Fried Rice

Mr V is definitely a handy person to have in the kitchen.  His mother raised him to be able to feed himself well.  This is a most sensible skill to teach our sons!  I tend to stay out of his way if he is making food!  I think he could be likened to Chef Ramsey but without the bad language and angry outbursts (so that just leaves the efficient whirlwind part!)

Here is the fried rice he made us.

3 1/2 cups uncooked rice
4 Tbsp lamb fat
left over meat (we used roast lamb)
2 cups of mixed vegetables
2 onions
2 Tbsp tamari sauce
2 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper

1. Melt the lamb fat and put the rice into the frying pan.  Fry until the rice is very golden brown; about 5 minutes.
2. Add the left over meat and any vegetables that require longer cooking such as carrots.  Heat these through.
3. Toss the chopped onion, tamari sauce and curry powder through the rice and meat.
4. Add 7 cups of water slowly one at a time stirring constantly.
5. When the rice is cooked, add any remaining vegetables.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve.

Broken Glass Jelly

Fun to make.  Yummy to eat. 

1 packet of red jelly crystals
1 packet of green jelly crystals
1 tin of sweetened condensed milk (about 1 1/4 cup)
2 tbsp gelatin powder

1. Make up the red jelly with ONE CUP of boiling water.  
2. Make up the green jelly with ONE CUP of boiling water.
3. Put these in the fridge to set.  They will be very firm which is how you need them.
4. Cut the firm, set jelly into cubes about 1cm and carefully mix the two colours in a dish.
5. Put 2 Tbsp of gelatin powder into 1/2 a cup of cold water and let it bloom (the process where the powdered gelatin swells and softens).
6. Add 1/2 a cup of boiling water and dissolve the gelatin.  Add the tin of condensed milk and stir to combine.
7. Allow to cool and pour over the coloured cubes.
   
8. Put it in the fridge to set.
9. Once set, cut into shapes of your choice and serve.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Bacon Bake

Cheesy Ham and Potato Bacon Bake

10 medium sized potatoes
2 kumara
2 onions
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup of left over roast lamb
1 large bok choy
1 bunch spinach
1 large kale leaf
1 250g tub of cream cheese
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
8 slices of bacon

1. Cook the potatoes until tender.  Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oven to 180 degrees C.  Grease an oven dish.
3. In a frying pan melt the butter and add the onion, saute until tender.  Add them to the potatoes.
4. Add the green vegetables meat and cream cheese to the potatoes and onion.  Stir to combine.
5. Put this into the oven dish and top with cheese.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until heated through and golden.

~Lorna

BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole

BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole

So easy and so yummy.

500g chicken
500g pasta
1 cup corn
3 tomatoes
1 onion diced
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
salt
pepper
1 1/2 cups ranch dressing
3/4 cup bbq sauce
1 cup cheese

1. Cook pasta until nearly done.  Set aside.
2. Cook the chicken and remove from bones.  Chop and set aside.
3. Heat oven to 180 degrees C and lightly grease a casserole dish.
4. In a large bowl combine diced tomatoes, diced onion, corn, cooked pasta and chopped chicken.  Add salt and pepper.  Mix well.
5. Mix the ranch dressing and bbq sauce well, and pour it in the bowl with other ingredients stirring to combine.  
6. Mix the first amount of cheese through.
7. Transfer the mixture into the casserole dish and spread it evenly.  Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

Recipe sourced from Will Cook For Smiles

~Lorna

Maple Glazed Sausages

Maple Glazed Sausages

This sounded delicious, and it is... if you like sweet things!

18 real lamb sausages

1/2 cup of real maple syrup

1/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1. Cook the sausages and drain off the fat.
2. Tip the final 3 ingredients in the pan and heat until bubbling and the sausages are nicely coated.
3. Serve with fluffy white rice and vegetables.

~Lorna

Vegetable Soup

Known as "floaty" soup in our family as we so often have thick blended soups.  This is a welcome change sometimes! 

4 litres of meat stock

3 carrots

1 parsnip

2 potato

2 kumara

3 onions

1 cup frozen corn

2 sticks of celery

salt, pepper, herbs, spices to flavour

1. Bring the stock to the boil.

2. While the stock is getting to the boil, cut the vegetables into small bites sized chunks in the order given and add them to the pot as you go. 

3. Turn down to a simmer until veggies are soft.

4. Add flavourings.

We serve this soup with warm from the oven home made buns, cheese slices and chutney.

{{Photos to come}}

~Lorna

Orange Vegetable Soup

Another favourite lunch soup for our family is our orange vegetable soup.

The bone broth gives flavour, and the small amount of fat in the broth helps to make you feel full.  The split red lentils are high in protein which also give you that "satisfied" feeling at the end of the meal. 

This recipe feeds 4 adults and 4 children.

4 litres of meat stock

1/4 of a large pumpkin or half a small  pumpkin

4 carrots

2 kumara

2 onions

1 cup of split red lentils

salt, pepper, herbs, spices to flavour

1. Put first 6 ingredients in a pot.  Bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer until veggies are soft.

2. Blend the soup.

3. Add flavourings.

4. Optional – if the soup is thinner than you require, thicken with cornflour

    (add cold water to 2Tbsp of cornflour to make a paste, then add to the soup stirring well)

Serve with grated cheese (parmesan is nice), sour cream, croutons, home made bread dippers, parsely



~Lorna

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin soup is a winter lunch staple for our family, served with home made bread dipping sticks.  

The bone broth gives flavour, and the small amount of fat in the broth helps to make you feel full.  The split red lentils are high in protein which also give you that "satisfied" feeling at the end of the meal.  

4 litres of bone broth or stock

1/2 a large pumpkin or one small pumpkin

2 onions

1 cup of split red lentils

salt, pepper, herbs, spices to flavour

1. Put first 4 ingredients in a pot.  Bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer until pumpkin is soft.

2. Blend the soup.

3. Add flavourings.

4. Optional – if the soup is thinner than you require, thicken with cornflour

    (add cold water to 4Tbsp of cornflour to make a paste, then add to the soup stirring well)

Serve with grated cheese (parmesan is nice), sour cream, croutons, home made bread dippers, parsely

This recipe feeds 4 adults and 4 children.

{{Photos to come}}

~Lorna

Home Made Hot Chocolate Mix

I like to make things from scratch when I can; that way I know what is in it.  I found some hot choc recipes and after a bit of trying it out this is our version.

4 cups of icing sugar
2 cups of cocoa
5 cups of whole milk powder
4 tsp cornflour
2 tsp salt (we use a mineral rich salt like Himalayan Salt - much nicer, much healthier)
2 pinches cayenne pepper
Sometimes I put in a little bit of cinnamon

Sift all the ingredients together.  Store in a jar.  Use 1 Tablespoon per cup of hot chocolate topped with water and milk if so desired.

{{Photos to come}}

~Lorna

Baked Potatoes and Bacon and Egg Bake

Baked Potatoes, Bacon and Egg Bake, Salad

Baked Potatoes with festive left overs
Clockwise from top (Bacon/Egg Bake, Macaroni Cheese left overs, Sour Cream, Coleslaw, Home Cooked Beetroot, Lettuce/Cucumber salad with cranberries, Steamed Red Onion and Green Capsicum)

Baked Potatoes

When I think of baked potatoes I think of too much work or too messy.  These are neither!  They are easy and delicious.

To cut these potatoes slice a small sliver off one side so the potato sits flat, place chopsticks either side, cut across the potato to form 5mm slices

1. Wash the potatoes and cut them as explained above.  Place in a roasting pan.
2. Brush with melted butter or melted lamb fat and sprinkle with a little salt.
3. Cover, and place in the oven at 220 degrees C for 45 minutes.
4. Uncover and cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
5. Remove from the oven and brush them again with butter or fat.
6. Sprinkle with a topping of breadcrumbs, herbs, and grated Parmesan cheese.  
7. Return to the oven and grill until the crumb mixture is golden.

Serve with sour cream, sweet Thai Chili sauce, and steamed red onion and capsicum.

Bacon and Egg Bake

I really like bacon and egg pie.  Last night I just ran out of time so I threw together this and it worked perfectly!

1. Cook 6 slices of bacon that have been chopped up into small cubes.  Put them into a well greased deep oven dish like a loaf pan.
2. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of frozen corn in with the bacon.  Add some onion diced up.
3. Crack 8 eggs over the top and move them about with a soup spoon to ensure they fill in all the gaps.
4. Sprinkle breadcrumbs and herbs on the top.
5. Cook for 30 minutes at 180 - 220 degrees C

Done and delicious!

~Lorna

Berry Meringue Wreath

This is super easy!

12 meringues

Berry jam, sauce, preserve

Whipped cream

Frozen or Fresh berries

Lay the meringues in a circle.  Top with whipped cream.  Pour over some berry sauce.  Top with berries and mint sprigs.

Done! 

Eat....yum!

Chicken Pie Wreath

This was so easy to make and so yummy!

The quantities I will share here feed our family of nine (5 adult serves, 4 child serves)

1x 2kg chicken roasted
4 cups of chopped broccoli 
1 onion
3 garlic cloves
1 capsicum
1 1/3 cups of cream
5 tsp cornflour
2 tsp chicken stock
pepper
2 cups of cheese
pastry - 75 grams butter, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup water (make 3 lots of this)

1. Remove all the meat from the chicken bones and place aside to cool.
2. Put the vegetables in a pot with a small amount of water to steam until bright in colour but still firm.
3. Mix the chicken stock, pepper, and cornflour with a little bit of the cream to form a paste.  Then add the rest of the cream and mix well.  Tip over the cooled chicken.
4. Drain the water from the vegetables and allow them to cool.  
5. Add them to the chicken and cream mixing well to combine.  Put the mixture in the fridge for a few hours.
6. Make the pastry.  Roll out thin and cut into long triangle shapes.  We used 16.
7. Lay 8 triangles in a circle with the tips pointing out of the circle.  Fill with the chicken/vegetable filling and cheese.  Fold the tips over the filling and tuck under the base.  There will be some filling showing, this is ok.
8.  Brush the pastry with egg or milk.
9. Bake at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.
10. Serve

We had ours with stuffing (from the chicken) and coleslaw.