Zucchini Lasagne

Trust me to forget to take photos of this dish as I went along. This recipe I don't have any photos for it as once I thought to take photos of it, it was already made under a layer of melted cheese. I find for my liking, I needed to add a little extra salt in the middle of eating it. I just didn't put enough while I was making it.

*SAUCE:

- 3x400g tins of diced tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons oil
- pinch of salt
- pinch of Italian salad herbs

- Lasagne sheets
- 1 kg zucchini, sliced
- 3 cups fresh ricotta
- salt to taste
- 100g grated parmesan


1. Place all the sauce ingredients in a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the garlic, oil and salt. Cook for 1 minute.


2. Layer in a lasagne dish: sauce, lasagne sheet, zucchini, then ricotta. End with a layer of sauce then top with parmesan.


3. Bake at 180 degrees celcius with lids off until cheese is to your liking on top.  

Teriyaki Chicken and Mushroom Pies

- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 1 kg chicken                                            

- 2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 150g mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup thick teriyaki marinade and sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
- 5 shallots
- 3 sheets puff pastry

1. Place flour in a large bag, add chicken and coat well.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the oil and add the chicken. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes until golden. Return the chicken and any juices. Combine the marinade, stock, and sweet chilli sauce in a jug. Add to the chicken mixture. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes, or until chicken is well coated. Add the chopped shallots.

4. Turn mixture into pies by using a pie cooking machine, or by making a casing out of the pastry and bake for 30-35 minutes.  

Melting Moments

I think this to myself every time I make these biscuits, and do you think I remember? nope. I think these biscuits need to be cooked a little longer, as they feel some what claggy when eaten.

BISCUIT:
- 125g butter
- 2 tablespoons sifted icing sugar     

- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 3/4 cup plain flour
- 1/4 cup cornflour

FILLING:
- 30g butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sifted icing sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1-2 tablespoons milk

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius, and lightly grease a baking tray.

2. Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy (BISCUIT)

3. Sift flours together and combine with the butter mixture (BISCUIT)

4. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls, place 3 cm apart, and flatten with a fork. Bake for 10-20 minutes, until lightly browned.

5. Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the butter, icing sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy, adding enough milk to make a spreadable mixture. Cool biscuits and sandwich 2 biscuits together with this filling.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

I always seem to have trouble getting my beef to stay tender, but this recipe it stays absolutely beautiful. The sauce is tasty, my meat stays tender, and I also add a bit of carrot. Before using this recipe, I didn't know there was a difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce. I thought it would only be the salt content, so when looking for it in the shop, I almost just used all the same as I was having trouble finding the dark one. I'm glad I kept looking though, was totally worth it.

- 1 1/2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour                              
- 800g lean rump steak, sliced thin

- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, extra
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

- 2 teaspoons cornflour, extra

- peanut oil, for frying
- 6 shallots, sliced

- 500g broccoli, sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar

1. Combine the light soy sauce, sugar, and cornflour with 1 tablespoon of water and mix well. Add the beef and toss well. Refrigerate covered for 1 hour.

2. Combine the oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of water then set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the extra cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frypan, stir fry meat until almost cooked and remove and set on paper towel.

4. Add a little extra oil to the frypan, stir fry shallots until fragrant. Add the broccoli, carrot, garlic, salt and sugar. Stir fry for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup of water and over for 3 minutes until the broccoli is tender but crisp. (should be bright green still).

5. Add the beef and the sauce ingredients (step 2) and the cornflour mixture (step 2) and mix well until the sauce thickens.

Vegtable Lo Mein

- a handful of raw spaghetti

- 1 onion                                                            
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic
- 3 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 2 stalks of broccoli
- 1 red capsicum
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce


1. cook spaghetti according to packet.


2. Stir-fry all the vegetables, pepper and ginger. Add the soy sauce.


3. Stir through the cooked spaghetti.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Spaghetti

- 2 chicken breasts

- 4 oz spaghetti                                                  
- 2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1-2 cups cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- pinch of pepper
- 1 clove garlic


1. Cook spaghetti according to packet.


2. Mix the chicken and cajun seasoning in a bowl and coat chicken well. Saute the chicken in the butter until golden.


3. Add the onion, cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic and pepper and mix well.


4. Pour sauce over the cooked spaghetti.

Chicken A La King

I'm still getting used to the idea that it doesn't matter how many different ingredients there are in a recipe, if you use the right combinations of flavours, (even if it is a small amount), the dish could be so tasty. EVEN WITHOUT THE USE OF GARLIC!

- 60g butter                                  
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 2 cups of milk
- 1 kg of chicken
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup of dry sherry
- 350g mushrooms, sliced
-  1 red capsicum, sliced
- 8 shallots, sliced
- salt and pepper

1. Cook the chicken and add the sherry. Simmer for 2 minutes and set aside.

2. Cook the mushrooms, capsicum, and 1/2 the shallots for 5-7 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan.

3. In a pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring the mixture to the boil. Simmer until it thickens.

4. Stir the thickened sauce into the chicken mixture and season with salt and pepper.