Entice Issue 2

Issue 2 / Autumn 2007

FAMILY FAVOURITES...MEATBALLS, PIZZA, BOLOGNAISE AND MORE

TEMPT THE KIDS TO THE TABLE!

Entice your children to the table with these family favourites, they’re easy to make and easy to enjoy. Meatballs, bolognaise, lasagne, cottage pie – all of these delicious meals can be made ahead and frozen until you need them, perfect for when you don’t have time to cook!

If you have a busy household it can be a nightmare getting dinner on the table some nights. With so many activities, appointments and commitments busy mums are not only stretched for time, they can be stretched for ideas too.

Take the pressure off with these do-ahead dishes, and when you rush in the door all you’ll need to do is heat, serve and enjoy!

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Entice your children to the table with these family favourites, they’re easy to make and easy to enjoy. Meatballs, bolognaise, lasagne, cottage pie – all of these delicious meals can be made ahead and frozen until you need them, perfect for when you don’t have time to cook!

If you have a busy household it can be a nightmare getting dinner on the table some nights. With so many activities, appointments and commitments busy mums are not only stretched for time, they can be stretched for ideas too.

Take the pressure off with these do-ahead dishes, and when you rush in the door all you’ll need to do is heat, serve and enjoy!

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03

DINNER TONIGHT…PASTA WITH BOLOGNAISE TIPS FOR A GREAT TASTING BOLOGNAISE SAUCE You may need to cook the mince in two batches To start the sauce, heat a pan until moderately hot and add a batch of mince, being careful not to crowd the pan. Crumble the mince over the base of the pan rather than adding it in one clump.

As the mince cooks, break up lumps with a fork Let this first side of the mince sear lightly before using a fork to break up the larger pieces. As it cooks, tilt the pan slightly and spoon away the liquid – this helps brown the mince. Using a moderately high heat will also help any water to evaporate.

When is it ready?

The completed sauce should have enough body so that the liquid doesn’t separate when it’s added to the pasta.

It shouldn’t be too thick either – the bolognaise sauce should coat the pasta.

Brown the mince carefully before adding the sauce Once the liquid has been removed from the pan the mince can then begin to brown. It will begin to cook fairly quickly at this stage, so keep it moving to ensure it browns evenly but doesn’t dry out. Repeat this step with any remaining batches of mince.

If you’ve got time, don’t hurry the process – reducing the sauce gives it flavour Return all the mince to the pan with the sauce ingredients. The mixture should simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes – if not 25 or 30 minutes will be near as good. If you speed up the process and the sauce reduces too much and becomes dry, add 1/2 to 1 cup of water.

PLAN AHEAD, MAKE THESE FAMILY FAVOURITES NOW… ‘HEAT AND SERVE’ LATER 500g of beef mince and a 750ml bottle of tomato pasta sauce will feed four, so double your ingredients to make two meals. Serve up half that night, and freeze the other half. Or take one quantity of the bolognaise to make the following favourites, that you can also make up and freeze.

COTTAGE PIE

LASAGNE (AN EASY VERSION)

You’ll need 1 quantity of bolognaise to serve 4

You’ll need 1 quantity of bolognaise to serve 4

Cook the bolognaise sauce until it is just a little drier than you would normally serve over pasta.

Add 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables.

Lightly grease a (ovenproof/freezer safe) shallow baking dish.

Lightly grease a (ovenproof/freezer safe) shallow baking dish or six individual freezer to oven containers.

Spoon the mince mixture over the base of the dish or dishes. Make some mashed potato (about 1kg potatoes) or use a mix of potato and pumpkin for the topping. Season the mash well and add a little butter or grated cheese. Dollop and then roughly spread the mash over the mince. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.

To use defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

Beef mince, onion, garlic, bottled tomato pasta sauce, basil, pasta…shopping’s done!

Brown mince, add onion and garlic, add sauce and basil, simmer, cook pasta…dinner’s ready!

To reheat, remove the plastic wrap, rough the mash up a little with a fork, and sprinkle with extra grated cheese. Cook uncovered in a moderate oven 180°C for about 30–40 minutes (large cottage pie) or 20 minutes (individual pies) or until thoroughly hot.

Place a couple of spoons of bolognaise over the base of the dish and spread it around (this stops the pasta sticking to the dish).

Layer a 375g packet of fresh pasta sheets with the bolognaise sauce. Finish with a layer of sauce.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.

To use defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

To reheat, remove the plastic wrap. Combine a 300ml carton of thickened cream with about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan and pour over the lasagne.

Cook covered in a moderate oven 180°C for about 30 minutes. Uncover the dish, sprinkle with a little more cheese and cook a further 10 minutes or until thoroughly hot.

Add some extra goodness…the kids’ll never even know it!

Mums are often looking for ways to include extra vegetables in their kids’ meals, the following idea works a treat. Grate a small zucchini and carrot, and finely chop a handful of fresh mushrooms. After you’ve cooked the onion for your bolognaise sauce add the vegies, cook stirring for about 3 minutes or until they are quite soft. Then add the browned mince and tomato pasta sauce, simmer as usual.

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DINNER TONIGHT…PASTA WITH BOLOGNAISE TIPS FOR A GREAT TASTING BOLOGNAISE SAUCE You may need to cook the mince in two batches To start the sauce, heat a pan until moderately hot and add a batch of mince, being careful not to crowd the pan. Crumble the mince over the base of the pan rather than adding it in one clump.

As the mince cooks, break up lumps with a fork Let this first side of the mince sear lightly before using a fork to break up the larger pieces. As it cooks, tilt the pan slightly and spoon away the liquid – this helps brown the mince. Using a moderately high heat will also help any water to evaporate.

When is it ready?

The completed sauce should have enough body so that the liquid doesn’t separate when it’s added to the pasta.

It shouldn’t be too thick either – the bolognaise sauce should coat the pasta.

Brown the mince carefully before adding the sauce Once the liquid has been removed from the pan the mince can then begin to brown. It will begin to cook fairly quickly at this stage, so keep it moving to ensure it browns evenly but doesn’t dry out. Repeat this step with any remaining batches of mince.

If you’ve got time, don’t hurry the process – reducing the sauce gives it flavour Return all the mince to the pan with the sauce ingredients. The mixture should simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes – if not 25 or 30 minutes will be near as good. If you speed up the process and the sauce reduces too much and becomes dry, add 1/2 to 1 cup of water.

PLAN AHEAD, MAKE THESE FAMILY FAVOURITES NOW… ‘HEAT AND SERVE’ LATER 500g of beef mince and a 750ml bottle of tomato pasta sauce will feed four, so double your ingredients to make two meals. Serve up half that night, and freeze the other half. Or take one quantity of the bolognaise to make the following favourites, that you can also make up and freeze.

COTTAGE PIE

LASAGNE (AN EASY VERSION)

You’ll need 1 quantity of bolognaise to serve 4

You’ll need 1 quantity of bolognaise to serve 4

Cook the bolognaise sauce until it is just a little drier than you would normally serve over pasta.

Add 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables.

Lightly grease a (ovenproof/freezer safe) shallow baking dish.

Lightly grease a (ovenproof/freezer safe) shallow baking dish or six individual freezer to oven containers.

Spoon the mince mixture over the base of the dish or dishes. Make some mashed potato (about 1kg potatoes) or use a mix of potato and pumpkin for the topping. Season the mash well and add a little butter or grated cheese. Dollop and then roughly spread the mash over the mince. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.

To use defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

Beef mince, onion, garlic, bottled tomato pasta sauce, basil, pasta…shopping’s done!

Brown mince, add onion and garlic, add sauce and basil, simmer, cook pasta…dinner’s ready!

To reheat, remove the plastic wrap, rough the mash up a little with a fork, and sprinkle with extra grated cheese. Cook uncovered in a moderate oven 180°C for about 30–40 minutes (large cottage pie) or 20 minutes (individual pies) or until thoroughly hot.

Place a couple of spoons of bolognaise over the base of the dish and spread it around (this stops the pasta sticking to the dish).

Layer a 375g packet of fresh pasta sheets with the bolognaise sauce. Finish with a layer of sauce.

Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze.

To use defrost in the refrigerator overnight.

To reheat, remove the plastic wrap. Combine a 300ml carton of thickened cream with about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan and pour over the lasagne.

Cook covered in a moderate oven 180°C for about 30 minutes. Uncover the dish, sprinkle with a little more cheese and cook a further 10 minutes or until thoroughly hot.

Add some extra goodness…the kids’ll never even know it!

Mums are often looking for ways to include extra vegetables in their kids’ meals, the following idea works a treat. Grate a small zucchini and carrot, and finely chop a handful of fresh mushrooms. After you’ve cooked the onion for your bolognaise sauce add the vegies, cook stirring for about 3 minutes or until they are quite soft. Then add the browned mince and tomato pasta sauce, simmer as usual.

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KIDS JUST LOVE ’EM…SAUSAGES THAT IS! Sausages for little hands – twist and turn and one becomes two Kids love little sausages. Make longer beef sausages more manageable by twisting and turning the sausage in the middle to make two smaller ones. Snip in the middle with scissors, then grill, barbecue or pan-fry.

STICKY GLAZE FOR SAUSAGES Preheat oven to moderate 180°C. Combine 1/4 cup each of honey and mild seeded mustard in a large bowl, add 750g to 1kg thin beef sausages and mix well to coat sausages with glaze.

Place sausages on a baking paper lined oven tray (tip in any glaze), cook for 15 minutes until sausages are golden and cooked through.

EASY STYLE TURKISH BREAD PIZZA

BEEF QUESADILLAS

1 quantity of bolognaise will make 8 pizzas.

You’ll need 2 soft flour tortillas for each quesadilla, and some grated tasty cheese.

Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200°C. Split 4 Turkish bread rolls in half, spread each with a little tomato paste. Place on an oven tray, spoon about 1/3 cup bolognaise sauce over each.

Sprinkle each with some chopped pimento stuffed olives and crumbled feta. Cook for 10 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle a little parsley or salad leaves over the pizza to serve.

Freezer standby Make a batch of bolognaise sauce ahead of time and freeze it. It’s a good idea to cook it until it’s just a little drier than you would normally serve over pasta, as you’re teaming the meat sauce with breads you don’t want it too wet. Defrost the bolognaise overnight in the fridge or microwave

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Three quick and easy ‘dunking sauces’

Simply whisk the ingredients together: – 1/2 cup sour cream or mayonnaise, 1 tbsp of chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice – 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp mild seedy mustard – 1/3 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup mild sweet chilli sauce and 2 tbsp orange juice

Butcher’s tips for cooking sausages Don’t pierce sausages before or during cooking. If you prick good quality sausages you let all the moisture and the flavour out.

Cook sausages slowly over a moderate heat, if you cook them too fast over a higher heat the skins may burst. Cooking them slowly and turning them regularly helps them brown well all over.

Simmering sausages in water before barbecuing them will keep them moist and helps them cook right through on the high heat of the barbecue, (this is a good tip for fatter style sausages).

1 quantity of bolognaise will make 4-6 quesadillas.

Heat a pan that’s roughly the same diameter as the tortillas (they’re usually about 20cm round) over a moderately high heat. Brush the pan with a little oil, add a tortilla, and flip the tortilla a few times to warm it. Now sprinke about 1/4 cup grated cheese over the top.

Add about 1/3 cup of the bolognaise, spread it out and top with the second tortilla. Reduce the heat to medium, cook for a minute or so to brown the base and melt the cheese, turn the tortilla over to the other side and cook a further minute or two. Adjust the heat if the pan begins to smoke. Cut the cooked quesadillas in triangles to serve.

What are Quesadillas you may ask?

Quesadillas are toasted tortillas with melted cheese inside (Spanish in origin), teamed with our bolognaise sauce they’re delicious.

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KIDS JUST LOVE ’EM…SAUSAGES THAT IS! Sausages for little hands – twist and turn and one becomes two Kids love little sausages. Make longer beef sausages more manageable by twisting and turning the sausage in the middle to make two smaller ones. Snip in the middle with scissors, then grill, barbecue or pan-fry.

STICKY GLAZE FOR SAUSAGES Preheat oven to moderate 180°C. Combine 1/4 cup each of honey and mild seeded mustard in a large bowl, add 750g to 1kg thin beef sausages and mix well to coat sausages with glaze.

Place sausages on a baking paper lined oven tray (tip in any glaze), cook for 15 minutes until sausages are golden and cooked through.

EASY STYLE TURKISH BREAD PIZZA

BEEF QUESADILLAS

1 quantity of bolognaise will make 8 pizzas.

You’ll need 2 soft flour tortillas for each quesadilla, and some grated tasty cheese.

Preheat the oven to moderately hot 200°C. Split 4 Turkish bread rolls in half, spread each with a little tomato paste. Place on an oven tray, spoon about 1/3 cup bolognaise sauce over each.

Sprinkle each with some chopped pimento stuffed olives and crumbled feta. Cook for 10 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle a little parsley or salad leaves over the pizza to serve.

Freezer standby Make a batch of bolognaise sauce ahead of time and freeze it. It’s a good idea to cook it until it’s just a little drier than you would normally serve over pasta, as you’re teaming the meat sauce with breads you don’t want it too wet. Defrost the bolognaise overnight in the fridge or microwave

06

Three quick and easy ‘dunking sauces’

Simply whisk the ingredients together: – 1/2 cup sour cream or mayonnaise, 1 tbsp of chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice – 1/4 cup honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp mild seedy mustard – 1/3 cup tomato sauce, 1/4 cup mild sweet chilli sauce and 2 tbsp orange juice

Butcher’s tips for cooking sausages Don’t pierce sausages before or during cooking. If you prick good quality sausages you let all the moisture and the flavour out.

Cook sausages slowly over a moderate heat, if you cook them too fast over a higher heat the skins may burst. Cooking them slowly and turning them regularly helps them brown well all over.

Simmering sausages in water before barbecuing them will keep them moist and helps them cook right through on the high heat of the barbecue, (this is a good tip for fatter style sausages).

1 quantity of bolognaise will make 4-6 quesadillas.

Heat a pan that’s roughly the same diameter as the tortillas (they’re usually about 20cm round) over a moderately high heat. Brush the pan with a little oil, add a tortilla, and flip the tortilla a few times to warm it. Now sprinke about 1/4 cup grated cheese over the top.

Add about 1/3 cup of the bolognaise, spread it out and top with the second tortilla. Reduce the heat to medium, cook for a minute or so to brown the base and melt the cheese, turn the tortilla over to the other side and cook a further minute or two. Adjust the heat if the pan begins to smoke. Cut the cooked quesadillas in triangles to serve.

What are Quesadillas you may ask?

Quesadillas are toasted tortillas with melted cheese inside (Spanish in origin), teamed with our bolognaise sauce they’re delicious.

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MAKE RISSOLES FROM THE MEATBALL MIX Replace the garlic in the meatball mixture with a small chopped onion and replace the basil with lots of chopped parsley, add a splash of tomato sauce. Or try our other flavour ideas below.

Make the rissoles a little larger than you would meatballs, shape them to be more elongated than round. Roll the rissoles lightly in flour and shallow-fry in batches over a medium high heat, until golden and cooked through.

It’s all in the mix… making flavoursome rissoles Season the beef mince mixture with fresh or dried herbs, sea salt flakes and pepper, tomato sauce and a good splash of soy sauce or even grated lemon rind. Chopped capers or gherkins, chopped pimento stuffed olives – anything that’s in the fridge or store cupboard could be a flavour contender.

Little rissoles with a surprise filling Make the rissoles a little larger and when you shape them, add a little cube of mozzarella cheese inside. Roll the rissoles in flour and carefully brown in olive oil until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with creamy mashed potato and vegies on the side.

Take care that the kids know the cheese filling may be hot.

MAKING MEATBALLS… OUR BEST-EVER RECIPE

MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

Makes about 26 meatballs.

Place a 750ml bottle tomato pasta sauce, 1 cup beef stock and a few basil leaves in a wide heavy based pan, bring to the boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.

Tear 2 slices thick white Italian-style bread (crusts removed) into small pieces, place in a bowl, and pour over 1/3 cup milk and 1 tbsp olive oil.

Set aside until bread absorbs most of the liquid.

Mix with a fork.

Place 400g lean beef mince, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 cup grated parmesan and a little chopped basil in a large bowl, add the bread mixture, season with salt and pepper. Using your hand bring the mixture together and mix until combined.

Carefully spoon the meatballs into the sauce and cook uncovered for about 10–12 minutes or until meatballs are cooked (depending on the size of the pan the meatballs may need to be gently turned while cooking).

Shape small spoonfuls of mixture into small meatballs. Cook meatballs in tomato sauce for pasta (see right) or roll lightly in plain flour and shallow-fry in batches over a medium high heat until golden and cooked through.

While meatballs are cooking, cook pasta.

Serve pasta with a spoonful of the tomato sauce and spoon over a few meatballs.

Freezer standby…meatballs make everyone happy!

Try these ideas

Take the meatball mix and roll it into small meatballs.

Cook them until lightly golden. Cool, and then freeze meatballs in small containers. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven until thoroughly hot or pop them into a pasta sauce to cook.

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Have the tomato sauce at simmering point, not any higher or meatballs may break apart.

Serve the meatballs in a minestrone style soup.

Roll them up with flatbreads, salad and dips like hummus.

Team them with tomato sauce, mashed potato, and a green vegie like beans.

Present them with a dipping sauce of soy and tomato sauce and a dunking dip of sour cream and chives.

P.S. Pop them in the kids’ lunch box too!

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MAKE RISSOLES FROM THE MEATBALL MIX Replace the garlic in the meatball mixture with a small chopped onion and replace the basil with lots of chopped parsley, add a splash of tomato sauce. Or try our other flavour ideas below.

Make the rissoles a little larger than you would meatballs, shape them to be more elongated than round. Roll the rissoles lightly in flour and shallow-fry in batches over a medium high heat, until golden and cooked through.

It’s all in the mix… making flavoursome rissoles Season the beef mince mixture with fresh or dried herbs, sea salt flakes and pepper, tomato sauce and a good splash of soy sauce or even grated lemon rind. Chopped capers or gherkins, chopped pimento stuffed olives – anything that’s in the fridge or store cupboard could be a flavour contender.

Little rissoles with a surprise filling Make the rissoles a little larger and when you shape them, add a little cube of mozzarella cheese inside. Roll the rissoles in flour and carefully brown in olive oil until golden brown and cooked through.

Serve with creamy mashed potato and vegies on the side.

Take care that the kids know the cheese filling may be hot.

MAKING MEATBALLS… OUR BEST-EVER RECIPE

MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA

Makes about 26 meatballs.

Place a 750ml bottle tomato pasta sauce, 1 cup beef stock and a few basil leaves in a wide heavy based pan, bring to the boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.

Tear 2 slices thick white Italian-style bread (crusts removed) into small pieces, place in a bowl, and pour over 1/3 cup milk and 1 tbsp olive oil.

Set aside until bread absorbs most of the liquid.

Mix with a fork.

Place 400g lean beef mince, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 cup grated parmesan and a little chopped basil in a large bowl, add the bread mixture, season with salt and pepper. Using your hand bring the mixture together and mix until combined.

Carefully spoon the meatballs into the sauce and cook uncovered for about 10–12 minutes or until meatballs are cooked (depending on the size of the pan the meatballs may need to be gently turned while cooking).

Shape small spoonfuls of mixture into small meatballs. Cook meatballs in tomato sauce for pasta (see right) or roll lightly in plain flour and shallow-fry in batches over a medium high heat until golden and cooked through.

While meatballs are cooking, cook pasta.

Serve pasta with a spoonful of the tomato sauce and spoon over a few meatballs.

Freezer standby…meatballs make everyone happy!

Try these ideas

Take the meatball mix and roll it into small meatballs.

Cook them until lightly golden. Cool, and then freeze meatballs in small containers. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat them in the oven until thoroughly hot or pop them into a pasta sauce to cook.

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Have the tomato sauce at simmering point, not any higher or meatballs may break apart.

Serve the meatballs in a minestrone style soup.

Roll them up with flatbreads, salad and dips like hummus.

Team them with tomato sauce, mashed potato, and a green vegie like beans.

Present them with a dipping sauce of soy and tomato sauce and a dunking dip of sour cream and chives.

P.S. Pop them in the kids’ lunch box too!

09

Butcher’s tips for the right cut Buy stir-fry beef strips or use these beef cuts to make your own – beef fillet, rib eye/scotch fillet, sirloin, rump, round and blade.

Thinly slice the beef across the diagonal to use.

USING BEEF STRIPS MEANS YOU CAN COOK DINNER IN A FLASH EASY BEEF STROGANOFF Coat 600g beef strips with 2 tbsp oil. Preheat a large, heavy based frying pan until moderately hot; cook the beef in two batches until just done.

Remove beef and set aside. Add 30g butter to the pan and a small finely chopped onion, cook until soft, then add 250g of thinly sliced mushrooms, cook until tender.

Add 2/3 cup of beef stock and 2 tbsp of tomato paste, stir to combine and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in a 250ml carton of light sour cream combined with 1 tsp of cornflour. Stir until well combined, simmer for 1 minute. Season well with salt and pepper, return beef to pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve with egg noodles.

Butcher’s tip for cooking beef strips When cooking beef strips cook the first side until the first sign of moisture appears on the uncooked side, then turn and cook the other side to complete the cooking. This way the beef strips will brown well, and the meat will be tender.

EASY TO PREPARE AND EASY TO ENJOY…BEEF FAJITAS ARE SO TASTY BEEF FAJITAS

It’s a wrap…your choices for roll-ups

Coat 600g beef strips with 2 tbsp oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp each ground cumin and sweet paprika, season well with salt and pepper.

Soft flour tortillas are available from the supermarket in the Mexican food section. They come in long-life sealed packs so are great to have on standby in the cupboard. You can warm the tortillas by microwaving them for a few seconds or by placing on a char-grill plate or barbecue flat plate for about 10 seconds.

Preheat a large, heavy based frying pan until moderately hot; cook the beef in two batches. Remove beef from pan and set aside.

Add shredded red onion and shredded red and green capsicum to the pan, cook for 1 minute.

Return beef to pan, stir to warm and squeeze the juice from a fresh lime over the beef. Remove beef from pan immediately.

To serve, spread warmed or char-grilled tortillas with sour cream or tomato salsa, shredded lettuce and cheese, top with warm beef strips.

Roll up and enjoy. Serve with lime wedges.

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Other choices are pita pockets, Lebanese bread and lavash bread, these are probably best served on the day you buy them, but you can freshen them up by placing in foil and warming in a moderate oven for a few minutes.

Kids love roll-ups – it can sometimes be messy, but if you serve up a meal they can they’ll eat it with

‘eat in hand’

gusto (just supply lots of

paper napkins).

11

Butcher’s tips for the right cut Buy stir-fry beef strips or use these beef cuts to make your own – beef fillet, rib eye/scotch fillet, sirloin, rump, round and blade.

Thinly slice the beef across the diagonal to use.

USING BEEF STRIPS MEANS YOU CAN COOK DINNER IN A FLASH EASY BEEF STROGANOFF Coat 600g beef strips with 2 tbsp oil. Preheat a large, heavy based frying pan until moderately hot; cook the beef in two batches until just done.

Remove beef and set aside. Add 30g butter to the pan and a small finely chopped onion, cook until soft, then add 250g of thinly sliced mushrooms, cook until tender.

Add 2/3 cup of beef stock and 2 tbsp of tomato paste, stir to combine and bring to the boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in a 250ml carton of light sour cream combined with 1 tsp of cornflour. Stir until well combined, simmer for 1 minute. Season well with salt and pepper, return beef to pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve with egg noodles.

Butcher’s tip for cooking beef strips When cooking beef strips cook the first side until the first sign of moisture appears on the uncooked side, then turn and cook the other side to complete the cooking. This way the beef strips will brown well, and the meat will be tender.

EASY TO PREPARE AND EASY TO ENJOY…BEEF FAJITAS ARE SO TASTY BEEF FAJITAS

It’s a wrap…your choices for roll-ups

Coat 600g beef strips with 2 tbsp oil, sprinkle with 1 tsp each ground cumin and sweet paprika, season well with salt and pepper.

Soft flour tortillas are available from the supermarket in the Mexican food section. They come in long-life sealed packs so are great to have on standby in the cupboard. You can warm the tortillas by microwaving them for a few seconds or by placing on a char-grill plate or barbecue flat plate for about 10 seconds.

Preheat a large, heavy based frying pan until moderately hot; cook the beef in two batches. Remove beef from pan and set aside.

Add shredded red onion and shredded red and green capsicum to the pan, cook for 1 minute.

Return beef to pan, stir to warm and squeeze the juice from a fresh lime over the beef. Remove beef from pan immediately.

To serve, spread warmed or char-grilled tortillas with sour cream or tomato salsa, shredded lettuce and cheese, top with warm beef strips.

Roll up and enjoy. Serve with lime wedges.

10

Other choices are pita pockets, Lebanese bread and lavash bread, these are probably best served on the day you buy them, but you can freshen them up by placing in foil and warming in a moderate oven for a few minutes.

Kids love roll-ups – it can sometimes be messy, but if you serve up a meal they can they’ll eat it with

‘eat in hand’

gusto (just supply lots of

paper napkins).

11

Monday...Cottage

pie, Tuesday...Rissoles, Wednesday...Lasagne,

Thursday...Sausages (with yummy dunking sauces),

Friday...Easy

beef pizza, Saturday...Beef stroganoff, Sunday...Meatballs and pasta.

Favourite meal ideas...for busy family schedules.

Surprise t he Kids wit h e B e f Tonight

For more delicious recipes, cooking tips and to contact us visit www.themainmeal.com.au

Surprise the Kids with

Photographs on pages 3 and 12 courtesy of David Leahy and Cristian Barnett