Everyone should learn the basics of cooking. We all need to eat, so why not eat something that looks good but tastes even better. If you’re vegan, vegetarian or you eat anything there is an easy recipe here for you to try. You don’t need to be a master chef, but with these seven simple recipes you’ll feel like one.

Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine 

One dish that everyone should know how to make is pasta. Pasta is a dish that anyone would love, so why not make it an easy yet tasty one. This creamy mushroom fettuccine is so tasty and easy to make, it will definitely be a crowd pleaser. Plus it’s a @PastaQueen recipe, she’s famous for her amazing recipes. So you know this recipe is full of authentic Italian goodness.

Ingredients:

1. 1 box or bag of Fettuccine
2. 3 garlic cloves
3. 50 g of salted butter 
4. 250 g of mushrooms
5. 200 g of Parmesan
6. 473 ml heavy cream 
7. 2 glasses of white wine
8. A bunch of parsley 
9. Salt as needed 

Method: 

1. Chop garlic, parsley and mushroom. Melt butter and add chopped garlic. 
2. Stir fry for a few minutes and add chopped mushrooms with the parsley.
3. Cook until the mushrooms are soft then add two glasses of white wine. 
4. Put your flame on high to burn the alcohol off for a few minutes. 
5. Turn your flame back down and add 473 ml of heavy cream and half of your Parmesan. Then stir and add salt as needed. Cool for 5 minutes and done.
6. Cook your pasta in a hot water pan and salt it. Once pasta is rinsed add to the pan with the cream sauce in it and stir. 
7. Serve with some parsley and Parmesan garnish.

For more information and other recipes check out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCChxSeTVekWoYJjowt6BqWA

Portuguese Fish Stew

Growing up in a Portuguese house, I learned to appreciate good seafood. My family would always make traditional foods for any occasion, whether it be a birthday party or just weekly dinner. But one that we would always enjoy and make is Caldeirada de peixe otherwise known as Fish Stew. Although this isn’t my family’s recipe, It’s still a traditional version that everyone will love.

Ingredients

1. Medium pinch of saffron (3 threads or ½ teaspoon of ground saffron powder)
2. 1 tablespoon of hot water
3. 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (one garlic clove, halved)
4. 300g of potato, sliced very, very, very thinly
5. 50g of butter, cubed, divided in two
6. 1 large onion, sliced very thinly
7. 1 medium bulb fennel, sliced very thinly
8. 3 large beefsteak tomatoes or 5 Roma tomatoes
9. 500g of fish fillets  
10. 150ml of white wine
11. Salt, pepper and smoked paprika
12. Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Soak the saffron in the water. Rub the base of your pot with the halved garlic clove.
2. Then line with half of the potato and top with half of the butter and season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. 
3. Add half the onion, garlic, half the fennel and half of the tomatoes seasoning with some more salt, pepper and smoked paprika.
4. Add the fish fillets and a layer of onion, potato, garlic, fennel and tomatoes and more salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Dot with the rest of the butter, drizzle with olive oil. Mix the saffron water and threads with the wine and pour over. 
5. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the fish and vegetables are cooked.

For more information and other recipes check out: https://www.notquitenigella.com/2017/11/02/caldeirada-portuguese-fish-stew/

Garlic Butter Steak And Potatoes 

Whether you’re a BBQ enthusiast or skillet master, steak is a staple for any carnivore. It’s easy and tasty. This Garlic butter steak and potato will have any steak lover drooling at the sight and smell of this dish.

Ingredients

1. 2 or 4 steaks (or how ever many you want)
2. Salt and pepper to taste and season 
3. Garlic powder to taste and season 
4. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
5. 2 or 4 (or how ever many you want) baby potatoes, diced
6. 6 tablespoons of salted butter, soft enough to mash with a fork (one tablespoon per steak, plus two tablespoons for the potatoes)
7. 2 teaspoons minced garlic 
8. 1 teaspoon of dried Italian herb blend
9. 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme
10. 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°C. In a small bowl combine butter, garlic, and dried herbs and set aside. Season steaks generously with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
2. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and drizzle with oil. Sear steaks for 2-3 minutes one each side until nice and browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside. 
3. Add potatoes to the skillet, season generously with salt, pepper, garlic powder and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes until browned. Push potatoes to one side of the skillet and return steaks to the other side of the skillet. 
4. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and steak is cooked to your preferred doneness.
5. Immediately after removing from the oven, place a dollop of the garlic butter on each steak and the rest on the potatoes and let it melt over the food before stirring the potatoes to coat in butter and then topping with chopped thyme and parsley before serving. 

For more information and other recipes check out: https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/garlic-butter-steak-and-potatoes-skillet/

Homestyle Chicken Schnitzel

Everyone loves a chicken schnitzel, there’s no question about it. From pub lunches to restaurant dinners, you can find a good schnitzel almost everywhere. So why not try it at home, Matt Preston has recently realised his homestyle chicken schnitzel recipe with homemade coleslaw, so why not give it a go.

Ingredients

1. 2 large chicken breast fillets, each halved into 2 thin fillets
2. 160 g of fresh breadcrumbs
3. 1/3 cup (40 g) of finely grated parmesan
4. Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus another lemon cut into wedges to serve
5. 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
6. 1 egg, lightly beaten
7. 1/2 cup (125 ml) of milk
8. Plain flour, to dust
9. Olive oil, to shallow-fry

Coleslaw

1. 1/4 savoy cabbage, finely shredded (a mandoline is ideal)
2. 1 carrot, finely shredded (a mandoline is ideal)
3. 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
4. 235 g of whole-egg mayonnaise
5. 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked

Method

1. For the schnitzels, use a meat mallet or rolling pin to beat the chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap until flat. 
2. Mix the breadcrumbs with the parmesan, lemon zest and parsley, then season with freshly ground black pepper. 
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Dust the chicken with flour, then dip into the egg wash and coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Chill for 30 minutes to set.
4. Heat oil in a frypan over medium heat and in batches cook the schnitzels for 4-5 minutes each side until golden. Drain on a paper towel and keep warm.
5. For the coleslaw, mix the cabbage, carrot and red onion in a bowl with enough mayonnaise to bind. 
6. Toss the coleslaw, then pile onto plates with the schnitzels and serve with lemon wedges.

For more information and other recipes check out: https://www.delicious.com.au/recipes/chicken-schnitzel-coleslaw/204a9813-d136-4b98-8ff0-fd3e61468149

Farro Salad with chicken and roasted sweet potatoes.

When he’s not traveling the country helping people on Netflix’s new reboot of Queer Eye, @AntoniPorowski is at home cooking up a storm. During Quarantine, he uploaded a video of a recipe that he did a while ago. His easy to make Farro Salad with chicken and roasted sweet potatoes, is a winner. If you’re Vegetarian or Vegan you can make this dish without chicken. This dish is simple yet tasty and will have you wanting more. 

Recipe:

1. 2 (or more) cooked chicken breasts, cut into strips or cubes
2. 1 bag of Cooked Farro
3. Chopped parsley
4. Juice and zest of 1 lemon
5. Coarsely chopped browned almonds
6. 2 roasted sweet potatoes, cubed or wedges 
7. Olive oil
8. Apple cider vinegar
9. Salt
10. 1 bag of mix salad leaves (arugula and lettuce) 
11. 2 bay leaves
12. Chili powder

Directions:

1. On a medium heat put some olive oil and butter in a pan, then place salt-seasoned chicken breasts. 
2. After 7-10 minutes, flip them over to the other side until fully cooked through. Once chicken is removed from the pan. 
3. Add a bit of water, lemon juice and its zest to deglaze the pan. This will serve as a sauce to flavour the Farro.
4. Using a bag of Farro, follow the instructions on the bag to cook. Add some apple cider vinegar and the 2 bay leaves and some salt. 
5. Cook the Farro until there is still a bite to the grain but no crunch. Drain and let cool.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C, on a baking sheet place the cubed sweet potatoes. Toss with olive oil and then add some chili powder and salt. 
7. Roast for 15 minutes, then mix so they brown on all sides. Depending on oven power, this should take 20-30 minutes. Once ready, let cool.
8. Heat a medium pan with olive oil, add almonds and cook until dark brown. just don’t burn them. Season with salt to taste. Once cooked, chop them coarsely. 
9. In a bowl, combine Farro, chicken, sweet potatoes, chopped parsley, salad leaves and the cooked chopped almonds and finally the pan juices. Depending on desired consistency, add olive oil and season with salt.

For more information and other recipes check out:  https://hbfit.com/hot-guys-in-the-kitchen-with-antoni-porowski-of-netflixs-new-queer-eye/

Vegetarian Spinach and Artichoke Pizza

For our vegetarian’s out there, here’s a recipe you’ll make more than once. Yes it’s pizza, who doesn’t love pizza. This vegetarian spinach and artichoke pizza, is so tasty that even non-vegetarians will enjoy it.

Ingredients

1. Flour, for surface
2. 0.4 kg of pizza dough at room temperature or 1 store bought pizza base
3. 1/2 cup of small curd 1% cottage cheese
4. 2 tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano cheese
5. 2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon zest
6. Kosher salt and pepper
7. 3 cups of baby spinach
8. 1 can artichoke hearts, drained, patted very dry and chopped
9. 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10. 1 tablespoon of olive oil
11. 14 g of Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat oven to 260°C.
2. On a lightly floured surface, shape the pizza dough into a 35 cm oval (skip this if you have a store bought pizza base). 
3. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
4. In a mini food processor, puree cottage cheese, pecorino, lemon zest, and add 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. 
5. In a bowl, toss spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, oil, and add 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. 
6. Scatter spinach-artichoke mixture onto dough or base first, then pour cheese mixture and grate Parmesan cheese on top. 
7. Bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

For more information and other recipes check out:  https://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/a32676130/spinach-and-artichoke-pizza-recipe/

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s pie is a classic, everyone loves it. But some people can’t eat it. But not any more, this vegan shepherd’s pie is so good and tasty and it’s for everyone to enjoy. Although it’s vegan it’s still packed full of flavour, so why not give it a go.

Ingredients

The Filling:

1. 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil, divided 
2. 453 g of shiitake mushrooms, torn into large pieces 
3. 1 large onion, diced
4. 2 celery stalks, finely diced
5. 2 parsnips, diced
6. 1 small butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 2.5 cm pieces 
7. 6 cloves garlic, minced
8. 1 tablespoon of double concentrated tomato paste
9. 1 tablespoon of white miso paste 
10. 1/2 cup of red wine 
11. 1 cup of dry green lentils, rinsed
12. 2 tablespoons of Flour
13. 4 cups of vegetable stock
14. Kosher salt 
15. Freshly ground black pepper 

The Mashed Potatoes:

1. 1.1 kg gold creamer potatoes, peeled and halved
2. Kosher salt
3. 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
4. 3 garlic cloves, minced
5. 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
6. 6 tablespoons of vegan butter 
7. 1/4 cup of roughly chopped parsley
8. Freshly ground black pepper

Methods:

The Filling:

1. In a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoon oil. 
2. Add mushrooms and sear until deeply brown, remove from skillet. 
3. Lower heat to medium and add remaining oil. Add onion, celery, parsnips, and butternut squash, cook until starting to become well browned for about 12 minutes. 
4. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook, stirring often, about 2 minutes. 
5. Stir in miso paste, immediately add the wine and cook 1 minute more. 
6. Add the mushrooms back in and stir in the lentils. 
7. Sprinkle everything with flour and stir until well incorporated.
8. Cook 1 more minute and then add vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils are al dente, about 15 minutes.
10. Place filling into an oven dish and leave to the side.

The Mashed Potatoes and Assembly:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°C. In a large pot, cover potatoes with water and season with salt.
2. Bring to a boil and cook until totally soft for about 15 to 18 minutes. 
3. Drain and return to pot, use a potato masher to mash potatoes until smooth. 
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil and thyme. Then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. 
5. Discard thyme and pour oil over potatoes, then add butter and stir until completely combined and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Spread evenly over the vegetable filling in the oven dish and bake until there is very little liquid visible and mashed potatoes are golden, about 35 minutes. 

For more information and other recipes check out:  https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a30779578/vegan-shepherds-pie-recipe/

With these seven simple recipes, you’ll be ready for anything whether it be a dinner party or just dinner with friends. Once you learn the basics, don’t be afraid to experiment with them and other recipes.