Sunday, November 30, 2014

Chicken and Cheese


Another slow cooker recipe

In a slow cooker

Place a layer of frozen potato gems

Add a layer of sliced brown onion
500gms of chicken cut into bite sized pieces
Add a 5 rashes of diced bacon
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
Top with a layer of spinach leaves
1 crumbled block of cream cheese
Add 1/2 a cup of milk

Top with potato gems and a cup of gated cheddar

Slow cook for 8 hours and serve with rice

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Smoked Spicy Beef


This is a slow cooker recipe.
Cover the base of the slow cooker with:

2 sliced brown onions
6 potatos cut into bite size pieces
4 sliced carrots
Season with
2 tbs powdered coriander and cummin
black pepper
2 tbs chilli powder
2 tbs of dry basil
4 diced tomatoes
Cover the vege with red wine
Place a piece of corned silverside atop the vege
2 tbs liquid smoke
Thicken with gravy flower and seperate the meat
Serve with cous cous

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Creamy Chicken


This is my version of bosciola

In a slow cooker place 2 sliced brown onions
4 chicken drumsticks
6 chicken thighs cut into pieces
5 rashes of bacon cut into bite size pieces
2 chorizo sausages sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can condensed milk
3 cups of chicken stock

Slow cook for 8 hours
Before serving stir through 300mls of thickened cream

Serve with pasta and a generous helping of Parmesan


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Great graphic on styles

Found here: http://lifehacker.com/this-graphic-shows-the-flavor-foundations-of-delicious-1657374507

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Smoked Cajun Beef - Slow Cooker


Ok I know the idea of smoked without actual smoking is not great but I had the liquid smoke and wanted to try it out. So here goes.

In the bottom of the slow cooker I made a layer of:
2 sliced brown onions
3 sliced celery ribs
2 diced carrots
2 loves crushed garlic

Place your beef roast mine was a blade roast on top of the vege
Season with liquid smoke
Salt and pepper and Cajun seasoning (I used the Masterfoods one)
Pour 2 cups of beef stock around the beef
Cook on low for 8 hours

Serve with road kill potatoes

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Spring Vegetable Medley


Boil some royal white quinoa add some minced garlic

In a frypan combine with lots of olive oil
2 sliced brown onions
400gms of cooked shelled broad beans
4 cloves of garlic
200gms of swiss brown mushrooms, cut in half
2 bunches of asparagus

I served the quinoa in a mold
Veges spread around
Garnish with caper berries

A couple of fillets of fish for the meat eaters.


Saturday, October 18, 2014

Cajun Style pork - Slow cooker


This is an experiment with the slow cooker and a rolled pork loin.

In the bottom of the slow cooker I added

4 potatoes cut into halves
2 red capsicum cut into strips
1 sliced brown onion
4 garlic cloves crushed and chopped
2 diced carrots

2 cups of chicken stock
1tbs of corriander, cumin, chilli
Liberal amount of cajun seasoning and vegeta

I placed the pork on top of this and cooked for 6 hours

Then I added a pack of Zatrain's Rice and Red Beans and cooked on high for 50 minutes.
( Regular rice with more of the spices and red kidney beans could be an alternative)


Saturday, October 4, 2014

Stuffed meat loaf



1 kg of mince.
3 hard boiled eggs
carrot
capsicum
diced bacon

generous seasoning made a sauce to glaze with ketchup, spicy bbq sauce and chilli garlic sauce
covered with bacon

5 hours in slow cooker

Spicy Chicken Mince


Dice finely 1 brown onion
1 carrot finely diced
3 diced celery ribs
1 diced red capsicumm
For finely chopped garlic cloves
Simmer in olive oil until soft

Brown 500gms of chicken mince
Add Chilli bean paste
Cocnut milk or grated coconut to taste

Serve on a bed of rice with nuts

Caramel Ice Cream


In your Ice Cream maker add

400mls condensed milk
200 gms of condensed reduced cream (low fat)
2 cups of milk (I used skim)
1 can of caramel filling
3/4 cup splendour
1 egg

Stir in ice cream maker until set and transfer to the freezer

Lamb Obsession


This is another slow cooker gem.

Roughly chop 1 brown onion
Place one packet dry french onion soup
1 tin condensed cream of mushroom soup
Rinse tin and add the water
On top of the onion place your lamb (I used a rolled loin )

Slow cook for 6 hours

Serve with mash or cous cous and vegetables

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Slow Cooker Boats


I have been watching this phenomenon for about a week and just had to jump in.

The boats are actually stand and stuff soft taco shells, recently released here.

The concept is simple, fill them, place in slow cooker on high for around 90 mins to cook.

First up is a quiche mix:
Combine 2 eggs a dash of milk, cream and or sour cream and whisk

Chop ingredients and place on bottom of shell
Could include onion, capsicum, shallot, ham, bacon, mushroom, cheese  etc

Por the egg mixture over the ingredients

Put in a sprayed slow cooker lined with baking paper

Set on high for 1.5 hrs approx. Cover and cook

Monday, September 15, 2014

Cooking beans and lentils

This site has some great links for cooking these two staples.

Slow Cooker Beans



Cooking Lentils

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Mexicana (slow cooker)


In your slow cooker combine

2 sliced brown onions
2 red capsicum
8 tomatoes quartered
5 celery ribs sliced
2 diced carrots
1 kilo of beef mince
1 400gm tin of kidney beans
1 can of chilli's in adobe sauce
season with 2 tbs coriander/cumin, salt and pepper
4 cups of beef stock

Slow cook for 8 hours and serve on a bed of rice
Garnish with grated cheese and sour cream
I serve with corn chips.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Slow Cooker Potato Bake


Ingredients
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
200g smoked cheese diced

100 grams grated chedder
1 diced red capsicum 

1 diced brown onion
8 cups cubed potatoes
Method:

1 Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine soup, sour cream and cheese; mix well. Gently stir in capsicum
 
 2 Arrange half of potatoes in sprayed slow cooker. Top with half of sour cream mixture; spread evenly. Top with remaining potatoes and sour cream mixture, spreading evenly. Do not stir.
3 Cover; cook on low setting for 3 to 5 hours. (was not ready so longer or some pre cooking of potato)

Substitute condensed cream of celery soup for the mushroom soup if desired

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

CARAMEL FUDGE

CARAMEL FUDGE
2 blocks dream chocolate
2 pots jersey caramels
1 can condensed milk
1Tbs butter.

- Pre heat slow cooker on high for at least 10mins
- Put butter in and then the rest of ingredients
- Cooked this on high for 1 n half hours stirring every 15mins
Note: May be worthwhile melting jersey caramels in microwave or stove top first as they take a whirl to melt.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

Baked Chicken on Corn


This is not a fancy recipe but simply a new approach.

We feed our birds lots of fresh corn so what to do with the left over corn cobs.

Try placing them in a baking dish and add water .

Now place the chicken pieces on top of the corn and oven bake as usual.

I used several chicken thigh cutlets with skin on, seasoned with a mixture of Cajun spices and oven bake at 180c until golden and cooked through.

"If you want more just give me some corn."
Chilli Willi

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Famous Chili recipes

Miles Davis
 
Miles's South Side Chicago Chili Mack (Serves 6)
1/4 lb. suet (beef fat)
1 large onion
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 lb. ground pork
salt and pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin seed
2 cans kidney beans, drained
1 can beef consommé
1 drop red wine vinegar
3 lb. spaghetti
parmesan cheese
oyster crackers
Heineken beer
1. Melt suet in large heavy pot until liquid fat is about an inch high. Remove solid pieces of suet from pot and discard.
2. In same pot, sauté onion.
3. Combine meats in bowl; season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin.
4. In another bowl, season kidney beans with salt and pepper.
5. Add meat to onions; sauté until brown.
6. Add kidney beans, consommé, and vinegar; simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Add more seasonings to taste, if desired.
8. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, and then divide among six plates.
9. Spoon meat mixture over each plate of spaghetti.
10. Top with Parmesan and serve oyster crackers on the side.
11. Open a Heineken.
John Szwed’s biography of Davis, So What, mentions another chili that the trumpeter’s father taught him how to make. The book includes the ingredients, but no instructions, save for serving it over pasta. Like a jazz musician, you’ll have to improvise.
bacon grease
3 large cloves of garlic
1 green, 1 red pepper
2 pounds ground lean chuck
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 jar of mustard
1/2 shot glass of vinegar
2 teaspoons of chili powder
dashes of salt and pepper
pinto or kidney beans
1 can of tomatoes
1 can of beef broth
serve over linguine

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

European Style Cabbage Rolls


Combine in a mixing bowl
1 finely diced Brown onion
1 finely chopped garlic clove
3 sliced birds eye chillis
1 grated carrot
500gms of pork mince
1 cup of cooked rice
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Combine ingredients with your hands
Take the outer leaves off a cabage
Wrap the mixture in a leaf and place in a baking dish (repeat)
Cover with pasata you could also use stock

Oven bake for around 60 mins at 180c.

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Slow Cooker Leg of Goat

No pictures for this one. Not that it looks that great anyway. The meat was moist and tender and just fell off the bone. A simple and straight forward way to cook a leg of goat and or lamb.

Place the leg of goat in your slow cooker
Add about 600gms of lamb or chicken stock.
I added lamb stock which I had stored in the freezer.
Two sprigs of rosemary and several garlic cloves

Cook on low for about 6 hours
The stock makes a delicious gravy

I served mine with baked potato and carrot.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Eggplant and cheese


This is a simple dish with a number of components:

Firstly slice two eggplants thinly coat with olive oil and oven bake until tender.

In a saucepan combine:
12 quatered tomatoes
Two tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and peppper
Heat until it reduces to a sauce, a potato masher may help.
Add 2 sliced spring onions
1 tsp of cushed garlic
Thinly diced silverbeet

Spray a baking dish with olive oil
Place a layer of eggplant
Add a layer of whole silverbeet leaves
Cover the leaves with a generous helping of tomato (all of it)

Top with the remaining eggplant

Cover with a mixture of grated mozzarella and grated cheddar

Oven bake until golden at 180c for about 35 minutes.

Sunday, August 3, 2014

A couple of vegetarian ideas

These great recipes come form Closet cooking.

Cheesy Zucchini Quinoa by Closet Cooking
A cheesy zucchini and quinoa side dish that is super easy to make and it is a great way to use some of the overflowing zucchini in your garden.

Servings: makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
  • 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 1 medium zucchini, grated
  • 1 cup cheddar, shredded
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions
  1. Bring the quinoa and broth to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat and simmer covered until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender,about 15-20 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and in a fry pan saute 1 diced onion, 1 diced pepper and the grated zucchini.
return the cooked quinoa and heat through.



Eggplant Pizzas

Prep Time: 5 minutes Sit Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Servings: 4
Mini pizzas made on eggplant slices that are tasty, easy to make and kid friendly!


ingredients
  • 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup pizza sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella, shredded
  • 1 ounce pepperoni
directions
  1. Sprinkle the eggplant with the coarse salt, let sit on paper towels for 20 minutes and wipe dry.
  2. Brush the eggplant slices with oil and season with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
  3. Roast the eggplant in a preheated 400F oven until it just starts to turn tender, about 15-20 minutes. (Do not let them become too soft or mushy.)
  4. Top the eggplant with sauce, cheese and pepperoni and broil until the cheese has melted, about 3-5 minutes.

Think I will replace the pepperoni.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Chicken Wings

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/around-the-world-chicken-wings-recipes-2.html

Love these recipes some great ideas.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Chicken Casserole


In a cast iron ceramic baking pan saute in olive oil

Chicken thigh fillets when browned remove

Saute 2 sliced brown onions
2 finely diced carrots
2 celery ribs finely chopped
2 red capsicum finely sliced
150 gms sliced mushrooms
1 400gm tin of butter beans

When the vegetables have softened declaze with 1 cup of brandy and add 2 cups of chicken stock.

Return the chicken to the dish place the lid on and oven bake at 150c for 40 minutes.

Serve on a bed of cous cous.

Asian style savoury mince

This is one I put together from what I had in the fridge and cupboard. I dont have a picture but it was really nice.

Slice 2 brown onions and saute
Add 2 sliced red peppers

As they soften add a small amount of beef mince and brown

Flavour with a generous amount of chilli bean paste and stir through

To add some volume I put in a 400ml tin of coconut cream.

Serve on a bed of rice.  YUM!!!

Monday, July 14, 2014

Wayne's Curried Sausages


Obviously a great dish to serve using up lots of leftovers.

Cook 8 beef sausages and cut into pieces and set aside.

In a little oil saute
2 brown onions, thinly sliced
1 leek thinly sliced
1 capsicum sliced thinly
1 finely diced carrot

When softened add 2 generous tablespoons of curry powder
2 cups of chicken stock
1 tsp chilli powder
Return the sausage pieces

Simmer and thicken with corn flour

Serve on a bed of white rice

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Vegetarian Food

As I have said before Brenda is a vegetarian, so from time to time we eat out at vegetarian places. Today we ate at a vegetarian cafe. It was not good.

It had nothing to do with it being vegetarian it had to do with the flavour .

We ordered two burgers with chips and side salad. (For non Australians chips are often called french fries in other parts of the world).

This is what we got!






The dried items on the right, unseasoned and unflavoured were a deal breaker for me. Do not encourage me to think I'm getting fried chips and then not deliver.

The burger was bland and that is a massive fail for meatless food.

The sauce itself had not the vaguest hint of tomato which matched perfectly the total lack of tomato on the burger.

The burger had cheese and an aioli, neither of which had any discernible creamy taste to add so naturally I assumed they must be vegan (they were not). Not easy to do really. The beetroot relish managed to have no real beetroot flavour. So the burger itself was bland and needed a touch of sharpness or variety which the included ingredients lacked. The pattie itself was fine but simply fell into a paste when you are eating it. The buns were not worth mentioning and well side salad; still wondering about that.

In short we won't be back!

Flora Bean Gallery Cafe.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Slow Cooker Stifado




1kg Sliced onion
1kg braising beef cut in cubes
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400 g can chopped tomatoes (use fresh tomatoes if you prefer)
200 ml red wine
30 ml red wine vinegar or 30 ml balsamic vinegar
1tbs tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground cloves
pinch dried oregano
splash of brandy
salt and pepper

Cook on low for about 8 hours.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Pork belly and flavoured rice


This was a meal for a cold July evening.

Start by scoring your pork belly and salting
Cover with foil and place on a rack in a baking tray with a little water to prevent drying out.
Oven bake at 200c for 2 hours, uncover for the last 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook a mixture of red, black and jasmine rice in some miso flavoured rice.

Serve with a mixture of steamed vegetables with oyster sauce.

Chicken Cacciatore

  •  chicken pieces, cut into serving sizes,bone in
  • Salt
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red capsicuum sliced
  •  mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup red wine
  • 400gms tinned tomatos
  • 1 cup passata
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dry oregano 
  Working in batches so that you don't crowd the pan, place the chicken pieces skin side down in the pan.  Cook until nicely browned, about 5 minutes, then turn over and lightly brown the other side. Remove chicken to a plate, set aside.

 Add the sliced onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms to the pan. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook until the onions are translucent, and the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and cook a minute more.

 Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes. Stir in the pepper, thyme, oregano, and about a teaspoon of salt. Test and taste to adjust. Simmer uncovered for another 5 minutes. Place the chicken pieces on top of the tomatoes and onions, skin side up.  Lower the heat and cover.

Simmer until chicken is cooked and serve on a bed of pasta.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone

  •  
  • 2 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced celery (3 stalks)
  • 1 cup diced carrots (2 carrots)
  • 1 cup diced onion (1 small)
  • 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/3 cups shell pasta
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1  can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups slightly packed chopped fresh spinach
  • Finely shredded Parmeson cheese, for serving (Parmesan works too)

Monday, June 16, 2014

Creamy Turkey


This recipe begins with a slow cooker and 2 turkey legs.

Slice 3 brown onions
4 celery ribs
3 carrots
2 garlic cloves
Place on base of slow cooker
Top with the turkey legs and cover with chicken stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 8 hours
Remove all turkey bones and break up into pieces the cooked meat
Thicken and stir through a generous amount of sour cream.

Serve on a bed of rice with a topping of grated cheese.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Pan fried Broccoli


Cut a stalk of broccoli in half and or quarters (cut down sides)
Pan fry in olive oil approx 2 minutes
Drizzle with citrus  ( 1 lemon cut in half and added to the pan)

Place in oven until broccoli starts to soften
Then drape with pancetta
Cover with a little cheese (mozzarella and parmesan) and melt

Serve with capers and some steak

Frys to accompany


Monday, May 26, 2014

Braised Beef Slow Cooker Chinese Style


This is a a slow cooker recipe for beef Chinese style.

Roughly chop two brown onions
Slice 2 carrots
Cut 2 capsicum into strips
2 sliced garlic bulbs
Take 200gms of small whole mushrooms

Combine in a slow cooker with:

2 cups of beef stock
2tbs of Shao Shin Wine
1 cup of Chinese braising Stock

600gms diced beef
6 Sliced Chinese sausage
Diced bacon

Put on low for  10 hours

Serve with spring onion and cashews and noodles

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Pulled Pork (Slow Cooker)


In your slow cooker

Slice 2 onions and place on the bottom of your slow cooker
Dice 2 garlic cloves and add
Add 3 cups of chicken stock
1 tsp Hot English mustard
1 tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1tbs vinegar

Add your pork leg ( with bone is best without still ok)

Cover pork with a bbq sauce

Slow cook for 6 to 10 hours

Serve on a roll with tomato salsa and a dash of lemon.

Oven Baked Chicken Risotto

Start by sautéing some leek, garlic and red pepper in olive oil.

In a separate pan brown
4 cut chicken thighs
2 Diced chorizo sausages

Combine and add
2 cups aborio rice and cook until clear
1 litre chicken stock

Combine in an oven proof dish
Bake at 180c for 40 minutes

Top with grated Parmesan

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Pork Sausages with Hassle back Potatoes

Boil your potatoes slice and coat with olive oil and season.

In a baking tray
Cut 2 onions into generous chunks.
Cut  mushrooms into pieces
Add 500gms chipolatta sausages
Drizzle with olive oil
Coat with a mixture of hot english mustard and honey.

Oven bake



Breaded Chicken


I took this recipe from Colin Fassnidge new book Four Kitchens.

It's a simple take on roast chicken but really good and worth trying.

Take a slice of sourdough vienna  and cut in half lengthwise.

Top with a chicken stuffed with a lemon cut in half, and 4 garlic cloves.

Surround with sliced veges of your choice.

season the chicken with olive oil, tarragon salt and pepper,

Roast at 180c until chicken is golden

remove and wrap in foil

Toast the bread in the oven

Serve with gravy.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Salmon Pasta


This is just a quick dish to with some bargain picks from the supermarket.

Cook a little pasta in this case penne from the store cupboard.

Meanwhile in a frypan sauté
1 sliced brown onion
4 crushed and diced garlic cloves
1 sliced green chilli
Chopped parsley
A dash of lemon juice
A sprinkling  of capers

Add in the cooked pasta and stir through some chopped smoked salmon
A 2tbs of pesto and 3 tbs of sour cream

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Mezze


A vegetarian meal for Brenda and I after i was inspired by Make hummus not war.

1. Hummus
Blend 2 cans of chick peas
3 garlic cloves
2 tbs of tahini
Juice of one lemon

2. Baba gar nosh
Cook two eggplants with olive oil and cumin
Put aside to cool
Blend with 3 garlic cloves
2 Tbs tahini
Juice of one lemon

3. Cous Cous with red onion and diced tomato

4. Grilled haloumi cheese

5. Lebanese bread


Saturday, April 19, 2014

My Fish Pie


With some leftover fish in the freezer it was time for a fish pie and also it goes well with the cooling autumn weather.

In a fry pan saute in olive oil:

1 sliced brown onion
1 sliced leek
1 diced capsicum
2 sliced chillies
2 diced garlic cloves
3 finely chopped celery ribs
3 grated carrots
Roughly chopped mushrooms

Add your fish cut into pieces
A handful of frozen prawns
1 tin of smoked oysters

Place in a shallow baking dish and pour over some cream
Cover with puff pastry and oven bake at 180c till browned.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Pappardelle with Cream and Mushrooms



Put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. While you wait, heat oil in a large frying pan with a knob of butter and sauté 3 cloves of garlic and one diced brown onion, season with some sage, marjoram or thyme. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté for another 2–3 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the pappardelle to the boiling water and cook until al dente (fresh pasta should not take more than 3 or 4 minutes).
Add pasta water to the mushrooms and let it reduce for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. When the pasta is ready, drain it, stir some cream into the mushroom sauce, heating together briefly. Add the butter and a little of the cooking water if the pasta seems dry. Serve sprinkled with parsley and parmigiano reggiano.

Serve with lightly steamed asparagus.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Tasty Express by Sneh Roy


This book came unexpectedly across my desk and I must say it has been a wonderful volume to explore. Lots of books have appeared in recent times from food bloggers and this one fits into that category.

This is a practical hands on book with everyday recipes that are simply explained and easy to reproduce.

The book is beautifully illustrated and the recipes clear and concise.

She embraces healthy takes on modern classics like tacos, flatbreads, veggie burgers, granola and froyo, plus a few irresistibly naughty treats. Many of her hardworking creations can be easily packed away in a lunchbox or picnic basket for work, your next camping trip or potluck evening. The recipes are predominantly vegetarian, and they can be easily repurposed with your own favourite ingredients. 

Living with a vegetarian I am always looking for clever and fresh food that can also accompany meat options as well.

The selection of recipes here is excellent and well worth checking out.

Fried Chicken in Garlic Sauce


Slice one onion and saute
Add diced chicken pieces (thigh fillet)
Add sliced carrot and cabbage
1tbs garlic paste
1tbs ginger paste
1tsp vinegar
1tsp soy sauce
1 cup of chicken stock
1 tbs chilli sauce

Serve with rice and nuts.

Pumpkin and Fetta Bake


Dice some butternut squash (as much as desired)
Add some whole mushrooms
Drizzle with olive oil and season

Bake in a 180c oven
After 40 minutes add some diced fetta, garlic and spinach leaves.

Baked Quinoa Stuffed Capsicum

Start by boiling your quinoa
Fry some diced onion and garlic

Mix together with a generous amount of ricotta cheese

Stuff into a capsicum sprinkle with cheese and oven bake .


Slow Cooked lamb Curry


Combine in a slow cooker
2 tbs of corriander/cummin powder
1 diced onion
2 sliced chilli
500gms cubed lamb
2 diced potatos
1 tbs garlic powder
1tsp minced ginger
1tbs gram masala
1 tbs chilli powder
2 cup of beef stock stock

Serve with rice and pickles

Slow Cooker Dahl


Combine in a slow cooker
2 tbs of corriander/cummin powder
1 diced onion
2 sliced chilli
1 tbs garlic powder
1tsp minced ginger
1 tbs chilli powder
2 cup of vegetable stock

2 cups of channa dahl


Slow cook for 8 hours
Serve with rice.

Thai Pumpkin Soup


Cut a pumpkin in half cover with olive oil and oven bake at 180c for 60 minutes

Fry some sliced onion, garlic and red curry paste

Scoop out the flesh and blend with fried ingredients

Blend with coconut cream

Serve

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Wayne's Sunday Dahl!



Soak about 200gms of mung dahl in cold water for about an hour, then rinse.

Heat vegetable oil with a little ghee (or butter)

Add 3 sliced onions
3 cloves of garlic
A mixture of diced chillies

1 tablespoon of cardamom and coriander
1 tablespoon of turmeric
3cm of grated ginger

Combine the rinsed dahl

500 mls of vegetable stock

Simmer on low for about an hour and serve with basmarti rice and your choice on Indian condiment.

Friday, March 21, 2014

How to eat!!!

I know I have not posted too many new recipes this year. I have just started a new job and was settling in, I'm hoping now to go back to doing some new recipes.

To hold you over this post on how to eat in different parts of the world is fun!
http://www.foodbeast.com/2014/03/20/this-infographic-explains-how-to-politely-dine-out-around-the-world/

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Meat free week!

I could repost all of their recipes, that's hardly fair please check out the website and maybe sign on!

https://meatfreeweek.org/recipes

Indian Curry


Another stolen recipe: https://meatfreeweek.org/content/snake-bean-and-vegetable-curry

1.2 kg mixed fresh vegetables (snake beans, potato, cauliflower, eggplant, sweet potato, peas)
100gm raw cashew nuts (1/2 finely grounds, 1/2 whole)
2 inch ginger, finely chopped or grated
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
400g Passata
1 tin cherry tomatoes
2 Tbsp (heaped) moist shredded coconut
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp (heaped) Garam masala
1 tsp (heaped) ground coriander
1 tsp (heaped) ground cumin
1 tsp (heaped) ground turmeric
1 tsp ground chili
2 Birdseye chilies chopped
4 stems coriander, roots and stems chopped, leaves reserved
4 Tbsp vegetable oil
Good pinch of salt
Flat bread or steamed rice to serve
In a large heavy based saucepan, combine oil, onion and chili over moderate heat. When onion is translucent, add ginger, garlic and chopped coriander, cook for 2 minutes.
Add cinnamon, coconut and ground spice, fry until fragment. Add passata, tinned tomatoes, potato, sweet potato and cover with 2cm water. Allow curry to come to the boil before reducing heat and simmering for twenty minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Stir through ground and whole cashews, add remaining vegetables & cook for 10mins-12 minutes. Remove from heat, stir through yogurt, and season with salt to taste.
Serve garnished with coriander leaves, with steamed rice or naan bread.

Dahl

One for Brenda.
From :https://meatfreeweek.org/content/deliciously-dahl
200 grams Chana Dahl, thoroughly rinsed with water and soaked for 1 hour
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2cm ginger, finely chopped
2cm fresh turmeric, grated
1 Tsp ground turmeric
2 long green chilies, sliced
Pinch salt
1 bunch coriander, roots and stalks roughly chopped, leaves reserved
2  curry leaves
Splash of vegetable or olive oil
TARKA
Tbsp olive oil
1 heaped Tsp. each of brown mustard seeds, yellow mustard seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds
2 long green chilies, finely sliced
Pinch salt
8 okra, sliced
1 red birds eye chili, finely sliced
Small handful curry leaves
2 French shallots, thinly sliced

In a large heavy based saucepan heat vegetable oil and sauté onion, ginger, garlic, curry leaves, fresh turmeric and coriander root until onion is browned. Add tomatoes, green chili, chana dahl and stir through. Cover with vegetable stock, 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a to a simmer, cover and continue to cook until lentils tenderize and begin to break down. Roughly 40 minutes.
Just before serving, heat remaining olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat add shallots, and cook until well browned. Add the spices and cook until aromatic, the seeds will begin to ‘pop’ and release their beautiful flavour and scent. Stir through remaining ingredients, cook for a further 2-3 minutes or until okra just cooked.
Stir coriander leaf through dahl, divide between serving bowls and garnish with a generous spoonful or two of hot Tarka.

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Slow Cooker Beef Stew


Well I had some vegetables I didn't have a use for and what better on a rainy Saturday than a beef stew, so I broke out the slow cooker and this was the result.

In a slow cooker combine.
500 gms cubed stewing beef
12 baby carrot scrubbed and cut in half
2 1/4 Beetroot
6 garlic cloves
400gms white beans
1 tin tomatoes
1 cup beef stock
2 bay leaves
2tbs Wostershire sauce
Salt and Pepper

Slow cook for 8 hours serve with crusty bread and sour cream.

Rogani Kumbh (Mushroom Tomato curry)


Blend together
3 tomatoes
6 garlic cloves
2 green chillies
1tsp grated ginger
1 onion
Till a smooth paste is formed

In a saucepan heat 1/2 cup of oil
Add
1tbs ground corriander/cummin (combined)
1tsp tumeric
1tsp garam masala
Combine with blended paste

Add 750gms button mushrooms
1 cup vegetable stock

Simmer for 10 minutes
Serve with basmarti rice and natural yogurt

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Aunt Sue’s Famous Pound Cake


Got this off facebook

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
3 cups sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whipping cream (also known as Heavy Cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions

Grease and flour tube (or bundt) pan and set out eggs and butter to allow them to come to room temperature.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Sift the flour and add it to the creamed mixture alternately with the whipping cream. Mix until fully incorporated.
Stir in the vanilla.
Pour into prepared pan and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 300 and bake for 80-90 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Vege Pasta

Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat pasta ( cooked and drained)
6 cups vegetable stock
2 garlic cloves
1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup carrot, sliced
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup broccoli
1 cup kale, chopped
2 tablespoons basil, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup pine nuts
Directions
While pasta is cooking in vegetable stock, place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet with garlic and vegetables. Stir gently and cover to steam for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are to desired tenderness. You may need to add some of the vegetable stock from the pasta pot periodically to prevent the veggies from scorching.
Drain pasta when done and place in a large bowl. Add steamed veggies, pine nuts, basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently to mix. Serve with grated (vegan) parmesan cheese if desired.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Teriyaki salmon with wasabi avocado dressing


I got the idea for this dish from Valli Little's Quick Smart Cook. A few changes and this dish emerged.

Marinade (for 24 hrs) two boned fillets of salmon with skin on in a mixture of soy, mirin and lime juice.

Combine 1 avacado, juice of one lemon/lime and wasabi to taste
Blend to form a smooth paste.

Cook the fish, beware it will burn easily!

Serve with white rice flavoured with Japanese peppers.

Monday, February 3, 2014

Curried Cauiflower and kale


INGREDIENTS:
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2 inch florets 
1 bunch of kale, cut into ribbons, probably 2-3 cups 
1/2 red onion, minced 
1 1/2 Cups lentils 
2 Tablespoons oil 
2 Tablespoons curry powder (or to your tastes) 
1/2 Tablespoon paprika (I like hot spanish paprika) 
1/2 Tablespoon whole coriander seeds (lightly toasted and ground), or you can use ground coriander 
Pinch of salt 
Flat Bread Recipe (Recipe from Once Upon a Plate) 
9 ounces (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour 
1/2 Teaspoon salt 
2 Teaspoons sugar 
1 Cup whole milk 
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil 
Scallions, diced (optional) 

Helpful Equipment: 
Pizza stone and peel (for the bread) 
DIRECTIONS:
1) For dough, combine flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Add oil and then slowly add milk until dough comes together in a ball.

2) Knead it on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes until it is soft and smooth.

3) Add ball of dough to a lightly oiled bowl and give it a turn to coat the ball. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for an hour or so.

4) Cut up the cauliflower (cut off all of the greens around the stalk and then just start working through the head of cauliflower, cutting off each floret evenly).

5) Cut the kale into small ribbons. Take each leaf of kale and, using a knife, cut out the center vein which is very hard, leaving two leaves which you can then cut into kale ribbons.

6) Once dough has rested, cut it into 5 even pieces.

7) Heat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven (if you have a broiler, use that).

8) Roll out each piece of dough until it’s very thin and then top it with some diced scallion. Slide the naan off peel and onto stone and let it cook for 3-5 minutes depending on your oven. If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can bake these just on a normal sheet pan. They’ll still be good, but probably just not as crunchy on the exterior.
9) Cook lentils according to the package directions (Most likely this means adding 2 cups of water for every cup of lentils into a large pot and getting it boiling) adding spices half way through the cooking process.

10) Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large pan and add cauliflower. Cook florets over medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes until the florets start to brown a bit.

11) Add onions and cook them until they are translucent – probably another 5 minutes.

12) Add kale along with a pinch of salt. Cook this for just a few more minutes until the kale starts to wilt.

13) Add all veggies to the lentil pot and stir everything together and season with other spices.

14) Stir it well and let it sit for a minute or two just to let all the flavors mingle.

15) Serve it up next to the flat bread!