Summer Holidays...

As in, summer must be on holiday, because I'm sitting inside, wearing jeans and a jumper, sipping red wine, while it pours down rain.

Miserable. As. Fluff.

So, what do you do when you're supposed to be on summer holiday, and it leaves you the week before you're due back at work? Particularly when you've put your back out, so anything strenuous is off the cards, as well as sitting for periods of time. 

Firstly, host a dinner party. Serve something warming, that everyone can help themselves to. Last night a couple of Sir G's friends came over, so I made a nachos and he cracked open a beautiful red (that I'm currently enjoying the remains of)... Or two! I was able to potter (read: hobble) around the kitchen at my leisure during the afternoon, and then lay down once everyone was fed, while the boys took turns at playing dj on Spotify.

Secondly, whilst you're being a miserable party-pooper, send the Goose to the pub with his mates (after all, he has waited on you hand and foot for the last few days). Grab that bottle of wine, the left over nachos and host a Game of Thrones marathon for one!

Pudgy Nachos

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil

2 x chorizo sausages, diced

1 x brown onion, finely chopped

3 x cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 each, red and green capsicum, finely diced

4 x red chillies, finely chopped

5 x tomatoes, finely chopped

600g beef or pork mince

1 tbs oregano

1 tbs smoked paprika

2 tsp ground cinnamon 

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp cayenne pepper

100g dark chocolate (47% cocoa)

1 tbs chipotle sauce (or to taste, depending on how spicy you like it)

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 x 400g tin red kidney beans, or black turtle beans

1 x packet of corn chips (I use Mission white corn tortillas strips)

Grated cheese, for melting

Chopped fresh coriander, sour cream, jalapeños, fresh lime wedges, a fresh zingy chopped salsa and guac to serve.

Method:

1. Heat oil, in a large heavy based saucepan, over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo, and cook stirring, until golden.

2. Add the chopped onion, garlic, capsicum, chillies and tomatoes, and cook stirring, until softened.

3. Add the mince, and cook, breaking up the mince with a wooden spoon, until browned. 

4. Add the spices, chocolate, chipotle sauce, tinned tomatoes, beans, season with salt and pepper, and mix to combine. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour until the sauce thickens, and the flavours develop. It is important to taste the mixture, and add more herbs and spices as you so desire.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 180° C.

6. In a large baking dish, scatter the corn chips around the edges of the dish, leaving a well in the centre. Pour the chilli mixture over the corn chips in the baking dish, and scatter with grated cheese. Pop in the oven for 20mins, or until the cheese is melted (and without burning the corn chips!).

7. Scatter the nachos with chopped fresh coriander and lime wedges and pop the baking dish in the middle of the table, so everyone can help themselves, along with the sour cream, guac, jalapeños and salsa. 

NOTE: my salsa is simply the left over half capsicum, red onion and tomatoes, finely diced, with some corn kernels, fresh coriander and lime juice. My guac is an avo mashed with some finely chopped chilli or jalapeños, fresh coriander, tbs of coconut oil, juice of a lime, salt and lots of cracked black pepper.