These super simple, super fast recipes couldn’t be easier. Use them as inspiration for your next weekly meal plan!
Buttered Noodles
– 8 ounces (250 g) ribbon noodles
– Boiling water
– 1/2-teaspoon salt
– 1-tablespoon butter
Boil the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Boil until they are cooked al dente – this means the noodles are soft but still offer some slight resistance to the teeth.
Drain in a colander and melt the butter in the pan used to cook the noodles. Return the noodles to the pan and gently lift and turn the noodles in the butter with two forks so that they are coated with butter.
Serve the noodles in a dish and garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley.
Continental Carrots
Cut about 500 g carrots in quarters, or leave them whole if they are small.
Parboil in salted water for about 15 minutes.
Drain and complete the cooking, uncovered, in 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon sugar and enough milk to cover the carrots.
When completely cooked, serve in this sauce, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley.
Glazed Turnips
Cut one small turnip in strips.
Cook in boiling salted water until just tender – about 25 minutes.
Drain and add 1 tablespoon butter; a little chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt and sugar. Toss to coat.
Rice Salad
Cook one cup long grain rice in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and rinse with plenty of cold water. Add salt, pepper, and one small chopped onion. Using a fork, mix in 2 sticks of finely chopped celery, the contents of 1 small can drained pineapple titbits and a tablespoon each of chopped nuts and raisins.
Creamy Custard Pie
– 4 ounces (120 g) short crust pastry
– 2 eggs
– 1 tablespoon sugar
– Few drops vanilla essence
– 1 cup creamy milk, warmed
– A little grated nutmeg
Line a deep pie plate with pastry, and decorate the edge. Do not stretch the pastry. Prick the pastry carefully with a needle; be careful not to prick it all the way through. If possible, chill for several hours.
Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence lightly together. Stir in the warmed milk and strain into a measuring jug. Pour into the unbaked pastry shell. It is a good idea to do this on the oven shelf drawn out slightly so that it does not get spilt. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Bake in moderate oven at 200 degrees celsius for about 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Cool on a rack and serve cold.