Now I love Jamie Oliver's recipes. They always work for me and I find that most of the time the ingredients aren't too exotic for our local supermarket. (Although the other day I had to explain to the check-out girl that broccoli and cauliflower were not the same thing, but that's a story for another day.) Anyway - I decided to set myself a challenge and cook one of the 30 minute meals in 30 minutes. Yep, it was a slow day here in The Farmhouse and I needed a little motivation. The meal I chose was Chicken Pie, French Style Peas, Sweet Carrot Smash and Berries, Shortbread and Cream.
Before I started I canned the pudding idea as I already had made a chocolate cake that day and that was on the menu for pudding. Then I looked at the fancy french style peas, had visions of The Farmchildren picking the lettuce out and decided to just go frozen Birdseye peas all the way instead. So basically that left me with the pie, some frozen peas and mashed carrots to magic up in 30 minutes. And you know what? I got there in 30 minutes! Just.
There was only one problem. My kitchen looked like this at the end.
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| Special |
You will note the towel on the floor. That was because Farmgirl wandered in to grab some water in a dish to make a swimming pool for fairies in the middle. The fairies got their pool and I got a bit of a pool on the kitchen floor too. The KitchenAid is up post chocolate cake but the rest of the mess is 100% Jamie and I.
So - has anyone else given a 30 Minute Meal a whirl? What did your kitchen look like afterwards? I wonder what Jamie's looks like.
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| Thanks Jamie. |
13 comments:
Don't you just think that all cooking is messy? I especially hate having to clean up afterwards, it seems like the ultimate insult......especially as I've usually had to cajole all of my reluctant children into eating whatever I've used up most of my afternoon creating. Sigh. Anyway, am about to abandon my domestic drugery as I'm heading north to hang out with Janey at hers.....although I can't see Creesy cooking dinner for us and all of our combined children while we chatter and drink champagne. No matter I love cooking alongside a friend - it makes a chore almost therapeutic. Happy weekend! Rx
I have cooked that exact meal, and my kitchen also looked like it had been ransacked by hungry savages afterwards. It was such a pain to clean up.
I made the peas though. They were yummy.
My brother in law describes them as 60 minute meals. Watching the show I notice Jamie dumps a lot of stuff in the sink and has been known to just wipe the bench off onto the floor. The 30 minutes definitely doesn't include cleaning!
How is the book? I'm very tempted to get it.
T,
I have the book but am yet to try a recipe. I suspect I will end up taking 30 minutes for prep but close to an hour to clean up.
I'm planning on using a recipe for a weekend dinner at first. I've heard good things about the jerk chicken and the vege lasagne looks good too.
SSG xxx
Romy - Totally agree re all cooking being messy. Jealous that you are getting to drink champagne with Janey. Agree that the chance of Creesey cooking dinner slim to non-existent! Have a wonderful weekend.
Z - I thought the peas looked yummy. Can't get the kids to eat raw lettuce though so figured should forgo the cooked. Laughed at the hungry savages kitchen description. Too true.
Lisa - I like the book. Some stuff we would never eat but there is enough there that we would. Plus it is a fun book to have. Next time I have house guests I am seriously considering doing a team 30 min meal. Then again - maybe not...
SSG - Jerk chicken looked fantastic. Unsure how kid friendly it would be though. Chicken pie was delicious if you want to give it a whirl. I would probably just make normal carrots though as the kids weren't sold on the smash. And frozen peas are just frozen peas...everyone eats them and they take two minutes. What's not to love?
I'm a terribly messy cook. I try to clean as I go, but I always seem to get a lot of stuff on the floor. Flour is the worst. Everytime I try to put it in a bowl I end up with it all over me, the bench, the cupboards, the floor...I can't work out what I keep doing wrong! :/ It drives me insane.
~S.
agree 100%- cleaning up as you go adds at least another 15 minutes and the place looks like a Gypsy's Den x
The checkout chick didn't know the difference between Broccoli and Caulifour ... oh dear that is a story I want to hear. Now lets start with one is green and the other white, well that is unless you have gone for the purple ones. Yes I am sure his would be a mess to, how could it not be even a slight bit. I know my limited bench space was certainly a mess after making an apple pie this afternoon. I suppose cleaning between would extend the meal prep time though.
I think I may have become a master of the 15 min meal! Some chops or steak on the barbie or lamb cutlets in a frying pan and steamfresh veggies with either a gravy or some type of fancy type of sauce or condiment from our local gourmet food shop. Lazy I know, but geez hardly any cleaning up and ever so quick- quicker due to no root vegetables I guess. Desserts lately have been strawberries and cream. The kids put icing sugar on theirs as well as the cream.
A lot of the recipes are NOT possible in 30 minutes.. maybe if you don't include prep time... but they're close enough and they're all simple enough!
Jamie has helpers to clean up after him which isn't at all fair, I think!
I haven't tried a 30 minute meal challenge but might have to one day - or set hubby to the task! I'll stand by cracking the whip!
Glad your floor looks like mine frequently does after a cooking session, fairy water or not!
Cheers - Joolz
Thanks for saying I'm amazing. It means so much to me. Sometimes I don't feel like it. I'm glad you agree on the stool in the bathroom.
Thanks for always stopping by my blog too. I love hearing about your life and I'm glad you stop by.
Anne xx
I may have to get this book from the library and have a look through it. I have a very simple meal that I often cook on getting home form work. There's only 4 ingredients and takes 10-15 minutes.
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