Cheap and Simple

So as the end of the month approaches, I know I am not the only one that feels the pressure of the purse strings tightening.  So in spirit of the end of the month I feel its only appropriate to highlight the one meal that all of us can practically make just by opening our cupboards and having a bit of imagination.

And yes it is the magic of chilli!!

Whats great about chilli is that it actually gets better by the day and you can really put what every you want into the mix.

The most basic recipes include but are not limited to: onions, kidney beans, tomatoes, and meat.  Because every recipe tells you different ways and "special" extras like cinnamon or coffee to add a zing, I have highlighted below a few that will keep you warm on a cold night.

Jamie Oliver chilli con carne
Nigela Lawson Chilli Con Carne with chocolate
BBC veggie version

The Classics

One of my favorite breakfast dishes is Eggs Benedict.  One of my favorite sides is Asparagus and Hollandaise sauce.  The one thing that both these lovely bites have in common is Hollandaise Sauce.

It's also probably the first sauce that I wanted to learn how to make so in future I wouldn't need a recipe to follow and I wouldn't have to make it about 3 times before I got it right!

So I know all the books say to much lemon or heat or salt will mess this sauce up.  But really I think it is just patience cause on paper it looks soo simple.  I mean how hard is it to ruin anything that has 3 main components.

The recipe that I have always followed instructs you to mix everything in a saucepan, but for some reason many of the recipes online have a step where you mix in the blender and I just feel that it adds an extra step of mess too!

So for a traditional hollandaise sauce:

Ingredients:

3 Egg Yolks
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
8 oz butter
salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add egg yolks to a saucepan; whisk until lemon yellow and slightly thick, and add the lemon juice.

2.  Add in the butter in gradually over a low heat.  Season with salt to taste.

And like magic you have hollandaise sauce... and hopefully it looks like this:

Something For The Weekend

The one thing that I love more than anything about the weekend is typically Ian and I will have something delicious.  It can be something standard like chicken wings... which are his favourites... or we will pick a recipe and make a nice meal.

So with the Monday blues out of the way it is time to start thinking what on earth will be on the menu, and by the looks of it I am keen to try some of Jamie Oliver's ribs.

The recipe is for Spicy Pork Ribs, and anything that combines garlic and chilli is alright by me.

That being said, the one thing that I always learned from my parents was that the key to any great piece of meat is the rub.  So if you are thinking about giving it a go heres the recipe from Jamie Oliver:

Ingredients:

• 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
• 2 Fresh red chillies
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoke paprika
• 1/2 teaspoons smoke paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Rack pork belly ribs
• 1 Orange, zested and juiced
• 1 Lime, zested and juiced
• 2 tablespoons honey

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Pound the garlic cloves with the spices to make the spicy marinade, then add the olive oil.  Cover all the pork with the marinade, then place in a roasting tray, cover with foil, and cook for 20 minutes. 

Mix the orange and lime juice and zest with the honey.  Remove the pork from the oven take off the foil and brush the meat with the honey mix.  Continue to cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, basting occasionally.

With the mains sorted, the only thing left to think about is what to have for sides!!  

In the beginning...

I started this blog because really I love food.  I love tasting, smelling, buying, cooking, talking and sharing food!  And especially where I am from, food is everything...it practically defines you!

So really this is just a way to share everything and anything about food and the wonderful things that go along with it!

Enjoy!