Creamy chicken curry

Creamy chicken curry

Check it out on Instagram #dawndishes Serves 3

2 cloves garlic, chopped 
1 red chilli, seeds removed and chopped
2 tomatoes
2 carrots sliced finely 
1 tbsp veg oil
1 red onion diced
1 tsp Garamond masala
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 400ml tix coconut milk
3 chicken fillets sliced finely
6 large mushrooms sliced
Juice of a lime

1)Put the garlic, chilli and tomatoes into a food processor and blend until smooth
2)heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion and carrot for a few minutes until beginning to soften
3)add the chicken pieces and fry until no pink is showing 
4)sprinkle the garam masala, coriander and cumin and fry stirring constantly for 30 seconds
5)add the mixture from the food processor and bring to the boil
6)add the mushrooms, stir into the mix, add the coconut milk and turmeric and bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes 
7)check the meat is cooked through, and the lime juice stir in well then serve 

✔️top tip:swap your mushrooms for a red pepper or add spinach at the end of cooking time making sure it is wilted before serving 

Friday 'finish the fridge'

1tbsp coconut oil
2 cooked chicken breasts
1 onion sliced finely
1 clove garlic crushed
1 red chilli sliced finely
1 250ml tin chopped tomatoes
1 handful broccoli florets
1 handful of green beans
1 large mushroom
1 red pepper
2 handfuls spinach
100 ml double cream
2 dry egg noodle nests
1)in a large pan heat the coconut oil and gently fry onion, garlic an chilli until soft
2)add broccoli florets and fry for a few mins
3)add chopped tomatoes, green beans, red pepper and mushrooms and bring to the boil
4)turn down heat and simmer for 5 mins
5)while this cooking bring large pan of water to the boil and add the noodles
6)add cooked chicken and spinach and stir into the sauce and warm through for a couple of minutes
7)add the cream, stir well
8)drain the noodles and add to the pan stir well and then serve
✔️top tip: for healthier dish use a 400ml tin of tomatoes and remove the cream.

Chicken casserole

A nice change from a Sunday roast. Easy to prepare and it virtually cooks itself! 

Serves 6

800g chicken thighs fillets chopped into cubes
1 400ml can chopped tomatoes
500 ml chicken stock
1 onion sliced
2 leeks
6 carrots
1 small cauliflower, chopped into florets 
1 broccoli head chopped into florets 
2 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tsp chilli oil
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp oregano 
1 bay leaf 
Salt and pepper

1)In a oven/flameproof casserole dish lightly fry the onion, leek and carrot
2)add the garlic and stir for a minute
3)add the chicken and brown stirring regularly 
4)add the cauliflower, broccoli, stock, chopped tomatoes, chilli oil and bring to the boil
5)add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and oregano salt and pepper 
6)put on a lid and cook in a preheated oven at 180 C for 2 hours
7)thicken with cornflour if too runny or add extra boiled water if too thick 

✔️top tip: add peppers or mushrooms before you pop in the oven if you would like extra veg. Substitute salt for chilli salt for extra spice

Check it out on Instagram:
Chicken Casserole

Slow cooked stuffed peppers

This is a fab way to cook stuffed peppers, no mess and so easy too. Give them a try! If you're not veggie, try adding cooked beef mince or chicken. 

INGREDIENTS:

* 120g cooked quinoa 
* 1 mozzarella ball chopped into small cubes
* 1 carrot
* 1/2 onion
* 1/2 red chilli
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon chilli salt
* 3 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded

DIRECTIONS:
1. Lightly coat the inside of a slow cooker with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, 1/2 of the cheese, carrot, onion cumin and chilli
3. Season with the chilli salt and pepper. Spoon the filling into each bell pepper cavity.
4. Place peppers into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours, or until the peppers are tender 
5. Uncover and top with remaining cheese
6. Serve

✔️Top tip: try serving with sour cream drizzled over the top. For an extra kick add a tablespoon of salsa to the mix before cooking. 

Dauphinois potatoes

These are so tasty and perfect for a special occasion as they are a bit naughty with all of the cream! ❤️️

450g potatoes
1/2 red onion
40g butter
150ml double cream
150ml milk
1 garlic clove crushed
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1)Peel and slice the potatoes very thinly
2)slice the onion into thin slices
3)plunge into cold water and swill round to get rid of some starch
4)dry thoroughly with a dry tea towel
5)arrange a layer of the potatoes in a shallow oven proof dish, top with onion slices and some crushed garlic and salt and pepper
6)continue to layer the potatoes, onions and garlic
7)mix the cream and milk together and pour over the potatoes
8)sprinkle with nutmeg and dot with flecks of butter
9)pop in the oven and cook at 150c for 1 1/2 hours

✔️Top tip: add cheese to the milk for an extra special treat

Check it out on Instagram dauphinois potatoes

18th birthday layer drip cake.

This was a challenge for me as I'm not the best baker, but I wanted something special for my daughter's 18th birthday. First attempt at layer fully iced cake with chocolate dripping. Not perfect but made with lots of love ❤️

For the sponge:

340g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

340g caster sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

6 large eggs

340g self-raising flour, sifted

2 tsp baking powder

For the filling and decoration:

300g Trex solid vegetable fat, cut into small pieces

600g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3-7 tbsp milk

100g seedless raspberry jam

200g white chocolate

Lots of sweets!

• 1Preheat the oven to 180ºC, fan 160ºC, gas 4. Grease and line 3 x 20cm loose-based sandwich tins (if you don't have 3 tins you can bake 1 or 2 cakes at a time, cover the mixture with clingfilm between batches).
• 2Using an electric hand whisk, cream the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
• 3Fold through the flour and baking powder. Divide between the 3 tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes until an inserted cocktail stick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes. Remove and place on wire racks to cool completely. If the cake tops aren't level, use a serrated knife to trim them so they are nice and flat.
• 4For the icing, place the vegetable fat, icing sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Whiz until combined, then add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you have a spreadable consistency (you may not need the full 7 tablespoons).
• 5Sandwich the cakes together using the jam and 150g of the icing. The bottom side of the top cake should face down. Coat the cake in half the remaining icing. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm up, then use the remaining icing for a second coat. Return to the freezer for a further 30 minutes.
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• 6Put 175g of the chocolate in a microwave-safe jug and heat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate is melted and very runny.
• 7Remove the cake from the freezer. Pour the runny chocolate around the top of the cake, next to the edge, allowing it to trickle down the sides. Continue drizzling the chocolate in a spiral motion moving inwards to completely cover the top of the cake. If there are any holes, simply drizzle a drop of chocolate into the hole (you will cover the top with mini eggs so it doesn't need to be perfect).
• 8Heat the remaining chocolate in small bowl in the microwave on high in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until melted but is still thick, like a glue to stick the mini eggs onto. Start with one mini egg in the centre and work around it in circles, making sure there are even gaps between the eggs, to make it easier to cut the cake. (If the chocolate in the bowl starts to set, simply put it back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.) Leave for a few minutes until the chocolate has set, then serve.

Leek & potato soup

This is so creamy and tasty, really warming on a cold day. Yummy!

2 large leeks
Clove of garlic
2 potatoes
20g butter
500ml vegetable stock
Sprinkle of salt
Sprinkle of fennel seeds

1)heat the butter on a low heat
2)slice the leeks and finely chop the garlic clove and add to the butter, sprinkle with salt
3)fry until starting to soften for about 5 mins
4)chop the potatoes and add to the pan, and soften for 5 mins stirring regularly
5. sprinkle in the fennel seeds
7. add the stock and bring to the boil and reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20
8. Blend in a food processor or with a hand blender
9. Return to heat when ready to eat and season with salt and pepper to your likening
✔️top tip: change to chicken stock and change fennel for thyme for a differ flavour
#dawndishes

Check it out on Instagram Lee & potato soup