MORE CHEATS, TRICKS AND TIPS TO COOK WELL

thespiceman

Hello my friends and every one.  So the other day watching Jaimie's easy meals.  

Which in turn thought I could do this myself to some off my own repertoire.  Have devised a new lot of recipes that are easy to do.

He used five ingredients.  I allowed some leeway here and made my own stores not count.

He uses not counting Oils , Vinegars etc Seasonings.

I am have used not counting herbs, seasonings oils. That is not the point the issue here is there are ingredients out there to use.

That you can use to save time and energy make a meal.

The fun here is to be smart and savvy and have your thinking cap on.

I would like to share the first one.

CHICKEN /PORK RAGU WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE

You will need the following blender or food processor. One pan used Kurria or sauté .
Knife, chopping board.  Tin opener.  Colander.  Bowls.  Freezer bags or zip bags.

Ingredients
Chicken Thighs or Diced Pork  Note with Chicken Thighs remove skin.  Two per person.
Pork you can buy already diced or even diced Chicken Thigh.  Portion for numbers.

Onions diced up or buy already buy frozen be OK.
Jar Red Roasted Peppers two . Tap jar lid on counter releases air then top will come off.  A few goes does work.  Drain into a colander put into the sink .

Tin Plum tomatoes.

Italian seasonings buy a jar of dried Italian herbs mix with a jar of Fennel seeds and half teaspoon of dried chilli flakes. Add to that one teaspoon Garlic Powder lot easier than crushing garlic.  Put into a bowl to mix lot easier.  With black pepper, half teaspoon.

Potatoes baby ones I buy. Some are really small no need to dice up.  Select some or just dice a portion per person.

Lemon Juice buy a bottle.

METHOD

Blender or food processor add   Onions, Tin plum Tomatoes, From the jar Roasted Red Peppers 2 or more if you wish.  Add Italian Seasonings one teaspoon with chilli flakes to taste. I used half a teaspoon. Careful here to advise are chilli so to your own taste.  Plus Black Pepper .

Blitz up.  Portion to a bowl.

Chicken or Pork into a zip bag or a freezer bag. Add Olive oil.  Half teaspoon Black Pepper. One quarter teaspoon Italian Seasonings .Lemon juice from a bottle.  Optional.

Seal and coat meat into pan no need to think about adding Oil in the marinade.

On a medium heat.

Add portion of sauce.  Cover meat. Add Potatoes . Leave alone on a simmer.

Adjusting timings did this other day took me thirty minutes.  On the hob. Might need a little longer.  Check.

I done this with to the Blender with Red Pesto one teaspoon or use Green Pesto.  With Sauce.

Always buy the Italian brands Pesto or your favourite very useful . Some have ingredients not found in Pesto so those with issues around Nuts.  Be careful.

One supermarket brand has bamboo shoots in it.  Definitely not a Italian Ingredient.

Does last a long time.

Bueno Appetito 


@thespiceman

Seanchai

You sound like a great cook Spiceman.  I will have a go at cooking anything ...not always a great end product ....but I have a go.
I used to watch some of the cooking programmes but i kinda got put off by some of them saying " just use what is in you cupboard ...and then they will go on to tell you the list of thing required ....i know that their cupboards must be packed with " everyday things" ....but most of the stuff they mention as 'lying in your cupboard" ...I have never heard off , never mind have it lying in my cupboard ?
It made me check some of the ingredients I had in the cupboard ....and most of them were " out of dat by a year or two hahahaha ??good job I checked , I would not like to poison any of the family ???

thespiceman

Hello @Seanchai  Thank you for kind words.  I am just a humble gent who decided about twenty plus years ongoing. May be longer got to be something else besides three veg and a pile of meat on a huge plate.

The health history I have addiction, ballooning to a huge size.

Add that me on benefits in the early eighties, thinking eating like this going to be costing me money.

Had Italian acquaintances and many from the regions of Turkey, Cyprus and beyond. In the markets I used to do.

You visit there house why for a fully laden table with minimum costs.  So was born my fascination with the people and the surrounding countries.

I cook Italian because it is so easy and simple to do. Costs nothing and in the nineties armed with my recipes learning from my former friends Nona's .

Renting homes and on benefits . Those recipes came in to play those days had private landlords.   Especially the repertoire from Northern Italy.

Ragu and more. Gnocchi plus more.  Kept me warm in Winter.

One thing I forgot to mention a lady likes a gentleman to cook for her.

So with some of these recipes always find a place in their hearts.

Once rid of addiction got into finding out a lot more.  Got qualifications and food related all surrounding the way I live now.

Have always just do what I can for my self.  Like sharing.

All the recipes I do are tailored to my disability. So use what I can, find in the supermarkets.

One good thing about online shopping you can look at the websites and make searches for ingredients to use.

Have to share also spend a lot of other times volunteering in Kitchens that helps. Learning and being educating.

Even chefs have bake beans, fish fingers and other favourites in their stores and cupboards. Seen that.

Also seen a lot of cheats used to make money from the unsuspecting public in cafes and diners. Thinking they were buying a home made produce.

With a price to match.  As a Christian time to leave when that did happen.

Hated that deceiving the public. A con.  From the café or diner.

Always aware now.

Pleasure to talk to you.

Take care.

@thespiceman