Tortilla Mince Pies

Ingredients:

oil spray
400 g lean beef mince
1 onion, finely chopped
400 g can Delmaine chickpeas in curry sauce
1 cup corn kernels
4 extra light tortillas
3/4 c grated reduced-fat cheese

Optional:
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 - 1 pepper. diced
5 - 6 mushrooms, sliced
parsley to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and spray 4 small pie dishes with oil.
2. Cook mince in a non-stick fry pan with a little spray oil until evenly browned.
3. Add onion and cook for 3 - 4 more minutes. If using additional vegetables or garlic add at this stage.
4. Add chickpeas and corn. Heat for 5 minutes.
5. Place 1 tortilla in each pie dish. Push into mould properly and spray with a little oil.
6. spoon mince into tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 
8. Garnish with parsley.

Side salad:

1 1/2 cups grated (or sliced) mixed carrot and beetroot

200 g curly kale, shredded

Arrange kale on serving plates and top with carrot and beetroot.

Notes:

I haven't made the side salad. I find it's easier to add extra vegetables into the mince mixture. A great way to use up little bits of veges hiding in the fridge.

Microwave cheese sauce

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup warm milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)


Method:

1. In a micro-wave safe jug, warm milk for approximately 2 minutes.
2. In a large micro-wave safe glass bowl, heat butter for 30 seconds on high or until the butter is melted.
3. Whisk together the butter, flour and warmed milk.
4. Add 1 cup grated cheddar cheese.
5. Place bowl in microwave and cook on high for 1 1/2-2 minutes, whisking every 30 seconds or so, until sauce is thick and heated through.
6. Season with salt, if desired, and whisk until blended.

Makes: 2 cups

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.