Day 87 - Tacos Again

Day 86 - Lunches

Making lunches up so that I don't over eat during the afternoon.

Day 85 - Oriental Beef Casserole

This recipe was one of the first recipes I made for my family when I was about the same age as my oldest.  I got busy experimenting and my mom got a break.  I pulled this out because I thought maybe if I liked this at my girls ages maybe my children would.  Well all but my youngest ate it.   I don't understand him.  He has sisters that don't go eww.... anymore so why does he turn his noise up at everything?

Well here is the recipe:

BEEF ORIENTAL CASSEROLE
- ground beef
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- celery
- mushrooms
- sugar snap peas
- can of tomato soup
-3 cups of cooked pasta of your liking
- tomato wedges
- green pepper
- cup of cheddar cheese

Brown the beef and then just keep adding all the rest of the ingredients.  Once it is all combined and cooked until hot throughout.  Serve.

Day 84 - Chinese Oyster Sauce Chicken Thighs

In the mining industry you met people from all over and ever background possible.  While still in Canada and datin.  One of the other couples we hung out with invited us over for dinner.  The male part of the couple had parents that were Finnish and Chinese.   So he cooked us one of his fathers Chinese dishes.  (it helped that we lived in a town that had a Finnish club so we would go there for breakfasts too after a night out)  It is a super simple recipe and very tasty.

First you fry up some onions and mushrooms ( now it is best with Shiitake or Oyster mushrooms but sometimes our grocery stores are lacking in the mining world so Portobello or regular work in a pitch too)  Then you add your chicken thighs and brown them.  Sometimes there is a lot of water released so at this time you can pour off the excess water before you add oyster sauce.   Now this is personal if you like lots of sauce add lots of oyster sauce if you don't,  just enough to coat your chicken thighs.
Add some rice and some steamed greens like bok choy and it is a perfect and yummy dish. 

Day 83 - Thai Yellow Curry Revisited

Day 82 - Hot Roast Chicken

Day 81 - Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

When my husband and I got married.  One of my parents friends made us a recipe box and hand painted it.  It is still going strong and we use it daily.   In the box was this recipe.  A favourite in this house.

HOT FUDGE SUNDAE CAKE
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp salad oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Plus
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 1 3/4 cup boiling water

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa in bowl.  Stir in milk, oil, vanilla,  and chocolate chips. Spread in a  9" square baking pan.
Then combine brown sugar and cocoa,  sprinkle over batter.
Pour boiling water over all and bake for 40 minute or until done at 180C or 350F.
Serve with ice cream or cream.

Day 80 - Canned Soup

Oh the excitement..... canned soup. 

Day 79 - Beans on Toast

Simple meal tonight. 

Day 78 - Sunday Night Pizza

Day 77 - Chicken Tenders with Vegetables

Just marinated the chicken tenders in lime juice and garlic and then grilled them.   Added some brown rice and some vegetables.  Yummy.

Day 76 - Toasted Turkey Bagel Sandwich

Day 75 - Salad

Day 74 - Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Day 73 - Omelette

Day 72 - Greek Salad

Day 71 - Chicken and Black Bean Empanadas

Watching the movie Turbo makes my family want Mexican.
So typed in what I had in the fridge and freezer and came up with this.
Looked awesome and tasted awesome too.


Chicken and Black Bean Puff Pastry Empanadas

- oil
- onion finely chopped
-garlic
-cumin
-oregano
-1 can of black beans ( at an asian grocery but maybe if we complain enough Woolworths or Coles will stock them!!! - help me everyone)
-shredded cooked chicken
-salt and pepper to taste
-fresh chopped cilantro or coriander


Cook the onion and garlic in oil.  Sprinkle a tsp or so of cumin and oregano.  Then add the remaining ingredients. 

Spoon on puff pastry and fold into a triangle ( I added some cheese at the stage)  Then butter or oil the puff pastry and put into oven for 15 minutes or until crust is nice and brown. 

Day 70 - Hot Dogs

We aren't still into the red skinned hot dog yet, and if we put mustard and relish on it Australians think we are weird.  Oh well it is what you grew up with huh...

Day 69 - Stir Fry

Just a regular stir fry.   Changes with what I have in the fridge and what sauce I want to make.  This one was a oyster sauce.  But sometimes it is garlic and ginger,  or whatever I feel like. 

Day 68 - Steak Dinner

Day 67 - Asian Stirfry

I don't remember the exact name of this dish.
I had leftover green peppercorns and just typed in what to make with that on google.

Up came this recipe which tasted very nice.

-olive oil
-ginger
-garlic
-shrimp (prawns)
-fresh or pickled peppercorns (tbsp)
-kaffir lime leave (small handfull)
-oyster sauce (2 tbsp)
-soy sauce (2 tbsp)
-fish sauce (2 tbsp)
-veggies of your choice
-fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
- lime juice

Throw this all together like you would a stir fry and then serve.

Warning:
( I wing it a lot of the time so I am not giving exact directions in my recipes)

Day 66 - Hot Salmon Sandwiches

In keeping with the hot sandwich theme.   This was a meal I remember as a child.  It is a very easy meal and I wonder if it was one of mom's throw a meal on the plate fast meal go to.  It is in our house now.

Hot Salmon Sandwiches

Can of salmon  ( we always used Sockeye Salmon but I can't find it in Australia anymore)
Can of cream of celery (or what every cream you have)
Fill 1/2 the soup can with milk

Warm in a sauce pan and serve over toast

Day 65 - Leftovers = Hot Roast Beef Sandwich

It is funny how your taste buds change over the years.  My dad enjoyed hot roast beef sandwiches.  Myself as a kid not so much.   Now though as the adult I sometimes crave the things I had as a kid.  Leftover roast beef makes great hot roast beef sandwiches. 

Day 64 - Tangy Chicken Drumsticks

This making your everyday dinner look good is a hard gig. 
My middle child's favourite dish.

Tangy Chicken Drumsticks

-14 skinned drumsticks
-salt and pepper and paprika sprinkled over top of the drumsticks (am much as to your liking)
-In a frying pan add some cooking oil and cook chicken until brown.
-Add a chopped up onion, 1/4 cup cooking wine, 1/4 cup of tomato sauce, tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth.
- Stir to mix
-Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until done.

Day 63 - Plane and Feet oh My!!!

Saturday morning breakfast by the hubby.  Love it!!!  Pancake Feet and Planes oh my!!!

Day 62 - Bolar Blade Pot Roast

When we first moved to Cobar, NSW.  Our first time in Australia.   The grocery had many different names to their cuts of meat.  I usually came armed with an Australia/Canadian cuts of meat sheet to help me remember what I wanted.   One time "bolar roast" stuck out at me so I went home and googled what bolar was only to find an amazing pot roast recipe that we use all the time.

Bolar Blade Rot Roast

3lb roast
2 tbsp olive oil

125 ml beef stock
125 ml red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 bay leaf
thyme
 salt and pepper

Heat oil and sear roast.
In a crockpot/slow cooker put in the next 8 ingredients.
Set crockpot on low for 10 to 12 hours.

Day 61 - Store Bought Curries

I do know how to make curry from scratch and I will grace you with those recipes at some time.  I just happen to be in Forbes and stopped at their groceries.  Oh my goodness they have such a better set up then Parkes.  So I decided I was going to be lazy and just heat up some already made dinners.  They didn't have the depth of heat and flavour that we are used to (but then I had an wonderful friend through highschool that was East Indian,  we eat at her house and I worked with her cousins so I know how it is suppose to taste- doesn't mean I have gotten my recipes to taste like theirs yet)  It did hit the spot and my kids wolfed it down.   So a happy dinner. 

Day 60 - Chicken Kebabs

Day 59 - Cilantro Shrimp Pasta

This is a very easy pasta dish when the adults want a little fancy and the kids plan spaghetti and sauce.

Cilantro Shrimp Pasta Sauce

-In olive oil cook some garlic
- Add a tin of baby roma tomatoes or fresh roma tomatos ( or in my case both)
- When tomatoes and garlic have cooked for a few minutes add shrimp and chopped up fresh cilantro ( coriander) and basil
-pepper and other seasonings of your choice if you find it needs more kick
- when shrimp is cooked through serve over pasta of your choice

Day 58 - Cheat Garlic and Onion Fish with Salad

Yeah I cheated tonight.  Just went to the frozen food section and got frozen fish out of a box and added a salad.   It works....

Day 57 - Birthday Lunch at the Ikon in Parkes

I even had my desert come with a candle.  Fun!