BBQ Beef Pie Pockets

You know, whenever it comes to pies. I always get nervous. Thinking that it's gonna be super difficult and chances I'm going to screw it all up and hence, I've always stayed away from pie looking stuff. If I wanna have a good pie, I'll just go out and have it. With an exception with Cottage Pies which I can pretty much whip up a decent one but anything else that requires pastries????? Uh....no thank you, then.

I guess after my divorce, I've gotten bolder in many aspects of my life. I've begun to....how shall I put it??? Reclaim myself? I'm still in search of me and while I'm doing that, I'm cooking and exploring into new dimensions of cooking which I didn't dare venture in the past.

So, here is to a more daring me.

A much simpler recipe and I was watching my oven like a hawk. Lol!!! 

Ingredients:-

- 500g mince beef

- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce or a little more to ensure all the beef is well covered 

- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby Jack or Monterey - your choice)

- 1 cup water + 1 1/2 cup water (separated)

- 4 large squares of pie crust or pastries sheets (normally sold in a large box but can be used for others)

- Preheat oven at 220 Celsius

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef till it turns brown and juice absorbed.

2. Pour BBQ sauce and stir until beef is well coated.

3. Place each sheet and have it cut into 4 of equal sides. I cut 2 large sheets hence I had 8 squares.

4. On a flat cookie baking pan, place cookie paper on it and place 3-4 cut squares on pan.

5. Spoon cooked beef onto the cut squares placed on the pan.

6. Add cheese on top of the beef. 

7. Place other cut square pastries on top of each beef and cheese filled pastry and pinch pastry together to seal.

8. Cut 2 small slits on top of the pastries so that the pies can breathe.

9. Bake between 15-20 mins. (Depends how old your oven is so, best to keep an eye on it)

Serve with some salad. 

My daughter absolutely loved it and had 2 helpings. My maid loved it.

And of course, I loved it. LOL!!!!

One Skillet Cheesy Taco Pasta

Been from the Asian region, it's never very easy looking for certain ingredients for Western recipes which by our Asian culture may sometimes seem alien and sometimes it may even be difficult to look for some of these ingredients and when you actually do find them??? They're actually pretty expensive.

Here's one pretty easy recipe to make. Love all these one skillet mix. Makes it really easy for me to cook and best part is, I always cook a little extra so that my little one has some for lunch the following day.

This was really yummy though I couldn't find non-spicy taco sauce and their mild ones were still super spicy so I mixed it with tomato sauce instead. I didnt fancy watching my little one suffer through her meal. Lol!!!!

Ingredients:-

- 500g mince beef

- 1/2 cup onions, diced

- 1/2 tsp garlic, diced

- 1 cup water + 1 1/2 cup water (separated)

- 1/4 cup salsa sauce (medium hot)

- 3/4 cup tomato sauce

- 1 cup frozen corn

- 1 packet taco seasoning

- 2 cups pasta (macaroni or penne)

- 1 cup taco sauce

- about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded taco cheese or mostly known as Mexican cheese

- optional toppings of sour cream, green onions or diced tomatoes (well, I couldn't be bothered)

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef till it turns brown and juice absorbed.

2. Then, add the onions and garlic to the beef and mix week for about 2-3 mins.

3. Add one cup of water, salsa, corn and taco seasoning. Stir well.

4. Add in pasta, taco sauce and tomato sauce.

5. Bring to boil and lower to medium heat and cover skillet with a lid.

6. Remember to stir ingredients every now and then.

7. After about 5-7 mins, add another 1 1/2 cup water and stir together and cover.

8. Cook until pasta is tender and continue to stir every now and then.

9. Remove from heat and cover entire skillet with the cheese and let it melt on its own. 

10. Add optional toppings or just serve like that. 

Ta da!!! One simple meal. Of course, for some fussy mummies.....you may serve some salad on the side which I normally do with some Japanese Sesame Dressing.

Give it a shot and feel free to drop me a line.