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8 easy autumn weeknight recipes

2021-04-15

Let's warm you up with these scrumptious and easy recipes!

Autumn is here and that means cooler days, cozy nights and meals filled with flavour and hot enough to warm the cockles of your heart. 

After a long day at work, spending hours perfectly the perfect family meal is sometimes the last thing we want to do.

These 8 delicious and easy autumn meals take less than an hour to prepare and are guaranteed to end up on the weekday dinner schedule. 

1. Spaghetti aglio e olio

An easy and flavourful Italian classic, spaghetti aglio e olio translates simply to spaghetti garlic and oil. With aromatic garlic and La Española Extra Virgin Olive Oil as the key players, this recipe is full of appeal and takes just minutes to prepare. 

Ingredients: 

Method:

  1. Cook pasta in a saucepan of boiling water until tender. Drain, keeping 1/4 cup resulting water.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add pasta and reserved cooking water. Season with salt and pepper. 
  3. Cook, tossing pasta for 1 to 2 minutes until combined and heated through. Sprinkle generously with parmesan and parsley and serve. 

2. Chicken Stroganoff

A variation on the classic beef variety, chicken stroganoff is filling, rich and tasty. Full of veggies, herbs and with a mustard zing, this European meal takes just an hour to prepare and cook. 

Ingredients: 

Method:

  1. Prepare egg noodles according to packet instructions and toss with butter while still hot.
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp La Española Mild & Light Olive Oil. Add chicken and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden on all sides, and season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken and place in a large bowl.
  3. Lower heat to medium and add one tablespoon of 1 tbsp. La Española Mild & Light Olive Oil oil. Add mushrooms and cook until golden and tender, around 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and place in bowl with chicken.
  4. Add remaining oil and onion. Cook until softened, around 6 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary or thyme and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in 3 ½ cups broth, Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a simmer. 
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and the remaining broth. Stir into skillet along with reserved chicken and mushrooms and continue to simmer until thickened by about half, for around 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Spoon chicken mixture over prepared egg noodles and garnish with sour cream and parsley.

3. Sesame beef stirfry 

Exotic and pleasing to the palate, this recipe for sesame beer stirfry is healthy, mouth-watering and oh so easy to prepare on a chilly autumn weeknight. Marinaded to perfection, you’ll be eager to try this one again. 

Beef marinade ingredients: 

  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice powder 
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Stirfry ingredients: 

  • 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup snow peas, sliced in half horizontally 
  • ½ cup carrots, sliced 
  • 8 green onions, sliced
  • ¼ cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp honey 
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • ½ tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp La Española Mild & Light Olive Oil (for cooking)

Method:

  1. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl and add steak.  Set aside for 15 minutes. 
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Remove excess marinade from steak and cook in a single layer for 2-3 minutes, stirring to cook both sides. Remove steak to plate.
  3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then add peas, carrots and green onion and cook while stirring often for 2-3 minutes.  
  4. Whisk together broth, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes.  Add steak and sauce to skillet, stirring to combine.  Sauce will thicken.
  5. Stir in cooked ramen noodles if you wish, and serve hot. 

4. Pita pizzas 

This healthy recipe for pizza pitas is so easy and fun, you can get the kids involved in making their own. Crispy and hot, this is the go-to meal for when you just want to put your feet up after a tasty meal. 

Ingredients: 

  • 4 pita bread
  • 140g tomato paste
  • 1 cup grated tasty cheese
  • 100g shaved ham
  • 225g can pineapple pieces, drained
  • 1 green capsicum, seeds removed, finely diced

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Place pita breads onto trays. Spread each pita evenly with tomato paste. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, pineapple pieces and capsicum, or any other desired toppings, like olives or salami.
  3. Bake pitas for 10 to 15 minutes, swapping trays halfway through, or until cheese has melted and pita bread is crisp. Serve.

5. Chicken Tacos 

Pick up a packet of tacos on your next visit to Coles, and half the work is done on this chicken tacos recipe. Head to Mexico for an easy family-friendly recipe where the kids can build their own tacos while getting in their daily veggie hit. 

Taco ingredients: 

  • 3 tbsp. La Española Extra Virgin Olive Oil Medium Flavour
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 2 tsp. cumin
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. paprika
  • ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper 
  • 8 tacos, warmed

Toppings: 

  • Sour cream
  • Thinly sliced red onion
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Tasty cheese, shredded  
  • Diced avocados
  • Iceberg lettuce, shredded 

Method:

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until golden, approx 6 minutes. 
  2. Add spices and stir until coated, approx 1 minute more. If required, add a little more oil or water to help spices better coat chicken. 
  3. Build the tacos, layering chicken and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.

6. Irish stew 

A classic cold weather meal made with some of the most basic ingredients, irish stew is hearty, wholesome and so scrumptious. And the best part is it’s ready in less than an hour! 

Ingredients: 

  • 3 tbsp. La Española Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mild Flavour 
  • 2 lb. beef chuck stew meat, cubed 
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • 3 medium white potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 (16-oz.) bottle Guinness 
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme
  • Freshly chopped parsley, for serving

Method:

  1. In a large cast iron casserole pot oven over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season beef with salt and pepper, then add to pot and cook on all sides until seared, 10 minutes, working in batches if necessary. Transfer beef to a plate. 
  2. In same pot, add remaining tablespoon olive oil and cook onion, carrots, and celery until soft, or approx 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, around 1 minute more.
  3. Add beef back to pot, then add potatoes, broth, beer, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let simmer until beef and potatoes are tender, approx 30 minutes.
  4. Garnish with parsley before serving.

7. Chicken Parmigiana 

Who doesn’t love a classic Aussie chicken parmigiana? Forget the pub parma and make your own at home. Crispy, crumbed and chicken-ey, the little and big kids alike will like this one! 

Chicken Ingredients: 

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to season
  • 3 large chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 6 fillets
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup golden breadcrumbs 
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic or onion powder
  • ½ cup La Española Mild & Light Olive Oil, for frying

Sauce ingredients: 

Topping ingredients: 

  • 250 g mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
  • ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Method:

For The Chicken:

  1. Preheat oven to 430°F or 220°C. Lightly grease an oven tray with non-stick cooking oil spray. 
  2. Whisk together eggs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add chicken into the egg, rotating to evenly coat each fillet in the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes (or overnight for a more robust flavour). 
  3. When the chicken is ready for cooking, mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and garlic powder together in a separate bowl. Dip chicken into the breadcrumb mixture to evenly coat.
  4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Fry chicken until golden and crispy, about 4-5 minutes each side. 
  5. Place chicken on prepared baking tray and top each breast with about 1/3 cup of sauce (find recipe below). Top each chicken breast with 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese and about 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with basil or parsley. 
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and melted, and the chicken is completely cooked through.

Sauce instructions:

  1. Heat oil in a medium-sized pot. Fry onion until transparent (about 3 minutes), then add the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  2. Add the tomato puree, salt and pepper and Italian herbs. Cover with lid amd simmer for about 8 minutes, or until sauce has slightly thickened. Taste test and add more salt and pepper, if required.

8. Shepherd’s Pie 

Almost everyone has fond memories of a hearty home-cooked shepherd's pie made with love, and this recipe will ensure you create your own memories in your own home. With a fluffy top and flavoursome bottom, what are you waiting? 

Pie ingredients: 

  • 1kg beef mince
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped 
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • ¼ tsp thyme
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 ½ cups beef stock
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • ¼ cup water

Topping ingredients: 

Method:

  1. Place beef mince in pan and cook over high heat, stirring until meat is well browned.
  2. Add onion and carrot. Cook until the onion is transparent. Add thyme, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, stock and salt and pepper. Mix well.
  3. Bring mixture to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in blended flour and water until mixture boils and thickens.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Place mixture into ovenproof dish.
  5. Step Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and mash potato.Add butter and milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Spread potato evenly over meat and bake at 180C for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve.

If you try any of these recipes at home... we would love to see them! Join us on Facebook or Instagram where you can share your ideas and pictures with our foodie community. We’ll be waiting!