Tuna, Rice, Cheese, Egg thingies with zucchini & semi-dried tomatoes (GF, TMX)

we had a meeting with rora's teacher last week and apparently rora has been turning up to school every day hungry (she has a toasted cheese and ham sandwich for breakfast most days at around 7:30am). she then tells her teacher i haven't sent anything for fruit break (she refuses to have anything sent and tells me she won't eat it if i do) and then eats only the high carb recess snack (i generally also include something with protein etc) and complains of hunger all the way til lunch - another cheese and ham sandwich...

so i had 'operation cook second breakfast for school' today...!!

i made:

• Magic Bean Cake, a chocolate cake with kidney beans in it
• the Banana and Blueberry bread from the TMX GF book: she won't eat the blueberries so i added some choc chips to it. i had no buckwheat flour so used a mix of (for a double batch) 50g lupin flour, 30g besan flour, 50g flaxmeal, 80g brown rice flour and the rest plain flour
• and these tuna and rice thingies... with a tad too much turmeric lol (the turmeric was to hide the zucchini ;))

1 large zucchini, chop ends and into pieces and place in tmx with 2 cloves garlic and some fresh parsley or other herbs and chop speed 7 for around 3 seconds or until as fine as you want.

put in as many semi-dried or sun-dried tomatoes as you want and chop on speed 5 for a few seconds

add in around 1.5 cups cooked basmati or brown rice, around 200g drained tuna, about a cup of grated cheese, 1/2-1 tspn turmeric and 4 eggs.

mix on speed 3 until well mixed.

spoon into a muffin tin and cook at around 150' for about 25-30 mins

Zucchini Pasta - the quick version! (GF or not)

made this tonight - Rora loved it! i was able to easily make a gluten and gluten free version to suit those who don't like GF pasta... it's not low fat but honestly you need the oil so i don't care lol

this is based on a recipe i got from a marcella hazan cookbook and learned when living in italy.

 around 1/2 cup olive oil
4-5 baby or small zucchinis, ends cut off and sliced finely
500g pasta (gluten free or regular)
salt and pepper
around a cup of diced or grated mozzarella cheese of any quality (or pizza cheese like me haha! it was still GOOD!)
2 eggs, lightly beaten

heat water for pasta and add pasta to boiling water. cook accoridng to directions.

heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, over a medium heat. it needs to be hot enough to slightly bubble, but not smoking at all, or browning. add the zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally until the zucchini is see through.

add salt and pepper and stir. keep hot.

when pasta is done drain well then tip into the zucchini saucepan. add egg and cheese and stir well until mixed through and egg is mostly or totally cooked. serve.

YUM!

Macaroni Cheese, second draft (GF, TMX)

Rora and I were much happier with this version, though the sauce is still quite thick. i didn't taste it myself. here's the original

200-300g cheese, cut into chunks (this time I used feta and tasty)
25g butter, cut into cubes
1 tab GF plain flour
350g low fat milk
410g water
1 packet (250g) San Remo GF pasta

put cheeses in TM bowl and chop for 5-10 seconds until in smaller pieces, place in another bowl.

place all other ingredients in TM bowl. cook for 12 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 - you might need to mix the cheese through on speed 4 for a few seconds before it starts cooking.

leave to sit for up to 5 minutes and serve.

Gluten Free Product Review, and TMX directions

Rora and Emelia love this stuff for a weekday lunch!! I don't mind it, but am happy to leave it all for them, Geoff's comment was that it was a 'bit bland', probably why the girls like it so much ;)

With some minor changes to Harmony's directions I can now have a hot GF lunch ready in 20 minutes despite barely lifting a finger hehe

Basco Macaroni & Cheese
serves 2-3

1 packet Basco Macaroni and Cheese
250g hot water
120g milk

Put all ingredients in TM bowl.
Cook for 16 minutes at 90 deg on Reverse and Speed 2

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.

Mum's Quiche Lorraine

this is for one large quiche, but is also fabulous made into mini quiches - just use more pastry and cut out rounds big enough for your cupcake / muffin tray.

shortcrust pastry for your quiche dish (1 sheet of frozen for one large quiche)
1 large onion, chopped
3 bacon rashers, chopped
2 tabs chopped parsley
3 eggs
375ml evaporated skim milk
litte nutmeg & cayenne pepper
1 cup grated cheese

grease your quiche / pie dish and line with pastry. trim off any overhang.
gently fry the onion, bacon and parsley. place into the pastry
mix together eggs, milk, spices. pour over onion / bacon mix.
sprinkle with cheese

bake in 425'F / 220'c oven for 10 minutes, then reduce to 400'F (?'c) for 20 minutes

serve with green salad and crusty bread

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 ;)

2 savory cracker recipes

i haven't tried these - i got them from a book at work and plan to try them gluten free.

here is a recipe to make your own french onion soup mix


Sunflower & Parmesan Biscuits
150g unsalted butter
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 ¼ cups plain flour
2-3 tspns lemon pepper seasoning (or French onion soup mix)
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup grated parmesan, extra

Preheat oven to 180

Beat bugger until light and creamy, add cheeses and combine
Fold in flour and seasoning
Add seeds.
Combined with well floured hand. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead 2-3 mins until smooth
Roll out between 2 sheets of baking paper to 5mm thickness
Cut into 4cm squares
Allow room for spreading, sprinkle extra parmesan on top
Bake 10-15 mins

French Onion Crackers
2 cups plain flour
¼ cup cornflour
2 tabs French onion soup mix
2 tspns dried chives
125g unsalted butter
½ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 180g
Place, flours, soup mix chives and butter in food processor pulse until fine and crumbly
Add sour cream & process further until forms a dough
Turn onto floured surface and knead 30 seconds until smooth
Roll out to 5mm
Cut into 4cm squares, prick with a fork
Bake 20 minutes or until golden

Cheddar Shortbread (GF, TMX)

Cheddar Shortbread
from gluten free and easy by robyn russell

these are lovely! i doubled the recipe so will provide those amounts below. only thing is the cayenne is WAY too much - even geoff and i can hardly eat them, let alone rora LOL next time i'll make them without any i think.


120g cheddar cheese (i used a piece of Ashgrove Cheddar)
220g commercial gluten free plain flour (i used white wings)
1 1/2 tspns salt
up to a half tspn cayenne pepper, optional
80g butter, chopped (i used unsalted)
1/2 bunch of chopped chives
approx 120ml milk (just a little over the MC full)

chop the cheese for 4-5 seconds on speed 6, or until it is crumbled, place in a bowl.

add the flour, salt and cayenne if using and mix/sift by setting on closed lid and pulsing with the turbo button 2-3 times

add the butter and mix on speed 6 for 4-5 seconds until it is crumbley and looks a bit like breadcrumbs

add the cheese and chives and drizzle the milk in slowly until it starts to form into a ball. i started with reverse speed 4 and then went down to 3 when that seemed a little fast. it took 70 seconds or 1 min 10 seconds for mine to come together.

remove from thermomix and lay on a piece of baking paper about 40cm long. wrap it and start to roll out into a long sausage shape. wrap in the paper then in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

preheat oven to 180'c
cut into 5mm rounds and place on a lined baking tray. bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown.

update: changes to the recipe here

Links - Biscuits & Cookies #2

link to first lot!

chocolate biscotti

chocolate chip cookies

Koulourakia (Greek Cookie Twists) with cardamom

spicy chewy molasses cookies

sunflower butter cookies

spiced holiday biscotti

cheese biscuits

where's it gone?

my mojo that is. it's been at least a week since i last felt like cooking...

i just have no desire to cook at the moment :(

tonight the kids had nuggets (we didn't even have chips and i absolutely could not be bothered to peel bloody potatoes) and i wasn't even going to cook for us but then got guilty. so our dinner was something they wouldn't eat (and was actually delicious).

inspired by a bagel i had in vermont in 1994 (lol)
Brazen's American-Style Eggs

1 tspn butter or oil
1/2 red onion, finely diced (i was too lazy for this tonight)
1/2 red & 1/2 green capsicum, diced
some ham, diced
sliced mushrooms (optional, i had them leftover from last night's pasta)
heaps of grated tasty cheese - i probably used around 2/3 cup
4-6 eggs
small amount milk or water

heat butter / oil, fry onion, capsicum, ham and mushrooms until softening and smelling good
lightly beat eggs and milk / water then mix in cheese
turn heat down in pan to low and pour in eggs
try to stir it only a few times so it cooks through but doesn't end up scrambled

serve on a bagel, buttered wholemeal toast, or toasted turkish bread like we had

PS: this is the first time i have done this on teh stove, generally i microwave it for a quick breakfast.

PPS: sorry aobut the photo, i didn't think to take a pic til i had nearly finished ;)

i need to come back and post about my thermomix, i've promised a friend i would (but i'm not sure if i'm in the mood atm !)

layered mexican dip

i've made this a few times and really you don't need a recipe, you just use whatever ingredients you have / you feel like at the time :)

eg:
sour cream
guacamole / avocado
diced tomato
salsa
refried beans or kidney beans
chopped olives (black is best but green or a mix would be fine)
taco spices
chopped red onion or green onions
grated tasty cheese
or anything else you like in mexican food :D

just layer it up - try not to make the layers too thick as then you can't get enough flavours on your corn chip lol - and serve with corn chips and any other dippers you want (carrot sticks and capsicum sticks would probably be nice too)


...or see here

Thermomix Pullapart with Cheese & Olives

my team's turn for morning tea at work again today so i decided on waking just after 6 to make a pullapart. remind me not to attempt that on a work morning again will you? LOL i was pulling it out at 815 and racing out the door with it still hot!

i followed baf65's pullapart recipe, which she got from a TMX demonstrator - thank you to you both! i'll copy and paste it here to make it easy to find next time (there will definitely be a next time, just not before work ;))

i got soooo many compliments at work and people were having 2nds and 3rds! they were impressed at how light and fluffy it was and that i had made it myself ;) i think next time i will try a pesto one, yum

thsi recipe makes a large quantity - probably twice the size of the $5-ish bakers delight ones. (i said i should sell them at a profit lol)

750g Bakers Flour
450g lukewarm water
15g yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
5 tbs oil

Filling - 120g herb butter (you can use herbs, garlic, sundried tomatoes, whatever takes your fancy mix in with the butter)

Prepare yeast dough and leave to rise
Roll dough out into a big rectangle
Spread butter over the dough
Cut rectangle in half widthways then cut 3-4cm wide strips lengthways
Fold strips into a concertina and arrange in a springform tin (lined with baking paper on the bottom)
Bake at 180c for 40-45mins (you can put straight into a cold oven without proving again or you can leave to rise and then put into warm oven)

my flavours were
- maybe half a cup of sliced black olives, half of those mixed with the butter on reverse in the tmx and the other half just sprinkled over
- half a block of feta i had left in the fridge, crumbled
- a small amount of tasty cheese sprinkled over the inside and the top

i could have easily doubled the olives and feta, and think brushing the top with milk would have looked nicer :)

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

Links - Vegetarian / Vegetables

borlotti bean mole with roast winter squash

Briami (greek vegie dish)

butternut squash & caramelised onion tart

chickpea & sweet potato fritters

creamy carrot soup

falafel

falafel salad

green beans with caramelised shallots

grilled cheese and basil polenta

haloumi salad with hummus & pita crisps

refried beans (using pinto beans)

roasted autumn vegetable chowder

roasted tomato soup

sesame greens (beans & peas)

shredded brussel sprouts & apples

thermomix fennel & apple soup

zucchini ricotta cheese cake (savoury)

Zucchini Pumpkin & Feta cakes

zucchini & tomato gratin

zucchini or squash soup

see also the salads label

Macaroni Bake

this one has no instructions - i'm assuming you would gently fry the first4 ingredients, mix everything togther in an oven proof dish and back in a 160-180'c oven til the pasta is cooked.

3oz butter
1 onion
1/4 cup celery
1/4 cup capsicum
1/2 cup creamed corn
250g macaroni (uncooked)
3 eggs
1 cup tasty cheese, grated
2 1/2 cups milk
S&P

An old favourite!

This recipe is really yummy, despite coming from a 1960's Sunrise cooking booklet my mother had ;) (I left out the very politically incorrect salt to taste in the recipe btw)

Bavarian Beef Crust Pie

Beef Crust
500g lean beef mince
3 tabs tomato sauce
1/2 cup day old breadcrumbs (boiled rice can be used)
1 onion, chopped
1 tab chopped parsley
pinch cayenne pepper
pinch mixed herbs

Rice Filling
2/3 cup white rice
1/4 cup chopped green capsicum
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or a tin, drained and chopped)
250g shredded cheese
pinch cayenne pepper

Method
Combine all crust ingredients. press onto bottom of a 9" (22-24cm?) pie plate. bake in moderate over 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain any excess fat.

cook rice in boiling water for 12 minutes, adding capsicum for the last 5 minutes, drain. add tomatoes, half the cheese and cayenne pepper. mix well.

spoon rice mix into meat crust and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

return to oven and cook for a further 20 minutes.

Creamy Chicken, Bacon & Veg Enchiladas (TMX)

this dish went through about 10 different incarnations in my mind before i started making it - it was going to be mini shepherds pies for a while there!!

anyway, i think it could have been improved but it was a hit with everyone so i'm noting it down for the future :)

you could do this thermomix or non-tmx.

2 medium orange sweet potatoes / kumara, steamed or microwaved until just cooked then peeled and roughly chopped

a few rashers bacon, roughly chopped
(1 onion, quartered. i didn't have any)
garlic to suit your taste - i used about 4 cloves

chop in tmx for a few seconds on 6, scrape down sides and do a few more seconds if needed
cook for 2 minutes on 100' speed 2

1 large head brocolli, roughly chopped (or 1 pkt spinach, you'd add this at the end though)

chop for a few seconds on speed 6
cook for 2 minutes on 100' speed 3-4

remove bacon / broccoli mix from tmx

make white sauce as per tmx book (less milk - 400ml milk - i used skim - 50g flour, 30g butter, 1/2 tspn salt but instead of nutmeg add a little ground cumin and coriander) also add in sweet potato before cooking.

cooked chicken, most of a BBQ chook or 2 breasts or whatever you have, diced
1 tin kidney beans, drained
(jalepeno peppers, to taste, chopped finely)

mix the broccoli / bacon mix, chicken and beans with the sweet potato sauce (i did this in the tmx but i don't really recommend it, there was too much and it ended up nearly pureed as a result)

put 3-4 spoonfuls into a tortilla of your choice, roll up and place in greased oven dish (i used a lasagne dish)
when finished pour some salsa or passata (with spices would be good, but i couldn't be bothered) over the top then top with grated tasty cheese

bake until cheese is slightly browned.

sorry for the shocking recipe writing, i am just so lazy atm...

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 :)

Calzone cuisine!

dinner tonight was a success - woohoo!! homemade calzones and everyone got to pick what they had on them - i made it VERY clear they weren't pizzas (remember my kids won't eat pizza) and they loved them ;p they also helped prepare and make them.

dough:
1-2 quantities of your favourite pizza dough (i used the thermomix one of course ;))
i put some italian herbs in it

when it's risen enough split into balls and roll out. you're going to fold them in half so put your toppings in the centre of one half of the circle.
fold the other half over and squeeze the edges together. cut some holes/vents in the top (or first initials like we did hehe)
bake in a 220'c oven for around 10-15 mins until cooked.

toppings:
you can use whatever you like! i was imagining a satay chicken, rocket and sweet potato version - yum! here is what we had:
bacon and onion lightly fried
pepperoni shredded
capsicum diced
fetta cheese crumbled
mozzarella cheese
diced roma tomatoes (fresh not tinned)
sliced mushrooms
parmesan cheese
rocket
pasta sauce
sliced black olives