My version of Spag Bol

I made this recipe up when I went to make Spaghetti Bolognese one night and found I didn't have some of the "usual" ingredients.
I actually like the flavour of this one, I will probably make it again instead of using my normal recipe!

500g minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons paprika
2-3 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato relish
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4-6 large sundried tomatoes, sliced
420g tin chopped tomatoes

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan. Cook mince, onion & garlic. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
Serve over boiled spagghetti, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4

Chocolate Mousse

I made this for dessert last night. I think it was the first time I have ever made chocolate mousse from scratch! Usually I just use those packet thingies!! But this was yummy and I will definitely be making it again.

150g cooking chocolate
4 eggs, separated
300mL cream
2 tablespoons sugar
grated chocolate

Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Allow to cool slightly, then beat in 4 egg yolks. Beat cream until thick, then fold in chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, then add sugar. Fold egg whites into chocolate & cream mixture.
Pour into serving bowls or glasses (I used martini glasses) and garnish with grated chocolate. Allow to set in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Chocolate & Pistachio Kisses

I've been making these quite a bit lately for dessert when we've had guests or gone to somebody else's place for dinner. They are really simple to make but look ultra impressive! I am almost certain these are a Jo Seagar recipe from her old TV show!

4 sheets flaky pastry
2 Mars bars, chopped (I've been using the new Moro Gold bars lately)
1 cup pistachio nuts

Cut the sheets of flaky pastry into quarters. On a floured surface, roll out to make each quarter a bit thinner and bigger.
Place a few nuts and a few pieces of chocolate in the centre, then fold up the corners and twist.
Bake at 200C for 15-20 min.

Serve with whipped cream and chocolate sauce!

Best-Ever Cafe Scones

I feel so very fortunate to have this recipe! We used to have an on-site cafe at work, and they made the most delicious scones every day. When the cafe closed down, a lot of people asked the chef for her famous scone recipe, and surprisingly, she obliged!!

4 cups self-raising flour
pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups (300mL) cream
1 1/4 cups (300mL) water
milk for glazing

Sift flour and salt into bowl. Gradually stir in the cream and water, then mix with your hands to a soft dough. Pat or roll the dough on a floured surface until 2.5cm thick.
Cut into rounds using a 6.5cm cutter. Place scones on baking tray, almost touching. Brush tops with milk and bake at 220C for approx. 15 min.

Makes 16 scones

Biscuit Cake Slice

My mum got this recipe from a friend years ago, after we went to a party at her house and everybody was raving about this slice!! It is super easy to make and you don't need to use your oven :-)
The recipe can be doubled, which I usually do!

1/2 tin sweetened condensed milk
2T cocoa
125g butter
250g plain biscuits (eg. malt, round wine)

Melt butter, condensed milk and cocoa in a saucepan. Mix with the crushed biscuits. Press into a slice tin and ice with chocolate icing. Set in the refrigerator.

Kedgeree

Kedgeree is a firm family favourite in our household. Both my boys just love it!!
Best of all, it is really easy to make and is a good standby for days when you forget to take meat out of the freezer :-)

500g smoked fish (we usually use canned fish, but fresh is even nicer)
2T butter
2 tsp curry powder
1 large onion, chopped
3 eggs, hard boiled
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
2T chopped parsley

Steam fish over a low heat.
Melt butter in a frypan, add curry powder and cook until fragrant. Add onion and saute until soft. Meanwhile, place rice and water in a large dish and cook in the microwave for 14 min (or use the "rice" setting).
Chop eggs and flake fish. Mix into hot rice with the onion mixture. Stir to combine and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves 4

Oven-Fried Lemon Chicken

When I was a teenager living at home, I used to cook dinner once a week. This (along with Lasagne) was one of the first dishes I ever cooked. I found the recipe in a really old cookbook of my mum's that she never used!

1.5kg chicken pieces
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp paprika
100g butter

Lemon Sauce:
1 dessert spoon soy sauce
1 dessert spoon grated lemon zest
1 clove crushed garlic
salt & pepper
1/4 cup oil
1/3 cup lemon juice

To make the lemon sauce, combine all ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Combine flour, salt, pepper & paprika. Toss chicken pieces in seasoned flour. Grease large ovenproof dish and place chicken skin-side down in a single layer. Melt butter and spoon over chicken.
Bake, uncovered, at 195C for 30 min. Turn chicken, spoon over lemon sauce and cook for a further 30 min, basting occasionally.

Serves 4

Snickerdoodles

You just gotta love the name of these, and they taste great too. This recipe makes heaps of cookies (50) so I often use half the mixture and then freeze the rest to use another time.

250g butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Topping:
Mix together 4T sugar & 2 tsp cinnamon

Cream butter, sugar & eggs. Blend in flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough into balls. Roll balls in topping and place on baking sheets. Leave at least 4cm between them as they spread during cooking.
Bake at 200C for 8-10 min.

Easy Chocolate Brownie

Without a doubt, this is the easiest chocolate brownie recipe I've ever tried! It's not as rich, dense and crackly as a normal brownie, but this particular one is so quick to make and kids really love it because it is not too rich.

100g butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

Melt butter. Mix in all other ingredients and pour into slice dish. Bake at 180C for 15-20 min.
When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar or ice with chocolate icing.

Pesto & Blue Cheese Pasta

This is one of Rob's favourite dishes, since he loves Blue cheese! I'm not a big fan of Blue cheese but it is really nice in this dish, and a good way to gradually introduce Blue cheese onto the menu!

500g pasta, cooked
1 large red capsicum, diced
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn
2T olive oil
2T basil pesto
1 tsp crushed garlic
150g blue cheese, crumbled
2T pine nuts
ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Season and garnish with basil leaves.
Serves 4

Cob loaf dip

This is a really delicious dip to serve at parties. It is extremely "moreish" so beware!
PS. a cob loaf is just a large, round loaf of bread.

2 x 250g cartons cream cheese
2 cups grated tasty cheese
2T tomato relish or sweet chilli sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
whole bunch chopped spring onions
2 tsp crushed garlic
large bunch chopped parsley
cob loaf

Mash all ingredients together. Cut circle lid off cob loaf and scoop bread out.
Fill loaf with dip mixture and replace lid. Wrap in tinfoil and cook at 180C for 1.5 hours.
Serve hot with pita bread, french stick and/or veggie sticks.

Mince & Pasta Bake

This recipe is adapted from one in the NZ Beef & Lamb brochure. It is a really quick and easy mince dish and the cream cheese pasta topping is really yummy! Both the boys really enjoy this one.

450g lean minced beef
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
150g mushrooms, sliced
400g can tomatoes in juice, chopped
2T tomato purée
1 tsp dried mixed herbs

For the topping:
225g dry pasta
200g cream cheese
150g grated cheese

In a large non-stick saucepan, dry fry the mince until browned. Meanwhile, boil the pasta. Add the onion, zucchini and mushrooms to the meat and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Place meat mixture in an ovenproof dish.
Drain the pasta and stir in the cream cheese and ½ the grated cheese. Place on top of the meat mixture and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake at 200ºC for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Lemon & Thyme Infused Chicken & Spinach Risotto

This is one of our favourite dishes, and the kids usually like it, too!
I made this for a work lunch today (for 10 people), and it went down a treat.

1T olive oil or butter
400g chicken breast, cubed
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
3 1/2 cups chicken stock (I use 2 1/2 cups chicken stock and 1 cup bacon stock)
1/4 cup white wine
1 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
1T lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 cups fresh spinach, washed and chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large frypan. Cook chicken and remove from pan. Saute onion and garlic until soft, then add rice and cook for 1 minute.
Gradually add wine and stock, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer for 10 min, stirring often.Add chicken, lemon zest, lemon juice and thyme. Cover and simmer for 6 min, stirring once or twice.
Add spinach. Cover and simmer for 3 min.
Add Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Stir to combine.
Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Sausage & Potato Bake

Rob created this recipe last night, and it was a hit with the kids!

3 medium potatoes
1 small kumara
8 sizzler sausages
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 can pesto-style tomatoes
1T barbeque sauce
1 1/2 cups mixed veggies
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Peel & chop potatoes and kumara. Boil until soft, then mash with milk & butter.
Chop sausages and brown in a frying pan with garlic. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Add tomatoes, barbeque sauce and mixed veggies. Cook for 5 min until veggies are cooked.
Transfer sausage mixture into a lasagne dish and then layer mashed potato & kumara on top. Sprinkle with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake at 180 C for approximately 20 min.
Serves 4-5.

Nana's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was passed down from my Nana to my Mum, and then to me. Making (and eating) these cookies will always remind me of Saturday baking days at Nana's house, and of my childhood when Mum made them.

250g softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons condensed milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200g chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugar and condensed milk together until smooth & creamy. Add other ingredients and mix well. Roll into balls and place on a baking tray. Flatten with a fork.
Bake at 180 degrees C for approximately 10-12 min.
Makes about 40 cookies.