Cannelloni September 6, 2009

Ingredients:
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 tb mixed herbs
1 clove garlic
1 jar pasta sauce
1 carrot, grated
1 small zuccini, grated
500g mince
cannelloni tubes
Grated cheese (optional)

Method:
Fry onion and mince until cooked. Add garlic and fry until it starts to brown.  Remove from heat and add the grated veg, herbs and enough of the pasta sauce to make the mixture moist

Fill the cannelloni shells with the mince mixture. Pour a layer of the tinned tomato into an oven proof dish, lay the cannelloni ontop of this, and top with remaining pasta sauce (adding some of the tinned tomato if needed.  Cover with aluminium foil and. Bake for about 25-30 mins, until the canelloni shells have softened.  Top with grated cheese, and return to oven without the foil, for an additional 5 mins until the cheese melts.

Chicken Sausage Rolls August 9, 2009

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast
1 carrot
1 zucchini
1 tin (drained and rinsed) lentils
1 clove garlic
1 tb dried basil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp curry powder
Bread (about 3 crust slices – the crust is better because it is less soft/moist, you don’t want the mixture too moist or your sausage rolls can ooze)

Method:
Chuck that all in a food processor and blend until it makes a sausage mince consistency. Cut a sheet of pastry in half, a spoon the mixture out to make a line down the side of one half of the pastry sheet (about as thick as a thin sausage), roll the pastry over, and cut it into sections to make sausage rolls. Bake at around 200ºC for about 15 mins or until pastry has browned.

Chicken, Leek & Spinach Risotto June 14, 2009

Ingredients:
2 chicken thigh fillets (skinless)
1 cup (uncooked) arborio rice
½ a leek, finely sliced
1 large garlic clove
1 tin cream of mushroom soup
3 tsp skim milk powder
3 cubes or ½ cup chopped spinach
Handful of grated cheese (optional)

Method:
In a large frypan, cook the chicken until starting to brown, add the leek, garlic and rice. Allow that to heat for about 30 seconds to a minute (don’t let the rice or garlic burn), and then add about 1 cup boiling water. Stirring well. Mix the milk powder with about 1/2 cup of boiling water, and add that to the pan. Stir until that liquid has been soaked up, then add the tin of mushroom soup, spinach and cheese if you wish.  Keep stirring and adding more water as needed, as the rice mixture starts to soak up the liquids. When it is almost ready – when the rice is just a little firm, remove from heat and put a lid on the saucepan and leave stand for 5 minutes before serving and the risotto should have finished cooking in the residual heat.

Pastry Pizzas June 14, 2009

These are simple and make great party food.  Just take sheets of frozen puff pastry, spread with tomato paste or pesto, add toppings and bake!

Simple toppings work best,  because the pastry is thin you can’t have too much topping.  Try:

• Ham, cheese & tomato paste (with olives or pineapple on top)
• Basil or olive pesto with cheese
• basil pesto with ham, cheese, mushrooms & olives

You can cut the pastry into shapes before adding toppings if you like.

Fish fingers June 9, 2009

Pretty much the same as my chicken nuggets recipe Just take a piece of fish (I personally only buy Australian fish, as imported fish can not only take a while to be shipped here, but also swim in less clean water than ours)…. make sure it’s deboned and skin removed…. stick it in a food processor with a piece of bread, any spices you like, and blend to a minced consistency…. Roll out into little logs, flatten them, roll in breadcrumbs, place on a greased tray and cook at 180ºC for about 15-20 mins, turning halfway through.
You can freeze them and reheat as needed…. then you have the convenience of fishfingers, but you know exactly what is in them.

Chicken Nuggets June 9, 2009

Ingredients:
6 chicken thigh fillets (skin removed)
1 slice wholegrain bread
1 garlic clove
1tb spices (I used lemon pepper & cumin)
Breadcrumb mixture (breadcrumbs, sesame seeds + spices)

Method:
Pop everything but the breadcrumbs into a food processor, and blend until it forms a paste-like consistency. Take spoonfuls and form into nugget-like shapes and toss in a breadcrumb mixture. Spray a baking tray with oil, and bake the nuggets at 180ºC for about 15-20 mins, turning over halfway through.
You can freeze these and reheat as needed. Makes about 25 nuggets

Less Fuss, 2 meal Roast May 6, 2009

Normally I like to go all out with my roasts… I bake them slowly, basting often, separate the pumpkin so I can make it burn a bit (Mmmmm burned pumpkin!)… sometimes even popping it under the grill if it’s not burned when everything else is ready…… but more simple can be good too… and this “recipe” of sorts shows how you can make a roast span over 2 days with minimal effort for the second night.

When you buy the roast meat, buy a portion bigger than you would normally need. It doesn’t have to be twice as big if you’re happy to bulk it up with vegetables and yorkshire pudding.

In a large (twice as big as your meat is) baking dish (I use the black enamelled kind with a lid), place the roast in the centre, and then in one end put (single layer if you can) whole, washed, skin on baby potatoes, and in the other end larger pieces of pumpkin (I prefer skin off, but thats up to you). Add about 3cm (3/4″) water to the dish and put the lid on. Pop that in the oven at about 180ºC for 1.5 hours. Go read or do something to pass the time.

Then bring the roasting pan out and carefully drain off all the water/juices into a saucepan (keeping it). Return the roasting pan to the oven, uncovered.

Make the yorkshire pudding mixture (1 egg, 1 cup milk, 1 pinch salt and 1 cup flour [you can use either, SR flour makes a lighter 'pud', plain makes a dense one]) Put a little olive oil in the wells of a muffin tray, and put it (empty) in the oven for about 30 seconds, bring it out and pour the ‘pud’ mixture in (about half fill them), being careful because the oil may sizzle a bit, then put it in the oven for about 15 mins until golden brown. You can bring the roast out and leave it somewhere with the lid on if you think it’s cooked enough.

Get your other vegies ready if you’re having them (we do steamed peas, corn and broccoli usually), and make the gravy. You can spoon off the oil from the top of the roasting pan juices (or leave it in)… and add some gravy powder if you like, and some extra water. Make about twice as much gravy as you normally would.

Serve your roast, serve up only half of the meat, putting the remainder in the saucepan of gravy. After the meal, when the gravy has cooled, put a lid/covering on and put the pan in the fridge.

Roast day 2 – simply take out the pan of gravy/meat and heat this on the stovetop while you get some vegies happening (I forgo the effort of roasting more and just toss some spuds, pumpkin and other veg in the steamer), and make another batch of yorkshire puds. You can get 2 nights out of the meat, and all you have to do the next day is reheat it. The gravy keeps it lovely and moist, so you don’t have dried out leftovers. If you wanted to, you could probably cook a double batch of spuds, pumpkin and puds the first night, and stick them in a baking dish and reheat it in that while your gravy/meat is heating… but it probably won’t be as nice as making new veg.

Potato and Lentil Patties May 2, 2009

(large “Ball” patties)

Ingredients:

For the patties:
1 tin lentils
4 cups (approx) boiled/steamed potato
1/2 cup corn
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp salt
6 rashers rindless/shortcut bacon (optional)

For breadcrumbs:
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs (approx)
2 tb parmesan cheese
2 tb mixed herbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper

Method:
Mash the potato with milk until very smooth and creamy. Chop and fry the bacon, then add all the patties ingredients together and mix well. Mix the breadcrumb mix together in a dish. Form the potato mixture into patties or balls (I find balls easier to work with) and coat with the crumbs. Spray a baking tray with olive oil, lay out the patties and spray the tops. Bake at 180ºC for about 20 mins.

(smaller flat patties)

Pork & Turkey Meatballs March 24, 2009

Ingredients:
500g Pork Mince
200g Turkey Mince
50mls brandy
3 eggs
5 slices wholegrain bread
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp allspice
2 tsp salt
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Method:
Mix all ingredients together. Form into golf-ball sized balls. Cook for 50 mins at 190ºC

(Recipe from a friend)

Slowcooker Chickpea Curry January 16, 2009

Ingredients:
500g chicken
Potato
Sweet potato
Pumpkin
Cauliflower
Broccoli
1 tin chickpeas
1 tun coconut milk
1 green chilli
Cardamon, Cumin, Coriander and Garlic to taste (about 1/2 tsp each)

 
Method:
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and brown this is a frypan, then place the chicken in slow cooker. In the frypan, heat the spices, then add those to the slow cooker. Cut the vegetables into bitesized pieces, then add to the show cooker with the chickpeas and coconut milk. Cook on low for several hours.

Bolognaise Sauce (in bulk) January 7, 2009

I made up a huge pot of budget bolognaise sauce to freeze, it made about 8 2 person portions. So I thought I’d share what I did.

Ingredients:
About 500g Lean beef mince
2 large mushrooms
1/2 a red capsicum
1/2 green capsicum
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 zucchini
1 large carrot
4 x large (800?) g tins chopped tomatoes
1 jar (200g?) tomato paste
1/4c dried basil
1/4c dried sage
2 tsp curry powder
2 bacon stock cubes
2 tsp cumin
2tb mustard (I like seeded)

Method:
1). Brown the mince. I use a dry saucepan and add no oil.
2). Roughly chop the mushrooms, capsicum, onion, garlic, carrot and zucchini, then add to a food processor and blend so that most of it is very finely chopped. some bigger bits are ok.
3). Mix the meat and the veg mix together in a very large pot. Add the rest of the ingredients.
4). I’d intended to do it in the slow cooker, but it made too much for that, so I did half in the slow cooker for a couple of hours on high (took a while to heat it up) and half simmering on the stovetop for about an hour
5). spoon out into containers and freeze.

Mushroom Chicken December 13, 2008

This recipe originally called for 2 cups sour cream and 3/4 cup dry white wine… but I’m going to try a version leaving those out.

 
Ingredients:
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (or equivalent other meat)

 
Method:
Add all ingredients into the slow cooker, and cook on high for 4-5 hours

 
(Check the instructions for your slow cooker to ensure the cooking time is correct for your brand of cooker)

 
Adapted from a recipe posted on http://www.nappycino.com.au

Slow Cooker Beef Curry December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
800g beef, diced
1 onion – diced/chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed/finely chopped
1 ½ tbs madras curry powder ( or 3 tsp of madras 3 tsp normal curry)
1 tbsp plain flour
1 cup beef stock
400g can diced tomatoes
2 med carrots diced
1c chopped pumpkin
400g chat potatoes quartered

 
Method:
1). Brown the meat.
2). Place all ingredients in the slow cooker, cook on low for around 6 hrs. serve with rice

 
Slightly adapted from http://www.nappycino.com.au

Crock-Pot Meatballs December 13, 2008

Ingredients (Meatballs):
500g beef mince
250g Italian sausage
2 eggs
1/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 crushed garlic clove
Salt and crushed black pepper

 
Method:
1). Beat together the eggs and milk in a bowl.
2). Add all the ingredients together and mix until combined.
3). Shape the mixture into balls and place on a greased baking sheet.
4). Bake for 15 mins in a pre-heated oven at 180c.

 
Ingredients (Sauce):
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 small tin tomato paste
1 small onion chopped
1/2 green capsicum, diced
1 cup beef stock
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tabslespoon of oregano/basil/mixed herbs
1 teaspoon sugar

 
Method:
1). Mix all the sauce ingredients together
2). Place the cooked meatballs in the slow cooker, and pour the sauce mix over them.
3). Cook for 4-5 hours on Low setting.

 
From:
http://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=17924

Irish Stew December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
2 carrots, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
1 onion, diced
450g Potatoes, thinly sliced
4 lamb chops, fat removed and diced (or equivalent amount)
500mls chicken stock (boiling)
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 Bay Leaves

 
Method:
Brown the meat, then put all the ingredients into the Slow Cooker.

 
Cook on high for 6-8 hours.

Beef Stroganoff December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
1kg beef, cubed
2 cloves garlic
1 sachet continental mushroom soup powder mix
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 onion, diced
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 tins worth of water (or beef stock)

 
Method:
Place all ingredients together in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8hrs low. You can add some cream about 15 min before serving.

 
If you want to thicken it up, mix 2tsp cornflour with 2tsp water and add this to the mixture.

 
Recipe from:
http://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=17924

Creamy Chicken Stew December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
235ml Low Fat Evaporated Milk
1tb plain flour
4 Chicken thighs or breasts
2c sliced fresh Mushrooms
2 Potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large Carrots, peeled and sliced
1c pumpkin, cubed
1c peas
235ml Chicken Stock
1ts mixed herbs
2 ts chopped fresh Parsley

 
Method:
1). In a small bowl/cup mix the flour and milk until smooth.
2). Place all the ingredients (including milk mixture), except parsley into the slow cooker
3). Cook on low for 6 hours. Add parsley just before serving. Serve with rice or pasta.

 
Recipe from:
http://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=17924

Creamy Chicken Casserole December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
1 onion
4 rashers bacon, chopped
125g mushrooms, sliced
1 kg chicken, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup
100mls evaporated milk

 
Method:
1). Lightly fry the onion, chicken, bacon & mushrooms.
2). Add to the slow cooker with the milk.
3). Cook for about 6 hours.

 

Slightly changed from the recipe posted by Tigergirl1980
http://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=17924

Rogan Josh December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
4 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Large Onion, chopped finely
2-3 Red Chillis finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground clove
2 tsp ground ginger
1 cinnamon stick
1 tin of canned tomatoes
400g tomato puree
1 cup plain yoghurt.

 
Method:
1). Saute the onion and spices together in a pan.
2). Add the Lamb and once browned, add the tomatoes.
3). Transfer to the slow cooker, and cook for about 3-4hours on high
4). Stir the yoghurt in just before serving.

 
Recipe posted by Tamara:
http://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums/showthread.php?t=17924

Lamb Shanks with Lentils December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
1 cup washed lentils
2 lamb shanks
2 cups beef stock
1 tin whole tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Herbs & spices to taste

 
Method:
Place all the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for about 9 hours or on high for about 4 hours.

 
Recipe from Donna Hay’s “Off The Shelf” Cookbook, adapted and posted by Annabel:
http://members.essentialbaby.com.au/index.php?showtopic=91279&st=40#

Feijoada December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
3 large onions diced
3 cloves garlic
1 kilo diced pork
1 jar plain pasta sauce
1 tin tomatoes
3 chorizo sliced
4 tins red kidney beans, drained

 
Method:
1). Lightly fry the onions, garlic and pork in a frying pan.
2). Transfer to the slow cooker, and add the tomatoes, pasta sauce, and sausages. Cook on low for about 9 hours.
3). In the last half hour, add the beans.

 

Taken from:
http://members.essentialbaby.com.au/index.php?showtopic=91279&st=40

Slow cooker Beef Stroganoff December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
750g beef cut into strips
2 tb flour
2 tb oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
200g mushrooms sliced
2 onions sliced
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup beefstock
3 tb tomato paste
300ml sour cream

Method:
1). Toss the meat in flour, then brown meat and onions in a frying pan with the oil.
2). Transfer to the Slow Cooker, then add the other remaining ingredients (except sour cream), stir well and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
3). 30 minutes before serving, add the sour cream. Serve with hot buttered noodles/rice.

Taken from http://members.essentialbaby.com.au/index.php?showtopic=91279&st=150

Slow Cooker Chicken & Rice December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
1 x tin of cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1 x tin from above of water
1/2 onion, finely chopped
Chicken pieces
1 x cup uncooked rice
Pinch paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

 
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together and place in slow cooker. If cooking on low – cook all day, if cooking on high, cook for 4 hours.

 
http://www.canadianparents.com/recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-and-rice

Curried Beef Pie December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry sheets
Beef mince
Gravy powder
Milk powder
Rice
Corn
Carrot
Potato
Dried herbs (or fresh if you have them)
2 teaspoons Curry Powder
Ground Cardamon
Ground Coriander seeds
1/2 cup grated low fat cheese

 

Method:
1). Get your frozen pastry out and let it defrost while you make the filling.
2). Put a saucepan on the heat and add the mince (no oil). Fry this until brown. Drain off the excess oil if there is any. Add 2 teaspoons of curry powder and fry for a few moments.
3). Add your corn, potato (cut into really small pieces) and carrot (I cut my carrot into slices, then cut each slice into quarters, so it cooks quicker), and about a handful of rice (depending on how much mince you used). The rice helps to give it substance, soaks up the liquid (and stretches the mix further!).
4). Put about a tablespoon of gravy powder in a coffee mug, fill with water, mix and add this to the pot. Add more water if needed to just cover the ingredients. Add about 1/2 a teaspoon each of coriander and cardamon, and about 2 teaspoons of dried herbs.. If you like, you can add some milk powder dissolved in water to make a slightly creamier pie filling. I use about 3 tablespoons milk powder in 1/2 cup water. You could use actual milk, but powdered milk gives more milk and less liquid.
5). Simmer this until the rice is getting soft. Add cheese and mix well.
6). When the mince mix is cooked, allow it to cool (you can use it while still warm, but its best not to be hot because it melts the pastry).
7). Grease your chosen pie making dish (I find the best thing to use is actually a spring form pan. You know those cake tins with the base and sides separate, with a locking thingie to release to let the bottom out…. I find it makes getting the pie out in one piece really easy!). Place the pastry into your dish.
8). Spoon the filling mix into the dish, and put your lid on.
9). You can give the top of the pie a light glazing with milk and a pastry brush (you can add egg to the milk, but it isn’t necessary). Don’t forget to cut an air slit in the pastry lid to allow the steam to escape. Put the pie in the oven to cook.
10).. It should go in a hot oven (about 200C), cook until the pastry is browning. Probably about 20 mins?

Camembert and Chicken Parcels December 13, 2008

Ingredients:
Puff Pastry sheets
Garlic
Onion
Chicken breast fillets (1 per parcel, or chop this up if making smaller parcels)
Salt and pepper
1/4 to 1/2 wheel Camembert cheese per parcel

 
Method:
1). Get your frozen pastry out and let it defrost while you make the filling.
2). Take the Chicken breast and make a slice lengthwise to create a split in which you can place the cheese.
3). Fry the Garlic and onion and place some into the split you just made. Cut the cheese into slices (good sized ones) and place a slice into the split as well. Season with Salt and Pepper.
4). Cut a Pastry sheet in half, place the chicken in the centre and fold the sides over to cover the chicken and the ends over. Press down to seal well. Cut a slit in the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
5). When your parcels are done, put them on a tray with the seams downwards. Give them a light spray with oil, or brush the pastry gently with a pastry brush and milk (you can add egg, but it isn’t necessary). Put them in the oven to cook. I like to sprinkle sesame seeds on top to look nice…
6). As the chicken needs to cook through, start them off at about 160C, and cook for about 30 mins, then turn up the oven to high and cook until the pastry is browning. Probably about 15 mins more

 
Small Parcels:
1). Get your frozen pastry out and let it defrost while you make the filling.
2). Take the Chicken breast and chop it into small pieces. Fry this with the Garlic and Onion.
3). Cut the pastry into 4 squares. Wet the edges of the squares and place a small spoonful of fried mixture into one corner. Add a slice of the cheese and fold the pastry over into a triangle, and using the prongs on a fork, make a |||||| pattern around the edges. Cut a slit in the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
4). When your parcels are done, put them on a tray. Give them a light spray with oil, or brush the pastry gently with a pastry brush and milk (you can add egg, but it isn’t necessary). Put them in the oven to cook. I like to sprinkle sesame seeds on top to look nice…
5). They should go in a hot oven (pastry needs to cook in a hot oven or it just goes bleerrgh instead of crispy), cook until the pastry is browning. Probably about 10-15 mins, because the chicken is already cooked, so you’re just cooking the pastry.