Macaroni Cheese

 

50gm butter 

3 tblsp flour 

Make a roux 

Add approx 2 cups milk 

Bring to simmer to thicken 

Add 250gm cheese

Stir through 500g cooked macaroni

Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

 

125g fresh lasagna sheets

1.5 cups marinara sauce 

half teaspoon garlic powder

100g frozen spinach 

320gm ricotta cheese 

70g freshly grated parmesan cheese

125g shredded mozzarella cheese 

Thaw the frozen spinach,. drain in a colander and squeeze out all of the excess liquid. In a large bowl, add the spinach, ricotta, and ¾ of the  parmesan cheese. Season well with salt and black pepper and mix until well combined. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. If using dry lasagne sheets, boil noodles as per the package instructions 

In a large baking dish, add half cup of the marinara sauce to the bottom then place a layer of lasagna noodles over the top. Add garlic powder and lightly mix into marinara sauce. Pour over another half cup of the marinara sauce then top with spinach ricotta mixture. Gently spread it out evenly, then sprinkle with a layer of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of lasagna noodles, then repeat the previous step. Top with the final layer of lasagna noodles and marinara sauce. Add the remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle over the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake in moderate oven for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is all melted and you have those crispy golden edges. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Salmon and Mushroom Pie

 

220gm skinless salmon fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes 

1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 

1 small onion, thinly sliced 

120gm white mushrooms, sliced 

1 1/2 tablespoons butter 

1/8 cup flour 

3/4 cup milk 

Salt and pepper 

Puff Pastry

Salmon and mushroom filling 

In a bowl, combine the salmon, lemon juice and dill. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, brown the onion and mushrooms in the butter. 

Season with salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle the flour on the vegetables and stir to combine. 

Slowly stir in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 

Lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning. 

Add the salmon to the mushroom sauce. 

Pour into a mini sized foil tray - [double this mixture makes for a 9" pie]. 

Cover with the pastry dough and crimp or press the dough to the edge of the plate. 

Make a hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. 

Bake until the crust is lightly browned and filling is hot, about 20 minutes.

Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce

 

225gm pasta

olive oil 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

salt, pepper

400g can crushed tomatoes 

1/2 cup heavy cream 

Dried parsley

Grated Parmesan cheese 

Saute onion for a few minutes until soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Carefully pour in the crushed tomatoes. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in the cream and dried parsley. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Toss gently to combine. Top with grated parmesan.

Smoked Salmon, Spinach, Mushroom, Potato Frittata

 

100g smoked salmon

100g mushrooms, sliced

150g baby spinach 

350g potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes

Salt and pepper 

20ml double cream

3 eggs, beaten 

Boil the potatoes in salted water, until they are just cooked, about 10 minutes. Place potatoes in oven proof dish. 

Tear up the salmon and spread over the potatoes with the spinach and mushrooms.

Mix gently so as not to break up the potatoes. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Add the double cream to the eggs and stir well.

Pour over the potato mixture. 

Give it a little shake to ensure it coats everything. 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. 

Colcannon

 

1kg potato, 

100g butter 

140g finely sliced onion 

half small Savoy cabbage, finely shredded 

150ml double cream 

Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes. 

Heat a quarter of the butter in a saucepan, then fry the onion until just starting to turn gold, then add  cabbage and cook for a further 5 mins.  Turn off the heat and set aside. Drain potatoes in a colander. Mash potato until smooth. 

Heat cream with remaining butter and, when almost boiling, beat into the potato. Add onion and cabbage to potato and mix. Season with salt and pepper.

Sandra's Spinach and Leek Frittata

6 large, fresh, free-range eggs
120g baby spinach leaves (roughly chopped)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
200g carton of spinach dip
2/3 cup milk

1/2 cup white onions (chopped)
1 leek-white part only (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Saute onion and leek for a few minutes, add spinach and allow to wilt, then place spinach onion and leek on base of baking pan. Whisk all the filling ingredients together and pour into the pan. Place the pan onto the middle shelf of the oven. Cook in preheated 180 oven for approx 30 minutes, until it tests done in the centre, it should be firm but not solid. The baked quiche can be eaten warm but not hot and straight from the oven, or it will fall apart. Let it stand for at least 10 minutes. The quiche can also be eaten cold, but never directly from the fridge, or it will be too hard and the flavour's dead. Always allow it to come to room temperature before serving. I made it a frittata. You can put it in a pie shell and it is a quiche!

Tuna Mornay

Penne pasta shells
Tuna in springwater, drained, flaked

White sauce 
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 leek, ends trimmed, finely chopped
 ½ cup butter
grated cheddar,
grated parmesan, grated
½ cup plain flour

1 cup white wine
1L milk
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
dijon mustard
chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
salt pepper
panko bread crumbs

Method: Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook the pasta following packet directions. Drain. To make the white sauce, sweat the garlic and leek off with the butter until soft. Gradually add the flour, wine and milk, and stir. Mix in half of the cheese and mustard and whisk until combined. In a deep baking dish place the al dente pasta, add the tuna, lemon rind, tomato, herbs and mix together with the white sauce. Add the rest of the cheese to the top and sprinkle with the panko bread crumbs. Pop in the oven at 180C for 30-40mins until golden on top.

Cheese blintzes

Crepes

3 eggs
625 ml (2½ cups) water
225 g (1½ cups) plain flour
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

Cream cheese filling
2 eggs
500 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons caster sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons sour cream, or as needed
300 ml pure cream (35% fat)

Method

To make the crepes, beat the eggs and water together. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together, then add to the egg mixture and beat until smooth. The batter needs to be of a thin pouring consistency; if necessary add more water. Allow the batter to rest while you make the filling.

To make the filling, beat together the eggs, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the sour cream (enough to make a smooth paste). Taste for sugar and add more if needed. It should be just sweet.

To cook the crepes, heat a non-stick crepe pan or 20 cm frying pan and grease lightly. Pour enough batter into the pan to thinly coat the base, swirling the pan so the batter spreads to the edge, and tip off any excess. Cook the crepe on one side only until it is dry, comes away from the side of the pan and is very lightly coloured. Tip out onto a paper towel, with the uncooked side facing downwards - this will be the inside of the blintz. Continue with the rest of the batter, piling the crepes on top of each other. Repeat to make 18-20 crepes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a large baking dish.

To assemble the blintzes, place a crepe on the work surface, uncooked side upwards. Put 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling in the centre. Fold one side over and then the other to form a roll. Fold one end over onto the top and the other end underneath, to form a square parcel. Place the blintzes in the dish, snugly, side by side. Pour the cream over so there is about 7-8 mm of cream in the bottom of the dish. You may need some extra cream depending on the size of your dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered, or until the blintzes are golden brown and puffed up. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and serve with sour cream on the side if desired. Or with fruit.

Tuna Pasta Bake

1/2 cup (70g) uncooked spiral pasta
20g butter or margarine
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
2 cups (230g) grated cheddar cheese
1 cup (185g) frozen green peas
1 cup (185g) frozen corn kernels
1 (425g) tin tuna, drained
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup (60g) breadcrumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Gradually mix in milk so that no lumps form. Stir constantly until the mixture boils, then mix in half of the cheese. Add the peas, corn and macaroni. Drain the tuna, leaving a small amount of liquid to keep it moist. Flake with a fork and stir into the cheese mixture. Transfer to a casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the cheese.

3. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbly and cheese is browned.

Broccoli Kugel

Cornflake crumbs - or matza meal if making for Pesach

500g broccoli, chopped into small pieces [or use frozen broccoli- 500g]
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, diced
4 eggs
1 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste


Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease large baking dish with oil and coat with cornflake crumbs or matza meal.  Shake to distribute evenly, including the sides of the pan.

Cook broccoli in salted water for about 5 mins.  Mash the cooked broccoli.

If using frozen broccoli, defrost and chop into smaller pieces, drain all water.

Sautee onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is caramelised. Set aside.
Beat eggs with mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in broccoli and onion. Pour into the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle generously with cornflake crumbs or matza meal. 

Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 mins, test with a skewer.

Potato and cauliflower dauphinois

250ml cream
250ml full cream milk
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
Knob of butter
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
600g potato, sliced
Half a large cauliflower, sliced
Thyme (fresh is good, but dried is okay too)
Handful of grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 200C. Simmer milk, cream, garlic for five minutes. Remove from heat, then season with salt and pepper.

Butter an earthenware dish. Put a layer of potatoes on the bottom, sprinkle with thyme, and add a layer of cauliflower. Repeat, and finish with a layer of potatoes.

Pour over the infused milk and cream. Oil one side of a a piece of aluminum foil and cover the dish, oil-side down. Cook in oven for 1 hour, until potatoes are soft.

Remove foil. Sprinkle over the Parmesan. Return to oven, and cook for another 10 - 20 minutes until golden brown. You can keep this in the oven (turn to low) until you are ready to serve.

Macaroni Cauliflower Cheese

1 small head of cauliflower
200g macaroni pasta

Cheese Sauce:
600ml milk
50g butter
50g flour
100g grated cheese
1 tablespoon English mustard

Preheat oven to 190c. Cut the cauliflower into florets, and boil with the pasta for 10 mins.

In the meantime, to make the cheese sauce, heat the butter in a pan then add the flour gradually to the melted butter. Stir vigorously for a minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in the milk. Place back on the heat and increase temperature, whisking the milk mixture continuously as it thickens. Bring to the boil, by which time it should have thickened, then stir in the cheese and mustard. Season to taste. Drain the pasta and cauliflower,   then tip them both into a baking dish. Top with the cheese sauce and grate a little extra Parmesan over the top. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.

Jamie Oliver's Spinach and Feta Filo Pie

Ingredients
100g (3½oz) pinenuts
5 free range or organic eggs
300g (10½oz) feta cheese
50g (1¾oz) Cheddar cheese
Dried oregano
1 lemon
A knob of butter
400g (14oz) prewashed baby spinach
1 x 270g pack of filo pastry

Put the pinenuts into the dry ovenproof frying pan to toast, tossing occasionally. Keep an eye on them. Crack 5 eggs into a mixing bowl and crumble in 300g (10½oz) feta. Grate in the Cheddar.

Add a pinch of pepper, a couple of pinches of dried oregano, zest of 1 lemon and a glug of olive oil. Once the nuts are light golden, add them to the egg mixture and mix well.

Put the empty frying pan back on the heat, add a little olive oil and a knob of butter and pile in half of the spinach. Gently push and move it around and add more as it wilts down. Make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom and, when there's room, start adding the rest, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, take the pastry out of the fridge.

Lay a large sheet of greaseproof paper, approx 50cm (20in) long, on the worktop, rub a little olive oil all over it, then scrunch it up and lay it out flat again. Arrange 4 filo pastry sheets in a large rectangle, overlapping at the edges, so they almost cover the paper. Rub some olive oil over them. Sprinkle over a good pinch of salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Repeat until you have 3 layers. Don't worry about any cracked bits. Remember to keep stirring the spinach.

Once the spinach is really nice and dense, take the pan off the heat. Add the wilted spinach to the egg mixture and grate in ½ a nutmeg. Mix well. Carefully move the greaseproof paper and filo into the empty frying pan so the edges spill over. Push it down into the sides of the pan, then pour in the egg mixture and spread it out. Fold the filo sheets over the top and let them fall where they will (for more help go to www. jamieoliver.com/how-to-filo-pie).

Put the pan back on a medium heat for a couple of minutes to get the bottom cooking, then put the pan into the oven on the top shelf to cook for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Potato Gratin

1 kilo potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
30 g unsalted butter melted
sea salt
freshly ground white pepper
250ml Cream

Take a small baking dish, copper pan or ceramic casserole, just large enough to contain the sliced potatoes.
Brush the dish with melted butter.

Slice potatoes very thinly, lengthways.

Layer the sliced potatoes, slightly overlapping, in a circular motion.
After one layer, season with sea salt and pepper and pour a small amount of cream over the top.
Continue in this way until the potato reaches just below the top of the dish.
The cream should just cover the potatoes.

Drizzle with some melted butter.
Add a touch more pepper.

Bake at 140 C for about 1.5 hours. until it has turned golden brown.

Cheese and Spinach Lasagna

9 oz pasta lasagna sheets (no boil)
2 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature, diced
5 cups whole milk, warmed up 1 minute in the microwave or sauce pan
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp black pepper
18 oz fresh baby spinach, prepacked
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 oz tomato sauce

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. For the Cheese Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat
3. Bring the heat back up to a medium high (it should be hot and golden) then add the flour to form a paste (roux) and stir with a whisk.
4. Slowly stir in the milk on a slightly higher heat while constantly stirring for about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella. Turn off the heat.
5. For the Spinach: Roughly chop all the spinach leaves.
6. Sauté the garlic with the oil in a pan.
7. Add the spinach and a bit of salt to the pan and stir on low heat until the spinach is wilted. Set aside the excess water from the spinach in a bowl.

Assembly: In a 14” x 10” x 3” high rectangular pan, pour the whole can of tomato sauce first, then a layer of lasagna. Spread a layer of spinach, then sprinkle some cheese. Spread a bit of the cheese sauce, then add another layer of lasagna. Repeat two more times or until ingredients are used up. Be sure to finish with the rest of the cheese sauce. It should cover the whole tray, then sprinkle the remainder of the shredded cheese. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 375°F (until golden brown). When it's cooked, remove the tray from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes.

Cauliflower Cheese

Ingredients
1 medium cauliflower
30 g butter
1/4 cup plain flour
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup coarsely grated well-flavoured Cheddar cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method
Trim the cauliflower into small-ish pieces and boil for 10–15 minutes, or until the floret stems are only just tender.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan on low heat, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the milk and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce the heat and cook for 2–3 minutes more.

Add three-quarters of the cheese, some salt and pepper and stir until the cheese melts. Remove the pan from the heat and keep warm.

When the cauliflower is just tender, drain well and put into a baking dish (or into small individual dishes). Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and put into a moderate oven for about 15 mins until the cheese browns slightly.

Sweet Noodle Kugel

1 pkt/ 8 oz. egg noodles

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz. can of crushed pineapple with juice

1/4 cup raisins or sultanas

cinnamon

Cook noodles, drain and rinse with water. This will make get rid of the extra starch and make them easier to work with. Put the oil in a large bowl and cover with the noodles, mix well. Add the eggs and mix and then add the rest of the ingredients. When adding the pineapple, make sure to add the juice as well. Lightly grease glass baking dish; pour mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle top with cinnamon and sugar. Place in pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until top turns brown.

Kathy's Lasagna

250g frozen spinach (defrosted) 

375g ricotta cheese 

400g passata

2 large onions and 500g mushroooms, plus 2 cloves crushed garlic - all sliced and sauteed in olive oil

Lasagna sheets 

Grated cheese 

Mix together the spinach, cheese, and passata - add salt and pepper

Layer alternately in a baking dish: 

Pasta sheets, Spinach/ricotta mix, Onions/mushrooms 

Sprinkle grated cheese after each layer of pasta 

Finish with grated cheese

Cover with foil and bake at 180 for 45 mins.