As a huge soccer fan, I'll be spending most of the next 4 weeks glued to the TV, in the company of a large group of friends.
This could be expensive, so its good idea to come up with some cheap, easy meals that can be enjoyed 'on the run', as it were.
1. Beef Hash
This is a great way to use up leftover roast beef, flank steak, whatever you have around. If you plan ahead, save some gravy for this. Or mix some of the instant stuff. A very inexpensive meal
Ingredients
12 potatoes, peeled, and diced
3 carrots
2lb chopped beef - leftovers are fine
3 cups gravy
3 large onions, diced
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1 (before kick-off):
Boil the beef until tender. Use your judgement, this will vary according to the cut.
Parboil the potatoes and carrots. Cook the potatoes for 5 minutes, add the carrots and cook for a further 5. If you're watching the World Cup, you can do this in advance to save time.
HALF TIME WHISTLE - you've got 15 minutes
Add the beef, gravy, and onion to the potatoes and cook until browned, stirring now and then. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Takes 10 minutes.
If you're using left-overs, just chuck everything into a pot and throw the gravy over it - once it starts to bubble, its ready.
Serves 10 - 15, depending how generous you want to be. Bread rolls help!
Follow up:
2. Tuna Casserole
Ingredients
1lb egg noodles, cooked and drained
4 Tbs butter
4 Tbs flour
2 tsp dry mustard
4 cups milk
a dash of cayenne pepper
salt to taste, maybe 1 tsp to start
24oz tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup chopped onions (optional)
2 Tbs butter, melted
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs or 1 cup fresh
Preparation
Step 1 (before kick-off):
Cook the egg noodles.
Meanwhile, make a white sauce. Melt the butter of medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and mustard and cook a couple of minutes, stirring almost constantly. Turn up the heat a bit and slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce and simmer a minute or two until thickened. Stir in the noodles and tuna, then pour into a 4 quart casserole dish.
Mix the melted butter and bread crumbs, then crumble over the casserole. Sprinkle with paprika.
You can make it ahead to this point, it can be left to stand for up to an hour.
HALF TIME WHISTLE - you've got 15 minutes
Preheat the oven to 375.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes. You might miss the kick-off for the second half with this one.
Serves around 6 - 8
3. Beef Soda
This one's great! Its so simple, don't blink or you'll miss it.
Ingredients
1 beef roast
1 packet onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup (optional)
1 can of sprite/7 Up
Preparation
Throw it into a large pot and cook on low for a couple of hours - nothing precise.
4. Cheeky Corned Beef Hash
Ingredients
4 large potatoes, cooked and peeled, diced
3 to 4 Tb vegetable oil
1 large chopped onion
2 cans corned beef
2 large cooked carrot, diced
2 tablespoons parsley (helps)
salt & pepper
2 cups beef broth
Preparation
So you've parboiled your potatoes and carrots before the game and they're sitting on the stove.
HALF TIME WHISTLE - you've got 15 minutes
Launch the oil into the pan, while you're chopping the onion, throw it into the oil with the parsley. Add the corned beef and stir until its soft. Now add your salt & pepper (and some paprika won't hurt).
Next we throw in the beef stock, potatoes and carrots. Once its bubbling, its done.
Bang: 15 minutes
I'll be experimenting with a few more over the coming weeks, so I'll post the good ones.
Have a GREAT World Cup!
