Chilli con carne

This is yet another instalment of 'things I cooked ages ago and have yet to upload because I'm a fail at life.' During the summer, we met up with Klaus and Erika. Mum spent a summer with them in Germany 'many moons ago' (her words, not mine!) and since we were in the area, we popped in to see them.  Erika made us the most delicious chilli con carne which was so tasty, even to my spice-phobic taste buds!!!

When it came to attempting to replicate the pure loveliness, I was surprised at just how close my version came to the real deal! Unfortunately, rather than finding a normal strength chilli sauce, I could only find an extra hot version which personally, I think I put in too much of, but dad said that he really liked it (obviously he has a higher spice threshold!) Still, I will keep an eye out for a slightly milder version for next time but apart from that... I wouldn't change a thing!

Klaus und Erika's chilli

(serves 6 people)

Ingredients:
500g minced beef or pork or a mixture of both
2 tbsps. of oil
3 medium onions chopped
1 large or two small tins of red kidney beans (thoroughly drained)
1 large green pepper de-seeded and chopped
½ red pepper de-seeded and chopped
1 small tin of tomato
250ml chilli sauce

about 300ml of hot water
salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions gently for a few minutes. Turn the heat up, add the minced meat and brown it well, stirring just a tad. Add the kidney beans, chilli sauce, water, peppers and tinned tomatoes to the pot before letting everything simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the water to the pot (and you may also want to add some stock - I didn't.)
Serve with some French bread and enjoy!

Leek and potato soup

Just a month and a half after the event... School succeeded in stealing every single second of free time that I might have had since mid-February. Still, it'll be worth it in the end. At least, it had better!

When it comes to soup, there are two types that I would go for, if given the chance. The first is home-made leek and potato, and the second is Heinz cream of chicken. Simple as they both seemed upon initial inspection, I figured that I could give some home made soup a bash.

However, there were a number of things that I didn't factor in.
1) my inability to chop up anything like onions, leeks, spring onions etc without turning into a sobbing wreck (apparently crying over leeks isn't normal...) and
2) the slight inaccuracies/options given in the recipe - with even the slightest bit of skill, anyone would be able to decide whether or not to put in 8 or 10 leeks, as evidently it depends on the size of them. Regrettably, I am not in possession of the slightest bit of skill and so didn't adjust the water content accordingly.

In spite of the 'soup' ending up as more of a stew (affectionately termed a stoup, by the fam) and the mildly disturbing lack of green-ness, as the life seemed to bleed out of it, it did taste nice, and was the perfect winter warmer for those frosty February days.

Ingredients:
8-10 leeks, finely sliced (roughly 1cm rounds)
8-10 potatoes, diced
3 chicken stock cubes in 1 litre of boiling water

1) Sauté leeks and potatoes in butter in large saucepan until almost soft, for approx 15-20 mins.
2) Add chicken stock, cover and simmer, for roughly 45 mins. Note: I think that this stage may have been what caused the brown-ness - I may have  definitely burnt some of the veg by having the heat too high, and not stirring it every so often, to stop it from sticking to the bottom. My bad.
3) Mash or liquidise (prime opportunity for splash back burns...) and season to taste.
Alternatively, leave it super bland and just put some salt and pepper on the table - a safer option if you're anything like me and tend to lose control of your hand every single time you try to shake salt and/or pepper into food.

Ruth's Jumanji chicken (or delicious chicken and broccoli bake)

There is a time when you just think enough is enough. Amazingly, it is only possible to work for so long before your tear ducts dry up from the sobbing that accompanies quotation learning, and formulae memorising, and your fingers begin to go into spasm from the death grip you had on your pen. 

That time came last Saturday evening, and this meal was the result. The recipe had been sitting on my desk for at least two weeks, and the ingredients in the fridge for a couple of days before I finally pulled my finger out and got in the kitchen. As a result of the extremely slow speed at which I work, this took an hour to get from chopping board to table. 

Just as an aside, I think that my photography skills are somewhat lacking but hopefully with practice ... 

Enjoy!

Ingredients

chicken breasts (roughly one per person) - diced or cut up into strips

broccoli (chopped up roughly) - enough to lay the bottom of casserole dish

cream of chicken soup (depends on size of dish - took two cans for mine - needs to be enough to cover broccoli and chicken once it's layered in the dish)

1 tbsp mayonnaise - never changes

1 - 2 tbsp curry powder 

1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

ready salted crisps - enough for crispy topping

grated cheddar cheese - also for topping

1 crushed garlic clove and butter for greasing

Doesn't even take ten steps! Success!

1. Stir fry chicken.

2. Steam/cook broccoli - 3 and 1/2 minutes in the microwave did the job for me

3. Rub garlic and butter round your dish

4. Layer broccoli and chicken in dish

5. Mix soup, curry powder, mayonnaise (and lemon juice) together

6. Pour mixture over chicken and broccoli 

7. Crush crisps to form a top crust over mixture and top with grated cheese

8. Cook in the oven at about 180.C - 200.C until the cheese is melted and brown and topping      is crunchy

9. Leave to sit for a couple of minutes and then serve. 

Honestly, it's delish!