Shortbread Christmas tree

I used a cookie tree making kit from Kmart to put this together. It had 5 different sized Star cookie cutters and a dowel and a base and a hole cutter in the box.

The shortbread recipe from the side of the McKenzies rice flour box is nice and firm and it holds its shape when cooked, here it is.

Traditional Shortbread Recipe

225g plain flour
115g rice flour
115g caster sugar
225g butter (at room temperature)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Cut up the butter into slices, put into a medium sized mixing bowl. Sift the flours over the butter, add the caster sugar and the vanilla essence.

Rub the butter into the sugar and flour until it looks like fine breadcrumbs then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and pliable. Form into a

Cut the dough in half. roll each portion out to a depth of approx 10 - 12mm. Use shape cutters to cut out the desired shape. Place carefully on a cookie sheet leaving room for expansion. Prick patterns into the dough with a fork if desired.

Bake for 20 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the shape, in a cool oven, 155-160 degrees for fan forced, slightly warmer for conventional ovens. Cool on trays fro 5-10 mins them move to a wire cooling rack. Store when completely at room temperature.

Shepherds Pie

Shepherds Pie

• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 500 g minced meat
• 1 large Onion grated
• 1 large carrot grated
• 2 tsp Garlic
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp Tomato Sauce
• 1 tbsp Gravy mix (Gravox or similar)
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 1/2 tsp Rosemary
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 cup water

Topping

• 1 kg Potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
• 50 g Butter or Margarine
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180°
2. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender while making the meat filling.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan until hot. Season the mince and fry in the oil over moderate to high heat until browned. Stir the onions, carrot and garlic in as well. Mix the gravy powder into the Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and herbs then pour over the meat mixture, stir well, add the water and chicken stock cube, stirring constantly, bring to the boil and simmer until the sauce has thickened.
4. Drain the potatoes when they are soft enough to mash. Mash them well with the butter or margarine, salt and pepper and olive oil, and about 2 tbsp grated Parmesan. Check for seasoning.
5. Spoon the mince into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Using a large spoon, layer the mashed potato generously on top of the mince, starting from the outside and working your way into the middle. Sprinkle some extra grated Parmesan cheese over the potato. Fluff up the mash potato with a fork to make rough peaks. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

Tangy Lentil Soup with Silverbeet & Zucchini

This is a delicious Lebanese version of a popular Middle Eastern brown lentil soup to serve as a main meal that even kids will love! Great for making ahead as the flavour continues to improve. Freeze leftovers in meal sized glass containers for an easy lunch.

Ingredients

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
500 g brown lentils, picked over for stones, washed, drained
1 tsp salt
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1 cm cubes (350 g)
1 bunch silverbeet, base trimmed, washed and shredded into 1 cm strips (600 g)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Freshly ground black pepper, optional
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons

Method

1. Warm oil in very deep soup pot (e.g. 8 litres capacity) and sauté onions until soft.
2. Add lentils, salt and 2 litres of water, cover with lid, and bring to the boil. Turn down heat slightly and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add potato cubes and continue cooking for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Add zucchini, silverbeet, garlic, pepper and 1 extra litre of boiling water and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the green vegetables just start to soften.
5. Stir in coriander and lemon juice and serve in bowls. Three ladles per bowl provides for a main meal serving. Serve with bread, if desired.

Serves 8

Morning Snack

On our morning walk we stopped at MDonalds. I had a Mango Smoothie from the Cafe.

When I came home I looked up the nutrition information on it. Boy o'boy, and it was 4.5 ww points. I didn't think it would be so high. I know not to have another, I would have been better off with a juice or a skinny latte with an apple. Or even better still take a snack with me, something like 8 nuts in my pocket which is only 0.5 points.

Chick Pea Tagine

I made this dish for dinner last night. I am following a w.watch.ers diet plan and I wanted a dinner with low points. I wanted to use rice but I didn't want to have the fat of a risotto, so I decided to use the Tagine.

I am not expert at using the Tagine yet, it is supposed to be a slow cooker but I am finding that everything cooks quite quickly. Maybe I will have to use a very low heat. I am also finding that the liquid content needs to be low as it bubble out from under the "lid" if there is too much. I am still experimenting.

Consider making a yoghurt sauce to serve in future as it was a little dry. It would then bump up the points a little, but considering that I had yoghurt for sweets (with rock melon), I could have halved my dessert serve and used the other half in the sauce.

Serves 2 each serve is 4.5 ww points, it is 1 serve each of protein and cereal and 3 serves of vegetables

1 cup drained canned chickpeas

240g gold sweet potato

240g kent pumpkin

1/2 cup arborio rice

1 onion cut into quarters

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp stock powder

1/2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground oregano

2 small red chillies

1/4 red capsicum

2 stalks celery

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 cups water

Heat the tagine base over a low heat, lightly spray the base with an olive oil spray. Add the onion to the tagine to saute, then add the rice so that it toasts a little. Pour over half the water, it will steam and bubble, so be careful.

Add the spices and stock powder. Next add the chick peas, chillies, garlic, celery and capsicum, stir to combine. Push the chunks of pumpkin and sweet potato into the rice then pour our 1 tbsp lemon juice and the remaining water.

Cover the tagine with the lid and place into a moderately warm oven for 40minutes to finish cooking. Season to taste with the remaining lemon juice and freshly ground salt and pepper.

Serve with a large fresh salad of cucumber, snow peas and greens.

Banana Ginger Muffins

I have been given some news this week, I have diabetes. In order to manage it correctly I will have to make some changes. This involves some learning about the right foods to eat. Also I will have to exercise at the right times. I need to develop regular meal times and incorporate regular snacks also. Here is a recipe that I found at the American Diabetes Association website, the page was titled Breakfast On the Go. It seems that the americans are keen on the exchanges program, I don't know a lot about it but I will keep researching.

Makes 1 dozen/ serving size: 1 muffin

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour (use some whole wheat if deisred)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 bananas, mashed
2 tsp. finely grated fresh ginger (or use 1 tsp. ground)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
2. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Mix well, but gently. Do not overbeat.
3. Pour the batter into 12 sprayed non-stick muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes until center comes out clean and the muffins are lightly brown. Remove the muffins from the oven and cool 10 minutes in the pan. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool them completely.

Exchanges: 2 starch

Calories: 156
Calories from fat: 29
Total fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 18 mg
Sodium: 83 mg
Carbohydrate: 28 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugars: 7 g
Protein: 5 g

Roasted Tomato and Onion Tarts

Tart Shells
250g cream cheese at room temperature
350g butter or margarine softened
400g plain flour
Blend the cream cheese and butter. Stir in the flour untill just blended. Chill for about 1 hour. shape into 36 balls. press into the base of muffin pans to make a shallow shell. Bake for 10-15 mins before filling and baking for a further 10 mins.
Roast Tomato and Onion Filling
36 small Roma tomatos
15 small/medium onions
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese combined with
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Slice the tomatos lengthwise and place on a baking paper lined baking tray. Peel the onions and cut into wedges, toss the wedges in a small amount of olive oil to lightly coat, brush the remaining oil over the cut surfaces of the tomato. Sprinkle the cut surface of the tomato with the sugar, then the salt and then the pepper. Bake the tomatos slowly in a cool oven for approximately 1 hour, then add the onions to the baking tray and bake for a further hour.
To assemble the tarts, brush the inside of each tart with the Dijon mustard, sprinkle with a small amount of the cheese blend. Evenly distribute the roasted tomato and onion into the cases and sprinkle the remaining cheese, before baking for the last 10mins. Sprinkle fresh chopped oregano leaves over the warm tarts prior to serving. Serve with eggs bacon, baked beans and sausages for a hearty breakfast. Serves 36

Crispy Potato Wedges

A tasty way to stretch a budget!
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp each of basil, thyme, oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
4 to 6 potatoes cut in wedges (into 4 or 6 wedges per potato)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
Mix Oil and seasonings together
Roll potato wedges in mixture
Lay flat in ungreased baking sheet
Bake at 210*C for 15min
Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 15min
Serve hot!
Tasty Tip: wedges go really well with sour cream or mashed avocado

From the Community Kitchens website: www.communitykitchens.org.au

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel

1.4kg hot Italian sausage links (Chorizo)
3 (500g) packages rigatoni or macaroni pasta
3 (700ml) jars tomato puree or italian cooking sauce
3 bulbs fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
3 roasted red capsicums, chopped
2 onions, chopped
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted capsicum, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Morrocan Lamb Shanks

2kg lamb shanks
2tbsp Ras el Hanout spice blend
2 onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 carrots, peeled, cut into chunks
3 cloves garlic, minced
1cm freshly grated ginger
1 lemon, zested
2cups chicken stock
1tbsp tomato paste
1tbsp honey

Drizzle a little olive oil over the lamb shanks, rub the Ras el Hanout all over the shanks, leave them to marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the shanks 2 at a time, and brown well. Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining lamb. Add onions and carrots to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh garlic and ginger; continue cooking for an additional couple of minutes.
Place the vegetables in the bottom of a casserole dish that has a well fitting lid and stir in the lemon zest, chicken broth, tomato paste, and honey. Put the lamb on top of the vegetables, turning them to ensure they are covered in the sauce. Cover the casserole, Place in a hot oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate and simmer for around 2 hours.
Serve with Couscous.

Spicy Couscous with Dates

15 ml olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 whole star anise pods
salt to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red capsicum, chopped
1/4 tsp powdered chilli
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 large fresh mushrooms, chopped
15 ml lemon juice
8g chopped dates
1tsp ground cinnamon
175 g uncooked couscous
1 vegetable stock cube in 350ml of hot water

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and saute onion until tender. Season with anise pods and salt. Mix in garlic, red bell pepper, dried hot red peppers, and black pepper. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
Stir mushrooms and lemon juice into the vegetable mixture. Mix in dates and cinnamon, and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes.
Place couscous in a medium saucepan, and cover with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until all moisture has been absorbed.
Fluff couscous with a fork, mix into the vegetables, and serve.

Rogan Josh, Lamb Shanks in the Slow Cooker

2/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 chicken stock cubes
4 whole cardamom pods, broken
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
ground nutmeg to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons corn flour
1/4 cup water
1 large onion, cut into wedges
3 lamb shanks
1 carrot, diced
2 potatoes, diced

Stir the sour cream and all-purpose flour together in a small bowl until smooth and set aside.
In a separate small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water to make a paste.
Combine the chili powder, coriander, ginger, stock cubes, cardamom, tomatoes, water, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Slowly add the cornstarch paste to the tomato mixture, stirring constantly; simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and slowly stir in the sour cream and flour mixture.
Arrange the onions across the bottom of a slow cooker, lay the shanks on top of the onions and pour the prepared tomato mixture over the meat. Place the carrots and potatoes on top of the sauce.
Cover and cook in the slow cooker on High for 8 hours.

Pisang Goreng (Indonesian Banana Fritters)

780g plain flour
125g white sugar sugar
2tsp vanilla essence
600 ml milk
5 eggs
140 g butter, melted
3 kg ripe bananas, sliced
oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and vanilla powder. Make a well in the center, and pour in milk, egg, melted butter and rum flavoring. Mix until smooth. Fold in banana slices until evenly coated.
Heat oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Drop banana mixture by tablespoon into hot oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove bananas from oil, and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Karahi Chicken (Hot and Spicy Chicken Curry)

1.5kg chicken pieces
3 onions, chopped
1½ tsp ginger & garlic paste
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
2 whole chillis
1 tsp coriander seeds
10g garam masala
3 bay leaves
100ml Oil
1/2 bunch coriander leaves, chopped
salt to taste
Heat oil in a pan and add oil, bay leaves, red chillies, coriander seeds, garam masala and roast till they splutter. Add the onions and sauté for sometime till it browns. Add the ginger, garlic paste and fry till the oil floats on top. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking. Add the Kashmiri chilli powder and cook for some time.
Now add the chicken and stir a little, then add some water for cooking.
When cooked remove from heat and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and fried Kashmiri red chillies.

Kesari

250 gms sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Suji or semolina
3/4 cup Ghee
1 tsp water
1 tsp Kesari powder or yellow color
a handful Cashews and raisins
Heat the ghee and fry the cashews and raisins and keep aside. Fry the semolina in the ghee till it turns brown.
Add the kesari powder to the 2 cups water and add to the semolina. Keep stirring so that no lumps are formed. Then add the condensed milk and keep stirring till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
Put on a greased plate and when cooled cut into the desired shapes.
Serve garnished with the roasted cashews and raisins.

Coconut Laddoos

400 gms sweetened Condensed milk
4 cups desiccated Grated coconut
Take some 50 Gms of the grated coconut and keep aside. Add the remaining coconut to the condensed milk and cook on slow fire. Gently mix till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
Cool and roll into small laddoos with greased palms. Roll the laddoos in the coconut powder set aside and serve.
This makes around 20 medium sized laddoos.

Mattar Pulao (Green Pea Pulao)

500 gms Basmati Rice, washed & soaked for 1/2 an hour
1 Onion, sliced
2 cups green peas, parboiled
170g Ghee
1 Bay leaf
8 Peepercorns
3in Cinnamon stick
2 Cardamom pods
8 Cloves
50g Cashews
100g Raisins
Salt to taste
Fry the onions in a pan with the ghee till brown. Fry the cashews and raisins and keep aside.
Add cloves, cinnamon, peppercorns and cardamoms and fry for a minute. Then add the rice and fry on low heat so that the rice grains are coated with the ghee. Add the green peas and fry for another 3 minutes.
Add salt and cover the rice with double its amount of boiling water. Bring to a boil and then simmer till the water is absorbed.
Garnish with the fried cashews and raisins and serve hot.

Tandoori Chicken

1 cup thick, plain yoghurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
2cm piece ginger, peeled, grated
1 tblspn lemon juice
1 tbspn olive oil
1 tspn garam masala
1 tspn ground coriander
1/2 tspn chilli powder
1/2 tspn turmeric
1/2 tspn salt
6 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed
cooked rice and lemon wedges, to serve

Combine yoghurt, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, oil, spices and salt in a large ceramic bowl. Cut 2 slits in top of each chicken thigh, making sure not to cut all the way through. Add chicken to yoghurt mixture and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease and line a large baking dish. Place chicken in dish and roast for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve with rice and lemon.

Kachumbar

2 medium-sized onions chopped very fine
3 tomatoes chopped very fine
1 large cucumber chopped very fine
2 green chillies chopped very fine
1/2 bunch coriander leaves chopped very fine
Juice of 1 lemon / 2 limes
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Mix all the vegetables together in a large salad bowl and chill.
In a small bottle (must have a tighly-fitting cover), mix the lime/lemon juice, oil, salt, sugar and chilli powder. Put the lid on and shake the bottle well to mix all the ingredients in it and dissolve the sugar.
Pour the dressing over the salad just before you are ready to eat. Mix well and serve.

Rajma (Red Kidney Bean Curry)

This dish is extremely popular not just in North India but elsewhere as well. Serve Rajma with plain boiled rice, Kachumbar salad and your favorite pickle.

2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed under running water
2 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium-sized onions chopped fine
2"piece of ginger jullinned
6 cloves of garlic minced
2 large tomatoes chopped into 1" cubes
2 fresh green chillies chopped fine
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
A pinch of asafetida
Chopped coriander to garnish

Heat the oil in a deep pan and add the cumin seeds. When they stop sizzling, add the onion and fry till soft. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2 minutes.
Add the green chillies, tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam marsala powders and fry till the oil separates from the masala.
Add the red kidney beans, 4 cups of warm water, asafetida, salt to taste and cook till beans are very soft (aproximately 10 minutes). Mash some of the beans roughly (this thickens the gravy).
Garnish with corainder and serve piping hot with plain boiled rice and Kachumber salad and a pickle of your choice.