Roast Veggie Salad

Your pick of veggies that are good roasted - mine are:
Potato, Sweet Potato, zucchini, cherry tomato, red capsicum, red onion, corn cobs (cut into 2cm wide slices)
You can also put in eggplant, whole mushrooms, whole green beans, a can of chickpeas - use your imagination!

Cut the veggies into big bite sized pieces, place into a baking dish sprayed with oil, lined with baking paper or a bbq/baking mat. Put the longer-cooking veggies in first (eg potato, sweet potato, corn) and add other veggies at intervals depending on how long they take to cook. Spray each lot of veggies as you add them to the dish.

When cooked, mix through dressing:
1 tablespoon strong honey,
1 teaspoon seeded mustard,
1/2 teaspoon olive oil and
1/2 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice, to taste.
Add ground salt and black pepper if desired.

This quantity of dressing is enough for veggies for about 4 people, adjust quantities of you're feeding a horde.

Goes really nicely with bbq meats, I also like to stir through baby spinach with the dressing and let the heat of the other veggies wilt it.

Yum! (and not much washing up).

Madonna

Gluten Free Vanilla Cookies

makes 18

125g unsalted butter (or equivalent)

4T caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

1 cup GF plain flour (all-purpose flour)

1/2 cup GF SR flour

preheat oven to 170degC

line 2 trays with baking paper

beat butter sugar vanilla until well combined

sift flours into the butter mix

mix with wooden spoon until well combined

use hands to shape mixture into a soft dough

refrigerate for 30mins

shape tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on baking trays

use fork to flatten each to about 1cm thick

bake for 12-15mins until ight golden

we also sometimes add choc chips which makes them even yummier. these cookies melt in your mouth so look out - you won't stop at one!!

Michelle

Marguerita Ice Cream Recipe

150grams icing sugar

4-5 squeezed limes

2 tbsps tequila

3 tbsps triplesec liquor (Andrew used frangelico hazlenut liquor because I don't do orange)

500 mls double cream (Andrew didn't use all double cream)

Whisk ingredients until thickened but not stiff, pour into a container and freeze overnight.

enjoy,

Sally

Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tbs flour
4 tbs sugar
2 tbs cocoa

mix together:
1 egg beaten
3 tbs oil
3 tbs milk
Vanilla if you have it
3 tbs choc bits optional.

Add wet to dry and mix. Put in 2 mugs and cook for 3 mins in microwave. Allow to stand before eating. 1000 watt microwave used.

Kerrilee

Pecan Sour Cream Cake

250g butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
300g carton sour cream
1 and 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup sr flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tblsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Grease a deep 23cm round pan.
Cream butter, essence and sugar in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time, beat until combined.
Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in sour cream then sifted flours and soda.
Spread half hte cake mixture into prepared pan, sprinkle with half hte conbined pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread evenly with remaining cake mixture, sprinkle with remaining pecan mixture; press gently into cake mixture. Bake mod oven 1 hour or so. Stand 5 mins before turning onto wire rack to cool.

Keeps 3 days (yeah, sure!)

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

The Most Dangerous Choccie Cake Recipe in the World After all the talk on buddies about the muffin in a mug cake, I thought you might like this one that was sent to me...

· Get out your biggest mug. (Mine is a 500ml pottery beer mug.)
· Break an egg into it.
· Add 2 tbsp sugar (2x20ml)
· Add 2 tbsp cocoa
· Little splash of vanilla
· Beat well with a fork
· Add 1 tbsp self-raising flour
· Add 1 tbsp milk
· Add 1 tbsp oil
· (in that order, so you don't get the measuring spoon all yukky)
· Mix it all up with the fork until no lumps. Makes 180ml total
without extras.

· (Optional extras at this point are a slurp of your favourite tipple,
and/or a couple of leftover baby Easter eggs, or 1-2 tbsp chockbits, or 2 or
3 after dinner mints, chocolate ginger or whatever rows your boat.)

· Cook for 1 minute 20 seconds in a 1600W microwave, adjusted for the
power of yours. The mixture rose up almost to the top of my big mug, then sank back to twice the starting size. According to the original (erroneous) recipe "the mixture does rise up above the top of the mug, but don't worry."
Do you believe that?
· Stand 1 minute.
· You can shovel it out with the fork and eat it straight away, or top
up the mug with whipped cream and shovel it out anyway, or
· Tip it out on a plate and shovel from there, which makes room for
more fruit and veg, cream and/or icecream. Any chocolate you added will melt like a frosting if you let it sit for an hour, or sauce if you are a greedy guts who thinks waiting for cake to cool, and chocolate to harden is a pointless exercise.
· This is a light cake with a few holes in it. It is not as onerous as
restaurant chocolate cake to eat, but might be with ½ a cup of Baileys poured over it. You could probably make it more onerous by adding more oil, but what's the point? Don't want to kill yourself, do you?

SUGGESTION: Email this to a friend and agree on a time for coffee and cake over a phonecall. Five minutes before you ring them, put the kettle on, and make your cake while the kettle is boiling. Enjoy. It's a whole new take on "I saw you pull into the driveway and just popped a batch of scones in the oven!"

Louisa

Veal With Peperonata & Gnocchi

Speaking of cooking, this is what we had for dinner last night and it was ROOLLY yummy!

Serves 5
Peperonata:
2 x 400 g tins crushed tomatoes
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 long green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 red and 1 yellow capsicum, deseeded and finely sliced
1 tblspn red wine vinegar
2 tspns white sugar

Mix all the ingredients together, season with salt and pepper and add half the mixture to the slow cooker.

1/2 cup plain flour
5 even sized pieces of osso bucco
butter and olive oil for frying
150 ml white wine
625(ish) g packet gnocchi

Season flour with salt and pepper. Coat the meat in the flour and shake off the excess. Fry on medium high heat until well browned on both sides and place in an even layer over the peperonata in the slow cooker. Add the wine to the hot pan to deglaze, allow to boil for a minute or so then pour over the meat. Cover with the remaining peperonata.

Cook on high for approx 6 hours. When almost ready, cook gnocchi according to packet instructions. Remove meat carefully from sauce and keep warm. Add the gnocchi to the slow cooker to re-heat through in the sauce.

To serve, spoon the gnocchi and peperonata sauce into bowls, top with a piece of osso bucco and sprinkle with gremolata.

Gremolata:
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 crushed garlic clove
large handful of flat leaf parsley, very finely chopped

Mix all together in a small bowl.

Beef with Mandarin

Oh my goodness - I've been sick and resting (sleeping) a lot. I found my folder (it's a photocopy of the book) and it says Chinese and Asian Step-By-Step. I always thought it was a ww book but maybe not. I will check next time I go to mum's she has the original :-)

Here is the recipe - and it is with mandarins (the fruit) I like the mandarin flavour and add a bit of juice as well.

Preparation time: 25 mins
Cooking time: 5 mins
Serves 4

350g rib eye, (finely sliced)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons dried mandarin or tangerine rind (explanation below recipe)
2 teaspoons soy sauce (extra)
1 1/2 teaspoons caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour
1/3 cup beef stock

Place meat in a bowl

1. mix soy, sherry, ginger and sesame oil together, stir through meat to coat. Let stand 15 minutes Heat the oil in a wok or heavy-based frying pan, swirling gently to coat base and side. Add beef and stir-fry over high heat for 2 minutes until meat changes colour.

2. add the pepper, rind, extra soy and sugar. Stir-fry briefly.

3. dissolve the cornflour in a little of the stock, add remaining stock.
Add cornflour mixture to the wok. Stir until the sauce boils and thickens

Serve with rice or steamed breads.

DRIED MANDARIN/TANGERINE PEEL
Commonly used as a seasoning in slow cooked dishes, dried mandarin and tangerine peel are easily prepared at home and can be stored in an air tight jar in a cool place for months. Make up a good quantity when the fruits are in season.

Use a vegetable peeler to slice the peel thinly; cut the strips into small pieces and carefully scrape off any remaining pith or flesh. Place the pieces in a single layer on a baking tray and place in a preheated moderate oven (180 deg) for 15 minutes or until the peel has dried. Three mandarins produce about a third of a cup of peel.

Sauces for Silverside & Mash

What is the best sauce to serve with Silverside, mash and veges?
Merrin

White sauce with parsley, capers and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Donna

White sauce with a handful of cheese thrown in.
Janet

Use about a cup of the cooking liquid, mix a couple of tablespoons of flour and a teaspoon of dry mustard to a thin paste with a bit of water, whisk into the cooking liquid and bring to the boil. When thickened, add a good handful of chopped parsley. Mmm, mmm.
Brenda

I usually do a white sauce with onion.
Lynn

All those variations of white sauce are yummy - I do a white sauce usually too. If I'm feeling really extravagant I also make a sauce that Dene told us about a few years ago.
I just found the original email (from 2005!!) here is the recipe cut and pasted.

Balsamic Glaze
2/3 cup beef and tomato stock (I use beef stock plus a spoonful of tomato paste), 3 tablespoons plum jam, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 3 teaspoons sugar. Combine in a small saucepan, and simmer until reduced and syrupy. I still make the white sauce as well, and it all tastes absolutely divine together. Serve with mash (add cheese and garlic) and honeyed carrots. Mmm Mmmmm!!
Whitney (and Dene)

I love a mustard sauce. White sauce with seeded and Dijon mustard added. (Melt butter add flour, cook for a couple of minutes, add milk. Stir over low heat until it thickens and boils. Add mustard to taste.)
Debbie Packham

Rich Tomato & Bacon Risotto

Rich Tomato & Bacon Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 rashers bacon, diced
2 cups Arborio or other risotto rice
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
1L Stock (beef, chicken or vegetable)
2 cups (500mL) water
½ cup grated parmesan
cracked black pepper

Heat the stock and water in a saucepan and allow to simmer gently.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot and saute the onion and bacon until soft. 
Add the risotto rice and garlic, stir for 1 minute.
Add the crushed tomatoes, then add the hot stock one cup at a time, stirring it in until absorbed and the rice is tender.
Take off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper to taste.
Leonie

Never Fail Chocolate Cake

1 cup S/R flour
1 cup sugar
½ cup (milk)
½ teas vanilla
2 eggs
2 tbsp cocoa
125g butter, melted (approx ½ cup)

Prepare a 20cm cake tin. Grease and line the tin to ensure it comes out properly. Preheat over to 180C/350F. Put all ingredients except the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer. Melt butter, add to mixture and beat for 3 minutes, then pour into cake tin. Bake for about 50 mins.
Notes:
 Cake can easily be doubled if required.
 Can use half wholemeal flour.
 Better if heaped tablespoons of cocoa.
 Can halve flour and replace with ground almonds/hazelnuts.
 Can replace milk with orange juice. Also add grated orange rind. Haven’t tried lemon juice and rind but it could be very nice.
 Some liquor can be added – e.g. I put in a tablespoon or two of Grand Manier with orange juice and reduce the amount of milk by the amount of liquor added.

The cake was filled with White Chocolate Mousse
250gms white choc & 1/4 cup plus 1 tbs of water (=1/4 & 1 Tbs water), melt together. When cooled stir into 1.5 cups cream whipped to soft peaks.

Debbie P

Weetbix Slice

½ cup butter (125g)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cocoa
1 cup SR flour
½ cup coconut
1 cup crushed weetbix (approx 4 weetbix)

Melt butter. Gradually mix into rest of ingredients in a bowl. Press in microwave dish. Cook on medium for 6-8 minutes (I do 8). Ice with chocolate icing while still warm and sprinkle with extra coconut. Cut into squares.

Lynn Gosney

Slow Roasted Spiced Pork Belly

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
¼ cup olive oil
1.5kg pork belly, skin scored
salt

Combine spices & thyme leaves with 2 teaspoons salt in and mortar and using a pestle coarsely grind. Add 1 tablespoon oil and mix into a paste. Place pork skin side up in a glass or ceramic dish and rub all over with spice mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Preheat oven to 240˚C. Cook pork, skin side up, for 30 minutes or until skin is crisp, then reduce to 170˚C. Pour ½ cup water around pork and cook for 2 hours until meltingly tender. This recipe (which appeared in Gourmet Traveller 2006) recommends serving the belly with lentils; however it would be just as good with a fresh, green salad.

Debbie P

Sally's Moroccan Meal

900g casserole beef,
2 onions,
4 garlic cloves,
1.5 tsp dried ginger,
1.5 tsp cumin,
1.5 tsp saffron,
15 sprigs of parsley,
15 sprigs coriander,
500g potatoes,
400g carrots,
4 tomatoes,
300g turnips,
salt & pepper.

Saute the beef, add onions, garlic and spices. Add veges. Cover with water and cook for an hour. add pArsley and coriander before serving. I cook it in my tagine but it would work as a casserole I guess. We have it with couscous.

Sally

KateG's Sweet Potato & Chick Pea Curry

Tin or two of chickpeas
Tin or two of tomatoes
Peel and chop a sweet potato or two, or some pumpkin, whatever is in the pantry - add anything else you fancy.
Add some curry paste, water and some coconut milk or some coconut milk powder
Cook all day. Mix some chopped tofu in at the end if you like and
serve on rice

KateG

Bron's Vege Bake

Another yummo vegetarian dish (not very pretty tho, so no photo)

I cooked off, in the frypan, some carrot, onion, tomatoes, sweet potato, potato, zucchini and wong bok or some other chinese vege. the carrots, tomatoes, sweet potato, garlic and wong bok came from the garden [Grin]
When quite soft, i added a mix of eggs (from our own chookies), coconut milk, rice milk and a can of tomatoes (the kids didn't pick enough tomatoes for the job, so i added more).
Mix till cooked and serve.

Bron

Debbie P's Grandma's Chocolate Cake

Below is Grandma's flourless chocolate cake. Mum made it for our Austrian Winter Feast. It was yummy. I've made it but found it a bit tricky. So good luck with it. We put a layer of apricot jam on top then cover with chocolate ganach.

1 glass water
¼ pound chocolate
4 oz sugar
4 oz round almonds
5 eggs –separated
1 tbl breadcrumbs

Put water, chocolate, sugar and almonds in a saucepan. Heat, dissolve sugar and chocolate. Cool chocolate mixture. Beat yolks into chocolate mixture. Whip egg whites, fold in breadcrumbs. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 mins to 1 hour.

Triple Choc Brownies

gluten free, dairy free

200g dairy free Dark Chocolate
⅓ cup Cocoa
1¾ cups Brown Sugar
250g Nuttelex
½ cup gluten free Self Raising Flour
4 eggs
¾ cup gluten free Plain Flour

Method
Preheat oven to 160oC fan forced(180oC conventional)
Melt Nuttelex and chocolate together, in the microwave oven (30 seconds at a time, then stir).
Combine eggs, brown sugar and cocoa in a bowl and beat well.
Stir in chocolate and Nuttelex mixture
Gently fold in flours and mix well.
Spray 25cm by 34cm baking tray with oil and line with baking paper.
Pour in mixture.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer poked in comes out clean.
Cool slightly in tin, then cut into rectangles.
May be served warm or cool.

Just in case this is not quite rich enough, Libby likes to add 1 cup of Chocolate Chips along with the flours.
I use Lindt 70% Cocoa chocolate and Cadbury Dark Chocolate Chips, and Orgran Gluten Free flours.

Jeany

Ham Hock & Barley Soup - Linda

A whole hock into a pot of cold water, boil to get out any impurities.
Prepare veges…
3 brown onions diced
3 carrots diced
6 cloves garlic chopped
3 stalks celery chopped

Check if water is boiling, if so remove hock and THROW water out.
Add oil to pot, then add veges for about 10 mins until golden brown
Chop 3 ripe tomatoes, handful thyme, half cup of barley, 2 and ½ cups green split peas (no need to soak), and ham hock, add to pot as well as 2.5 to 3 litres of water and put on low heat.
Leave lid half on, cook for 2.5 hours until meat is coming off the bone. Check every half an hour and add water if too thick.
Serve with black pepper to taste.

Debbie's variation I quite like lamb shank and barley soup. Similar recipe.
I add traditional soup veges to the shanks......onion, parsley,carrot, celery, parsnip, turnip

Janets apple slice

340g vanilla cake mix
¾ cup melted butter
400g tin of pie apple
200g sour cream

Preheat oven to 180C Mix butter and cake mix to a dough. Spread in a paper lined baking dish and bake for 15mins. Combine apples and sour cream. Spread over base and bake for another 15mins. Cool in fridge. Serve cold.

Chicken Meatballs in Green Curry Sauce

Chicken Meatballs in Green Curry Sauce

1 Large Onion - peeled & grated
750g Chicken Breast Mince2 Slices Wholemeal Bread - Crumbed1 Egg1/4 cup Fresh Coriander - chopped1 1/2 tablespoons Green Curry Paste2 tablespoons Olive Oil


SAUCE2-3 tablespoons green curry paste1 1/2 cups Light Coconut Milk4 Kaffir Lime Leaves1 1/2 tablespoons Fish Sauce3 teaspoons Brown Sugar1/2 Lime- juiced

Cook onion in microwave for 1 minute - cool. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, egg, coriander, curry paste & onion in bowl. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls & refrigerate for min 1/2 hr- can be overnight. Heat oil - cook meatballs in batches for apprx. 20 mins.


MAKE SAUCEAdd curry paste to frying pan - cook for 1 minute. Stir in cocounut milk & lime leaves. Cook for 4 minutes or until sauce boils. Add fish sauce, sugar, meatballs. Cook uncovered for 6-8 minutes or until sauce thickens & meatballs are heated through. Add lime juice & serve with steamed Jasmine Rice.

Leonie

Mini Roasted vegetable frittatas - Cate

Prep time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 40 mins (makes 48)
1/3 cup olive oil
3 French shallots, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
4 slender eggplants, sliced lengthways into 5mm slices
2 zucchinis, sliced lengthways into 5mm slices
2 red capsicums, seeded and cut into 2-3 flat pieces
2 T finely chopped fresh mint
½ cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces
8 eggs
½ cup cream
Pinch ground nutmeg
¼ cup grated parmesan
Fresh parsley, to garnish

1. Preheat oven to mod-hot 200C. Lightly grease 48 non-stick mini muffin holes. Heat the oil, shallots and garlic together in a small saucepan over low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until just soft. Remove from the heat.
2. Place the eggplant and zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking tray and brush both sides with hot oil. Roast the vegetables for about 10 mins, then turn and cook for further 10 mins until golden.
3. Meanwhile, place the capsicum strips, skin side up, under a hot grill until the skin blackens and blisters. Cool in a plastic bag, then peel away the skin. Cut into 2cm x 1cm stirps, then transfer to a bowl.
4. Remove vegetables from the oven. Reduce the temperature to 180C. Slice the veges into 2cm x 1cm strips and add to the bowl. Add the herbs, season and mix well.
5. Beat the eggs, cream, nutmeg and parmesan together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
6. Fill each muffin hole a third full with assorted pieces of vege mixture.
Carefully pour the egg mixture in just short of the top. Distribute the remaining vegetables among the holes, pressing the pieces into the egg. Use the remaining egg mixture to top up the levels to equal heights. Place a small piece of parsley leaf on top of each.. transfer to oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golen and set. The frittatas will rise a lot while cooking, but will sink once out of the oven. Cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.
Plan ahead: these frittatas can be made 2 days early and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring to room temp before serving.

Mini Roasted vegetable frittatas

Prep time: 30 minutes, Cook time: 40 mins (makes 48)



1/3 cup olive oil

3 French shallots, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

4 slender eggplants, sliced lengthways into 5mm slices

2 zucchinis, sliced lengthways into 5mm slices

2 red capsicums, seeded and cut into 2-3 flat pieces

2 T finely chopped fresh mint

½ cup fresh basil, torn into small pieces

8 eggs

½ cup cream

Pinch ground nutmeg

¼ cup grated parmesan

Fresh parsley, to garnish



1. Preheat oven to mod-hot 200C. Lightly grease 48 non-stick mini muffin holes. Heat the oil, shallots and garlic together in a small saucepan over low heat for 1-2 minutes, or until just soft. Remove from the heat.

2. Place the eggplant and zucchini slices in a single layer on a baking tray and brush both sides with hot oil. Roast the vegetables for about 10 mins, then turn and cook for further 10 mins until golden.

3. Meanwhile, place the capsicum strips, skin side up, under a hot grill until the skin blackens and blisters. Cool in a plastic bag, then peel away the skin. Cut into 2cm x 1cm stirps, then transfer to a bowl.

4. Remove vegetables from the oven. Reduce the temperature to 180C. Slice the veges into 2cm x 1cm strips and add to the bowl. Add the herbs, season and mix well.

5. Beat the eggs, cream, nutmeg and parmesan together in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.

6. Fill each muffin hole a third full with assorted pieces of vege mixture. Carefully pour the egg mixture in just short of the top. Distribute the remaining vegetables among the holes, pressing the pieces into the egg. Use the remaining egg mixture to top up the levels to equal heights. Place a small piece of parsley leaf on top of each.. transfer to oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golen and set. The frittatas will rise a lot while cooking, but will sink once out of the oven. Cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

Plan ahead: these frittatas can be made 2 days early and refrigerated in an airtight container. Bring to room temp before serving.

Caramelised Red onion and feta tartlets - Cate

Prep time: 20 mins, Cook time: 45 mins (makes 24)

1½ T olive oil

2 lge red onions, finely chopped

2 t chopped fresh thyme

3 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry (I made a really yummy gluten free pastry for this)

70g feta, crumbled

2 eggs lightly beaten

½ cup cream



1. Preheat oven to 180C. Heat the oil in a frying pan (do not use non-stick or onion won’t caramelise). Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until dark gold. Add the thyme, stir well and transfer to a bowl to cool.

2. Grease 24 shallow patty tin holes. Using an 8cm cutter, cut out 24 pastry rounds and line the tins with the rounds.

3. Divide the onion among the patty cases, then spoon the feta over the onion. Combine the eggs with the cream, season and pour into the pastry cases. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

It says these can be made a day ahead, but I’m planning to freeze them for a party I’m having in a month or so, when defrosted, reheat in a slow oven for 10 minutes before serving. These are really yummy!!! The kids loved them.

A variation for creamy herb tartlets. Make pastry cases as above. Mix together 2 beaten eggs, 2 T milk, ½ cup cream, 2 t chopped fresh chives and 1 t each of chopped fresh dill, thyme and parsley. Pour into pastry cases and sprinkle with grated Parmesan, using only about 2 T all up. Cook as above.

Apricot Chicken - Debbie K

Apricot chicken....quick version....


A tin of apricot nectar, a packet of French onion soup, boil together for a few minutes.
Pour over chicken pieces and bake.


When it's nearly cooked, add a little honey to help it brown.
Add a tin of apricots as well if you want.


Delicious!!!


Debbie

Blessingway Pics - Merrin

Roast Vegie Pasta Bake - Krischne

(Please note, I adapt and change this more than I change my undies :P lol - any veggie will do... leave some out... I also put grated cheese and herbs on top too. Have also put bacon in, or diced chicken breast... its so adaptable!)

Potato
Pumpkin
Sweet potato
Shallots (whole and peeled carefully)
Garlic (broken into cloves, and left with the skin on)
Zucchini
Mushrooms
Capsicum (red yellow and green)

Chop into small pieces and roast them all till cooked, with a little olive oil drizzled over and salt and pepper.
Make a white cheesy sauce (equal parts GF flour and butter stirred for a few mins, then milk, stirring constantly over a medium heat till it thickens, then add cheese to taste, and cayenne pepper to taste)
Cook some pasta.
Squeeze the garlic out of the skin and mush it up, and toss all the vegies together with pasta in a baking dish, add half the cheese mixture and stir through, then pour the rest over the top and bake for around 15 to 20 mins.
Also nice with bacon!

Cannelloni Tips

Kate G

My favourite is ricotta and silverbeet filling in fresh pasta, with a creamy pumpkin sauce over it all. Mmmmmm.

Pumpkin and chicken stock and some cream or sour cream and whatever I feel like cooking up with it. Once cooked bamix it nice and smooth. Then put it on cannelloni and then cheese it up then bake and eat. Then sit there for a while after since it is so yummy and I am a piglet and ate too much...

Debbie k

I use left over bolognaise sauce or sometimes spinach, ricotta, a little feta and some corn kernels. Cover with some bottled Napolitano sauce and bake for half an hour or so. It needs to be quite liquidy, so I keep checking and add water as needed.

When I cook cannelloni, I use fresh lasagne sheets and roll the filling up. It may be cheating, but it works!

Mixed Berry Yoghurt Cake - Sophie

125 g butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2/3 cup (150 g) caster sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour
1/3cup (50g) plain flour
1/3 cup (40g) almond meal (ground almonds)
200g plain yogurt
1/3 cup (50g) frozen blueberries
1/3 cup (40g) frozen raspberries

Oven 180 C
20cm ring tin –line base
1. Beat butter, vanilla and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined between additions.
3. Stir in combined sifted flours, almond meal and yogurt.
4. Spread the cake mixture into tin and sprinkle with berries.
5. Gently press berries into top of cake mixture.
6. Bake approx. 45 minutes.
7. Stand the cake for 5 mins before turning out, cool and dust with icing sugar.

Chicken Soup - Various Buddies

Chicken and Corn Soup - Jeany

1 1/2 litres Chicken stock
Meat from one whole cooked chook
3 tins Creamed Corn
1 tin Kernel Corn

Combine all ingredients and heat through.
For a thicker soup, add a handful of small pasta, and simmer until the pasta is cooked.

Chicken and Corn Soup - Maxine

Soften a chopped onion in a pan with a bit of oil, then add however much garlic you want, add a litre of bought chicken stock, plus some more water, meat from a bbq chook, chopped carrot and some pasta (the tiny soup ones are yummy) or noodles or rice or barley. If you have celery chuck some in too (actually you could soften any vegies with the onion) but if you want quick and simple then just do the chicken stock and some meat and whatever you can throw in. If you have some parsley in the garden chop and chuck in when serving


Chicken and Corn Soup - Dot

I make that basic chicken & corn soup too... served with cheese puffs.

If I'm planning ahead, I use chicken carcasses to make the stock. I also use creamed rather than kernel corn & add chopped carrots and celery and thin egg noodles. It's also nice with rice instead of noodles (especially if you're feeling a it poorly). If I want to make a meal of it I stir a couple of beaten eggs into the hot soup

Chicken Soup - Kerrilee

I use the frame and leftovers from a roast, add carrot and onion and if I have it celery and parsley and boil it up while we eat, I then strain it and once cool put it in the freezer for when it’s needed.

Chicken Soup -Debbie K

I use chicken frames for the stock of my soup.
I boil the shit out of it for a few hours, then add onion, parsley, turnip, carrot, celery, parsnip and boil for another couple of hours.

I boil up about 10 chicken frames for 4 hours.Then add a small turnip, a parsnip, 2 sticks of celery, 2 onions, about 1/3 bunch parsley and 2 carrots.

Then boil another couple of hours.

I serve it with some sort of noodle.

The key is not to add too much water. If it's too strong, you can always add more.

If I have left over soup, I make chicken and corn by adding a splash of sesame oil, soy sauce, a tin of creamed corn, some spring onion and a scrambled egg. I often add left over roast chicken too if I have any.

Chicken Soup - Louisa

Throw in chicken in a big pot of water (I throw it in our stock pot, & then joint the darn thing after it's cooked). Add whatever vegies & spices you like. You could also add chicken stock cube or instant soups too, if you like. Cook, simmer, strip chicken, serve...

From Merrin....

I use a good amount of celery, a leek (and/or onions), herbs, miso, chicken stock and I can't be bothered with bones and stuff so usually just pop a few whole chicken breasts in. Later on I add diced carrots, corn kernels and then break up all the chicken. I find it I cube it first it dries out a lot, I prefer it shredded. I usually have it in the slow cooker for 8 hours or so, but obviously can be cooked quicker. Yum yum :-)

Merrin's Quiches

pastry base
2 diced onions
5 eggs
grated cheese

add either:

block of cooked and squeezed spinach (or chopped steamed silverbeet) and crumbled fetta

or

1 can of creamed corn and
1 can or corn kernels and
dash of curry powder and heaps of pepper (black and cayenne)

grated cheese and sliced tomato on top

add herbs, bacon or whatever if you want

and a bit of sr flour if it looks too runny

YUM.

:-)

Merrin

Andrew's Perfect Scrumptious Gorgeous Buns.

Breadmaker Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) breadmaker flour reserve 2 oz/50 g for the crosses and a little extra for dusting)
10g breadmaker yeast
2 oz (50 g) dk brown sugar
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
½ level teaspoon cinnamon
½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 level teaspoon salt
5 fl oz (150 ml) milk
1 large egg, beaten
2 oz (50 g) butter, at room temperature
4 oz (110 g) currants
2 oz (50 g) sultanas

For the glaze:

2 level tablespoons granulated sugar


First of all pop the ingredients for the dough, excluding the currants and sultanas into the breadmaker along with 1½-2 fl oz (40-55 ml) water, in the order your manual instructs. Then set it to the ‘dough raisin’ mode (or equivalent setting) and press the start button. When the ‘raisin’ bleep blinks, add the currants etc and then continue to mix until the dough is ready.

After that, turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface, knead it briefly, then divide it into 12 round portions and place them on the greased baking sheet, leaving plenty of room around each one. Use a sharp knife to make a cross on the top of each bun. Then cover them with the oiled polythene bag and leave them to rise, which will take about 30 minutes by which time the buns will have almost doubled in size and are ready.

While that’s happening, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C) and make the crosses. Form a paste with 2 oz/50 g flour and 1½-2 tablespoons water, then roll this out and cut into ¼ inch (5 mm) strips. When the buns have risen, brush the strips with water to make them stick and place them on top of the buns along the indentations you made earlier. Then place the baking sheet on a high shelf in the oven and bake them for about 15 minutes.

While they are cooking, make the glaze by slowly melting together the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a pan over a gentle heat until all the sugar grains have dissolved and you have a clear syrup. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them immediately with the glaze while they are still warm.

Makes 12

Donna's No Stir Risotto

No Stir Risotto
Serves 4

2 garlic cloves crushed
100g lean diced bacon or smoked leg ham
100g sundried tomatoes – chopped
Handful baby spinach leaves – chopped or torn
100g mushrooms – sliced
1 large onion – finely diced
½ large red capsicum (oven roasted and sliced)
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 litre chicken stock
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cream
Pepper to taste

1. Heat sauté pan
2. Cook onion and garlic – add bacon and mushrooms and cook until soft – approx 2 mins
3. Add rice and cook, stirring over medium heat for 4 minutes or until rice turns clear
4. Heat stock in microwave whilst doing step 3
5. Add all hot stock, cover and reduce heat to medium low – cook for about 15 mins (do not uncover)
6. Add sundried tomatoes, roasted capsicum and baby spinach, lightly stir through, cover and cook for 5 mins
7. Increase the heat and stir in the cream and half the cheese – cook for approx 30 secs, stirring well
8. Remove from heat, fold in remaining cheese, black pepper for taste
9. Stand for 5 mins
10. Serve with extra parmesan cheese

monkeyboyzmum wrote:
> had three glasses of red while preparing the risotto

Hmmm.

'I love cooking with wine; sometimes I even put it in the cooking!'

Chris

Beck's marshmallows

1 1/2 tablespoons gelatine
100 ml cold water
Pinch salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
140ml hot water
Colouring (optional)
Flavouring (optional)
Coconut

1. Place gelatine, cold water, and salt in a mixing bowl
2. Place sugar and hot water in a saucepan and bring to boiling point
3. Pour over gelatine and stir until gelatine has dissolved
4. Beat until thick and white
5. add colour and flavour if you want (I added some vanilla extract and some cochineal colour)
6. Pour into a buttered tray
7. stand until set
8. cut into squares and toss in coconut

Sophie's Warm roasted vegetable salad

10 minutes preparation + 40 minutes cooking

Serves 4
15 serves fruit/vegetables

You'll need:

300g butternut pumpkin, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into 2cm cubes
1 capsicum, seeded and cut into large pieces
1 onion, chopped into eighths
100g flat mushrooms, quartered
Olive or canola oil spray
1 bunch English spinach leaves, washed and drained

Dressing
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin and potato in a microwave dish with a little water, cover with cling film and cook in microwave on HIGH (100%) for 4 minutes. Toss pumpkin, potato, capsicum, onion and mushrooms together then spread in a single layer over tray. Lightly spray with oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl. When vegetables are cooked, pour over dressing. Line serving dish with spinach leaves and pile roast vegetables on top. Serve immediately.

Variation: Try including sweet potato, zucchini, carrots, beetroot, squash and baby eggplant when in season.

Serving suggestion: Serve with roast meat.

Debbie K's fabulous satay sauce

I made a fabulous satay sauce tonight.

A little water, crunchy peanut butter (about the same amounts), boil up together till it thickens.
Add a little soy, lemon juice, a few drops of sesame oil and a little chopped chilli. Some sesame seeds at the end is yummy too for extra crunch.

You just need to taste it as you go to get the proportions right.

Party Quiches

Party Quiches

2 sheets ready rolled puff pastry, thawed
1 cup grated cheese
1 spring onion (finely chopped)
½ cup milk
1 egg
125g chopped bacon

Cut each pastry sheet into 16 squares and press lightly into lightly greased patty tins. Combine remaining ingredients and spoon mixture into the pastry cases. Bake at 210ºC for 10-15 minutes. Serve hot or cold. Makes 32.

Hot Potato Salad

4 slices chopped bacon
1 small onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
⅓ cup vinegar
¼ cup water
6 medium sized potatoes chopped into 2 cm squares
salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon and set aside. Chop onion and parsley and cook in frypan for a few moments. Return bacon to frypan and add water, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add potatoes, mix together and place into a casserole dish. Place in oven and cook at 180ºC for 1 hour. Yummy, hot or cold!

Leonie

Curried Pasta Salad

Curried Pasta Salad

1 ⅓ cups uncooked pasta
¼ cup chopped spring onions
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons sultanas
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing;
¼ cup oil
¼ cups vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder

Cook pasta, drain and run under cold water. Combine all salad ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix dressing ingredients together in a sealed container and shake well. Toss through the salad, garnish with sliced red pepper.

Leonie

Donna's Spinach with Bacon and Eggs Salad

3 hard cooked eggs, halved lengthwise
8 cups baby spinach leaves, thoroughly washed and dried
250g smokey bacon, finely diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks. Press the egg whites then yolks through a sieve. Set aside.
Put the spinach in a large bowl
In a med skillet over med heat, sauté the bacon until the pieces are brown and crisp. Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the fat. Add the bacon and fat to the spinach. Add the oil and vinegar. Toss to thoroughly combine. Taste for salt and add with freshly ground black pepper as needed. Toss again.
Cover the salad with the sieved eggs and sever immediately.

Chicken Marinade 2

Was just cooking and thought of this one - I didn't make it up but use it often as the kids like it.

2 tbspn oil
3 tbspn golden syrup
2 cloves garlic crushed
citric acid - not sure how much i add a shake or 2 from the container
Shallots or chives optional
and I also add chopped parsley

Pour over chicken - can be pieces, thighs or breasts and cook later on the barbecue!
Yum
Joann

Chicken Marinade

This is one of our favourite (and very simple) marinades for chicken, which is then great on the BBQ

Soy sauce
teaspoon or so minced garlic
same quantity minced ginger
tiny bit of minced chilli (if you wish)
half teaspoon sugar
can add a splash of olive oil too - although not necessary.

Marinate chicken breast fillets (cut each breast into three chunky strips), for a couple of hours, then drain liquid and BBQ. Yummy, tender and moist.

Also, love thick slices of zucchini BBQd briefly on both sides, perhaps brushed with oil and garlic first.

Whit

Merrin's Chicken Thighs

Skinless, boneless Chicken Thighs (trimmed of fat if you can be bothered)
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Honey

Marinade and bbq - awesome with garlic and black pepper sauce or plain old mayo :-)


Dagnammit, now I'm hungry!

Merrin's Rissoles

I always do my special rissoles and my special chicken for pretty much every bbq - always commented on and devoured!

500g mince (beef, lamb, chicken, whatever you like)
1 egg
1 packet of onion soup mix (that's the trick)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs or more if the mix is too runny
1/4 tomato sauce or chutney
squeeze of garlic
squeeze of ginger (if you want you can get all fancy and use the fresh stuff)
1 large zucchini, grated.

Mix it all up and bbq - makes about 8. Double, triple or quadruple the quantities as needed.

Hamburger Mix

This was my mother in law's recipe for barbecue hamburgers and every one seems to love them. Makes quite a sloppy mix.

500g mince
1 cup milk
1 packet chicken noodle soup
2 eggs
1 onion finely chopped
1 cup SR flour
1 grated carrot
1 cup water.
Mix together and allow to stand.

Joann

5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

4 tablespoons sr flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate drops
1 mug

Method
Add dry ingredients to the mug and mix well
Crack an egg and add it to your mug. Be sure to mix it well to avoid any pockets of flour in the corners
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well
Add the chocolate drops if you've got them, and a splash of vanilla essence too
Pop your mug into the microwave and zap for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000 watt)
Wait until the cake stops rising and sets in the mug
If necessary, run a knife around the sides of the mug and tip the still warm cake out of the mug and onto a saucer
Anyone like me who doesn’t like the taste of of oil, you can replace most of it except one teaspoon with baby apple and 2 and a half tablespoons of sugar instead of 4 still tastes yummy, especially since you have the sweetness of the choc bit. I’ve made it twice now and it was yum with a spoonful of icecream!
I’d love to find a non-chocolate variety for my boys.

Linda Piper

Sophie's Curried Tuna Slice

Curried Tuna Slice

Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 15 to 30 minutes
A creamy tuna sauce on a delicious rice base.

Ingredients
1 tin (440 g) tuna
1 cup rice
30 g butter
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper
¾ cup grated cheese

Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1½ cups milk
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten

Method
1. Cook rice in boiling water until soft and drain.
2. Combine rice with butter, egg, salt and pepper.
3. Press rice mixture into the base of a greased rectangular casserole dish.
4. Arrange flaked tuna over rice.
5. Make a white sauce with the extra butter, flour and milk.
6. Add mayonnaise and curry powder, and stir until smooth.
7. Add lemon juice, parsley and beaten egg and simmer for 1 minute.
8. Spoon sauce over tuna and sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
9. Bake in a moderate oven for 25 minutes.

Whitney's BBQ chicken and zucchini

This is one of our favourite (and very simple) marinades for chicken, which
is then great on the BBQ

Soy sauce
teaspoon or so minced garlic
same quantity minced ginger
tiny bit of minced chilli (if you wish)
half teaspoon sugar
can add a splash of olive oil too - although not necessary.

Marinate chicken breast fillets (cut each breast into three chunky strips),
for a couple of hours, then drain liquid and BBQ. Yummy, tender and moist.

Also, love thick slices of zucchini BBQd briefly on both sides, perhaps
brushed with oil and garlic first.

Joann's BBQ chicken marinade

2 tbspn oil
3 tbspn golden syrup
2 cloves garlic crushed
citric acid - not sure how much i add a shake or 2 from the container
Shallots or chives optional
and I also add chopped parsley

Pour over chicken - can be pieces, thighs or breasts and cook later on the barbecue!

Chicken curry from Maxine

Merrin - I usually do this on the stove top but I have done it in my slow
cooker as well. Its just a recipe that I has grown so none of the
measurements are exact - neither do they have to be. Everyone loves this
curry - the almonds give it a delicious rich sauce.

A really delicious curry using a paste as a starter which is very kid
friendly too as it's not hot.
1/2 jar Pataks Korma curry paste
1kg chicken thighs cut into smaller pieces (not too small)
One or two diced onions
Oil
Sweet potato cut into cubes
Can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed - you can use as much or little vegies
and chickpeas depending on how far you want the curry to go and how meaty
you want it. I often use 2 cans cos the kids love them.
3 or so heaped tablespoons of ground almonds
Couple of big glugs of cream

Gently fry the onions in the oil until translucent, add the curry paste,
cook for a minute or so. Add the chicken pieces and seal. Add enough water
(if in the slow cooker I would barely cover it - on the stove I just keep an
eye and top it up to be nice and saucy). Add the chickpeas and sweet potato
and cook until everything is cooked!! Just before serving stir in the
ground almonds and cream and warm through. You can sprinkle some coriander
on top if you are feeling really artistic. Serve with rice and yummy with
green beans too.

Merrin's Cob Loaf recipes

Was going to email this to Maxine but thought I may as well send it to all of you.

Cut out the inside of cob loaf and tear the filling into little bits around the hollowed cob. Bake until lightly golden and crunchy. Fill with deliciousness as follows....

Spinach and Ricotta Cob Filling
Saute 1 onion and garlic
Add a tub of sour cream, cream cheese, ricotta (and/or whatever cheese you have)
Add a block of thawed and drained spinach
Mix until all melted together and hot, pour into cob..... use bits of cob filling to dip and ENJOY.

Corn and Bacon Cob Filling
Saute 1 onion and garlic
Add a heap of diced bacon and brown (approx 10 rashers?)
Add a tub of sour cream, cream cheese (and/or whatever cheese you have)
Add a can of creamed corn and a can of corn kernels
Mix until all melted together and hot, pour into cob..... use bits of cob filling to dip and ENJOY.

If you're a piggy like me, you will graze on it all day until you've eaten the entire cob and then feel sick.

I think Beck has another recipe using Mayo (was that you Beck or Lisa???)

Sophie's Apple raisin chocolate cake

Here is the recipe Brenda asked for. From my MIL

APPLE RAISIN CHOCOLATE CAKE (Although I used Sultanas on Saturday.)

4 oz butter
8ozs castor sugar
2 eggs
8oz SR flour
1 level teaspoon bi-carb soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup apple puree
1 pkt chocolate bits
4 ozs seeded raisins.


Cream butter & sugar, add eggs and beat. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the apple puree. Then add the choc bits and raisins. Put in greased tin and bake at 185C for 1 1/4 hours approx. I used a ring tin but cake can be made in a 20 cm round or square tin.

Beck's Once a year (or eat in a day) chocolate cake

500g dark chocolate

2 tablespoons golden syrup

125g unsalted butter

4 eggs

1 tablespoon castor sugar

1 tablespoon plain flour



Preheat oven to 220 degrees

Grease and line a 20cm springform tin

Melt chocolate, syrup and butter, set aside and cool slightly

In a separate bowl, mix eggs and sugar with beater on high until very thick, creamy and pale

Gently fold in sifted flour, then chocolate mixture until combined

Pour into cake pan and bake on middle shelf of oven for 10 – 12 minute

Remove, run knife around side of the cake and remove collar (sides) and transfer to fridge for 1 hour.

ENJOY (serve with unsweetened cream or plain vanilla icecream)

Donna's easy donut cake

Drive to dreamy donuts. Buy 16 donuts - some with yummy custard fillings others with Lindt chocolate on top

Return home

Beat to death the child who ate one from the stash in the fridge

Pile up on plate. Mathematical skills are desirable not essential. Some discussion on the precision arrangement of each layer useful for homeschoolers I think.

stick candles in top ones - lindt choc ones are not the best choice for the top

light candles, sing, enjoy...

Donna's spicy chicken

about 8-10 chicken pieces on the bone (I use Lovely Legs)
4 tbsp chilli oil or regular olive oil
1 tbsp salt
pinch sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp paprika
1 lemon
1 small garlic bulb

Place the salt, sugar, cinnamon and paprika in a small clean bowl and mix well.
Preheat the oven to between 180 - 200 degrees
place the chicken and some of the oil in a heavy pan and rub the oil over the chicken
sprinkle the spice mixture over
Cut the lemon into 16 pieces and break the garlic bulb into cloves - tuck these in around the chicken
Drizzle with remaining oil
Place in the oven for between 1 - 1 1/2 hours
Serve with a sprinkle of parsley and roast lemon and garlic on the plate or just take the whole pan to the table

Yummy with couscous or baked potatoes and veg

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

125g cream cheese
½ cup sugar
1 egg
250g Cadbury chocolate
600ml thickened cream, lightly whipped

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and egg together until smooth. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt in the microwave. Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and stir through until well combined. Stir in the cream, again stirring until well combined. Chill until required. Pipe or spoon into glass bowls, chocolate cups or use as a filling for cakes and desserts.

Leonie

Bacon & Cheese Cob by Joann

2-3 rashers chopped bacon.
4 shallots chopped
1 Pkt philli cheese
1 Pkt kraft cheddar cheese
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 cup cream

Cook bacon and shallots. Chop cheeses and add and stir until melted.
Stir through cream. Hollow out bread cob and keep hunks of bread from inside. Pour in bacon mixture and cook on 180 for about 20 mins. I toast the bread hunks and usually a chopped up French stick to for dipping.

I haven't made this one but I know it's popular when people are out.
Joann

Spinach Cob Dip by Beck

1 packet Frozen Spinach - cook and squeeze out extra moisture. Cool
1 small container Sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 packet dried spring vegetable soup
1 finely chopped onion
1 cob loaf

Mix all together in a bowl and leave for about three hours. It will not be thick to begin with but vegetable soup will swell and thicken it.

We always buy extra bread rolls to break up and heat until crispy in the oven as well (heat up cob loaf too (before putting in the dip)

This one tastes even better the next day after being in the fridge. :-)

Beck

Best Brownie Recipe

Now this recipe is actually called White chocolate chunk brownies but I don't think that white stuff deserves to be called chocolate so I replace the white stuff with dark chocolate but you may do as you wish!!!

200g good quality dark cooking chocolate (roughly chopped)
220g butter cubed
3 eggs, lightly whisked
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup castor sugar
250g white, milk or dark chocolate broken into squares (I have also used choc buttons and choc chips - the recipe actually says white choc but use whatever takes your fancy)

Preheat oven to 170c. Line the base and sides of a square 20cm cake pan with non stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang the sides (I often use a slice tin to bake this).

Place the dark chocolate and the butter in a heatproof bowl or top of a double saucepan. Place over a saucepan of simmering water (don't allow the bowl to touch the water) and stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth. Remve form the pan and set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Add the eggs ansd vanilla essence, and whisk to combine.

Meanwhile, sift the flour and cocoa into a medium bowl. Ad dthe sugar and dark chocolate mixture, and whisk untio just combined. TStir in the white chocolate or whatever colour you have chosen!!

Maxine

Pour the mixture into the lined pan and smooth the surface. Bale in preheated over for 45 minutes or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the centre of the brownie. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely in the pan.

Transfer the cooled brownie to an airtight container and set aside overnight (the brownie will be easier to cut the following day).- what a load of shit - eat it as soon as it is cool enough not to burn your mouth!! Its yummy still warm with icecream and raspberries!!!

Chickpea Curry by Kate G

When we have chickpea curry in the slow cooker I make it like this

2 cans of chickpeas, drained
a couple of spoons of curry paste
1 or 2 tins of tomatoes
cubed pumpkin and or sweet potato
some coconut cream or milk (if it goes with the curry paste you are using)
some onion

Let it cook all day long.

Before you serve, stir through some cubed hard tofu, and maybe some natural yoghurt. Serve with rice. Yummy yum!

good luck :)

kateG

Curry Recipes by Sally

If you can’t use some ingredients just ad lib. I only use curry recipes as a guide or to give me ideas.



Beef curry with potatoes
2 onions chopped,
3 cloves crushed garlic,
2 tlbspns grated fresh ginger,
1 kg chuck steak cut into cubes,
2 tblspns Madras Curry Paste,
2 tspns ground turmeric,
3 whole cloves,
2 cans 440g tomatoes,
4 potatoes,
fresh coriander.

Saute the onions, garlic and ginger until the onions are golden. Add beef and cook, stirring for 5 mins. Stir in curry paste, turmeric, cloves cardamom, tomatoes, potatoes and coriander. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 40 mins. Remove cardamom before serving.

Madras Curry Paste:

6 tbspns ground coriander,
4 tbspns ground cumin,
1 tbspn ground black pepper,
1 tbspn turmeric,
1 tblspn black mustard seeds,
1 tblspn chilli powder,
4 cloves garlic,
1 tblspn grated ginger,
½ cup vinegar.

Process to make a smooth paste. Heat oil in pan, add paste and cook, stirring constantly for 5 mins. Keep in airtight container for a month in fridge.



Burmese Beef Curry (had this for tea Sunday night)

3 cloves crushed garlic,
1 lge chopped onion,
1 tbspn grated fresh ginger,
1 tsp turmeric,
½ tsp chilli powder,
2 tbspn sesame oil,
500g beef,
2chopped tomatoes,
2 chopped potatoes,
185 g okra, washed,
1 ½ cups cononut milk,
fresh coriander.

Blend garlic, onion and ginger into a paste. Stir in turmeric and chilli. Saute the beef until brown and set aside. Cook the onion mixture, stirring for 10 mins. Add beef, tomatoes, potatoes, okra, coconut milk and coriander and simmer for 50 minutes.



I often just make up my own:

mix up onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric - add meat/veggies and sambal oeleck to taste.

Cheers,

SAlly

Lime and Kumara Butter Cake by Kate G

1 small (250g) kumara, peeled and chopped
125g soft butter
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2/3 cup (150g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups (225g) self raising flour
1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
1/4 cup (60mL) milk

Grease 20cm ring cake pan, cover base with baking paper.
Boil, steam or microwave kumara until tender, drain, mash, cool. You need 3/4 cup of kumara in this recipe.

Cream butter, rind and sugar in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, beat until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

Stir in kumara, sifted flour and milk, mix well. Spread mixture into prepared pan and bake in moderate oven (180) about 40 mins. Cool on wire rack.

Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.

I just scale the recipe up to match however big the sweet potato is :) and use lemon rind instead of lime. and serve hot if the murphys are over, 5 kids can't wait for cake to cool!

I like to spread butter on the warm cake slice yum!

KateG

Lynn's Pineapple Chiffon Pie

Crumb crust:
Crumb approximately 18 chocolate flavoured biscuits (I use scallywags). Combine biscuit crumbs, 2 tbsp powdered milk (optional) ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 90-100g melted butter. Mix well. Press into a 10” (25 cm) plate to form a shell. Place in freezer.

Filling:
Beat a 125g packet cream cheese until softened. Gradually beat in one can condensed milk then 1/3 cup lemon juice. Fold a 440g can well-drained crushed pineapple through cheese mixture. Beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add 2 tbsp castor sugar. Beat until sugar has dissolved. Fold egg whites through mixture. Pour into crumb crust. Chill. Decorate.

Mary's yummy desserts for Julie

Julie Forbes wrote:
I was wondering if anyone knew of any delicious desert alternatives ...
It really needs to be simple

Julie, we always enjoy trifle at Christmas.
Layered up in a clear glass bowl always looks lovely.
Mine, layered from bottom to top is as follows:

broken sponge (store bought, of course)
sprinkled (or drenched depending on taste) with sherry or some other alcohol
chunks of red and then green jelly (not too much)
fruit salad (canned of course)
desiccated coconut
broken up chocolate flakes (why stop at one!)
Then topped with custard (from carton store bought) poured over and cream on
the side if you really want to be evil.
Another sprinkling of chocolate on top sometimes looks nice too.

Very simple, cold and yummy!

If you want to go hot and simple - what about chocolate self saucingpudding.
Mine is a tupperware recipe where I melt the butter in a large microwavable
container (the BIG t/ware one)
add all other ingredients mix/stir then top with final ingredients - ie
cocoa, sugar and water then microwave!
In my slow old microwave 10 minutes - a lot shorter for higher powered ones.
Here's the ingredients list:

Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding
Mix together:
60g Butter (melted)
1 ½ cups Self Raising Flour
1 cup Caster Sugar
¼ cup Cocoa
½ cup Milk
1 Egg
2 tsp Vanilla Essence

Combine sugar and cocoa then Sprinkle water over above
½ Caster Sugar
1 tablespoon Cocoa
1 ¾ cups Hot Water

Cook covered in Microwave 8 minutes*
May be dusted with icing sugar before serving.
• 8 minutes is guide for 600-750 Watt microwave.

Enjoy!

Sophie's Scroggin Lunch Biscuits

(from a book called School Lunches and after school snacks - these are the much maligned home made biscuits!)

Makes a huge quantity.

200g butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla or almond essence
1 1/2 cups plain flour (if using instant oats use 1/4 cup less flour)
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup sultanas
1/2 cup chopped walnuts - I leave these out

Heat oven to 180ºC. Mix the softened butter and the next five ingredients together in a large bowl, then stir in the flour and baking soda. Add everything else and mix, using a wooden spoon or your hand. Shape with two spoons or put flattened rounds of mixture on baking paper-lined trays, leaving space for spreading. Bake in batches for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned, then cool on a rack.

Donna's MILs rice dessert

Hello here is the recipe for RIS A L'AMONDE with CHERRY SAUCE.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 pint of milk.
1 tsp. vanilla essence.
1.1/2 ozs plain small grain rice.
1 oz. chopped almonds.
2 ozs. sugar.
1 tbsp sweet Sherry
1 tbsp hot water
2 tsps Gelatine
5 ozs of thick cream

SAUCE
1 - 16OZS CAN STONED BLACK CHERRIES
6 TBSPS WATER
2 LEVEL TBSP CORNFLOUR.
Method. Bring milk to boil, add vanilla and rice. simmer uncovered for 20 mins. Add sugar and Sherry to rice etc. stir well, remove from heat and add almonds. Put Gelatine into a cup, add hot water, stir until gelatine is disolved, add to rice and stir well. Pour into a bowl, cover and put in fridge to set. Whip cream until thick, lightly fold into cooled rice, pour the lot into a serving bowl and put in fridge to set. SAUCE. Strain syrup from cherries into a jug and add the water. Put cornfour into a saucepan, add syrup slowly and stir to blend with cornflour. Bring to boil stirring all the time, simmer for 3 minutes. Add cherries and heat through. Serve over rice. Rice dish will keep in fridge for 2 or 3 days. I always make this the day before I am going to serve it, it is easier and sets overnight in fridge. I make the sauce just before serving the desert then it is nice and hot and is nicer.

Donna's Pumpkin Soup

(pretty sure this is Red Cookbook too)

15g butter
2tbsp chopped onion
500g cubed pumpkin
2.5 cups chicken stock
1/8 tsp gnd cloves
1/2 tsp sugar
1tsp salt
2-3 drops tabasco
2.5 cups milk
1tsp lemon juice
4tbsp cream
Melt butter and fry onion. Add everything except milk and lemon juice and cream. Cook until pumpkin is soft adding milk as liquid evaporates. Puree or sieve. Add lemon juice and reheat. Stir in cream.

Chris M's Chicken with barbecue sauce.

Ingredients- 40g butter. 2 Tbspns chutney
1-1,1/2kg chicken/ch. pieces
1 tspn caster sugar (or brown)
1 small onion, finely chopped
15 ml worcestershire sauce
2 Tbspns vinegar
4 Tbspns tomato sauce
S & P to season
1/2 tsp French mustard (optional)

Rub sides and base of pot with part of butter. Pat dry chicken, season with S&P, or other herbs. brown chicken in large pan with remainder of butter, then place in cooker. Cook onion in pan 2-3 mins, add other ingred's, and bring to boil. Pour over chicken and cook on high for 3-3/12 hrs, basting occasionally.

My preference is to use more sauce ingredients, then thicken with bit of flour at end.(Love my 'gravy'). Above recipe tends to reduce a lot. Variations include 2-3 drops Tabasco sauce if you like extra heat, more sugar if you want a sweeter taste.
My cooker says to do about 1 hr on high, then 4-5 hrs on low.

Enjoy,

Dot's Macadamia Brownies

150g unsalted butter (chopped) 250g dark cooking chocolate, chopped (I used Cadbury's because the recipe was on the packet & just broke it into squares) 1 1/2 cups caster sugar 4 eggs, lightly beaten 1 teasp vanilla essence (mine had dried up, so I used almond essence) 1 cup plain flour, sifted 1/2 cup sour cream 1 cup macadamia nuts, cut in halves
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Centigrade (or 140 fan-forced). Line a 20 x 30cm slice pan with baking paper
2. Combine butter & chocolate in medium saucepan; stir over low heat until chocolate is just melted. Add sugar, egg, vanilla, flour, sour cream & nuts. Stir unti well-combined. Spread mixture into prepared pan.
3. Bake for 35 mins or until brownie forms crust on the outside. Allow to cool and slice
4. Run four times around the block between each mouthful!

Sophie's Apricot Muesli Bars

(from one of those small books you get at the checkout, via a friend.

125g butter, chopped
1/2 cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/4 cups (200g) rolled oats
1/4 cup (40g) sunflower kernels
1/4 cup (20g) dessiccated coconut
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (75g) chopped dried apricots
2 tbsp dark choc bits

Preheat oven to moderately slow. Grease 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Combine butter, sugar and honey in medium saucepan; stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Transfer butter mixture to medium bowl; stir in oats, sunflower kernels, coconut, cinnamon and apricots. Press mixture into prepared pan; sprinkle with choc bits. Bake in moderately slow oven about 30 minutes or until browned lightly. Cut into pieces while still warm; cool in pan. Can be made a week ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

Maxine's HairMoods Chocolates

1 pkt 375g milk chocolate melts

Half a cup of cream

Melt chocolate in microwave slowly (50sec then stir, 40 sec and stir)

Boil cream (for 60sec microwave)

Mix cream together with chocolate, it takes a while to mix.. Just keep missing until it becomes smooth and shiny (and your arms fall off) -yes that's what the recipe says!!!

Place in the fridge to cool and then roll into balls in coconut or decorated with melted white chocolate (they are easier to roll at room temp)

For something different add liqueur, crushed macadamia nuts or any type of nuts or crushed candy canes(for a mint flavour at Christmas)

Judy's RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE

(recipe 2815 NMAA Cooks Again)

1/2 cup cocoa 2 cups SR Flour
1/2 cup boiling water 1/4 tsp bicarb soda
175 gm (6 oz) butter/marg 3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

Grease 2 20cm (8") round tins, oven 180.

Blend cocoa with boiling water, cool a bit.
Cream butter/ sugar and add eggs one at a time, beating well.
Sift flour and soda, then sift again into creamed mixture, stir lightly, add milk, vanilla and when well mixed stir in cocoa mixture.
Bake 30-35 mins. Allow to stand 5 minutes before turning out on rack.

For the middle, I spread some jam (anything but marmalade), make some mock cream (or you could use real cream whipped well) and then chocolate icing.

Brenda's Honey Crackles

Recipe #1506 in the red cookbook

1 tblspn honey
2 tblspns sugar
3 tblspns butter
4-5 cups Corn Flakes

Place butter, honey & sugar in saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 min. Remove from heat and stir in cornflakes. Place in paper patty pans and bake in mod oven for 8-10 mins until slightly brown. When cold they will be very crisp.

Beck's Wheat free date scones

Okay, I just used the Scone recipe from the NM red cookbook recipe 1439I used Ogran brand self raising flour (250g) (I added about 1/2 cup of plain (ogran) flour (They sell the flour at woolies in the natural foods section) because when I put the milk in, it was too wet and gluggy)1/2 teaspoon salt1 tablespoon butter1 cup soy milk (or dairy if you want - you may have to add extra flour because it doesn't mix with the milk in the same way)I added about 1/2 a cup of roughly chopped datesThis time I put in the sugar, it says a tablespoon but it was very sweet and I think the dates are sweet enough, I won't add sugar next time. will brush with egg yolk next time to make them a bit browner on top Then I just did the rest like normal sconesbaked in 220 deg. oven for about 10-15 mins They tasted delicious which is the most important thing

Louisa's Incredibly Easy Pie

3 eggs 1/2 cup brown rice flour or buckwheat flour or barley flour 2 cups milk or milk substitute 1/4 cup golden syrup 1 cup preservative free coconut or cashews ( I quickly crush using mortar & pestle) Blend all ingredients, pour into greased pie plate. I use the dish I use for my mince pies, whatever the technical name for that is. variation: dice up 3 ripe pears, lay on bottom of plate before pouring mixture on top. Bake in moderate oven 30 - 45 mins until set.

Mary's ANZAC Biscuits

Mix together: One cup each of SR flour, coconut, sugar and rolled oats.
Melt together: 4 ozs (115g) margarinie, 1 tblspn golden syrup, 1 tspn soda and 2 tblspn water.
Add to mixture.
Place heaps on greased tray and bake quickly.
Voila

Whitney's fiddly but yummy Chocolate Praline Truffles

1/2 cup caster sugar
2 Tbsp water
75g unblanched almonds, warmed
400g dark choc, chopped
3/4 cup cream
1/2 tsp almond essence
500g choc melts
gold leaf, for decorating ( I didn't do this bit!)

Place sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir untikl sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, brushind down sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush. Simmer 8 - 10 mins until syrup turns a light golden colour.

Add warm nuts, swirl pan to coat, return to heat for 3 mins until nuts smell roasted. Spread onto an oven tray lined with baking paper and allow to set into praline.

Crack praline with the back of a metal spoon, place pieces in a strong plastic bag and pound with a metal meat mallet or hammer until finely crushed. Set aside.

Melt chopped choc, cream and essence in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth, remove from heat and stir in praline. REfrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Roll heaped teaspoonfuls into balls.

Melt half the choc melts. Dip balls in choc and place onto a tray lined with foil to set. Repeat with remaining melts. reheat choc if it becomes too stiff. Use a small paintbrush to place a piece of gold leaf on top of each chocolate, brush around the edges tof gold leaf to give desired effect.
Store n a cool place for up to 2 weeks (if they last that long!!)

Louisa's alternative muesli bars

1 cup self raising flour
1 cup rice flakes
1 cup oat flakes
1/2 cup sugar

Mix together.

75g marge/butter
2 tbsp golden syrup

Melt together then mix in with first lot. Add water if needs moistening.
Press into a slice tray & bake at 160c for 20 mins. If I'm making a double
batch, I usually put in rice bubbles as well - especially the yummy big ones
from the healthy food aisle.

200g butter/marge
50g sugar
150g jam

Put into large bowl & mix with electric mixer.
2 eggs

Add & mix again

200g rolled oats
100g cornflour

Work into mix. Press into slice tray. Bake at 180c for 20 - 30 minutes.

Cut into bars while hot but allow to cool befroe moving from tray.

Museli bars from the Yellow cookbook (os opposed to oat slice!)

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup puffed rice
4 weetbix
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup dries mixed fruit

Combine

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
5 tablespoons butter/marge

Bring to boil, simmer for 5 minutes stirring frequently.

1/2 cup peanut paste

Add to hot mix. Pour over the fruit/cereal & combine thoroughly. Press mix
into slice tray & refrigerate until firm.

Bon Appertif!

Sophie's Zucchini and Corn Pikelets

(from the after school care lady)


1 cup self raising flour1/4 tsp bicarb soda3/4 cup milk1 egg, lightly beaten310g corn kernels, rinsed and drained1 zucchini, grated sweet chilli sauce to serve Sift flour and soda together into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Gradually add combined milk and egg, whisking until batter is smooth. Stir in corn and zucchini. Season to taste. Stand for 15 minutes. Heat a large, greased frying pan on medium. Drop tablespoons of mixture into pan, leaving space between each one to allow for spreading. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes, until bubbles form on surface. When they begin to break, turn and cook for 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.