Chicken Fried Rice

I love chicken fried rice from the Chinese takeaway, but I was reluctant to let the children eat it due the high salt content, so a while ago decided to make my own. The first attempt was ok, but the egg went funny following a few recipes that had said to add the egg at the end. So I do the egg first, decant to a warm plate and cover, cook the rest and then add the egg back in at the end.

Ingredients:

• 350g chicken, cut into strips
• 375g long grain rice
• 4 eggs
• small cereal dish of frozen peas ( sorry, but I don't weigh them out - just bung them in the dish!)
• Reduced salt soy sauce to taste ( use full salt if you prefer, but this is because I am making for kids)
• Aprox 1tbsp olive oil
• Sesame seed oil - a dribble
• 2-3 spring onions - thinly sliced.

Method:

• Boil the rice, drain and leave to cool. If you add the rice warm it will go sticky & starchy.
• Heat a large frying pan or wok and add add a very small amount of olive oil.
• Beat the eggs and add to the pan. leave for a couple of seconds until they start to cook through and  then scramble gently repeat until cooked and then transfer to a warmed plate or dish and cover.
• Put the rest of the olive oil to the pan or wok with as much or little soy sauce as you like 
• Add the chicken and white of the spring onions.Cook the chicken through.
• Defrost/cook peas in the microwave and set aside ready.
• Add the rice, peas, spring onion and egg and heat until piping hot, adding soy sauce to taste.
• Drizzle the sesame oil over, toss gently and serve immediately.

* Chopsticks optional - we tend to go with a fork - toddlers, small children and chopsticks tend not to get on to well!!

Nachos and Chilli

Chilli con Carne is one of our family favourites. I usually make it with beef mince and serve with rice, but Hubby and I were at a comedy club recently and this is how it was served, just one large plate in the middle of the table for a 'sharing' dinner.  I have also decided to use chunks of casserole steak for this - it just seemed 'right' somehow!

Nachos and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1kg diced casserole steak
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• 2 cartons tomato passata
• 1-2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 2 red chillis, de-seeded and chopped
• Tabasco sauce, to taste
• 1 shot bourbon - aprox 25 ml - Optional
• 2 small red onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic
• Dried chilli flakes, to taste
• 1 Large packet of tortilla chips
• Sour cream
• Salsa
• Grated cheddar cheese - as much or little as you like.

Method:

• Soften the onions, garlic and chilli in the pan.
• Add the steak and bourbon and brown fairly quickly.
• Turn down the heat and add the tomatos, passata, cayenne, tabasco
• Leave to simmer on a low heat for at least 2 hours, or transfer to an oven proof casserole dish and pop in the oven at gas 3 for 2 hrs or so.
• Just before you are ready to serve, put all the tortilla chips on a really large plate and cover with grated cheese.
• Pop under the grill until the cheese just starts to melt.
• remove the plate from the grill, ladel the chilli over and then serve in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.
• Serve sour cream and salsa in dishes to accompany the Nachos and Chilli.



P.s  I served this on a large plate, aprox 1and a half foot long and 1 ft wide. It served 4 of us with little left over. However there was enough chilli left in the oven dish for hubby to take to work for lunch the next day. 

Hello!

Most Mums and Dads will know the phrase  "Is dinner nearly ready yet?" (usually said with much hope and expectation!). I know it is in our house.
I wouldn't describe myself as a foodie, but I do firmly believe that good, honest, home cooked foods are the best thing for our children to eat.
I have 2 children - a 6 yr old who will eat pretty much anything, and a 2 yr old - who until recently was the exact same - but is currently going through a fussy phase. Or at least I hope it's a phase. I'm reliably informed that lots of nearly 3 yr olds do this. Refuse food that you know full well they like. This is new territory for me - the 6 yr old never - ever- did this.
I guess I'm lucky though. My husband wasn't terribly adventurous with regards to food when I met him 11 and a half years ago, but will try most things now, as will the oldest.
So this is my growing collection of recipes, food and drinks. Maybe even the odd cocktail!!