Mince Lettuce Cups

Serves 3-4

Get This -

500g beef mince
1 teaspoon curry powder (or less to taste)
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped (including stalks)
1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 red onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 red capsicum, diced
cos or iceberg lettuce leaves, washed
snow peas or bean sprouts for garnish


Do This -

1. Mix mince, spices, herbs, sauces and ginger in a bowl with hands and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Fry onion, carrot and capsicum in oil until softened.
3. Add mince and stir until cooked through.
4. Add lime juice & finley sliced snow peas or bean sprouts.
5. Serve in lettuce cups

Dongella's Shepherd's Pie

(From Taste.com.au)

Get This - 

500g beef mince
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
clove of garlic
2 teaspoons mixed herbs
1.5 cups of beef stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 grated carrot
1 grated zucchini
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated cheese
1 tablespoon butter
3 potatoes


Do This -

• Heat Oil in a large frypan, Saute onion and garlic, add mince and cook until brown.
• Add tomato paste, beef stock, mixed herbs, sauce, peas, carrot and zucchini, mix thoroughly and simmer until liquid is absorbed.
• Meanwhile boil potatoes until soft. Mash with butter.
• Place mince mixture in a casserole dish, top with mashed potatoes.
• Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes or until cheese has melted and is lightly brown.
• Enjoy!

Easy Lo Mein

Image found here

Serves 4 - 6

Get This -

250g chicken breast, thinly sliced (optional)
500g fresh lo mein egg noodles
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 - 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
3 - 4 cups cabbage, shredded
1 red capsicum, sliced thinly
1 carrot, sliced thinly
2 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
1 - 2 red chillies, finely sliced (optional)

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or more, to taste
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, or more, to taste


Do This -

• In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and chilli flakes; set aside.
• Cook egg noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
• Heat oil in a wok add oil and stir fry chicken until opaque, remove from pan.
• Add garlic, mushrooms, cabbage, capsicum and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in spring onions and sprouts.
• Return chicken, stir in egg noodles and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.
• Serve immediately.

The Best Cheesy Muffins

Makes 12

Get This -

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 medium carrot, grated
1 small onion, finely diced and lightly fried to take the rawness away
1 cup grated tasty cheese
30g of your favourite Kenilworth flavoured cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup milk
125g butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs


Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced. Line 12 large muffin cups with patty papers.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl and add carrot, onion, parsley and cheeses. Stir to combine and make a well in the centre.
3. Whisk eggs and milk a jug. Add egg mixture and melted butter to the bowl and fold together until just combined, do not overbeat.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared tins. Bake for 20 mins until risen and golden brown. Leave in the tin for 5 mins then lift out onto a wire rack to cool.

Easy Fried Rice

Image from Taste.com.au

Serves 2


Get This -

1 cup cooked and cooled white long grain rice
2 eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 bacon rashers, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 shallot, trimmed, finely sliced
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 tablespoon soy sauce, plus extra to serve
1 teaspoon fish sauce


Do This -

1. Using a whisk, lightly beat eggs in a small bowl. Heat oil in non-stick wok or large frying pan over medium heat. Add eggs. Swirl over base to form an omelette. Cook 2 minutes. Turn over. Cook 2 minutes until set. Transfer to a chopping board. Set aside to cool slightly. Cut into short strips.
2. Add bacon to wok. Cook 4 minutes until light golden. Add carrot. Stir fry 1 minute. Add shallots, peas and rice. Cook, stirring, 3-4 minutes. Add egg, soy sauce and fish sauce. Stir until heated through. Serve immediately.

(This recipe was found at Taste.com.au)

Cheesy Carrot & Apple Muffins

This recipe is adapted from "Cheesy Vegie Muffins" on on Taste.com.au

Get This -

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup coarsely grated carrot
1 cup coarsely grated apple
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 eggs, lightly whisked
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
80ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line twelve 80ml (1/3-cup) capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
2. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the carrot, apple and half the cheddar. Season with salt and pepper, and mix until well combined.
3. Whisk the egg, milk, cinnamon, oregano and oil in a bowl. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
4. Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared pans and sprinkle with the remaining cheddar. Bake in oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden.

Chickpea Vegie Burgers

Serves 4 large or 8 small burgers

Get This -

400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed

1 small carrot, peeled, grated
zest 1 lemon, plus juice ½
1 tsp ground cumin
small bunch coriander, chopped
2/3 cup wholegrain breadcrumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

4 large or 8 mini bread rolls, halved crossways

green oak lettuce leaves

slices canned beetroot, drained

large tomato, sliced
red onion, sliced thinly
cucumber, sliced
sauce of your choice (Tahini Mayonnaise is my favourite)

Do This -

1. Place chickpeas in a bowl. Using a potato masher, mash until almost smooth. Add carrot, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, half the coriander, eggs, breadcrumbs and garlic. Season with salt & pepper. Mix to combine. Shape mixture into desired number and size of patties.
2. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook patties, turning, for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until heated through.
3. Meanwhile, preheat grill on high. Toast cut side of rolls for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Top roll bases with beetroot, lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, the remaining coriander, patties and roll tops. Serve with your favourite sauce.

Fi's Minestrone

I found this recipe on Fi's blog Mummy Daze and thought it looked so good and so easy that I'd give it a go! It's absolutely delicious!!

Not my image, as per usual!

Serves 4 - with enough for seconds and leftovers

Get This -

2 tablespoons oil
ham/bacon/salami
onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 tablespoons tomato paste

800g tinned tomatoes

2 teaspoons stock powder

4.5 cups cold water

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 large carrot, diced

zucchini, sliced

1/2 broccoli, chopped finely

1/2 cup frozen peas

750g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and strained

1/2 cup macaroni/broken spaghetti pieces

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 cups fresh baby spinach (if you have some)
salt & pepper

fresh basil

serve with a dollop of pesto

Do This -

1. Add diced bacon, onion, crushed garlic and oil to large pot. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until onion is softened.
2. Add tomato paste, tinned tomato, stock and water. Cover, and bring to the boil. Add potato and carrots. Cook, uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
3. When you are nearly ready to serve, add the beans, zucchini, broccoli, peas and pasta. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is just tender. Add sugar and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in baby spinach leaves just before serving.
4. Ladle into bowls and dollop with pesto and basil. Serve with toasted bread or oven-baked rolls - whatever you have handy.

I served it with parmesan instead of pesto, and fresh basil.

Thai-Style Curry

This recipe is like a choose your own adventure story book.

You choose the type of curry.
You choose as many or as few vegetables as you like
You choose the meat or tofu...and come up with your own special thai-style curry.

Serves 4

 Get This -

• 2 tbsps thai red, green or yellow curry paste
• 400ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsps fish sauce
• 2 tbsps brown sugar
• 1 tbsp lime juice or 1 kaffir lime leaf finely shredded
• 400g - 500g diced chicken, pork, lamb, or prawns peeled and deveined. Or 300g tofu, diced and lightly fried
• fresh coriander
• 4 cups jasmine rice (cooked)

Choose your vegetables -

• small can bamboo shoots (drained and rinsed)
• small can water chestnuts (drained and rinsed)
• 125g baby corn spears, halved diagonally
• snow peas or snow pea sprouts
• capsicum
• carrots
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• shallots or onions
• beans or sugar snap peas
• zucchini

Do This -

1. In a wok or large saucepan, over medium high heat, combine coconut milk and curry paste, heat and stir constantly until the majority of the paste has dissolved. 2. And fish sauce, brown sugar and lime, stir until dissolved. 3. Add meat or tofu and vegetables, stir gently until well incorporated. 4. Let simmer for 10 - 20 minutes until meat and vegetables are cooked through. 5. Serve over rice or noodles and top with coriander or your favourite herbs.

Coleslaw

I'd never made coleslaw before. But today I thought I'd give it a go.

I don't know why I waited so long, it's easy!

And sooooo much better than any store bought coleslaw.

It was the perfect accompaniment to our easy Friday night frozen fish & chips!

I haven't added measurements for this recipe because you can add as much or as little as you like to suit your taste.

Get This -

• sugar loaf cabbage, finely shredded
• purple cabbage, finely shredded
• shallots, finely shredded
• carrot, grated
• fresh basil, finely shredded
• mayonnaise
• lime juice
• salt & pepper

Do This -

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve.
2. Too easy!

Crispy-topped Cottage Pie

from Taste.com.au

Serves 4

Get This -

• olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 750g beef mince
• 1 cup beef stock
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons plain flour 
• 2 carrots, peeled, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 500g Desiree potatoes, thinly sliced
• 100g tasty cheese, finely grated

Do This -

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring, for 8 minutes or until soft. Add tomato paste. Cook for 3 minutes.
2. Increase heat to high. Add mince. Cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until browned. Add stock, water and tomatoes. Bring to the boil. Stir in flour and carrots. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Add peas.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 10-cup capacity ovenproof dish. Spoon in mince.
4. Combine potatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, and salt and pepper. Arrange one-third potatoes over mince. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat layers, finishing with potatoes. Drizzle with a little oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Increase heat to 230°C. Remove foil. Bake for a further 20 minutes or until golden. Serve.

Note - to hide the vegetables from Miss 4, I grated the carrot and swapped frozen peas for grated zucchini.

This recipe is from Taste.com.au

Carrot Cake

This morning my Miss 4 saw Timmy from Timmy Time baking a carrot cake.

So of course she wanted to bake one, too.
I hate to bake, but she is very persuasive, so I went to my go-to recipe website, Taste.com.au and found this recipe. By some miracle I had every ingredient needed (but only 1/2 the amount of cream cheese for the icing).

So, we baked it.


She looks so cute in the apron I made for her



The best thing about baking...licking the bowl!

And it fell to bits when I tried to get it out of the tin. Next time I won't skip the baking paper lining!!

It still tasted amazing!

From Taste.com.au
Ours did not look this good
(as you will see below)

Serves 12

Get This -

Olive oil, to grease

2 (about 300g) carrots

1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

1/2 cup (75g) plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar

3/4 cup (185ml) oil

1/2 cup (125ml) golden syrup

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

Icing

250g spreadable cream cheese

1/2 cup (80g) icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 20cm (base) round cake pan lightly with oil, and line with non-stick baking paper. Peel and grate the carrots, and set aside. Sift the flours, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into a large bowl.
2. Put the brown sugar, oil, golden syrup, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Use a balloon whisk to mix until combined.
3. Pour the oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to stir gently until just combined. Stir in the grated carrot.
4. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 1 hour. Set aside for 5 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. To make the icing, place the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to mix until well combined.
6. Spread the icing over the cake.

This is our cake.
The icing is green because she likes green.
And it's not her birthday, but really, what is a cake without candles?

Rice Paper Rolls

This recipe is from Taste.com.au and tweaked a little.

From Taste.com.au

Makes 12

Get This -

• 1 cup shredded barbecued chicken
• 1 lebanese cucumber, cut into matchsticks
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 cup beansprouts, trimmed
• 1/3 cup fresh vietnamese mint leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 12 x 22cm rice paper rounds (see note)
• sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Do This -

1. Combine chicken, cucumber, carrot, beansprouts, mint, coriander, lime juice and fish sauce in a large bowl.
2. Place 1 rice paper round in a medium bowl of lukewarm water for 15 seconds or until just soft. Place on a clean tea towel or paper towel.
3. Arrange 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture along the centre of rice paper round. Fold ends in and roll up firmly to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining rice paper rounds and filling. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Pad Thai

This is a version of a recipe I found here.

Image found here

Serves 4

Get This -

250g rice stick noodles

500g chicken thigh fillets, sliced thinly
2 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 red capsicum, sliced into thin strips and strips halved
1 large carrot, cut into matchstick
4 spring onions, sliced thinly
2 cups bean sprouts
1 or 2 red thai chilli, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chopped palm sugar (or brown sugar)
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 eggs
fresh roughly chopped coriander leaves
chopped peanuts
Chilli flakes and sesame seeds (optional)

Do This -

• Prepare rice noodles according to directions listed on package.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lime juice and fish sauce, set aside.
• Heat oil in a wok or large and deep non-stick pan over medium-high heat. 
• Once hot add chicken and saute until cooked through, about 4 - 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving oil in pan. 
• Add capsicum and carrots and saute 1 - 2 minutes then add garlic, ginger, spring onions and bean sprouts saute 1 minute longer. 
• Push veggies to edges of pan and crack eggs into center. Cook and scramble until eggs have cooked through. 
• Add in chicken, noodles and sauce and toss everything together and cook 1 - 2 minutes.

Serve warm topped with cilantro, peanuts and optional red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.

Impossible Quiche

I've tweaked a couple of recipes on Taste.com.au to come up with this.
It's good, trust me!

(serves 4)

Get This -

• 125g ham or bacon, chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 carrot, grated
• 1/2 zucchini, grated
• 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to season
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 5 cup capacity pie dish.
2. Combine and scatter, ham/bacon, onion, grated vegetables and cheese over base of dish.
3. Whisk flour, eggs, milk, salt & pepper together in a large jug and pour over ham mixture. Cook for about 40 minutes or until puffed and golden. Cool slightly. Serve warm or cold.

.

Cheesy Beef Rissoles

Makes about 12

Get This -

250g beef mince
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 cup parmesan, grated
1 egg
1 tablespoon tomato/barbecue/sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon mustard
1 slice of bread, crusts removed and broken into tiny pieces
25g fetta, crumbled
salt & pepper


Do This -

• Place everything in a mixing bowl and get your hands stuck in mixing until well combined.
• Roll into small rissoles and shallow fry or barbecue until browned all over and cooked through.

Too easy! ;)