Cooking Tips for Busy Families

Convenience foods can be expensive and some don’t offer the nutrition you would get from a home cooked meal. If you are struggling with a busy schedule and cooking at home, you may find the below tips helpful:

One Meal Three Ways

Cook one main course recipe that can be used for different meals. For example, roast beef. It’s dinner one night. Sliced thin, it becomes sandwich meat or can be added to a salad. And shredded, it becomes the base for a delicious soup. If the roast had a bone, it can be used to make a beef broth.

Use Your Freezer!

If you make a Bolognese, why not triple your recipe and freeze the rest in single-serving containers? Later that month, you’ll have several ready-made meals. Or marinate chicken pieces in a sesame honey glaze, store them in freezer bags in serving sizes, and keep the bags frozen until you’re ready to use them.

Looking After the Leftovers

Leftovers should be cooled down as quickly as possible. Pack them into several shallow containers rather than one large one, and make sure you don’t stack the containers in the refrigerator (this can trap the heat). The more surface area that’s exposed to the cold air, the faster your food will cool.

French Door Fridge

A stainless steel finish 510L, 790mm wide French door fridge with water dispenser, automatic ice maker, Spillsafe™ glass shelves, and easy glide crispers.

Stainless steel multifunction steam assist oven with touch controls and telescopic runners

Stainless steel 60cm multifunction 13 steam assist oven with touch controls, 80L gross capacity, triple glazed door and telescopic runners

Stainless steel multifunction PyroClean oven with touch controls and fully programable timer

Stainless steel 60cm multifunction 10 PyroClean oven with touch controls, 80L gross capacity, fully programmable timer and quadruple glazed door

Stainless steel French door fridge with freezer drawer

A stainless steel finish 510 litre 790mm wide French door fridge. Featuring humidity controlled crispers, Spillsafe™ glass shelves, door alarm, bottle rack and self close drawer.

White, ice and water, side x side fridge

690L side x side white fridge with external touch control, ice & water dispenser, adjustable interiors and a massive 450L fridge capacity with a 508mm internal width. Giving you practical storage where you need it.

Stainless steel French door fridge with freezer drawer

White, ice and water, side x side fridge

Ingredients

Crusted Prawns

12 green tiger prawns – peeled, tails intact

12 iceberg or cos lettuce leaves

1 teaspoon Chinese five spice

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 egg white

1 lime, zested and juice saved for dipping sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

Oil for shallow frying

Dipping Sauce

1 teaspoon ginger, grated

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon caster sugar ,dissolved in water

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 splash fish sauce

1 splash lime Juice

Serves: 4 servings

Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Type of dish: Entrée

Preparation

Combine sesame seeds, Chinese five spice, lime zest, egg white and salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Toss prawns through the marinade. Marinate for 20 minutes. Refrigerate prawns while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce by combining all sauce ingredients and season with fish sauce and lime juice to your liking. Set the dipping sauce aside until ready to serve.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on the induction cooktop at heat setting 7 and seal the prawns until they start turning pink. Adjust heat to heat setting 2 and complete cooking or hold until ready to serve.

Remove prawns from the pan and serve alongside a plate of fresh crisp lettuce leaves and dipping sauce.

To Serve

Place a lettuce leaf on each plate, place prawn on top and drizzle over dressing. Slide toothpick out of prawn before eating.

Use the Right Tools

They say the meal is only as good as the tools and ingredients you use. Make life easier in the kitchen and do your research when buying appliances. Many appliances can help you save time in the kitchen, all while assisting to produce quality meals. Induction stove tops heat instantly and with great precision. Heating your pan quickly and cooking your meal to perfection.

BUSY FAMILY LIFE