Caesar Salad

I love caesar salads, but I hate those pre-packaged ones.  You may as well be eating cardboard, I think.  So here's my real do-it-yourself one.  I do buy a bottled dressing but if you get a really good one this salad tastes just as good as one from a cafe or restaurant.

Serves 2

Get this -

2 cos lettuce hearts
2 boiled eggs, quartered
2 bacon rashers
1 clove garlic
4 - 6 anchovy fillets
1 tablespoon capers
baguette
parmesan
bottled caesar salad dressing

Do this -

1. Cut baguette into slices, rub both sides with garlic, butter lightly or spray with oil and crisp in oven or in a sandwich press.
   
2. Separate lettuce leaves and place into a salad bowl.
3. Dice bacon and fry until crisp.
4. Sprinkle bacon, anchovies (chopped or whole) and capers over lettuce.
5. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently.
6. Arrange egg wedges and toasted croutons on top.
7. Shave parmesan over salad and serve.
   

TIP - Add cooked prawns or chopped barbecued chicken for a light summer dinner or heartier lunch.

Easy As Chips/Wedges/Potato Skins

WHAT YOU NEED

Washed potatoes, roughly 1 per person
salt
oil spray

WHAT TO DO

Preheat oven to 200oC.
Spray a baking tray with oil.
Pierce potatoes all over with a sharp knife then microwave them until tender.
Let cool slightly then cut the potatoes into wedges.
Slice skins off or leave them on, whatever you or your kids prefer.
Place wedges and skins onto a baking tray, give them a light spray with oil and sprinkle with salt.
Bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until golden.


Easy as!!  Enjoy! :)

Chicken Stroganoff

This makes a nice change from beef stroganoff.  It's not the easiest thing on this blog, but it's certainly not difficult...I don't do difficult!

2 serves

Get this -

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large chicken breast fillet, cut into strips
1 small brown onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
100g mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
steamed rice and chopped chives to serve

Do this -

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil to high heat.
• Add chicken & stir until it has changed colour and is lightly browned.
• Remove chicken & reduce heat to medium.
• Heat remaining oil, add onion, garlic & mushrooms.
• Cook for 5 mins or until onion has softened.
• Add paprika.  Stir until fragrant, about 1 min.
• Add Worcestershire sauce and stock and simmer 2-3 mins until slightly reduced.
• Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, season with salt &pepper.
• Return chicken, place back over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through.
• Serve with steamed rice and chopped chives.

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! ;)

Noodle Pancake

Here's one just for the kids...although it tastes pretty good and I'd be happy to eat it!!

Serve/child

Get this -

1/4 pack of 2 minute noodles
1 egg

Do this -

Cook noodles (with the veggie sachet if it comes with one).
Mix 1/4 flavour sachet with 1 egg and whisk to combine.
Cool noodles slightly, add to egg mixture.
Pour into heated frypan and spread evenly.
Once set flip as you would a pancake (I use an egg flip, don't have the skill to toss willy-nilly!)

TIP
All sorts of goodies could be hidden (I mean added to) this recipe like grated carrot or zucchini, chopped bacon, shaved ham or chicken, frozen peas or corn.....

Savoury Muffins

I am sooo not a baker.  But I felt like some savoury muffins today and thought my kids might like to try them, too.  Well, of course, I loved them and my kids wouldn't even taste them!  Oh well, I'll keep trying.

 Makes 12

Get This -

• 2 1/2 cups self-raising flour
• salt and pepper
• 125g melted butter, cooled
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon herbs
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 2 bacon rashers, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/2 small red capsicum, diced
• parmesan to top

 

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Fry onion, bacon and capsicum until onion is soft.
3. Sift flour into a bowl.  Add cheese and season well with salt and pepper.
4. Whisk eggs, milk and herbs together.
5. Make a well in the flour, add milk mixture and butter, fold until well combined.
6. Fold in bacon and onion mixture.
7. Spoon into greased muffin tray, top with parmesan.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

Try to eat just one!!

Chicken Pasta Bake

If you like pasta bakes you'll love this one...easy and tasty...mmm mmm!


Serves 4


Get This -

300g of your favourite short pasta
1 onion, finely chopped
300ml cream
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 barbecue chicken, roughly chopped
3 bacon rashers
salt and pepper
1 cup tasty cheese


Do This -

• Preheat oven to 200C.
• Cook pasta in a large pot as per packet instructions.  Drain and set aside in baking dish.
• Meahwhile, cook bacon, chop, set aside.
• Saute onion in a little oil until softened but not brown.
• Add cream, bring to simmer and cook for 2 minutes.
• Stir in corn, peas, parmesan, bacon and chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add to pasta in baking dish, add salt and pepper and stir to mix well.
• Sprinkle cheese on top.
• Bake in oven for about 20 minutes or until golden on top.
• Sprinkle with chopped parsley if you like.

I guarantee you'll want seconds!

Burritos

Another favourite weekly dinner...



Get This -

A burrito kit

Do This - 

Follow instructions on the pack


LOL, yeah I know...hardly a recipe.  But I am using this blog as a collection of our family's favourites so I had to include it!

Tip - If you want to do something extra, add a can of cannellini beans (drained & rinsed) with the chicken, or red kidney beans with mince.

Chocolate Crackles

These are an absolute must for kids' parties.

Makes approximately 28

Get This -

4 cups rice bubbles
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup dessicated coconut
250g block copha, melted
5 tablespoons cocoa powder

Do This -

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Spoon mixture into patty papers.
Leave in fridge until set.


These are so easy the kids can make them themselves.

TIP - use tiny patty papers for little kids, they are pretty rich and sometimes a small bite is enough!

Beef Sausage Rolls

I've never attempted to make sausage rolls before and was surprised at how easy they were.  If they are easy enough for me, they are easy enough for anyone.  Give them a go...

Cooking Time

20 - 30 mins

Makes

16



Get This -

300g beef mince
1 small brown onion finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried herbs
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, partially thawed
1 tablespoon milk

Do This -

Preheat oven to 220C.
Line baking tray with baking paper.
Combine mince, onion,  carrot, egg, herbs, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix well.
Cut pastry sheets in half.
Shape a quarter of the mince along a long edge of each piece of pastry.
Roll pastry to enclose mince mixture.
With seam side down, cut each roll into four.
Place onto baking tray, brush with milk, and bake for 20 - 30 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes before serving, with tomato sauce of course!