THAI STYLE BEEF SALAD

Ingredients:

2 tbs peanut oil
800gr rump steak sliced
1 large carrot
1 med red pepper sliced
1 med yellow pepper sliced
1 large red Spanish onion sliced
3 small tomatoes, quartered
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
125 gr snow pea sprouts

Dressing:

1/3 cup salt reduced soy sauce
2 teas grated lime rind
1/3 cup lime juice
2 tbs fish sauce
2 tbs orange juice
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 small fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 teas sugar
2 teas chopped fresh lemon grass
2 tbs chopped fresh mint

Method:

Heat oil in wok.
Add steak in batches, stir fry till tender.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a screw top jar and shake well.
Pour dressing over cooked steak, cover and refrigerate for 30 mins.
Cut carrot into long, thin strips.
Combine carrot with peppers, onion, tomatoes, both sprouts and steak mixture in a large bowl.
Stir gently.

Serves 6

MANGO CHICKEN SALAD WITH LIME DRESSING

Ingredients:

2 med mangoes
2 med carrots
2 med zucchinis
1 med red pepper
1 med yellow pepper
2 cups bean sprouts
4 green shallots
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
4 cups roughly chopped cooked chicken
1 cup unsalted roasted cashews

Lime Dressing

2 tbs mild sweet chilli sauce
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Method:

Cut cheeks from mangoes as close to seed as possible.
Using tip of a sharp knife make about 4 cuts through flesh, without cutting through skin.
Make another 4 cuts in the opposite direction.
Turn mango cheek inside out, pieces can now be cut away from the skin.
Thinly slice strips of carrot and zucchini. Slice up rest of vegetables.
Just before serving, combine mango with vegetable strips and remaining ingredients in bowl.
Blend or process all lime dressing ingredients until creamy.
Drizzle salad with lime dressing.

Serves 6 to 8.

FUSS-FREE LASAGNE

INGREDIENTS:

500gr mince
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250gr button mushrooms, sliced
600ml tomato pasta sauce
500gr fresh lasagne sheets
100gr baby English spinach
200gr low fat ricotta cheese
150ml can reduced fat evaporated milk
1/2 cup grated reduced fat cheddar cheese

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 200C (400F)
2. Heat a large non stick fry pan, add the mince and cook for 5 mins til browned.
3. Add garlic, mushrooms and tomato pasta sauce, bring to the boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins.
5. Spoon 1/4 cup of meat sauce into the bottom of a rectangular ovenproof dish.
6. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets and half of the meat mixture.
7. Top with another layer of lasagne sheets, half of the spinach leaves and the combined ricotta and evaporated milk.
8. Follow with another layer of lasagne sheets. Continue layering with the remaining ingredients, finished with a layer of lasagne sheets topped with the spinach and ricotta mixture.
9. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 30-40mins or until the cheese is golden and lasagne sheets are cooked through.

Serves 8

Accompany with salad or vegetables and garlic bread.

SWEET CORN FRITTERS

INGREDIENTS:

450gr can corn kernels
1 egg
50gr (2oz) plain flour
salt & pepper
1 tbls oil
grated rind 1/2 lemon
oil for frying
grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD:

Drain corn. Separate egg.
Sift flour and pinch of salt.
Make a well, put in yolk, oil and grated rind.
Beat til a smooth batter forms.
Beat whites till stiff.
Fold into batter with corn.
Heat oil in pan.
Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil.
Fry about 5 mins each side or till golden.
Remove and drain on paper.
Keep warm while frying the rest.
Sprinkle grated cheese over.
Serve hot.

SAVOURY MINCE PIE

INGREDIENTS:

500gr mince
2 pinches of salt
2 pinches of pepper
1 lge onion
2 tbls plain flour
2 tomatoes
2 shortcrust pastry sheets
milk for glazing

METHOD:

Place mince, s & p, onion and 1/2 cup water in saucepan.
Allow to cook slowly till cooked.
Thicken with flour blended in a little water then cool.
Line greased pie dish with one sheet of pastry.
Fill with cooked mince mix and top with slices of tomat0.
Cover mince with remaining pastry sheet.
Moisten edges and seal the edges.
Make a small hole in the centre.
Brush with milk.
Bake mod to hot oven 200-220C for 30 mins.
Serve hot.

BEEF AND VEGETABLE MEDLEY

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbls oil
500gr mince
1 onion chopped
1 carrot diced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup green pepper
1 teas salt
1 tbls flour
440gr tin tomato soup

METHOD:

Fry meat and onion 3 mins.
Add veges and cook 2 mins more.
Sprinkle with flour and mix well.
Add soup and salt.
Bring to boil.
Place in casserole, cover and bake in mod oven 1 hr.
Serve on toast or with rice.

CRUNCHY TUNA PIE

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups crushed cornflakes
3 tbls (3ozs) melted butter
small can tuna
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 beaten eggs
1 teas mustard
1 teas salt
freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

Mix cornflakes and butter.
Press in medium pie plate reserving 1/2 cup for topping.
Bake mod oven 10 mins.
combine rest of ingredients and pour into shell.
Sprinkle with remaining crumbs.
Bake 30 mins in mod oven.
Serve hot or cold.

EASY SALMON CAKES

INGREDIENTS:

440gr tin salmon
1 med onion diced (opt)
1 pkt instant potato made up

METHOD:

Empty drained tin of salmon into made up potato and onio.
Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Pat into rissoles.
Dip into plain flour, then egg and then breadcrumbs.
Shallow fry.

FISH FINGER CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS AND METHOD:

Put required number of fish fingers in the casserole.
Grate 1 cup of cheese and sprinkle over the top.
Add 3/4 - 1 cup milk.
Dot with butter and bake in mod oven 1/2 hr.

HEARTY BEEF & BACON CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

1kg blade steak
1 clove garlic
1 cup flour
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
2 onions
3 rashers bacon
1 tbls Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar

METHOD:

Slice 1 onion, add garlic in and put in casserole.
Cube meat and put in casserole.
Sprinkle with flour.
Combine sauces and pour over meat.
Add water.
Slice other onion, place on meat and add bacon.
Cook hot oven 180C for 2 hrs.
Remove lid, cook a further 15 mins.

SO EASY CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

INGREDIENTS:

1pkt French Onion Soup
125ml tomato sauce
1 clove garlic crushed
10ml Worcestershire sauce
40ml golden syrup
8 chicken drumsticks

METHOD:

Make two incisions across each drumstick.
Combine all ingredients in a shallow dish.
Marinate overnight.
BBQ, grill or bake chicken, basting regularly with marinade till cooked through.

LEMON CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

1kg chicken pieces
2 teas lemon pepper
1/2 teas paprika
30ml soy sauce
125ml lemon juice
2 teas lemon rind, grated
40ml oil
40ml honey
30gr butter

METHOD:

Place chicken in a bowl with the lemon pepper, paprika, soy sauce, lemon juice, rind, oil and honey.
Marinate for at least 3 hrs.
Remove chicken, dot with butter and bake 190C for 35 - 40 mins brushing with marinade whilst cooking.
Can be served hot or cold.

CRUNCHY CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

1.5kg chicken pieces
1pt chicken noodle soup
60ml tomato sauce
60ml honey
60ml peanut butter
125ml water

METHOD:

Trim all fat from chicken and place in a shallow casserole dish.
Mix all remaining ingredients, pour over chicken.
Bake in oven at 180C for 1 1/4 hrs.

EASY PASTIES

INGREDIENTS:

500gr mince
1/2 cup onion diced
1/2 cup carrots diced
1 cup potatoes diced
1/2 cup parsley
salt & pepper
1 - 2 teas chicken stock powder (opt)
5 sheets Puff Pastry

METHOD:

Combine mince, onion, carrots, parsley, potato, salt, pepper and stock.
Cut pastry diagonally down the middle.
Place filing in the middle on each side.
Crimp edges together and brush with beaten egg.
Bake hot oven 20mins till golden then reduce and bake a further 15 - 20 mins.

BAKED BEAN STEW

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbls tomato paste
coriander, cumin to taste
1 beef stock cube
500gr mince
1 onion chopped
1 tin baked beans
1 tin tomatoes or 3-4 large tomatoes chopped
2 tbls chutney

METHOD:

Brown mince and onion.
Add tomatoes, beans and chutney.
Cook until liquid is reduced.
Serve with toast or mashed spuds.

RICE PILAF

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbls butter
2 cups rice
4 cups hot chicken stock
salt & pepper

METHOD:

Melt butter, add rice and stir over mod heat 3 - 5 mins.
Add stock, salt & pepper and stir till it boils.
Cover tightly and cook on low heat 12 mins.
Remove and leave covered about 10 mins.
Fluff up and serve.

HERBED DRUMSTICKS WITH GARLIC

INGREDIENTS:

4 lge chicken drumsticks
1 chopped red or green pepper
2 sliced onions
3 cloves garlic crushed
chives, parsley, bay leaves, S & P

METHOD:

Peel skin back from chicken and make a couple of slits in each.
Cover with water in baking dish and add remaining ingredients.
Cook mod oven 45 mins, turning chicken occasionally.
Use slotted spoon to pile chicken and herbs on Rice Palaf. (recipe on this blog)
You can add sliced potatoes to make a one pan dish.

ITALIAN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion chopped
1 tbls butter
500gr mince
1 tin tomato soup
1 small tin creamed corn
125gr cooked noodles
1 cup grated cheese

METHOD:

Saute onion, then add meat and brown.
Sir in soup, corn, salt and pepper.
Add spices/herbs of choice to flavour or use Sambal.
Add meat to casserole alternatively with noodles and cheese.
Bake in mod oven 20 mins.

POTATO & BACON MORNAY

INGREDIENTS:

3 med potatoes cooked
1 sliced carrot cooked
60gr butter
1 onion chopped
3 rashers bacon chopped
3 tbls flour
2 1/4 cups milk
Salt & pepper
180gr grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup day old bread crumbs

METHOD:

Mash potato and place in a casserole dish, put carrot on top.
Fry onion & bacon in 15 gr butter, add flour and cook a few minutes.
Gradually stir in milk, bring to the boil.
Add cheese, salt & pepper and stir till smooth.
Pour over vegetables, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dot with butter.
Bake mod oven 30 mins.

QUICK SAUSAGE CURRY

INGREDIENTS:

Sausages
Veges
Onions
1 dess curry
2 tins tomato soup/peeled tomatoes/puree or tomato paste with water & sugar
1 tbls oil

METHOD:

Boil sausages then skin and cut into pieces.
Cook onions, capsicum and celery in a little oil.
Add soup, vegetables, sausages and curry.
Cover and cook until all are tender.
Serve with rice or potatoes.