Jamie's 30 minute meals. MADE.

How to whip up a meal that impresses.

All the time.

Every Time.

In 30 minutes.

These were some of Jamie's 30 minute meal recipes that we've tried and tested this long weekend.

Adapted from the recipes on 

www.jamieoliver.com/

Perfect roast potatoes

Tips & tweaks:

Use Yukon Gold potatoes.

They are my gold standard for baked carbs that are worth every single calorie.

Salt generously.

And those cloves of garlic would be so sweet, you wish you put more in the first place.

Mustard chicken with leek

Tips & tweaks:

Even a non mustard lover would eat this all up.

The taste of wholegrain mustard is not the same as mustard from a squeeze bottle on hotdogs.

Just so there was gravy,

some chicken broth was added.

And because bacon ANYTHING tastes like heaven,

some roughly chopped pieces of bacon were thrown in. 

Leek.

More leek definitely.

It was a lot more watery that planned but the unmistakable sweetness from the mustard and savoury tinge from the bacon was unmistakable.

And perhaps the added taste dimensions of some pan fried crisp bacon as toppings in the next attempt.

The best pork chops sans the crackling

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/the-best-pork-chops-with-fresh-bay-salt-crackling-and-squashed-purple-potatoes

Cubed carrots and beetroot.

Sage.

Rosemary.

And a generous drizzle of olive oil.

As always.

Roast them for half an hour at 220 degrees celcius.

Tips & tweaks:

The meats were marinated for about 3 hours.

The honey was omitted.

The apple cider did wonders to lock in the juice in the pork chops.

Side salad of lettuce, chopped sundried tomatoes, pitted olives and cubed feta cheese.

Generously drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Top with roughly torn pieces of turkey breast.

Now that's what I call a HAPPY MEAL :)

and a healthy one at that.

Yum.

Back to where it all started.

Last day of the Seventh Month on the Lunar Calendar and the last of the Seventh Month dinners organised by various committees. I'm long past the age of mad auctions and communal dining even if it is, good food. Dad and I were just chauffering Grandma and Mum over to the Foochow Clan Association at Jalan Besar.

So what's for dinner?

Just around the corner was Jalan Besar Stadium and the Broadway coffeeshop right next to it houses five of the original Longhouse stalls. Perfect for a dad and daughter dinner.

Parking spaces were aplenty at the Jalan Besar Stadium with parallel lots lining the sides of the stadium and a multi-storey covered carpark for those who aren't inclined to parallel lots. 

Like me. 

The last time we parked in the multi-storey, it was cashcard operated but now it's been converted to coupon parking. And at 50 cents per half hour, be sure to park safe and eat with a peace of mind.

*Chew on this!

Did you know that the Longhouse was originally a row of shops outside the old Jalan Besar Stadium? It had to move to Upper Thomson in 2000 when the stadium was undergoing renovation works. Fourteen years down the road, they are back to where they started- next to the Jalan Besar Stadium. 

But I digress. 

Let's get down to the food. 

I don't know about you. But I've missed delicious carrot cake and char kway teow from Longhouse Delights. I couldn't stomach them both so I settled for white carrot cake.

If a higher proportion of egg and radish are your standards for a perfect plate of carrot cake, then this must be it.

Mr Kee Chon Leong of Longhouse Delights was still as smiley as I had remembered.

"Want chilli?"

"Yes please. Just put it on the side."

"So should I fry it in? Or do you just want it on the side?"

"Fry it in and can I please have some more on the side?"
He patiently makes sure that he gets my order right before frying it.

Be impressed.

Dad took a pork chop option from Best Western Grill & Pasta.
Mr David Foo was considerably less smiley here.
Busily manning the grills and toasting garlic bread slices.

Thankfully though, he had a female assistant ringing up the cash registers and doling out smiles.

My favourite coleslaw.

And the most uninspiring crinkle cut fries ever.

At $7 for two pieces of these fork tender pork chops,

the fries were negligent to its popularity.

Dad nary made a cut before he was able to pull it off a piece easily with his fork.

So quick I couldn't even manage a focused shot! :)

Savoury marinade that keeps one going for more.

Mopping up the sauce with the fries greatly increased their palatability.

It could've been nostalgia.

But dinner that night was more than simply just satisfying.

We'll be back for the other original Longhouse favourites soon enough. :)