After School Super Heroes

DC Comics are taking over some classic Heinz products; Baked Beanz, Tomato Ketchup, Spaghetti Hoops and Tomato Soup (look out for Superman flying onto your shelves very soon) and making them Super Hero worthy; ready to fuel your family’s next adventure.

My kids love nothing more than dressing up and heading outside for their latest superhero adventure, but superheroes need fuel to make them strong, agile and ready for anything!

Heinz for Superheroes

We have always been fans of spaghetti hoops on toast tea or some Heinz tomato soup with a nice warm crusty roll but our family classic is a warming Cottage Pie, which we make super by adding Heinz Baked Beans.

I think I use a fairly classic recipe which has been handed down from my Mum, but it works well and my kids love this winter warming dish.

Ingredients:

  • 500g beef mince
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 500ml stock
  • 1 x tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 x tin baked beans
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I now use Dorsetshire sauce but that is only available locally)
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 850g potatoes
  • 25g butter
  • 100g cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 180’C/Gas mark 4
  2. Place the meat in a large pan and heat gently, stirring frequently, until the meat begins to brown
  3. Add the onions, carrots and garlic and continue to cook for 10 minutes – stir in the stock, tomatoes and beans and bring to the boil
  4. Add the Worcestershire sauce and herbs cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 mins giving it the occasional stir
  5. Meanwhile cook the potatoes in boiling water until tender, then drain and mash, mixing in the butter (don’t use too much butter, you want the mash to be quite firm)
  6. Turn the meat into an ovenproof dish – add on the mashed potato and smooth over, then sprinkle the grated cheese on the top
  7. Cook for approximately 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown

Cottage Pie

For a more adult twist, you can also add chopped leeks to the top of the potatoes with the cheese – it is surprisingly delicious.

Isaac is a very fussy eater and really dislikes vegetables, but he likes beans and it makes me happy that I have got at least one of his five a day inside him but popping them in the Cottage Pie. I also grate my carrot rather than chop it as it blends in with the mince and cannot be identified as a vegetable.

Do you use baked beans in any other recipe or do you prefer them as a side dish?

6 thoughts on “After School Super Heroes”

  1. My mum made this too and she always called it cowboy pie when she added the beans. it was always at the end of the month to make the mince go further!

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