Mixed Bean and Olive Chilli

This chilli was one of my 'must-get-recipe-from-mum' ones, because it's wonderfully quick, cheap and with the exception of the minced beef, makes use of lots of storecupboard bits - brilliant if you've not been shopping for a while. That said, this week I registered with a couple of supermarkets who do online shopping / delivery services; not for the convenience (although having your groceries delivered is always a bonus and has the advantage in that it's one less car going to the supermarket), but for the simple reason that I'm a compulsive impulse buyer. Let me lose in a supermarket and I can inevitably find a hundred and one things that I *need* but weren't on my shopping list. So yeah, I signed up for online shopping. My biggest reason NOT to go shopping online before now was mainly for the fruit and vegetables - I'm really fussy and like to pick 'just' the right ones that are ripe. Now I get my organic vegetables delivered as well, it's no longer a problem!

Anyhow, back on to the chilli...
Best made with 2-for-one minced beef (on offer of course), a leftover chunk of cheese from the fridge, plus the few other random ingredients you may have laying around in your storecupboard.
Happy cooking, and I hope your weather is as nice as it is here!

500g Lean Minced Beef
1 Medium Onion (chopped finely)
1 Tin Mixed Beans (rinsed well)
Approx 12 Green Olives (stoned and chopped in half)
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
2 tbsp Sundried Tomato Paste
2 tbsp Chilli Powder (hot or mild, your call)
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Minced Garlic
1 Beef Stock Cube
Grated Cheese (for topping with)
Oil

Preheat oven to 200 Celcius

1) Fry the garlic and onions in a little oil until browned. Add the minced beef and continue to cook until brown.

2) Add the tomato puree and paste, chilli powder, cinnamon, beans ad olives. Mix well and stir in the beef stock cube with a little water. tir again and allow to simmer gently for 15 minutes.

3) Transfer to an ovenproof dish, cover with grated cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is just browning and going crispy on the top. Serve with rice and/or tortilla chips.

Comforting Cottage Pie

I put this together to make use of a load of veggies I got in my delivery box.

500g Lean Minced Beef
1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
4 tsps Bisto Powder mixed with a little cold water
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
approx 6 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 Small Swede, cubed
4 Carrots,
Butter
Salt
Pepper
A Little Oil
Parmesan / Pecorino Romano (optional)

- Serves 4
- Preheat oven to 180 Celcius

1) Put the potatoes on to boil in one pan, and the carrot and swede on to boil in a second pan.

2) Fry the onions until just golden, add the minced beef and cook until browned.

3) Stir in the tomato puree, Bisto and enough water so the meat isn't too dry, and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.

4) When the potatoes are cooked, drain and mash with a little butter (or milk) and put aside.

5) Roughly mash carrot and swede together with a little butter and pepper.

6) Layer the meat at the bottom of an ovenproof dish, followed by the carrot and swede mash and topped with the mashed potatoes

7) Grate a little parmesan or pecorino romano cheese over the top (optional).

8) Bake for 20-30 minutes and serve with something like broccoli and gravy.