comecookwithanna

Slow Cooker Mince Stew

2012-01-27T00:22:00.000-08:00

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

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

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

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

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.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef & Vegetables

2011-11-30T00:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
7 - 8 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
2 - 3 carrots, scrubbed and cut into pieces
1 - 2 onions, peeled and halved
1 piece corned beef
1/8 t pepper
1/2 c water
1 T worcestershire sauce
1 T cornflour
2 T cold water

Method:
1. Place potatoes, carrots and onion into slow cooker.
2. Rinse corned beef and place in slow cooker.
3. Sprinkle pepper over ingredients.
4. Mix 1/2 c water with Worcestershire sauce, pour over beef and vegetables.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8 - 9 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender.
6. Remove beef and vegetables from slow cooker, cover to keep warm.
7. Pour juices from slow cooker into saucepan, heat to boiling.
8. Mix cornflour with cold water to form smooth paste, stir into juices.
9. Cook sauce, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened.
10. Serve sauce with beef and vegetables.

TIPS:
Try serving with your favourite green vegetable.
Use a combination of half potato and half kumara.

Simple Soy Glazed Chicken - Slow Cooker

2011-10-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
2 T sweet chilli sauce
1 T sesame oil
1/4 c soy sauce
1 small or 1/2 large lemon, juice
3 T brown sugar
4 chicken quarters (or similar)
2 T cornflour
2 - 3 T sherry or cold water

METHOD:
1. Measure sweet chilli sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and brown sugar straight into slow cooker. Mix.
2. Place chicken pieces into slow cooker making sure to coat well in the glaze.
3. Cook on high for 4 hours. After about 2 hours, stir mixture to ensure chicken is well coated in glaze.
4. At the end of cooking time, mix 2T cornflour with sherry or cold water to form a smooth paste. Add to slow cooker, stir and allow to thicken.

This is a quick, easy and tasty slow cooked chicken recipe. No browning required and very few dishes! We served with Balsalmic Roasted Vegetable Salad and Broccoli. A delicious dinner on the night the AB's brought home the cup!

Spaghetti with Leeks, Peas & Pesto

2011-09-24T23:53:00.000-07:00

Add some veg to pasta and pesto for a cheap, healthy springtime dinner.

Serves 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Vegetarian, low fat, healthy

Ingredients:
175 g spaghetti
140 g frozen peas
1 T olive oil
2 large trimmed leeks (about 250 g), thinly sliced
1 T basil pesto
freshly grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative) to serve, optional

Method:

Cook the spaghetti according to pack instructions, adding the peas for the final 2 mins. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the leeks, then gently cook for about 5 mins until softened. Stir in the pesto and 3 tbsp of the pasta cooking water, then simmer for a few mins.
Drain the pasta and peas, then add to the frying pan, tossing everything together. Divide between 2 warm bowls and sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan, if using.

PER SERVING

447 kcalories, protein 18g, carbohydrate 75g, fat 10 g, saturated fat 2g, fibre 9g, sugar 8g, salt 0.11 g

Chicken & Bacon Casserole - Slow cooker

2011-09-09T04:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 chicken portions
2 rashers smoked bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery sticks, diced
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato puree
2-3 teaspoons dried mixed herbs

Method

1. Heat oil in large frying pan, brown chicken portions (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts). Once browned place chicken in slow cooker.
2. Add bacon, onion, garlic, carrot and celery to fry pan. Fry for about 4 minutes.
3. Sift flour into frying pan. Add tomato puree and dried mixed herbs. Gradually add chicken stock, stirring after each addition. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
4. Once the mixture is boiling add to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Try serving with potatoes and your favourite green vegetable.
Try adding other vegetables of your choice to the casserole mixture. I used about 1 cup of diced pumpkin.

Serves 4

Chicken Laksa

2011-07-30T00:28:00.000-07:00

Serves: 4 - 6 people
Preparation time: 15 minutes or less

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons chicken laksa paste
500 ml chicken stock
2 x 400 ml cans coconut milk
2 chicken breasts, sliced
1 red capsicum, diced
2 x 50 g cans baby corn
100 g snow peas
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
2 T coriander leaves, finely chopped
steamed rice or noodles

Method:

Combine laksa paste, chicken stock and coconut milk in a pan. Bring to the boil.
Add the chicken, capsicum, corn and snow peas. Stir to combine.
Simmer for 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Add lime juice and coriander, stir to combine.
Divide rice or noodles into bowls.
Add laksa including juices into bowls.

Note:
To make the dish hotter, add 1 extra tablespoon of laksa paste. To make the dish milder reduce the laksa paste by one tablespoon.
We made this recipe using green thai curry paste instead of laksa paste.
Half the quantities of ingredients for a meal for two.

Banana & apple slice

2011-05-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

125 g soft margarine
150 g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
275 g wholemeal self-raising flour
2 dessert apples, cored and grated
2 bananas, mashed
75 g sultanas
125 ml apple juice
2 tablespoons chopped cashew nuts

Method:

Preheat oven, 180 degrees C (350 degrees F, gas mark 4).
Grease and line an 18 x 28 cm shallow baking tin.
Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with the second egg.
Fold in half the remaining flour with the apples, bananas and sultanas.
Fold in the remaining flour with the apple juice.
Turn the mixture into the tin and smooth the top with a palette knife.
Transfer to oven and bake for 45 - 50 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
Turn the cake out on to a wire rack to cool, then sprinkle with the chopped cashew nuts.
Cut into slices to serve.

Alternatives:
Try 2 grated pears instead of apples. Add a handful of chocolate pieces.

Makes: 20 slices
Prep time: 20 - 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 - 50 minutes

Note: the slices freeze well. Pack them into a rigid, freezer container, cover and freeze. They will keep for up to 3 months. To defrost, remove as many as required and leave at room temperature for 1 hour.

Carrot cupcakes

2011-05-09T14:41:00.000-07:00

For the cupcakes

130 g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
215 g caster sugar
2 eggs
175 ml vegetable oil, or any other neutral oil
65 g walnuts, chopped, plus extra to decorate
165 g carrots, grated (approximately 2 medium-large carrots)

For the icing

170 g thick cream cheese
65 g butter
125 g icing sugar
1/2 lemon, finely grated zest only
3/4 tbsp soured cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

For the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a cupcake pan or muffin tin with paper cases.

2. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon and ½ tsp salt and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until thick and creamy. Slowly add the oil in a thin stream while whisking constantly. Fold in the dry ingredients, and once combined gently stir in the nuts and carrots.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the paper cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of one cupcake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.

5. For the icing: in a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and icing sugar until the mixture is smooth and soft. Stir in the lemon zest, soured cream and vanilla extract.

6. Pile the frosting into a piping bag and pipe it onto the cooled cupcakes. Decorate with the extra chopped walnuts before serving.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Peanut Butter Satay Stirfry

2011-04-27T03:34:00.000-07:00

Satay sauce ingredients:

1/2 a small brown onion

1 small fresh red chilli pepper

1 garlic clove or 1 tsp crushed garlic (from a jar)

½ cup water

¼ cup (70g) of smooth peanut butter

1 teaspoon each of peanut oil

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon Juice

½ teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

Stirfry ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil
300g lean frying beef, sliced into strips
2 cups of selected vegetables (e.g. broccoli, peppers, carrots, mushrooms) cut into bite-sized pieces

Method:

Peel and finely chop half an onion.
Trim, rinse and finely chop the red chili pepper then crush the garlic clove.
Add the peanut oil into a mid-sized saucepan or wok and heat over a medium heat.
With your peanut oil ready to go it is time to add the finely diced onion. Continue cooking the diced onion until it becomes soft and golden (roughly 5 minutes) remembering to stir all the time.
Gradually stir in the crushed garlic and the finely diced red chili. Continue cooking until the mixture becomes aromatic (around 1 minute).
Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, water, lemon juice, Balsalmic vinegar and brown sugar into the mix. Stir well to combine.
Add olive oil to wok/saucepan. Fry beef until lightly browned, stirring all the time.
Add vegetables and sauce to wok/saucepan. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes to heat vegetables and retain crunchiness. If you prefer softer vegetables stir-fry for 6 to 7 minutes.

Other serving suggestions:

You can use the same recipe to make a satay dipping sauce. Follow the method to step 5. Then

remove from heat and add the peanut butter into the mix. Stir well to combine. Once ready reheat the mixture over a low heat. Stir in the water, lemon juice, Balsamic vinegar and sugar. With all of the ingredients now in the saucepan continue cooking until the sauce thickens (3 minutes or so). Don’t forget to stir.

Alternatively you might like to try using the satay sauce as a marinade for satay sticks. Follow the same method as for dipping sauce. Try skewers with beef, chicken, pork, lamb or vegetables.

Makes 3/4c of sauce.

Delicious Fried Rice

2011-03-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1/3 cup peanut oil
4 large free-range eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon peanut oil, extra
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
4 garlic cloves, diced
1 medium-sized brown onion, finely diced
1/2 cup roughly chopped rindless bacon rashers or Chinese sausage
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing wine
5 cups cooked medium-grain white rice
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 cup finely sliced spring onions (scallions)
3 teaspoons Maggi seasoning
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1/2 large red chilli, finely sliced on the diagonal

Method

Heat oil in a hot wok until the surface seems to shimmer slightly.
Pour beaten eggs into wok and cook for about 1 minute, lightly scrambling them and rotating the wok to ensure even cooking. When almost cooked through, carefully remove omelette from wok with a fish slice and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside.
Wipe out wok with kitchen paper, add extra oil and stir-fry ginger and garlic for 1 minute, or until very aromatic.
Add onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes, or until lightly browned and tender.
Add bacon and stir-fry for a further minute, or until lightly browned.
Stir in sugar and wine, then stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Finally, add rice, reserved omelette, oyster sauce, spring onions, Maggi seasoning and sesame oil.
Stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until rice is heated through.
Roughly chop omelette into smaller pieces as you stir.
Divide rice between individual bowls and garnish with extra spring onions.
Combine soy sauce and chilli in a small bowl and serve on the side.

The first time Mark and I made this we used groundnut oil (instead of Peanut), didn't use the wine, didn't have Oyster sauce or sesame oil. Even with just soy sauce it made a yummy dinner. We threw in some frozen peas, carrots and peppers. An easy recipe to adapt depending on what you have handy.

Slow Cooker Pork Soup

2010-11-13T23:20:00.000-08:00

500 g boneless country style pork ribs, in 1-inch pieces
1 peeled, potato, diced into small cubes
2 chopped ribs celery
4 sliced carrots
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 chopped cabbage
1 chopped onion
800 g can crushed tomatoes in juice
4 chicken stock cubes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

How to make it:

Add all the ingredients to your crockpot, then cover it and cook it on high for four to five hours or low for eight to nine hours. The soup is ready when all the vegetables are tender and the pork is cooked through.

This is a good basic recipe. The first time I tried making it we used pork ribs with bones and a few slices of bacon too. Also threw in left over vegetables so didn't have room for the cabbage.

Rich Chocolate Self-saucing Pudding

2010-05-05T14:37:00.000-07:00

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours, using high and low

Ingredients

3 cups self-raising flour

1/4 cup cocoa

100 grams butter, chilled and diced

1 cup sugar

2 cups milk

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Chocolate sauce

3 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 cup dark rum or coffee liqueur

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa
Method
Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while gathering and preparing the ingredients.

Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre.

Beat the milk, eggs and vanilla essence together and mix into the dry ingredients using a holed spoon to form a stiff batter.

Into the pre-warmed slow cooker, put the boiling water, rum or coffee liqueur, sugar and cocoa and stir to dissolve the cocoa.

Carefully spoon the batter evenly into the slow cooker and cover with the lid.

Cook on high for 1 hour then turn to low for a further 1 hour.

Serve hot with ice cream and cream.

Allyson's tip

The alcohol will have cooked out of the rum or liqueur, however, use only water for an alcohol-free recipe.

Vegetables in Coconut Curry Sauce

2010-05-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

Serves: 6

Time: 20 mins

Cost: $10
Ingredients

4 tbsp peanut oil

1/2 cup raw cashew nuts

2 large red onion cut into think wedges

1 large carrot cut julienne

2 stalks celery - cut into thick slices

1 green pepper; 1 red pepper cut into small squares

4 cloves garlic - finely sliced

1 heaped tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

Small tin pineapple pieces - drained

1 cup green beans

1 1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp brown sugar

Method

Into a large heavy based pan, add a little oil and pan fry cashew nuts. Set aside.

Heat in the same pan, 2 tbsp oil then sauté, onion, carrots celery and capsicums. Stir fry until almost cooked, yet still firm. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Heat a little more oil and sauté garlic, ginger and curry powered until aromatic - about 30 seconds.

Mix in pineapple, beans and stir to coat with spices.

Return vegetables and nuts to pan along with coconut milk, water, salt and sugar and simmer gently uncovered for around 10 minutes.

If mixture becomes too thick - just add a little of the pineapple juice.

Beef Stroganoff - Slow Cooker

2010-01-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

This is an extremely flavourful, tender, sumptuous slow cooker recipe. Perfect for guests or as a warm comfort food! Also great to prepare in advance and freeze!

Ingredients

600g stewing steak chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (not a cheap brand)

200ml milk

100-200g closed cup mushrooms sliced thickly

2 medium onions chopped

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

150g garlic & herb cream cheese

5 portions fusilli or taglietelle pasta (size & type depending on appetite!)

60 ml soured cream (optional)

Preparation method

1.Add steak, onions, mushrooms, mushroom soup, milk and Worcestershire sauce to slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. You do not need to add extra liquid for the condensed soup, this is what the milk is for.

2.An hour before finish, add the cream cheese and stir well to disolve.

3.Cook pasta according to packet instructions when stroganoff is done.

4.Serve stroganoff over pasta with sour cream on top.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

2010-01-02T12:36:00.000-08:00

Serves 4

4-6 boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp oil

Stir fry chicken, onion and garlic in frying pan on medium heat until the chicken has some color and the onion is translucent. Then pour entire contents of pan into crock pot. Then add:

15 green cardamom pods (can be strung together with needle and thread - I always do it this way, and then a friend informed me putting it in some cheesecloth would be easier...good thinkin')
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp curry paste (like Patak’s mild curry paste**)
1 tsp cayenne powder (optional) It’s really hot if you add this
2 tsp tandoori masala*
1 tsp garam masala*
1 can coconut milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 5.5 fl oz can of tomato paste
Salt to taste

Mix gently and cook on high heat 4-6 hours or low heat 6-8 hours.

*If you live in Canada you can find these two spices (as well as the cardamom pods) at Superstore in the International Foods aisle.

**I have also used Patak's Hot Curry Paste and it makes this dish have a good kick to it. When serving company (or kids) I stick with Mild.

Serve with basmati rice and warm naan bread.

Thai Chicken Curry

2008-10-02T13:07:00.000-07:00

This is a great recipe for a cook ahead dinner. The fragrant sauce can be prepared well ahead of time, ready to simmer chicken.

Ingredients:
2 T green curry paste
1 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 c chicken stock or water
400 ml can of coconut cream
2 T fish sauce
finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
salt and ground black pepper
1 kg boneless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
sliced spring onions
1/2 c toasted cashew nuts
Optional: 6 - 8 dried curry leaves or fresh lime leaves

Method:

In a large heavy saucepan heat oil and fry curry paste for about a minute.
Add coconut cream, stock or water, fish sauce, lemon rind and optional curry leaves and simmer for 10 minutes. Sauce can be prepared ahead to this point and stored in the fridge.
When ready to serve, add the sliced chicken.
Reduce heat to low, cover tightly and leave to cook on lowest possible heat for 5 - 6 minutes without uncovering until the chicken is cooked and has turned opaque.
Do not over cook.
Season to taste and garnish with spring onion and cashew nuts.

Serves 6 - 8 as a main course.

Note: you can experiment by adding vegetables to this recipe. I like to add in a little sliced capsicum.

Choclate Truffle Fudge Cake

2008-10-02T13:02:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
125 g butter
1/4 c caster sugar
2 T golden syrup
2 T milk
2 T drinking chocolate
1 T cocoa
1 pkt plain sweet biscuits, crushed
1 1/2 c chocolate cake crumbs or crumbled sponge cake
nip of whisky or rum
60 g cherries, chopped
1/3 c raisins
250 g dark chocolate, melted for icing

Method:

Heat butter, sugar, milk and syrup over a low-medium heat.
Add drinking chocolate, cocoa and 1/2 biscuits and mix.
Add remaining ingredients and mix.
Press into 20cm sandwich tin or flan dish.
Melt chocolate in a bowl over boiling water.
Spread melted chocolate over slice to ice.
Allow to set.
Cut with a sharp hot knife.
Store in the fridge in a sealed container.

Makes about 30 small pieces.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-10-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

This recipe is best made with chocolate chopped up roughly. The mixture is very soft; chilling it slightly before shaping makes it easier to work with.

Ingredients:
250g butter
1/2 c sugar
3 T sweetened condensed milk
1 - 2 drops vanilla essence
2 1/4 c plain flour
2 t baking powder
250 g Energy chocolate, hand chopped into chunks, not too small

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius.
Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.
Beat in the condensed milk and vanilla essence.
Stir in dry ingredients and chopped chocolate.
Chill.
Roll into large walnut-sized balls.
Place on cold, greased oven trays, allowing some room to flatten.
Flatten with the palm of your hand.
Bake at 170 degrees celsius for 15 - 20 minutes until lightly golden.
Cool, then remove from trays and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 30 biscuits.

Laurel's Summer Potato Salad

2008-06-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

6 large boiling potatoes
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 cup French dressing (made with cider vinegar if homemade) plus 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup minced onion
2 red apples, unpeeled but cored and diced (optional)
1 cup diced celery
6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups best brand mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper

METHOD:
1. Place potatoes in large pot with dill. Add enough cold water to cover and salt well. Boil until just tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Drain, peel and dice them and marinate them while still hot in the French dressing. Add the onion and let stand until cold - at least an hour - while you prepare the rest of the ingredients as per instructions set out in the ingredient list.
3. Combine potato-onion mixture with remaining ingredients, including mayonnaise blended with sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

VARIATIONS:

Use this mixture instead of normal French dressing

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon caper liquid from jar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine vinegar, caper liquid, and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Add 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives, 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and 2 tablespoons drained capers to the salad. Pour dressing over potatoes; toss gently. Season salad with salt and pepper.

Or this mixture:
4 spring onions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh corriander
6 anchovy fillets, drained, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Things that can go into potato salad:
Crispy bacon
Prawns
Crumbled blue cheese
Pesto
Tarragon
Chopped dill pickles
Radishes
Horseradish sauce
Garlic
Chopped salami

This basic potato salad recipe is a winner, especially with the boys! Play around with it and add in your favour extra ingredients. p.s. there is never any leftovers of this one after a BBQ, too delicious :-)

Thai Pumpkin Soup

2008-06-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium pumpkin (~ 1.2 kg), peeled and diced
2 c water
400 ml coconut milk
1 – 2 fresh or dried chillies, finely chopped
1 T lemongrass, minced or ½ t finely grated lemon rind
1 T fish sauce
salt
pepper
¼ c fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil in a big pot and gently cook onion, sugar and garlic until softened (8 – 10 minutes).
2. Add all other ingredients except fresh coriander/parsley and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Mash roughly.
4. Adjust seasonings to taste.Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.

Serves 4
Freezes well

The most time consuming part of this recipe is cutting up the pumpkin. You can short circuit this by buying chopped pieces of pumpkin. Aternatively, microwaving a whole pumpkin for 10 minutes makes cutting easier.

Mum's Chocolate Cake

2008-06-18T07:18:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:

20 cm square tin
300 g butter
6 T cocoa
9 t hot water
1 ½ c sugar
1 1/8 c flour
1 ½ t baking powder
3 eggs

METHOD:

Melt butter, cocoa and hot water in a thick based saucepan.
Add sugar and stir well.
Add flour and baking powder and blend together lightly.
Stir in egg yolks and then quickly stir in stiffly beaten egg whites.
Pour into a greased tin and bake at 180ºC for 30 – 40 minutes.

ICING:

90 g cream cheese
90 g butter
2 c icing sugar
2 T cocoa
Vanilla essence

Beat cream cheese and butter to a cream.
Add the rest of the ingredients and beat until smooth.

Morriss' Fudge Squares

2008-05-16T12:46:00.000-07:00

170 g butter

3/4 c sugar

2 T golden syrup

2 T cocoa

1 1/2 c flour

1 1/2 t baking powder

3/4 c coconut

Icing:

125 g icing sugar

1 T cocoa (sifted)

15 ml warm water

Method:

Preheat oven to 175 degrees celcius or gas mark 4.
In a pot melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and cocoa (I like to sift this to get out any lumps).
Add the flour, baking powder and coconut to the melted mixture.
Press mixture out in a Swiss roll tin (or similar, shallow tray).
Bake for 10 minutes.

Icing:

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl.

2. Add warm water and mix until smooth. Add extra water drop by drop if the icing is too stiff.
TO FINISH:

Ice fudge squares when cool and cut into squares.

Beef Teppanyaki

2008-05-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

This is an easy stir-fry with a Japanese twist. Take care not to over cook the beef. Once added, the meat should only be cooked for about 3 minutes.

To prepare: 5 minutes and 10 minutes standing beef
To cook: 5 minutes

Marinade:
2 T soy sauce
1 -2 t hot chilli sauce, to taste
1 T sesame oil
2 T root ginger, grated
1/4 c sake, mirin or sherry
1 T rice wine vinegar or wine vinegar
1 T sugar
Other ingredients:
200 - 250 g lean beef steak, eg. rump, sliced in very thin strips
2 T vegetable oil
200 g mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, cut in thin strips
2 spring onions, peeled and thinly sliced

Optional:
1/4 c pickled ginger, finely sliced as garnish

METHOD:

Combine all marinade ingredients in a clean bowl or plastic bag.
Mix sliced meat through marinage. Leave for 10 - 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a large wok or fry-pan and cook mushrooms and pepper for 2 - 3 minutes stirring or shaking the pan frequently.
Remove mushrooms and peppers from pan and put to one side.
Lift meat from marinade and drain, reserving marinade.
Add meat to pan with spring onions and cook over very high heat for 2 -3 minutes until cooked.
Add reserved marinade into pan with onion and mushroom mixture and heat through.
Sprinkle over pickled ginger and serve at once.

Serves 2

Accompany with noodles or rice.

Carrot Cake

2008-04-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1/4 cup oil (eg peanut or sunflower)
1 cup apple sauce
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 egg whites and 1 whole egg
1/2 cup flour
3-4 cup sugar
2 cups wholemeal flour
2 tsps baking powder, baking soda and vanilla essence
2 tsps cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
2 cups grated carrots
1/2 cups chopped walnuts and raisins or chopped prunes
1 234g can pineapple crushed with juice

Method:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the oil, apple sauce, milk, egg whites and egg until well mixed.

2. In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmet and cloves. Make a well in the centre. Carefully pour the apple sauce mixture into the well in the dry ingredients and mix them together lightly with a holed spoon.

3. Add the carrots, walnuts, raisins, pineapple and vanilla. Pour mixture into a 23cm greased cake tin.

4. Bake for 60-70 minutes at 180 deg C. The cake is cooked when a skewer inserted comes out clean and the cake has come away form the side of the tin. This cake is very moist.

5. Allow the cake to cool 10 minutes before turning out and leaving the cake to cool on a cake
rack.

Topping:

1. In a food processor, put 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese, 3 tblspns low fat yoghurt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tblspn lemon juice, 1/4 cup cream cheese, and 3 tblspns icing sugar. Process until blended.

2. When the cake is cold, spread the topping over the cake and decorate with walnuts or grated lemon rind.

Barbara's Pinwheel Scones

2008-04-25T12:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt (optional)
4 T margarine
2/3 c milk

Savoury Flavour:
60 g Edam cheese
pepper to taste

Sweet Flavour:
4 t sugar
1 t cinnamon

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.
In a bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt.
Rub in the margarine with the tips of your fingers until it is just crumbly.
Mix in the milk quickly with a knife until the mixture sticks together in a lump.
Without touching the dough, roll into a rectangle about 1 cm thick.
Sprinkle dough with your chosen flavour ingredients.
Roll up from the longest side.
Cut into eight pieces and place pinwheels on a lightly floured oven tray.
Bake at 200 degrees C for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm.

In memory of my great scone making grandma 19/11/19 - 24/4/08.

Chocolate Brownies

2008-04-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

To prepare: 20 minutes
To cook: 35 minutes

225 g butter
200 g dark chocolate
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 1/4 t vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa, sieved
1 1/2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped (optional or substitue for other nuts)

Brownie topping:
200g melted dark chocolate
OR
dust with icing sugar

Method:

Melt butter and chocolate over a low heat in a pot.
Add sugar to the melted butter and chocolate. Allow to cool if necessary before adding eggs.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in vanilla essence.
Sift in flour and cocoa. Add nuts and mix until evenly combined.
Pour into a greased 30cm x 24cm baking tin.
Bake at 180 degrees C for 35 minutes until set.
Cool then spread over melted chocolate or dust with icing sugar.
If topping with melted chocolate allow to set before cutting in to squares.
Makes about 30 pieces.

TIP: I often make this recipe ahead of time. It can be pretty gooey even when properly cooked. It is easier to cut if you freeze it first. Obviously take out of the freezer for a bit before you try and cut it unless you are super strong and have a really good knife! If you are going to freeze this mixture, dust with icing sugar after freezing and before serving.

Enjoy!

Lamb Chwarma Pockets

2008-04-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

To prepare: 5 - 10 minutes
To cook: 10 minutes

500 g lean lamb, cut into tiny slivers
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1 t allspice
1/2 t cinnamon
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 t crushed garlic
1 T olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
pita breads

salad vegetables
dressing

LAMB:

Combine the lamb with the spices, onion, garlic and oil. Leave for at least 15 minutes before cooking, or up to 6 hours refrigerated.
Pre-heat a pan or barbecue hotplate to medium-high and oil lightly.
Cook the lamb, tossing over heat for 3 -4 minutes, until it is just browned.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the meat in a serving dish and keep warm.

PITA POCKETS:

To prepare warmed pita pockets, slice the pita breads in half.
Stack one half on top of the other and wrap in tinfoil.
Place on a hot barbecue or oven and turn the tinfoiled stack frequently, until warmed through. This takes 5 - 10 minutes.

SALAD VEGETABLES:

Prepare desired vegetables as required.

TO SERVE:
Squeeze the lemon juice over the meat and serve with warmed pita pockets, vegetables and your desired dressings.

Serves 4 - 6