Tag: batch

Posted on

Three batch cooking recipes to save time, money and food waste

Three batch cooking recipes to save time, money and food waste

This is the form of pie that cold times are created for,” claims Suzanne Mulholland, AKA The Batch Lady.

“Easy to prep and a cinch to assemble from frozen if you get organised and make the filling forward, I like to maintain a batch of this in the freezer, completely ready for comfort foodstuff emergencies.”

Chicken and mushroom humble pie

Serves: 6

Substances:

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

115g frozen chopped onions

4 skinless, boneless hen thighs, minimize into bite-sized items

300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp basic flour

240ml chicken inventory

200ml milk

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry

1 egg, crushed

Salt and freshly floor black pepper

Method:

1. Warmth the oil in a big, deep-sided frying pan around a medium warmth, then increase the onions and chicken parts and cook dinner, stirring, right until the onions are delicate and the rooster is sealed. Insert the sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir to blend with the hen and onions, then prepare dinner, stirring sometimes, for five to seven minutes right until the hen is cooked via and the mushrooms have produced all their water.

2. Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat the rooster and vegetables, then pour in the rooster inventory and stir very well. Slowly and gradually pour in the milk, stirring and thickening the sauce as you do, then provide the mixture to the boil, lessen the heat to low and depart to prepare dinner for 10-15 minutes, until thickened, then stir by way of the mustard and period very well with salt and pepper. Get rid of from the heat and established aside.

If you are cooking now: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Pour the pie filling into a huge, ovenproof baking dish lesser than the sheet of pastry, then lay the pastry above the top rated of the filling and tuck in the edges. Brush the leading of the pie with the overwhelmed egg, then transfer the pie to the oven for 30-35 minutes, until finally golden and effectively risen. Slice into generous wedges and serve warm with mash and veg together with, if you like.

If you are earning in advance to freeze: Depart the filling combination to great to place temperature, then ladle into a big, labelled freezer bag and freeze flat with the sheet of pastry along with for up to a few months.

Then… clear away the pie filling and pastry sheet from the freezer and go away to defrost in the fridge, preferably overnight. As soon as defrosted, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gasoline mark 4 and assemble, cook and serve the pie in the exact same way described previously mentioned.

Sweet potato miso medley

A veg-packed weeknight meal that is completely ready in less than fifty percent an hour

(PA)

“This delectable 1-pot meal can be prepped forward and prepared for the freezer in a make any difference of times,” says Mulholland.

“If you’re not acquainted with miso, really don’t be scared – it provides a tasty savoury edge to the dish that functions beautifully with the sweetness of the veggies.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

115g frozen chopped onions

2 tsp frozen chopped garlic

1 x 500g bag frozen sweet potato chunks

175g frozen sliced peppers

1 x 400g tin butter beans, drained

4 tsp miso paste

1 x 400g tin coconut milk

Method:

If you’re cooking now: Place all the substances in a large pan in excess of a medium warmth and stir to blend. Deliver to the boil, then minimize the warmth to a simmer and go away to cook, stirring once in a while, for 15 minutes, till the vegetables are tender. Spoon into serving bowls and serve incredibly hot.

If you are producing forward to freeze: Suggestion all the components into a significant, labelled freezer bag, then give the contents of the bag a light stir to blend. Freeze flat for up to 3 months.

Then… eliminate the bag from the freezer and depart to completely defrost in the fridge, preferably overnight. The moment defrosted, suggestion the medley into a substantial pan over a medium warmth and stir to merge. Carry to the boil, then lessen the heat to a simmer and leave to prepare dinner, stirring at times, for 15-20 minutes, right until the vegetables are tender. Spoon into serving bowls and provide incredibly hot.

Oreo peanut butter ice product cake

A decadent delight you can make months in progress

(PA)

“This appears to be like so amazing and would make a wonderful dessert for a celebration or even a good substitute to a birthday cake, but is truly only an assembly occupation that will take minimal work to prep,” states Mulholland.

“If your spouse and children are not supporters of peanut butter, attempt chocolate hazelnut spread instead.”

Serves: 6

Elements:

1 x 154g packet Oreos

60g butter, melted, moreover added for greasing

200g chocolate digestive biscuits

80g smooth peanut butter, additionally a small excess to drizzle in excess of the top

1 x 900ml tub of vanilla ice product, softened

Technique:

1. Grease an 18cm springform tin with butter and established apart.

2. Established apart three Oreos to use for decoration, then increase the relaxation to a large freezer bag together with the digestive biscuits and smash with a rolling pin to good crumb consistency. Transfer to a huge mixing bowl, include the melted butter and stir to mix. Tip the crumb mixture into the organized springform tin and press down into the base in an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to firm up though you get ready the topping.

3. Tip the ice cream into a mixing bowl (it must be gentle but not runny). Set the peanut butter in a independent little microwavable bowl and microwave for a couple seconds until eventually runny, then pour the peanut butter into the ice cream and conquer alongside one another with a wooden spoon right until merged.

4. Remove the foundation from the fridge and pour around the ice cream mixture, levelling it out in an even layer. Dot a tiny extra peanut butter above the floor, then use a knife or skewer to ripple via the ice cream.

5. Crush the remaining Oreos and sprinkle more than the major, then include the ice product cake with clingfilm and transfer to the freezer for at the very least 3 several hours to set.

If you are serving now: Once the ice product cake has totally established, get rid of from the freezer and depart to thaw a little for close to 10 minutes. Operate a knife all-around the within edge of the tin, then open the springform tin, lower the cake into wedges and provide.

Or, merely go away the cake in the freezer for up to three months. Then… get rid of the cake from the freezer and depart to thaw marginally for around 10 minutes. Run a knife close to the inside of edge of the tin, then open the springform tin, minimize the cake into wedges and serve.

Recipes from ‘The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget’ by Suzanne Mulholland (revealed by HQ, £22 photography by Haarala Hamilton).

Posted on

Save money with The Batch Lady’s recipes and meal prep tips

Save money with The Batch Lady’s recipes and meal prep tips

Meal prepping is the gold standard of saving money, reducing waste and keeping healthy – but have you ever made 10 meals in an hour?

It might seem like an impossible feat, but it’s a regular event for Suzanne Mulholland, AKA The Batch Lady (@thebatchlady) – and the key to success is all about making a plan.

For an example of how she does it, Mulholland, who is based on the Scottish borders, starts with a meal such as fajitas. “In the pot is mince and onions, and everything else for fajitas,” she says – and this also works as a base for two other dishes: chilli and spaghetti Bolognese.

“While the meat’s browning, I make two family portions of burgers and meatballs, which I freeze raw. Then I divide up my pot, to make two portions of the other three recipes.”

You’ve then got 10 portions of five different meals for your freezer.

This way of cooking comes naturally to Mulholland, 47, who used to work as a time-management expert. She took all the tools from her previous job and applied them to cooking when she had children. After sharing recipes on YouTube and Instagram, The Batch Lady was born (she currently has around 27.7K subscribers and 157K followers on each platform respectively).

Batch cooking doesn’t have to be an endless parade of stews, either – the recipes in Mulholland’s new book, The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget, are vibrant and interesting. “We’ve got churros, dirty fries, calzones, cheesecakes, koftas and ramen – all really good stuff,” she says.

Oreo peanut butter ice cream cake from The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget by Suzanne Mulholland Picture: PA Photo/Haarala Hamilton. 
Oreo peanut butter ice cream cake from The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget by Suzanne Mulholland Picture: PA Photo/Haarala Hamilton. 

She might now be on her fourth cookbook, but Mulholland doesn’t claim to have perfected everything. When asked if she’s ever had a disaster in the kitchen, she laughs: “I had one last night! I’m always trying out new recipes… So, I was doing a Christmas dinner for a reel, and it worked perfectly. But I wondered if I could make a Christmas pasta bake… “It was not nice. Don’t chop up your Christmas dinner and leftovers and make it into a pasta bake, because it really wasn’t good.” You can’t deny the benefits of batch cooking, though – particularly in a cost-of-living crisis.

“My whole ethos is, you don’t need to cook every single night, you don’t need to cook when you want to eat – you can cook whenever you want to,” Mulholland says. And this could help save money on takeaways or last-minute trips to the supermarket, too.

If you want to save time and cash by batch cooking, here’s how to get into it… 

Start small

“I always say start small,” Mulholland advises. “All you need to do is choose two meals a week that you eat regularly, and find a recipe you can freeze.

“Every time you make it, double it up – have one that night, put one in the freezer. That means, another night, you won’t need to cook, because you’ve got a meal in the freezer.” She suggests this type of cooking is “addictive” – once you’ve started, you’ll want to do it more and more.

Chicken and mushroom humble pie from The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget by Suzanne Mulholland. Picture: PA/Haarala Hamilton. 
Chicken and mushroom humble pie from The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget by Suzanne Mulholland. Picture: PA/Haarala Hamilton. 

Plan ahead

“You don’t have to plan every meal, planning just one extra meal will save you money,” she says.

“These days, we all shop back to front – we arrive at the supermarket, then we think, ‘Right, what do I want to eat? What do I want to buy?’ – and of course, supermarkets are set up for you to pick items they’re going to make the most money on.

“So, before doing your food shop, decide what you want to eat, then see what you’ve already got in. This will stop you wasting food and save you money.” 

Get organised

Unsurprisingly for a time-management expert, Mulholland has plenty of handy tips for making batch cooking as quick and easy as possible.

“When you’re going to batch cook, it’s good to be organised – lay out all your ingredients and have everything else you need ready,” she advises. “It’s also worth having an empty dishwasher, or a sink full of hot, soapy water.” This way, when you’ve finished cooking, you’re not then faced with “a huge kitchen to clean up” – potentially putting you off for life.

Oreo peanut butter ice cream cake recipe

A decadent delight you can make months in advance.

Oreo peanut butter ice cream cake recipe

Preparation Time

19 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 x 154g packet Oreos

  • 60g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing

  • 200g chocolate digestive biscuits

  • 80g smooth peanut butter, plus a little extra to drizzle over the top

  • 1 x 900ml tub of vanilla ice cream, softened

Method

  1. Grease an 18cm springform tin with butter and set aside.

  2. Set aside three Oreos to use for decoration, then add the rest to a large freezer bag along with the digestive biscuits and smash with a rolling pin to fine crumb consistency. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, add the melted butter and stir to combine. Tip the crumb mixture into the prepared springform tin and press down into the base in an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to firm up while you prepare the topping.

  3. Tip the ice cream into a mixing bowl (it should be soft but not runny). Put the peanut butter in a separate small microwavable bowl and microwave for a few seconds until runny, then pour the peanut butter into the ice cream and beat together with a wooden spoon until combined.

  4. Remove the base from the fridge and pour over the ice cream mixture, levelling it out in an even layer. Dot a little more peanut butter over the surface, then use a knife or skewer to ripple through the ice cream.

  5. Crush the remaining Oreos and sprinkle over the top, then cover the ice cream cake with clingfilm and transfer to the freezer for at least three hours to set.

  6. If you’re serving now… Once the ice cream cake has fully set, remove from the freezer and leave to thaw slightly for around 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the tin, then open the springform tin, cut the cake into wedges and serve.

  7. Or, simply leave the cake in the freezer for up to three months. Then remove the cake from the freezer and leave to thaw slightly for around 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside edge of the tin, then open the springform tin, cut the cake into wedges and serve.

Chicken and mushroom humble pie recipe

You can make this dish vegetarian by swapping the chicken for a similar meat substitute.

Chicken and mushroom humble pie recipe

Preparation Time

20 mins

Ingredients

  • 1tbsp olive or vegetable oil

  • 115g frozen chopped onions

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 300g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

  • 2tbsp plain flour

  • 240ml chicken stock

  • 200ml milk

  • 1tsp wholegrain mustard

  • 1 sheet pre-rolled puff pastry

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided frying pan over a medium heat, then add the onions and chicken pieces and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and the chicken is sealed. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and stir to combine with the chicken and onions, then cook, stirring occasionally, for five to seven minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms have released all their water.

  2. Add the flour to the pan and stir to coat the chicken and vegetables, then pour in the chicken stock and stir well. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring and thickening the sauce as you do, then bring the mixture to the boil, reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for 10–15 minutes, until thickened, then stir through the mustard and season well with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

  3. If you’re cooking now… Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4. Pour the pie filling into a large, ovenproof baking dish smaller than the sheet of pastry, then lay the pastry over the top of the filling and tuck in the edges. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg, then transfer the pie to the oven for 30–35 minutes, until golden and well risen. Cut into generous wedges and serve hot with mash and veg alongside, if you like.

  4. If you’re making ahead to freeze… Leave the filling mixture to cool to room temperature, then ladle into a large, labelled freezer bag and freeze flat with the sheet of pastry alongside for up to three months.

  5. Then… Remove the pie filling and pastry sheet from the freezer and leave to defrost in the fridge, ideally overnight. Once defrosted, preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/gas mark 4 and assemble, cook and serve the pie in the same way described above.

  • The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget by Suzanne Mulholland is published by HQ. Photography by Haarala Hamilton. Available now.
Posted on

3 cheap recipes that are perfect for batch cooking

3 cheap recipes that are perfect for batch cooking

Mulholland states: “Dumplings are a good addition to stews as they include more heft and fill the spouse and children up for very small value. This winter season warmer can make a perfect veggie food, is tremendous uncomplicated and is produced in a person pot, so even the washing up is simple!”

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 40 minutes

Serves 4

Substances

  • 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 cup (115g) frozen chopped onions
  • 2 tsp frozen chopped garlic
  • 2 stalks celery, finely sliced
  • 1 massive leek, washed and roughly sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and about chopped
  • 8 baby potatoes, halved
  • 5 large mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 3 cups (720ml) vegetable stock (use 2 stock cubes)
  • 3 tsp cornflour
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dumplings:

  • Scant 1 cup (100g) self-elevating flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 50g vegetable suet
  • 2 tsp frozen chopped parsley

Strategy

Heat the oil in a substantial saucepan with a lid in excess of a medium heat, then add the onions, garlic and celery and prepare dinner, stirring, for 4 minutes, right until smooth.

Add the leek, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, thyme, rosemary and vegetable stock to the pan and stir to blend. Deliver the mixture to the boil, then lessen the heat to a simmer and leave to prepare dinner for 15 minutes, covered with a lid, stirring once in a while.

Whilst the stew is cooking, make the dumpings. Merge the flour, salt, suet and parsley in a substantial mixing bowl and stir to combine. Make a very well in the centre and insert 6 tablespoons of chilly drinking water, then use your arms to convey every little thing alongside one another to type a dough, introducing a few extra tablespoons of h2o if the combination is as well dry. Once you have a sleek dough, flip out onto a flippantly floured area and cut in fifty percent, then cut each and every half into quarters, leaving you with 8 equal-sized parts. Roll each and every piece of dough into a ball with your hands and established aside.

When the stew has been simmering for 15 minutes and all the veggies are tender, dilute the cornflour with a few of teaspoons of h2o in a compact bowl. Pour the cornflour slurry into the stew and stir to thicken and blend. Incorporate salt and pepper to flavor.

If you’re cooking now… 

Clear away the lid from the stew and arrange the uncooked dumplings in excess of the area, cover with the lid all over again and proceed simmering for yet another 20 minutes, till the dumplings are puffed up, light-weight and fluffy. Spoon into serving bowls and provide sizzling.

If you’re making forward to freeze…

Established the pan apart until the stew has cooled to room temperature. Ladle the stew into a big, labelled freezer bag and area the dumplings in a independent freezer bag. Freeze both of those flat for up to 3 months.

Then… 

This can be cooked immediately from frozen. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and line a baking sheet with foil. Lay the frozen block of stew in the foundation of a baking dish and prepare the frozen dumplings on the baking sheet. Prepare dinner the stew in the oven for 25 minutes, then drain off any excessive water and return to the oven for an additional 45 minutes, including the tray of dumplings to the oven at the exact same time. Ladle the stew into serving bowls and leading with the dumplings. Provide incredibly hot.