Sunday 27 November 2011

Embrace your inner Ninja Turtle...

Hey, long time no see!

Welcome back for the next installment of Student Eats.

Today we are covering a very important topic. Its time to make that awesome thing called pizza.

Chicken and pineapple


Checklist
450g Self Raising Flour
90ml of olive oil
180ml warm water
1 tsp salt
Tomato puree
Mixed herbs
All purpose seasoning (optional for meat topping e.g. chicken)
Cheese
Topping of choice

1) Season and cook meat topping of choice e.g. chicken
2) Put flour and salt into a bowl, gradually mix in the oil and water until you have a dough ball
3) Kneed and roll out on a surface
4) Put the dough on a pizza/oven tray. Dont be scared to make a non pizza like shape, I molded the dough over a rectangle oven tray
5) Cover dough with tomato puree, a spinkle of mixed herbs, loads of grated cheese and the toppings of choice
6) Shove it in an oven on 200°C until cheese is melted (if you used a meat topping make sure it is cooked)


There you have it. Experiment with different toppings and let me know how it goes. So far I've tried chicken and pineapple, as well as ham and pineapple which is my favourite.


Check back soon for the next post
As always comments, suggestions and questions are welcome


Enjoy your eats


Wednesday 9 November 2011

In addition...

Hey folks,

This is just a quick post to add to my last entry about soup. Due to excessive ingredients (potato and leek) I tried a little experiment. Can you see where I'm going with this yet? I'll give you a little bit more time.....






That's right, its all about potato and leek soup!

Checklist
250g potato
250g of leek
Ingredients in the soup checklist, minus the carrot and coriander.

Follow the same method and prepare for yummy-ness

Now if you enjoy slightly chunky soup, when you smoosh it leave pieces of potato.
It goes great with bread and butter


Hope your enjoying the awesomeness of home made soup.

Check back soon for new posts


Enjoy your eats

Saturday 8 October 2011

Soup

Hey folks!

Its been a while since my last post so lets jump back in with soup. Its been very cold recently so soup is the perfect solution to get warm from the inside out and also for a cold, which I have right now =[

The recipe and method below is for Carrot and Coriander Soup



This is another simple and cheap recipe that uses fresh ingredients, so for those health nuts and calorie counting folk this is perfect for you, get on it!

Checklist
1lb Carrots
1 Potato
1 Leak (White end only)
1 Celery Stick
1 Onion
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Vegetable Stock Cube
Ground Coriander
Fresh Coriander (optional)
Salt and Pepper (optional)

1) Chop all the vegetables
2) Add olive oil in a pot and heat up
3) Add all the vegetables apart from the potato
4) Add 1tsp of ground coriander and fresh coriander stalks into a pot
3) Stir so they don't brown
4) After a few minutes add a pint of vegetable stock
5) Add sliced potato
6) Put a lid on it and cook for 20-30 mins
7) Once the vegetables are soft grab a hand blender and smoosh it ( yes i said smoosh, technical term)
8) Add water to get consitency of your liking
9) Add fresh coriander leaves (optional)
10) Add salt and pepper to taste

This recipes makes 5 servings so fridge some, freeze some,  or share it with your flat mates.

It doesnt stop there, try different vegetable combinations such as courgette instead of carrot. Just switch out the lb of carrots for a lb of a vegetable of your choosing.

There you have it. A tasty soup to beat away those cold blues. Check back soon for more recipes.

Questions, comments and suggestions welcome.

Thats it folks, enjoy your eats

Thursday 25 August 2011

Stir Fry Madness

Hey folks, welcome back for your 3rd installment of Student Eats.

Today its all about stir fry.


Now the great thing about stir fry is that you can put so many different things in it. The recipe below is just 1 of many ways to make a stir fry. So after trying this way get crazy and experiment with other ingredients.

Bags for life at the ready, its check list time

Checklist
Rice noodles
Bean sprouts
Broccoli
Carrots
Onion
Courgettes
All purpose seasoning (optional)
Sweet chili sauce/ Tomato pasta sauce/ Stir fry sauce (Try all of them, not together, DARE YOU!)

1) Chop all the vegetables
2) Grate carrots (optional, chop if preferred)
3) Add all vegetables apart from bean sprouts into a frying pan (Softens the veg as noodles and spouts cook quicker)
4) Lightly cover veg with seasoning (optional)
*remember to stir*
5) Once veg is soft add sprouts and noodles
6) Add sauce of choice and stir to make sure the sauce covers everything
7) Cook for 1-2 mins until noodles are soft and sauce is hot

This makes a great snack or a light lunch. Also goes great with meat for dinner. Give it a try and let me know how it goes.

Questions, comments and suggestions welcome.

Thats it folks, enjoy your eats

Tuesday 2 August 2011

Lasagne

Hey folks, its time for round two. Are you ready for this?
Today its all about that tasty little thing known as lasagne.



Warning: The following recipe is not for a traditional lasagne


Pen and paper at the ready..... ok here's what you will need

Checklist

Ingridients from Magic Mince Munchkins post
Lasagne sheets
Plain flour (4-5 tbsp)
3 oz butter
Salt
English mustard
Grated cheese
Milk

Follow the instructions from the previous post to prepare the mince. The method below is for the cheese sauce.

1) Melt the butter in a pan
2) Add small amounts of flour mixing as you go until smooth paste. Do this over heat
3) Gadually add milk, mixing as you go until all the milk and paste has blended
4) Add a pinch of salt and 2 tsp mustard
5) Gradually add grated cheese. Keep stiring for a smooth unburnt sauce and a good arm workout
6) Taste sauce, add cheese if needed, the cheesier the better I think, or milk if too thick

7) Take off the heat once it starts to thicken
8) Put alternating layers of mince and cheese sauce in a baking dish, seperated by lasagne sheets
9) Place a good amount of grated cheese on top, making sure it covers everything
10) Put in the oven and cook until sheets are soft. Melted slighty brown cheese on top is a good indicator. Do check it regulary so it doesnt burn


This goes down a treat if cooking for others. More for yourself if not. Remember fridge, some freeze some.


Thats all for today folks, check back soon for another post. Comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome. 

Enjoy your eats

Friday 15 July 2011

Magic Mince....Munchkins?

Ok here we go folks. This post is going to be about the magic of mince.



I say magic because it is cheap, easy and goes with so many other things. For example you can have it with rice, pasta, spaghetti or tortilla wraps.

You will need the following ingredients

Checklist

Mince
Onion
Pasta Sauce
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
All Purpose Seasoning
Sweet Chili Sauce
Jerk Seasoning (Optional)

Good old Tesco does a value pack of mince for £2. For the international readers any pack will do of course, so run to your local store and get some along with the rest of the items on the checklist. I'll sit here patiently and wait for you to get back. 

Ok everyone stand still for a head count...

Good everyone is back just in time.

1) Get the mince going in a saucepan on a medium heat. Stir occasionally so it cooks evenly.         Don't throw away the container you will need that later.

2) While thats going get ahead by chopping up an onion into small pieces. Try not to rub your     eyes as you probably have onion on them and it will make it worse. Safety first kids.

3) Once mince is coloured, not pink anymore, drain most of the fat into the container it came      in. Don't pour it down the sink as it can block it.

4) Add the onions and the mixed herbs as well as just a dash of salt, pepper and sugar.

5) Add a light covering of all purpose seasoning and sweet chili sauce.

6) Add a tsp jerk seasoning for a little kick.

7) Add pasta sauce.


8) Remember people, stir stir stir. You want all the flavours to spread into the mince.


Taste test time! Are you excited yet? Add extra seasoning if needed to get it to your liking.

It is good to cook more than needed. Fridge some, freeze some. Words to live by I think. You are now sorted for most of the week. Remember mix it up a bit with the suggestions above.

Thats all folks. Enjoy your eats =]

Thursday 14 July 2011

Well this is new...

Hey, I'm Josie and welcome to my blog about student cooking
I thought I'd start this mini adventure with a small back story

*FLASHBACK*

"Wow im living away from home....awesome!" Yes the thought of many a student until it hits you, "I have to cook for myself now". I still went down the typical student diet of super noodles, cheese on toast and soup.


Boy does that get boring after a while, I started craving something more, something better, plus I was the only person that hadn't really cooked yet in my flat. I was on a mission to impress, I needed to prove to myself and my flatmates that I could cook.


Now with 1st year behind me I have learnt great recipes that I'd like to pass on to students and anyone on a budget. That folks is how I landed here.


Stay tuned for recipes.