Wednesday 15 August 2012

The Perfect Meal

OK, so I'm getting a turn to make dinner this week and I have decided to make my idea of an ideal summer dinner.  It had to be fast and easy (considering I'm not used to cooking and don't want to spend forever in the kitchen).  I decided to make a main dish, a side and a dessert because if I'm given pretty much free reign in the kitchen I have to make something sweet.  Anyway, here is my idea of a perfect meal for someone who wants quick tasty simple food.

My main:

15 minute chicken pasta.  Simple, healthy and delicious. Looking forward to making it.  I'm a BIG pasta lover and also a big fan of my veggies so this dish is perfect for me.  Check out the recipe here.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1304/15minute-chicken-pasta

My side:


Potato rosti.  Basically potatoes that are halved, boiled, shredded and fried into individual cakes.  They are like hashbrowns.  They are great because everybody in my family likes potatoes.  I know it will go down much better than the main.  Not everyone in my family will want to try the broccoli but a broccoli free side should please them.  They look delicious and I'm thinking of frying a chopped onion and adding it to the potatoes after I shred them.  I got the recipe for these from Hugh Fernley Whittingstall's cook book Veg Everyday which had lots of great healthy meat free meal ideas.  Here is a link to the recipe online. http://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/potato-rosti/

My dessert:


Hazelnut tart with orange marscapone and strawberries.  What's more summery than fresh fruit?  Now I know that this is much more extravagant, unhealthy and time consuming than the others but I can't wait to try it out.  Three flavours I love are hazelnut, orange, and strawberry but I'd never thought of putting them together.  If your on a diet or in a rush this might not be for you but I am thrilled to have it as part of my meal.  It looks simple enough to make but still appears impressive and very elegant.   It's still only takes 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook so you could have it in the oven while you make the rest of your meal.  Here is the recipe for this delightful dessert.   http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1426644/hazelnut-tart-with-orange-mascarpone-and-strawberr