Pan-Fried Pork Chops and Crispy Potatoes

Prep time: 5 mins Cooking time: approx. 1hr A good combination of tasty pork chops with crispy potatoes - there's nothing more to say! Okay, one more thing: don't rush the potatoes. It's a long process, but well worth it. Feeds 7 hungry mouths. INGREDIENTS: 7-9 Pork Chops 2-3 tbsp Dijon mustard 6-7 tbsp Olive …

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Sausage and Bean Tray Bake

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 1hr Another easy recipe, which combines some basic ingredients for a filling and relatively healthy dish. Feeds 7 hungry mouths, with leftovers! INGREDIENTS: 6 Italian (sweet or spicy) sausages1 can white (cannellini) beans1 large can whole plum tomatoes1 red, yellow, or orange pepper (roughly chopped)2 red onions (chopped)200ml chicken stockSalt …

Baked Chicken & Bacon

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 30-35 mins I must have 'panic-bought' a lot of bacon 🥓, because the freezer if full of it! And, because I always have some chicken breasts in the same compartment, I thought I'd combine the two for a new (for me) dinner. This recipe is easy to make. The sugar …

Bacon & Egg Casserole

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 40-45 mins Breakfast for dinner. This is sort of like quiche, but a lot easier to make. I had to use up some eggs, some lonely potatoes, and some remaining bacon, so this recipe was a no-brainer. If you have more vegetables in your fridge, a chopped red or green …

Moosehead Chilli

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 1-2hrs Chilli and beer 🍻. What more is there to say? I like this variation of chilli for its sweetness, and because it's meat-heavy. AND, it's so easy to make. Add a little tomato paste or ketchup if you have it, to help thicken things up. Feeds 7 hungry people. …

Tuna Casserole

Prep time: 20 minsCooking time: 25 mins What can I say? I found two cans of tuna in the back of the cupboard and wanted to use them. Usually, I find the very notion of tuna casserole disgusting. It brings to mind a dry, tasteless, and often mushy mess. So I experimented and tweaked a …

Fried Rice

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 10 mins I usually fail with fried rice recipes. Until now. We had a lot of leftover rice, and I was feeling particularly lazy. So I came up with this easy blend of ingredients to make a quick dinner. The picture doesn't look particularly appetising. But I promise that it's …

Cherry Tomato Pasta

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 10-12 mins If, like me, you find yourself with some under-ripe cherry tomatoes, then this is the perfect recipe. It's quick and simple. And for some reason, my whole family (myself included) inhales it. Feeds the whole family, with second helpings. INGREDIENTS: 750 g penne pasta2 punnets, cherry tomatoes (halved)4 …

Chilli-Mac Skillet

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 45 mins This is my son's favourite recipe. It's another son's worst nightmare, mainly because of the kidney beans. But 6/7 ain't bad. It's a great use of ingredients, and it's delicious. Feeds 7 hungry mouths, with second helpings. INGREDIENTS: 750g minced beef1 large brown onion1 can diced tomatoes1 green …

Peanut Butter + Chocolate Chip Protein Balls

Prep time: 2 minsCooking time: 30 mins This is a fun little snack recipe with simple ingredients. I was bored, so I made them quickly. The family devoured them. Makes about 8-9 balls. Feeds 7 little mouths. INGREDIENTS: 1 cup quick oats1/3 cup peanut butter2-3 tbsp honeyChocolate chips (handful) METHOD: Mix all the ingredients together …

Brown Sugar Biscuits

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 15 mins Another family favourite for breakfast. I've doubled the recipe so that it makes two batches. Feeds 7 hungry mouths. INGREDIENTS: 4 cups all-purpose flour2 tbsp baking powder1/3 cup brown sugar4 tsp white sugar1/2 tsp salt1 cup shortening (Crisco is best)1 + 1/3 cup milk4 tbsp butter (melted) METHOD: …

Simple Pork Noddles

Prep time: 2 minsCooking time: 10 mins This is a super quick and easy recipe. I'd like to say that it's the perfect mid-week meal, but I make it all the time. The kids love it. Under normal circumstances, I would include other vegetables as toppings (e.g. red peppers, red onions, coriander, etc.), but all …

Baked Oatmeal

Prep time: 2-3 minsCooking time: 45 mins This is truly a family favourite, especially on the weekend. You can make it the night before and pop it in the oven when you wake up (let is come up to room temperature first). I think it's better that away. It's a good recipe for using up …

Butterscotch-Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS: 3 cups flour1 cup brown sugar1 cup white sugar1 cup (soft) butter2 eggs2 tsp vanilla1 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt2 cups butterscotch chocolate chips METHOD: Preheat oven to 350F.Mix together butter with brown and white sugar.Add 2 tsp of water to the baking soda and stir.Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, and baking soda mixture.Sift …

Poached Chicken & Rice

There's no little story here. This is a simple and quick way to cook chicken, topped with a flavourful sauce. I served it with rice and some green beans. The kids loved it. Feeds 7 mouths. INGREDIENTS: 4 large chicken breasts1 litre chicken stock2 bay leaves1 tsp peppercorns1 tsp thyme2 cloves garlic, crushed Garlic-Herb Sauce: …

Cacio e pepe

Prep time: 2 minsCooking time: 10 mins Cheese and pepper pasta. This is a classic Italian recipe, which is easy and quick to make. I used only parmesan, but a mix of pecorino and parmesan would also work. Feeds 7 hungry mouths. INGREDIENTS: 750g spaghetti1/4 cup butter1-2 tsp cracked pepper1-1.5 cup(s) parmesan, grated3/4 cooking water …

Hamburger & Barley Soup

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 2hrs Another simple but tasty recipe that feeds the entire family. There's nothing more to say. Best served with some fresh, crusty bread. INGREDIENTS: 500g minced beef1 brown onion, chopped1 clove garlic, minced1 green pepper, finely chopped2 stalks celery, finely chopped1 large carrot, finely chopped1L beef stock1 28 oz can …

Vegetarian Stir-Fry

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 30 mins This is a simple but tasty stir-fry, whose ingredients can be substituted with whatever takes your fancy. I roasted the broccoli, because I wanted a fresh meal with different textures and tastes. The sauce was simply poured over every individual serving. The method is a little unconventional, but …

Pan-Fried Burgers & Potato Wedges

Prep time: 15 minsCooking time: 1hr I love a good burger. And as much as I love BBQ, there's something special about cooking meat in its own juices. This is a simple recipe with homemade oven potato wedges. Serve with a fresh salad. Feeds 7 mouths. INGREDIENTS: Burgers 🍔 (makes approx. 8) 800g minced beef1/2 …

Lemon Chicken Casserole

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 50 mins This is a modified recipe of something I found online - an amalgamation of various recipes in fact. It all starts with a marinade for the chicken, which can be done well in advance (at least 1hr). I'd never made this dish before today. But in my search …

Spaghetti BPG (bacon, peas, & garlic)

Prep time: 5 minsCooking time: 20-25 mins This recipe is a no brainer. It's delicious and easy to make. The trick lies with cooking the garlic correctly. The aim is to produce a slightly thickened garlic and oil/fat reduction, which simmers while the pasta cooks. With this method, the garlic doesn't burn and you get …

Franks & Beans Casserole (2.0)

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 45 mins This is a super lazy recipe. There's definitely nothing gourmet about it. But it's a childhood favourite, and the next generation seems to like it. Because my pantry is stocked with canned beans, and I found some hotdogs in the freezer, I thought I'd throw them together for …

Johnny Cake (a.k.a. Cornbread)

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 30 mins Did somebody say, 'Breakfast for dinner'? I grew up on this stuff, almost every Sunday morning. It's super easy to make and hard to get to wrong. Best served with crispy bacon. But because I decided to make it for dinner, I added a homemade bean recipe as …

Oatmeal with Blueberries & Cinnamon

Prep time: 2 minsCooking time: 5 mins This is a basic recipe for a filling and quick family breakfast. The picture doesn't look too appetising, but there is plenty of flavour packed into this healthy dish. It's oatmeal after all, what do you expect? Bonus: Oats are cheap and quick to cook. And they fill …

Chorizo, Tomato, & Red Onion Pasta

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 15-20mins I scrounged some ingredients for this recipe, wanting to minimise the number of visits to the grocery store these days... So this is a version of my favourite pasta recipe, which is usually devoured by the kids. It uses chorizo, cherry tomatoes, and red onions for sweetness that are …

One-Pot Vegetarian Chilli

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: about 1hr This recipe is a family favourite, which is surprising given the number of vegetables. There's just something about the simple combination of spices, which gives this dish its earthy taste and smell. I like to add a little leftover black coffee and few glugs of beer during the …

Sweet & Spicy Cashew Chicken

Prep time: 10 minsCooking time: 20-25 mins I made this recipe (not pictured) when my in-laws were visiting last weekend. It served nine of us - four adults, five children. And I even had some leftovers. There's no story behind it. It's something that my mom used to make regularly when I was growing up. …