Scooby snacks?

I found these great bags of organic pasta at Aldi last week (I stocked up on 6 packets, so fingers crossed the kids like them).  I am trying out a modified version of my home made tinned spaghetti recipe in the pressure cooker today.  Here's how it went:

• 800ml jar Passata
• 1 small tin diced tomatoes with garlic and herbs
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
• 3 florets of cauliflower broken up
• 1 baby bok choy chopped 
• 2 frozen cubes spinach
• 2 large zucchinis chopped
• 2 sticks celery diced finely

It all went into the pressure cooker and I used the "soup" cooking time of 25 minutes.  Meanwhile boil the pasta and when the sauce is cooked combine it all and add a generous helping of grated cheese.

***Note:  use gluten free pasta and stock cube and this can be an easy gluten free dinner

An inspiration

Just want to take this opportunity to wish my beautiful Gram a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!!

She is one of the best cooks I know, and a great source of information and tips.

Too many oranges

I bought a huge bag of oranges at Aldi the other week, and we ate so many, but they were nearing the end of their useful life.  What better to make but some more of the yummy Orange cake feature earlier on this blog. 

But the kitchen doesn't look right you say?  I was moonlighting at a friend's house, with 5 assistants under 5.  It took a while to make these cakes given the interruptions, but I think they were worth the wait. 

You have to try this recipe, its a chuck all the ingredients in a bowl recipe - they are always the best!

And the winner is...

Very exciting news in the post today... thanks to Super Food Ideas Magazine I am the lucky recipient of two tickets to the Good Food and Wine Show in Sydney this July.  I am very excited, now just to line up a babysitter and find a companion. 

I won the tickets by answering "in 25 words or less which 3 celebrities you'd like to invite to dinner and why".  Here is my answer:

1.  John Cleese; loads of laughs
2.  Bear Grills; no boring conversations
3.  Kevin McCloud; he has a fantastic show and couldn't possibly be boring

No plan this fornight

Last fortnight's grocery expenses came to $312.53.   Two main reasons for not having a plan this fortnight:

1. My freezer and pantry are pretty full already, I need to use up what I have
2. I'm tired, exhausted actually, and can't even bear the thought of sitting down with my cook books and shopping list to plan the coming fortnight

But do not fear, I have a couple of recipes in mind to try out and hopefully share.  I also think I will still manage to stay within budget.   The Bacon and leek risotto from Sue and Noel was beautiful, I'm hoping to make it again.  And I have a ham hock so looking forward to making some pea and ham soup.  BUT tonight we will be celebrating!!!  Because a start has been made on our new house, I am even thinking we might grab some takeaway sushi and savour this special occasion.

Letting off steam

I finally bought myself a pressure cooker.  Against much advice to get the stovetop variety for better cooking control, I ended up with an electric one.  Purchase decision was completely driven by price, at $60 it was worth the risk.  I was also the lucky recipient of some mango chicken legs this evening and they are taking a "turn" so to speak in the cooker as I type. Both my other machines (the dishwasher and washing machine) are hard at work, the washing up is done, kids fed (not quite in PJs but I'm getting there) and I am about to pour a glass of wine - so it seems the weekend is off to a promising start.

Unfortunately Sue and Noel's Bacon and leek risotto has been bumped off the menu, but I hope to make some of that over the weekend.

Banana bread

Was I only just saying I hadn't made banana bread in 6 months?  Well a fleeting, wet visit to the farm yielded a whole bunch of bananas.  We cut them last time we visited (just after Easter) and they have been ripening ever since.  I dubiously tried one this morning and they were beautiful.  So as soon as we got home I mixed up a double batch of banana bread. 

My banana bread recipe is a modified version of this highly rated recipe on Allrecipes.com.  My modification is that I don't follow the instructions and just whack it all in the mixmaster.  I also don't measure out cups of banana, rather just use 3 large or 4 small bananas per loaf.  However today I think I used about 20 baby bananas (they are about 5cm long).

Date loaf

I don't know how many times I have cooked this yummy loaf.  It is getting a good work out at the moment given my other most cooked bakery item is banana bread.  Since the price of bananas has soared, there has been no banana bread happening here.  This date loaf is extra great given it needs no eggs, so it is a good trusted treat for when the cupboard is bare.  It also freezes really well, especially wrapped in slices ready for school lunches, or a shift worker's breakfast.

Unfortunately I cannot lay claim to this great recipe, but I did ask my lovely neighbour Lara if she was happy for me to share.  So here it is, I guarantee you will love it.

• 1 cup chopped dates (I use kitchen scissors and cut them into 3)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 60 grams butter or margarine
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 3/4 cups self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

1. Places the dates, sugar and butter in a bowl
2. Add hot water and stir until butter melted and mixed together
3. Add flour, bicarb soda and vanilla and mix well
4. Cook in a greased loaf tin at 180C for 35 minutes

 

This picture was a double batch, my smaller tin works best with this mix...

A glass of wine

I am not a huge drinker, some weeks go by and I wouldn't have anything to drink.  Other times, often on a Friday night or a weekend away, there is nothing I like more than to take a deep breath and sit down for a few minutes with a glass of wine.  Our budget isn't really allowing for many wine purchases lately, so I headed for some "cleanskin" options instead.  I think this one cost me about $5, and it is going down just fine thanks.  Cheers...

Hot off the pan

Okay, this is a little embarrassing to admit, but until about 5 minutes ago I have never eaten a chicken rissole.  I just received a lovely surprise delivery from our butcher and it included some chicken rissoles. 

I figured if I cooked them up tonight we can have them for lunches tomorrow.  Well there were about a dozen , and I figured I needed to break one in half to check it was cooked through.  Then once it was broken in half I thought maybe I should just taste a quarter. 

Wow!!  I never thought a chicken rissole could taste so good!! Depending how they go down with the rest of the family, they may need to make it onto the next menu plan.  Isn't it funny how some things you never bother trying because you just don't think you will be a fan... but how often do you try things and end up completely surprised.

Under pressure

Some of you may remember my recent post on Juanita Phillips book.  Well one of my lovely friends has located me a pressure cooker to try out.  Only it comes without an instruction manual and I think there are some parts missing?  I am wondering now, you see it is my birthday in a few days, maybe I can use birthday money to buy a brand new electric model.  Lets face it I am more than a little petrified to try out the older model with no experience whatsoever in this type of cooking!  What do you think, should I buy one like this fancy newer model?  Any advice welcome blog readers...

Menu plan week 15 and 16

Last week's budget came in great at $327 for the fortnight.  But boy it is hard work.  And a busy fortnight meant that dinner was spaghetti on toast a couple of times.  Oh well, guess nobody is perfect and its better than take away I suppose.  I'm quite rushed in my planning for the coming fortnight and I'm still not sure how I am going to fit in my shopping "time" this week.

Wednesday -  Fettucine boscaiola

Thursday – Sausages, mash, peas, carrot and mushroom

Friday – Sausage hotpot with rice

Saturday - Roast chicken, potato, carrot, onion, peas, corn and yorkshire puddings (with gravy)

Sunday – Minute steak burgers with home made wedges

Monday – Picnic lunch and dinner with friends

Tuesday – Bacon and eggs (I need something quick and easy as we will be in a rush)

Wednesday – Lasagna and garlic bread

Thursday -Leftovers

Friday - Sue & Noel's bacon and leek risotto

Saturday – A night out - woo hoo!!

Sunday – Beef and vegetable casserole with rosemary dumplings with Apple and butterscotch sponge pudding (both from latest Superfood ideas) - I never got around to making this last fortnight.

Monday – Enchiladas and rice

Tuesday – Leftovers

Mother-in-laws and scones

There are a few things in this world that I will never be able to do as well as my mother-in-law.  I am sure this is a statement mirrored by many wives!  Don't get me wrong, I love my mother-in-law dearly and don't suffer from any nasty/stressful type of in-law relationship (and no, I'm not just saying that because she reads my blog).  But there are some things that she is really, really good at and making scones is one of them.  For this reason I often don't make them; nothing worse than feeding your husband something when you both know they are no where near as good as the ones his mum makes.  But today I threw caution to the wind and made scones. 

I used a recipe I picked up in a second hand cookbook found at a book stall earlier in the week.  Yes, I am the proud new owner of 3 more cookbooks! I am hoping there is room (and money) in my new kitchen to build a cookbook bookshelf so I can have them all close to hand.

Anyway, haven't tried the scones yet, but you can almost guarantee with generous helpings of jam and cream they will taste fine!

Curried sausages

I tried one of the Masterfoods mixes this week.  To be honest I did not hold out much hope, I'm not a huge fan of ready made meal mixes.  Often they are too salty or the flavour can be a bit too overpowering.  Have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this one.  Now I don't enjoy sausages, but like all good young children my boys love them.  I did make the mistake of not leaving a couple of plain ones aside for them, but not sure what I was thinking.  It was a very nice change from sausages and veg in my opinion and a worthwhile mix to keep in the cupboard.  A nice subtle curry flavour without the spice.