Make the most of your self-catering kitchen on your holiday with these easy recipes. Nobody wants to slave for hours in the kitchen while on holiday – try a few of these easy ideas on your next holiday:

Fully Loaded Black Bean Nachos with Red and Green Salsas

This is the ultimate messy holiday meal!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 (cans black beans, drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 bag tortilla chips, divided
• 2 cups grated cheddar cheese or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup pico de gallo (Mexican tomato and onion salsa), divided
• 3 medium scallions, green part only, thinly sliced, divided
• 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños (optional)
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup guacamole

Instructions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 200°C.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chilli powder, and salt. Stir to coat with the oil, and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mash the beans in a large bowl with a fork, keeping them a little chunky. Stir the beans and water into the saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4. Spread half of the tortilla chips in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Dollop half of the bean mixture evenly over the chips and sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with half of the pico de gallo and half of the scallions. Repeat the layers with the remaining tortilla chips, black bean mixture, cheese, and pico de gallo, but do not top with the remaining scallions.
5. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Top with the remaining scallions, pickled jalapeños (if using), yoghurt, and guacamole. Serve immediately.

 Recipe credit: www.thekitchn.com

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

This one you can pre-make at home, we just can’t guarantee that it would last as we are sure these treats will be picked off not long after they were baked….

Ingredients

• 175 g unsalted butter
• 230 g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
• 375 g white sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 90 ml of Hellmann’s mayonnaise, room temperature
• 30 ml of vanilla essence
• 250 g of cocoa powder
• 250 g of cake flour
• 5 ml of salt
• 250 g chocolate chips
• Ola Rich ‘n Creamy vanilla ice-cream for serving
• 125 ml fresh cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and grease a 24cm x 24cm baking pan or line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished brownies out (makes cutting easier!) Set aside.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and 75 g of chopped chocolate. Melt in 30 second intervals, whisking after each until completely smooth. Whisk in the sugar until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs, mayonnaise and vanilla. The batter will be light brown and a little dull looking.
3. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, 75 g of chopped chocolate and the chocolate chips. Fold it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Batter will be very thick. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, and then test the brownies with a toothpick. Insert it into the centre of the pan. If it comes out with wet batter, the brownies are not done. If there are only a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done. Keep checking every 2 minutes until you have moist crumbs.
5. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
6. Place 80 g of chopped chocolate and cream in a microwave proof bowl.
7. Heat at 30 second intervals, whisking at each interval until mixture is silky and smooth.
8. Drizzle ganache over cooled brownies.
9. Serve with Ola Rich ‘n Creamy vanilla ice-cream

Recipe credit: https://www.whatsfordinner.co.za/ and Natasha Maseko