'Stand n Stuff' Quiche

I have recently come across this easy quiche made in the slow cooker. Last night I decided to bake some in the oven...just to make sure the shell stayed crispy. They turned out beautifully and I packed one for lunch today with some salad. So why did I call them 'stand n stuff'?

Well, because I used these beaut little soft taco boats as the base. Super easy and lower in calories than pastry.

I placed four 'boats' on a greased oven tray.

Then chopped some bacon, kale, tomato and capsicum.

I placed the fillings into the boats, then poured whisked eggs (six) to cover, and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Voila! I baked them for about 30 minutes at 150 degrees. You don't want the oven too hot or the 'boats' will burn on the edges. These look a little dark in the photo but were just perfect!

How is that for the easiest, quickest quiche on the run?

                                                   

Pumpkin Kale and Quinoa Salad

I was looking for an up-market salad to take to a party last weekend and thought that I would try and use up the abundance of pumpkins and kale I have at the moment. A quick Google search using the two ingredients led me to this recipe, which I have varied slightly. It is an ideal winter salad as it can be served warm or cold and it really brings out the flavours of the pumpkin without the kale being overbearing. Plus...it looks pretty fancy!

Ingredients

800g pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1.5cm cubes
Spray olive oil
Olive oil
1 x onion, finely chopped
2 x garlic cloves, crushed
1 x teaspoon finely grated ginger
2 x teaspoon ground coriander
2 x teaspoon turmeric
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
100g trimmed kale leaves, shredded
1/4 cup slivered almonds, pepitas or pine nuts

Method

1. Place the pumpkin on a lined baking tray, spray with oil and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden and tender. As my oven did not crisp the outsides of the pumpkin cubes, I tossed them into a frypan with some spray oil to finish off.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for five minutes until softened. Add garlic, ginger, coriander and turmeric and cook stirring for one minute.

3. Add quinoa and 2 cups off water, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until water has evaporated and quinoa is soft. I found I had to add more water and hence increased the quantities of coriander and turmeric from the original recipe, due to evaporation.

4. Stir through kale until just wilted, then gently stir through the roasted pumpkin and almonds. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

The salad was very popular and a wonderful showcase for the fresh produce from my property.

I hope you enjoy!

Slow Cooked Pork and Pineapple

I posted a review of my multicooker this week and had a request for this recipe. I must confess I made it up as I went along and it turned out beautifully, so I thought it would post it here. That way I will remember how to make it next time!

Ingredients

700g diced pork (I used forequarter chops which were only $6/kilo and cut the meat off the bones, removing all fat)
1 x can of pineapple pieces (including the juice)
1 x onion chopped
1 x red capsicum chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 x teaspoon chilli powder
2cm piece of ginger, chopped
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup kecap manis
1 cup chopped pumpkin

Method

Combine garlic, ginger, chilli powder, hoisin sauce and kecap manis in a bowl. Add to the diced pork and marinate overnight.

I then sauteed my onion in my multicooker, but if you are doing this in a slow cooker I would just add it raw. Add marinated pork, tinned pineapple including juice, capsicum and pumpkin and stir to combine. When adding the pineapple juice, the total amount of liquid you need depends on the size of your slow cooker. You don't want to cover the meat, and I find about half way up the meat level works best as the pork juices will add further liquid.

Slow cook for 6 - 8 hours on low, depending on your slow cooker. I had mine on timer and when I got home I added some homemade natural yoghurt to thicken the liquid a little. You could also use sour cream or a little cornflour mixed with water.

Serve with basmati rice. The pork falls apart on your fork and is rich with asian-inspired flavour.

Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Lasagne

I had some time recently to experiment with my slow cooker. I have been making all sorts of bread and scrolls in it, with great success. Just lately it has become a tradition in my home to make a lasagne every Sunday for the kids, and they have the leftovers the next night. When I discovered I could make it in the slow cooker, and then found out how well it turns out, I decided I will never make it in the oven again. It only takes 3 hours on low (depending on your cooker) and it is beautifully moist. I also find the ceramic bowl so much easier to clean than an oven baked lasagne dish...and apparently the running cost of your slow cooker is cheaper than your electric oven, even with the extended cooking time.

Ingredients (for a six litre slow cooker)

700g mince
1 x finely chopped onion
400g tin tomatoes
1 x jar pasta sauce
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp beef stock
2 tsp ground oregano
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 pack dried lasagne sheets
30g butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
3/4 cup grated cheese

Some versions of this recipe say you can add the ingredients to the mince meat and put it in the slow cooker raw, but I always make my meat sauce first in a separate pan. You can use your normal lasagne recipe which is what I used for this one.

Brown the onion until clear and then add the meat and brown, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic, beef stock, oregano, tomatoes, pasta sauce and tomato paste and stir well. Cook for about 20 minutes until mince is cooked through and is a beautiful red colour. It should be quite moist so that when it is added to the slow cooker, the dry lasagne sheets will cook.

Put 1/4 of the mince mixture into the bottom of your greased crockpot (I use spray olive oil). Now you need to make the white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, adding the flour, and then gradually adding the milk. I use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Cook over a low heat, stirring until thickened. Pour 1/3 of the white sauce over the mince in the crock pot and spread out with the back of a spoon.

Break up your lasagne sheets to fit and layer over the white sauce. Complete this process three times, ending with a final layer of mince. Sprinkle a good layer of cheese over the top. I then place a tea towel over the crock pot before placing the lid on the top. This will stop condensation dropping onto the lasagne and making it soggy.

Bake for three hours on low (check every hour just in case).

$21 Challenge - Week two

Image Source

Well, I am happy to say that we survived the first week of the $21 challenge. Usually you would only do this for one week but I have so much excess stuff to use up that I have decided on a second week...to pocket a little more cash for the boys to spend on clothes.

Week One Recap

The biggest hit of the week was the home made pizza. The bread flour from my 'bonus box' that had just expired was perfect for the base, together with the bbq sauce bottles that were almost empty. I just added a chicken fillet which I fried in the pan and sliced, some kale, ham, cheese, bacon and pineapple. I had a slice for breakfast and lunch the next day.

I could not figure out the wall socket timer so my crock pot honey and lemon chicken was cooked in the pan and served with mash. The boys ate leftover sausage casserole.

My favourite was the salmon patties which used up the open bag of panko breadcrumbs and was served with fresh salad from my garden. I was surprised that the boys liked them too so I will definitely include this on my budget-week menu in the future.

This was my total shop for the week...just over $15. Mainly drinks for the kids and milk. The cream was for potato bake last night, and the boys like cheese on everything! The pineapple was $2 from the local service station....the best pineapples ever. Confession...my husband did bring home some meat but I put most of it in the freezer to use after the challenge so I can still stick to my original menu plan.

This is just a selection of items in the bonus box which I would like to use up this week. So, here is my menu this week!

SATURDAY

Roast lamb and vegies in the slow cooker. I had never done a roast in it before and it was very tender. I do prefer roast vegies in the oven though! I used some of the cranberry sauce as a glaze to try and get rid of it and it was very tasty.

SUNDAY

Corned Beef and Potato Bake. This was gobbled up before I could take a photo.

MONDAY

Pasta bolognese using up the open packet of penne pasta

TUESDAY

Chicken tacos to use up the taco shells which although opened are still fresh

WEDNESDAY

Shepherds Pie using the packet mix which is about to expire

THURSDAY

Chicken (breast) pesto pasta using the brown spaghetti and open jar of pesto

FRIDAY

Slow-cooked chicken curry using the curry paste, and the indian vegie packet thingy I have never been game to open. I will use a pack of chicken pieces I have in the freezer.

It feels a little weird going to the fridge and being able to see what is in there, but it's a feeling I can get used to. We had too much stuff hiding and wasting...despite my resolve to live more simply and utilise everything... which I thought I was good at. So, I would thoroughly recommend a clearing out every now and then, and it's actually fun making compromises and devising recipes without buying extra ingredients. I made some home-made yoghurt yesterday which will be used in a few dishes and only cost $1.50, and I plan to make lemon cordial tonight to stretch out the drinks (and use up the lemons)...it's these habits that will help keep the dollars in my pockets, and healthy food on the table.

So, what's for dinner at your place tonight?

Tea-cup Biscuits

We had our Biggest Morning Tea at work recently and one of the girls brought in these cute little tea-cup biscuits which I just had to share...no baking required, just assembly.

You will need:

1 packet of tic-toc biscuits (they are already iced)
1 packet of marshmallows
1 packet of musk lifesavers (halved)
1 packet of freckles
White icing in a piping bag to glue the bits together.

Then just assemble as above...cute idea for a tea party, and they taste really yummy!

Roast Lamb Bone Soup with Kale and Herb Scones

As a result of my efforts at being frugal and minimising waste I actually created something really special. We had a roast leg of lamb last week and I decided to use the leftover bone which still had a little meat on it, to make a soup. The first thing I did was to cover it with water and simmer for two hours to make the stock. I didn't add any vegetables or flavouring at this stage.

The meat on the lamb bone cooked off, and the remaining bits I pulled away from the bone and reserved. I did this while the stock was hot, and then put the stock in the fridge overnight so that I could remove the fat layer the next morning.

This is the beautiful gelatinous stock I ended up with. I then made my soup in the stockpot and it was perfect by the time we got home from football. The kale and herb scones were a last minute effort to 'tart' up the soup for dinner. The beauty of this soup is that there is no set recipe, just use up what you have in the fridge. A few similar recipes use the pan juices from the roast too but I didn't have any of those. Will give that a go next time.

Ingredients

1 x leftover roast lamb bone
1 x onion
2 x carrots
1 cup pearl barley
Salt & pepper to season
Chopped kale
1 x tablespoon beef stock powder

1 x cup self raising flour
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of butter
1/2 cup of milk
Fresh mixed herbs (thyme, oregano, basil)
Finely chopped kale


I just added everything in the crock pot with the stock and lamb pieces and cooked on high for four hours. For the scones, I added the flour and salt to a bowl, rubbed in the butter until crumbly, then added the chopped herbs, kale and milk. Make a nice soft dough (only knead and turn over a few times) then use a cookie cutter to cut out your scones. Place them on a lined baking tray and brush with a little milk. Then bake at 200 degrees celcius for about fifteen minutes.

I really loved the kale in the scones and will definitely be making these again. I came up with the idea because I have a ton of kale growing and need to start using it more in my baking.

So, there you have it. A wonderful winter warmer!

Yummy, Scrummy Mince Scrolls

I found this recipe whilst scrounging around for something else on the weekend. I had printed it from the internet so I don't know the source, but what I do know is that it was easy to make (even with the dough preparation) and my family loved them. I served them as a meal with mash and vegies but they would be perfect on their own for lunches.

Ingredients

300 grams low fat beef mince
1 x 400g tin of diced tomatoes
1 x teaspoon crushed garlic
1 x tablespoon olive oil
1 x brown onion finely chopped
1 x tablespoon of tomato paste
2 x tablespoons of worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
50g of butter
3/4 cup of skim milk
2 x tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 cup grated low fat cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a frypan, and cook the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mince and cook until it is browned. Add the tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and stock, then let it simmer for about half an hour or until it reduces and thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Sir the flour and sugar together in a mixing bowl and then rub in the butter until you have a crumbly mixture. Add the milk and mix until you have a sticky dough.

 Place on a floured surface and knead until smooth, then roll out to a 40cm x 30cm rectangle.

Spread the mince mixture over the dough and sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.

Roll up the dough from the long end and then cut into twelve scrolls approximately 5cm thick. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.

Then place the scrolls on a lined and greased baking tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. The pastry cooks all the way through and is wonderfully crisp throughout the scroll. A dinner winner for sure!

Green Papaw Pickles

Last weekend I attended a free workshop at Yandina Community Gardens on cooking with tropical fruit and vegetables. This was one of my favourite dishes, easy to prepare and so full of asian flavours. We have been having it with our fish and salad, and as a side dish to our steak this week. 

When I arrived at the workshop I was impressed by the colour and texture of the display of goodies. On the left is a mixture of birds eye chillies, garlic and ginger in apple cider. The Philippino's use it as a condiment like we use tomato sauce. In the centre are dried drumstick tree leaves (well worth a Google), and on the right are the colourful papaw pickles.

Ingredients

1 green papaw
1 medium carrot
1/2 green capsicum
1/2 red capsicum
5 cloves of garlic
eschallots
2 thumb size ginger
2 hot chillies
sugar
2 tbsp turmeric powder
3 cups apple cider vinegar
2 cups raw sugar
3 tbsp salt

Peel green papaw and remove seeds, shred with a grater. Do the same with the carrot and thinly slice the red and green capsicum. Julienne the ginger and slice the garlic and eschallots. Place all these ingredients into a large pyrex dish.

Boil the cider vinegar, raw sugar, salt and turmeric until sugar is dissolved and it smells aromatic.

Pour over the vegetables, stir and pack into jars. Rinse jars in boiling water to sterlise and ensure they hot when the hot pickle mixture is added.

Now, how simple is that? This recipe made five jam-size jars of pickles. We also got to take home some Cassava, starfruit and drumstick tree leaves from the workshop. It was a fantastic morning and if you ever see anything like this going on in your neighbourhood give it a go!

What exotic things have you made lately?

Focus on Fermentation Week: Kefir

Funny how the last few fermented foods I have written about are all foreign sounding words beginning with K. Kefir (pronounced ke-feer) is another lacto-fermented product that provides numerous health benefits. I was a little dubious about this one as people had told me it doesn't taste great. I still decided to make it and was pleasantly surprised to find that it tastes similar to yoghurt, and with fruit blended through it (as in the image above) it is actually really refreshing. As with Kombucha tea, the health benefits are astounding and are summarised and explained really well on Imperfectly Natural. 

Here are just a few of them:

1.     Diabetes - because of naturally occurring sugars within kefir, it is a good tool for regulating blood sugar for those who struggle with diabetes.

2.   Kefir boosts the immune system to effectively fight external germs and potential diseases.

3.   Treats digestive disorders such as constipation, diarrhoea, and substantially decreases bloating, wind, discomfort in the abdominal area, and thrush.

4.   Kefir apparently assists with colon cancer, ulcers, respiratory conditions, eczema, psoriasis, acne and diseases bourne from gut dysbiosis (a destructive imbalance of microbial flora which is linked to e.g. inflammatory bowel syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome).

6.   Kefir is teeming with vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbed by the body such as vitamins B and K, folic acid, phosphorous, calcium and magnesium.

7.   Kefir provides energy by assisting with digestion.

8.   Kefir improves the functioning of the liver, gallbladder, circulation and heart activity. it increases metabolism, oxygen supply to the cells and blood circulation to the brain. 

Phew, I am going to have the healthiest gut in the country at this rate!

As with Kombucha, Kefir also needs a special ingredient to get the culture started. The kefir 'grains' are what you need and they are not really grains, just a special culture that in many European families, is handed down through the generations. I found my grains on Ebay - $3 for one teaspoon including delivery and instructions...how could I not give it a go? This is the plastic bag I received (above).

The white grains stuck to the plastic so I scraped them off the best I could...with a plastic spoon, apparently metal is not good for the kefir.

This is what I ended up with in my glass, a little messy but probably about a teaspoon of grains.

Cover the jar with a cloth or paper towel and secure with a rubber band. Leave the jar on the kitchen bench and the kefir will ferment at room temperature. During winter you can place the kefir on the top of the fridge to ferment quicker. 

Check the kefir every 6-12 hours or so. Once the milk has thickened, the kefir has formed, usually 24-48 hours.  It is a good idea to let the first batch ferment for three days, then I have found subsequent batches are ready every 24 hours.

Another sign that you have kefir is if it tastes tangy and sour like natural greek yoghurt. You then strain the milk and the remaining grains are placed back into the jar and topped with fresh milk…a continual process.

If you want a stronger fermented kefir (with more probiotics) then wait until the floating curds separate with the whey (which stays on the bottom), then mix the two together and drink. 

The interesting thing with kefir is if you place the grains in a larger vessel with more milk, then the grains will multiply, producing a larger quantity of kefir. I am happy with one coffee jar full per day, which is enough for a work-day fruit smoothie and to add to my dishes for dinner. Last night I used it in place of yoghurt in a chicken curry, stirring through last minute. There are some amazing recipes for using kefir if you do a Google search.

So, there you have it...the last post in this current fermentation series, and another gut-busting sensation. Have you ever heard of kefir or do you already make it yourself?

Focus on Fermentation Week: Kombucha

Kombucha is a naturally carbonated, fermented tea. It is made from a starter culture called a Scoby (warning...it is one alien looking culture) and has many health benefits including the following:

1. It boosts the Immune System - because it is fermented it encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the stomach and is also rich in antioxidants, which help to strengthen immunity.

2. It is a Natural Detoxifier - The good bacteria that Kombucha promotes aids in detoxifying your gut, and it also supports liver function.

3. It is Rich in Vitamins and Enzymes - Kombucha is rich in Vitamin B which provide support for the body's metabolic functions including overall energy, utilization of carbohydrates, heart health, and healthy hair skin and nails. The digestive enzymes that Kombucha provides breaks down the food we eat into smaller compounds so the nutrients can be more easily absorbed into the bloodstream.

4. Increased Energy and Metabolism - The Vitamin B increases energy and the beneficial bacteria in the Kombucha help your body work better and take the burden off it's functioning.

5. PMS Relief - the Vitamin B vitamins break down and flush out excess estrogen from the body.

6. Relief from Arthritis and Joint Pain - As Arthritis is an immune disorder, Kombucha's probiotic bacteria assists in strengthening immunity.

So, when I read all of this on the leaflet that came with my mail-order Scoby, I knew that this was a fermented product that I just had to try...despite the initially daunting process, which, I am pleased to say was so much easier than I first thought. And the Kombucha tastes beautiful!! The above image shows how my Scoby was packed...taped up in plastic and posted in an envelope.

This image shows the 'starter tea' surrounding the Scoby - it had to have something to live on during transit.

Now, I did warn you...pretty gross looking right? A bit like a deflated chicken fillet.

My Scoby came with instructions to make my first batch by boiling 1.5 litres of water and adding three teabags (organic black tea works best) and 3/4 cup of sugar. Mix until dissolved and remove the tea bags after ten minutes. Then let the tea cool.

Once it is cooled, pour the tea into a glass jar (Scoby does not like plastic) with the starter tea (the liquid the Scoby came in) . I used this one with a tap so that I can easily taste test during fermentation without disturbing the Scoby. You place the Scoby  on top of the tea, seal with a cloth and cover with a tea towel. Then you leave it to ferment.

This shot was taken on day 3.

This was taken on Day 10. If you want a sweeter tea you ferment for a short time, but if you like it bitter then you can brew it for a couple of weeks. Ten days was perfect in this weather. It is slightly carbonated and still sweet. You can just see in the above image that the Scoby has spread out across the full width of the glass jar...and the dark spot is actually....

...A baby Scoby, one that can be given to someone to start their Kombucha. You just peel it off it's 'mother'.

Look how beautiful and clear the tea is. You can just see the bubbles on the edges. My boys said it tasted like beer, but the fermented taste is very mild. You can combine your tea with other liquids such as water or fruit juice for different flavours. Just keep it in the fridge and it will last for several months...if your family don't drink it all first like mine :)

Now, how is that for one weird science experiment? Now that I have more 'starter tea' I am making a full batch of five litres, so in ten days time I can experiment with some new flavours and juices. And all for the cost of $10 for my Scoby, a few teabags and filtered water...a very economical and healthy beverage.

Have you ever made Kombucha before or tasted it?