The weather has changed. This morning's walk to and fro school was done under a brolly (it's school photo day and hair paranoia was rife in my eldest). Cue many disputes over who would hold the umbrella, how much umbrella each child needed, how fast to walk etc, etc. I ran interference as much as possible, I carried umbrella, asked the youngest to either walk in the middle (not acceptable to the eldest as it pushed him to the outside of the umbrella), on the other side of me (not acceptable to the youngest, how could he harrass his brother from such a distance?!) or in front of us both (not acceptable to me as we were late and he walks at snail pace unless holding someones hand). Behind us wasn't going to work as he would get distracted and I'd be half way along the road before realising he had stopped to examine a stone or two after 2 steps. We made it to school on time and unscathed (both were a close run thing) and waited under the shelter for each boys class to be opened up. Kissed the youngest and sent him in with no fuss (shocking) but then had to pop the umbrella back up as the eldest wouldn't leave the shelter for love nor money without it, despite evidence that it was no longer raining. He pootled on in complaining all the time that I hadn't sent the permission slip in for his year term treat tomorrow. I promised to speak to the teacher after school and ask for the letter that I never got...
Big sigh, and relax.... I then had a quick stroll around boundary park before heading home . By the time I got home, I was quite chilly and the grey sky had made me feel a bit glum. The solution? CHRISTMAS MUSIC and comfort food of course! Yes I know it's a bit early for christmas music but I've heard that it's OK after Halloween so I'm choosing Halloween 2016...
I had seen on Pinterest (I'm an complete addict to pinning things that in all likelihood I will NEVER
Two hours later the potatoes were done and I was still stuck so rummaged through the freezer and hit pay dirt with a pack of beef mince - cottage pie! I chopped the jacket potatoes in half and scooped the insides out, reserving them for the tops.
I'd just need to mention how much easier that was for me as I used this gadget which I can't remember the name of but I LOVE wholeheartedly! It makes life so much easier as it grips bowls so I can stir without a messy disaster and bread loafs so I can cut a slice without have to squash it by leaning on it with my duff arms and full body weight (which still doesn't work). It suckers onto the counter top securely and the black pegs can be moved into different slots to accommodate different sized/shaped objects.
It was only at the point that I realised that I shouldn't have added the veg at all - my husband won't eat any vegetables except potato, limited onion and a certain spinach dish that you can only get in Germany so I normally add them after I've taken his portion out. Quick brain storm later I realised if I took his quarter of the potato inners and mixed it with cheese and the last 2 slices of ham in the fridge then that would serve nicely as his potato filling. I separated his into a smaller dish and got filling, meat first, then mash and finally a sprinkle of cheese.
It was only then I realised the time and so dashed out the door to my youngest carnival afternoon. All the classes have been renamed to country names this year so as he is in Brazil class, they are having an end of term "carnival" where they act out the class story, do some crafts and then sing us a song. It was the sort of adoreable that only appeals to the parents of the children in question. I teared up a bit while they did the story as my son tried really hard to do all the actions and to remember the words and just did great! I then gathered him up and all the bits and bobs I could find that belonged to him (that explains where all his jumpers had disappeared to) and grabbed his brother from his class and headed home in the now pouring rain.
The kids are always ravenous when they get home so I threw the cottage potatoes into the oven and whipped up a quick salad and they were soon to be happy chappies...
While they baked, I had a lot of left over filling so I quickly boiled and mashed 5 medium sized potatoes and popped them both into a pan and then into the freezer once they had cooled for a quick cottage pie for another day. I may add an addendum later onwhen I cook it.
Sorry I forgot to take a photo of that or of the cheese and ham potato once it was cooked. The first because my eldest mucked up his Minecraft account while I was getting this lot done and so I had to deal with his WORLD ENDING! The second didn't get cooked until very late as JJ messaged me from the train when he got near enough so it was ready soon after he walked in the door or I suspect it would have been uneaten and he would have gone straight to bed!
Cottage pie two ways and a fussy eater potato
3 Indivdual cottage pie in a jacket potatoes, 1 large cottage pie and 1 cheesy potato
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4 potatoes plus a large cottage pie
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4 potatoes plus a large cottage pie
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes
- 5 medium potatoes
- Onion, chopped Onion, chopped
- 300g lean mince beef
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 celery, diced
- 1 generous handful peas, frozen
- 1 generous handful sweetcorn, frozen
- 1 large glug Worcestershire Sauce
- 1pint water
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 beef stock cube
- 2 tblsp olive oil
- Enough to sprinkle sea salt
- 2 knob butter
- 50g plus extra for sprinkling grated mature cheddar
- 2 slices ham, roughly chopped
- corn powder, optional
Instructions
Set the oven to 180 C (160 C fan)
Cover the 4 potatoes in oil and then sprinkle them generously with sea salt
Place directly on the oven shelf placing a baking sheet on the shelf beneath.
Bake for approx 2 hours 20 minutes, checking after 2 hours.
Peel remaining potatoes and boil in water until soft.
Drain and then mash along with a knob of butter. Put to one side.
Now to prepare the meat "filling": Saute, the onion until caramelised then add the meat. Cook until all the pink is gone.
Add the peas, sweetcorn, carrot, water and stock cubes and stir.
Let simmer until the carrot is cooked through. If the gravy is too runny, use the cornflower to thicken. Put to one side
Constructing the pies: Once the jacket potatoes are cooked, do not turn off the oven, allow them to cool a little to save your fingers, then cut them in half and scoop out the inside, leaving a small amount against the skin.
Place the skins into a suitable baking vessel, placing one seperately in a large ramekin.
Mash the insides with a knob of butter and the cheese.
Fill the potato skins (all but one) with 1-2 tablespoons of meat and top with cheesy potato.
Add the ham to the leftover potato mash from the insides and fill the potato in the individual ramekin with the mixture.
Place the remaining meat mixture in a small casserole dish, top with the additional mash potato.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over all the pies an place back into the oven for 1/2 hour.
Cover the 4 potatoes in oil and then sprinkle them generously with sea salt
Place directly on the oven shelf placing a baking sheet on the shelf beneath.
Bake for approx 2 hours 20 minutes, checking after 2 hours.
Peel remaining potatoes and boil in water until soft.
Drain and then mash along with a knob of butter. Put to one side.
Now to prepare the meat "filling": Saute, the onion until caramelised then add the meat. Cook until all the pink is gone.
Add the peas, sweetcorn, carrot, water and stock cubes and stir.
Let simmer until the carrot is cooked through. If the gravy is too runny, use the cornflower to thicken. Put to one side
Constructing the pies: Once the jacket potatoes are cooked, do not turn off the oven, allow them to cool a little to save your fingers, then cut them in half and scoop out the inside, leaving a small amount against the skin.
Place the skins into a suitable baking vessel, placing one seperately in a large ramekin.
Mash the insides with a knob of butter and the cheese.
Fill the potato skins (all but one) with 1-2 tablespoons of meat and top with cheesy potato.
Add the ham to the leftover potato mash from the insides and fill the potato in the individual ramekin with the mixture.
Place the remaining meat mixture in a small casserole dish, top with the additional mash potato.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over all the pies an place back into the oven for 1/2 hour.
