Make Ahead Meals

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Baked French Toast

I have always loved to wake before anyone else in the family is up. There is something about getting up in a quiet house and having even just a few minutes to stand at the bench or sit in my favourite chair, often just staring out the window while I wake up enough to make my coffee. No questions, complaints or arguments.

Just me, my thoughts and my warm coffee cup.

I have started doing it again lately, as we have all been 1000% together 1000% of the time. Oh the joys – and the constant-ness of constant company.

Sound familiar? I think what started as a feeling of ‘Yay, everything’s cancelled, let’s bunker down and have lots of QUALITY TIME TOGETHER’ has turned into a daily battle of choosing to keep ‘bearing with one another in love’ as the days together turn into weeks and months, with little connection from others or change in scenery.

So it was in the stillness and quiet of last Sunday morning, coffee in hand, that I popped this beauty in the oven. I love any recipe that can be prepared in advance, and this one is all the better for a night in the fridge – bread soaking and flavours developing as I sleep.

I love this recipe as it has no added sugar other than the small amount for sprinkling across the top and the maple syrup on the base of the dish. There are many versions of this recipe out there, and most contain unnecessary cups of added sugar!

You will be pleased to know I had a whole hour to myself reading and drinking coffee in the quiet while the family was sleeping and this deliciousness was baking away in the oven. I think it was the smell of it baking that got most of them out of bed in the end.

Baked French Toast

Serves 4-6

Recipe adapted from Bills Basics, by Bill Granger

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cream (use milk if you don’t have cream)
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 8-10 slices of day old bread – I used a loaf of fruit sourdough, but you can literally use anything, even old bits and bobs of bread from the freezer.
  • a handful of fresh or frozen raspberries, optional (or any berries you have on hand)
  • butter for greasing
  • Demarara Sugar (or raw) for sprinkling

Method

  • Grease a medium size rectangle baking dish with butter
  • Pour maple syrup on base of dish
  • Lay slices of bread in dish, over lapping the slices slightly to fit it all in. Keeping the crusts on and having some pieces not submerged makes for a crunchy topping and yummy texture.
  • Whisk together eggs, cream, milk and vanilla and pour evenly into the dish.
  • Scatter with berries if using.
  • Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
  • When ready to bake, remove cover and sprinkle with sugar. Demarara gives it a crunchy caramel finish, raw sugar is a perfectly fine substitute.
  • Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 50-60 minutes, or until golden on top and custard is set.
  • You can either eat it warm or at room temperature, on it’s own, or with your yoghurt of choice, creme fraiche or thickened cream.

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Slow Cooker Chilli Beans

This is a great recipe for using up those tins of beans you’re not sure what to do with and often find collecting dust at the back of the pantry. I used tinned Mixed Beans because that’s what I had in the pantry, but you could use tinned Kidney Beans or Cannellini Beans and it would work just fine.

Cooking at home in this season of empty supermarket shelves and limits on purchases means we need to be a little flexible with our recipes – don’t be afraid to substitute and get creative. Worst case, it won’t turn out that nice and you won’t do that again. I didn’t have chicken stock when making this, used water instead and found it to work perfectly. I didn’t have passatta, so used a jar of pasta sauce + 1 tin of crushed tomatoes and you would never know the difference.

We served ours on top of jacket sweet potatoes, layered with baby spinach and cheese. But your options are endless – serve on toasted sourdough with poached eggs for breakfast or simply enjoy a bowl of it on its own for a quick healthy lunch.

I wasn’t sure if this would be a hit with the boys – but they really loved it!

The original recipe is from ‘Slow Cooking’ by the Australian Women’s Weekly.

It made enough for dinner for the 5 of us and we had leftovers for breakfast/lunch the next day for 2 or 3.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 pieces of rindless bacon, roughly chopped (leave out to make it vegetarian)
  • 1 green capsicum, seeds removed, roughly chopped OR 1 stick of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped finely
  • 2 carrots, unpeeled, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes – this gave it a nice heat but still tolerable for the kids. Put in more if you like it hotter. You can use a fresh chilli, deseeded, if you have one.
  • 1 jar of passatta OR 1 jar of pasta sauce + 1 tin tomatoes
  • 2 x 400gm tinned beans – whatever you have on hand, rinsed and drained.

Method

  • If you have a searing slow cooker, heat the oil in the slow cooker on the searing function and then add the bacon, celery or capscicum, onion, carrot and chilli and fry until onion softens. Add tomato paste and cook for a further minute. This step can also be done in a frying pan over medium heat.
  • Add remaining ingredients. Fill the empty tin of tomatoes about half way with water and add to the slow cooker. Do the same again with the empty jar of pasta sauce or passatta.
  • Give it all a big stir, put the lid on and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
  • Serving Suggestion – to make jacket potatoes, scrub potatoes or sweet potato till clean, wrap them individually in foil and place on a baking tray. Cook for an hour in a 200 degree oven, until soft when pierced with a knife.
  • Remove the foil, split the potatoes in half, scatter with baby spinach leaves, top with Chilli Beans and sprinkle with grated cheese.

/ emma@cookfasteatslow.com 1 Comment

Slow Cooker Meatballs

I don’t know about you, but the memories of summer holiday fun are quickly fading as the term gets back underway. 

The struggle is real for some in our house, as lazy slow mornings have given way to the school morning scramble.

On any given day I find myself at the breakfast bench whispering to myself ‘breathe, don’t yell, stay calm’ as we negotiate getting a sleepy teen moving and talk through the logistics of the day ahead with the family. 

Sigh. I was never a yelling type….until I became a mother that is. And this year, 2018, is the year where I.WILL.YELL.LESS. 

So. Here’s to less yelling in the mornings, making the school bus on time, getting to work not too frazzled and for another year, feeding our families and gathering together at the end of each day, however that looks.  

There are some solutions and shortcuts for this busy season, like prepping lunches and dinner in advance, enter these yummy easy Meatballs!  We can also outsource some house jobs, call in the family and friends cavalry from time to time to help out, but at the end of the day, there is no shortcut to raising our kids. 

It happens one busy, crazy, noisy, messy day at a time. Some of those days we can High 5 ourselves on our patience, wisdom and general awesome-ness. On many many others, we just have to know it’s enough to keep showing up and be thankful for the mercies that come afresh every time the sun rises again. 

Mums, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that we’re not going to get it right every time. I am staring down this new year already knowing it will be filled with imperfect parenting, disappointments and struggles for us and our kids. 

But I stare it down knowing that God doesn’t make mistakes and in Him, I trust and rest in full confidence knowing that I am the best mum for my kids, this season of their life is in His hands, He knows the future and it’s not my job to worry endlessly about all that I can’t control. He loves our kids even more than we do, doesn’t that just blow you away?

So bring on 2018 – less yelling, more breathing, less worry, more trust, less of me and more of the one who holds the world and our kids in his hands. 

E x

Slow Cooker Meatballs
Serves 6
Simple moist meatballs cooked in a rich tomato and herb sauce.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 kilogram pork and veal mince (if using beef mince, use a full fat variety otherwise they dry out)
  2. 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  3. 1 tablespoon dried italian herbs
  4. 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  5. 700ml jar of passata (italian tomato cooking sauce)
  6. 1 cup of tomato puree
  7. 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
  8. a generous splash of balsamic vinegar
  9. salt and pepper to taste
  10. To serve, parmesan cheese, parsley, pasta and steamed greens
Instructions
  1. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, herbs and garlic in a bowl.
  2. Using hands, roll into small, evenly sized balls.
  3. Place remaining ingredients in the slow cooker.
  4. Add the meatballs and fit them in as snug as you can.
  5. It's okay if they are not all submerged, just give them a careful stir 1/2 way through cooking if that's the case.
  6. Place the lid on and cook for 2-3 hours on high or 5-6 on low. Take the lid off with 1/2 hour to go to let the sauce reduce a little.
  7. Serve sprinkled with parmesan and parsley, pasta and steamed greens.
Notes
  1. Look for a passata or pasta sauce that has herbs added in to give the sauce extra flavour.
  2. If you use a plain one, add more dried or fresh herbs like oregano and thyme.
  3. This is the perfect make ahead meal as it's flavour develops in the fridge over a day.
  4. It also freezes well.
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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

I get so much joy out of sharing stories and recipes from my kitchen with you and yet, nights like tonight remind me why I am so very thankful you’re not actually here at dinner time with us. 

When I started this blog, I wrote a post called ‘Meal Time Madness’  and although that was nearly 3 years ago now, meal times are still just as mad. 

Here is a list of the most common things I would say on any given night at dinner time:

Your chair has 4 legs for a reason, please put them all on the floor.

Stop touching your brother. 

We don’t say that word in this house. 

Please don’t laugh when your brother says that word, it only encourages him. 

Don’t point a knife at your brother. 

Get out from under the table. 

Get back to the table.

Leave the table if you can’t behave. 

I don’t care if they say it at school, we don’t say it here.

Stop touching your brother. 

It’s someone else’s turn to speak, please listen.

We had your favourite last night. 

Yes, you have to eat all of it. 

There is no dessert.

What assignment is due tomorrow? How long have you known about it?

I don’t think that’s a nice name to call your teacher. 

Stop touching your brother. 

I said don’t swing on your chair. 

You are going to choke, please stop talking. 

Quick, put his hands above his head, someone get him some water! 

Please use your cutlery.

STOP TOUCHING YOUR BROTHER!

It’s a hands off policy at dinner, just like school. 

Don’t wave your knife around, you could stab somebody. 

Shhh, we are listening to how Dads day was.

Can you please help clear the table.

I know you did it last week, but it’s your turn again. 

You are about to spill your drink, please move your cup.

Can someone get the paper towel. 

I asked you to change so you wouldn’t get sauce on your school shirt. 

Please take off your shirt and put it in the laundry. 

One more piece of cauliflower and then you can leave the table. 

Any of those ring a bell with you? 

I truly believe that one of the most important things you need in parenting is PERSEVERANCE.

I love that word, but it conjures up images of sweat, tears, time, repetition, stress and tiredness. 

On any one of these discouraging yet normal nights, I picture going out to dinner with my grown sons in many years to come, enjoying their company, the food and wine and thinking ‘all those nights of the hard stuff was worth it after all.’

Let’s keep persevering friend xx

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Serves 6
A slow cooked tomato based sauce with tender beef, rosemary and garlic.
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 hr
Total Time
5 hr 10 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
5 hr
Total Time
5 hr 10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 kilogram chuck steak, fat trimmed, cut into chunky pieces
  2. 4 carrots, chopped into small rounds
  3. 1 leek, white part only, washed and chopped
  4. 1/2 cup red wine
  5. 1/4 cup tomato paste
  6. 400 gram tin of diced tomatoes
  7. 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  8. 2 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
  9. a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary
  10. 3 garlic cloves, peeled, left whole
  11. To serve
  12. 500 gram packet of dried large shell pasta
  13. Freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients in the slow cooker, put the lid on and cook for 5-6 hours. (If your slow cooker has settings, LOW - 8 hours, HIGH - 4 hours).
  2. In the last 30 minutes, remove the lid and using 2 forks, shred the beef. If it is not falling apart, put the lid back on and cook a little longer.
  3. Cook the pasta according to packet directions, drain and toss into the slow cooker.
  4. Give everything a big stir and serve in bowls with fresh parmesan cheese and a side of steamed veggies or salad.
Notes
  1. Don't forget to remove the bay leaves and rosemary stalks before serving.
  2. The sauce can be frozen, without the pasta in it.
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Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

I have been wanting to create a good slow cooker version of this favourite Indian dish for so long. I am pleased to say I have finally got around to it and it was a hit with the whole family. 

The ingredient list may look long, but don’t let that put you off. Depending on how well-stocked your pantry is, you may need to pick up a few extra spices. All of these can be found in your local supermarket.

Once you have coated your chicken in the yogurt and spice mixture, it’s just a matter of throwing everything else in the slow cooker and letting time and the spices do their thing. 

Serve it with steamed basmati rice, Naan bread and a big pile of vegetables. 

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Serves 6
A mild slow cooker version of one of India's favourite chicken dishes.
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 kilo chicken thigh fillets
  2. 1/2 cup plain greek or natural yoghurt
  3. 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  4. 2 teaspoons garam masala
  5. 1/2 teaspoon ground chilli powder
  6. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  7. 1 teaspoon ground cardamon
  8. 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  9. 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  10. 100 grams unsalted cashews
  11. 1 brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  12. 400 ml can tomato puree
  13. 400 ml can coconut cream
Instructions
  1. Place the whole thigh fillets (they stay more moist if you don't chop them) in a plastic bag.
  2. Add the yoghurt and all of the spices and ginger.
  3. Give the bag a big shake, coating the chicken well in the mixture.
  4. Place the contents of the bag into the slow cooker.
  5. Using a food processor, grind the cashews until finely ground, before they become a paste.
  6. Add the cashews, onion, puree and coconut cream to the slow cooker.
  7. Place the lid on and cook for 4 hours, 6 hours if using a low setting.
  8. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce.
  9. The chicken fillets will have fallen apart slightly.
  10. Ladle chicken and sauce into bowls with basmati rice, Naan bread and vegetables.
Notes
  1. For vegetarians, try using eggplant, cauliflower or other vegetables instead of chicken.
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