as always after a holiday, i am finding it a bit tricky to adjust back into work mode. the studio is operating at a mellow pace right now, lots of nice smaller jobs but none of them very pressing, which meant last week i got to spend a few days re-organising the studio and re-planting and de-caterpillaring my much neglected vegie patch. i have also been spending my nights reading my book instead of in front of my computer – almost feels like i am still on holidays! although its been relaxing, i am such a sucker for punishment i would have preferred to have hit the ground running, and come straight back into a huge job and a some urgent deadlines. i like the perpetuation of that type of working.
one good thing about the return to work after a holiday – i have plenty of inspiration (blog post on that soon) and a stack of new ideas. now i just need to stop procrastinating (and finish my book) and put them into action.
i do have a different type of work keeping me busy – single parenting. raph has driven the beatbox kitchen up to QLD for the epic splendour in the grass festival. to say i am jealous is an under-statement, but its equally as good to have some solo time with the kids. its also strangely liberating (for the first few days anyway. sure it will wear off soon). and what i am lacking in studio busy-ness i am making up for with house-work – i have been baking like my life depended on it and our washing situation has never been so organised (tyke actually has 4 pairs of folded matching socks in his top drawer at the moment – wonders never cease!).
when it comes to dinner though i am often stumped. unfortunately i am just not a baked-beans-on-toast kind of girl – i like to have a proper dinner every night. and working from home usually this is achieved. what-to-have-for-dinner discussions start early in the day and cooking commences soon after. raph and i share the cooking – he is a really really good cook and tends make more asian and meaty-type dishes. my cooking is more in the mediterranean/modern australian/comfort foods department. but when the pressure is solely on me, my cooking imagination suddenly disappears and we end up eating a pasta every second night.
so… i am looking for suggestions! we have one dietary requirement and that is we don’t eat pork. but other than we eat pretty much anything. well, ari can be still be a bit fussy, but he does well for an almost 3 yr old. if you have any child-friendly favourite recipe links i would love to see them.
also on a completely different note – i have a special giveaway planned in the next few days! stay tuned!
Tags: beatbox kitchen, family
being married to a Chef, dinner is not really my area of expertise however I what about pasta with chirozo, brocolli and olive oil. easy because you throw the broc in the pasta water for the last couple of minutes and in another pan fry up some chirizo, nion, anchovies and garlic, then wack it all in top with freshly grated parmesan and salt and pepper. Viola!
thanks cath – i do love a broccoli pasta! unfortunately chorizo has pork – so no can do. any suggestions for swap? x
Hm, what about tacos, or burritos? Or Lasagna (vege or meat), pumpkin soup, ravioli, quiche? I have the same problem, too, even though we made a big giant list of everything we like to eat for dinner and stuck it on the fridge!
all great suggestions that already frequent our dinner table (except for quiche – am totally looking up recipes now). AND fridge list is a GREAT idea. thanks lilly! x
mmm since its still chilly there how about soups? do you have a good soup cookbook? The Daily Soup Cookbook is meant to be really good. paired with good melbourne breads mmm.
and have you ever added parmesan cheese to the bread crumbs of chicken schnitzel? baddd but very good.
otherwise i usually type some ingredients into google and add a chef i like or a cooking website i like to the search and i get a random recipe like that..
for example: sweet potato cream lentil 101 cookbooks. strange example i know….
hi Beci, if i’m looking for new recepies and ideas to my kitchen i’m surching often in foodblogs too. one of my favorites is “Smitten Kitchen” http://smittenkitchen.com
SK has a lot of useful recepies, and the way how Deb, who writes it, cooks is something like familiar (for me).
I love soup – there is a great recipe for pea and pancetta soup (i am a vegetarian so I use veggie bacon – but you can use anything) by Janelle Bloom – can’t find the recipe online but I can send it to you via email if you want.
Secondly, when I was a kid I LOOOVED a roast. My mum would make it every sunday. Roast potatoes, roast parsnips, stuffing, cooked veg, roast chicken or beef and lashings of gravy…just a thought!
Hi Beci,
Measy LOVES this dinner, Left over roast chicken with basil pesto and hidden silverbeet. Fry off chicken with pesto and shred silverbeet really finely a little cream and toss through pasta with parmesan. She even said she was going on masterchef to cook it!!
Thanks for the help with the chairs. X
How about Salmon Steaks – So easy, yet so quick, versatile, tasty and good for you.
Wrap each Steak in foil and put into the oven for 10 minutes and its done.
Then you can get creative with how you serve it up.
Placed ontop of some asian noodles with some brocolli.
Or my personal easier/lazy option is serving it up with some Wasabi Mayo (Wasabi and Kewpie Mayonnaise mixed together), some Mash and my favoutire vegies. Sooo Yummy.
Hello,
A few of my regulars are baked stuffed mushrooms (portabellos covered in cherry toms, feta, spanish onion, parmesan, olive oil etc.) on top of herbed cous cous, falafel wraps with home-made tzatziki and sweet chilli, indian spiced red lentil soup with naan, pesto pine nut feta and lemon angel hair pasta, potato cabbage and bacon soup, fried rice, home-made pizzas with lots of mozzarella and fresh basil, and pumpkin spinach cannelloni
When i need food inspiration i just spend a few mins skimming taste.com.au and the ideas start coming!
Good luck and happy dinner x
wow ladies! thanks for all the amazing ideas!!! so great! x
i can’t do without a proper dinner either – whenever i’m stuck i head over to wednesdaychef.typepad.com.
jacqueline – wednesday chef is amazing! exactly my sort of food – thanks so much.
and pikka – smitten kitchen great too! bookmarked both. zero excuses for no dinner ideas now xx
I’m the same when I’m flying solo – still have to have proper dinner…I quite enjoy the pondering and deciding and preparing (and the eating!), but am often stumped (or even more often, torn between several equally good options!). Here’s a foodie blog someone put me on to recently, I love the her food styling: http://whatkatieate.blogspot.com/
Fry some chopped garlic, chilli and lemon zest. Add to cooked pasta with olive oil and a big bunch of chopped rocket, the juice from the lemon, some cracked black pepper and parmesan cheese. Super easy and quick.
And then of course there’s always:
http://www.whatthefuckshouldimakefordinner.com/
I seem to cook a lentil & cauliflower pilaf from Taste.com pretty regularly- I use Patak’s tandoori paste- as it’s quick, healthy and easy. The kids also like cauliflower soup with cheesy croutons. Jill Dupleix has a great Spiced Indian Fish with Chickpea Yoghurt recipe on Cuisine.com- I use sustainable and local flathead fillets. Karen Martini’s Tagliatelle alla Norma is great too- I vary it by roasting capsicum and a whole head of garlic with the eggplant. I also cheat and use a jar of Aldi organic pasta sauce instead of passata as it is slightly sweetened and appeals to my children! Nigella Lawson’s Double Potato Haloumi Bake is another fantastic one that you shove in the oven and forget about. I always have chilli con carne, bolognese, soup and homemade baked beans in the freezer for times when inspiration is lacking. Which is more often than I would like to admit… Xx
amazing suggestions catei (although i wouldn’t expect any less from you – you should start a food blog! go on!) karen martini’s pasta all norma is a weekly fav here too! i also cheat on the passata and cook small meatballs with parsley and lemon rind in it at the end too. hopefully see you in the hood soon lady xx
I sometimes bake stuffed field mushrooms – make a mix of:
3 eggs (Whisked)
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Small serve of cooked mince meat
Some baby spinach leaves
Small serve of ricotta or fetta
Bit of chilli if you want or tumeric if you like it
Small amount of salt and 1/4 cup of milk
De-stalk 6 giant mushrooms, bake in the oven for around 5 minutes on 170, fill with mix and top with tasty or mozarella cheese
Bake until mushrooms are cooked through and the cheese is browning a little bit and serve with a side of hommous for dipping
If you want it to be a bit lighter you can scrap the ricotta and fetta and add more whisked eggs, it makes it more like a quiche. You can also add peas, yum
They are fairly quick to make, just make sure you take care with the hot mushrooms when you fill them
Hi Beci,
I feel your pain! I’m exactly the same as you, have a husband who is an ace cook, and if dinner is left to me, I fall to pasta as well!
One great little dinner I often do (and when I’m organised I freeze ahead) is meatballs with grated vegies included so my fussy little man Askin gets some goodness in…You can use whatever vegies you like really but I grate (finely) raw carrot and zucchini, then finely chop mushrooms and onion. Add to freshly ground beef mince with approx 2 tablespoons each of tomato sauce and wostershire sauce and about 1 tablespoon of mustard. Mix it all up together and mould into little meatballs. Measurements are all flexible!
I try to make extra and freeze some meatballs for another night. You can either do posh meatball sandwiches with turkish bread, melted cheese, baby spinach and tomato relish, or stir them through a pasta, or even just meatballs and vegies for the kiddlies…
They’re a big favourite in our house. Hope that helps. Was also going to suggest Smitten Kitchen but someone else already did!
Cheers
kendall
hi beci,
I know how it feels night after night wanting to whip up something delicious & nutritious but that’s not going to take hours or have too many tricky elements.
If you have Apples For Jam, there’s an incredible lamb, green bean stew that is foolproof & you can make variations on the recipe so it doesn’t get boring.
The Ottolanghi has 2 great new chicken dishes that take 10 minutes to prep & then in the oven & voila!
When the weather improves a favorite here are the Bill’s fish burritos. they sound bogan but are a hit every time.
And Karen Martini’s Veal schnitzel, roasted potatoes & her coleslaw (with bresaola) never disappoints.
Thanks for bringing up the topic-I’ve loved reading the other suggestions! If you need any of the recipes let me know.
happy cooking,
c x
chanie – great suggestions. dont have ottohlenghi but top of my to-buy list!
kendall – totally trying to be organised this time round and frozen meatballs with hidden vegetables is genius!
kate – how good is that site!!!!!
saf – mushrooms is something ari will eat buy the bucket load so def trying it
THANKS!!
Had to share my cheat’s version of Lebanese Nut rice. It’s super quick. I make it once a week as both my boys love it. Minus the nuts & salt, it’s even great for babies (you can puree it for young babies). Rice & stock quantities can easily be increased to serve more people. Enjoy!
LAMB AND NUT RICE (Serves 4)
350g lamb mince
Knob of butter
1.5 teaspoons cinnamon
.5 teaspoons allspice
250g long grain white rice, rinsed & drained
3 carrots, grated
1/2 a can lentils, rinsed & drained (optional)*
3.5 cups chook stock (or 3 cups stock + .5 cup water)
100g baby spinach, chopped finely
70g flaked almonds or pinenuts (or a mixture of both)
Salt
1. Brown lamb for 5 mins, breaking up the lumps really well. Add butter and spices and stir. Cover and cook on a very low heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Add rice, carrot, lentils and stock. Stir. Cover and cook for 12 – 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. Add the spinach for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
3. Fry the nuts in a lightly oiled pan for about 2 minutes until very lightly browned, and set aside.
4. Serve the rice with nuts scattered on top and salt and pepper.
Tips
*Freeze the extra lentils ’til next time.
The nuts can be fried, and the spinach chopped, while the rice is cooking.