Winter Warmers

[Planet 24]

Now winter has arrived with a vengeance I was wondering what favourite recipe/meal you dig out as a winter warmer?
I am not a good cook so could do with some help here.:huh:

[Sparrow]

I always like stews and casseroles in this weather - more cos they are in the oven for a couple of hours so they make the house smell yummy and feel warm and cosy!! :lol:

I always cheat with stews and casseroles - i use a packet mix !!

[Planet 24]

mmm that sounds yummy, I think I'll have to give that a go.
I have just found the sandwich toaster so that's a start.;)

[tonica]

We have stew aswell , im vegetarian so i make a veggie stew with veggie dumplings and my hubby has beef in his ;)

[Sparrow]

Try these Planet :)

http://www.schwartz.co.uk/recipedetail.cfm?ID=10736

http://www.schwartz.co.uk/recipedetail.cfm?ID=1043

http://www.schwartz.co.uk/productdetail.cfm?ID=5252

http://www.schwartz.co.uk/productdetail.cfm?ID=5011

http://www.schwartz.co.uk/productdetail.cfm?ID=5010


all using packet mixes :lol:

[er 59]

sausage casserole is simple to make and quiet nice i like stews when its cold i add a couple of spoons of curry powder or a tin of muligatawny /oxtail soup gives it a nice flavour :)

[mazza]

Casserole/stew definitely P, it's so easy.

I can even make it and I am not often able to cook (ME tiredness) so i think you'll be ok trying it.

All you need to do is just put whatever meat & veg you want in, esp onion carrot and celery...mushrooms. I prefer beef as it's quite cheap to buy. British beef is best.

I add about two oxo cubes and cover the lot with water. I also add some 'bisto best' gravy granules - it saves coating and frying everything before putting in the oven and thickens the casserole up. Add a bay leaf and a bouquet garni & black pepper and that's that. (no need for salt as the gravy cubes do that) .

Then, slow heat (say, 140 c oven or about gas 4 or even 3 ) for as long as possible really. At least 2 and a half hrs, three even better. Meat will be dead soft - and you have the added benefit that the house is extra warmed by the oven for that long.

I used to use packet mixes but realised what's the point as the gravy cubes, granules, bay and bouquet garni are so nice and end up more economical in the long run :) . You could also add a slug of red wine, but I don't really drink so never have any lurking about to use.

Packet chicken casserole mix is nice - I do still use that one :) .

[Planet 24]

My son bought me a slow cooker for Xmas so I have to get up and running with it.:) Can I do a casserole in that?
We eat a lot of chicken but my son said rabbit stew is really good. Anyone tried that?
Obviously bought game and not somebodys pet.:( I dont eat beef it gives me a headache.

[mazza]

Slow cooker is perfect P :thumbs: . Plonk everything in in the am, and it'll be ready by tea time and sooooo nice :D .

I don't really eat rabbit, but lots of people say it's lovely and I can imagine it would make a great stew casserole thingy along the same lines as mine :) .

[Beth]

I hate cooking and am a veggie and my fav warm food of all time, is perfect for when I get in from work freezing my bits off and its dead quick :lol:

hienz tomato soup in a big bowl with cubes of cheese and crisps crushed on top :D :D

[Annabel]

:lol: beth - I always go for Heinz tomato soup any time i feel like something really lovely and comforting.

i just empty the tin into a nice big cup, microwave it until hot and then retire to my bed with it.

Mazza, your recipe sounds great, I will deffo try that!

p24, you can do so much with a slow cooker, chicken pieces, mushrooms and a chicken chasseur packet mix in the slow cooker would be great, I suspect.

i make a nice stew with chicken pieces and green beans, but mine is a really quick job in a pan on top of the stove.

[StoneHenge]

I love stews. We have a multi fuel stove and I've been meaning to get a pot going on it for tea for ages now it's on non stop.

I do like a good thick soup as well. Asda's own 'Big Soups' are really nice, especially the chilli beef and rice and spicy sausage, and thick vegetable ones. Really yummy with a nice slice of bloomer or baguette fresh baked (one of those part baked ones so you can keep them for ages sealed).


All dead easy to do.

Beth that sounds lovely! I might have to try that one!

[Isis]

I used to like Beef Cobbler, you can imagine what we used to call it, it is warm and tasts great, and I particlarly liked the "scones" round it, I don't have the receipe anymore as I chucked a load of them out, including all my cooking with chocolate books but I am sure you could find a receipe for it on the internet, i used to double the amount of liquid i made, as it can be quite solid and if there is one thing that i love its gravey, i have my food swimming in it. Or another favourite was home made Steak Ale and Mushroom pie, I still may have the receipe for it, I will have a look, but i used to cheat and use frozen pastry, in fact a chef I knew told me to use frozen pastry as she said it was almost as good as home made.

[Planet 24]

I am definitely going to try to do some good home cooking this year. I am a TV dinner queen and although some of them can be tasty, they are not satisfying and not all that good for you are they?

I'm also going to get a trolley so I can 'carry' the plates without dropping them. What with mobility probs and butter fingers, I already have a tabasco coloured rug and it wasnt intentional.:lol:

[Beth]

:chef: there are some lovely tasty suggestions there :chef:

I think a slow cooker is a good idea :)

[QueenofSheba]

One recipe I adore as it is really tasty and only takes 25 minutes from start to finish is Tuna Crisp

The recipe is:
1 small Tuna Tin (drained)
1 large Sweetcorn tin (drained)
1 tin condensed mushroom soup (and I don't even like mushrooms)
1 packet of crisps (plain is best)

First open all tin, drain excess liquid and mix in small casserole dish.
Take half the crisps and lightly crush them
Mix crushed crisps into the casserole dish
Top with rest of crisps

Cook for 20 minutes on 200oC

Then enjoy (can be re-heated)

I know that it might not sound nice but try it, it's honestly tasty.

[mazza]

I'm definitely going to give that a go!! I always have those things in my cupboard :thumbs: . Thanks QoS :) .

[Sparrow]

Theres loads of recipes for winter warmers on this site Planet :)

http://www.matlockmercury.co.uk/cooks/Winter-Warmer-Recipes.3492386.jp :eatin:

[Planet 24]

Thank you Sparrow :) Now they look tasty!:eat:

[mazza]

:thumbs: to QoS!

I tried the recipe - I love how dead simple it is :) .

It worked out lovely, and everyone tried it and liked it too - result!! :D

[QueenofSheba]

I've got loads of wierd recipes like that if anybody wants I'll post the recipe for Baked Bean Lasagne. It's also gorgeous and quick.:D

[Annabel]

Nigella Lawson has the most easy minestrone soup in her latest book, as follows:

tin of choppped tomatoes in own juice (or jar of pasta sauce)
tin of mixed beans, drained
750 ml of hot stock (chicken/veg)
100g of small pasta shapes


throw the first three ingredients into a pan, bring to boil, then add the pasta. cook until pasta is done.

then eat.

really great!:eatin:

[Planet 24]

Sounds great!! I could get hooked on this cooking lark :yes:

[lotus eater]

We have stew aswell , im vegetarian so i make a veggie stew with veggie dumplings and my hubby has beef in his ;)


Hi tonica

I make veggie stew as well. I love dumplings but have never attempted to make them. How do you make veggie dumplings?

LE

[Beth]

some lovely sounding ideas, only down side.....I dont do cooking :lol: :lol:

might have to get hubby in the kitchen :D ;)

[Planet 24]

I did a shepherds pie tonight and used crisps on top instead of mash and it wasnt bad - which is something for me as I am hopeless in the kitchen.:lol:

Thank QoS for the tip on using crisps, I guess you can use it on any meal as a topping.
Im going to give the slow cooker a go tomorrow, I'm using chicken so fingers crossed it all goes well.:)

[er 59]

Good luck with the cooking planet ive never tried crisps on top of shepherds pie i usually grate cheese onto the potato and put thin slices of tomato on top might have to try the crisps though :eatin:

[Planet 24]

I'm allergic to cheese so I really miss out on a lot of savouries.:(

[Annabel]

On Monday I made the most lovely topping for a baked potato, even if I do say so myself.

It was with bits of leftovers as well, as follows:

half an onion, diced
one red pepper chopped up chunkily
about four rashers of bacon cut into strips

fry all the above in a pan - you only need a drop of oil in the bottom of the pan. the pan needs to be quite hot, so that the ingredients sizzle when they go in - let the ingredients sit in the pan- dont stir too much, so that they caramelise. when the bacon is cooked through, put on your baked potato and scoff!

we put a knob of butter on our potatoes and grated a bit of cheese over the top for extra tastiness, but you can leave both out it wont matter.

that topping could also be used with pasta, i reckon it would be lovely with spaghetti.

we had plenty of topping for two of us from just that small amount of ingredient.

[Isis]

if you really want to splash out with a baked potato, I used to make this. Yummm

Wash your potato then stabbed it with a fork then cover it with kitchen roll, and micro wave for about 10 mins. While your potato is microwaving put the oven on high I normally shove it on at Gas 6, then when you potato his pinged, take out remove kitchen roll, someimes it does get stuck to the potato. Bung in oven for about 1 hour, turn potato over after 1/2 an hour when they come out the skins should be crispy and middle soft.

Now for the best bit,

Chop up a few rashers of bacon
Chop up a few mushrooms
Chop up 1 onion
(depends on how many people you are making this for)

Cook these however you normally cook them. Then when the potato is done split open and bung in the cooked bacon, mushrooms and onions into the potato, then cover the whole lot with cheese and grill. It makes a cheap and nice meal.

[mazza]

I came on to mention baked tatties too - another simple hot meal with whatever you like on top! My littlest lad just loves baked beans with his - simple, classic :) .

We'll be having baked tatties tonight! :eat:

[Beth]

I used to do potatoes, but never have the time these days

cook the spuds like jackets, heat up some beans and scoop out the middles of the spuds, mix it with the beans and some cheese (optional) put the mixture back into the spud skins and top with grated cheese bung back in the oven for 10mins

very yummy but can be messy to make ;)

[Planet 24]

Chicken Chasseur tonight (one of the cook in sauces - I'm not cordon bleu more cookin' blue :whistle:) - hope it goes ok with the new slow cooker then it will be ooh la la all the way.;)

[Annabel]

THat should work really well P24 - have you chucked in a few mushrooms with the chicken and the sauce mix?

[Planet 24]

No I have some in maybe I should put some in now - It's been on an 30mins - will it be ok to put them in now?

[Annabel]

yes!:lol: honestly arent you hopeless!:pif they are button mushrooms put them in whole,otherwise cut them in half.:cool: or in the case of field mushrooms, in quarters...

[Planet 24]

Annabel dont get complicated on me, my brain cant take these culinary terms :lol: - I dont know a button from a field, well, I do but not in breeds of mushrooms, :lol:these are just small white things?

[sp54]

Annabel dont get complicated on me, my brain cant take these culinary terms :lol: - I dont know a button from a field, well, I do but not in breeds of mushrooms, :lol:these are just small white things?

:lol::hihi::wow:
Small and white sound like button ones to me, P :doh::chef:

I thought I was bad :lol:

[mazza]

Just chuck em in P, they'll be fine and yummy whatever you do to them!!

the chasseur mix is a good one to go for - v nice :) .

[Planet 24]

If theyre toadstools and we get the trots I'll blame you lot :lol:

[Annabel]

:lol::lol::lol: omigosh what are you like!! are they in yet?

[Planet 24]

Yes, they are in :thumbs: but I have been warned, don't make any mush potatoes to go with it :lol: stick to rice. Tall about giving you confidence.:lol:

[mazza]

:o but rice is worse than tatties to cook! I give up and often buy the '2 mins in a micro' job!!! :lol:

Is is dinnertime yet??? :eatin: :eat:

[sp54]

I use the 2 min micro rice too :lol:
Sometimes I use the boil in the bag rice which is good as it doesn't stick :)
I've given up trying to cook rice conventionally :rolleyes::dry:

Mu hubby is sooooo useless in our house :( Once, I had a million things to do and I allocated him one very simple kitchen task :rolleyes: I needed to cook 4 packs of boil in the bag rice, so I put a pan of water on to boil, handed the 4 bags of rice to hubby, and instructed him to put the rice in the saucepan when the water boiled. Not rocket science :no:
Okey dokey said he :rolleyes:

I went off to do another chore and when I returned he was emptying the last of the bags of rice into the boiling water - having cut each one very carefully open first :doh::rolleyes:

Oops, sorry, :offtopic::blush:

[Planet 24]

I can cook perfect fluffy rice - honest to God but potatoes:( my mash is mush:lol:
Its done BTW - well I think so.

[tonica]

Hi tonica

I make veggie stew as well. I love dumplings but have never attempted to make them. How do you make veggie dumplings?

LE


i get the veggie atora suet ( from morrisons usually ) , mix with sr flour then add water , really easy to do then put in your stew for 20 mins or so :)
(the veggie one has no animal fat in the " ordinary "one does;))
-------
NOTE: A 'double post' has been made by the same author, within 12 hours on this NFHiB thread (e.g. where the last poster has replied again with another message before any other member).

This has been automatically merged with the author's previous post, for ease of reading.
-------
I hate cooking and am a veggie and my fav warm food of all time, is perfect for when I get in from work freezing my bits off and its dead quick :lol:

hienz tomato soup in a big bowl with cubes of cheese and crisps crushed on top :D :D

my hubby had this to eat the other night , your post reminded him he hadnt for ages lol:rolleyes: he said its really nice lol

[mazza]

Is that it? just suet and flour and water? I never knew that! Must try that next time I make my casserole! :thumbs:

[tonica]

yeah that it :lol:

100g ( 4oz) sr flour
50g ( 2oz) atora suet
pinch of salt ( optional)
cold water

mix the flour suet ( and salt ) add enough water to make dough balls ( about 8 )

place on top of your stew and thats it ;)

[Planet 24]

Chicken soup with dough balls is called Kneidlach and you can make the dumplings from matzo meal and oil for veggies too.

[mazza]

Was the chasseur nice then P? I quite fancy that myself today! :lol:

[Planet 24]

It was smashing Mazza - I think I surpassed myself, well my new best friend Homepride did. :lol:

[Annabel]

:rolleyes: thats lovely P24, i bet the mushrooms made all the difference:p

[Planet 24]

Annabel at least I now know they were mushrooms, though I still dont which kind.:lol:
Tonght its going to be Jacket Potatoes with the bacon etc - sounds really tasty.

[lotus eater]

i get the veggie atora suet ( from morrisons usually ) , mix with sr flour then add water , really easy to do then put in your stew for 20 mins or so :)
(the veggie one has no animal fat in the " ordinary "one does;))
-------


Thanks tonica I will be making some of those this week :D

le

[Isis]

If you really want to be flash, you can add some mixed dried herbs say for chicken, and mustard powder if you have beef.