Perfect Pesto with Pasta On a Budget.
These is my oldest daughters favourite pasta dish
“Mummy make the green pasta please” she would say.
This pasta dish is fast three steps & you are done & think how much goodies is in this pesto, Fresh baby spinach the pepper rocket & don’t forget the star of the pesto Basil !
You can eat pasta just with pesto, but the crunchy bacon topping just taste divine.
500g dried egg pasta or Fresh pasta of your choice.
2 teaspoon salt
4 cup boil water
Pesto :
1 bunch rocket
1/2 bunch basil
1 cup baby spinach
1 small zucchini
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts,toasted
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
salt & pepper
Pasta Topping
dash Oliver oil
4 rashes bacon,diced
1 med onion or 3 shallots,sliced
1 cup button mushrooms,sliced
1 small Zucchini sliced
extra Parmesan cheese & same pine nuts to sever with the pasta
Method: Set the 5L saucepan on high heat then add the boil water & fine salt. Wait to water comes to boil add the pasta. Cook & drain the pasta & wash with cold water.
To make the Pesto: Tear the rocket leaves & place in the food processor & peel the garlic & crush lightly add to the food processor Add the remaining ingredients , pine nuts, Parmesan,olive oil, baby spinach, basil, zucchini & white wine vinegar to the food processor & puree until it forms a smooth paste. Season with salt & pepper
To make the pasta topping : Hot saucepan add oil, bacon & brown really well.
When really brown bacon adds more flavour to the dish,now add the onions but if you are using shallots add them at the end.
Time to add small zucchini, if the kids don’t like zucchini remember you have got one in the pesto !
Add the cut mushroom. When mushroom are cook.
Fold the pesto in the pasta & sever on a plate,add bacon topping.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top .
Tip : If you think pine nut to expense try use almond they can do.
You can add cherry tomatoes at the end, if you what.
When I sever this to guest I add Toasted pine nuts on top.
15
Oct
Posted by: admin / Category:
QuickBread & Muffins,
Tips
This recipe Orange & Banana Quick bread or muffins , so light & healthy delight to eat.
This is my mummy favorite Orange & Banana Quickbread ,
It’s so good for her be low Gi & great for all the dairy free people out there .
This quick bread so fast & easy to make all you need is one big bowl & a spoon takes about 15 minutes to put together , then place in oven .
I love the smell in my kitchen when I take the fresh baked Orange & Banana Quick bread or Muffins out of the oven.
3 ripe banana ,mashed [about 1 cup]
3 orange juice [125ml] & zest
2 egg
1 teaspoon ginger
1 tblsp vegetable oil
1 cup orange juice low in sugar
3 cup self-raising flour, sift
1/2 cup Low GI sugar
1/4 cup linseed’s
sunflower seeds
METHOD: Mash the banana using a Potato masher
in a large Mixing Bowl add ginger , eggs, juice & vegetable oil .
Whisk
together all these ingredients.
On top of the banana mixture sifted the flour add the linseeds, please don’t over mix.
Just fold in the flour using a s Silicone Spatula
until mixture is wet .If you think the mixture to dry: hard to fold the flour in then add 1/4 cup of juice in & fold the milk in.
Pour into a grease loaf tin
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or muffin 12 cup
With the muffin sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake in moderate oven 180*C (350*F) for 1 1/4 hrs .Stand 5 mins before turning onto wire rack to cool Enjoy!
TIP: Have no ripe banana ? You can get 2nds banana at your fruit & vegetables store cost about $2.00
Storage time 3 days Guaranteed the loaf will be eaten be then.
27
Sep
Posted by: admin / Category:
Bake treats,
QuickBread & Muffins,
Tips
This Classic Recipe Easy Savory Pumpkin Quick Bread is so taste and scrumptious and all the flavours just compliment each other.
Enriches with goodness in this recipe.
This quick loaf “Tastes great ” toasted for breakfast or packed in the kids lunch box for school.
Or make savoury muffins ,it’s up to you ?
2oo g cooked mashed pumpkin
1 med carrot
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 shallots, cut
1 cup milk
2 tablespoon fresh or dry rosemary
hand full fresh parley
1 tablespoon smoke paprika
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup linseed
3 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup Raw sugar
METHOD:
- Add in the food processor pumpkin, carrots, shallots & fresh herbs & blend add to a large Mixing Bowl , eggs, milk , vegetable oil .Whisk
together all these ingredients. On top of the wet ingredients mixture sifted the flour add the seeds & paprika , please don’t over mix. Just fold in the flour using a s Silicone Spatula
until mixture is wet .If you think the mixture to dry: hard to fold the flour in then add 1/4 cup of milk in & fold the milk in.
- Pour into a grease loaf tin
Sprinkle with same pumpkin seeds or muffin 12 cup
Bake in moderate 180*C ( 350*F) oven for 1 1/4 hrs .Stand 5 mins before turning onto wire rack to cool Enjoy!
TIP: Storage time 3 days Guaranteed the loaf will be eaten be then.
This recipe is easy & fast Chicken, marinade the night befor 0r for 35 mins it’s up to you ?
Chicken is marinade, so the meat just suck up all beautiful flavours, skin just taste so crisp & sticky at the same time , the chicken meat so moist & enhance flavour taste great to eat hot or cold !!!
The gravy just taste divine .
Try out this Chicken recipes guaranteed it hit the Comfort Zone.
Preparation time : 20 mins
Cooking time : 1 hour
1 or 2 No 1o chicken
2 tsp ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup honey
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup water
6 garlic chives
1 chill optional
1/4 cup sesames sprinkle on top
Method :
- Preheat oven at 200*C / 400*F
- Place chicken breast down in a baking tray ,press down on the
backbone & break the backbone in three place , so the chicken is flat. Put the chicken, skin-side up , in the dish.
- Put the ginger, soy,hoisin , honey , chill , chives & sesame oil in a blow, whisk well with a fork, then spoon over chicken.
Sprinkle the sesames over the chicken , don’t forget the legs & wings with the sesames.
- Pour water around chickens, cover with foil & bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil & cook for 15 minutes.
- Cut chicken into serving sized pieces & serve with gravy or not ?
24 Pc Chinese Porcelain Dinner Set Service for 4 – True Blue
- Tips : The first night we have the meat with on gravy the next night reheat the gravy up with the left over chicken meat .
The gravy taste divine because the flavours have fully develop.
Chinese Hot Sour Soup Cooking Kit with Chinese Bowls & Spoons
Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
The Chinese Feast
reuseable acrylic COLORFUL clothes pin chop sticks Translucent Clothespin Chopsticks (set of 6 pairs) EASY TO USE
02
Aug
Posted by: admin / Category:
Salads,
Sauce,
Tips
This recipes is a good base mayonnaise for all your yummy Cesar Or Aioli or Seafood sauce & much much more you can do with this good mayonnaise recipe .
The secret success to this mayonnaise is a light oil & not a olive oil this make your mayonnaise too heavy .
Add the warm water at the end of the mayonnaise takes the egg taste away, gives you a velvet smooth mayonnaise !!!
2 egg yolks
2-3 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 cup Rice bran oil
white pepper & salt to taste
2 tblsp warm water
Method :
- Place the egg yolks, vinegar & seasoning in the food processor Or blender. Using the pulse action, process for 15 seconds until blended.
- with motor running, add oil Slowly in a thin steady stream until all oil is added & mixture is thick & creamy.
- Tips: This mayonnaise is used for all my mayonnaise base.
Like my Summer Classic Coleslaw Or Aioli which is 3 cloves garlic mayo taste great with any Crumbed seafood or Fish ,meat, crumbed chicken.Really nice when you roasted garlic mashed, then add to the mayo. I have made a Basil Aioli
( 1cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves) taste great served with lamb.
Seafood sauce : dash tomato sauce , dash Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 lemon juice, 2to 3drop hot chill sauce
Caesar dressing: fresh 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 clove garlic ,dash Worcestershire sauce 2 anchovies
Lipper Dark Cherry Finished 7-Piece Salad Set with Large Bowl, 4 Small Bowls and Servers
Solid Wooden Salad Bowl Gift Set – With Pasta Sauce, Pasta, Oil, and Vinegar
Villeroy & Boch Salad Serving Set (2 pound) by igourmet.com
02
Jul
Posted by: admin / Category:
Main meals,
Pastries,
Tips
This recipe I created for my family using left over Roasted lamb & gravy, turning it into whole new meal .Like said ” One meal in a pie” Lamb & Scrumptious Mash you have ever tasty !!! Old Family Favourite.
500g Roasted lamb,sliced in bit size
500ml gravy
6 to 8 mushroom, sliced
MASHED :
6 med potatoes, peeled & sliced
200gm pumpkin,peeled & sliced
4 to5 med Spinach leaves,cut & washed
2 to 3 cloves garlic,mince
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tblsp butter
milk
1pkt puff pastry
METHOD :
- You can do this 2 ways make a family pie /pie dish
or individual pie can use a pie maker. If pie dish oven 180*c / 350*f pasties
- Mix together roast lamb , gravy & mushroom. Put aside
- Place prepare potatoes ,pumpkin in Saucepan with Lid & season with salt & pepper,place a steamer on top & add the prepare spinach & onion .Cook the spinach about 5 mins rinse under cold water & put aside
- When potatoes & pumpkin are cooked mashed the potatoes mixture & add the butter , milk , season , cheese & garlic.Fold in spinach & onion.
- To make the family pie add the puff pastry in a oil pie dish you need about 2 sheets. Bake blind about 10 mins or until light golden colour.
Add the lamb mixture ,then potatoes mixture on top the lamb.
Grated cheese to the potatoes mixture & sprinkle paprika on top , bake for 20 to 30 mins or until the meat is warm & cheese has melted
- To make the individual pie Puff pastry on bottom then lamb,then potatoes mixture. Grated cheese & pastry on top .Let the pie cook the pie for you. Enjoy your fast & easy meal !!!
- Note: Blind baking is when you cook just the pastry so that when you place the pie mixture into the dish it doesn’t go all soggy, it creates that crusty pie texture before the pie contents go into the pastry.
- How to Blind Bake. Grease the pie dish, add the puff sheets.Place some oven bake paper on the pastry . Then on oven bake paper add dry rice then cook for about 10 minutes When remove from oven remove the rice & paper, now you are really for the filling.
28
Jun
Posted by: admin / Category:
Entertain guests,
Main meals,
Roast Meats,
Tips
26
Jun
Posted by: admin / Category:
Entertain guests,
Perfect Pasta,
Seafood,
Soup,
Tips
This Traditional recipe adds a little twist using spectacular seafood, it enriches the flavours of the whole experience of Lasagna. This is a family favorite! This Lasagna is FULL of vegetables for that extra nourishment.
2tblspn olive oil
2 1/2 cups salmon chowder [ this like a white sauce ]
1 tin tomatoes with juice chopped
2 1/2 cups green prawns , shelled & deveined or frozen prawns
1 cup boneless fish, cut into small pieces or can fish of choice [ salmon]
15 spinach lasagna sheets fresh pasta sheets or dried
fresh basil or dried
fresh dill or dried
fresh ground black pepper & salt
3 cloves garlic
2 tblspn tomato paste
2 med carrots puree /pumpkin
Cheddar Cheese or mozzarella
Parmesan cheese
paprika
METHOD :
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan add the prawns, garlic & fish , when fish/prawns are cooked put aside.
- In another saucepan add the juice from the fish/prawns stir in tomato paste & tomatoes & Carrot / pumpkin puree season to taste,cover & cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add herbs and stir with a spoon Flat End Spoon Beechwood.Then put aside to cool
- Spoon 1/3 of the salmon chowder into the bottom of a 5cm (2in) deep casserole dish
. Arrange a single layer of lasagna sheets on top the chowder, now arrange a single layer of fish/ prawns mixture , then the tomato sauces then chowder sauces , grated cheddar or mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat these steps until all prepared produce is gone. Last layer should consist of Lasagna sheets, Chowder sauce, Cheese and paprika in that order.
- Bake in a moderate oven of 180 degree’s ( 350*F) for about 40 minutes or untill lasagna sheets are soft and cheese is golden. Enjoy!!!
Pfaltzgraff Naturewood Glass Parmesan Cheese Shaker
24
Jun
Posted by: admin / Category:
Entertain guests,
Main meals,
Seafood,
Soup,
Tips
This Traditional Chowder has been given a unique flavour by adding Salmon which is the wonderfully flavoursome and adds a new dimension to the chowder. This is a great way to get fish into the children diet which is very important . Again I will change this chowder into a Seafood Lasagna…watch out for that recipe !!!
1 x330gm salmon fillet
30g butter or dash vegetable oil
3 med potatoes
1 brown onion
1/2 small cauliflower head
2 leeks
2 zucchinis
1 celery stick,sliced
3corn cob, cooked & remove kernels
2 cups milk , 500ml
2ooml lite sour cream
1/2 cup fresh parsley
freshly ground pepper & salt
fish stock/ we making use the white fish
Method:
- Place fish & onion , sprig of parsley, salt & pepper in a large Frying Pan – large, cover with water & bring to boil. Reduce the heat & simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish flakes from the water, Reserving 2 cup fish stock using two forks , flakes the fish & if it had bones remove them.
- Cook the potatoes, cauliflower, leeks, zucchinis, celery in a large pot
fish stock & onion milk. When the vegetables are cooked add cream, parsley season to tasty & cool for 10 mins Blend use a Stick Hand Blender, Blend until smooth.Add the flaked fish ,corn & cream to soup.
- TIP : If you thing you can’t afforded this fish buy a frozen fish. But I pay only $8.00 for 1 fresh fillet of fish & remember you are make 2 night meals so that $4.00 each night meal !!!
Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless-Steel lined Lunch Jar, Silver
22
Jun
Posted by: admin / Category:
Cakes,
QuickBread & Muffins,
Tips