Meal Plan Monday

This week we were on a bit of a budget, having had a little shopping spree in the city last Friday. So I had a scratch around in the pantry, fridge & freezer and this is what I came up with.

Monday

{recipe & image credit}

Nigella Salmon Fish Cakes & Simple Salad
Great way to use up the leftover mashed potato from last Thursday night's steak & mash.

Tuesday

Quick Pasta Bake

A snatch & grab because I forgot to take the pasta dough & chicken out of the freezer for chicken fettuccine *gasps in horror!* So this was a mix of spring onion, bacon, mushroom, char-grilled peppers, tomato paste, pizza cheese and some dried pasta from the pantry. Not particularly glamorous, but it filled the tummies :)

Wednesday

Spice Journey

I know, I know, I said we were on a budget, but for around $35 this feeds our family of four for dinner and provides one adult with lunch the next day. This fabulous local Indian takeaway is mobile. They are located quite conveniently for us after piano lessons on a Wednesday night. I am trying really hard to not visit EVERY week, but it is just so dang authentic and delicious!

Thursday

Bangers Pepporanata

Friday

Night out with friends

Saturday

SBS Food Safari Jambalaya

Take my advice here and HALVE the quantities of this recipe (unless, of course, you intend to feed 12 people). I would also halve the cayenne pepper again to 1/4 of a teaspoon as this was a little hot for our kids. This is what I chose to do with the chicken I forgot to take out of the freezer on Tuesday. I just topped up with a couple of fresh ingredients from the supermarket.

 Sunday

Slow cooked Beef Stroganoff with Creamy Mashed Potato

Slow cooking is a great way to save money, as cheaper cuts of meat require a longer cooking time, but produce so much flavour.

Lunchbox

{recipe & image credit} 
Donna Hay Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins

This is a great standby recipe as all the ingredients are generally on hand in a keen baker's pantry. Frozen berries are great to keep in the freezer too for just such an emergency bake. I just used regular muffin cases and white choc chips rather than chopped white chocolate, as this is what I already had in the pantry.

Beef & Black Bean Stir Fry

{image from Junior MasterChef Series 2 Cookbook}

Recipe By: Junior Masterchef
Serving Size: 4 serves

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon soy sauce, light
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
400 grams rump steak, trimmed of fat, thinly sliced
1 bunch gai lan*, (Chinese Broccoli)
80 milliliters vegetable oil
1 red onion, small, chopped
3 centermetres fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, seeded and thinly sliced
100 g oyster mushrooms**, roughly torn if large
1 tablespoon salted black beans
2 tablespoons chinese rice wine, (shaoxing)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Directions:
1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar and cornflour in a bowl, add beef and toss to combine. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes

2. Cut gai lan leaves from stems and trim base of stems. Slice remaining stems lengthways if thick, then cut leaves into 5cm lengths. Set aside separately.

3. Heat a wok over a high heat and add 1½ tablespoons of oil. When very hot (shimmering) add half the beef and stir fry for 2 minutes or until the beef is browned. Transfer beef to a bowl and repeat with another 1½ tablespoons of oil and remaining beef. Wipe wok clean.

4. Place wok over a medium heat. When hot, add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil then onion, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute. Increaseheat to high, add gai lan stems, capsicum and mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add gai lan leaves, black beans and rice wine and stir fry for 30 seconds. Return beef to wok, add oyster sauce and 60ml water and stir fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Notes:

*If Gai Lan is unavailable, substitute with broccolini or green beans.

**If oyster mushrooms are unavailable, substitute with swiss brown or shitake

TIPS for Stir Frying: This is a technique where you need to be really organised beforehand, as cooking should be done quickly. Make sure you prepare all of the ingredients beforehand - this is kown as "mise en place" (MEEZ-ON-PLASS), literally "put in place". Cut all the ingredients into pieces about the same size so they cook evenly. The dish will look and taste much better.

Working Mum's Time Saver Tip

Ask your butcher to slice your beef into strips for you! Most supermarkets also have this option in their pre-packaged meat department.

 

Meal Plan Monday

Monday

{image & recipe credit}

Creamy Coconut Fish Curry with Steamed Rice

Tuesday

Nachos Supreme

Wednesday

Tuna Mornay with Creamy Mash

Thursday

Steak Bearnaise with steamed greans

Friday

Chicken Ceasar Salad

Saturday

Lamb Korma with Steamed Basmati Rice

Sunday

Chicken Parmegana, chips & Salad

Lunchbox

 {image & recipe credit}

Chocolate Coconut Slice

Nasi Goreng

 {image credit-AGT Magazine via Zinio}

A real snatch and grab recipe that can be made at a minute's notice straight from the pantry. Also a great way to use up leftover rice.

Ingredients:

• For Serving
• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs
• For the Fried Rice
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 red chilies, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
• 500 g rice, steamed, cooled
• 2 tablespoons kecap manis
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 4 spring onion, sliced
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• ¼ bunches coriander, roughly chopped
• prawn crackers

Directions:

1. Fry onion until brown & crispy. Use the same frying pan to fry eggs to desired "doneness". Set aside for serving.

2. Heat peanut oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Stir fry brown onion, chilli, garlic and shrimp paste for 5 minutes.

3. Add rice, kecap manis, soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce and spring onions. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.

4. Serve with 1 fried egg per person, fried onion, sliced cucumber, coriander and prawn crackers.

(Serves 4)

Working Mum's Time Saver Tip: Cooking rice from scratch can take up to 25 minutes and I don't always have leftover rice. Microwavable rice sachets are quick and easy solution.  They can be kept in the pantry and only take about 2 minutes to cook in the microwave. There are a variety of brands available at most supermarkets.

{images via Woolworths} 

Meal Plan Monday

MONDAY

Spaghetti Bolognese

TUESDAY

Midweek Roast Chicken

WEDNESDAY

{image credit}
Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Duck Salad, Giant Croutons & Cheats Rice Pudding
(I have searched all over the web. Sadly, this recipe can now only be found in Jamie Oliver's book "Jamie's 30 Minute Meals")

THURSDAY

{image credit}
Bolonese Pinwheels & Simple Salad

FRIDAY

Eggs Windarra

SATURDAY

Night Out

SUNDAY

Slow Cooker Beef Curry & Steamed Rice

LUNCHBOX

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Instead of making a large cake, divide batter evenly between a 12 hole muffin tin lined with paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
When cooled, top with frosting and store in the freezer in an airtight container. 

Grandma Smith's Slow Cooked Sweet Beef Curry

Recipe By: Grandma Smith
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
500 g chuck steak, cubed
2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons butter
1 brown onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 green apple, diced
1 tablespoon sultanas
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
500 milliliters beef stock

Directions:
1. Place the flour, curry powder and salt and pepper in a large zip lock bag and shake to combine. Pop the beef pieces in the bag and shake until the beef is coated in the seasoned flour. Set aside

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat add the beef (reserving any excess flour) and fry until lightly browned.

3. Add carrot, apple and onion. Cook for about five minutes or until softened. Add sultanas, sugar, lemon juice and stock. Cook for a few minutes until pan is deglazed (all the brown bits come up off the bottom). Add any left over flour to the liquid, stir to combine.

4. Tip all of the mixture into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender. Serve with steamed rice.

Grandma Smith's Eggs Windarra

Recipe By: Grandma Smith
Serving Size: 2

Ingredients:
2 eggs, poached or boiled
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons fruit chutney
2 slices bread, toasted

Directions:
1. Prepare eggs to your liking*. Set aside

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add flour  and curry powder, and stir for 30-60 seconds while it bubbles. Turn off the heat. Gradually add the milk, stirring well between additions until smooth. Turn the heat back on and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until nice and thick. Turn off the heat and stir in the chutney.

3. To serve: butter your toast, pop an egg on top (roughly chop the egg if boiled) and top with a generous amount of sauce.

*When I'm poaching, I usually have the sauce finished before the water has boiled! It really is that quick.