Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Gnocchi (or Potatoes if you wish), a simple traybake

This is originally a Nigella Lawson recipe for Spanish Chicken, which I have adapted for us and for you, and as Nigella does, I enjoy a good tray bake. When cooking, particularly in Winter, I do love to have a large pot of food bubbling away on the stovetop which preferably can be finished off in the oven. However, if I'm a bit frazzled, or even feeling a bit below par, a traybake definitely takes the pressure off, allowing the oven to do the work, and leaving me to just enjoy sitting back, enjoying everyone's company, or just my own, and relaxing until the meal is cooked. Perhaps I would add a Spanish style salad to add to the meal in Summer. So simple.

Slow-Braised Red Cabbage

Slow-braised red cabbage is soft and sweetly flavoured however with a hint of  tangy richness from the balsamic vinegar which gives this dish star quality on the table. It's the perfect side dish to serve with many meats and other dishes. We ate it with chorizo flavoured sausages cooked on the BBQ, and a Mixed Bean salad, and the flavours were immense.

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable and Quinoa salad

It's salad and holiday season here in tropical Australia, when a delicious salad is the perfect meal at the end of a long Summer's day. I am always excited when I come up with a new salad recipe, which also just happens to be healthy and very tasty. A grain salad makes perfect sense, as it keeps so much longer when refrigerated than a green leafy one, as much as I enjoy those as well.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

The secret to this delicious Vietnamese style chicken slaw is the perfectly balanced dressing ingredients and the wombok cabbage which forms the basis of the salad. Oh, and the juicy shredded chicken is a pleasure to eat. I've tried a few different Vietnamese Chicken Salad recipes over the years, but with this recipe Nagi Maehashi of Recipe Tin Eats fame, has really nailed it. I know that a lot of you have her Recipe Tin Eats book "Dinner" by now, and this recipe is published in that, however I have given you a few extra tips and tricks for making this salad from the perspective of the home cook. 

Beating the Heat with a Summery Mixed Bean Salad

 

Dear Friends, Reach into your pantry, hunt down that tin of Mixed Beans, and whip up this simple bean salad. This salad serves 4-6 people. If you are doubling the quantities, use a red and a green capsicum, as the two colours look attractive and give a nice contrast in flavours. I just love the tang of this salad in Summer. 

Make a simple salad with White Cannellini Beans and a Vinaigrette dressing

This Cannellini bean recipe serves 4. I doubled the quantities as I was serving it as a side for 13 at dinner and there was plenty. If you are doubling the quantities, use a red and a green capsicum, as the two colours look attractive and give a nice contrast in flavours. The whole recipe can also be mixed  together early on the day of serving and kept in the frig, so that is one less thing to do close to the event.