Pumpkin pie

This pie is so sweet and yummy.

- 2 cups pumpkin purée 

- shortcrust pastry

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

- 3 eggs, lightly whisked

- 1/2 cup milk

- 5oz can evaporated milk

1. Combine the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the eggs.

2. Add both of the milks and mix well. 

3. Line a pie dish with the shortcrust pastry and pour the mixture into the case. Bake for 30 minutes at 190 degrees celcius until skewer comes out clean.  

Apple hand pies

I made these for my mum as I don't like cooked fruit. She says they are absolutely delicious. 

- short crust pastry

- 1 Apple, cut into 8

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon lemon juice

- 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients together except the pastry. 

2. Cut the pastry into 4 squares, and each square in half to make a triangle. Place one wedge of Apple on a triangle and wrap it up. 

3 bake on a lined oven tray at 180 degrees celcius, for 12 minutes. 

Potato chop

I wasn't a huge fan of these stuffed potato balls, but my mum and dad couldn't stop eating them. I think I didn't enjoy the texture. 

For the potato dough:

- 1kg potatoes, boiled, mashed and cooled

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING: 

- 1/2 kg mince

- 1/2 tablespoon oil

- 1 medium onion finely chopped

- 3/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon 7 spice

- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 

1. Heat the oil in a pan and cook the mince. Add the rest of the filling ingredients and set aside.

2. Add the cornstarch to the cooled potato. Break off walnut sized pieces. 

3. Hold the ball in one hand, and use your thumb to hollow the centre. Fill the hole with filling, and pinch edges closed. Fry until brown. 

Spinach dip bites

I was actually surprised how tasty these were. It was the first time using and even tasting artichoke hearts. I must admit I do like them. 

- puff pastry

- 2 cups frozen spinach

- 3oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 

- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

- 4 oz cream cheese

- 3/4 cups shredded mozzarella 

- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

- pepper to taste 

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. In a bowl, combine the spinach, artichokes, garlic and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. 

2. Cut the pastry into squares and line muffin holes with it. 

3. Scoop the spinach mixture into the pastry cases and bake for 15-17 minutes. 

Pizza tarts

The original recipe for this just asks for sauce, onion, and capsicum. I threw some diced bacon in as well. This is a great recipe to get your pizza making ideas out. You can grow anything in them. 

- puff pastry

- 2 tablespoons pizza sauce

- 1 tablespoon grated mozzarella 

- 1 red onion, sliced

- 1 red capsicum, diced

- Italian seasoning 

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius. Cut pastry into squares and line muffin holes with them. 

2. Spoon a little sauce in the centre of each square. Top with a few slices of onion and a few bits of capsicum. Sprinkle with a little Italian seasoning. 

3. Bake for 13-17 minutes until puffed and golden. 

Greek honey cake

This cake reminds me of a carrot cake minus the carrot, or a banana cake, minus the banana. With the walnuts and honey in it, it reminds me of baklava as well. 

- 1 cup flour

- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon orange zest

- 3/4 cup butter

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 3 eggs

- 1/4 cup milk

- 1 cup chopped walnuts

SYRUP:

- 1 cup sugar

- 1 cup honey

- 3/4 cup water

- 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celcius. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and rind. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and (3/4 cup) sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time and add milk. Mix in the flour mixture and the walnuts. 

3. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked. Cool for 15 minutes and pierce a few holes in the top. 

4. To make syrup. 

In a saucepan, combine the honey, sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. 

Pour over cake 

Kuku paka (East African chicken in coconut sauce)

If you like spicy then this is the dish for you! I added a whole can of coconut milk and think I'll have to eat the dish with a pile of rice. 

Marinade:

- 1 teaspoon diced chilli (I grated mine)

- 1 teaspoon ginger

- 1 teaspoon garlic

- 1/4 teaspoon salt 

Chicken:

- 1 chicken breast

- 3 tablespoons oil

- 6 tablespoons diced red onion

- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic

- 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

- 1 medium tomato, diced 

- 1/4 teaspoon cumin

- 3 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

- I can coconut milk 

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients together and marinate the chicken in the fridge for 1 hour. 

2. Heat oil in a pan and cook the chicken. Remove to a plate. 

3. Brown the onion and add the ginger, garlic and chilli for 1 minute. Add the tomato and cook until soft. 

4. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, salt and chilli powder. 

5. Mix in the milk and boil until thickens. Add the chicken and cook until chicken is fully cooked. 

Chicken chasseur

I'm not sure if this dish is supposed to stay white or have a pink tinge to it. Mine has a pink tinge to it because I used left over canned tomatoes instead of 2 fresh tomatoes. 

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1 tablespoon oil

- 1kg chicken 

- 1/4 cup shallots, cut as small as you can

- 3 cloves garlic

- 10oz mushrooms

- 2 tomatoes, seeded and diced small

- 1/4 cup heavy cream

- 1/2 cup dry white wine

- 1/2 cup chicken stock

- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

- 1 tablespoon flour

1. In a pan, heat the butter and oil together. Season the chicken and cook until golden. Remove to a plate.

2. Cook the shallots and garlic. Add the mushrooms and tomato and cook for 8 minutes. 

3. Add the chicken back to the pan. Add the cream, wine, stock, and lemon juice,. Being to the boil and simmer until the chicken is cooked. 

4. Remove the chicken again and stir in the flour. Cook for 3 minutes. Taste and season and serve with the chicken. 

Afghan lamb with spinach

This dish is so rich and yummy. I almost forgot to add the yoghurt at the end, so I tasted it with and without it. Both ways were delicious. 

- 1/4 kg lamb chunks 

- 1/2 tablespoon flour

- 1 teaspoon olive oil

- 1/2 cup chopped onion

- 1 clove garlic

- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

- pinch nutmeg 

- pinch chilli flakes

- 7oz diced tomatoes 

- 1/4 cup water

- 2 cups spinach leaves 

- 1/8 cup plain yoghurt

- 1/4 teaspoon lemon rind

- salt to taste 

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and dust the lamb with flour.

2. In a pan, heat the oil and cook the lamb. Remove to a plate. 

3. Into the pan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chilli flakes. Stir until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and water. 

4. Return the lamb to the pan. Cover and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. 

5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spinach until it has wilted. Stir in the yoghurt, lemon rind and salt. 

Lasagne roll ups

I found that this recipe asked for 6 lasagne sheets, but I had extra filling and sheets, so I made more to squish them tight into my dish. I suggest doing this too as they didn't like to cooperate and unroll.

- 2 tablespoons oil, divided

- 113g mince

- 1/8 cup diced onion

- 395g crushed tomatoes

- 1 1/2 cloves garlic

- 1 teaspoon dried basil

- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

- 212g ricotta cheese

- 1/2 egg (light whisk in a bowl and use 1/2)

- 1 1/2 tablespoons mozzarella, divided

- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

- pinch salt

- pinch pepper

- 6 fresh lasagne sheets

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. In a pan, heat 1/2 of the oil and cook the mince and onion. Add the tomatoes, garlic, basil, oregano, and the rest of the oil. Season to taste. Cover and simmer. 

2. While the meat sauce is simmering, in a bowl, mix the ricotta, egg, salt, and pepper. Add the parsley, 1 cup of mozzarella and the Parmesan together well. 

3. Spread a little meat mixture on the bottom of your baking dish. 

On each of the lasagne sheets, spread a small amount of the cheese mixture on the bottom, then a little of the meat mixture on top of that. Roll up tight and place the roll seam side down in your baking dish and sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella over the top.

4. Cover with foil, being careful not to touch the cheese and cook for 35 minutes. 

Apologies

Hey guys. I know I haven't been posting much for a while, but I got lazy. I haven't cooked in a while and was preoccupied; but now I'm back, cooking and posting the results again! 

A little while ago, I posted saying that I needed to find some of my pictures again as done went missing (I think). Well I found another part where I kept back ups, but when I tried to fix it on here, it didn't work properly for me. Knowing this made me lazy to post as well. I apologise for that... HOWEVER

If you would like to see the pictures though, I have posted a link to see them on another site. You can see the picture, then click on it to make it big. Then click on the picture again and it will bring you straight here to recipe. 

I'm back. Enjoy :)

http://pin.it/V2RDLPA

Moo goo gai pan

Honestly, the only reason I wanted to cook this was because of the name. I'm glad I did though, because wow it's delicious.

- 1 tablespoon oil

- 1/4 kg diced chicken

- 2 cloves garlic 

- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

- 1 1/2 cups snow peas, sliced

- 1/4 cup water chestnuts 

- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Marinade:

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

- 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce:

- 1/2 cup chicken stock

- 1 tablespoon soy sauce

- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

- 1/2 teaspoon sugar

- 1 teaspoon sesame oil

1. Put all marinade ingredients into a bowl and marinate chicken for 10 minutes.

2. In a pan, heat the oil and cook chicken. Transfer to a bowl.

3. In the same pan, cook the garlic, mushrooms and snow peas for 5 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook for another 2 minutes. 

4. Add the sauce ingredients, cornstarch and water mixture, chicken, and stir until the sauce thickens. 

Chicken and mushroom casserole

I was a little disappointed with this dish. I was expecting it to be nice and creamy and flavoursome. Instead, it was funny and tasted like it was missing something. On the upside, the chicken wasn't dry.

- 4 chicken breasts, sliced 

- salt and pepper

- flour to coat

- 6 tablespoons oil, divided

- 500g mushrooms, sliced thick

- 1 medium onion, diced

- 3 cloves garlic 

Sauce:

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

- 3 tablespoons flour

- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

- 1 cup half and half (or 1/2 cup each of milk and cream)

1. Season both sides of the chicken and dodge in flour. Heat 3 tablespoons oils and brown the chicken. Transfer to a 13x9 baking dish. 

2. Wipe down the pan with paper towel and add the rest of the oil. Salute the mushrooms and onion until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Spread over the chicken. 

3. To make the sauce, melt the butter and whisk in the flour and cook until golden. (1-2 minutes).

4. Add the broth, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and whisk until smooth. Add the half and half. Season to taste. 

5. Pour into the baking dish, cover with foil, and cook for 45 minutes at 180 degrees celcius. 

Chicken Parmesan pasta

I never thought about cooking chicken in salad dressing. I must say it's quite delicious!

- 1 tablespoon Italian dressing (not the creamy kind)

- 1 chicken breast, diced small

- 225g uncooked pasta

- 340g of your favourite pasta sauce

- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

- salt and pepper to taste 

1. Cook the chicken in the dressing until it is brown.

2. Add the pasta and sauce (here I added some water to cover the pasta because I thought you need some liquid). 

Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover for 15 minutes until pasta is tender. 

3. Cover with the Parmesan and then the mozzarella. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.