When my daughter Daniela returned from a work trip to Eastern Europe last summer, she raved about the kasha varnishkes at Kafe Jerusalem, a tiny Ashkenazic Jewish restaurant in Lviv, Ukraine. According to her, it was even better than mine.
I pride myself on my recipe, having learned it from my mother-in-law Paula, a kasha varnishkes maven who grew up not far from Lviv, so I found this news perturbing, to say the least.
A Hanukkah-Ready Recipe That Does Everything Right
Paula’s version was a simple yet ethereal mixture of caramelized onions; kasha, the hulled groats of buckwheat berries; and varnishkes, one of several Yiddish words for noodles. But often, the dish is bland, lacking in onions with buckwheat that’s too finely ground.
Curious to know what made Kafe Jerusalem’s kasha varnishkes so special, I contacted Marianna Dushar, a food anthropologist in Lviv who focuses on the food of Galicia, which covers parts of western Ukraine and southern Poland.“First and foremost, it’s all about the kasha,” Ms. Dushar wrote in an email, translating for the restaurant’s chef-owner, Lola Landa.
Curtis Stone's roast chicken recipe sets out to please even the fussiest of eaters. Cook two at one time so you have some for lunch tomorrow.
Ingredients (17)
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 Coles Australian RSPCA Approved Whole Chickens (about 1.7kg each)
10 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 brown onions, sliced
3 carrots, peeled, quartered
2 lemons, halved
1/2 bunch oregano sprigs
1/2 bunch sage sprigs
1/2 bunch rosemary sprigs
1/2 bunch thyme sprigs
1 garlic bulb, halved
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
Thyme sprigs, extra, to serve
Step 1
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). In a small bowl, combine the coriander, fennel seeds, combined paprika and cumin. Season the chicken cavities with some of spice mixture and salt. Place garlic cloves in cavities with some of the onion, carrots, lemon halves, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
Step 2
In the centre of a heavy-rimmed baking tray, place the garlic bulb and the remaining onions, carrots, lemon, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme. Season chickens all over with remaining spice mixture, salt and pepper. Drizzle the oil all over the chickens. Arrange the chickens over the vegetables in the tray.
Step 3
Roast chickens for 1 1/4 hours or until cooked through and juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced (chicken should register 75°C on an instant-read meat thermometer).
Step 4
Set chickens aside for 15 mins to rest. Cut into pieces. Serve with extra thyme.
We can’t think of anything better than a hearty and flavourful meat pie when we crave a comforting meal. That’s why this classic cottage pie is a favourite in our home. The flavourful ground beef mince base topped with velvety mashed potatoes, and a sprinkling of cheese is what cottage pie recipe dreams are made of.
What's in our best easy cottage pie recipe?
Thanks to only 20 minutes of prep, this easy cottage pie recipe continues to make an appearance on our dinner tables, particularly on those busy weekdays! But this cottage pie isn’t just super-easy, it’s the ultimate comfort food (probably why it’s consistently one of the most popular family dinners when winter hits). This easy cottage pie recipe already has an 8.2 health star rating but to make it better for you, you can grate in your favourite vegetables like zucchini or carrot. Your family is bound to love it. It's absolutely delicious.
For variations on the classic cottage pie recipe with its mashed potato, golden brown top, try our mac n cheese cottage pie, this curried sausage cottage pie, our carrot-topped edition and this pom pom cottage pie. We also have an entire collection of cottage pie recipes that put a twist on the original! (Hash brown topping anyone?) Bon appetit.
Ingredients (11)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup instant gravy powder
1 cup beef stock
Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes 400g
1.2kg sebago potatoes, peeled, chopped
50g butter, chopped
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated tasty cheese block (500g)
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Heat
oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook
mince in 2 batches, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Add
onion and
garlic to pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened.
Step 2
Return mince to pan. Add gravy powder. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in stock and tomato. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes or until thickened.
Step 3
Meanwhile, cook potato in a saucepan of boiling, salted water for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return to pan over low heat. Mash until smooth. Add butter and milk. Stir until butter has melted and mixture is combined.
Step 4
Spoon mince mixture into a 1.4 litre casserole dish. Top with potato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Serve.
Like peaches and cream and a coach and his team (you know the rest…) chicken and bacon are true companions. Appearing in centuries-old dishes like coq au vin
and modern classics like our famed keto cauliflower bake
, this power couple can do no wrong. With our chicken and bacon pasta bake, we’ve added tender roasted pumpkin and tossed it all in a thick creamy sauce with just cooked pasta. An Instagram-worthy amount of cheese is added and then after a stint in the oven you have a truly comforting and satisfying family meal.
What do you serve with pasta bake?
Serve our favourite pasta bake with a fresh green salad or even garlic bread to up the comfort factor. This ultimate chicken pasta bake serves six, which means any leftovers can be popped into the freezer or eaten for lunch the next day. Winner, winner, leftover chicken dinner.
For more easy chicken recipes ideal for weeknights, check out our collection of better-for-you, simple chicken dinners.
Ingredients (11)
500g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
500g Coles Durum Wheat Pasta Macaroni, dried
2 (400g) Lilydale Free Range Chicken Breast
2 rashers middle bacon, trimmed
60g butter
1/3 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups grated Devondale Tasty Cheese Block (500g)
50g baby spinach
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin on prepared tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and tender. Set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water following packet directions, until just tender. Drain. Place in a large bowl.
Step 3
Heat remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Reduce heat to medium. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add bacon to pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes each side or until golden. Roughly chop bacon and chicken. Add to pasta.
Step 4
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat. Stir in milk until smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Stir in tasty cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Lightly grease a 12 cup-capacity ovenproof dish. Add pumpkin, spinach and sauce to pasta mixture. Stir to combine. Spoon into prepared dish. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Serve.
This tasty recipe for healthy vegetable lasagne has stunning layers of spinach, ricotta, lentils and pumpkin. It's the perfect dish for sharing with friends and family.
Ingredients (13)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
900g Naranka Gold Pumpkin or Butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1.5cm cubes
2 x 400g cans Coles brown lentils, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup vegetable stock
690g bottle Coles Brand Italian Tomato Passata
500g ricotta
Good pinch ground nutmeg
375g packet Coles fresh lasagne sheets
120g packet baby spinach, trimmed, finely shredded
1 1/2 cups grated Coles Brand Australian Tasty Cheddar
Rocket leaves, to serve
Step 1
Preheat oven to 190C (170C fan-forced). Grease a 26cm x 20cm x 6cm baking dish.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 mins or until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Add pumpkin, lentils and stock. Reserve 1 cup of the passata and stir the remaining passata into the pumpkin mixture. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat slightly and cook, covered, for 20 mins or until the pumpkin is tender and the mixture is thick. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly, then refrigerate until cold.
Step 3
Meanwhile, use a fork to mash the ricotta in a bowl. Stir in nutmeg. Season.
Step 4
Line the base of the prepared dish with a layer of lasagne sheets. Spread over half the pumpkin mixture, then top with another layer of lasagne sheets. Sprinkle with the ricotta mixture and use the back of a spoon to spread evenly. Top with spinach, then cover with another layer of lasagne sheets.
Step 5
Spread over the remaining pumpkin mixture, then top with remaining lasagne sheets. Spread over the reserved passata to cover completely. Sprinkle with cheddar. (To freeze, see Note).
Step 6
Bake for 45 mins or until golden and cooked through. Serve with rocket. Watch our step-by-step video below to see how to make our Pumpkin, spinach and lentil lasagne.
A bought roast chicken and a jar of spicy sauce make light work of this enchilada recipe.
With most ingredients probably in the pantry, All you need is 15 minutes prep time and dinner’s in the oven. The result? Cheesy, chicken-y tortillas, dotted with a Mexican-spiced sauce and topped with cooling sour cream.
Tortillas date back to both Mayan and Aztec times, where they were eaten plain or dipped in a hot tomato sauce. From this humble beginning the enchilada as we know it slowly emerged. As the dish moved up to Texas with migrant workers, it grew into a more elaborate meal, stuffed with meat and beans and baked.

Why we love this enchilada recipe
Apart from being super simple and loaded with flavour, we also view this recipe as a template to play around with. Use corn tortillas for a gluten free version, or swap the chicken for bought or homemade pulled pork. How about frying up some sliced chorizo and scrambling some eggs to stuff the tortillas for breakfast for a crowd. You can swap the red salsa for a green enchilada sauce and you could also make the dish go further by serving with a side of boiled rice and refried beans.
What you’ll need to make this enchilada recipe:
- Chicken: Call them roasted or barbecued (or a bachelors handbag) takeaway chicken from the supermarket is loaded with flavour. If you already have chicken fillets at home you could coat them in a Mexican spice mix and fry until cooked through. Set aside to cool and then shred.
- Capsicum: We use red capsicum but you can also use green or a combination of both.
- Onion: Traditionally white onions are used in Mexican cooking, but they are milder than our version, so we use red instead.
- Cheese: We use tasty (which is just a made-up name for cheddar) cheese, but for a gooeyer twist use three cheese mix that includes mozzarella.
- Tortillas: Wheat tortillas feature in this mild enchilada recipe, but you could also use the more traditional corn version. Make sure you buy the standard size, not jumbo ones.
- Salsa: This recipe uses a bottle of chunky salsa, if you prefer to could buy a smoother enchilada sauce
- Sour cream: Traditionally Mexican recipes use a tangy sauce called crema, which is more like creme fraiche and lime juice seasoned with salt, but light sour cream is a handy swap out.
The lines between what is an original Mexican dish and what is Tex-Mex are often blurred.
Like enchiladas, nachos are traditionally Mexican,
Ingredients (12)
1 small red capsicum, halved, seeded, thinly sliced
1 red onion, halved, cut into thin wedges
3 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
145g (1 3/4 cups) Coles Dairy Shredded Tasty Cheese
6 flour tortillas
375g btl Old El Paso Thick & Chunky Medium Salsa
Bulla Light Sour Cream, to serve
Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve
Tomato salsa
3 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine the chicken, capsicum, onion, shallot and 80g (1 cup) of the cheddar in a large bowl.
Step 2
Place 1 tortilla on a clean work surface. Top with one-eighth of the chicken mixture. Place 1 tablespoon of the salsa on top. Roll up to enclose filling. Place in an ovenproof dish. Repeat with salsa and the remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Spoon over remaining salsa and sprinkle with remaining cheddar. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheddar melts and filling is heated through.
Step 3
Meanwhile, to make the fresh tomato salsa, combine the tomato, onion and lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt.