Capsicum stuffed with rice June 14, 2009

I thought I’d give this a go, to see how it worked.  Not bad I thought (except the kebabs were overcooked)

Flavoured Rice
I cooked the rice in a rice cooker, as normal, but added some finely chopped  garlic, onion, mushrooms, a teaspoon of vegetable stock, and a teaspoon of lemon pepper …. it was delicious!

Then when that was cooked I spooned it into hollowed out capsicums and put those in the oven for about 15-20 mins to cook the capsicum.  I served them with chicken and vegetable kebabs, corn and broccoli    The rice works just as nicely not served in a capsicum too… you can serve it straight from the rice cooker.

Lower fat white sauce December 13, 2008

I never see the need for butter in white sauce. (usually a white sauce calls for butter and flour to be mixed together then add milk) Simply put a few tb flour into the saucepan, add a little milk and blend until smooth, then add more milk to make enough sauce. Add cheese or seasonings and you don’t notice the lack of butter.

 
With Cream based sauces (such as for pasta), often evaporated milk will give a similar taste, with less fat.

Baby Food/Quick Veg Iceblocks December 13, 2008

These are actually really handy to have around so you can pop one (still frozen) into a risotto or something too.

To do these just get the vegetable (for example pumpkin) – steam them separately until soft (steaming is best as it retains more of its goodness) then mash and spoon into icecube trays. Cover with clingwrap, or put the icecube tray into a large airtight container, and place in the freezer overnight. In the morning, take the icecubes out and place in a ziplock bag (labelled) in the freezer, so you’ll always have some on standby. You can do pretty much any vegetable, and then just take out a couple and heat them up as needed.

I always liked to keep vegies separate and not blend them together, so bub can learn the taste of individual foods, but you can do some mixed vegies ones too.

These are handy to use when out, as you can put the frozen cubes in a container, bring a spoon and by the time you need to feed bub, the icecubes may have defrosted.

I’ve also boiled some meat until it was very soft and broken it up into fine strands and frozen them with some of the stock from boiling it, and adding those to meals.

Slow Cooker Tips December 13, 2008

* Lifting the lid off the slow cooker lets some of the heat (steam) to escape which can lengthen the cooking time by 30 minutes.
* Stirring is generally not necessary until time to serve.
* Your slow cooker should be at least 1/2 full to ensure proper cooking.
* Adapting favourite oven recipes to a slow cooker:
Conventional Oven Baking Time 15-30minutes/30-45 minutes/50 minutes-3 hours
Slow Cooker (High) 1 1/2 – 2 hours/ 3-4 hours / 4-6 hours
Slow Cooker (Low) 4-6 hours/ 6-10 hours/ 8-18 hours
* One hour on high heat is equal to 2 1/2 hours on low heat (heat varies from brand to brand)
* Don’t add more liquid than a recipe calls for, as liquid is retained.
* If there’s too much liquid at the end of cooking time and you want to thicken it, stir in some instant mashed potato flakes, instant tapioca, flour or cornstarch.

(From Anaya from http://www.joyousbirth.info – who got it from a cookbook)

* Spray the dish with cooking spray to stop food sticking
* Cut up the ingredients the night before and have them in the fridge ready to add to the slow cooker next morning.
* Warm rolls for your soup by wrapping in foil and placing on the lid of the slow cooker
* If you coat meats in flour it helps thicken the liquid
* Add dairy products in the last 10 (high) to 20 (low) mins to avoid curdling

from http://www.cocokids.org/index.taf?id=1000835

Family Pie Tips December 13, 2008

When making a “family pie” – one large pie to cut up to serve the whole family, I bake this in a springform tin. I find getting the pie out is really easy. I also make a large pie, twice as much as needed, and we have one half one night, and I wrap the other half in aluminium foil and reheat it on low in the oven for another night’s dinner.

 
Adding rice or pasta to a pie is a good way to bulk it up a bit and make it more filling.

Pastry Alternative December 13, 2008

particularly for mini pies and things…. bread!

you can lightly spray muffin tins and cut a slice of bread into a circle a bit bigger than the space in the tin, roll it with a rolling pin, or press it with your fingers to make it flat, then put it in the tin as you would pastry. Put in your filling, and add a top, ot potato or something… and cook as usual.

You can use something like a soy and linseed bread which gives an interesting texture and is better for you than pastry!

Natural Colourants December 9, 2008

If you don’t want chemical colourings, try some of these natural alternatives. To get the most colour from the foodstuff, take the food (such as a handful of raspberries) and simmer them in liquid until reduced, then strain and use the liquid. The juice for things like blueberries can be brushed over set icing with a pastry brush.

Yellow
Turmeric (Use sparingly in sweeter foods as the taste may overpower)
Saffron

Orange
Annatto seed
Carrot juice

Pink
Beetroot (Buy beetroot, slice it and simmer it in water, or buy canned)
Raspberries
Cranberry juice
Strawberries

Red
Raspberries
Beetroot
Pomegranate juice

Purple/bluish purple
Blueberries
Purple grape juice
Blackcurrant juice
Blackberries
Red/purple cabbage

Reddish Orange
Paprika

Green
Freshly juiced spinach
Spirulina (an algea herbal supplement)

Brown
Cocoa
Strong coffee

Making Stock November 16, 2008

Stocks can be made as a base for soups or stews, or frozen in small portions to add to any dish to add flavour. You can freeze it in small portions after you’ve made it. If you reduce it down so it’s very concentrated you could freeze it as icecubes.

 
Vegetable stock
Next time you are cutting up vegetables, and have those left over ends of carrots or tomatoes… pop them in a ziplock bag in the freezer to make stock with. Take your pot of water and add some salt and any vegetables you wish. things like broccoli and cabbage tend to be a bit smelly, so be prepared for that. Carrot and celery with a little bit of fresh tomato (not the canned stuff) is usually added. You can add herbs and spices if you like. Boil this for several hours, then strain it.

 
Bacon stock
Buy some “bacon bones” or Ham hocks… Bacon bones are cheap, and even though there is no real meat on them (there is a little bit), the bones themselves are perfect for making stock. Pop these into a pot of water and boil this for several hours. Strain it and put it in the fridge when cold. You should notice a layer of fat on top. Skim this off and then pour the stock (it might be somewhat solid) into containers/icecube trays to freeze for later use.

 
Beef/Chicken stock
Next time you have a roast chicken, or some chops….or are cutting up some meat and cut off the fatty bits, don’t throw away the bones/meat…. either freeze them for later use, or make the stock straight away. Pop the whole chicken (leave on any remaining skin and meat bits) into a pot of water, and boil this for several hours. When done, strain it – you might have to pick the left over meat from the bones), and when cool put it in the fridge. You should notice a layer of fat on top, skim this off then pour the stock into containers to freeze.