Meat Pies

It's been 5 years since I made these meat pies last and I could not remember how to make the gravy. I had a rough idea, but didn't really know the measurements, so I had to just throw it together and hope for the best. I'm glad they worked out.

- beef chunks                              
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 onion sliced
- 2-3 teaspoons beef stock powder
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper
- puff pastry

1. Cook the beef chunks with the onion and garlic and until browned.

2. Sprinkle the beef stock powder, salt and pepper all over the meat.

3. Add the flour worcestershire sauce and water over the stock powder. Stir until combined.

4.  Leave to cool.

5.Once cool, use the mixture to make the inside of pies. 

A Trio of Bruschetta

I find bruschetta to be quite a simple starter, but it also makes a great snack as well. In the warmer seasons, it is nice and refreshing. When I make bruschetta, I like to take the seeds out because I don't like the seeds of the tomatoes. 

*my measurements aren't accurate in bruschetta as I go by taste.*

*all the bruschetta has the same method... just throw it altogether and toss. Serve on grilled bread*

1.

Bruschetta Greca:

- 3 tomatoes

- 1 tsp garlic

- a few olives (to your liking) , sliced thin

- a little bit of feta cheese (to your liking) cubed small

- a few leaves of oregano, chopped fine

- a squeeze of lemon juice

- a spash of olive oil

- some salt and pepper

2. 

Bruschetta al Pomodoro:

- 3 tomatoes

- some red onion

- 1 tsp garlic

- a few leaves of basil, chopped fine

- some salt and pepper

- a splash of olive oil

3.

Bruschetta Messicana:

- 3 tomatoes

- some red onion

- some jalapeno chilli finely chopped

- a squeeze of lime juice

- a splash of olive oil

- some salt

Greek Politiko Briam

For something with such little ingredients in it, I am surprised how tasty it is. Also this was my first time making Bechamel sauce. It's a lot easier than I thought it was.

- 1 kg zucchini, sliced                  
- 1 kg potatoes, sliced
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 150ml olive oil
- 200ml water
- salt and pepper to taste

Bechamel sauce:
- 1 litre fresh milk
- 250g butter
- 1 cup flour
- 200g grated parmesan cheese (2/3 for the the sauce, 1/3 for the top)

1. Place all ingredients (except bechamel sauce ingredients) in an oven dish and season with salt and pepper.

2. Bake this in a preheated oven, 200 degrees celcius, for 1 hour, until all the water is absorbed and the vegetables are golden.

To make the sauce:

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, gently heat the butter until it melts.

2. Add the flour and stir constantly.

3. Add half of the milk and continuously stir with a whisk.

4. When the sauce starts to thicken, add the rest of the milk while stirring.

5. When the sauce thickens more, turn the temperature down to the minimum and add 2/3 of the cheese.

6. Spread sauce over the baked food, sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese on top, and bake in the oven at 160 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. 

chocolate banoffee pie

These pies are really sweet. Instead of making 1 big pie, I decided to make 4 individual smaller ones. I'm not a fan of bananas either, so I made myself one without the banana as well.

- 250g Arnotts Marie biscuits, smashed up  
- 250g butter, melted
- 300ml thickened cream
- 30g Cadbury flake, crumbled
- 46g Cadbury picnic, chopped
- 53g snickers, chopped
- 380g can Nestle caramel top 'n' fill
- 3 bananas, sliced

1. Mix the melted butter and the smashed biscuits together. Press the mixture evenly over the bases and sides of tart tins. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Transfer the bases to plates. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream until soft peaks form. Combine chocolates in a separate bowl.

3. Spread caramel over the biscuit base. Arrange banana in a single layer over the caramel. Top with cream and mixed chocolate. 

Basic Sponge Cake

As the title suggests, this sponge cake is so easy to make. I made this cake when I came home from work wanting something yummy for after dinner. I had to end up finishing the cake in my lounge room, because our cat decided to have her kittens in the laundry which is near my kitchen.
Also, the original recipe said to cook it for 20 minutes. I'm not sure if it's my oven, but I found I had to cook it for 30 minutes.

- 1/3 cup cornflour                  
- 1/3 cup plain flour
- 1/3 cup cornflour
- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 eggs

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celcius. Sift the flours together with the salt.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar for around 6 minutes, until thick and pale, and tripled in volume.

3. Gradually fold in the flour mixture. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cooked.

4. Slice cake in half, spread thickened cream over the base and top with sliced strawberries. Place the top half the cake back on and serve.

Pastel Azteca

The first time I tried a dish like this was in 2010 at Mollymook Golf Club. It was the most delicious dish I had tasted in a while. I finally decided to look for a recipe to make it, and came across this one. I cheated a little bit though, as it being a spur of the moment decision to make it for dinner, I bought tortillas already made in a box instead of making my own.

72 Golf Avenue  Mollymook NSW 2539
(02)4455 1911

- 3 zucchini, cut into small chunks

- some muchrooms, sliced

- 1 onion, sliced

- 3 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob

- 1 capsicum, diced small                                       

- olive oil

- 2 teaspoons cumin

- salt and pepper

- dolmio tomato, onion and roast garlic pasta sauce

- tortillas

- sour cream

- grated mozzarella

1. Saute the zucchini, mushrooms, onion, corn,and capsicum in hot oil for 5 minutes, or until vegetables start to soften. Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for another 1 minute.

2. In a baking dish, spoon pasta sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. layer with tortillas, and top with a thin layer of sour cream and cheese. Spoon 1/2 the zucchini mixture over cheese. Top with sauce, and repeat layers with remaining ingredients.

3. Bake at 200 degrees celcius for around 30 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Indian Cashew Nut Biryani

I don't like coriander, so I leave it out. If the recipe requires me to use it, 99% of the time I will leave it out. This recipe required a handful of coriander leaves, but it was only for the garnishing.

- a pinch of saffron strands
- 1 1/2 cups boiling chicken stock                  
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon canola oil

- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon tumeric
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1/2 cup plain yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cashew nuts

1. Soak the saffron threads in the boiling stock.

2. Heat the butter and oil in a large fry pan over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the beans and cook for 3 minutes.

4.  Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, tumeric, cumin and chili powder and cook, stirring for a minute.

5. Add the rice and cook for a minute, stirring to coat the grains.

6. Add the stock, yoghurt and salt, stir to combine, then bring to the boil and cover with a lid.

7. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for  20 minutes without lifting the lid.

8. Add the cashew nuts and fluff up the rice gently with a fork.