We had two packs of prepared roasting vegetables in the fridge. But the poor things would have been so lonely just sizzling away in the oven by themselves. They needed some company. A chicken would do. Who's hungry? Vincent and I -- and we want leftovers too. This recipe can serve four people. Ingredients 1 … Continue reading Roast Chicken & Veg
This summer's weather has been weird to say the least. In just one week in Cape Town we experienced gale force winds, very heavy winter-like rainfall, and then a day later it was sunny skies again. It's confusing as hell and planning an outfit for the day is near impossible. But it did give me … Continue reading Creamy Broccoli & Bacon Soup
I'm a huge fan of eggplants (brinjals, aubergines -- whatever you like to call them, they're awesome.) If you're not, this dish won't be any fun for you. I was in the mood for something spicy yet light so I dove into the wonderful world that is Jamie Oliver's website. Check it out here. I … Continue reading Vegetarian Rogan Josh
I asked Vincent to choose a recipe from my Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients cookbook and he opted for Quick Asian Fishcakes. However, as you may know by now, I'm not a very good recipe follower. (Sorry, Jamie!) So I just took inspiration from his use of salmon and the addition of chilli jam on top … Continue reading Salmon Fishcakes
Another weeknight, another quick and easy dinner. But, by no means does "quick and easy" mean boring. Thank goodness for my friend Woolworths and their fantastic stir-fry mix combos, because without their help this stir-fry might have required much more effort to get those perfectly tangy Thai flavours just right. Who's hungry? Vincent, Roan and … Continue reading Chicken & Egg Noodle Stir-Fry
I was in the mood for something totally different last night. And thanks to a hearty suggestion from my good friend Lynél, I ended up making mince-filled pancakes with a cheese sauce on top. So delicious! Who's hungry? Vincent and I, and our housemate Roan. However this recipe can easily feed 4 to 6 people, … Continue reading Savoury Pancakes
Whenever anyone asks me what my go-to dish is, the answer is always a one-pan wonder. One-pan wonders are pretty effortless, they result in less dishes to clean after cooking, and they're incredibly tasty due to all the ingredients infusing their individual flavours into one scrumptious dish. I always do my one-pan wonders in my … Continue reading Mediterranean Chicken One-Pan Wonder
I think I should add "Vegetable Stuffer" to my CV. Not only do I love stuffing butternuts, mushrooms, squashes, aubergines, peppers and whatever else I can hollow out and fill with something yummy -- I'm pretty damn good at it, too! Over this past weekend I indulged in a great sales offer that gave me … Continue reading Stuffed Peppers
A couple of weeks ago I noticed a big hunk of meat sitting in my freezer -- and no, it wasn't Vincent 😉 It was a sultry leg of lamb just waiting for me to take it out on the town. So yesterday afternoon it was decided that the time had come to make a … Continue reading Roast Leg of Lamb
I wanted to make traditional braaibroodjies to accompany our braai last night, but realised a little too late that I didn't have any tomatoes. What I did have were leftover sliced mushrooms and Woolies' feta cheese with sundried-tomatoes and basil. Improvise, I did! The result was a new tasty braaibroodjie combo. Who's hungry? Vincent and … Continue reading Mushroom, Feta & Onion Braaibroodjies
It's a common misconception that you need a whole lot of stuff to make something utterly scrumptious. All you really need is imagination and a few basic ingredients whose flavours you can combine to turn a dish into something wonderful. Last night marked the return of my favourite kind of dish; the one-pan wonder. This … Continue reading Sun-dried Tomato Chicken One-Pan Wonder
Here's a little secret: I've never made lasagne before. Of course I wasn't just going to wing it for my first try, so I did a bit of research on one of my favourite sites; Jamie Oliver's website. He's got a number of lasagne recipes on there, but this one tickled my fancy as it … Continue reading Jamie Oliver’s Good Old Lasagne
It's been a while since I posted a recipe. Partly due to a relentless flu that got hold of me, which resulted in Vincent doing most of the cooking. But now I'm back in action! Last night I decided to cook a classic. Who doesn't love a big bowl of spag-bol?! Who's hungry? Vincent, myself … Continue reading Spaghetti Bolognese
As a student, Thai green curry used to be one of my go-to meals to cook for my friends when they came over for dinner. Not just because it tastes amazing, but because it's really easy to make and doesn't cost much either. As this recipe doesn't include coconut cream or milk, I felt I … Continue reading Green Curry with Chicken
I felt compelled to cook something exciting yesterday -- perhaps a dish we don't eat very often. I have always loved pork chops. My mom used to make them crumbed when I was younger and it was to die for! So, last night I thought I'd experiment with my own non-crumbed version of that delicious … Continue reading Pork Chops with Mash & Roast Veg
We went away this passed weekend for a relaxing getaway with friends. As is usually the case, we ended up packing way more food than we needed. So we brought back a pack of loin chops, half a pack of broccoli, some cauliflower and two already-braaid onions. As you've gathered by now, last night's dinner … Continue reading Lamb Chops & Veg in Tomato Jus
I'm in the mood for something tomato-y, quick and easy, filling, and delicious. Pasta is the answer! (Well, fake pasta for me.) I adore Woolworths' Arrabbiata pasta sauce, so I didn't even think twice about the base for my pasta last night. This sauce means no effort whatsoever is required, and you just know your … Continue reading Pasta with Bacon & Arrabbiata Sauce
Winter is soup time! Contrary to my big love of effortless cooking, I actually like making complicated soups. One of my all-time favourites is a deconstructed chilli popper soup, but that's a recipe for another day. Last night it was so cold that my kitchen felt like a walk-in freezer. So the less time I … Continue reading Chunky Vegetable Soup
Another weeknight; another adventure into the fridge in hope of finding something delicious to make. Lucky for us there was a pack of julienne stir-fry veggies and three skinless chicken fillets ready for a hot pan. After experimenting with a new kind of sauce when I made Teriyaki chicken the other day, I decided to … Continue reading Chicken Stir-fry With Honey & Soy Sauce
Asian cuisine is always a treat for me. But in the past I have been apprehensive about cooking authentic Asian dishes because the recipes I usually gravitate to require a lot of effort and the ingredients are often hard to come by. However, yesterday as I was browsing the web for interesting new recipes to … Continue reading Teriyaki Chicken
I've been craving eggplant for some time now, but have also been wanting to experiment and try something new with this weirdly delicious vegetable. I googled for hours in search of an eggplant recipe that tickled my salivary glands. Eventually I found an interesting-looking eggplant wrap recipe and inspiration hit! Unlike most of my usual … Continue reading Eggplant Fold-overs
What a threesome! Spinach, bacon and feta are like the Three Musketeers of the food world. Whether in a frittata, savoury pie, scone, omelette, quiche -- you name it and it will be delicious! Frittatas are carb free, they look impressive, and they are incredibly easy to make. It's the perfect weekday dinner turned next … Continue reading Spinach, Bacon & Feta Frittata
Many years ago I reluctantly gave up pasta forever (well, there are cheat days once a year or so) and I have missed it every single day since that foolish decision was made. Alas I sometimes brave the pasta cooking process anyways, swallowing my urge to gobble it all up myself, torturing myself for Vincent's … Continue reading Pasta alla Jana
By now it's clear that I love a one-pan dish. The flavours all get to mingle and it's just too damn effortless not to love. Last night I decided to go the easy route again and use a coat & cook sauce -- Ina Paarman's this time around. I also tried a new veggie addition … Continue reading One-Pan Tikka Curry Chicken & Veg
What to do when all you've got are the end slices of a loaf of bread, some salad stuff in the fridge, a can of tuna and a rumbling tummy? Improvise! I love tuna salad, but it can turn out quite bland and dry if you're not careful. So even though this dinner is anything … Continue reading Tuna Salad & A Toastie
Jana Cooks 