Latest news with #AnnaSimon
7NEWS
2 days ago
- General
- 7NEWS
Can you make five family dinners for $50? TV personality Anna Simon takes on the ultimate food challenge
Anna Simon is a home cook, recipe developer and TV personality. We gave Anna a challenge to see if she can make 5 meals for a family of 4 for $50. The five meals Anna came up with: Italian sausage bolognese; Mediterranean lentil soup; Paprika spiced chicken drumstick; Chicken and noodle soup; Spanish tortilla (aka potato and onion frittata). Recipe below: Italian Sausage Bolognese Ingredients 500 g Italian sausages 1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped 1 celery stalk, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 700 ml passata Pinch of sugar Salt and pepper, to taste Olive oil Optional extras: Fresh basil leaves 1 tablespoon tomato paste Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the sausages from their casings, breaking the meat up with a spoon. Add to the pot and cook until browned. Pour in the passata, add a pinch of sugar, and 1 cup of water season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add basil leaves at the end if using. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve tossed through pasta, with extra basil and parmesan if you like. Simple Chicken Soup with Pasta Ingredients ½ onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 celery stalk, diced Stalks from a small bunch of parsley, chopped 1 tbsp tomato paste 500g chicken drumsticks Chicken stock cubes Water (enough to fill the pot and cover the chicken) Long spaghetti, broken into small pieces Olive oil Parmesan cheese, to serve Optional extras: 1- 2 diced potatoes Method Heat a little olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Fry until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the parsley stalks and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the chicken drumsticks, then pour in enough water to cover them. Add the chicken stock cubes. Bring to a simmer and gently cook for 40 minutes. Around 5 minutes before the 40 minutes is up, add the chopped parsley leaves to the broth. Break up the spaghetti into small pieces and add to the broth. Cook until al dente You can either remove the drumsticks and shred the chicken into the soup, or serve the drumsticks whole, your choice. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve hot, with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese if desired. Lentil Soup with Pasta Ingredients 375g green lentils, soaked overnight and rinsed 1 onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 celery stalk, diced 1 garlic clove, chopped Stalks from a small bunch of parsley, finely chopped (reserve leaves for garnish) 100–150g small pasta (e.g., ditalini, broken spaghetti) Chicken stock cubes, dissolved in water to cover lentils Extra water or stock as needed Olive oil for frying Optional extras: 1 red capsicum, sliced 1 zucchini, diced 1-2 diced potatoes 1 tsp tomato paste Parmesan cheese, to serve Method Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and parsley stalks, cooking for 1–2 minutes to release flavour. Add the lentils and cover with prepared chicken stock (just enough to cover them). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are soft and creamy, topping up with more stock or water if needed. Towards the end of cooking, add the zucchini and spinach. Meanwhile, cook the pasta separately in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain. Stir the cooked pasta into the soup, season to taste, and serve hot. Top with parsley leaves and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Paprika Roast Drumsticks with Potatoes, Onion Ingredients 1.5 kg chicken drumsticks 1 tbsp paprika (smoked if you like) 1 tsp dried oregano leaves 1 tsp onion powder or garlic powder (or ½ tsp of each) 1 onion, thinly sliced 4–5 potatoes, cut into wedges Olive oil Salt and pepper Optional extras: 1 red capsicum, sliced (optional) Method In a large bowl, combine paprika, oregano, onion powder, and/or garlic powder. Add the chicken drumsticks, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Use your hands to massage the marinade evenly over the chicken. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear drumsticks for about 2–3 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Place potato wedges, sliced onion, and capsicum in a roasting tray. Drizzle with the leftover marinade and oil from the chicken bowl, tossing well to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange browned drumsticks on top of the vegetables. Roast in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 45–55 minutes, turning chicken halfway, until the chicken is cooked through and potatoes are golden. Serve hot, straight from the tray Spanish Tortilla with Potato, Onion Ingredients 12 eggs 2–3 potatoes, sliced (parboiled until just tender) 1 onion, thinly sliced Olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Optional extras: 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced 1 sausage, casing removed 1 capsicum Mozzarella cheese, rocket to serve Method Parboil the potatoes until just tender, then drain, cool slightly, and slice. Set aside. In a large frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion and capsicum until soft and lightly caramelised. Add the sliced potatoes and gently toss together. Lower the heat, season with salt and pepper, then pour in the beaten eggs evenly over the mixture. Cook gently until the eggs are mostly set, then carefully flip the tortilla (or slide it onto a plate, flip, and return to the pan) to finish cooking through. Optional: Scatter mozzarella through before flipping for a gooey, cheesy version. Serve warm, cut into wedges, with rocket on the side if you like.
7NEWS
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
We make a giant panino to celebrate the best fresh Italian produce
Anna Simon is a home cook, recipe developer and TV personality. And on Thursday, she joined us to make a 1.5m long panino. Anna says that she created this dish to celebrate her Italian heritage, she says growing up people used to tease her at school for having salami sandwiches, but these days these types of sandwiches have actually become very popular. The Little Italy Sandwich Mortadella Salami Aged Prosciutto Provolone Cheese Sun Dried Tomato Strips Artichoke Hearts Grilled Eggplant Fillets Grilled Zucchini Roasted Pepper Strips Green Olives Arugula Pesto Balsamic Glaze Layered inside fresh, crusty focaccia, this panino is a tribute to the rich Italian history of Leichhardt. One bite, and you're right back in Little Italy, where every ingredient tells a story and every sandwich feels like home.
CBS News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Optimism abounds that Denver Pride will be joyful as ever despite diminished sponsorship funding
Denver hosts one of the largest Pride celebrations in the country. But this year sponsorships for Denver Pride are down significantly. The Center on Colfax says the funding drop is due to rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion budgets caused by national legislation. The Center says these cuts are putting critical services for the LGBTQ+ community at risk. Fran and Anna Simon Fran and Anna Simon were the first same-sex couple to be granted a civil union in Colorado in 2013 -- and the first to legally marry in Denver in 2014. The Denver couple is spreading a message of hope as Coloradans mark Pride this month. "To me, Pride is embracing who you are and accepting everyone and celebrating all the diversity that we have in our community, said Anna Simon, "Including sexual orientation, including gender identity, that all of that makes a richer place to live." Pride is one of the best times of the year, says Simon. She and Fran Simon fought for years for legal recognition of their relationship, breathing a sigh of relief at the 2015 US Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage. Fran and Anna Simon A dilemma now-- and every June-- is who to march alongside for the Pride parade given all their friends and interests. "Maybe especially in difficult times like now, Pride is super important and yea, we need to celebrate and be as loud and joyful as we ever are," Anna said. Fran added, "Especially in this time with the corporate sponsors leaving, I think it's more important that we be out there." One motivator, says the couple, is the young people for whom this will be the first time ever attending Pride. "When I was first coming out, it was huge for me, I mean it's life saving for people to be in an environment, even if just for part of one day where they feel like they can be completely who they are," said Anna. Fran Simon has lots of practice fighting misperceptions these days and trying to find connections to people with diverse views, saying, "I always try to find common ground, and that we have a lot more in common than we have differences. So and then we can talk about parenthood or whatever." CBS Finding common ground, say the Simon's, is especially important in 2025. "I am optimistic that we're going to have a huge turnout this year, people are needing community in a way that they may not always, and this is a great way to have community and be uplifted," said Anna Simon. CBS Colorado is excited to take part in Pride this year. The celebration takes place the weekend of June 28th and 29th. With a new parade step off this year at 17th and Franklin, due to the construction along Colfax of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
