan

1 tbsp baby capers, roughly chopped

1/2c spring onions, thinly sliced

1. Cook pasta as to packet directions, and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Cover and keep warm.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan and add bacon, cooking for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and starting to crisp, remove from pan and drain on paper towel.  Then add pumpkin to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until just tender before removing to a bowl, cover and keep warm.
3. Add another 2 tbsp oil to pan, add breadcrumbs, garlic, oregano and chilli and cook for 4-5 minutes until crumbs are golden and crispy, season with salt and pepper to taste.  Remove to bowl, keep warm.
4. Add pasta, reserved water, parmesan, capers, spring onions, bacon, pumpkin and half the breadcrumbs back to the pan and toss to combine and warm through
5. Serve immediately topped with more garlic chilli crumb, and a sprinkle of parmesan.

This is a very customisable recipe – if you like lots of bacon (I mean, who doesn’t) – add more bacon, or if you like a good solid kick, more chilli.  I haven’t tried it yet, but would see sweet potato being suitable in place of pumpkin, or add some shredded chicken.

Happy eating ~LC

I’m a sucker for a good red curry – my absolute favourite would have to be a red curry duck, but this red curry pork comes a very close second, loaded with red curry and creamy coconut milk, a nice crunch of fresh vegetables and sprinkle of chopped peanuts and chilli to top it off, and if you want to add a few more healthy bits, there’s even a scoop of nutty brown rice hiding under the gorgeous spicy coconut broth.  Incredibly simple, quick and easy, its certainly one to keep the hungry crowds from rioting for a few hours at least!  This recipe is structured to be a bulk cook, but by all means, scale it back by half if you only have a small crowd.

Prep time 15 mins, Cook time 10 mins, Serves 8

Thai Red Curry Pork

2 tbsp peanut oil

2 brown onion, cut into thin wedges

1 jar Ayam red curry paste

1.3kg pork fillet or loin steaks,sliced thinly

3 x 400ml can coconut milk

2 tbsp fish sauce

4 tsp brown sugar

2 large red capsicum, diced

400g can baby corn pieces, drained

400g green beans, trimmed, halved crossways

1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

2 large red chillies, thinly sliced (optional)

1. Heat peanut oil in large heave based pan, then add onion, cooking until just soft
2. Add curry paste and saute until onions are coated and paste is fragrant, which should be 2-3 minutes
3. Add pork and stirfry for a further 5 minutes, until pork is browned.
4. Add coconut milk, sugar, fish sauce and vegetables, stir and bring to the boil, simmer for a further five minutes.
5. Serve on a bed of rice, and top with fresh sliced chilli and peanuts.

Kick back with a glass of your favourite white wine (or red if thats your chosen poison) and wrap your taste buds around this bad boy, I guarantee you’ll want to lick your bowl clean when nobody is looking! Cheers ~ LC

It looks a bit fancy, and a bit complex, but looks can be very deceiving! This simple chicken roll-up is a winner, seen here served with a simple garden salad, crunchy butter grilled asparagus and a bed of creamy polenta, it’s a good hearty meal.

Prep time 20 minutes, cook time 30 minutes, Serves 4

Chicken Roulade

6 chicken thigh fillets, bashed out to 5mm thick

1/3c sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/3c roasted capsicums, roughly chopped

1/2c button mushrooms, quartered

3 squares of your favourite cheese – if you like soft cheese, use 6 slices

1/2c plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1/3c white wine

1/3c chicken stock

1tsp wholegrain mustard

1/3c thickened cream

1/2c Polenta

2c chicken stock extra

1 tsp butter

1. Place sundried tomatoes, capsicum and mushrooms into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped.
2. Spread each chicken thigh with approx a tablespoon of the blended mix and spread to cover.  Place 1/2 square of cheese at one end of each thigh, and roll up tightly, securing with toothpicks, roll in seasoned flour. WARNING – this can get a bit messy and fidley, but dont stress, it WILL come together.
3. Heat oil and butter in large frying pan, once frothy, add chicken cooking for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden.  Once golden on all sides, pour wine and stock into pan and continue cooking for another 5 minutes, turning chicken every minute or so.
4. Remove chicken from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Add mustard seeds and cream to remaining liquid in pan and stir to combine, place back on low heat.
5. Meanwhile cook polenta by brining stock to boil, add polenta in a steady stream, stirring constantly until thick, add butter and cook a further 2-3 minutes.
6. Slice chicken into 1cm slices and serve on a bed of polenta with crispy asparagus topped with wine and mustard sauce, and a side of garden salad (or whatever takes your fancy really!)

This is a fancy favourite of ours, if you’re feeling a little bit less fancy, you can serve this bad boy straight on the plate (skip the slicing) with some mash and colorful veg.

Enjoy ~ LC