Broccoli and Parmesan Cheese Quiche

 

9-inch deep dish frozen pie shell 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups broccoli florets, sliced into small bite-sized pieces (make sure they are small pieces) 

5 large eggs 

3/4 cup milk 

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook the pie shell for around 11-14 minutes until slightly golden (or follow instructions on the package for the specific brand of pie shell you have purchased). Take pie shell out of the oven and let cool to room temperature. Lower the temperature of the oven to 325°F. 

In a medium sized pan over medium heat, add olive oil and onion and cook until just starting to brown. Cook broccoli in salted water for about 4 minutes until tender.  Allow to cool to room temperature. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs and milk – and stir in grated parmesan cheese. Stir in onions and broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Pour into the deep dish pie crust. You may have a little extra filling left over which can be used to make a crustless quiche in separate foil tray.

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes (or more, if needed). Stick a toothpick in the middle of the quiche. If it comes out clean, the quiche is ready to eat. Otherwise continue to bake until fully cooked.

Caramel Apple Cake

 

Topping 

1/4 cup butter 

2/3 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

2 medium apples, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch wedges 

Cake 

1 1/3 cups self raising flour 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 cup sugar 

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 eggs 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1/4 cup milk 

1 cup whipping cream 

Heat oven to 325°F. Line 8-9 inch cake tin with baking paper.

 

Melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour into pan; spread evenly. 

Arrange apple wedges over brown sugar mixture, overlapping tightly and making 2 layers if necessary. 

In medium bowl, mix flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt; set aside. 

In large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, beating after each addition until smooth. 

Spread batter over apple wedges in brown sugar mixture. 

Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes. 

Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. 

Serve warm cake with whipped cream. Store cake loosely covered.

Salisbury Steak Garlic Mash Potatoes Mushroom & Onion Gravy

 

For the Steaks: 

1/3 cup breadcrumbs 

1 egg 

1 small brown onion grated 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

500g ground beef  

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

For the Mushroom Gravy: 

2 tablespoons olive oil

250gm sliced mushrooms 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

2 cups beef stock

Salt and pepper

In a mixing bowl, place the ground beef and the onion. Then, add the egg, breadcrumbs, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper, and knead with your hands until completely combined.

Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat on the stove. 

Form the meat into four even patties and place into the heated pan. Saute until browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove the patties from the skillet and place them on the side for later.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the oil and mushrooms and garlic to thepan. Saute until the mushrooms become tender. 

Stir in the flour and saute another minute.

Whisk in the beef broth and saute until the gravy thickens. 

Return the patties to the skillet, and toss to coat in the gravy. 

Serve over mashed potatoes.

Vegetable Laksa

 

185gm jar Laksa curry paste 

270ml coconut milk 

3/4 cup Massel chicken stock 

1/2 cup water 

1 teaspoon sugar 

salt

thinly sliced carrots 

baby bok choy, roughly sliced

broccoli pieces 

200g noodles 

bean sprouts 

Combine curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, salt, sugar and water in large saucepan over medium heat. Cover and bring to boil. 

Meanwhile cook the noodles according to packet instructions, adding carrots and broccoli for the last few minutes.  Drain and portion into serving bowls.

Pour laksa over noodles. Top with bean sprouts.

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.

Lemon Chiffon Cake

 

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

6 large egg yolks 

1 tsp Vanilla extract 

3 tbsp Caster sugar 

3 tbsp  oil [1/3 cup]

150g SR flour (1 ½ cup) 

6 large egg whites 

1/3 cup Caster sugar 

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F and prepare an ungreased 8-inch aluminum chiffon cake tin with a removable base In a medium-sized bowl combine the water, lemon juice, egg yolks, vanilla extract,

3 tbsp caster sugar  and oil, whisk to combine.

Sift in the flour and whisk until just combined Add the egg whites to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, and whisk until foamy. Add the 1/3 cup caster sugar and whisk on medium speed until stiff peaks. 

Add ⅓ of the meringue to the egg yolks and whisk until just combined.

Transfer the lightened egg yolk mixture to the remaining egg whites and gently fold until just combined.

Gently transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin and give the tin a few taps to remove any large air bubbles Bake for 45 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 140C/285F and bake for 15 minutes or until an inserted skewer emerges clean

Hungarian Beef Goulash

 

500g beef goulash

Olive oil 

1 large onion - sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon paprika 

2 teaspoons Massel chicken powder

300ml cold water 

200g tomato puree

2 tblspns tomato paste

250g sliced mushrooms

1/2 red capsicum, diced [optional]

1 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a large stock pot.  Add the beef and fry over a high heat until nicely browned all over, turning regularly. 

Tip the onions into the pan and cook with the beef for 5 minutes until softened. 

Add the crushed garlic and tomato paste and cook for a further minute, stirring regularly. 

Sprinkle paprika over the meat and crumble the stock cube on top. Add the water, tomato puree, sugar, capsicum and sliced mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper, stir well and bring to a simmer. 

Cover and simmer on a low heat for two hours, adding water if necessary.

Serve with rice or mashed potato.

May be kept in fridge for 3 days.  Suitable to freeze for a month.

Mushroom Stroganoff

 

1 tbsp butter/olive oil 

1 small onion finely chopped 

3 garlic cloves crushed 

450g (1lb) mushrooms sliced 

1/2 tbsp flour 

1 tsp paprika [optional]

3/4 cups parve beef stock/broth 

1/2 cup sour cream 

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard [optional]

Finely chopped flat parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Set a large sauté pan or large skillet over medium-high heat then add the butter/olive oil. Add the chopped onions and sliced mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, then add the garlic and continue cooking until the mushrooms are golden brown and the onions are soft.  Season with salt and pepper, add paprika.

Stir in the flour and cook for a minute then pour in the stock and whisk until the flour has been mixed into the liquid. 

Reduce the heat then gently simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly then stir in the sour cream, parsley and mustard. 

Serve with pasta or rice.

Cinnamon Apple Honey Cake

3 medium apples 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

4 eggs, separated 

160g/5.6ozs. honey 

200g/7ozs. almond meal (ground almonds) 

Flaked almonds to sprinkle on top 

Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line the base and sides of a 20cm/8inch springform tin with parchment.

Peel and grate the apples and toss with the lemon zest, juice, vanilla and cinnamon and set aside.

Separate the eggs making sure that there is no yolk in the whites at all. Whisk the egg whites until you get stiff peaks. Set aside in a bowl. 

Then in another bowl beat the egg yolk and honey for a minute and then add the almond meal. 

Stir in the apple mixture and gently fold in the egg whites in four lots making sure that there are no streaks of white remaining. 

Scoop into the baking tin and sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 30 minutes or until the centre springs back when touched. 

Hortosoupa: Greek Vegetable Soup

 

1 onion, sliced 

1/4 cup olive oil

4 – 5 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped 

4 carrots, peeled and sliced 

4 fresh tomatoes, cut into chunks (or equivalent canned diced tomatoes) 

4 sticks fresh celery, trimmed and sliced 

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks 

1/4 green cabbage sliced into small pieces 

1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley 

6 – 8 cups water or broth 

Salt & pepper to taste 

1 can lima beans, drained

In a large stock pot, saute the onions in the olive oil on medium heat until they are translucent and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and continue to cook for a minute more. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, using the preferred amount of water. You want the vegetables to at least be submerged. Turn the heat to high and bring almost to a boil, then drop the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover the pot. Cook the soup until the carrots and potatoes are tender and add salt and/or pepper to your desired taste. 

Corn and Broccoli Fritters

 

2 cups chopped steamed broccoli

1 cup corn kernels

3/4 cup almond meal or flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

Start by cutting the florets off the steamed broccoli and cutting them into small pieces. Cut the stalks into small, thin slices. In a food processor combine the almond flour, eggs, dijon mustard and garlic. Mix until well combined.

Add in the broccoli and corn and stir through.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Once hot, use a ladle to spoon the batter into the pan to form small patties.. Allow the fritters to cook for 3 minutes until lightly golden and then flip and cook for 2-3 more minutes on the other side. Once cooked transfer to a paper towel and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remainder of the fritters.

Fluffy Matza Balls

 

[Makes 6 very large matza balls or 12 smaller ones]

Note that if you are using coarse matza meal, you will need to leave the mixture in the fridge for longer, as it takes more time to bind together.

1 cup matzo meal 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

4 large eggs 

2/3 cup oil or melted schmaltz 

In a large mixing bowl whisk eggs together, then add the oil, matzo meal, baking powder, salt,  and garlic powder. Mix to combine, adding some warm water if the mixture is too dry.

Shape into balls and put into fridge to chill before cooking [about an hour]

Gently drop balls into the soup or boiling water.  Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook 30 mins.  Note that if you cook them in the soup, they do absorb a lot of the soup, they taste great but a lot of the soup disappears into them.