Moroccan Lamb

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup pinenuts
1/2 cup currants
400g lamb mince
2 t cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
2 t Moroccan seasoning
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 sheets filo pastry
olive oil to brush/spray
poppy seeds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius.
2. Heat oil in pan, add onion and garlic, cook until soft.
3. Add pinenuts and currants. Cook until currants are plump.
4. In a bowl blend mince, egg, parsley and spices then add cooked onion mixture.
5. Lay a sheet of filo lengthways. Spray half with oil and fold over to make a long rectangular shape.
6. Place 1 T of mixture at one end and fold a corner diagonally over the filling to make a pointy end. Fold the pointed end across the filling to create a triangle shape. Keep folding until finished with a triangle.
7. Place on a non stick oven tray. Spray with oil and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
8. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden all over.

Notes:
I couldn't find lamb mince so made recipe with beef mince which was tasty.
I have used mixture to make gourmet burger patties which were very tasty but didn't stay together well. Next time I will try using half the amount of pinenuts.

Slow-cooked Leg of Lamb with Garlic, Lemon & Rosemary

1 leg of lamb (that will fit in your CrockPot – if not, get the butcher to cut off the shank end) – with or without bone

1 lemon
4-5 garlic cloves, sliced or crushed
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

approx 1/2 cup wine, chicken or beef stock, tomato juice or water

On a chopping board, pat your lamb dry with paper towels. 

Finely grate about half the zest off the lemon and grind into a paste with the garlic, rosemary, oil, salt and pepper using a mortar and pestle. 

Rub the paste all over the lamb. 

If you like, let it sit on the countertop for half an hour or so, or refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Put it into the CrockPot. 

Add about half a cup of liquid. 

Squeeze the juice of the lemon overtop too. 

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Lazy Lasagne

For 4 - 6 servings:

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1 x 400g can whole or diced tomatoes in juice

1 x 30g pkt tomato soup, or tomato and onion soup mix 

500g minced beef

¼ cup tomato paste

1 tsp each dried basil and oreganum

2 tsp instant beef stock

1 cup hot water

250g (about 3-4 cups) small lasagne shapes or long lasagne strips

Topping:

2 tsp cornflour

1 large egg

3/4 cup milk, sour cream, or a mixture

1 cup grated tasty cheese

paprika, optional

Method:

Turn the slow cooker on to HIGH to preheat and coat the bowl with non-stick spray.

Put the garlic and tomatoes (with any juice) into a food processor or large bowl and process or mash with a fork to break up the tomatoes. Add the soup mix, minced beef, tomato paste, herbs, stock and water, then process or mix until well combined.

Spread one third of the meat mixture evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker bowl. Place half the lasagne noodles over the meat. Repeat the layering with another 1/3 of the meat mixture, the remaining pasta then cover with the remaining meat mixture. (You may like to keep a bit more than a third of the meat mixture for the top layer.)

To make the topping, mix together the cornflour, egg, milk (and/or sour cream) and cheese. Pour this over everything in the slow cooker and sprinkle with paprika (if using).

Turn the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 8-9 hours. Serve with a green salad or cooked vegetables and garlic bread.

NOTE: 1 x this recipe, cooked in a 4.5 litre oval slow cooker, is 4-5cm deep.

To cook conventionally: Assemble the 'filling' in the same way, layering the mixture into a non-stick sprayed 25x30cm lasagne dish. Cover with foil and place in a oven preheated to 180 degrees Celcius and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and pour on the topping mixture, then bake uncovered for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

I cooked this recipe in the oven but plan to try the slow cook version too. I browned the mince first. Also added half a diced onion which I sauteed with garlic before combining with the meat mixture. Didn't have any soup mix or dried basil so just left those ingredients out. Added 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms. I wasn't sure about using dried lasagna shapes that weren't pre-cooked but followed the recipe and turned out fine. 

Roast pumpkin & orzo/risoni salad

4 servings

Cooking time: about an hour

Dressing:

¼ c olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 t lemon pepper seasoning

1 t honey

Salad:

500 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 red onion, cut into wedges

2 red peppers, cut into chunky pieces

1 t crushed garlic

1 t oregano

2 T olive oil

1 cup orzo/risoni or other small pasta shapes

150 g feta cheese, cut into cubes (optional)

2 T fresh baby basil leaves or chopped parsley

Method:

1. Prepare the dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
2. Place the pumpkin, red onion and red peppers in a roasting dish. Add the garlic, oregano and olive oil, and mix thoroughly. Cook in a preheated oven, 200°C, for 40 – 45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and golden brown.
3.  While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta. Add the orzo to a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 5 – 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain thoroughly. Rinse the orzo under cold running water, then drain.
4.   Combine the orzo and vegetables, and stir in the dressing. Place the mixture on a serving platter. Top with the feta cheese, if used, and the basil or parsley. Serve at room temperature as a light meal, or with meat or chicken.

TIPS:

Try pumpkin seeds in place of the feta cheese. Add ¼ cup to the vegetables 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Thai Pumpkin & Kumara Soup (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
non-stick spray oil
1 onion, chopped
2 t oil
1-2 t red curry paste
2 c vegetable or chicken stock
250 - 300 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
250 - 300 g kumara, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
400 g coconut cream or coconut flavoured evaporated milk
salt to taste
brown sugar to taste
spring onions, sliced garnish

Method:

1. Coat slow cooker with non-stick spray oil (if you remember, I often don't bother).
2. Cook onion in 2 t oil in frypan until transparent.
3. Add curry paste and about 1/2 c stock to the onion. Stir well to combine curry paste evenly.
4. Transfer to slow cooker.
5. Add remaining stock, pumpkin, kumara and sugar.
6. Cook on HIGH for 3 - 5 hours or LOW 6 - 8 hours. 
7. Add coconut cream or evaporated milk and salt. 
8. Puree until smooth.

Chicken and Filo Pie (s)

Serves 4 
You decide - make 1 large pie or 4 individual ones


Ingredients:
olive or canola oil spray
500 g skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 leek, sliced
250 g mushrooms, quartered or sliced 
1 red pepper, chopped
1 packet Maggi Chicken and Mushroom soup mix
375 ml can light and creamy evaporated milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 filo sheets
olive or canola oil spray, extra
1 t sesame seeds


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Spray a large non-stick frying pan with oil and heat. Add chicken and cook until browned.
3. Add leek, mushrooms and red pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring.
4. Add combined soup mix and evaporated milk. Bring to the boil, stirring. 
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. 
6. Stir in parsley.
7. Spoon into 1 large or 4 individual dishes. 
8. Lightly spray filo sheets with oil and scrunch over tops of dish.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.
10. Serve with a greed salad or your favourite seasonal vegetables.

Chocolate Coconut Slice

Makes about 20 slices


Ingredients:
250 g butter
1 cup sugar
1 T cocoa
1 T golden syrup
2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup coconut


Icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 T cocoa
1 T soft butter
1 1/2 - 2 T boiling water


1/4 c coconut to sprinkle over icing


Method:

1. Melt the first four ingredients in a pot. Do not let boil. Cool.
2. Preheat oven to 160°C fan bake.
3. Grease an 18 x 27cm baking pan and line with baking paper for easy lift out.
4. Add dry ingredients to coca mixture and press into pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix the icing ingredients together and beat well.
7. Ice the slice while warm, not hot, with chocolate icing and sprinkle the additional coconut over the top..
8. Cut into small pieces when cool.

Notes:
You don't need as much icing if you ice while warm this helps "melt" the icing making it go further. 
I have a gas oven, no fan, slice cooked nicely in 25 minutes at around 170°C.


Like this recipe? You may want to try Morriss' Fudge Squares or Chocolate Truffle Fudge Cake!

Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

A delicious and easy recipe. Easy to adapt, try replacing dates with prunes or ginger with lemon rind.


Serves 8


Ingredients:
100 ml boiling water
200 g dates, chopped
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (measure carefully, too much will leave a taste)
50 g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup golden syrup
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
50 g crystallised ginger, chopped


Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease a non-stick 24 cm square or rectangular baking tin.
3. Place dates and baking soda in a bowl, pour over the boiling water, leave to cool.
4. In a separate bowl beat the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup until creamy.
5. Add the eggs, vanilla essence and dates to creamed mixture. 
6. Fold in flour, baking powder and ginger. The mixture will be very wet.
7. Pour into tin and bake for about 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile prepare the sauce.
9. Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle, it should come out clean. 
10. Turn out and cut into squares.
11. Serve with hot butterscotch sauce and a dollop of creme fraiche.

Note:

The cooked pudding can be frozen. Thaw before reheating briefly in the microwave.

Butterscotch sauce:


Excellent dessert sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week. It thickens as it cools, so warm it up in a microwave or over a low heat in a pot to just soften before serving. Try serving with baked or grilled bananas and ice cream.


3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
50 g unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup cream

1. Heat sugar in a pot over low heat until it turns deep gold.
2. Carefully pour over boiling water and stir until smooth.
3. Mix in butter and brown sugar, stirring until mixture is smooth and sugar has dissolved.
4. Stir in vanilla and cream.
5. Remove from heat. 

Tip:

If you don't get a nice smooth mixture at step two of the sauce, strain through a sieve and discard any lumps of crystallised sugar. Continue steps 3 - 5.

Excellent Carrot Cake

Moist yet light and super easy to make. Keeps well (if you can resist).
Serves 10 - 12

Ingredients:
1 cup oil
2 cups raw or white sugar
4 small eggs
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 cup plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon ginger
3 cups grated carrot (2-3 medium size carrots)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon orange juice

Method:
Preheat oven to 160°C.
Grease a 23-25 cm round cake tin.
Put oil, sugar and eggs in food processor. Blitz to combine.
Add to the food processor wholemeal and plain flour, salt, cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger and carrot. Blitz just to combine.
Dissolve baking soda in orange juice then fold in to the mixture.
Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave cake to cool before icing.

Cream cheese icing:
40 g soft butter
125 g cream cheese (not spreadable)
juice and finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 cups icing sugar

Mix icing ingredients in food processor until smooth.

Note: original recipe suggested double the icing ingredients (or double the calories)!

Feeling creative? Combine a mixture of chopped nuts, seeds and dried fruit to sprinkle over the icing e.g. dried apricots, pumpkin seeds, pecans

Pickled Pork Slow Cooker

Serves 4 - 6 people


Ingredients:
approx 1.5 kg pickled pork
6 to 8 baby potatoes (or 3 - 4 large potatoes cut in half)
3 carrots cut into large chunks
pepper to taste (No salt)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon all purpose seasoning
1 teaspoon mixed herbs
250ml chicken stock liquid 


Method:Place all ingredients into slow cooker.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Sauce can be thickened with a bit of corn flour if desired.
Serve with green vegetables.


TIPS:Other vegetables can be included in the slow cooker e.g. pumpkin, kumara, onions

Chocolate Surprise Muffins

You can make these muffins with or without the surprise.

Ingredients;
for 12 medium muffins
1 3/4 c plain flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 c cocoa
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c chocolate chips
75 g butter
2 large eggs
3/4 c milk
3/4 - 1 c raspberry jam
extra chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Farenheit).
2. Spray muffin tins with oil or line with paper cups.
3. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl. Add sugar and chocolate chips and mix thoroughly with a fork.
4. Heat butter gently until it is just liquid (low heat on stove or microwave briefly). Add eggs and milk and beat with fork until combined and smooth.
5. Pour liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold together, mixing as little as possible.
6. Half fill muffin tins by spooning about 1 tablespoon of mixture into the tins.
7. Use a damp teaspoon to make a small hollow in each muffin and fill with about 1 teaspoon of jam.
8. Spoon the remaining mixture evenly into the muffin tins, making sure to completely cover the jam.
9. Sprinkle with extra chocolate chips.
10. Bake for 10 minutes or until the centre springs back when pressed.

Serving suggestions:
Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar if you like.
Good with coffee, or served with fresh berries and whipped cream or icecream!

Bean Salad

Salad ingredients:
2 c green beans
1 can mixed beans, drained
1 can chick peas, drained
1 red pepper. diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 red onion, finely diced (raw or lightly fried)

Dressing ingredients:
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c water
1/4 c wine vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
1 t salt

Method:

1. Lightly cook green beans, approximately 2 minutes once boiling. Drain and place in bowl.
2. Drain and rinse mixed beans and chick peas, add to bowl. 
3. Dice red and green peppers, add to bowl.
4. Peel and finely dice red onion. If desired fry for 2-3 minutes, add to bowl.
5. Mix together dressing ingredients in separate bowl or jar. Mix or shake well to combine.
6. Drizzle dressing over the salad.
7. Cover and refrigerate.
8. This salad is best made 24 hours in advance. 

Slow Cooker Mince Stew

This mince stew is simple and delicious as-is, but it is also great as a base recipe to which you can add your favourite herbs and spices. You could also add some chopped carrot, leek, mushroom, etc. Serve with rice or mash. Leftovers are nice to use to make pies.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 600g minced beef
• 125ml water
• 1 teaspoon stock granules
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• sprig of thyme

Preparation method

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 4 hours

1.

Heat oil in frying pan. Brown the onion and the garlic for 5-10 minutes over low heat, then place in the slow cooker.

2.

Turn the heat up and brown the mince in the frying pan.

3.

Add the rest of the ingredients and transfer to the slow cooker.

4.

Cook on High for 2 hours then turn down to Low for 2 more hours or longer.

Alternatives:

Works with a can of diced tomatoes instead of beef stock and water. Also added diced potatoes, carrots and mushrooms.