Mini Mexican

Hola mis amigos! I have a tasty blog post for you today, I swear my blog and social media feeds are just focused on food at the moment but as its one of my favourite things, I don’t care.

So you may already know my love for Mexican food and Old El Paso to assist making tasty yet easy to make Mexican recipes, you can see my Cino de Mayo feast. Anyway last week Old El Paso launched a brand new product and it’s a mini version of the tasty Stand‘N’ Stuff tortillas and a whole-wheat version of the larger ones. To launch them in style Old El Paso set up a mini cantina, pop-up restaurant on Southbank so you may have spotted a bright yellow and pink hut.

When I arrived I had not seen the advert yet so was not sure what to expect and it was so cute, when we walked in I was greeted by mini Danny Trejo (the advert which had me in hysterics BTW is all about Danny Trejo and his mini me.) Inside the hut was an Instagram dream in all bright colours and all the furniture was small keeping in with the mini theme including the staff, who were adorable telling us their back stories of how they were 92 with loads of kids which was a bit of a giggle.

We drank non-alcoholic cocktails and of course ate miniStand ‘N’ Stuff tortillas which are just as tasty as the original with Old El Paso Guacamole, Sour Cream and Salsa and topped it with cheese from a mini cheese grater with chicken and beef - these were super tasty and having mini ones are great there is no mess and I am already thinking these would be such fun bite-sized canapés or for kids to make themselves as you can make a few different ones with new flavours.

After the truly tasty meal we ventured outside to listen to the mini mariachi band and dance around with Mexican inspired props for some fun Instagram pics and a good old boomerang.

This post is in collaboration with Old El Paso but all opinions and love of Mexican food is all ME.

View Full Post

Cinco de Mayo Inspired Menu

Oh Hello! Sorry I have been a little slack on the blog there's been a lot going on but it is OK I am back baby! Today (5^th May) is Cinco de Mayo and I wanted to share an almighty Mexican feast which is great for sharing with friends or family. I was in Mexico in January and the food is just incredible, tacos, fajitas, nachos it’s all my favourite food. As far as easy to make snacks go with brands like Old El Paso it is stupidly easy to create a LARGE feast in no time at all.

So before I get on to the ingredients I thought I would share the types of dishes I decided to make for this party feast. Everyone needs nachos and it is really easy to layer up with Old El Paso condiments with salsa, sour cream and even some good old Guacamole! For the main event I made tacos with not just one but two fillings with ‘Stand & Stuff’ taco shells which have revolutionised my taco life (don't you just hate it when the hard tacos crack and food goes everywhere, it makes me cry), you literally just fill them up and your good to go! Now I am not saying they are the neatest things to eat but none the less they are a lot better.

To make these tacos even better I did not just make one filling I made two - oh yeah, go me!!  Remember with Mexican food you can pick and choose what you would like, don’t feel like you need to create all of this – I did go a little wild! 

Nachos

• 1 X large packet of Tortilla Chips
• Cheese: The more the merrier
• Old El Paso Jalapeños: The more the merrier
• Old El Paso Salsa
• Old El Paso squeezy sour cream
• Old El Paso squeezy guacamole

1. Place the tortilla chips on a plate, layer with salsa, cheese and jalapeños.
2. Place in the over at 150 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and move to a different dish.
3. Squeeze sour cream and guacamole as you see fit.
4. DIG IN.

Tacos

MINCE FILLING

• Stand & Stuff soft taco kit to make the Mince filling
• 1/2 X Onion
• 1 X Red Pepper
• 150g Mince
• Pinch of Chilli

1. Roughly chop the onion and the pepper.
2. Brown the mince then add the onion & pepper, drain the excess liquid before you add the taco kit seasoning mix. I used smokey BBQ. YUM.
3. If you like things a bit spicy add a pinch of chilli.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN FILLING

• 150g Chicken (I used pieces but you can use any part of the Chicken :-) )
• 1 x Chipotle sauce (LAZY I know but who has the time and it tasted BOOM)

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces. Place the chicken in an oven proof dish and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Stir the chicken and mix in the chipotle sauce. Place back in the oven for another 20 minutes. (Double check your sauce for instructions)

Homemade Salsa / Salad

• Half a lime juice
• 2 X Tomatoes
• 1 X Onion
• 3 X Old El Paso Jalapeños
• Bunch of Coriander
• 2 tsp Olive Oil

1. Finely chop the onion and tomatoes (remove the seeds), jalapeños and coriander.
2. Squeeze half the lime then add the olive oil - mix well.

Side Dishes

• Old El Paso Salsa
• Old El Paso Jalapeños
• Rice (use a pre-packet for more flavour and an easy life)
• Rocket

NOW FILL YOUR STAND AND STUFF TACOS AND GRAB A MARGARITA...OLE!

This post is an entry to the Foodies100 Cinco de Mayo recipe challenge sponsored by Old El Paso. The range of Old El Paso products is available in all major supermarkets. To find out more, visit www.oldelpaso.co.uk.

View Full Post

Deconstructed Eton Mess

Another Easy to make snacks is a tasty and beautiful deconstructed Eton Mess, just look how pretty it looks! This recipe has been inspired by the new Little Gardens launch from Häagen-Dazs, this spring's launch brings in two tasty floral and refreshing flavours; Häagen-Dazs Apricot Lavender and Häagen-Dazs Lychee Raspberry Rose and you could use either of the ice creams in this dessert as the HERO ingredient. This Little Gardens range is a Limited Edition exclusive to Liberty London, so if this does not give you enough reason to visit I do not know what will! They are available until 24th April.

As you might know I always comment on pretty packaging and these have been designed by Jardins de Babylone, a team of botanical artists from Paris making these Häagen-Dazs' the prettiest I have ever seen for £5.95 - get them while stocks last!

For my deconstructed Eton Mess recipe I decided to focus on the Lychee Raspberry Rose flavour ice cream.

2 Meringue nests crushed

Häagen Dazs Lychee Raspberry Rose Ice Cream

Handful of raspberries 

Soil

50g Ground Almonds

50g Caster Sugar

30g Plain Flour

25g Cocoa Powder

30g Melted Butter

Raspberry Coulis

100g Raspberries

1 Tbsp Icing Sugar

6 drops of lemon juice

Rose Chantilly Cream

1/4 tsp of rose essence

200g Double Cream

Icing Sugar

Soil: Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl. Melt the butter and add to the bowl. Mix until the mixture looks like soil. Put in the over at 150 degrees on baking parchment for 15 minutes. (This can be kept for five days.

Raspberry Coulis: In a blender mix all the ingredients until pureed. 

Rose Chantilly Cream: Mix the ingredients and place in a blender on PULSE mode for around 15 pulses. or until it forms stiff peaks or if you have a mixer you can use that.

How I created my masterpiece:

1. Place the soil in lines with a spoon
2. Crumble meringue nests in a bowl then use a spoon to place next to the chocolate soil
3. Pipe the rose Chantilly cream
4. Pipe the raspberry coulis 
5. Add whole raspberries and edible rose petals to taste
6. Place spoonfuls of ice cream next to the meringue 

This is just one way of decorating but use your imagination to create it in which ever way you wish. I kept all the different parts for the next day to try them out in another way.

In collaboration with Häagen Dazs but all thoughts and my love for easy to make recipes is my own.

View Full Post

RECIPE: One Pot Chinese Style Beef

Along with my easy to make snacks I also try to venture into easy to make recipes like this One Pot Chinese Style Beef, it takes around 15 minutes to prep and between 2 hours, 2 1/2 hours to cook. This is perfect if you are a busy bee or have a large family to feed, it is also easy to prepare in advance or to put in the freezer for another day.

This recipe has been inspired by the new foodie trend of 'one pot cooking' (hence the title of my recipe) it is well and truly back, coined 'Peasant Food'. Peasant food really stands for wholesome beef or lamb dishes that one pot can be left to do all the work for melt in the mouth meat so you can have more time to do other things like spend time with your loved ones or colour in the latest colouring book. This is simple food you can make in advance and the Peasant food trend is great for you wallet as you are cooking the food for so long the cheaper cuts of meat are just as good as the meat is beautifully tender.

When hunting for you chosen beef or lamb always look out for the quality mark of the Red Tractor logo which guarantees the meat you are buying is farm assured, you can find out more details from the Simply Beef and Lamb website. 

Will you be taking the #LivePeasant challenge? for more recipes use the # on social media.

Ingredients for a meal for four:

• 400g of beef
• 250g of Gnocchi
• 30g flour
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 20g sesame seeds
• 1 large onion 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 350g tomatoes 
• 200ml vegetable stock 
• 2 tbsp fresh basil
• 1tbsp tomato purée 
• 1/2 tsp Chili
• Salt & Pepper

1. Prep your tomatoes: They need to be peeled so boil a pan and have a small bowl of cold water ready. Cut a small X in the bottom of each tomato and put them in the boiling water for 45 seconds until the tomato skin starts to split. Place them with a slotted spoon in the cold water then peel.

2. Mix chili, soy sauce, half of the sesame seeds, flour and salt and pepper in a sealable bag with the beef.

3. Add 1tbsp of oil into a casserole pan. Add onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft. (Remove off the heat)

4. Place the coated beef into the pan with 1tbsp of oil and brown on each side.

5. Add the onion and garlic mix, quartered tomatoes, tomato purée, basil, veg stock.

6. When the mixture starts to boil, cover then cook for 2 hours.

7. Add the Gnocchi for 3 minutes.

9. Toast the remaining sesame seeds and use them to garnish the dish.

The post is in collaboration with Simply Beef and Lamb but all thoughts, love for quality food and easy cooking are all mine.

View Full Post