Get someone to cook for you with Created with Jamie

A sponsored post for Woolworths

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So, I am the main Monday to Friday cook in our house mainly because I am home and it’s easy enough for me to do and it’s just the routine we have gotten into. Rob is a great cook, capable and always willing to try different things while I tend to stick to the usual suspects.

But soon enough, instead of running around between 4 and 7pm helping the girls with homework, getting dinner ready, folding and putting away washing, getting the family fed, girls into the bath, readers read, into bed, stories told and tucked into bed I will be couch bound. With a little one attached to a breast. And in any case, needing to be close by. And that? Is FINE by me. It never lasts for long and what is more important than that for the first few weeks? Not much.

But what I will be is hungry and most possibly tired, and when I get tired, I get bossy and sometimes a little demanding. I know that we might have some visitors staying with us (Grandmas and the like) and I know that I will want dinner to be tasty and easy to prepare either for me (or for easy instructions for a visitor or Rob) depending on who is around.

I’ve been working with Woolies on their exclusive Created with Jamie range for 6 months now and have been really impressed with the quality and flavours of all the fresh products I have tried. For me being able to grab one of Jamie’s pre-marinated meats is one step closer to getting dinner on the table at least once a week. Little to no effort from my end with just a side to prepare and everyone in the family has enjoyed the taste. The quality and flavours haven’t been compromised in the process of choosing something already freshly pre-made and I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed every single product.

Woolworths have a whole lot of new products in the Created with Jamie range and being the pork lover that I am first up for me was this pork belly. This is the kind of dinner I want when I am hungry and tired: comforting, tasty, sticky, PORKY with lots of veggies on the side. Grab one of these boxes and use the suggestions that Jamie has come up with on the box and you have got yourself dinner without having to think. One bit! Place it in front of someone and simply say: DO THIS.

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I followed this box to the tee. Grabbed some root veggies (even pre-packaged ones that I didn’t even have to think about) and some beetroot, parsnips and some baby spinach I always have in the fridge. 3 hours later I had a yummy dinner that we all smashed. Even I can remember to put dinner on before school pick up and get Rob to do the rest.

Firstly I grabbed that pork out and did everything Jamie told me to: scored the fat, placed onto a foil cross, wrapped up and whacked it into a 170 degree oven for 75 mins per 500grams. Easy as.

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Then I walked away Renee for 2 hours. Except for the last 10 mins of that 2 hours when I upped the temp to 220 degrees.

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Then it was time for the veggies on the sides. These only needed the last 30 mins of cooking that the pork had left. Being unusually lazy and wanting to make things even easier down the road I threw these into a roasting pan with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and a chopped up beetroot and parsnip. Time taken? Less than 1 minute.

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Now it was time to take the pork out, open the foil and pour on the glaze that comes in the pack. It’s poured on, then thrown back into the hotter 220 degree oven for 30 mins which is just enough time to get those veggies cooked.

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After 30 mins I did my usual dinner hack of adding greens into the roasting pan (this time using baby spinach leaves that cook in the residual heat from the roasting pan on the bench top).

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Now it was time to take that pork out. In terms of the fat on top don’t wait for it to get crispy and crackly, it’s not going to happen. This is more of a sticky glaze that is caramelised with a small bit on the top of each slice.

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Served up with the veggies this was even better than what I thought it would be.

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Sticky and tender pork that literally pulled away as you sliced it. The sweet root veggies were the perfect side and the greens just made me feel better because: GREENS. My Mum always taught me you have to have greens.

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And the very best bit? This roasting pan mess to deal with:

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None!

I’d also have this in wraps with a simple coleslaw that I know the kids would demolish (maybe even with some hoisin on the side). Or some roasted potatoes and a simple green salad. YUM. There are twenty fresh new products out in the Created with Jamie Range exclusive to Woolies from Meat/Seafood, frozen, produce and deli which you can find out about online here.

If you can read a box, you can make this delicious dinner. Anyone can. Rob, be prepared for some bossy box throwing coming your way in the next few weeks.

What’s your favourite cheat dinner?
Got any newborn baby haze dinner tips for me?

Comments

  1. I was a bit better prepared for parenting a newborn, the second time around!
    I bought healthy but pre-prepared options from the butcher etc and froze them in dinner sized serves for Bearhands and I. Oven options were my favourite – a couple of chicken kievs bunged in the oven for forty minutes while we bathed the girls, a bit of salad whacked on the side.
    Dinner was served and it was remarkably painless!

    I’m so excited for you. It’ll be crazy busy for a while, but introducing my girls to each other was the happiest day of my life (and you’ve got another one coming up soon!)
    A x

  2. merilyn says

    great ideas beth! yes you will need all the shortcuts available!
    love to your mother on instagram great photos! … wish her a very happy birthday! … she has great style and she is of my generation baby! … same year as my sister! …
    maybe she can teach me to do instagram! … have a great day hun! love m:)X
    maybe you bub will come today!/?

  3. Josephine says

    Not sure I’d call this a cheat dinner??? Looks pretty spesh. My favourite ‘cheat’ meal is miso noodle soup: I keep a tub of miso paste in the fridge, it’s one tbsp paste to one cup of boiling water per person. Then I cook some noodles and green veg, pop in some tofu or shredded chicken if there’s some in the freezer, a handful of chopped coriander if it’s around, and there’s a hearty, comforting meal in under 10 mins.

    As far as newborn haze dinners go – when my second son was born, my aunt offered to make 5 different freezable dinners for us. I remember so little about that time because of exhaustion, but I remember the taste of each of those different meals. Best baby gift ever. So if someone wants to know if they can gift you with something, ask for food! Otherwise, couldn’t hurt to stock the freezer with soups in single portions!

    • I’m sure the ladies of the village will step up to the mark. Great tip on miso…will make sure I get some next shopping trip. Thanks Josephine 🙂

  4. Jamie fronts up at my place at least once a week. Really good food!!!

  5. Looks delicious, I know what will be in my trolley next shopping day x

  6. Oh yum. It looks madly yummy. Since I work three days and week and try to have dinner ready by the time hubby walks in at 5pm I love pre-marinated meats. Huge fan. Kids love butterflied lamb from Woolies the other night, served with mash and broccoli so they can be tree monsters it’s def. a winner. Good luck with upcoming bub. Can’t wait. I feel so clucky but meh, I hardly get a proper sleep as it is! Mwah!

    • Thanks Kim 🙂

    • Love an easy meal. I find the slow cooker to be a great help: bung everything in in the morning, turn it on – that’s it. Great for teenagers who have sport and part time work so they can have a decent meal too. Oh and I’m back to different sleep cycles as my baby (15 years) wants to swim for Australia so we are up at 4.30 four times a week!

      • Wow! What a huge amount of dedication that must take (from all of you!) amazing! I need to get me a slow cooker for when the baby comes…essential cooking utensil for busy people!

  7. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Great ideas I will have to check out the new Jamie range I do love a cheat dinner especially one that’s tasty!
    I’m getting very excited for you Beth

  8. It didn’t become crispy because it wasn’t meant to. The Jamie’s pork belly piece has the skin removed, leaving just a top layer of fat. It’s the skin that becomes bubbly and crisp on pork belly.

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