Cooking with Pantry Essentials

Now, more than ever, is the best time to get creative in the kitchen, to brush up on your skills and start cooking with pantry essentials!

To help you get started, we’ve collated our top picks of inspiring yet simple recipes that you can whip up in next to no time!

The Perfect Snack

Whether it’s a quick snack or a simple dinner, a home-made Beef and Mushroom Pie will deliver maximum taste. Combining many pantry staples encased in flaky puff pastry, what’s not to love? Check out Sunbeam’s recipe for the Beef and Mushroom Pie below, it’s so easy to make with the Pie Magic® Traditional 4 Up (PM4800).

Beef and Mushroom Pie

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 3 hours
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 750g diced beef
• ¼ cup plain flour
• ¼ cup oil
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 cup beef stock
• 400g tin crushed tomato
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 200g Brown cup mushroom
• 8 frozen puff pastry sheets
• 1 egg white, lightly whisked
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Mustards, sauces, salad or mash potato, to serve

Method

1. Coat beef with flour and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

2. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, preheat oil, and brown the beef in batches. Add garlic and cook, for 1 minute

3. Return all beef into pan, adding red wine, beef stock, tomatoes and rosemary. Mix, and bring to the boil stirring occasionally.

4. Reduce heat to low, place lid on, and cook for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

5. Add mushrooms and cook for 30 mins. Set aside to cool.

6. Turn the Pie Magic on, close lid and pre heat.

7. Using the pie cutter, cut out 8 lids and 8 bases from the pastry

8. When the green READY light comes on, open Pie Magic and place the pastry bases in, fill with about ½ cup of beef and mushroom mixture, place pastry lids on. Brush the lids with egg white.

9. Close lid and cook for 12 – 15 mins.

10. Repeat with 4 remaining pies

11. Serve with your favourite mustards, sauces, salad or mash potato.

Slices of Goodness

If you need to increase your vegetable intake but you’re not sure how to, this Cheesy Zucchini & Carrot Slice lets you get the best nutritional benefit with taste to match! Packed full of cheesy goodness, this slice is also great for the kids. Prepared simply with a few ingredients and pantry essentials such as self-raising flour, butter and eggs, this slice will be your new favourite! This recipe uses the PrepStar Food Processor (401014).

Cheesy Zucchini & Carrot Slice

Preparation & cooking time: 55 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, quartered
• ¾ cup self-raising flour
• 125g butter, melted
• 4 eggs
• ¾ cup cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup cheddar cheese, grated, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C fan-forced. Grease a 12cm x 22xm load pan and line with baking paper.

2. Attach the Coarse Grater to your PrepStar and grate zucchini, carrot and onion¹ on Speed 2; transfer grated vegetables to a bowl and remove the Coarse Grater.

3. Attach the Beater to your PrepStar and add flour, butter, eggs, cheese, salt and pepper; process on Speed 2 to make a batter.

4. Add vegetables and process on Speed 3 to mix until just combined.

5. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Serve warm with a fresh salad.²

NOTES:
1. If necessary, cut the vegetables to size so they will fit down the feed tube.
2. Leftovers make a delicious sandwich filling!

Comfort Carbs

Whether you’re craving something filling or maybe you need inspiration for dinner, dive into plates full of comfort carbs! A one-pot spaghetti or perhaps chicken fried rice? Whatever tickles your fancy, just grab the pantry and fridge staples and you’re on your way there!

Prep, combine and cook with the Crock-Pot® Express Easy Release Multi-Cooker (CPE210):

One-Pot Spaghetti

Cooking time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• 800g tin diced tomatoes
• 4 cups water
• 3 tsp salt
• 500g uncooked spaghetti, broken in half
• Fresh basil leaves
• Cracked black pepper and sea salt
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

1. Press BROWN/SAUTÉ; place oil in Cooking Pot and heat. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until translucent. Add tomato paste, garlic, oregano and basil; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and salt; mix well. Add pasta and water; gently mix, separating pasta as much as possible. Secure lid. Press MANUAL, set pressure to HIGH and time to 5 minutes. Make sure Steam Release Dial is in the “Seal” (closed) position. Press START/STOP.

2. Once cooking is complete, quick release pressure. Stir to separate noodles. Press BROWN/SAUTÉ; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and pasta is desired degree of doneness. Serve with Parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, season to taste.

Chicken Fried Rice

Preparation & cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil plus 1 tsp vegetable oil, divided
• 3 eggs
• 1 kg chicken breast, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 2 carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ cups uncooked rice, rinsed well
• 1½ cups water
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup peas
• 6 tbsps soy sauce
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Press BROWN/SAUTÉ; heat 1 tbsp oil on HIGH. Crack eggs into Cooking Pot; cook and stir 45 seconds to 1 minute or until eggs are scrambled but still moist. Remove to small bowl; set aside. Wipe the Cooking Pot clean.

2. Press BROWN/SAUTÉ; heat 1 tbsp oil on HIGH. Add chicken, chopped onion, carrot and garlic; cook and stir 2 minutes. Stir in rice, water and 1/2 tsp salt. Secure lid. Press RICE/GRAINS, set temperature to HIGH and time to 6 minutes. Make sure Steam Release Dial is in the “Seal” (closed) position. Press START/STOP. When cooking is complete, quick release pressure.

3. Press BROWN/SAUTÉ; stir in soy sauce, peas and ginger. Move rice to one side and add remaining 1 tsp oil to bottom of Cooking Pot. Cook 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture is well blended, all liquid is absorbed and bottom is beginning to brown, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggs and spring onions. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Press pause all your food delivery apps and start cooking at home today! Packed full of flavours, nutrition and less fat than take-away, home-cooking is simple when you combine whatever’s already at home with some star ingredients. Check out our Articles & Recipes page for more delicious and inspiring recipes!