Chilli for dinner

Autumn is definitely on the way and what better meal to have than a warming bowl of fresh chilli. Not from a jar plucked from a supermarket shelf, but from your own fair hands and a few simple, store cupboard ingredients.

10ml Oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

500g Lean minced beef

1 Beef stock cube

5ml (1tsp) Chilli flakes (or more, if you're feeling brave & like it hot!)

400g Can chopped tomatoes

15ml (1tbs) Tomato purée

10ml (2tsp) Oregano

1 can Red kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1. Heat your oil gently in a saucepan.

2. Add the onion & garlic and cook until softened.

3. Add your minced beef & cook until browned.

4. Add the stock cube, chilli flakes, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, oregano and kidney beans.

5. Bring to the boil & cook on a gentle simmer for at least 30 mins (uncovered) or for an hour (with the lid on).

Serve with boiled rice, grated cheese, soured cream & tortilla crisps.

* if it's not hot enough, you can add extra chilli flakes, a chopped fresh chilli, or some Tabasco sauce.

Basmati rice the Rosie way...

1. Tip the quantity of rice you want into a large jug.

2. Pour over boiling water to cover plus about 1-2cm above.

3. Stir to break up any clumps.

4. Leave it alone while you.

5. Bring a large pan of cold water to the boil.

6. Stir then drain your rice.

7. Add the rice to your boiling water, stir & return to the boil.

8. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

9. Cook uncovered for about 7 mins until the grains have started to fluff & it's cooked (taste a few grains to check).

10. Drain & serve.

**You're wasting your money if you add oil to the water. Oil is lighter than water and simply floats on the surface whilst your rice sits below the surface. It doesn't stop your rice grains from sticking together (you pour it down the sink when you drain your rice)

Beef burgers

Everyone loves a burger from time to time, and to make your own surpasses the flavour of any shop bought, mass produce, additive containing, packed out with cheap filler, mush every time.  They're simple to make (involve the kids) and you can easily batch make these to freeze for a later date. So, lets burger off into the kitchen and get making!

10 Wholewheat crackers (or Cream Crackers or 2 slices of bread, crumbed)

Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped (use 1tbs dried if you don't have fresh)

15ml (1tbs) Wholegrain mustard (or any mustard you find in your fridge!)

1 Large egg

1 Medium onion, finely chopped

1 Red chilli, finely chopped

2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped

500g Minced beef (try to choose leaner beef if you can, as it'll ooze less fat when you cook it)

Salt & pepper

1. Tip all of your ingredients into a large bowl.

2. Get your hands in there and squish it all together until fully combined.

3. Divide into 8 equal(ish) portions.

4. Flatten into evenly shaped rounds resembling a burger (make sure they're about the same thickness so they all cook at the same time).

 

5. Preheat a griddle pan until very hot.

6. Cook for 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through.

Serve in a roll with some tomato chutney, cheese & a bit of salad.

See, I told you it was easy!

If you don't want to use them all now, simply place a piece of waxed/grease proof paper between each one, bag them up and put into a freezer.  Defrost before cooking.

If you want to be all evenly shaped and pretty looking, you can buy a burger press with waxed discs fairly cheaply online or even from some of the supermarkets.