Tag: dinner

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Family

What did I think of EveryPlate

I think you already know my thoughts on having meals delivered.

I love it. Anything that makes my life easier is something I embrace and want to continue to do. 

Mexican Chicken & Corn Salad with Sweet Potato Wedges & Mayo

The ingredients were fresh and the recipe cards were easy to follow, with only 4 steps in most of them.

The ingredients from EveryPlate

Below are my favourite things about meal kits

  • You don’t have to think about what is for dinner – you just need to cook it
  • You don’t need to leave the house to collect the items for your meals – they are delivered to your door, thanks EveryPlate.
  • Even for the extras, you can still get home delivery from Woolworths….yes you never have to leave the house if you don’t want to. 
  • Now, all we need to do is to think about how to pack a chef, cleaner, and housekeeper in an EveryPlate box and I will be winning on all fronts. 

A few things we were not happy about:

  • Some of the recipes were missing a few ingredients but I substituted them, and the meals still tasted great. I did think that the kids might have used an ingredient for another meal, but they assured me they hadn’t. Maybe it was packing haste at EveryPlate HQ that meant we were missing a few things from our box.
  • I was given a free code to get an EveryPlate meal box to review. I waited until the box arrived to then cancel my subscription. I thought it was successfully cancelled but I was billed for another week. I was then told that I had to cancel on Tuesday, not Wednesday. 
The Nutty Sweet Chilli Noodles with Veggies and Sesame Seeds

Although I paid for the experience, I did enjoy the meals. My extra box allowed me to make my very first risotto, I had always thought that this was a terribly complicated meal to create…in fact it was super easy to do.  

Getting the salad ready

Another thing that I never really noticed before was how the two weeks of having the EveryPlate meal box made me more relaxed.

How you ask? I think it was not having to plan and think about all the meals for the weeks ahead, not having to shop and be in charge of it all.

It wasn’t my job to create the meals, it wasn’t my job to get all ingredients for the meals, and finally it was easy to just tell someone that there is a meal kit ready to go and to pick a recipe and cook something for the family – as it was family friendly the kids were able to help out more.

The Chorizo & Roast Veggies cooked a super simple and tasty meal.
Adding the salad the Chorizo & Roast Veggies – this was soooooooo yummy!

If you are thinking about simplifying your life and getting more time for yourself and the family then I would urge you to try an EveryPlate meal box, if you do you will win at dinner. 

What were my favourite meals from EveryPlate

It is so easy to get stuck in your ways. You get tired, and don’t have the time or energy to do anything different or complicated so an easy meal you have made a million times is what is served.

My favourites were:

Sticky Lemon Chicken with Fries and Stir-fried Veggies – This meal was so tasty and the sauce was tangy with the lemon. 

Chorizo & Roast Veggie Salad with Garlic Aioli – I really loved this meal. It was so yummy and morish, and oh so simple to make. I will make this again, as it was a HUGE hit with all the family. 

Try EveryPlate to break your monotony of everyday meals…yes you can win at dinner with EveryPlate.

My readers can get up to $115 on your first four boxes, with dinner from as little as $2.39 per plate. To get this deal click here

If you would love to give EveryPlate a go I have a great discount for you.

Try EveryPlate today and you’ll get up to $115 on your first four boxes, with dinner from as little as $2.39 per plate. Click here to get this deal. 

Here is my discount code: TWINS115 (The link should automatically have the discount code applied to it)

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Family

Make Dinner Easy with EveryPlate

Try Everyplate today and you’ll get up to $180 off, with dinner from as little as $4.44 per plate. Click here to get this deal.

All set to make the Sticky Lemon Chicken with fries and stir-fried veggies

If you are like me and love others organising things for you then you will love EveryPlate.


As a busy and tired mum, I’m happy to hand the job of planning dinner to someone else. In fact, I would love to hand over the housework, cooking and everything else for a break, but just having not to shop, think or plan the dinners is a start.

Part of the enormous weight of dinners is planning and thinking of different things to cook. It is so freeing to finally be done with it. It is a weight off my shoulders and does make me feel lighter. 

Having meals planned, with recipes and all the ingredients ready to go means that anyone can cook dinner. No excuses, it is super easy and allows for mum or the person who is the go-to cook to have a much-needed break. 

So, what did I cook with my EveryPlate Meal Kit?

Nutty Sweet Chilli Noodles with Veggies and Sesame Seeds

I do love a good stir fry with noodles, and it was nice to see that the kids enjoyed this meal too. One of my girls was keen to cook this recipe from EveryPlate and found the instructions easy to follow and was very happy with how the dinner turned out.

The Nutty Sweet Chilli Noodles with Veggies and Sesame Seeds all cooked and ready to eat

Chorizo & Roast Veggie Salad with Garlic Aioli

This was one of my favourite recipes. It was so extremely YUMMY. It was also a very easy meal to make. 

All you had to do is chop up all the vegetables, add the seasoning and bake in the oven for a while. Then chop up the Chorizo and add to the vegetables and cook in the oven until done.

Vegetables ready to cook
All cooked and ready to eat. The Chorizo & Roast Veggie Salad with Garlic Aioli was one of my favourites

The meal was topped off with garlic aioli and promptly eaten. Everybody said that they thoroughly enjoyed this meal and finished every crumb in their bowl. 

We need to make this again as it was a hit and very easy to create so perfectly for a mid-week dinner when you are busy.  It was so good and a meal I would never have made without my EveryPlate meal kit. 

Sticky Lemon Chicken with Fries and Stir-fried Veggies

When I first read this recipe, I thought it would be super complicated. I also wondered with one lemon how would it be lemony, but I was wrong on both counts. It was easy to make and in fact super lemony.

The chicken was breast fillets and I ended up cooking them and cutting them up into smaller pieces. I added to the recipe by making chilli chips, I added chilli flakes to the chips. This was one of my favourite recipes from the EveryPlate meals, it was also a different way to do chicken from my usual chicken dinners.

So yummy and lemony is the Sticky Lemon Chicken with Fries and Stir-fried Veggies
I added chilli flakes to the chips

The chips were great with added chilli flakes and added the right amount of spice to the lemon chicken.

Mexican Chicken & Corn Salad with Sweet Potato Wedges

The kids loved the spice on the chicken, and they ate it in record time… I was so glad that it was a hit. The meal was tasty and again easy to create as it made dinner on a weeknight easy.

Mexican Chicken & Corn Salad with Sweet Potato Wedges was one meal that the kids loved

The salad with added extras from my fridge

I was missing a few ingredients for the salad, so I added bok choy and parsley. It ended up looking great with all the different colours and tasted great with all the other ingredients from the meal. 

The meals were yummy, and easy, and helped a busy mummy make her life easier. 

If you would love to give EveryPlate a go I have a great discount for you.

Try EveryPlate today and you’ll get up to $180 off, with dinner from as little as $4.44 per plate. Click here to get this deal. Click here to get this deal.

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Family

First Thoughts of EveryPlate

I have never tried EveryPlate and was keen to give the meals a go. I was given a code test out a box. I navigated to the EveryPlate website and got busy picking out my weekly meals. 

I thought I would give the meal box a good go and selected 4 meals for 4 people. I then wanted to change a few meals but some options from pork to beef and finally got the meals picked and organised. I was very keen to try my meals from EveryPlate. 

One of the family-friendly meals that were on the original menu was mince with tomato bolognese sauce with penne pasta. I decided to change this as it was rather like the meals we cook on a regular basis. No point in having a meal box delivered with the same meals you always create; I wanted a change.

The box arrived early morning on Wednesday, and it was exciting to have a box of items that have been picked just for me and delivered to the house. No shopping, no having to drag kids with me to get what was needed. All items just arrived at my house, a brilliant part of the service in my book.

I got busy making sure that all the ingredients and items were put away, and ready to make my yummy meals from EveryPlate.  

Try EveryPlate today and you’ll get up to $115 off your first four boxes, with dinner from as little as $2.39 per plate. Click here to get this deal.

Here is my discount code: TWINS115 (The link should automatically have the discount code applied to it)

Categories
Family

Unboxing My HelloFresh Meal Box

I’m a busy person, and that is not unique. I am a mother to 3 kids and work full time. I am sure that many of you are flat out and one thing that is always on your to-do list is dinner. 

My big box of HelloFresh goodies – Keen to get started with my meals from HelloFresh

It is always nice to have things organised for you and the shopping and organisation to get dinner sorted is a time saver.

You can imagine my excitement to get my HelloFresh box filled with fresh food and everything I need to cook meals for the week. It is a pity that inside the box is not a chef and a housekeeper to help but I am happy with a simple meal box I can cook. 

I was very excited to open my HelloFresh Meal Box – HelloFresh will make cooking easier. 

One amazing thing that this box from HelloFresh does is I don’t have to go to the supermarket to get it all sorted, it is done for me. Winning already, don’t you think?

Finding out all the deals and information inside my HelloFresh Meal box

What did I get delivered by HelloFresh?

I picked a box with 5 meals for 4 people and made sure to select the option for family-friendly meals.

My box arrived early Sunday morning and we were keen to get stuck in and try out the meals that HelloFresh provided.  I promptly opened the box and discovered some information from HelloFresh, recipe cards and of course, the fresh food was quickly added to the fridge.

All the ingredients in my HelloFresh meal box

Next post: Stay tuned for part 2 and learn about all the meals we cooked with HelloFresh

The kids and I cannot wait to get to cook with HelloFresh.

If you are wanting to give HelloFresh a go
I have a great deal for you. 

CODE: TWINSPLUSONE130

Offer: Get up to $130 off your first four boxes!

Click Here to go to the deal

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Categories
Recipes

Make Mini Meat Pies

Would you like a super easy meat pie for your party? How about dinner or lunch? Or your Australia Day celebration?

Well, I have an easy recipe for you and it is very yummy too!

Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 180°C or 356 °F

INGREDIENTS

  • 500 grams of beef mince (You can choose chicken, pork or turkey if you wish)
  • Frozen puff pastry sheets
  • 2 carrots grated
  • 2 big cups of chopped mushrooms
  • Soy Sauce – I added a sprinkle when cooking the mince
  • 2 spanish onions – finely cut
  • 1 brown onion – finely cut
  • 1 pack of Masterfoods Spicy Chilli Con Carne (this is used as sauce rather than a gravy)

METHOD

  • Take out 4 sheets of pastry to defrost
  • Cut up the onions and add them to the fry pan
  • Add the mince
  • Add the soy sauce
  • Add the grated carrot
  • Add the Spicy Chilli Con Carne sauce mix and then add the pouch with water to get all the sauce out and add to the sauce in the fry pan
  • Cook all ingredients until the water in the sauce has reduced a little but all as you need to have the sauce there to add to the mixture for the pie
  • Once all ingredients are cooked for the inside of the pie, turn off the fry pan
  • I used a muffin and friand tin to put my puff pastry in. I did find that the friand tin did it better. Also you will see that my pastry was not perfect and actually more rustic than I was hoping for.
  • Cut out a good square of pastry that will match the bottom and sides of the tin. I then pressed the pastry down to the bottom and the sides.
  • I then filled the pastry pie in the tin with the filling from the fry pan and finished off each individual pie with more pastry. This was measured by seeing if a big glass was a little bit bigger than the top of the pie width for each pie in the tin. I used a big gin glass to cut out a circle to then pinch closed on top of each indivual pie.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry is very golden brown and looking crunchy.

I served the pies with a salad. It was very yummy and filling.

POST FEAST REVIEW

I thought that making pies would be easy and I was right. It really isn’t hard. However, I don’t really have a pie tin and made do with using a muffin and friand tin as a substitute. It worked out well with these tins but I did notice that the friand tin worked better.

The pastry was a bit clumsy and rustic but worked on the whole. A few pies had their bottom give out a little when I attempted to remove them from the tin.

I found that the pies were just the right size and a salad or vegetables for dinner. If you do decide to make this you can make a few different pies and then mix and match to have a few different ones on your dinner plate.

The pies were very tasty and the Spicy Chilli Con Carne sauce made it very tasty indeed as well as the chewy and melt in your mouth mushrooms.

I did read a few recipes but made it up as I went along, although this alarmed and annoyed my husband. He thought that I was following a recipe and got quite frustrated to learn I wasn’t. I then pointed out it was an experiment and he wasn’t cooking so it really didn’t matter.

WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN?

Yes, I would make this again. I think I need to get proper individual pie tins or make one big pie and have it as a slice of one pie for each person at dinner or lunch. It was rather quick and simple and for the remaining pies, I can have them in the fridge and just heat up for the next meal.

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Review

Dinner at Pins on Lurline

One thing that I have missed with the lockdown restriction is eating out.

With the restrictions easing, we were lucky to experience dining at a wonderful restaurant on our wedding anniversary.

Pins at Lurline in Katoomba - Yummy food and great service
Pins at Lurline in Katoomba – Yummy food and great service

A few weeks ago we were lucky to be able to book a table at Pins on Lurline

If you have kids and wish to get your fix of some yummy fancy food, then don’t worry Pins on Lurline cater for kids too!

“At Pins believe that it is never to early to appreciate good food and we welcome well-behaved children. Our younger guests can order from our a la carte menu, we will do our best to adapt for their tastes. We reserve our earlier bookings for guests with young children.”

I know a family-friendly restaurant that can give you a stunning meal is a winner, but we did not go out with the kids and finally had an adult meal for the first time in months.

Pins on Lurline offers an intimate space for dinner
Pins on Lurline offers an intimate space for dinner

We opted for the Omnivore Tasting Menu if you are vegetarian there is a menu that you will love as well. Pins on Lurline have only two options for their menu at the moment a Tasting Menu that changes daily. 

The menu works with local and fresh produce so you will always have a new and amazing food experience at Pins on Lurline.

Oh and if you are having a special celebration make sure you mention this when booking…we didn’t and only mentioned it on leaving. Executive Chef Adam Shaw will work his magic and add a special surprise for you during your dining experience.

When we entered the restaurant we were made to feel welcome and seated immediately. Due to restrictions, there were only a few tables of diners and it was a very intimate experience, so in a way perfect for an anniversary dinner.

Jody made sure we were all sorted and gave us some yummy freshly made bread and gave us our first glass of wine that will be paired with the first course (in the tasting menu we had 6 courses)

You can just have the tasting menu or have the tasting menu with the wine pairing and we did both.  I must admit due to not going anywhere for months this was a fantastic treat, and a great way to break the drought on not going to any restaurants or anywhere.

So if you are interested in costs: Tasting Menu $80, and the Wine Paring is $40

Entree

Zucchini Flowers filled with Ricotta, Sundried Tomato, Fig & Preserved Lemon, with a Capsicum Cream Sauce

Wine: Veuve D’Argent, Blanc de Blanc, Burgundy

Zucchini Flowers filled with Ricotta, Sundried Tomato, Fig & Preserved Lemon, with a Capsicum Cream Sauce
Zucchini Flowers filled with Ricotta, Sundried Tomato, Fig & Preserved Lemon, with a Capsicum Cream Sauce

 

Scallops served with a Lemon Gel, Radish, Spiced Mayo on an Orange & Ginger Sauce

Wine: 2017 Domaine Des Aubuisieres, Vouvray Sec, Loire Valley

Scallops served with a Lemon Gel, Radish, Spiced Mayo on an Orange & Ginger Sauce
Scallops served with a Lemon Gel, Radish, Spiced Mayo on an Orange & Ginger Sauce

I loved the way the scallop dish was presented. It reminded me of under the sea and coral. Was one of my favourite dishes, and very yummy!
I loved the way the scallop dish was presented. It reminded me of under the sea and coral. It was one of my favourite dishes, and very yummy!

 

Under the sea Scallop Plate - YUMMY
Under the sea Scallop Plate – YUMMY

Mains

Slow-cooked black garlic & Rosemary Pork Belly, with Sweet Potato Puree, Asparagus, Gourmet Tomatoes, and Smoked Jus

Wine: 2018 Tooloagni Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Victoria

Slow-cooked black garlic & Rosemary Pork Belly, with Sweet Potato Puree, Asparagus, Gourmet Tomatoes, and Smoked Jus
Slow-cooked black garlic & Rosemary Pork Belly, with Sweet Potato Puree, Asparagus, Gourmet Tomatoes, and Smoked Jus

 

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Cutlets, served with Crumbed Haloumi, Cous Cous & Wilted Spinach

Wine: 2017 Tyrrellls Hunter Valley Shiraz, Hunter Valley

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Cutlets, served with Crumbed Haloumi, Cous Cous & Wilted Spinach
Moroccan Spiced Lamb Cutlets, served with Crumbed Haloumi, Cous Cous & Wilted Spinach

Save Up To 50% Off New Arrivals - House Online

Dessert

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Walnut & Almond Crumb, Peach Puree, Seasonal Fruit & Mango Sherbet

Wine: Yarran NV Sparkling Moscato, Riverina District, New South Wales

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Walnut & Almond Crumb, Peach Puree, Seasonal Fruit & Mango Sherbet
White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Walnut & Almond Crumb, Peach Puree, Seasonal Fruit & Mango Sherbet

Yarran NV Sparkling Moscato, Riverina District, New South Wales
Yarran NV Sparkling Moscato, Riverina District, New South Wales

Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, Tuille Biscuit & Caramel Popcorn

Wine: Pfeiffer Rutherglen Topague, Rutherglen Victoria

Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, Tuille Biscuit & Caramel Popcorn
Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream, Tuille Biscuit & Caramel Popcorn

 

Jazz up your home office with Typo

Cotton On (AU)

You can add side dishes for an extra $9, your choices for sides are Pins House Salad, Roasted Chat Potatoes, and Seasonal Vegetables.

After dinner sweets. Berry coconut slice and mint chocolate balls - So yummy!
After dinner sweets. Berry coconut slice and mint chocolate balls – So yummy!

I must say after my six-course with tasty wines I was very full, I couldn’t have had sides as well. However, if you are a party of more than two people maybe a salad or some extra vegetables might be helpful.

 

What Did We Think?

We loved our time at Pins on Lurline from the moment we stepped inside the door. We were greeted warmly, nothing was a problem, our glasses were always topped up, any questions about the food where answered and we felt at home and comfortable.

The food was divine and was very high end. I was worried at first as the courses are smaller but with six dishes plus wines for each course you are full and there is no need to worry that you will leave hungry.

Our first journey out since lockdown was a highly successful one and it was a great place to celebrate our 16 year wedding anniversary…yes this is a long time to be married (however we’ve been together for over 20 years, just married for 16)

If you wish to go to somewhere that is impressive, has quality food and wine then Pins on Lurline is for you. Due to the restrictions on numbers, you will need to book to ensure you can get a table.

I loved my experience so much I had to share with you all and showcase a fantastic local business that is open and looking forward to seeing more people. If you are traveling or visiting the Blue Mountains make sure that you check out this amazing restaurant. You will not be disappointed.

 

Note: This is not a paid partnership. I live in the Blue Mountains and with the recent bushfires and now coronavirus we need to support as many local businesses to help them out.

Connect with Pins on Lurline
pinsonlurline.com.au

132 Lurline Street,
Katoomba, 2780, NSW
(02) 4782 2281

Bookings are essential 

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Recipes

Entertaining is easy with the Philips Airfryer XXL

Do you have an airfryer? If you do, I’m sure you are like me and love yours as much as I do.

A while ago I was sent the Philips Airfryer XXL to test out and see what magic I could cook up. I’ve now had this amazing appliance for a few months and I wanted to share with you all the great recipes that I’ve been able to cook in the airfryer. I also recently received the Philips Baking Master Kit, an extra addition to trying out new things.

Philips Baking Master Kit for the Airfryer XXL
Philips Baking Master Kit for the Airfryer XXL
Cakes always come out perfect in the Philips Airfryer Cake Tin
Cakes always come out perfect in the Philips Airfryer Cake Tin

What type of things have I been cooking? 

  • Cakes – Chocolate, Vanilla, Chocolate Blueberry and Orange & Poppy Seed Pound Cake 
  • Cupcakes – Chocolate and Vanilla 
  • Roast Chicken and Salad 
  • Steak and Vegetables 
  • Sausages and Lamb Chops
Cupcakes cooked in the airfryer, super easy and so simple. Always comes out of the silicone molds in one piece.
Cupcakes cooked in the airfryer, are super easy and so simple. It always comes out of the silicone moulds in one piece.

Cakes

Cakes are super simple to cook in the airfryer.

I’ve made it even more easy and used packet mixes from the supermarket (You can make from scratch or use packet mixes)

Method

• Make the cake mixture
• Grease the cake tin with a little butter or oil
• Pour mixture into the tin
• Set the airfryer to cake setting, 180 degrees for 28 mins
• Leave to cook for the full 28 minutes and then wait till the airfryer beeps to tell you it is all done.
• Once all cooked, take out of the airfryer carefully as it will be extremely hot (make sure to have an oven mitt to take out without burning yourself)
• Leave for a bit and then take out of the tin to cool on a cooling rack.
• Once cool, ice and decorate or serve warm with ice cream.

Halloween cake cooked in the Philips Airfryer
Halloween cake cooked in the Philips Airfryer

 

Orange & Poppy Seed Pound Cake

Orange and Poppy Seed Pound Cake cooked in the Philips Airfryer
Orange and Poppy Seed Pound Cake cooked in the Philips Airfryer

Cupcakes

Method

  • Mix cake mixture
  • Fill 2/3 full in a silicone mould
  • 120 degrees for 22 minutes on the cake setting (Cake setting defaults to 180 so just press the temp icon and change it to suit)
  • Cook for the required time limit
  • Once cooked take out and allow to cool
  • The cupcakes will come out easily of the silicone moulds and you will not need butter or oil in them (So this is even better)
Chocolate cupcakes straight out of the airfyer
Chocolate cupcakes straight out of the airfyer

Steak and Vegetables

Cooking steak and vegetables in the airfryer is so quick and easy. I’ve been amazed at how well it cooks steak and in fact any meat, it seems to keep the meat so moist.

I served the Steak and Vegetables with homemade Beetroot and Orange Spiced Chutney.
I served the Steak and Vegetables with homemade Beetroot and Orange Spiced Chutney.

Ingredients

  • 2 Scotch Steak Fillets
  • Olive Oil
  • 3 Carrots
  • 4 Potatoes
  • Chilli Flakes
  • Italian Herbs

Marinade

Soy Sauce and Honey – I added a tablespoon of honey and a good splash of soy.

Method

  • Cut up the carrots and potatoes roughly, small enough to cook quickly and be like bite-sized chip sizes.
  • Put carrots and potatoes in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix so that all vegetables have the oil on them.
  • Add a tablespoon of chilli flakes and a tablespoon of Italian herbs. Mix well together.
  • Add the vegetables to the airfryer basket.
  • Put airfryer on the M (Mixed Setting)
  • Set the temperature for 200 degrees and cook for 20 minutes. Make sure to stop at the 10-minute mark to stir and to make sure that they are cooking okay. If you don’t like your veggies crispy you might want to take them out at the 10-minute mark.
  • Once the veggies have completed the second 10 minutes of cooking time, take them out and keep warm.
  • Now make up the marinade if you haven’t done so already. Once the honey and soy marinade is complete put in the steaks so that they can be fully coated with the marinade.
  • Put the steaks in the airfryer basket
  • Set the airfryer to the meat preset
  • Set the temperature to 180 degrees and cook for 12 minutes. No need to stop to turn over, just let the meat cook.

Sausages and chops

Before I cooked the Steak and Vegetables, I did lamb chops and sausages for the kids’ dinner.

It was very simple and very quick. I just had to clean up the tray and basket before I cooked the steak and veggies.

Alexander’s Dinner
Alexander’s Dinner

Note: Before I cooked the sausages and chops, I sprayed the basket with a little bit of olive oil.

The following went into the airfryer:

  • 2 chops
  • 4 sausages

They were cooked at 200 degrees on the meat setting for 12 minutes.

So yummy it’s all eaten!
So yummy it’s all eaten!

Roast Chicken and Salad

I saw the roast chicken recipe video on the Philips website and wanted to give it a go. I did mine with a twist, I purchased an already marinated and stuffed chicken from the supermarket.

However, my chicken was a little bigger than it should have been so I was lucky that it fit okay into the airfryer. My chicken was 1.7kg and I was hoping to get a chicken that was 1.5kg at the biggest or maybe 1.2kg but the smallest was 1.7kg at the shops. It didn’t look that big, so I gave it a go.

Philips Airfryer Roast Chicken with Salad
Philips Airfryer Roast Chicken with Salad

Ingredients

1 whole chicken either marinated and stuffed by others or you can create your own.

Salad – I picked up a salad kit at the supermarket to make dinner even easier.

You can add vegetables, rice or other things to the chicken if you don’t want a salad.

Method

  • Spray the airfryer tray with some olive oil
  • Add the chicken to the airfryer tray
  • Set the airfryer to 180 degrees and choose the poultry setting
  • Cook for 60 minutes

I’ve previously made Homemade Chips and hubby wanted to give the airfryer a go and made Lamb chops & vegetables with rice.

Homemade airfryer chips - they were a huge hit.
Homemade airfryer chips – they were a huge hit.

Entertaining is so easy with the Philips Airfryer XXL. You will create some super yummy and tasty meals and impress your family and friends.

Another benefit is that the airfryer uses less oil and is a healthier way to cook, with up to 90% less fat. Plus, it is a super quick way to create some family favourites.

Find more recipes with the Philips Airfryer App, available at the App Store and on Google Play

You can also see further recipes on the Philips Chef website.

More Airfryer recipes and ideas on the blog soon!

Do you have an airfryer? What is the best recipe you have created in yours? Share so we can all try your delicious recipes.

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Family

Chef Direct by Marathon is My Saviour

This week has been manic, well actually manic or constant chaos seems to be my new form of normal.

I did have a few weeks basically free to rest and to just be, I only had a few days full of things to do with the kids and then suddenly they have all been eaten up with plans, with so much busyness that means that rest, work and actual items that need to be done are not getting done at all.

With the racing here and racing there to keep kids entertained, cooking dinner seems to be an afterthought and very much forgotten.

Yep, insert terrible mother comments here.

I have been simply so tired and annoyed that I get to the end of the day and the darkness has filled the sky and I still have no idea what to do for dinner.

Lamb Shank Red Wine & Rosemary and Lamb Shank Traditional Mint Gravy from Chef Direct.
Lamb Shank Red Wine & Rosemary and Lamb Shank Traditional Mint Gravy from Chef Direct.

 

Bad planning I hear you say, probably….. but I have a fabulous solution or if you were Baldrick on Blackadder, a Cunning Plan.

 

My secret weapon is Chef Direct from Marathon Foods.

The amazing team at Marathon Foods sent me the following meals:

  • Lamb Shank Red Wine Rosemary
  • Lamb Shank Traditional Mint Gravy
  • Beef Meatballs Tomato & Basil Sauce 1.2kg
  • Mild Chilli Beef & Bean 1.2kg

Do you find that you run out of time to think of a yummy, healthy and a quick dinner for the family?

If you work or just wish to have a break from thinking of what to cook Chef Direct’s prepackaged meals are an awesome choice.

 

DID YOU KNOW…

“Marathon Chef Direct creations are made fresh and kept that way by use of clever technology and packaging without the need for refrigeration or freezing. Our delicious creations are free from artificial flavours, colours or preservatives and there is no added MSG.”

Storing the packs in the pantry due to no refrigeration is perfect as it frees up much-needed space in the fridge.

  • Marathon Chef Direct creations are shelf stable meals for the busy kitchen
  • Free from artificial flavours, colours or preservatives

Lamb Shank & Red Wine Rosemary

This was the first meal that we tried and I must say we were so impressed.

The super yummy Lamb Shank & Red Wine Rosemary from Chef Direct by Marathon
The super yummy Lamb Shank & Red Wine Rosemary from Chef Direct by Marathon

The meat just melted in your mouth and fell off the bone and the red wine and rosemary sauce was super tasty and a fab accompaniment to the meal.

I added mash: Potato, red onion, brown onion, corn from fresh corn that I boiled and then removed the kernels, & carrots.

For some extra greens I cooked up some beans in olive oil and a little soy sauce.

The lamb Shank was warmed up in the microwave for 6 mins. This is my type of cooking, 6 mintues for a fab meal to be ready…. oh and a little bit extra for the mash, but not by much.

I would say I probably only cooked for about 30mins and used the microwave or 12 mintues (6 minutes for each Lamb Shank)

This meal was stress-free, easy to make and delicious!

 

Beef Meatballs Tomato & Basil Sauce 1.2kg

Beef Meatballs Tomato & Basil Sauce 1.2kg from Chef Direct by Marathon.
Beef Meatballs Tomato & Basil Sauce 1.2kg from Chef Direct by Marathon.

This pack is a huge size and I decided that it was wise to half it and put the rest into a container to store in the fridge. I ended up using the remainder for the kid’s dinners the next night.

Beef Meatballs with Tomato and Basil Sauce from Chef Direct ..and yes I added broccoli.
Beef Meatballs with Tomato and Basil Sauce from Chef Direct ..and yes I added broccoli.

 

To heat up the meatballs and sauce, just boil some water in a pot and heat in the bag for 35 minutes (Making sure that the pot is off the heat when the bag is in it). You can also heat in an ovenproof dish, reheat in the oven for 30 minutes at 180°C (Heating in the oven make sure to remove contents from bag and place in the dish to reheat).

Cooking vegetables, reheating the meatballs and sauce and cooking the spaghetti. Talk about multitasking.
Cooking vegetables, reheating the meatballs and sauce and cooking the spaghetti. Talk about multitasking.

 

You cannot have meatballs without spaghetti, and I also added some vegetables. It got topped off with some grated mature cheese and then it got eaten!

The verdict was that it was another yummy, filling and easy to make the meal.

 

Mild Chilli Beef & Bean 1.2kg

Chilli Beef & Beans by Chef Direct is so tasty and super convenient for busy mums.
Chilli Beef & Beans by Chef Direct is so tasty and super convenient for busy mums.

Hubby and I love a chilli meal and this really was tasty. It is not that spicy and has a good taste for those that don’t like it too hot. If you do want to increase the heat, you can always add some more chilli flakes to your meal. This way you can make it just the way you like it.

I boiled water in a saucepan and then took the pot off the heat. I added the Beef and Beans so that it could heat up and be ready for us to eat.

Reheating only took 30mins and gave me some time to get the vegetables organised.

 

Rice was added and I used the easy prepackaged and super quick Sunrise Rice and Quinoa Brown Rice, which only takes 90 seconds to be ready. I did say it was super quick!

I do love my greens, so added broccoli, bok choy and some capsicum for colour.

The vegetables for the Chilli Beef & Beans from Chef Direct by Marathon.
The vegetables for the Chilli Beef & Beans from Chef Direct by Marathon.

 

Now for the finished yummy looking meal of Chilli Beef & Beans with Rice and Vegetables.

The finished meal of Chilli Beef & Beans from Chef Direct by Marathon. Looks so good, doesn't it?
The finished meal of Chilli Beef & Beans from Chef Direct by Marathon. Looks so good, doesn’t it?

If you wish to make your life a bit simpler you can get the Chef Direct range at IGA and have a break or at least make dinner time so much easier.

The Chef Direct range is also perfect for camping and travelling. No need to refrigerate and can be easily packed. Use for your next camping holiday with the family.

As a busy mum to 3 kids and a hubby, it would be nice to have someone make me a meal for a change.

The yummy Lamb Shank Red Wine and Rosemary Sauce meals from Chef Direct by Marathon.
The yummy Lamb Shank Red Wine and Rosemary Sauce meals from Chef Direct by Marathon.

The meals from Chef Direct are so easy to prepare I just might be able to put my feet up and take a break.

All you need to do is to add the mash, spaghetti or rice and a few things to the meal. Other than heat up the packet from Chef Direct and then enjoy!

A HUGE thank you to Marathon Foods for sending us such tasty, amazing and easy to prepare meals.

I’ve been telling other mums about what a great time saver these meals have been for me.

I would strongly recommend that you give the Chef Direct range a go, you will be so happy you did.

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Categories
Recipes

I’m a Steggler for An Easy Dinner

When I left the Kids Business Bloggers Brunch Steggles gave me a chicken for dinner. Yes I left with dinner all taken care of. How amazing is that.

Due to such a big day with a super early start (I was up at 4am) I decided to do the chicken dinner on the Saturday night rather than the Friday night which was the same day as the brunch. The chicken was in a nice cool bag with some cool bricks to ensure that it lasted on my drive  home. Once home I put it straight into the fridge to allow me to use it the next night.

The chicken in the cute cool bag from Steggles.
The chicken in the cute cool bag from Steggles.

The chicken that Steggles gave me.
The chicken that Steggles gave me.

Important: Before any cooking can begin. You need to make sure to heat up the oven. Put your oven on to 180ºC.

Part 1 – Cut up the chicken

I have cut up cooked chickens before and it has all been good and worked well. I thought it would be similar. It was not really hard but I did not have a smooth run at it. I must say part of the way in cutting up my chicken I thought I have no idea what I am doing and need some help. At this point I was nearly done so just continued and considering I did a pretty good job. I had the drumsticks, wings and other parts all ready to swim in the marinade mix.

If you would like to learn how to properly section a whole chicken this video below from the New York Times is an excellent resource.

The lovely people at Steggles even included a recipe card. However due to not having some appliances to make the job easy and also being a tired mamma I opted for the easy solution. A bottled marinade by Nandos and some soy sauce was added to flavour the chicken.

Part 2 – Marinate the chicken

The marinade that I used. Plus I added some soy sauce.
The marinade that I used. Plus I added some soy sauce.

The cut up Steggles chicken in the marinade.
The cut up Steggles chicken in the marinade.

The chicken got put in a dish that is oven proof and then the marinade got added. I made sure to mix the marinade over all the chicken and then covered the dish to put in the fridge so it had some time for the flavours to infuse. I left the chicken in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Part 3 – The vegetables to go with the roast chicken

I cut up the following:

  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Pumpkin

Once I had an adequate supply for four people (noting that hubby and I were mainly going to be eating the vegetables) I boiled them for a bit so that it did not take too long to bake in the oven.

The vegetables boiling away. This way they don't take too long in the oven.
The vegetables boiling away. This way they don’t take too long in the oven.

Part 4 – Put chicken in the oven & add the vegetables

The oven should be very ready and hot to now cook this very yummy looking chicken. Put the chicken on the top part of the oven and let it cook for about 10-15mins. After about 15mins check on it and if need be turn over all bits of chicken. Mix the chicken around in the marinade and anything else you have added to the mixture. How about some onions or what about some mushrooms.

It is about now that I put the vegetables in the oven to cook also. I added them to the bottom tray to start of with. Once the chicken was done the vegetables got moved to the top of the oven and continued to get crispy and yummy.

I added some olive oil spread to the dish with the vegetables and a little bit of salt for taste.

The baked vegetables after they came out of the oven.
The baked vegetables after they came out of the oven.

Leave the chicken for another about 15mins and then check again. Make sure all parts are cooked all the way through. If not cooked all the way through turn over and put back to carry on cooking.

I noticed that the chicken cooked before the vegetables were done. However the vegetables did not require that much extra time. To make sure the vegetables were cooked I removed the chicken and put tin foil over the top to keep the meat hot and tender. It then allowed the vegetables to cook and to not spoil the meat.

The Steggles chicken all cooked and ready to be served up for dinner. YUM!
The Steggles chicken all cooked and ready to be served up for dinner. YUM!

Part 5 – Ready to eat

The twins had the same meal we did. The chicken was a hit. Pity the kids were not fans of the vegetables.
The twins had the same meal we did. The chicken was a hit. Pity the kids were not fans of the vegetables.

Our baked chicken dinner thanks to Steggles. It was very yummy and an easy dinner to make.
Our baked chicken dinner thanks to Steggles. It was very yummy and an easy dinner to make.

#StegglerFor

#FamilyRoast

Do you love Steggles chicken as much as we do? Share your best ideas for your roasts or dinner inspirations. I do love a roast dinner that the family all sits down to. It is also getting cooler so a roast dinner is a great idea.

Maybe this has inspired you to give a roast a go. If so, let us know how it went.

Would you like some recipes to give you a few ideas and inspiration? Well Steggles have that covered also. Steggles have a whole recipe section that covers not just roasts, they have turkey, mince, and much more.

Did you know that Steggles is canteen approved for school lunches, I did not know either.

You can download the Steggles eBook of recipes for school lunches and give them a go. I think I will do this as it will give me more variety for the twins school lunches.

Thanks so much to Steggles for our baked chicken dinner. With this post I’m entering a competition to win a Steggles prize pack. Wish me luck.

Categories
Recipes Uncategorised

I’m a Steggler for An Easy Dinner

When I left the Kids Business Bloggers Brunch Steggles gave me a chicken for dinner. Yes I left with dinner all taken care of. How amazing is that.

Due to such a big day with a super early start (I was up at 4am) I decided to do the chicken dinner on the Saturday night rather than the Friday night which was the same day as the brunch. The chicken was in a nice cool bag with some cool bricks to ensure that it lasted on my drive  home. Once home I put it straight into the fridge to allow me to use it the next night.

The chicken in the cute cool bag from Steggles.
The chicken in the cute cool bag from Steggles.

The chicken that Steggles gave me.
The chicken that Steggles gave me.

Important: Before any cooking can begin. You need to make sure to heat up the oven. Put your oven on to 180ºC.

Part 1 – Cut up the chicken

I have cut up cooked chickens before and it has all been good and worked well. I thought it would be similar. It was not really hard but I did not have a smooth run at it. I must say part of the way in cutting up my chicken I thought I have no idea what I am doing and need some help. At this point I was nearly done so just continued and considering I did a pretty good job. I had the drumsticks, wings and other parts all ready to swim in the marinade mix.

If you would like to learn how to properly section a whole chicken this video below from the New York Times is an excellent resource.

The lovely people at Steggles even included a recipe card. However due to not having some appliances to make the job easy and also being a tired mamma I opted for the easy solution. A bottled marinade by Nandos and some soy sauce was added to flavour the chicken.

Part 2 – Marinate the chicken

The marinade that I used. Plus I added some soy sauce.
The marinade that I used. Plus I added some soy sauce.

The cut up Steggles chicken in the marinade.
The cut up Steggles chicken in the marinade.

The chicken got put in a dish that is oven proof and then the marinade got added. I made sure to mix the marinade over all the chicken and then covered the dish to put in the fridge so it had some time for the flavours to infuse. I left the chicken in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Part 3 – The vegetables to go with the roast chicken

I cut up the following:

  • Potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Pumpkin

Once I had an adequate supply for four people (noting that hubby and I were mainly going to be eating the vegetables) I boiled them for a bit so that it did not take too long to bake in the oven.

The vegetables boiling away. This way they don't take too long in the oven.
The vegetables boiling away. This way they don’t take too long in the oven.

Part 4 – Put chicken in the oven & add the vegetables

The oven should be very ready and hot to now cook this very yummy looking chicken. Put the chicken on the top part of the oven and let it cook for about 10-15mins. After about 15mins check on it and if need be turn over all bits of chicken. Mix the chicken around in the marinade and anything else you have added to the mixture. How about some onions or what about some mushrooms.

It is about now that I put the vegetables in the oven to cook also. I added them to the bottom tray to start of with. Once the chicken was done the vegetables got moved to the top of the oven and continued to get crispy and yummy.

I added some olive oil spread to the dish with the vegetables and a little bit of salt for taste.

The baked vegetables after they came out of the oven.
The baked vegetables after they came out of the oven.

Leave the chicken for another about 15mins and then check again. Make sure all parts are cooked all the way through. If not cooked all the way through turn over and put back to carry on cooking.

I noticed that the chicken cooked before the vegetables were done. However the vegetables did not require that much extra time. To make sure the vegetables were cooked I removed the chicken and put tin foil over the top to keep the meat hot and tender. It then allowed the vegetables to cook and to not spoil the meat.

The Steggles chicken all cooked and ready to be served up for dinner. YUM!
The Steggles chicken all cooked and ready to be served up for dinner. YUM!

Part 5 – Ready to eat

The twins had the same meal we did. The chicken was a hit. Pity the kids were not fans of the vegetables.
The twins had the same meal we did. The chicken was a hit. Pity the kids were not fans of the vegetables.

Our baked chicken dinner thanks to Steggles. It was very yummy and an easy dinner to make.
Our baked chicken dinner thanks to Steggles. It was very yummy and an easy dinner to make.

#StegglerFor

#FamilyRoast

Do you love Steggles chicken as much as we do? Share your best ideas for your roasts or dinner inspirations. I do love a roast dinner that the family all sits down to. It is also getting cooler so a roast dinner is a great idea.

Maybe this has inspired you to give a roast a go. If so, let us know how it went.

Would you like some recipes to give you a few ideas and inspiration? Well Steggles have that covered also. Steggles have a whole recipe section that covers not just roasts, they have turkey, mince, and much more.

Did you know that Steggles is canteen approved for school lunches, I did not know either.

You can download the Steggles eBook of recipes for school lunches and give them a go. I think I will do this as it will give me more variety for the twins school lunches.

Thanks so much to Steggles for our baked chicken dinner. With this post I’m entering a competition to win a Steggles prize pack. Wish me luck.

Categories
Recipes

Easter Baking With IGA

IGA sent me a bag of goodies to say Happy Easter. It was a lovely bag that I can reuse and it was filled with baked goods to make a special treat.

Choc Cornflake Slice to be precise! I have never made this before but thought since it is Easter and due to relatives coming for lunch tomorrow a treat is in order.

 

Now how did I make this amazing slice for the Easter Long Weekend?

Well, it is was super simple and it did not take long at all. The only thing that was hard was waiting for the slice to cool down.

Ingredients

  • 275g milk chocolate, chopped
  • 75g copha
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1⁄4 cup sugar
  • 80g unsalted butter
  • 3 cups of cornflakes
  • 1⁄2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1⁄4 cup dried cranberries
  • 35g milk chocolate, extra
  • 15g copha, extra

 

The chocolate and Copha ready to melt for the base of the slice
The chocolate and Copha ready to melt for the base of the slice

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 150C. Line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Melt the chocolate and copha in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, stirring regularly. Remove from heat and pour over the base of the tin. Set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt together the honey, sugar and butter, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
  4. Place the cornflakes in a bowl with the coconut and cranberries and pour over the honey mixture.
  5. Spoon the cornflake mixture over the chocolate base. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and cool slightly before refrigerating until firm.
  6. Melt the remaining chocolate and copha together. Drizzle over the slice then cool fully before slicing into squares.
  7. Cool in the fridge for 45 mins. Once set you can slice it up to eat!  (I have left it out a bit to cool down before putting the tray in the fridge)

The copha and chocolate melted and spread on bottom of pan for the base of the slice.
The copha and chocolate melted and spread on bottom of the pan for the base of the slice.

 

TIP: If you don’t like cranberries, try a different fruit. You can also try white chocolate or dark. Why not add some nuts or other tasty things as well. Make it unique to your families likes.

 

 

The recipe card from IGA for Choc Cornflake Slice
The recipe card from IGA for Choc Cornflake Slice

Did you know that IGA has a great site full of tasty and easy to make recipes? It is a brilliant resource for a busy parent. Check it out and be inspired.

Sign up for my newsletter

Stay current with all the things that are happening on Mummy to Twins Plus One? Don’t miss a thing by signing up for my newsletter. This newsletter will list all giveaways and fabulous things that are happening.

 

Categories
3 years and beyond Pre-School University Study

Little people don’t eat salad

The kids are home yet again due to being ill. I was reading them some stories; we have a series of books about dinosaurs. One of the books is Wilbur the Dinosaur who wanted to Fly, Wilbur is a triceratops, and in the book it has a blurb about this type of dinosaur. It talks about eating plants, so I told the girls that plant eaters are called herbivores.  I explained that plants are salad, and vegetables.

This then prompted Julia to tell me, “Little people don’t eat salad” and then she said “We might eat it when we are grown mummy”. I did explain that salad and vegetables are yummy, but this was not believed by the girls, they still think that little kids should not touch salads.  Now I need to expose them to more salad. Just another food that they have decided they don’t like.

Today has been a bit better than yesterday. All three of us had a Shrek A Thon, well just the first 2 films, then we did a puzzle, had some lunch (the girls picked at it and told me they were not hungry), due to no body being hungry they both went to their room for rest time.

As they share a room this rest time is more like enforced play time in their room, this gives mummy a little break, but not long enough. I managed to get some laundry done, have some lunch, watch Being Human which I love (it is based on the BBC Series, I am watching the US version), and after the show they had successfully opened the door and where free to be trouble makers again. Glad that I got to see this show by myself as it would be scary for little kids.

Yesterday it was open all the toys and make a huge mess, It was a task in itself to keep them occupied and every so often there were tears and upset due to not being well.  I managed to get their room sorted, new sheets on the bed and at least there is more floor space. However today, it seems like it is in the same situation as before I started to clean yesterday.

The girls have not eaten that much, however they did eat a big breakfast.   I was asked to get more vegemite sandwiches for lunch but the new ones that prepared were not eaten in full, but some were so not a total loss. I think it might be due to them not being well, but maybe it was due to have a big breakfast?

The girls seem to a bit better and that is good as I need to go to a board meeting at the child care centre they used to attend. If I make sure that they have their medicine and are showered and all ready for bed, then they can just go to bed once home. The centre gives them dinner while I am in the meeting so that is good for me, makes it so much easier.

This week has been a right off with housework and university study. I am aiming to get more done next week. I was able to secure an extension for my assignment but I only have an extra week.  The girls need to be at school next week and glad that they will be ready to go for the last week before school holidays.

What activities have you organised for your sick child/children? What funny things have you learnt from your kids? Monday I was told not to run inside the house. “Mary at school says don’t run inside” said Julia. This was while we were running in a circle to music. Now I am getting told, “Little people don’t eat salad”, what is next?  Send in your comments.

Categories
3 years and beyond

Not this dinner mummy!!!

Last night’s dinner was not a success as I had hoped, although deep down I expected this. I cooked the girls chicken and vegetables with noodles. I did not have much in their bowls and thought that they might pick at the chicken and eat some noodles at the least.

The reaction was tears, screaming and yelling. “No, Yuck!”  And, “No mummy we are playing outside, we will eat later” This ended with the girls realising that there was no other choice for dinner and if they did not eat this they would go hungry.

Lillian after while caved in and had some chicken and noodles, not much but it was a good try. She got rewarded with a chocolate koala and then had milk.

Julia was not interested and very stubborn. She decided to have a temper tantrum and stayed in the kitchen yelling, screaming and crying. I thought since whatever I said was making things worse that I should just leave her to calm down. I could see her crawling on the floor and her head was poking around the corner, until I saw her face and then more tears and she did not want to look at me. I am the bad parent for making her eat the dinner and not offering her other things.

Daddy got home early and Julia went to tell him that I was not feeding her and that I was being mean to her. I did tell Julia if she just ate a bit of the dinner then she can have a treat and milk like Lillian. She refused so I refused.

After a bit of cuddle time with daddy and telling on me to daddy, she seemed willing to try again if she had the pink bowl for her food and of course not with me. So organised the pink bowl and she ate quite a lot of the chicken and I think some noodles, not sure. At least this is a good start. She then got a chocolate koala and some milk. Finally a smile out of Julia, I hugged and kissed her and told her what a good job she was doing.

It is hard being the bad parent and having the kids hate you, but if it means that they eat more food and get more variety, I suppose it is worth it.  How have you gone with temper tantrums at dinner and what has the outcome been?  Is there ways to make the tantrums end sooner than carry on? Do you know how, if so share your special secret ways with us.