Meatless Pasta Bake

The other meatless meal we had was a version of a pasta bake that I have made and love.
This one -  Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake.

I followed the recipe but instead of adding chicken I added red lentils and a few other things...


This is not my photo either, but again, it looked pretty much like this.

Serves 4

Get This -

250g dried macaroni pasta
100g baby spinach leaves
300ml light thickened cream
3/4 cup semi-dried tomatoes
1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon capers
1/3 cup red lentils

1/2 small block fetta

1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a 5cm-deep, 20cm x 28cm (base), 8-cup capacity baking dish.
2. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Cook lentils in boiling water until tender.
4. Drain pasta and lentils and return to saucepan. Add spinach, cream, dried tomatoes, tomatoes, capers, fetta and 1 cup parmesan. Toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Top with mozzarella and remaining parmesan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Spoon pasta bake onto serving plates. Serve.

Meatless Burritos

We are attempting to eat less meat by having a couple of meat free dinners a week.
So last week I tweaked a couple of favourite dinners into meat free versions.

The first one was burritos which we have usually once a week with chicken or mince.

Last week I made them this way...

Not my photo but they looked kind of like this

Get This -

Burrito kit
can four (or five from Aldi) beans
tomatoes
onion
lettuce
cheese
sour cream or plain yogurt

Do This -

Fry chopped onion and tomatoes in small amount of oil
Add drained beans
Stir in sachet of burrito mix with water
Heat burrito wraps as per directions on the box
Roll up bean mix, cheese, salad, sauce and sour cream.

We didn't even miss the meat!

Mini Lime Meringue Pies

Still trying to use up the limes from our tree, I came up with this idea.

I filled store bought mini pie cases with

the lemon filling (which I changed to lime) from Liz's recipe -

Beat 2 eggs & mix with a tin of condensed milk and the juice from 2 limes.

Bake in 180C oven for 10 - 15 mins.

Top with meringue -

Use an electric beater to beat 2 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup (115g) caster sugar beating until sugar has dissolved and mixture is glossy. Roughly spread over top of lime filling. Bake for 3-5 minutes.


Makes 24 mini pies.

Lime Cordial

We have a lime tree in our backyard that is absolutely loaded with fruit.

So I decided to have a go at this...it is really good!

You could do the same with lemons.

(Google image)

Get This:

• 8 large limes
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup cold water

Do This:
• Squeeze the juice from the limes and set aside.
• Keep the peels of 2 of the limes, and place in a pot along with the sugar and water.
• Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly and then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, just stirring now and again.
• Remove from heat, add the reserved lime juice and bring back to the boil briefly, whilst stirring.
• Allow to cool and then strain into a bottle or jug. Refrigerate.
• Dilute with water or soda water before serving according to taste.

Creamy chicken & mushrooms

Serves 4

Get This -

1 1/2 tbs olive oil
500g chicken thigh fillets
Salt & freshly ground pepper
400g flat mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
1 cup (250ml) pouring cream
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 cup frozen peas
rice to serve

Do This -

Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add to pan with mushrooms and garlic.  Stir until chicken is lightly browned.


Stir in stock, cream and mustard. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until sauce reduces and thickens slightly.

Meanwhile, cook rice following packet directions.

Add frozen peas to the chicken.  Simmer until peas are heated through.

Serve over rice.

Beef & Vegetable Stew

This beef and vegetable stew is easy to make and great for a cold winter night.

(serves 4)

Get This -

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
800g beef chuck steak, trimmed, cubed
2 large carrots, peeled, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/3 cup red wine
2 tablespoons plain flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 x 410g cans diced tomatoes
2 cups beef stock

Do This -

Place beef, flour, salt & pepper in a zip lock bag.  Shake until well coated.

Heat oil in large pot. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until onion has softened. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. Add beef. Cook for 5 minutes or until browned.

Add carrot, celery , parsley and potato. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Add tomato paste, tomato and beef stock. Bring to the boil. Cover with lid. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours.

Serve with crusty bread or dumplings.

Linda's Chocolate Cake

I put out the call on Twitter for an easy recipe for morning tea.
Linda came to the rescue with this delicious and EASY recipe.
Thanks Linda!!

Get This -

1 2/3 cups plain flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons bicarb soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
125g softened butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla essence


Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 180 degC.
2. Stir flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarb together in a bowl.
3. Add buttermilk, softened butter, eggs and vanilla.
4. Beat with electric mixer or by hand for 30 seconds then more vigorously until dry ingredients are moist.
5. Pour into greased and floured 23cm cake tin.
6. Bake for 45 mins or until skewer comes out clean.
7. Use melted chocolate or butter icing.

Indian Spiced Red Lentil Soup

I made this tonight.  I don't make vegetarian dishes very often because my husband misses meat.  His verdict on dinner tonight..."It's nice.  Would be better with meat."  Told you!  But I loved it and will be making it again, a lot.  Because it's as easy as it is healthy as it is yummy!

(serves 4)


Get This -

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup korma curry paste
1 litre vegetable stock
400g can diced tomatoes
2/3 cup red lentils, rinsed
1/4 cup pearl barley, washed
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
Crusty bread, to serve


Do This -

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add curry paste. Stir to combine.
2. Stir in stock, tomato, lentils and barley. Cover. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until barley is tender. Divide between bowls. Top with coriander. Serve with bread.

Banana Muffins

I had four bananas going off getting way too ripe and I have friends coming for morning tea tomorrow.  So I decided to make some banana muffins.  I searched my favourite recipe website taste.com.au and found these.

I really wasn't in the mood to bake anything.  So I was super happy that these were extremely easy and they taste great!

Makes 12


Get This -

2 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup brown sugar
80g butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
4 ripe bananas, mashed


Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease 12 hole muffin pan. Combine flour and sugar in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. Using a fork, whisk butter, egg, milk, and bananas together in a jug. Add to flour mixture and fold together until just combined.
3. Spoon into prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes.

Tomato & lamb casserole with pesto dumplings

 Serves 6

Get This -

• 40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• 1.5kg mini lamb round roasts, cut into 3cm pieces
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 8 slices prosciutto, coarsely chopped
• 1 large brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 1 x 800g can diced tomatoes
• 250ml (1 cup) chicken stock
• 4 dried bay leaves
• 1 x 500g pkt Woolworths Select Frozen Broad Beans, thawed, peeled
  
  

  Pesto dumplings

• 190g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour
• 70g chilled butter, chopped
• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 1 tbs bought basil pesto

Do This -

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place flour on a plate. Season with salt and pepper. Add lamb and toss to coat. Shake off excess.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 4L (16-cup) capacity flameproof, ovenproof casserole dish over medium heat. Add half the lamb and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until brown. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon of oil and remaining lamb, reheating dish between batches.
3. Heat the remaining oil in dish. Add the prosciutto and onion and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until onion is soft.
4. Return the lamb to the dish. Add the tomato, stock and bay leaves. Cover and bake in oven for 1 1/2 hours or until the lamb is tender.
5. Meanwhile, to make pesto dumplings, place flour in a bowl. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Pour in milk. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until evenly incorporated. Add pesto and mix to create a swirled effect. Divide dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
6. Increase oven temperature to 220°C. Add the broad beans to the lamb mixture and combine. Top with the dumplings. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the dumplings are golden. Serve.
   
   
   
   
   
   (This recipe is from Taste.com)