Junior Masterchef Bacon & Egg Pie

Recipe By: Junior Masterchef
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
6 rashers bacon, rind removed
6 spring onion, chopped
8 eggs
1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbs of water, for egg wash
tomato chutney, to serve
Pastry
250 g plain (all-purpose) flour, (1 2/3 cups)
150 g unsalted butter, cold, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons iced water

Directions:
1. To make the pastry, blitz the butter, flour and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. add the egg and iced water and pulse until the mixture just comes together. transfer sough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth. Divide into two discs, one slightly larger than the other, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Place an oven tray in the oven an preheat oven to 190℃. Roll larger pastry disc between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to to line a 23cm pie pan. Drape pastry over the rolling pin, lift pastry into pan, gently press into the shape of the pan, then trim the edge.

3. Place three bacon rashers over pastry base and sprinkle over half of the spring onions. Break four eggs, one at a time, into a cup, then place on the bacon. Pierce each yolk with a knife and season with pepper. Repeat with remaining bacon, spring onion and eggs. Season and brush pastry edge with egg wash.

4. Roll out remaining pastry disc until large enough to cover the pie, then, using the rolling pin to lift the pastry, place it over the filling, pressing the pastry edges to seal. Trim excess pastry then crimp edges. Brush top with egg wash.

5. Place pie on preheated oven tray and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and eggs are cooked. Cool pie for 10 minutes before serving with tomato chutney.

Notes:
Placing the pie on a preheated oven tray will help the base of the pastry to cook through (no soggy bottoms!)

Working Mum's Time Saver Tip:

Use shop bought short crust pastry

Junior Masterchef Macaroni Cheese

Recipe By: Junior Masterchef
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
225 g macaroni pasta, (1 1/4 cups)
4 rashers bacon, rind removed, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
green salad, to serve
Cheese Sauce
40 g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
500 ml milk, (2 cups)
180 g cheddar cheese, (1 1/2 cups), grated
50 g parmesan, (2/3 cup), grated
mustard powder

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200℃. Cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to packet directions or until al dente. Drain in a colander and toss with a little olive oil and transfer to a bowl.

2. Heat a non-stick frypan over a medium heat and cook bacon, stirring occasionally until crisp. Add bacon and any pan drippings to the pasta and toss to combine.

3. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add flour and stir continuously for 1 minute or until mixture is bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in milk a few tablespoons at a time (the flour mixture will absorb the milk and clump together). Continue adding milk, stirring after each addition until combined (after the third addition, it should start to become smooth). Stir in remaining milk, return to a low-medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens.

4. Add ¾ cup cheddar, the parmesan and mustard powder to the sauce and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over pasta mixture and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into a 1.5 litre (6 cup) ovenproof dish, smooth  top and scatter over breadcrumbs and remaining cheddar.

5. Bake for 40 minutes or until browned on top and bubbling. Stand for 5 minutes before serving with salad.

Notes:
Mix & Match: Stir in 165g (1 cup) fresh corn kernels to macaroni mixture before cooking.

For a sweeter flavour and a little colour, substitute the brown onion for 4-6 finely sliced spring onions

ANZAC Biscuits

Recipe By: Grandma Smith

Ingredients:
1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
115 g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. golden syrup
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp. boiling water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 180℃. Combine flour, oats, sugar and coconut in the bowl of an electric mixer.

2. Combine butter, golden syrup, bicarb soda and hot water in a small bowl and mix until butter is melted (microwave for 30 seconds if needed).

3. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on low speed until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Drop in ⅓ cup balls onto a non-stick biscuit tray. Flatten slightly before baking for 10-12 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

Breadmaker Pizza Bases

By far the easiest way to make pizza bases (if you are into making your own). Literally set and forget. Use a little olive oil and a dusting of flour on the pizza tray to give the base a nice crispy finish.

Recipe By: Sunbeam
Serving Size: 6-8
Yield: 2 Pizzas

Ingredients:
290 milliliters water
3 tablespoons Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (60ml)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
500 grams baker’s flour, 3 1/4 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast

Directions:
1. Pour water and oil into bread pan. Add sugar, salt and flour. Make a small pocket in the top and place the yeast in the pocket. Wipe any spills from around the outside of the pan.

2. Place the bread pan into the bread maker and close the lid. Set to "dough" program and press start. Dough will be kneaded in the time as indicated on the breadmaker.

3. Remove the completed dough from the bread pan. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to fit two pizza trays. Spread with favourite toppings and bake for 20 minutes at 180℃ or until cooked.

{Working Mum's Time Saver Tip}

I have prepared this pizza dough up to step 2 in the time between getting home from school pick up and racing out again to sports, piano lessons etc. When I get home, all I need to do is divide, roll and top. If I am running late from whatever commitment I have dashed off to, it doesn't matter if the dough is left in the breadmaker a little after the dough setting has completed.

Beef & Black Bean Stir Fry

{image from Junior MasterChef Series 2 Cookbook}

Recipe By: Junior Masterchef
Serving Size: 4 serves

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon soy sauce, light
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour
400 grams rump steak, trimmed of fat, thinly sliced
1 bunch gai lan*, (Chinese Broccoli)
80 milliliters vegetable oil
1 red onion, small, chopped
3 centermetres fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, seeded and thinly sliced
100 g oyster mushrooms**, roughly torn if large
1 tablespoon salted black beans
2 tablespoons chinese rice wine, (shaoxing)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

Directions:
1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar and cornflour in a bowl, add beef and toss to combine. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes

2. Cut gai lan leaves from stems and trim base of stems. Slice remaining stems lengthways if thick, then cut leaves into 5cm lengths. Set aside separately.

3. Heat a wok over a high heat and add 1½ tablespoons of oil. When very hot (shimmering) add half the beef and stir fry for 2 minutes or until the beef is browned. Transfer beef to a bowl and repeat with another 1½ tablespoons of oil and remaining beef. Wipe wok clean.

4. Place wok over a medium heat. When hot, add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil then onion, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute. Increaseheat to high, add gai lan stems, capsicum and mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add gai lan leaves, black beans and rice wine and stir fry for 30 seconds. Return beef to wok, add oyster sauce and 60ml water and stir fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Notes:

*If Gai Lan is unavailable, substitute with broccolini or green beans.

**If oyster mushrooms are unavailable, substitute with swiss brown or shitake

TIPS for Stir Frying: This is a technique where you need to be really organised beforehand, as cooking should be done quickly. Make sure you prepare all of the ingredients beforehand - this is kown as "mise en place" (MEEZ-ON-PLASS), literally "put in place". Cut all the ingredients into pieces about the same size so they cook evenly. The dish will look and taste much better.

Working Mum's Time Saver Tip

Ask your butcher to slice your beef into strips for you! Most supermarkets also have this option in their pre-packaged meat department.

 

Meal Plan Monday

Monday

{image & recipe credit}

Creamy Coconut Fish Curry with Steamed Rice

Tuesday

Nachos Supreme

Wednesday

Tuna Mornay with Creamy Mash

Thursday

Steak Bearnaise with steamed greans

Friday

Chicken Ceasar Salad

Saturday

Lamb Korma with Steamed Basmati Rice

Sunday

Chicken Parmegana, chips & Salad

Lunchbox

 {image & recipe credit}

Chocolate Coconut Slice

Grandma Smith's Slow Cooked Sweet Beef Curry

Recipe By: Grandma Smith
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
500 g chuck steak, cubed
2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 tablespoons butter
1 brown onion, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 green apple, diced
1 tablespoon sultanas
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
500 milliliters beef stock

Directions:
1. Place the flour, curry powder and salt and pepper in a large zip lock bag and shake to combine. Pop the beef pieces in the bag and shake until the beef is coated in the seasoned flour. Set aside

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over a medium heat add the beef (reserving any excess flour) and fry until lightly browned.

3. Add carrot, apple and onion. Cook for about five minutes or until softened. Add sultanas, sugar, lemon juice and stock. Cook for a few minutes until pan is deglazed (all the brown bits come up off the bottom). Add any left over flour to the liquid, stir to combine.

4. Tip all of the mixture into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender. Serve with steamed rice.

Meal Plan Monday

MONDAY

{image credit & recicpe}

Roast Chicken with Honey Glazed Carrots, Potatoes & Silverbeet

I've got to be honest, we found the flavours of the ground cumin and coriander a bit overpowering in the vege dish. Far be it from me to think I know better than the great Curtis Stone, but if I were to make this again I would substitute the ginger for some crushed garlic, omit the ground spices and add a little fresh thyme. The chicken however was DELISH!

TUESDAY

Curried Sausages, Creamy Mash & Steamed Seasonal Vegetables

WEDNESDAY

Nachos Supreme - YES, AGAIN!

THURSDAY

Chicken Skewers with Satay Sauce and Stir Fried Vegetables

FRIDAY

{image credit & recipe}

Beef Schnitzels, home made chips & salad

SATURDAY

{image credit & recipe}

Homemade Cherry Tomato & Prosciutto Pizza with Garlic Bread

 TIP: There is nearly 2 hours to wait for the dough to prove (rise), and about 20 minutes cooking time. I use this time to do other things like, put on a load of washing, vacuum, dust (or do nothing at all!) There is only about 30 minutes, if that, of active prep.

SUNDAY

{image credit & Recipe}

Thai Red Curry Prawns & Jasmine Rice

This is a Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals recipe. I am totally in love with this book and tend to include at least one or two of these recipes in each fortnight's meal plan. They don't take me 30 minutes, closer to 45 I think, but that is usually for a main, one or two side dishes and a dessert! I have omitted the cucumber side salad and the dessert tonight though.

LUNCHBOX

{image credit & recipe}

Chocolate Slice

TIP: When cooled completely, wrap individual servings in cling wrap, place in a large zip lock bag in the freezer. Take out as required each day to add to lunchboxes.

Curried Sausages

Recipe By: Food.com
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
1 kg sausage
2 brown onions, finely sliced
2 1/2 cups Beef Stock, salt reduced
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon malt vinegar

Directions:
1. Cook the sausages in a large frying pan over a medium low heat, turning frequently. When cooked through, slice and set aside.

2. In the same pan the sausages were cooked in, sauté the onions until soft and slightly transparent. And the flour and stir for around 30 seconds or until combined and slightly brown.

3. Mix together the remaining ingredients in a jug then add to the pot to thicken (about 5-10 minutes). Add the sausages back to the pan to heat through.

4.  Serve with creamy mashed potato and steamed seasonal vegetables.

Meal Plan Monday

MONDAY

{image credit}

Cumin Salt CrustedPork with Braised Buk Choy & Baby Carrots

TUESDAY

Tandoori Butter Chicken with Wilted Baby Spinach

WEDNESDAY

Steak Bearnaise with Home Made Chips & Simple Salad

THURSDAY

Chicken Fettuccine Carbonara

FRIDAY

Cook's Night Off!

SATURDAY

No Packet Tuna Mornay and Creamy Mash

SUNDAY

Chicken Parmegana & Salad

LUNCHBOX

Home Made Muesli Bar Slice

Tuna Mornay

Recipe By: Pippa
Serving Size: 4

Summary:
A family favourite (if your family eats tuna!) and straight from the pantry.

Ingredients:
425 gram Tuna, tinned
60 g unsalted butter
4 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour
cayenne pepper & black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1 stock cube or 1 teaspoon of stock powder
4 spring onions, chopped finely
1 cup corn kernels, (frozen or tinned are fine and easier)
2 cups milk
breadcrumbs
grated cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200℃.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Take the pan off the heat while you stir in the flour, peppers and mustard powder. Put the pan back on the heat and cook the flour and butter mixture for 1 minute, taking care not to burn it.

2. Take the pan off the heat again while you gradually add the milk. Add the stock powder (or crumble in the cube). Stir over low heat while the mixture (a béchamel) thickens. Once it has take it off the heat and stir in the tuna, spring onions and corn.

3. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and cover the top with breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Pop into the oven (uncovered) for 20-30 minutes until the onions are soft and the topping is crunchy. Serve with creamy mashed potato and steamed greens.

Notes:
Other vegetables can be added to this. The sauce also makes a great base for other mornays, the chicken and asparagus variation is yummy!

Chicken Fettuccine Carbonara

Recipe By: Pippa
Serving Size: 4

Summary:
Great recipe from Donna Hay, though the chicken and mushrooms are our family's own addition.

Ingredients:
400 grams Fettuccine
200 grams chicken breast, cut into thin strips
6 rashers bacon, cut into thin strips
3 green onions, sliced
10 button mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 egg yolks*
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup parmesan
sea salt and cracked pepper
2 tbl chopped flat leaf parsley

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta until al dente. Keep warm. Must be kept warm as the heat from the pasta will cook the egg in the sauce.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the chicken, bacon, mushrooms and green onions for 3-4 minutes until bacon is crisp and golden.

3. Place egg yolks, cream, parmesan, salt and pepper in bowl and whisk well to combine.

4. Toss the egg mixture through the hot pasta, coating well, then toss with bacon mixture and parsley and serve immediately.

Notes:
It pays to reserve a little pasta water, as this sauce can tend to be a bit thick. If needed, add just a couple of tablespoons at a time to the "sauced" pasta before adding the bacon mix until you get a consistency you like.

*Save your egg whites! Crack into a small takeaway container or zip-lick bag. Label with the number of egg whites and pop in the freezer. Next time you need egg whites, just defrost and away you go!

{WORKING MUM TIMESAVER TIP}: You can purchase your chicken, bacon and mushrooms already sliced. This will save a few precious minutes of prep time.  

Tandoori Butter Chicken

Serving Size: 4

Summary:
I first tried this when Meg made it for our cooking club. It was so delicious I had to get the recipe. The original recipe comes from taste.com.au, I have added the baby spinach to introduce some greens for a more balanced meal.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil
500 g chicken thigh, cubed
3 tablespoons Tandoori paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
375m l can lite evaporated milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
15 g butter
150g Baby Spinach, washed and drained
Steamed rice to serve

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a frying pan (with a lid), add chicken and cook for 5-8 minutes or until nicely browned. Add Tandoori paste and tomato paste and stir until chicken is coated.

2. Combine the evaporated milk, sugar and cornflour and pour over chicken, mixing well. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened. Add butter and stir until melted.

3. Turn off the heat. Tip in the baby spinach and pop the lid on the pan. Allow to stand for 5 minutes. The residual heat from the pan should be enough to slightly wilt the spinach.

4. Stir through the spinach, garnish with flaked almonds. Serve with steamed basmati rice.

Notes:
The best tandoori paste I have found (and the one that Meg turned me on to) is "Maharaja's Choice" brand available from Coles. Sharwoods is also pretty nice :)

{image credit}

{image credit}

This is a pretty family friendly recipe. But you can adjust the heat by adding more or less Tandoori paste. eg 1 tablespoon = mild, 2 tablespoons = medium, 3tablespoons = hot (for little kiddies anyway). Our kids like to mix in some plain yoghurt to turn the heat down if needed.

{WORKING MUM TIMESAVER TIPS}:

• Ask your butcher to dice the chicken thigh for you when you purchase it.
• Some supermarkets (such as Woolworths) have pre-cooked rice in their ready meals section.
• Try the pouches of microwaveable rice (such as Uncle Ben's or Sunrice). They cook in 90 seconds! 

Grandma Smith's Hai Tai Minh

A good old fashioned one-pot family meal. Super quick and super healthy.

This does loosely resemble a meal that my grandmother used to make but this is, dare I say, a little more modern and colourful. The smell of an open tin of curry powder always transports me back to my grandmother's kitchen

Recipe By: Pippa
Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:
1/4 cabbage, shredded
250 g beans, sliced
2 carrots, diced
2 sticks celery, chopped
4 spring onion, sliced
500 g chicken or mince
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons rice, uncooked
1 packet chicken noodle soup (try to get salt reduced)
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups water
Salt & pepper, to taste
Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Heat a little olive oil in a pan over a medium high heat. Brown the mince for 5-10. Season with a little salt and pepper.

2. Add the garlic, spring onion and uncooked rice and stir through until just fragrant (30 seconds to a minute). Add the rest of the vegetables then pour over the combined water, soup mix and curry powder.

3. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the rice is tender.

{WORKING MUM TIMESAVER TIP}:

Substitute all the veges for a 400g packet of prepared stir fry veges from the fruit and veg section of the supermarket. They cost about $5 but you will save precious minutes of prep time. You could also use frozen vegetables

Nachos Supreme!

Don't be scared! I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but if you are a keen cook, you will have quite a bit of this in your fridge/pantry already.  See my timesaver tips below for some speedy ideas.

Believe me, your family will thank you. This has got to be our family favourite. If I am ever at a loss for dinner ideas (and doesn't that happen to all of us?) and I ask the family for ideas, NACHOS is always the answer. 


Ingredients:
For the Tortilla Chips
8 mini flour tortillas, cut into eighths
Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil, spray*
For the Sauce
1 brown onion, medium sized, finely diced
500 grams extra lean beef mince
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
125 grams supersweet corn kernals, can
½ cup salt reduced beef stock
For the Salsa
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
5 vine ripened tomatoes, deseeded, finely chopped
juice of one lime
1 handful coriander, roughly chopped
For the Guacamole
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
juice of one lime
2 avocado, large
Seasonings
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Serving
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
lite sour cream

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 200℃. Place all salsa ingredients in a bowl, season with a pinch of salt and a splash of extra virgin olive oil, mix well and allow flavours to infuse to at room temperature.

2. Line a large shallow baking tray with baking paper. Place tortilla pieces in baking tray, spritz with extra virgin olive oil spray, sprinkle with a little sea salt, toss to coat and pop in the oven for 10 minutes or until just golden. Remove from the oven, they will crisp up as they cool.

3. Heat a little extra virgin olive oil in a large frypan over a medium/high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the beef mince and garlic to the pan. Cook until well browned and all juices have been absorbed. Break up any lumps with your spoon/spatula as you go. Season with a little salt and pepper. Add paprika, oregano, cumin, thyme and chilli, cook stirring until fragrant (around 30 seconds). Add tomato paste and combine well. Add the whole can of corn (liquid and all!). Add stock, reduce heat and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed.

4. While the sauce is simmering, to another bowl add garlic, chilli, spring onion, cumin and lime juice. Mix well. Halve and de-seed the avocado and scoop the flesh into the bowl and roughly mash with a fork, mixing with the other ingredients. Season with a little salt and pepper.

5. Serving Remove the sauce from the heat and divide between four serving bowls and add a handful of chips to each bowl. Top with grated cheddar, then layer with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. Dig in!

(Serves 4)

{COOK'S TIPS} •Adjust the heat to suit your family’s taste buds, by increasing or decreasing the amount of fresh and powdered chilli. •Allow mince to come to room temperature before cooking. This reduces the amount of lumps to break up in the pan. •Beef mince can be substituted with chicken mince, or halve the amount of meat and add a can of drained and rinsed kidney beans for an even healthier alternative. {image credit} *Oil spray pumps can be purchased from your local kitchen store and are a great way to use less oil in your cooking. Just decant your favourite oil into the spray bottle and away you go! {WORKING MUM'S TIMESAVER TIPS} •Substitute homemade tortilla chips for store bought corn chips. Plain, no added salt are best as they don’t overpower the other flavours in the meal. •Make your mexi-spice mix up in bulk ahead of time. Mix together 3 tbs Paprika, 3 tsp Dried Oregano, 1 ½ tsp Cumin, 1 ½ tsp Thyme and ¾ tsp Chilli powder and store in an airtight container. Use 2 tbs of the premade mix when the recipe calls to add the spices. •Make the meat mixture up to three days ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Warm through before serving.