1. Egg Fried Rice
- Leftover rice gets a fun and healthy upgrade with Annabel Karmel’s egg fried rice. She says adding chicken, prawns, and vegetables to it “makes a complete meal, and this is a great, quick supper to throw together for all the family — and a great one for using leftovers. It’s fun to serve chicken rice in a bowl with some child-friendly chopsticks.”
INGREDIENTS
- For the marinade
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sake
- Half tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- For the rice
- 1 chicken breast cut into small cubes
- 6 oz basmati rice, rinsed in cold water and then drained
- 2 oz carrot, peeled and diced
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 oz frozen peas
- 1 large spring onion, sliced
- 2 oz canned sweet corn
Directions
- Mix together the ingredients for the marinade and marinate the chicken for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice in boiling, lightly salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Steam the diced carrot for 8 minutes and half way through add the peas so that they are steamed for 4 minutes..
- Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Season the beaten egg with a little salt and white pepper, pour it into a small frying pan (approx 18cm), tipping the pan to spread it evenly, and cook until set. Remove from the heat slide out the thin omelette and cut into fine slices.
- Drain the marinade from the chicken and reserve. Add the chicken to the onion in the wok and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked. Add the spring onion, carrots, peas and sweetcorn and cook for one minute.
- Add the cooked rice and prawns and toss the rice over a high heat for 2 minutes. Add the strips of egg and the reserved marinade from the chicken and heat through
2. Slow-Cooker Mac and Cheese
We know kids love creamy macaroni and cheese, which makes this seriously easy recipe from Culinary Cory perfect for busy work days. Serve with roasted chicken and fresh steamed veggies for a complete meal.
Ingredients
- 3 cups pasta, uncooked
- 3 Tbl. butter, unsalted
- 8 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
- 1 ¼ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. pepper
Directions
- Cook the pasta in salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until it is just under al dente. Drain and place in the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients to the pasta and stir until well combined. Cook on high for 2 – 3 hours stirring about every 30 minutes.
- Note: Some people have mentioned their mixture finished cooking after 1 1/2 hours on high. It really depends on the type of slow cooker you have. So it wouldn’t hurt to check for doneness at that time. The pasta should still hold its shape and the cheese is completely creamy. This makes about 6 servings as a side dish.
Author’s Note: It’s important to choose pasta that is thick and hearty to gain the most benefit from this recipe. My favorite pasta to use is called Cavatappi. It is thick like penne pasta but has a twist to make hold all the cheesy goodness.
3. Stuffed Cucumber
Ingredients:
1 long cucumber
1⁄2 cup cream cheese or (even better) mascarpone, at room temperature
1⁄4 cup chopped parsley
1⁄4 cup chopped walnuts
1⁄4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Peel the cucumber with a peeler and cut into 2-inch logs.
Scoop most of the cucumber flesh out but leave the sides and the bottom, creating a little “cucumber bowl.”
Mix the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Use a pastry bag to fill the bowls with the mixture.
4. Italian Flag Salad
Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes
1 large ball fresh mozzarella cheese
5-10 leaves basil, torn
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and paper, to taste
Directions:
Thinly slice the tomatoes and cheese. Begin arranging your salad: Place a tomato slice down on your plate as a starter, then place a slice of cheese down, and repeat until all the slices of tomato and cheese are used. Sprinkle with the basil. Drizzle with the oil and vinegar. Season with the salt and pepper.
5. English Tea Sandwiches
Ingredients:
Bread slices, white and whole wheat
1⁄2 cup cream cheese
1⁄2 cup peeled and thinly sliced cucumber
4 slices ham
1 hard-boiled egg, thinly sliced
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
Olive Pate, to taste
Carrot Crush, to taste
Mustard, to taste
Mayo, to taste
Parsley leaves, torn, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cut the bread with small cookie cutters, and do the same with the ingredients you can cut with the cookie cutters. Add or spread the rest of the ingredients.
Pretty much there’s no wrong way, no right way—just make small double- and triple-decker sandwiches, layering the bread with your favorite ingredients.
6. Banana Egg-Pancakes
Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
2 very ripe bananas
3 tablespoons butter
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the baking powder, vanilla, sugar, and salt.
Mash the bananas in a medium bowl (leave some chunks), and add to the egg mixture and mix well.
Melt 1⁄2 tablespoon of the butter in a medium non- stick skillet and pour out the batter to make a pancake 4 to 5 inches in diameter. Cook till brown around the edges and then flip. Beware: The banana cakes are a little more delicate than regular pancakes, so be very gentle. Repeat until all the batter is used. Add 1⁄2 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet between cooking pancakes.
Serve with maple syrup or Fruit Sauce.
7. Veggie Scrambler
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1⁄2 cup diced mushrooms
1⁄2 cup diced bell peppers
1⁄2 cup diced zucchini
4 large eggs
1⁄2 cup milk or heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 small bunch parsley, leaves removed and chopped
Directions:
In a medium skillet, add the oil and sauté the onion and all the other vegetables for a few minutes till soft.
In the meantime, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs (make sure you beat them for at least 3 minutes). Add the milk or cream and salt and pepper and mix well.
Pour the egg mixture into the skillet with the vegetables. Make sure you stir while cooking so that the eggs don’t stick to the skillet. Sprinkle with the parsley once cooked to the desired consistency and serve.
