Mild Chilli & Bean Pasta Bake

Another one found last minute on the hallowed pages of BBC Good Food. Recipe Here

I made a few amendments, depending what was in the cupboard at the time, but this dish was really very, very tasty and will definitely be cooked again.

Mild Chilli & Bean Pasta Bake

Serve 4

1 large onion - chopped

350g lean minced beef

2 tsp chilli flakes

400g can chopped tomatoes

1 tbs tomato puree

400g kidney beans

300ml beef stock
300gm Fusilli

Topping

300g low fat greek yogurt

2 eggs beaten

Handful grated Cheddar cheese

1 garlic clove grated.

In a dash of oil fry the onions and mince in a frying pan until onions soft and mince browned.

Add the chilli flakes, tomatoes, puree, beans and stock bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Cook the pasta, drain and then add to the mince. Transfer to a ovenproof dish.

Mix the yogurt, eggs, cheese and garlic season lightly and pour over the pasta and bake in a 200oc oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

The topping was an absolute winner, firm, creamy and cheesy a great contrast to the chilli beef.

Spanish Chicken

It seems that my usual inspiration for cooking comes from a quiet afternoon in the office a little surf over to the Good Food website to get together a recipe for that evening. It really is a brilliant site. Last night I grabbed the following recipe from its pages.

Now, you know I am all about the ease and simplicity of one pot dishes, especially during the week, well this one is no exception.

Spanish Chicken

8 Chicken Thighs - skin on with bone in

3 Onions - thinly sliced

2 tsp Paprika

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Parsley, good handful chopped

150ml Stock

1 Tbs Olive oil

Heat the oven to 190oc. Put all the ingredients into a large ovenproof dish. Mix everything together and season.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the chicken is golden and the onions tender. Stir the onions after 20 mins. Serve with rice.

See simple!

Baked Chicken with Soft Cheese and Thyme

This recipe is my take on one I had seen the the Good Food magazine April 2010. A really easy and satisfying one pan dish.

6 x Chicken thighs / drumsticks - skin on

Enough new potatoes for two - cut in half

200g Baby Plum Tomatoes

4 Banana Shallots, peeled and left whole

Soft Cheese with garlic and Herbs

Olive oil

Dried Thyme (fresh would be better)

Gently peel the skin away from the meat and push a tea spoon or so of soft cheese under the skin and massage into place on all the chicken pieces.

Pop them into a roasting tin add the potatoes, tomatoes and shallots to the tin.

Drizzle with a little oil and season well. Sprinkle over a nice large pinch of thyme.

Put in oven at 180oc for 40 minutes.

The dish came out gloriously crispy on the skin with a lovely ready made sauce from the cooking juices and melted cheese. Very yummy.