Day 177 - Cheese and Wine De-Stress Dinner

Day 176 - Chicken San Choy Bau

Day 175 - Roast Beef Pot Pie Pastries

1-1/2 cups rough chopped or shredded left-over roast beef
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped caramelized onions
1 can cream of celery soup
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup of leftover gravy
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1  puff pastry package
1 egg
1 tbs water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix first eight ingredients together in a medium-size bowl.  Set aside.

Now put one sheet of puff pastry out on a light-floured board and cut into four equal squares.

Using a rolling pin or glass, carefully roll out the square of puff pastry until they are as big as your outstretched hand.   Put a large dollop of beef mixture into the middle of your puff pastry square and simply overlap the ends together.  I used my fingernails to lightly pinch it all closed.  Continue until you've used up all your beef mixture.  Put the pastries on a lightly greased pan or baking stone.

Mix egg and water together and light brush over the top of the pastries.  Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes and remove from oven.

Day 174 - Pizza Night - Chicken, Feta and Spinach Pizza Pie from Eagle Boys

The kids want the regular pepperoni pizza,   so sometimes Eric and I mix it up.   They had a special on at Eagle Boys Pizza and a new pizza pie.   Sounded interesting.   Was pretty tasty and mom didn't have to cook. 

Day 173 - Silverside Beef Roast

Day 172 - Baked Brie

Day 171 - Ham Hock with Spiced Cabbage

• 1.3kg smoked ham hock
• 750ml (3 cups) Strongbow Original Cider
• 1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 brown onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• 1 red apple, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 85g (1/3 cup) sour cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard

• Method

1. Step 1
   Place ham, cider, chopped onion, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, adding extra water to keep ham covered, for 2 hours or until tender and meat starts to fall from bone. Cool for 30 minutes.
2. Step 2
   Transfer ham to a plate. Remove and discard skin and bone. Coarsely shred the ham. Strain cooking liquid, reserving 1L (4 cups). Bring reserved liquid to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half.
3. Step 3
   Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook sliced onion, stirring, for 10 minutes or until soft. Add cabbage, apple, sage and caraway seeds. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes or until the cabbage wilts and apple is tender.
4. Step 4
   Combine sour cream and mustard in a bowl. Divide cabbage mixture among bowls. Top with ham. Pour over cooking liquid. Serve with sour cream mixture.

Day 170 - Roasted chicken Thighs Provencal

• 3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 6 wedges
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 6 (6-ounce) skinless chicken thighs
• 24 niçoise olives
• Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°.
Place potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle vegetable mixture with olive oil; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss gently, and spread into a single layer on pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Remove vegetable mixture from pan, and keep warm.
Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and olives to pan. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Day 169 - The Makings of a Turkey Chili

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 carrot, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 to 3 red bell peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
• Salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 Tbsp chili powder (more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp cider or white vinegar
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1 Heat the oil in a large, thick bottomed pot (6 to 8 quart) on medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and bell peppers, sprinkle with salt and cook until softened, about 6-8 minutes.

2 Add the minced garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for a minute more. Add the ground turkey and break it up with a wooden spoon.  Increase the heat to medium high. Stir and cook until the turkey is no longer pink.

3 Add the chicken stock, oregano, bay leaf, vinegar, and tomato paste. Use a straight edge spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the black beans. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook, covered for half an hour, and uncovered for another half hour, or until the the liquid thickens. Remove bay leaf.
Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with rice or heated corn tortillas.

Day 168 - Chicken and Leek Pie with Mushy Peas

I love that Forbes has an English section in its Woolworths. 

Day 167 - Pot Roast Night

Day 166 - East Indian

Day 165 - Chinese

Day 164 - Salmon Meal

Day 163 - Osso Bucco

 (This was a great meal.   The kids asked for seconds!!!!)

Ingredients

½ cup plain flour
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground white pepper
4 veal osso bucco (around 1.2 kg)
2 tbs oil
2 carrots, diced
3 celery sticks, diced
2 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
1 ½ cups white wine
1 ½ cups veal or beef stock
1 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves

Method

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Coat the osso bucco in the flour. Be careful to shake off the excess flour, otherwise it will burn in the pan.

In a large fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over a medium-high heat. Brown the osso bucco 2 until golden, and transfer to the bowl of a slow cooker.

Lower the heat to medium. With the last tbs oil, add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is translucent but not brown.

Add tomato paste to the vegetables and cook for a further minute.

Into the pan, add wine, stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Add any of the leftover flour from coating the osso bucco.

Place the vegetable mixture into the slow cooker. Make sure all the meat is submerged in the liquid – any meat poking out the top will be tough and dry.

Put the lid on and leave for 3-5 hours. Check from 3 hours onwards, and when the veal is soft and falling away from the bone, it is ready.

When the meat is cooked, if the sauce needs to be thickened further, remove the meat and keep under foil. Pour the sauce into a pot and place on a medium-low heat back on the stove top and boil until the sauce is as thick as you like it. Be careful to keep stirring so nothing burns.

Serve on mashed potato. 

Day 162 - Steak and South African Gem Squash

Out shopping this week with a girlfriend that introduced gem squash to me.   She ate these in South Africa.   So a great idea to put new in a meal.  We enjoyed them. 

Day 161 - Seafood Laksa

(Kids had soup,  this was the adults treat - yum yum)

•  Olive Oil
• 1 tablespoon Laksa Paste
• 200g Light Coconut Milk
• 2 cups Liquid Chicken Stock
• Seafood Meduley
• 40g Vermicelli Rice Noodles
• 2 tablespoons Mint Leaves (6g)
• 100g Bean Sprout

Method

1. Spray a saucepan with oil and heat over medium heat. Add paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
2. Add coconut milk,  and stock. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
3. Add seafood to pan. Cover and simmer for 4 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place noodles into a large heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside for 2 minutes to soak. Drain.
5. Divide noodles and laksa between bowls. Top with mint and beans sprouts.

Day 160 - Chicken Risotto at Canobolas Hotel ( iphone photo)

This was very yummy.  I love risotto's. 

Day 159 - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Day 158 - Taste Testing Lilly Pilly Jam

Stumbled upon a store that was selling Lilly Pilly Jam and I had promised myself to try this while living in Australia.    Well....... it tests like perfume and the wild lime marmalade wasn't any better.   Fail.......

Day 157 - Epic Fail - Couscous Lime Chili Chicken

I don't recommend trying this dish.  The couscous was nice the rest......

2 chicken breasts
lime
1/3 cup couscous
peas and asparagus
vietnamese mint leave and spinagh

Marinate breasts in lime juice and zest
Place couscous in 1/2 cup boiling water and then cover until absorbed
cook chicken and then add all the above ingredients.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Day 156 - KFC

Day 155 - Mushroom and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

 ( I didn't layer this like a casserole I rolled up the tortilla's and made proper enchiladas)

 

Mushroom and Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  30 mins

Serves: 8

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 oz. white button mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup diced onions
• ½ cup diced peppers
• 1 can or 1¾ cups cooked black beans
• 1 can or 1¾ cups frozen corn
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce, divided
• 15 - 18 corn tortillas
• 1 -2 cups Mexican cheese

Directions

1. Heat oil in a skillet. Add mushrooms, onion, and peppers. cook until the onions are translucent. Remove from heat.
2. Add beans, corn, and ½ cup enchilada sauce.
3. Use a pizza cutter to cut the tortillas in fourths.
4. Spread 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
5. Layer ⅓ of the tortillas pieces on the bottom of the casserole dish.
6. Spread half of the mushroom-bean mixture over the tortillas.
7. Repeat the tortilla and mushroom-bean mixtures.
8. Place the remaining tortilla pieces over the mushroom-bean mixture.
9. Spread ½ cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas.
10. Sprinkle cheese over the enchilada sauce.
11. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Day 154 - Sushi NIght

Day 153 - Brown Rice Loaf with Pumpkin Puree

This isn't the best photo but man this tasted yummy though it sounds horrible.  The kids didn't touch it but I did have enough leftovers from others stuff.  So everyone ate.

RECIPE:

• 1/2 cups Brown Rice
• 150g Broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 teaspoons Ginger  grated
• 1  Egg  lightly beaten

• 2 1/2 teaspoons Reduced Salt Soy Sauce (12g)
• 300g Peeled Pumpkin, cut into 3cm pieces

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm x 10cm (base measurement) loaf tin and line with non-stick baking paper, hanging over two long sides.
2. Combine rice and 2 cups (500 ml) water in a small saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Add broccoli for last 5 minutes of cooking. Set aside, covered, for 5 minutes.
3. Remove broccoli and finely chop. Transfer rice to a large bowl and set aside to cool.
4. Add broccoli, ginger, egg and 2 teaspoons soy sauce to rice. Season with freshly ground black pepper and mix until well combined. Place into prepared tin and smooth surface. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden. Stand for 5 minutes then lift from pan and cut into 6 rectangles.
5. Meanwhile, cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and return to saucepan, then mash until smooth.

Day 152 - Pizza Order

Day 151 - LSA Chicken with beetroot and silverbeet

• 2 tablespoons linseeds (see note)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons almonds, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 4 x 180g chicken breast fillets
• 2 tablespoons wholemeal or plain flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 500g silverbeet, stalks removed, roughly chopped
• 400g canned whole baby beetroots, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Step 1
   Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
2. Step 2
   Combine the linseeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, then transfer to a plate. Dust chicken in flour, then dip in the beaten egg to coat.
3. Step 3
   Press the chicken into the seed mixture until coated. Place on the tray and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Step 4
   Meanwhile, cook silverbeet in a pan of boiling, salted water for 3 minutes or until wilted. Drain, then toss with the beetroot, oil and lemon juice, then serve with the chicken.
   
   
   (side note:  I had some already ground up lsa meal that I had gotten for a vegan macaroni and cheese recipe I tried.  I was the only one that liked it!!!)   So I mixed that with the whole sunflower and pumpkin seeds I had) 

Day 150 - Pork Chops and Rice

This is a meal that my husband and I found out that both our mothers use to make so us. 
Brown some pork chops than place them in a oven dish.  Sprinkle rice over the pork chops and then cover it all with tomato juice, salt, pepper and some oregano.  Cook in over on very low for a couple of hours.  It is yummy and the kids think so too.  Though I think I over cooked the rice this time.  Hubby was late from work. 

Day 149 - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Day 148 - Fish and Ribs

Trying to make everyone happy with a little of everything.