Pasta Pesto, Garlic & Rosemary Chicken
Sunday, 6th January 2013
Chicken again tonight. Enthusiasm levels are high (for now), so am making the most of Son's urge to cook. Hoping culinary interest lasts through 2013 and beyond, but suspect it will be short-lived (like the promises of dog-walking prior to getting second dog). Not sure I can sustain this three-recipes-in-a-weekend pace anyway.
Impressively down to just 45 minutes tonight. All done by Son - just a few tips needed about how to chop chilli and where to search for almonds in the full-to-the-brim larder.
This was the best yet, eaten by all without a murmur of complaint about spinach, chilli, nuts, frying or fennel. Delicious ... and barely any left overs. Hoorah!
Missed my roast. Maybe next Sunday?
OJ score: 8/10
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Happy Cow Burgers, Old School Coleslaw & Corn on the Cob
Saturday, 5th January 2013
We clocked up a colossal 80 minutes for this one ... but perhaps we were feeling a bit weary after taking down the Christmas decorations. We did adapt the recipe slightly though and we're still shaking down in the kitchen, Son and me, finding our roles (except mostly he seems to be doing the cooking and I seem to do the clearing up, which is fine by me ... so far).
Pleasingly everyone tried everything. The corn got a big thumbs up and so did all the burger accompaniments. Even the bean burgers met with approval from hard-core meat eaters, husband and son. We did cheat though and we made some half bean/half beef burgers, which were judged to be even better than the full-on bean experience. Coleslaw was good, bit too much onion for the family though.
Jamie O told us to fry the burgers in olive oil but we stuck ours in the Aga instead (thought Husband might object to more fried food after Friday's chicken).
OJ score: 6/10
Golden Chicken, Braised Greens & Potato Gratin
Friday, 4th January 2013
And we're off ...
It took me and my crack team of one (Son) around 40 minutes to make this, but we didn't get any of the pans out in advance and we definitely didn't rush. Pretty reasonable, I reckon. Especially bearing in mind that there was plenty of chat and general bossing-each-other-around going on.
Would definitely make this again, especially the potato gratin and the veggies.
We don't usually pan fry food and husband commented that the meal was a bit rich. The rest of us disagreed. (Husband has had man flu so perhaps his judgement is also under par at the moment?) Daughter (10) said it was a great family meal. Not bad going considering it contained spinach, which has rarely (knowingly) passed their lips before.
We're cooking with an Aga. I reckon it makes things easier - we can hold stuff that's cooked without it drying out and it takes the pressure off with the timings.
Forgot to photograph the finished product before we started eating, but here's a snap shot of the potatoes (albeit a little depleted). Yummy!
OJ score: 7/10
Tuesday, 1st January 2013
Our 2013 Mission ...
... is to cook all Jamie's 15 Minute Meals in a year. There are around 120, so we will need to average around two a week. Doesn't sound too onerous (does it?).
Ready and raring to go in the starting line up, there's me, my 12 year old son and 10 year old daughter. Who'll prove to have the most staying power and still be participating come December 2013, I'm not sure. Husband's sensibly not involving himself from the outset.
We're not doing it as a race against time. I'm not particularly interested in whether the recipes stack up against the clock and I'm certainly not expecting me and my eager (for now) assistants to knock them out in 15 minutes.
We just thought it would be novel to work our way through an entire cook book - and one that promises quick food seems like a good starting point. I'm hoping it will prove a good way to get us all to eat things that we might not normally try. Delicious meals, new flavours and all quick smart. Sounds good. In theory. We'll see.
Here goes ...
