Macaroni Cheese, first draft (GF, TMX)

Ok, this was not a success but was nearly a complete success! plus rora likes it and it's very simple (once i get the formula right ;)) so i want to note this to know where to start next time...

if you want to experiment yourself please remember all ingredients are VERY approximate!

100g parmesan cheese, cut into chunks
200-300g tasty cheese, cut into chunks
25g butter, cut into cubes
1 tab GF plain flour
350g low fat milk
350g water
1 packet (250g) San Remo GF pasta

put cheeses in TM bowl and chop for ummm 10 seconds until in smaller pieces (i didn't do this and should have!) place in another bowl.

place all other ingredients in TM bowl. cook for 16 minutes on 90' reverse speed 1

scrape sides down and mix with spatula. add cheese and cook for a further 5 minutes on 90' reverse speed 1

mix with spatula and serve.

Homemade Chicken Nuggets (GF, TMX)

not sure this even counts as a recipe, it's so easy! lol

when rora was first diagnosed as coeliac I was able to buy a pack of frozen chicken nuggets from Freedom Foods, however they are no longer making them. mind you at $10 for 10 nuggets i certainly wouldn't have been buying them often!!

so the other night i made a small batch of nuggets to stash in the freezer, partially inspired by the open pack of FF cornflakes which no one likes (yes, kelloggs CF have gluten). you can use any leftover plain cereals, or rice flakes etc. even quinoa flakes might work.

I cut up 2 chicken breasts into large chunks (well, ok, geoff did that bit ;P). i noticed that rora didn't eat that many of them - though i thought the one i tasted was delicious - so i'm thinking next time i might lightly tenderise the chunks with a meat mallet.

i used about 100g of parmesan cheese, which i pulverised in the thermomix, using speed 6-8 until you can hear no more chunks hitting the sides. i then added in some cornflakes, around 1 cup and chopped some more. i deliberately left mine chunky but the larger pieces wouldn't stick so i would recommend making it fine and smooth. place the crumb mix in a bowl.

then you beat an egg in another bowl.

dip each chicken chunk into the egg, then roll in the crumb mix until well covered.

if you have time it's a good idea to refridgerate for a while before cooking, and you can even repeat the process for a second time if you like (i hate crumbing so i just do one layer!). then bake or fry until golden and cooked through - be very careful not to over cook or they will be dry and unappetising!!!! if you bake you might like to spray with a little cooking spray / oil.

serve with gluten free oven fries - we use the aldi ones in the purple packet - and dipping sauce if desired.

Involtini di melanzane

from the Canberra Times Food & Wine supplement on 3/12/08

Involtini di melanzane

serves 4-5 as a main, makes 16 rolls

salsa di pomodoro
3 medium/large eggplants
extra virgin olive oil as needed
1 bunch basil
cheese filling:
250g fresh ricotta, drained
1 free-range egg
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
110g fresh cows milk mozzarella, cut into cubes
1/2 cup (65g) freshly grated parmesan
2-3 tbs toasted pine nuts (optional)

1. to make the filling set aside 2 tabs of parmesan. lightly beat egg and mix in ricotta and seasoning. add mozzarella, remaining parmesan and pine nuts. keep in fridge til needed.
2. use long serrated knife to cut eggplants lengthways into slices 6mm thick. cut slices from the centre section of eggplants - you should get 5-6 slices from each (use leftover for another recipe)
3. sprinkle slices with salt and leave to drain on rack for an hour. rinse off salt and squeeze dry between teatowels.
4. brush lightly on both sides with olive oil, grill both sides (can also fry or bake)
5. to assemble brush a large shallow oven proof dish with olive oil. preheat oven to 180'c
6. lay slices on bench with narrow end closest to you. cut several basil leaves into shreds and sprinkle over slices. spoon a tab of cheese filling onto each at the narrow end. roll slices up around the filling and place seam side down in the dish
7. spoon tomato sauce over rolls and sprinkle on reserved parmesan. bake in oven until hot, about 30 mins.
   
8. leave to rest 10 mins before serving. drizzle with olive oil and scatter with basil leaves. serve warm or at room temp with italian bread and a salad

Salsa di Pomodoro - Tomato Sauce
2 tabs extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
S&P
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
750g rice tomatoes, peeled & seeded, or 2 tins tomatoes including juice, or combination
pinch chilli flakes
1/2 tspn sugar
splash red wine vinegar (optional)
handful basil leaves

1. add a little tomato paste if fresh tomatoes aren't at their best.
2. roughly chop tomatoes.
3. heat oil with onion & pinch salt
4. cover and cook gently for 10 mins, add garlic after 5 mins
5. increase heat and add tomatoes, chilli flakes, sugar, vinegar & pepper, cook for a few minutes
6. turn heat down and simmer, partly covered, for about 30 mins
7. stir occasionally, adding water if necessary
8. sauce is ready when it thickens and oil separates
9. puree with hand blender or food processor *
10. slice basil leaves & add

* this recipe is just made for a thermomix ;)

Pumpkin & Chive Risotto (Thermomix)

based on the "Fresh Mushroom Risotto" from Thermomix's Everyday Cooking.... for every family!

50g parmesan
50g olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled & quartered
500g arborio rice
100g white wine
1100g water
2 Massell chicken or vegie stock cubes, or 2-3 tspns stock powder
400g pumpkin, peeled and diced into 1cm cubes
2/3 cup frozen baby peas (optional, i didn't have any :()
1/2 bunch chives, finely chopped

pulverise parmesan for 10 seconds on speed 9
remove to bowl and keep for serving
place onion in bowl and chop on speed 6 for 2 seconds
add oil and cook for 2 minutes at 100'c speed 1
add rice and wine and cook for 2 minutes at 100'c reverse speed 1
add stock & water and cook for 5 minutes at 100'c reverse speed 1
add pumpkin and cook for 12 minutes at 100'c reverse speed 1
pour the risotto into a large bowl, stir through the chives and parmesan and serve

Rory ate 3 or 4 serves (like double what i had if not more :-o)

Links - Entrees, Appetisers, Dips etc

assorted dips : Basil & Fetta Cheese Dip, Beetroot Dip, Sesame & Ginger Dip, Blue Cheese & Bacon Dip, Avocado & Sardine Dip, Hot Crab Dip, Guacamole, Hommus Dip, Roast Pumpkin Dip, Salmon & Ricotta Dip, Smoked Trout & Dill Dip

Baked Suppli al Telefono - my sister used to make these when we were growing up and they are delicious! but deep fried :( now here's a healthier version!

Monkey Mix Snack Mix (slow cooker)

Thermomix Eggplant & Walnut Dip

Zucchini Slice (Vegetarian)

sorry for the vagueness but i'm writing up for geoff ;p

* 4-5 zucchini
* 1 large carrot
* 1 large onion

chop speed 4 - few seconds at a time, scrape down with spatula and chop again until fine enough.

add in:
* 5 eggs
* 150g self-raising flour, sifted
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 60ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
* cracked black pepper

mix on Reverse speed 3-4 for 15-20 seconds? or until mixed well.

bake in 160-180'c oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked

serve with TM31 bread

Day 2 - No-Meat Week

no pics tonight as i wasn't in the mood (plus i skipped lunch and was very hungry)

we had pizza, was very good.

kids had garlic and parmesan pizza (that is the only pizza they will eat)

we had pizza with bbq & sweet chilli sauces, roast pumpkin, onion, feta, sundried tomatoes and cashews.

bases were the thermomix recipe and i made an extra (sometimes we need more than one batch, but not tonight) which i have put in the freezer so it will be ready to go for another time.

we are still sick ("just" colds this time!) but i haven't been motivated or inspired to do much good cooking yet again. a lot of the organic express order from last week just went into the compost tonight :(

anyway, i have decided a meal plan of easy meals is called for. it's hard balancing the fact you obviously need healthier food when you're unwell but it's harder to actually DO it.

at least last night we had a good (delicious) meal - mum cooked! we always have a family meal to celebrate birthdays and last night's was a roast chicken dinner with a ton of vegies - mmmmm

tonight was quick and simple (otherwise it would have been a choice between takeaway or baked beans on toast for the second time in a week LOL)

spaghetti aglio, olio and - not pepperoncini (the traditional) - parmigiana
spaghetti, we use one packet
olive oil, ummm maybe 1/4 cup?
garlic, finely chopped - i used about 12-15 small cloves, you do need quite a bit though as it provides most of the flavour!
parmesan, grated / shaved / chopped whatever, maybe about 1/3 cup *
parsley, finely chopped, optional

cook spaghetti, drain
heat oil over lowish heat while you chop garlic
gently cook garlic until translucent (you do not want to brown it! if you were using chilli you'd cook it now too)
mix all ingredients and serve :)

* if you want the chilli (it's really really good!) just leave out the parmesan, finely chop one small red chilli and add with the garlic, don't breathe the fumes!!!

to follow we are having homemade (thermomix-made) chocolate custard :)

Chicken Soup for the sickies and Farmhouse bake for us

this recipe for tonight's dinner needs cooked chicken. so instead of buying a BBQ chook i tossed the 1.5kg of chicken breasts i had in the fridge into the slow cooker, sprinkled oregano over it and put a mostly peeled and trimmed bulb of garlic on top. cooked it for maybe 3 hours on high - only because i forgot about it LOL and then turned it down to warm for an hour or so. if there wasn't wine in the recipe i would have put in a splosh of white wine too.

used two of the breasts shredded in the recipe above. 2 of the breasts went into the freezer to use for quick after work meals, and the juices - probably 1.5 cups - which smelled divine, went into a saucepan with a grated carrot and zucchini, and some alphabet pasta, and enough water to cook the pasta and still be chicken soup-y. ryan and rory are currently demolishing it! i would have also put garlic in it for the sick ones, but ryan has a mouth ulcer that is very sensitive so thought it best to be safe than sorry...

the pasta bake will be ready in about 10 minutes, it was pretty easy to make and easy to use as a starting point - i already added spinach and fresh basil into it and feta on top of it lol

review: it was bland :( it kind of grew on me as i ate it but dh wasn't keen. it needed some more oomph - maybe some stock intead of just water, some feta chunks through it and some sliced olives?

spanakopita (well, the cheat's version!)

tonight's dinner was a pretend spanakopita (i'm too lazy to make it properly!) with a quick salad which i was also too lazy to put much effort into - hey, it's friday!

spanakopita, brazen style

2 sheets puff pastry (or do the filo thing if you're less lazy than me lol)
olive oil
1 red onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 pkt greek feta (or any nice firm yet crumbly one), crumbled
a large container of either cottage cheese (drained) or ricotta (low fat for us)
some parmesan if desired (maybe about 1/4-1/3 cup)
black pepper
nutmeg, a pinch
salt, to taste
3 eggs
as much fresh dill, finely chopped, as you like (i love lots but the family aren't as keen)
2-3 bunches spinach (i used a red stemmed chard) or 2 pkts frozen spinach, steamed and drained
hint: as a tupperware addict i have to recommend the salad spinner for draining the spinach, omg it's good! lol

turn oven on to approx 190-200' (i'm not really sure, mine was on 180' but mine cooks hot)
thaw the pastry
gently cook the onion and garlic with oil until soft (i actually did it in the microwave)
basically mix everything else together
grease a pie dish and line with 1 sheet pastry (if you're motivated you might like to blind bake it, far too much effort for me lol)
top with the cheese / spinach mix
top with the other sheet (cut a few slits in teh centre of the top to let the steam escape)
bake for around 30 minutes or so until it's golden brown all across the top.


quick salad
i had plans of making a green salad but was far too lazy to make it lol so i just tossed together a few things and put on a bought dressing. the kids all ate different bits but love salads like this :)

1 tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 tin corn kernels, drained
few small tomatoes, in large dice (i used some cute egg ones we grew in our vegie garden!)
baby beetroots, quartered
mix and toss with italian dressing

Spaghetti Pie

9' pie pan
6 ounces spaghetti
2 tbs. butter or margarine
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 well beaten eggs
1 cup cottage cheese (8 oz.)
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 8 oz can tomatoes, cut up
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. garlic granules
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2 oz.)

Cook and drain spaghetti. Stir butter or margarine, eggs and parmesan cheese into hot spaghetti. Spray a 10' pie plate with Pam. Form spaghetti mixture into a crust in pan. Spread cottage cheese over crust.

Cook ground beef, onion and green pepper until veggies are tender and meat is browned. Drain excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano & garlic salt. Heat. Put meat mixture on top of cottage cheese. Bake uncovered 20 min. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.